cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impervious Surface Area and Residential Housing Density: A Satellite Perspective

Abstract A correlation between housing lot size and impervious surface area (ISA), previously published by the Soil Conservation Service (SCS), is re‐examined using satellite (Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper) image data and a new method for determining ISA from remote measurements. ISA is determined for each pixel using two criteria: an image classification and the fractional vegetation cover. Reworking part of a previous study of Chester County, Pennsylvania, we use satellite images to calculate ISA in Uwchlan Township, a rapidly urbanizing municipality located west of Philadelphia. Results show a similarity with the SCS values in which ISA decreases with increasing lot size. In our study, however, the values were higher (8 ‐ 20%), possibly because we included sidewalks and roads.
Automatic shaping and decomposition of reward functions

This paper investigates the problem of automatically learning how to restructure the reward function of a Markov decision process so as to speed up reinforcement learning. We begin by describing a method that learns a shaped reward function given a set of state and temporal abstractions. Next, we consider decomposition of the per-timestep reward in multieffector problems, in which the overall agent can be decomposed into multiple units that are concurrently carrying out various tasks. We show by example that to find a good reward decomposition, it is often necessary to first shape the rewards appropriately. We then give a function approximation algorithm for solving both problems together. Standard reinforcement learning algorithms can be augmented with our methods, and we show experimentally that in each case, significantly faster learning results.
Renal excretion of plasma soluble melanins by healthy human adults.

AbstractThe soluble melanins of blood plasma form in vivo and in vitro from dopa, catecholamines, catechol, hydroquinone, homogentisic acid, 3-hydroxykynurenine, 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid, p-aminophenol, p-phenylenediamine and other structurally related end(ex)ogenous compounds by oxidative polymerization. The mean quantity of natural melanins in normal plasma is 1.61 < 0.10 (standard deviation) mg/ml, (n = 20) and in uraemic plasma 2.72 < 0.38 mg/ml, (n = 16). The plasma melanins (< 3%), are associated with proteins (< 85%), mucoproteins (< 0.25%), lipids (< 0.4%), as soluble lipofuscins, and probably are associated with proteins without lipids as soluble melanoproteins.Fluorescence, UV-VIS and IR spectroscopies and the melanin isolation method show the presence of soluble melanins in the urine of healthy people. Soluble melanins can also be formed in vitro in the urine by oxidative polymerization of the precursors. In most of the urine samples we studied, melanins were present in larger amounts than the...
Sensitivity to Cross-Axis Oscillations in a Single-Axis Nuclear Gyroscope

Nuclear gyro development efforts are intended to provide a low cost, high reliability alternative to conventional mechanical gyroscopes. Cross-axis rates, oscillating at the Larmor frequency, are presently noted to be able to cause a degradation in the SNR of nuclear magnetic resonance gyros. This effect has been demonstrated for a single-species, unpumped device, and may give rise to related problems in the dual-species, continuously pumped devices as well. 9 references.
Bacteria and game theory: the rise and fall of cooperation in spatially heterogeneous environments.

One of the predictions of game theory is that cooperative behaviours are vulnerable to exploitation by selfish individuals, but this result seemingly contradicts the survival of cooperation observed in nature. In this review, we will introduce game theoretical concepts that lead to this conclusion and show how the spatial competition dynamics between microorganisms can be used to model the survival and maintenance of cooperation. In particular, we focus on how Escherichia coli bacteria with a growth advantage in stationary phase (GASP) phenotype maintain a proliferative phenotype when faced with overcrowding to gain a fitness advantage over wild-type populations. We review recent experimental approaches studying the growth dynamics of competing GASP and wild-type strains of E. coli inside interconnected microfabricated habitats and use a game theoretical approach to analyse the observed inter-species interactions. We describe how the use of evolutionary game theory and the ideal free distribution accurately models the spatial distribution of cooperative and selfish individuals in spatially heterogeneous environments. Using bacteria as a model system of cooperative and selfish behaviours may lead to a better understanding of the competition dynamics of other organisms—including tumour–host interactions during cancer development and metastasis.
A Brief Biography of John D. Parker, Co-Founder of the Kansas Academy of Science

In the lore associated with the 1868 establishment of the Kansas Academy of Science (e.g. Natural History Society), John D. Parker’s name is always mentioned along with Benjamin F. Mudge as the co-founders of the organization. While much of the honor deservedly goes to Professor Mudge, then at the Kansas State Agricultural College in Manhattan, it seems from most accounts that Parker was the instigator and most enthusiastic proponent of the effort to form a scientific organization in Kansas. According to Parker (1884), when he “was called in April, 1867, to Lincoln College [now Washburn University], Topeka, there was no scientific association in Kansas, and no general interest in science apparent in the State. The people of Kansas had suffered intensely in the border strife followed by the civil war, of which at Topeka, there were still evidences in the rifle pits along the southern edge of the town, and in the palisades still standing at the intersection of Kansas Avenue and Sixth Street.”
Slope-Enhanced Fission of Salty Hetons under Sea Ice

Abstract Ocean responses to a single brine source under ice and over a sloping bottom are investigated in numerical experiments. Brine sources considered herein are often much stronger than that anticipated from a single seawater freezing event in a time span of about 10 days. The authors have no evidence that such strong sources exist in the ocean, but the consequent heton-like eddies manifest interesting features over a bottom slope. The numerical model contains a stratified ocean capped by an ice layer. The convection initially generates a top cyclone and a submerged anticyclone vertically stacked together. Under sea ice, the top cyclone dissipates in time and often breaks up into several distinct cyclonic vortices. Through heton-type couplings, the breakaway shallow cyclones are often able to tear the underlying anticyclone apart to form distinct anticyclones. Top cyclones are eventually annihilated by ice-exerted friction, leaving submerged anticyclones in stable existence. Fission from a pair of ver...
Linking Essential Tremor to the Cerebellum—Animal Model Evidence

In this review, we hope to stimulate interest in animal models as opportunities to understand tremor mechanisms within the cerebellar system. We begin by considering the harmaline model of essential tremor (ET), which has ET-like anatomy and pharmacology. Harmaline induces the inferior olive (IO) to burst fire rhythmically, recruiting rhythmic activity in Purkinje cells (PCs) and deep cerebellar nuclei (DCN). This model has fostered the IO hypothesis of ET, which postulates that factors that promote excess IO, and hence PC complex spike synchrony, also promote tremor. In contrast, the PC hypothesis postulates that partial PC cell loss underlies tremor of ET. We describe models in which chronic partial PC loss is associated with tremor, such as the Weaver mouse, and others with PC loss that do not show tremor, such as the Purkinje cell degeneration mouse. We postulate that partial PC loss with tremor is associated with terminal axonal sprouting. We then discuss tremor that occurs with large lesions of the cerebellum in primates. This tremor has variable frequency and is an ataxic tremor not related to ET. Another tremor type that is not likely related to ET is tremor in mice with mutations that cause prolonged synaptic GABA action. This tremor is probably due to mistiming within cerebellar circuitry. In the final section, we catalog tremor models involving neurotransmitter and ion channel perturbations. Some appear to be related to the IO hypothesis of ET, while in others tremor may be ataxic or due to mistiming. In summary, we offer a tentative framework for classifying animal action tremor, such that various models may be considered potentially relevant to ET, subscribing to IO or PC hypotheses, or not likely relevant, as with mistiming or ataxic tremor. Considerable further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms of tremor in animal models.
Abstract TP31: Resting State Functional MR Connectivity In Acute And Sub-acute Stroke

Objective: Stroke can have important effects on widespread brain regions resulting in network disruption. This study investigates the changes in spontaneous activity in the brain after stroke using resting-state functional connectivity(FC) MRI. Methods: Acute ischemic stroke patients (N=22, 11 cortical, mean age=60, 10F) were recruited within 7 days of stroke onset(timepoint 1, V1). Eleven of these patients were also scanned at timepoint 2(V2), approximately 3 months later. Age-matched healthy controls (N=17, mean age = 56, 7F) and 7 patients with risk factors for stroke (mean age=67, 1F) were also recruited in the study. Ten minute eyes-closed resting-state fMRI scans were collected along with a high resolution anatomical scan. We examined FC in the language network consisting of ten regions extracted based on functional activations on a phonemic fluency task performed during a separate scan. We also examined the correlation of brain FC with behavioral performance on the task outside the scanner. Results: We examined correlation between every seed region and every other region in the network(45 seed region-pairs). Compared to age-matched controls, acute strokes showed significantly reduced inter-hemispheric connectivity, specifically between inferior frontal and temporal regions(p Conclusions: These results suggest that acute strokes show reduced brain connectivity between contralateral regions in the language network; however, this connectivity pattern is restored in the sub-acute stage.
British Post-War Policy towards Farm Mechanization

ORLD WAR II and its wake of trade crises, acute labor shortage and a great backlog of consumer demand have forced British attention to means of increasing total agricultural output and output per worker in agriculture. Increased mechanization of agriculture as a means of meeting this challenge has been an integral part of British policy since the beginning of the war in 1939. Subsequent progress in mechanization has been marked. Agricultural tractors in England and Wales increased from 45 thousand in 1939 to 267 thousand in 1952; milking machines on farms more than tripled in number from 1942 to 1952; and the number of combine harvesters rose from practically nothing to over 16 thousand (Table 1).1 The Economic Survey for 1948 set forth as government postwar policy provision of agricultural machinery to the home market of more than ?40 million per year, at least until 1950-51.2 This goal has been more than met in each of the succeeding years in conjunction with a substantial and increasing export business, and at a time when materials were exceedingly short.3 British public policy has played a leading role in this growth of agricultural mechanization. For a variety of reasons mechanization has contributed less to the goals of increased food production per capita and per acre and more to other values than might have been wished by the policy planners. It is not, however, within the scope of this paper to analyse the contribution which mechanization has made to specific goals. The discussion is directed only to public policy as it has impinged upon mechanization in order to illustrate principles of the mechanization process and to provide lessons in directing public policy towards increased mechanization, if such is judged valuable. This policy has been largely
Detection of Foodborne Pathogens Using Biosensors

To prevent the outbreaks of foodborne diseases, early detection of common pathogens is necessary. This can be achieved by using field deployable biosensors. In this chapter, traditional laboratory-based assays are discussed: culture plating and colony counting, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Subsequent efforts to make these laboratory assays into field-deployable biosensors are discussed, specifically using the lab-on-a-chip (LOC) platforms, paper microfluidics, and smartphones.
Adsorption, Distribution and Excretion of Tripelennamine (Pyribenzamine):

SummaryTripelennamine (Pyribenzamine) was estimated by the Brodie methyl orange technic which was modified to give a high degree of specificity. The compound is rapidly and completely absorbed by rats following oral administration. It rapidly leaves the blood and localizes in all tissues especially lungs. Brain, kidneys, spleen, liver and heart all may concentrate appreciable amounts, the level of tripelennamine present in each organ being somewhat dependent upon its mode of administration. High brain levels of tripelennamine were consistently noted with lethal doses of the compound. Prolonged storage of the compound does not occur and only small amounts are excreted via the urine and feces. It is concluded that the compound is almost completely metabolized in the body. The liver subsequently was found to be the most active organ for metabolizing tripelennamine.
Suggestion of an Environmental Influence on Intercolony Agonism of Formosan Subterranean Termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

The role of environmental factors in the intercolonial kin recognition of Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki was investigated using laboratory colonies under similar environmental conditions. Investigation of the parental field colonies found prediction of agonistic interactions based on geographic distance to be unreliable. Agonism did not occur between non-nestmate groups from laboratory colonies. Pairings of field and laboratory groups demonstrated reduced agonism. These results suggested that an environmental cue is part of a multiple component system for intercolony kin recognition in this species.
130. Subjective social status reduces the association between poor sleep and elevated inflammation in female college students

Negative health consequences of poor sleep and low subjective social status are a consistent finding in various age groups, including children and older adults. In young adults, college marks a special time in this regard as it is linked to significant changes in sleep patterns and social status. The current study aimed at investigating whether such changes in sleep patterns during college are also linked to health outcomes and if so, whether this association is gender-dependent and/or moderated by social status. To answer these questions, sleep efficiency was assessed in 45 students (31 females, 19.4 ± 1.36 yrs) over the course of a week using actigraphy. Inflammatory status was determined by plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels. Controlling for BMI and age, female students showed higher IL-6 levels ( F = 4.68, p = .036) and higher sleep efficiency ( F = 6.66, p = .014) than male students. However, specifically female students with low sleep efficiency showed elevated IL-6 levels when compared to both female students with high sleep efficiency and male students (beta = 0.58, p = .029). Including subjective social status reduced this effect (beta = 2.00, p = .053). In summary, we found a higher susceptibility to negative health effects of poor sleep in female students compared to male students – an effect buffered by social status. These findings emphasize the importance of taking sleep behavior into account when investigating the mechanisms underlying gender differences in prevalence rates of inflammatory diseases, specifically during early adulthood.
Marketing in Italy Today

Italy embodies all stages of economic development in its marketing structure and operations, ranging from regional differences hoary with age … to regulations of distribution based upon the guild s...
Dystrophin-Deficient Cardiomyopathy

Dystrophinopathies are a group of distinct neuromuscular diseases that result from mutations in the structural cytoskeletal Dystrophin gene. Dystrophinopathies include Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD), X-linked dilated cardiomyopathy, as well as DMD and BMD female carriers. The primary presenting symptom in most dystrophinopathies is skeletal muscle weakness. However, cardiac muscle is also a subtype of striated muscle and is similarly affected in many of the muscular dystrophies. Cardiomyopathies associated with dystrophinopathies are an increasingly recognized manifestation of these neuromuscular disorders and contribute significantly to their morbidity and mortality. Recent studies suggest that these patient populations would benefit from cardiovascular therapies, annual cardiovascular imaging studies, and close follow-up with cardiovascular specialists. Moreover, patients with DMD and BMD who develop end-stage heart failure may benefit from the use of advanced therapies. This review focuses on the pathophysiology, cardiac involvement, and treatment of cardiomyopathy in the dystrophic patient.
Phase I study of the anitfolate pralatrexate given with vitamin B12 and folic acid supplementation in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

A143 Background: Pralatrexate is a novel antifolate that has shown promising activity in the treatment of patients with previously treated NSCLC at doses of 135-150 mg/m2 IV every other week (q2wk) [Krug, CCR 9(6), 2003]. Additional supplementation with vitamin B12 and folic acid may mitigate toxicity due to pralatrexate, allow higher doses to be delivered, and thus improve efficacy. Methods: To determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of pralatrexate in combination with vitamin B12 and folic acid in patients with NSCLC, a rapid escalation design was used. Pralatrexate was administered initially at the previously described dose of 150 mg/m2 IV q2wk, which was then increased in successive cohorts, with 1 patient per cohort if no dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) was encountered. All patients received vitamin B12 1 mg intramuscular q8-10 weeks and folic acid 1 mg by mouth daily beginning at least 7 days prior to pralatrexate. Key eligibility criteria included: confirmed stage IIIB or IV NSCLC; at least 1 prior chemotherapy regimen; Karnofsky performance status (KPS) of 70% or greater; and no other active malignancy. Results: Between 1/05 and 8/07, a total of 17 patients have been treated at the following doses: 150 (n=1), 190 (n=1), 230 (n=1), 270 (n=11), 325 (n=3). Patient characteristics include: 5 men, 12 women; median age 64 (range 40 to 82); KPS 70-90%; 17 stage IV; 9 with 1 prior regimen, 8 with 2 or more prior regimens. At the 325 mg/m2 dose, 2 of 3 patients experienced grade 3 mucositis, a DLT. To further study toxicity, additional patients have been treated at the 270 mg/m2 dose. To date, a total of 11 patients have received 270 mg/m2 and of these 2 have had grade 3 mucositis, and 8 have had grade 1-2 mucositis. Clinically significant radiologic responses have been observed and will be reported. Conclusions: When pralatrexate is administered with vitamin B12 and folic acid, the MTD is twice as high as achieved in a previous phase I study in which pralatrexate was given without vitamin supplementation. Phase 2 testing of the 270 mg/m2 q2w dose is planned to determine whether this higher dose translates into greater efficacy.
Using postmortem blood and urine norfentanyl/fentanyl ratios in the investigation of fentanyl-related deaths.

Sir,Deaths in which fentanyl is detected challenge medical examiners, who must decide whether a given death represents therapeutic administration or was an overdose.[1] Numerous independent studies...
Pilgrimage and Periodic Festivals as Processes of Social Integration in Chaco Canyon

ABSTRACTThis article examines the possibility that pilgrimage and periodic festivals were major processes leading to the spatial cohesion of Chaco Canyon and its outlying communities. Aspects of pilgrimage traditions around the world, such as periodic ritual processions, way stations and shrines along roads and trails, public architecture for performance and feasting, and facilities for accommodating pilgrims and visitors, are implied in the archaeological record of Chaco. Because pilgrimages and festivals are usually self motivated and spontaneous, there is no need to invoke political power, administrative control, or military coercion to explain social integration across an extended culture area. The article provides examples of contemporary pilgrimage festivals in India and the Himalayas that may relate to the Chaco landscape.
Ultrafast transient-grating spectroscopy in a single shot

There exist many fascinating ultrafast solid- state chemical and physical processes that have gone largely unstudied because of their irreversible nature. We report a novel transient-grating technique in -which an entire ultrafast decay can be taken in a single shot. The delay time in this technique is encoded spatially by using excitation beams that are not focused in the plane of their propagation, much as in single-shot autocorrelation techniques.1 However, in our technique the excitation beams are incident upon opposite sides of the sample medium (Fig. 1). The grating is read by a probe beam that propagates perpendicular to the direction of spatial encoding (90° away from one of the excitation beams along the Bragg cone). The spatially encoded signal is then collected by an array detector, which can either detect a single shot or integrate the signal over many shots.
Photonic topological zero-modes in a 2D lattice

We propose the realization of topological zero-modes in a two-dimensional quantum spin Hall-like photonic topological insulator structure. Unlike topological edge or surface modes, these zero-modes are point-like and thus have two fewer dimensions than their host lattice.
Remarkable Plants That Shape Our World

Helen Bynum and William Bynum. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press, 2014. 240 pp., color plates, halftones, further reading, sources of quotations, sources of illustrations, index, acknowl...
Spotlight on bevacizumab and its potential in the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma: the evidence to date

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare, but aggressive cancer. Surgery and radiation offer limited benefit, and systemic chemotherapy remains the primary treatment modality for the majority of patients. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor have been recognized as important players in the biology of this disease. Bevacizumab is a monoclonal antibody that binds VEGF and blocks its interaction with the VEGF receptor. Recent studies have shown benefit with the addition of bevacizumab to the combination of cisplatin and pemetrexed in MPM. This combination is now included in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines (with a category 2A recommendation) as a possible first-line treatment for unresectable MPM in appropriately selected patients. This review discusses the rationale behind the use of bevacizumab in MPM, as well as summarizes the pharmacology, efficacy, safety, and toxicity of bevacizumab across multiple trials. The use of small-molecule inhibitors of angiogenesis in the treatment of MPM is also discussed.
Tuning the Fe(II/III) Redox Potential in Nonheme Fe(II)–Hydroxo Complexes through Primary and Secondary Coordination Sphere Modifications

The derivatization of the imino-functionalized tris(pyrrolylmethyl)amine ligand framework, N(XpiR)3 (XLR; X = H, Br; R = cyclohexyl (Cy), phenyl (Ph), 2,6- diisopropylphenyl (DIPP)), is reported. Modular ligand synthesis allows for facile modification of both the primary and secondary coordination sphere electronics. The iron(II)–hydroxo complexes, N(XpiR)(XafaR)2Fe(II)OH (XLRFeIIOH), are synthesized to establish the impact of the ligand modifications on the complexes’ electronic properties, including their chemical and electrochemical oxidation. Cyclic voltammetry demonstrates that the Fe(II/III) redox couple spans a 400 mV range across the series. The origin of the shifted potential is explained based on spectroscopic, structural, and theoretical analyses of the iron(II) and iron(III) compounds.
Tumor Neoantigens Derived from RNA Sequencing Analysis

Successful treatment of cancers with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICIs) has been associated with the mutational load of tumors. The biological rationale for this association between mutational load and ICI response is that neoantigens are generated by mutations in protein coding sequences that provide a steady flow of neoantigens to prime the immune system for the production of antigen-specific tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). It is thought that mutant protein fragments will lead to altered MHC/peptide recognition and immune cell activation; ICI treatment enhances TIL functionality. Neoantigens are also relevant for an alternative, cell-based immunotherapeutic approach, i.e. Adoptive Cell Transfer (ACT). This concept of neoantigens derived from DNA mutations has led to an intense line of investigation to uncover relevant neoantigens. However, there has been mixed success with the current neoantigen discovery approach based on DNA mutation analysis of tumor samples by exome sequencing of genomic DNA. The current concept of neoantigens derived from mutant DNA ignores an alternative mechanism that can also generate neoantigens in cancers: Posttranscriptional editing of primary RNA. Here we propose to use full-length Single Molecule Real Time (SMRT) RNAseq to uncover pathologically edited mRNAs in cancers and complement the discovery of pathologic mRNA. We will discuss the respective algorithms and propose the combination with identification of candidate neoantigen peptides by mass spectrometry.
A research coding method to evaluate medical clinicians conduct of behavioral health care in patients with unexplained symptoms.

Abstract Objective Develop a reliable coding method of a Behavioral Health Treatment Model for patients with Medically Unexplained Symptoms (BHTM-MUS). Methods Two undergraduates trained for 30 h coded videotaped interviews from 161 resident-simulated patient (SP) interactions. Trained on 45 videotapes, coders coded 33 (20%) of 161 study set tapes for the BHTM-MUS. Guetzkow’s U, Cohen’s Kappa, and percent of agreement were used to measure coders’ reliability in unitizing and coding residents’ skills for eliciting: education and informing (4 yes/no items), motivating (2), treatment statements (5), commitment and goals (2), negotiates plan (8), non-emotion patient-centered skills (4), and patient-centered emotional skills (8). Results 60 items were dichotomized a priori from analysis of the BHTM-MUS and were reduced to 33 during training. Guetzkow’s U ranged from .00 to .082. Kappa ranged from 0.76 to 0.97 for the 7 variables and 33 individual items. The overall kappa was 0.87, and percent of agreement was 95.7%. Percent of agreement by item ranged from 85 to 100%. Conclusions A highly reliable coding method is recommended to evaluate medical clinicians’ behavioral care skills in patients with unexplained symptoms. Practice implications A way to rate behavioral care in patients with unexplained symptoms
Metals in Soil and Runoff from a Piedmont Hay Field Amended with Broiler Litter and Flue Gas Desulfurization Gypsum

Flue gas desulfurization gypsum (FGDG) from coal-fired power plants is readily available for agricultural use in many US regions. Broiler litter (BL) provides plant available N, P, and K but can be a source of unwanted As, Cu, and Zn. As a source of Ca and S, FGDG can reduce losses of P and other elements in runoff from BL-amended areas. Rainfall simulation plots (2.0 m) were established on a Piedmont Cecil soil growing 'Coastal' bermudagrass ( L.) for hay. Accumulation and transport of As, Cu, Cd, Cr, Hg, Pb, and Zn were evaluated after annual BL applications (13.5 Mg ha) with four FGDG rates (0, 2.2, 4.5, 9.0 Mg ha) and two FGDG treatments (0 and 9 Mg ha) without BL. Runoff As concentrations were sixfold greater with BL than without ( ≤ 0.01) and were similar to BL with FGDG at 2.2, 4.5 or 9.0 Mg ha ( ≤ 0.10). Runoff concentrations of target elements did not increase where FGDG was applied alone. After three annual applications of FGDG and BL, soil concentrations of As, Cr, Pb, Hg, and Cu were well below levels of environmental concern. Our findings indicate that runoff losses of As from BL application are not reduced with FGDG but support other research indicating no identifiable environmental risks from FGDG beneficial use in agricultural systems.
Influence of Feed-Electrode Concentration Differences in Flow-Electrode Systems for Capacitive Deionization

The common performance metrics ascribed to flow electrode capacitive deionization systems can vary significantly depending on the mode of operation and initial system conditions. Through varying the flow electrolyte ionic strength, performance values such as average salt adsorption rate and energy consumption can vary by as much as 51 and 55%. This variability from cycle to cycle is in part due to changes in the electrical conductivity (ohmic) but is also due to the introduction of competing transport processes. Diffusive transport can enhance or diminish the rate of desalination and energy recovery, creating a larger degree of error in reported values. Here, we propose a dimensionless ratio comparing diffusion and electromigration-based transport to measure performance stability. Unstable system performance is most prominent when the feed ionic strength does not match the flow electrode ionic strength. In this scenario, the ratio of the diffusion to electromigration transport reached a maximum. Conversel...
Phosphotransfer Reactions in the Failing Heart

This chapter describes the role of phosphotransfer reactions in the failing heart. Phosphotransfer reactions in the heart provide temporal and spatial buffering of energy supply, and also metabolic regulation. Each of these functions is compromised in the failing myocardium. The major phosphotransfer reactions discussed herein individually and as an integrated network are creatine kinase (CK), adenylate kinase (AK), and nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NDPK). In part 1, we review the basic chemistry of ATP as an energy source. In part 2, the CK system is defined for normal developing and adult myocardium and for failing myocardium. Emphasis is placed on the physiological chemistry and function of CK and its isoenzymes. In part 3, AK and NDPK are briefly described. In part 4, the integration of phosphotransfer reactions and in part 5, their role in physiological chemistry of the failing heart are discussed.
Ion transport by the isolated frog cornea

The in vitro preparation of the frog cornea, R. catesbeiana, bathed by modified bicarbonate Ringer's solution and ivith 0.5 cm. of hydrostatic pressure difference at the aqueous side, developed a spontaneous transcorneal potential difference of approximately -22 mv. with the tear side negative relative to the aqueous. The short circuit current required to bring the potential difference to zero was 410 nEq. cm.-* (11 na cmr 2 ). The resistance was 2 K& cm. 2 Simultaneous ee Na and S6 Cl unidirectional fluxes were measured with the isolated cornea short circuited. The mean unidirectional sodium fluxes were approximately equal and no significant net transport was demonstrated. The difference between the mean unidirectional chloride fluxes was a net transport of 480 nEq. cm.- 2 hour- 1 from the aqueous to the tear side. The difference was statistically indistinguishable from the short circuit current. These findings are in agreement with previous studies of the isolated frog cornea. Further analysis of the unidirectional fluxes of chloride as reversible and irreversible processes relative to the membrane conductance revealed that the chloride fluxes may have a significant component of exchange diffusion.
A Fundamental Invariant in the Theory of Partitions

One of the important invariants under conjugation of Ferrers graphs is the number of different parts. But this invariant has not been exploited in the literature. In this paper, utilizing this invariance, we obtain a new proof and a variant of Cauchy’s q—binomial theorem, a six parameter extension of Heine’s fundamental transformation, and an extension of a fifth order mocktheta function identity due to Ramanujan.
DFseq: Distribution-Free Method to Detect Differential Gene Expression for RNA-Sequencing Data

Many current RNA-sequencing data analysis methods compare expressions one gene at a time, taking little consideration of the correlations among genes. In this study, we propose a method to convert such an one-dimensional comparison approach into a two-dimensional evaluation of the ratio of standard deviations (SD) of two constructed random variables. This method allows the identification of differentially expressed genes while controlling a preset significance level conditional on the read count mean-variance relationship. Meanwhile, correlations among genes are naturally accommodated due to the clustering of genes with similar distribution in the proposed $\sigma -\sigma$ σ - σ plot. The proposed distribution-free method is designated as DFseq , because it does not depend on a parametric distribution to fit read count. As a result, compared with parametric methods, DFseq can effectively handle genes with a bimodal-like distribution and/or genes with excessive 0 read counts, as well as genes with outlying observations. Besides, DFseq is an ideal platform for comparing performance of different differential gene expression detection methods.
Antiviral Functions of ARGONAUTE Proteins During Turnip Crinkle Virus Infection Revealed by Image-based Trait Analysis in Arabidopsis

Abstract RNA-based silencing functions as an important antiviral immunity mechanism in plants. Plant viruses evolved to encode viral suppressors of RNA silencing (VSRs) that interfere with the function of key components in the silencing pathway. As effectors in the RNA silencing pathway, ARGONAUTE (AGO) proteins are targeted of by some VSRs, such as that encoded by Turnip crinkle virus (TCV). A VSR-deficient TCV mutant was used to identify AGO proteins with antiviral activities during infection. A quantitative phenotyping protocol using an image-based color trait analysis pipeline on the PlantCV platform, with temporal red, green and blue (RGB) imaging and a computational segmentation algorithm, was used to measure plant disease after TCV inoculation. This process captured and analyzed growth and leaf color of Arabidopsis plants in response to virus infection over time. By combining this quantitative phenotypic data with molecular assays to detect local and systemic virus accumulation, AGO2, AGO3, and AGO7 were shown to play antiviral roles during TCV infection. In leaves, AGO2 and AGO7 functioned as prominent non-additive, anti-TCV effectors, while AGO3 played a minor role. Other AGOs were required to protect inflorescence tissues against TCV. Overall, these results indicate that distinct AGO proteins have specialized, modular roles in antiviral defense across different tissues, and demonstrate the effectiveness of image-based phenotyping to quantify disease progression. Author Summary Plant viruses caused substantial losses in crop production and quality worldwide. Precisely measuring plant health is critical for better understanding the mechanisms underlying plant virus and host interactions. Advances in high-resolution imaging technologies and deep-learning tools have made acquiring and analyzing “big data” of disease traits possible. In this study, we have developed a high-throughput, image-based trait phenotyping pipeline to quantify disease severity in Arabidopsis thaliana infected by Turnip Crinkle Virus (TCV). Our aim is to understand how the antiviral RNA silencing machinery is tuned to protect the host from invading virus infection. We focused on ARGONAUTE proteins, which are the effectors in the RNA silencing pathway. A mutant line of TCV with a dysfunctional silencing suppressor (P38) was used to investigate which ago mutation could compensate for the dysfunctional silencing suppressor and facilitate the development of disease symptoms. We demonstrated that specific AGO proteins contribute to protecting leaves from TCV infection in a non-additive manner. Our results also implied that distinct AGOs are required to function collectively to silence TCV in inflorescence tissues. More evidence is still needed to further understand how these antiviral AGOs interact with suppressor proteins molecularly during TCV infection.
The Interaction of a Diabetes Gene Risk Score With 3 Different Antihypertensive Medications for Incident Glucose-level Elevation.

BACKGROUND Elevations of fasting glucose (FG) levels are frequently encountered in people treated with thiazide diuretics. The risk is lower in people treated with ACE inhibitors (ACEi). To determine if genetic factors play a role in FG elevation, we examined the interaction of a diabetes gene risk score (GRS) with the use of 3 different antihypertensive medications. METHODS We examined 376 nondiabetic hypertensive individuals with baseline FG <100 mg/dl who were genotyped for 24 genes associated with risk of elevated glucose levels. All participants had ≥1 follow-up FG level over 6 years of follow-up. Participants were randomized to treatment with a thiazide-like diuretic (chlorthalidone), a calcium channel blocker (CCB; amlodipine), or an ACEi (lisinopril). Outcomes were an FG increase of ≥13 or ≥27 mg/dl, the upper 75% and 90% FG increase in the parent cohort from which the present cohort was obtained. Odds ratios were adjusted for factors that increase FG levels. RESULTS For every 1 allele increase in GRS, the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were 1.06 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.99, 1.14; P = 0.06) and 1.09 (95% CI: 0.99, 1.20; P = 0.08). When results were examined by randomized medications, participants randomized to amlodipine had statistically significant odds for either outcome (OR: 1.23; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.48; P = 0.01 and OR: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.06, 1.62; P = 0.01). No such risk increase was found in participants randomized to the other 2 medications. CONCLUSIONS A diabetes GRS predicts FG elevation in people treated with a CCB, but not with an ACEi or diuretic. These findings require confirmation. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION Trial number NCT00000542.
Association Between Fat-Free Mass and Pulmonary Function in Patients With Cystic Fibrosis: A Narrative Review

The association between body mass index (BMI) and pulmonary function in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) is well established, yet BMI as the sole indicator of nutrition status fails to assess body composition, specifically fat-free mass (FFM). Reduced FFM is a characteristic of undernutrition and is associated with decreased pulmonary function. A critical review of the literature was undertaken to explore available evidence on the use of FFM derived from dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), compared with BMI, to assess pulmonary function and thereby nutrition status in patients with CF. Four cross-sectional studies that met predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected for review. Based on the evidence reviewed, reduced FFM was associated with reduced pulmonary function in both children and adults with CF. FFM was reduced among patients who may not otherwise be identified as at nutrition risk based on BMI alone. FFM, as compared with BMI, appears to be a better indicator of pulmonary function and nutrition status in patients with CF. Although future research is needed to identify and determine FFM measurements that are associated with improved pulmonary function and nutrition status in patients with CF, these findings highlight the potential value and clinical utility of using FFM measurements derived from DXA among patients with CF. Together, FFM and BMI may provide a more comprehensive picture of nutrition status during the nutrition assessment of the patient with CF.
Loss of cells expressing fibroblast activation protein has variable effects in models of TGF-β and chronic bleomycin-induced fibrosis.

Fibroblast activation protein (FAP), a cell surface serine protease, is upregulated on a subset of activated fibroblasts (often distinct from α-smooth muscle actin-expressing myofibroblasts) associ...
Hyperglycemia and Cancer: A State-of-the-Science Review.

Problem identification Hyperglycemia can increase the risk for adverse events and outcomes in patients undergoing treatment for cancer. The purposes of this state-of-the-science review were to explore the complexity of hyperglycemia in patients with cancer and to analyze physiologic mechanisms and outcomes in individuals with or at risk for cancer. Literature search PubMed® and the Cochrane Library databases were searched, and 95 articles were included. Findings were evaluated for their methods and analyses. Studies assessed as methodologically flawed were not included. Data evaluation The synthesis of the articles provided the evidence for describing normal and glycemic pathways. Hyperglycemia in patients with cancer was explored through chronic inflammatory mechanisms that lead to increased risks for adverse events and outcomes. Synthesis This article discusses normal glucose regulation and hyperglycemic pathways, hyperglycemia in patients with cancer, hyperglycemia and cancer-related inflammation, and outcomes (e.g., infections, mortality, symptoms). Implications for research Understanding the contributors to and consequences of hyperglycemia can guide the development of screening tools to predict which individuals are at the greatest risk for hyperglycemic episodes prior to starting cancer therapies. Research can lead to glycemic guidelines specific to patients with cancer for better outcomes.
Cultural Politics, Ideology, and Methodology in Disproportionality Research: A Rejoinder:

We summarize the role of cultural politics in special education. We analyze the 2019 discourse of Whitford and Carrero, our respondents, about the role of ideology and models of disability. Our com...
The carboxy terminus of yeast Atg13 binds phospholipid membrane via motifs that overlap with the Vac8-interacting domain.

Macroautophagy/autophagy is a conserved catabolic recycling pathway involving the sequestration of cytoplasmic components within double-membrane vesicles termed autophagosomes. The autophagy-relate...
Magnetic-field tunability of optical properties in colloidal suspensions of goethite (α-FeOOH) nanorods

Abstract The dependence of polarized optical properties of colloidal suspensions of goethite (α-FeOOH) nanorods in water and PAO base fluids under the action of an applied magnetic field are investigated in the ultraviolet, visible and near infrared from 300 to 1500 nm wavelength. We found that the transmittance in the NIR range can be tuned by changing magnetic field direction and strength. Moreover, we found that the magnetic field dependence of optical properties is strongly connected to the base fluid where magnetic nanoparticles are suspended. The obtained results show that the optical properties of goethite-based suspensions are very sensitive to even weak external magnetic fields, with promising perspectives for sensing applications.
Extracellular microRNA 130b-3p inhibits eCIRP-induced inflammation

Although microRNAs regulate mRNA expression intracellularly, they are often released into the circulation in inflammatory diseases. During sepsis, secreted extracellular cold-inducible RNA-binding protein (eCIRP) acts as a damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP), inducing tissue damage by elevating inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Here, we report that the circulating microRNA 130b-3p inhibits eCIRP-mediated sterile and cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced non-sterile inflammation. We find that levels of miR-130b-3p are increased in the serum of septic mice and patients and that it strongly interacts with recombinant murine (rm) CIRP in vitro and with eCIRP in the serum of septic mice in vivo. Combining a miR-130b-3p mimic with rmCIRP significantly decreases TNF-α release by macrophages compared to only rmCIRP-treated cells. This combined treatment also dose-dependently decreases the affinity of rmCIRP with its receptor TLR4/MD2. Finally, injection of a miR-130b-3p mimic significantly reduces rmCIRP- or CLP-induced systemic inflammation and acute lung injury in mice. These data show that extracellular miR-130b-3p functions as a novel endogenous inhibitor of eCIRP and point to an innovative therapeutic approach to treat inflammatory diseases.
"A Dragon, Bog-Spawned, Is Now Stretched O'er This Land": The Ku Klux Klan's Patriotic-Protestantism in the Northeastern Borderlands During the 1920s and 1930s

The Ku Klux Klan grew as a movement in Maine and New Brunswick during the 1920s and 1930s. Reflective of a larger wave of anti-Catholicism in the northeastern borderlands, the Klan presented itself as a bulwark against the impact of Catholic participation in civil society and as the defender of a Protestant, Anglo-Saxon culture under siege. Drawing upon Klan publications, public speeches and pronouncements, and private correspondence between Klansmen and sympathetic political figures, this article argues that the growth of the Ku Klux Klan in the Interwar Northeast reflected the construction of a transnational, ethnoreligious identity, termed “Patriotic-Protestantism,” that challenges interpretations of the Klan movement as simply nationalistic and highlights the importance of the borderlands framework to understanding Maine and New Brunswick in the twentieth century.
Excited Delirium: “I’m So Excited … I Just Can’t Hide It”

The term “Excited Delirium” is a subcategory of delirium, which describes a syndrome of altered mental status, agitation, and overactive adrenergic autonomic dysfunction, typically in the setting of acute on chronic drug abuse or serious mental illness. Hyperthermia, severe metabolic acidosis, rhabdomyolysis and hyperkalemia are also common features of Excited Delirium Syndrome. The pathophysiology of the Excited Delirium Syndrome is unclear, however it may involve dysregulation of dopaminergic pathways in the brain. Treatment involves rapid chemical restraint, treatment of hyperthermia, and treatment of metabolic derangements.
Sleep Neurobiology and the Critical Care Environment.

Topic Sleep in the intensive care unit can be poorly consolidated and highly fragmented. This review examines the neurobiology of normal and abnormal sleep, with a focus on the changes that occur in the intensive care unit environment. Clinical relevance Patients in the intensive care unit demonstrate a lack of rapid-eye-movement sleep and an inability to effectively transition from light to deep stages of sleep. These abnormalities can adversely affect hemodynamic parameters and physiological and psychological outcomes. Purpose To describe the brain mechanisms and electroencephalographic characteristics of wakefulness and the different stages of sleep. This review also describes how sleep can be altered by hospitalization in the intensive care unit and how nurses can design interventions that improve sleep and outcomes. Content covered The review examines sleep mechanisms, including brain electrical activity, regulatory centers in the brain, and circadian and diurnal patterns of sleep and hemodynamic function. Nursing interventions for specific patient risk factors in the intensive care unit are proposed.