cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Genetic Analysis, Expression and Molecular Characterization of BoGSL-ELONG, a Major Gene Involved in the Aliphatic Glucosinolate Pathway of Brassica Species

We cloned a major aliphatic glucosinolate (GSL) gene, BoGSL-ELONG in Brassica oleracea, using the Arabidopsis sequence database. We based our work on an Arabidopsis candidate gene forming part of a gene family coding for isopropyl malate synthetase-like enzymes (IPMS). This gene is presumably responsible for synthesis of GSL possessing side chains consisting of four carbons (4C). The similarity of the Brassica homolog IPMS-Bo from broccoli to its Arabidopsis counterpart IPMS-At was on the order of 78%, both sharing the same number of exons. A nonfunctional allele of the BoGSL-ELONG gene from white cauliflower, based on the absence of 4C GSL in this crop, displayed a 30-bp deletion, which allowed us to develop a codominant marker for 4C-GSL. Gene expression analysis based on RT-PCR revealed a splicing site mutation in the white cauliflower allele. This resulted in a longer transcript containing intron 3, which failed to excise. Perfect cosegregation was observed for broccoli and cauliflower alleles at the IPMS-Bo gene and 4C-GSL content, strongly indicating that this gene indeed corresponds to BoGSL-ELONG. Cloning of two other major genes, BoGSL-ALK and BoGSL-PRO, is underway. The availability of these genes and BoGSL-ELONG is essential for the manipulation of the aliphatic GSL profile of B. oleracea.
How Can We Democratize Higher Education If We Don't Count the Votes? A Master of Public Administration Case Study

The American Society for Public Administration and the National Academy of Public Administration, as well as several leading authors in our field, have expressed support for a range of ethical principles, including representativeness, diversity, affirmative action, equality, fairness, and justice. Various social equity reformers have argued that universities should expand their integrative efforts to include more students of poverty and working class origins. The present study surveyed the nation’s 50 top-rated MPA schools asking them whether they collect data about their students’ socioeconomic backgrounds. While other academic disciplines have initiated social class-based affirmative action plans for enrolling students, none of the 43 survey respondents said they do so. The discussion closes by suggesting that with the present study’s evidence and justification in place, academic public administration, driven by its commitment to the discipline’s acknowledged ideals, has sound rationale for establishing socioeconomic affirmative action plans for student diversity purposes.
Dependability Modeling and Certification of Cloud-Based Distributed Systems

A system that is highly dependable under hostile conditions but whose dependability cannot be easily evaluated prior to the deployment of applications is less desirable than a system with lower but predictable dependability. This is because a decision-making on the deployment of high assurance systems is often based on a risk analysis of application failures. For system services implemented on a cloud, the problem of system certification assumes added importance because of third-party control of cloud resources and the attendant problems of faults, QoS degradations, and security violations. Our paper treats system dependability as an application-level QoS for management purposes, and advocates a probabilistic evaluation of dependability. Our approach is corroborated by measurements on system-level prototypes and simulation analysis of system models in the face of hostile environment conditions. A case study of content-distribution networks anchored on cloud infrastructures is also described.
CLONING AND CHARACTERIZATION OF YEAST LEU4, ONE OF TWO GENES RESPONSIBLE FOR α-ISOPROPYLMALATE SYNTHESIS

By complementation of an alpha-isopropylmalate synthase-negative mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (leu4 leu5), a plasmid was isolated that carried a structural gene for alpha-isopropylmalate synthase. Restriction mapping and subcloning showed that sequences sufficient for complementation of the leu4 leu5 strain were located within a 2.2-kilobase SalI-PvuII segment. Southern transfer hybridization indicated that the cloned DNA was derived intact from the yeast genome. The cloned gene was identified as LEU4 by integrative transformation that caused gene disruption at the LEU4 locus. When this transformation was performed with a LEU4fbr LEU5 strain, the resulting transformants had lost the 5',5',5'-trifluoro-D,L-leucine resistance of the recipient strain but were still Leu+. When it was performed with a LEU4 leu5 recipient, the resulting transformants were Leu-. The alpha-isopropylmalate synthase of a transformant that carried the LEU4 gene on a multicopy plasmid (in a leu5 background) was characterized biochemically. The transformant contained about 20 times as much alpha-isopropylmalate synthase as wild type. The enzyme was sensitive to inhibition by leucine and coenzyme A, was inactivated by antibody generated against alpha-isopropylmalate synthase purified from wild type and was largely confined to the mitochondria. The subunit molecular weight was 65,000-67,000. Limited proteolysis generated two fragments with molecular weights of about 45,000 and 23,000. Northern transfer hybridization showed that the transformant produced large amounts of LEU4-specific RNA with a length of about 2.1 kilonucleotides. The properties of the plasmid-encoded enzyme resemble those of a previously characterized alpha-isopropylmalate synthase that is predominant in wild-type cells. The existence in yeast of a second alpha-isopropylmalate synthase activity that depends on the presence of an intact LEU5 gene is discussed.
Managing destination marketing organizations, by R. C. Ford & W. C. Peeper

This book was written to describe what Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) or destination marketing organization (DMO) executives really do. The intent of the authors of this text is to appeal to ...
Comparison of an Intensive Pharmacist-Managed Telephone Clinic With Standard of Care for Tobacco Cessation in a Veteran Population:

Purpose. To evaluate the effectiveness of the Pharmacist-Managed Telephone Tobacco Cessation Clinic (PMTTCC) compared to the standard of care (SOC) at the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System. Method. A retrospective cohort study was performed investigating the proportion of veterans who quit smoking at 6 months while enrolled in the PMTTCC. Chart review was performed using the Veterans Affairs Computerized Patient Record System. The PMTTCC group included patients who had received medication and counseling from the tobacco cessation pharmacists. The cohort was compared to a matched SOC group who did not receive counseling, only tobacco cessation medication therapy through a primary care provider. The primary outcome for this study was patient-reported tobacco cessation at 6 months. Secondary outcomes were abstinence at 1 and 3 months. Results. A total of 1,006 patients were included in the analysis, 503 patients from the PMTTCC and 503 patients from SOC. The overall study population was 54 years o...
Constituency Characteristics and the "Guardian" Model of Appropriations Subcommittees, 1959-1998

In this paper I examine the composition of ten House Appropriations subcommittees from 1959-1998 and explore the extent to which these subcommittees are comprised of members who have specific constituency needs for the benefits supplied by programs under their jurisdiction. Congressional scholars have suggested several different patterns for the constituency bias of these panels, and I study whether we can confirm or reject portions of the "guardian" and "claimant" models of Appropriations subcommittee composition. Using extensive data on the district characteristics of all legislators for nearly 40 years, along with a Monte Carlo simulation technique for examining difference in medians, I find that several Appropriations subcommittees are composed of members with disproportionately high need for the benefits under their control. I also find that while there was a shift toward more "advocacy" on these panels in the early 1960s, there have been few changes in this trend since. The Republican takeover of Congress in 1995 only marginally altered the group of subcommittees that attracted high need members. The findings of this study lend some credence to distributive notions of congressional committee composition. esearch on the Appropriations committees in Congress has primarily focused on two questions which are at the core of positive theories of legislative structure: what kind of members are assigned to these panels and what role do these committees play in the policy process? Recent scholarship has emphasized partisan explanations for the composition and functions of Appropriations committees and subcommittees (Aldrich and Rohde 1996; Kiewiet and McCubbins 1991). However, the conventional wisdom concerning the composition of Appropriations has varied considerably over time. At different periods members have been considered budget cutting "guardians of the federal treasury," reelectionminded claimants on government funds, or "point-people" for the pursuit of a partisan agenda. I focus here on the question of Appropriations subcommittee composition and leave the issue of legislative outputs aside for the moment. I first examine how well the differing perceptions of Appropriations members map onto the existing theories of legislative structure. Then, to test the primary conflict between the guardian and claimant theories, I study the composition of ten House Appropriations subcommittees from 1959 to 1998 and explore the extent to which these subcommittees are comprised of members whose constituents demand the benefits supplied by programs under their jurisdiction.' Unlike most previous studies of Appropriations subcommittees (or even full authorizing committees) that have analyzed the question of committee preferences by examining ideology scores (ADA,
DD-01LIGAND- AND STRUCTURE-BASED VIRTUAL SCREENING TO DISCOVER POLYPHARMACOLOGICAL DUAL EGFR AND BRD4 INHIBITORS

Combination therapy is the standard-of-care for many cancer patients. The standard treatment for Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) includes surgical resection, followed by radiotherapy, and temozolomide (TMZ) subministration. However, resistance to TMZ is nearly universal and tumor recurrence is inevitable. Thus, it is desirable to identify effective combination therapies for the treatment of GBM and other aggressive cancers. Recently, bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) is emerging as an interesting target for drug development for a large number of diseases that are caused by aberrant acetylation of lysine residues, among these cancer. We propose to overcome this problem by generating kinase inhibitors, which also inhibit epigenetic enzymes. We describe a virtual screening approach to identify compounds that are likely to inhibit both BRD4 and epidermal growth factor receptor beta (EGFR) using in silico analysis, docking, and laplacian based modifier algorithms to predict relative ligand-receptor dynamics. Key elements of this approach include algorithmic prediction of EGFR inhibition based on chemical similarity and quantitative structure activity relationships, protein-ligand docking from crystal structure analysis and preparation, and substructure queries to compile a set of commercially available compounds that can be ordered for in vitro assays. We will confirm inhibitory activity of BRD4 by selected compounds via an AlphaLisa Bromodomain-Aceylated Histone H4 Interaction Assay. Of 108 hits from the docking study, 24 compounds were selected for validation. Our preliminary results show promising activity of one compound from our AlphaScreen Assay. We will be testing the efficacy of these drugs in patient derived cancer cells in the near future. With this approach, we can unveil new properties of compounds that can inhibit both BRD4 and EGFR. We also show the validation of our chemoinformatic pipeline, which can be used for additional drug discovery efforts and to further explore the field of polypharmacology.
H2O2 Formation under Fuel-Cell Conditions

Using a multilayer MEA, H2O2 concentrations in Nafion® membranes were quantitatively measured by a spectrophotometric method. The effects of relative humidity and oxygen partial pressure on H2O2 concentration are discussed. H2O2 formation was found to be dependent on membrane thickness. H2O2 emission rates were measured in anode and cathode only MEAs to separately study H2O2 formation at each electrode. Based on the experimental results, H2O2 formation, diffusion and decomposition model under fuel-cell conditions is first proposed in this paper.
Single pyramidal fiber responses to electrical stimulation.

Summary1. Responses of single pyramidal fibers to stimulation with rectangular electrical pulses of varying parameters have been studied in the cat and the macaque. 2. Those fibers conducting at velocities in excess of 35 m.p.s. do not respond repetitively to pulses of less than 4.0 msec, in duration. Some fibers have shown off-responses to pulses in excess of this duration. 3. All fibers studied have followed repetitive stimulation up to frequencies of 500 per second without response deficit.
The Direct Browlift: Focus on the Tail

Described by Passot in 1919, the direct browlift is often reviled as a cosmetically unacceptable or inappropriate procedure. Nonetheless, this procedure may be employed alone or as an adjunct to blepharoplasty surgery with excellent functional and cosmetic results. The direct browlift provides the most predictable and effective (on a millimeter-for-millimeter basis) lift available.
Ion microprobe 208Th-208Pb ages from high common Pb monazite, Morefield Mine, Amelia County, Virginia: Implications for Alleghanian tectonics

Monazite [(Ce,Th)PO4] from a pegmatite in the Morefield Mine of the eastern Piedmont of central Virginia has unusually high and variable amounts of common Pb, leading to problematic interpretations of its U-Th-Pb ages and how the monazite relates to nearby granite intrusions and faults. To address these issues, we analyze a single large monazite grain from the pegmatite using electron microprobe analysis (EMPA, n = 64), laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS, n = 58), and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS, n = 59). The monazite study grain exhibits compositional variations in proximity to microcracks consistent regions of secondary alteration and recrystallization. Although the compositions of these regions fit the ideal stoichiometry of monazite, they have lower Si, Th, U, and Y, and higher P, rare earth element (REE), and Ca concentrations compared to visibly unaltered portions of the grain. LA-ICP-MS and SIMS analyses demonstrate that common Pb, as proxied by 204Pb, is enriched in proximity to microcrack regions and correlates with 137Ba. SIMS 232Th-208Pb analysis from grain regions with lowest contents of common Pb (208Pb comprises >99% of Pb isotopes) yields two sets of ages: 263.5±3.0 Ma (±1σ; MSWD = 1.7; n = 11) and 234.1±3.3 Ma (±1σ; MSWD = 0.4; n = 13). Regionally, the ages are similar to the youngest Appalachian pegmatite bodies emplaced during the terminal (Alleghanian) Laurentia-Africa collision. However, the monazite ages are younger than locally surrounding intrusions. The closest intrusive in distance (∼30 km) and age is the Petersburg granite (296.33±0.11 Ma, zircon 238U-206Pb), the emplacement of which coincided with activity along the Hylas Fault. Because the fault experienced a brittle-ductile transition in the Late Permian (∼262 Ma), coeval with the older 232Th-208Pb monazite age group, we postulate that the Hylas Fault may have operated as a fluid migration system between the Petersburg granite and Morefield Mine pegmatite. The younger monazite age coincides with Triassic normal and/or sinistral faulting linked to the development and deformation of local rift basins.
Effect of Ultra-Fine Pitch RDL Process Variations on the Electrical Performance of 2.5D Glass Interposers up to 110 GHz

This paper discusses the effect of process induced variations in copper transmission lines on their electrical performance up to 110 GHz, fabricated by semi-additive processes (SAP) for redistribution layers (RDL). The motivation of this research is to quantify the effect of the process variations in RDL traces by SAP, thus enabling electrical designers to reduce design iterations to achieve precise impedance control. The paper will primarily discuss results from analytical electromagnetic (EM) modeling, full-wave EM modeling and initial frequency domain characterization. The escalating demand for high bandwidth electronics, has driven the adoption of wide bus interconnections between logic and memory ICs. Wireless communication protocols in smartphones, automotive and IoT systems also require high frequency signal transmission (60-100 GHz) in the near future. Both the high speed and high frequency signals impose major challenges, in precise circuit definition, in addition to the low cost and low power consumption constraints. At such fine feature sizes, any imperfections in the SAP technology, such as surface roughness of polymer dielectrics, tapered cross sections of the traces and tapered microvias in polymer dielectrics, impact the impedance and signal loss, and these effects need to be quantified electrically. This paper presents modeling research to understand the effect of different process induced variations on electrical performance of transmission lines on glass interposers, correlated with the measured data in published literature.
Chronic myeloid leukemia: sequencing of TKI therapies.

Abstract Multiple tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are available for managing patients with chronic myeloid leukemia. Although most patients have a favorable outcome with their initial therapy, whether imatinib or a second-generation TKI was used, some will require subsequent use of one or more different TKIs. Such sequencing might be indicated in a reactive way (ie, for patients who have experienced resistance or intolerance to their initial therapy) or in a proactive way (ie, for patients with a somewhat favorable outcome who have not reached an "optimal" outcome). Sequencing of TKIs has become standard practice, and the proper use of sequenced TKIs is likely to optimize outcomes and resource utilization.
Assessing the Societal Impact of Scientific Research

Peer reviewing and citation metrics are traditionally used in assessing scientific research, with the emphasis on measuring the scientific quality and impact. Consensus among stakeholders of scientific research was building toward the need for assessing the societal benefits of scientific research, in addition to scientific quality. With the recognition of these needs by different governments and research funding agencies, formulating policies and guidelines to incorporate societal impact assessment in grant funding requirements and national science policies began. The most critical and challenging aspect of measuring the societal benefits is identifying assessment tools that efficiently and effectively measure these impacts. With the computer and communication technological advances and fast evolving social networking environment, use of the alternative metrics or altmetrics in assessing the societal impact of research gained attention. In this chapter, these developments are discussed by reviewing literature on the topic. The potential of altmetrics in assessing societal benefits of scientific research, and their strengths and limitation as assessment metrics, the empirical evidence of the correlation between altmetrics and traditional citation metrics, and efforts that are needed and in progress to improve the quality and standards of altmetrics are examined.
Effects of Manual Therapy on Pain and Function of Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain

Purpose: This study was conducted to determine how a manual therapy (joint mobilization and flexion-distraction technique) would af- fect pain and function with the chronic low back pain. Methods: Thirty patients were assigned to either the experimental group (n=15) or the control group (n=15). Patients in the experi- mental group performed joint mobilization and flexion-distraction technique. Patients in the control group performed spinal decompress- sion therapy. Both exercises were performed for three days per week, for a period of six weeks. Pain was measured by the visual analogue scale (VAS) and functional disability was measured using the Oswestry disability index (ODI). A paired t-test was used for identify differ ences before and after treatment, and an independent t-test was used to identify differences between treatment groups. Results: In the within group comparison, the experimental group and control group differed significantly for all variables (p 0.05). Conclusion: The above results confirmed that it is necessary to confirm the various benefits of therapy with the joint mobilization and the flexion-distraction technique. The findings of the concerned study will be useful to doctors applying therapy to treat patients with the chronic low back pain.
Benthic foraminifera in a human-dominated environment: Long Island Sound

Long Island Sound (LIS) is a marginally marine urban estuary, with Long Island (NY) as its southern coastline, New York and Connecticut along its northern coast. LIS has a narrow opening to the West (East River), but most exchange with the ocean occurs at its eastern end, resulting in an east-west gradient in salinity. There is also an east-west gradient in indicators of contamination in the surface sediments (e.g., trace metals). Western LIS is close to the main population center (New York City), but also is a focusing region for fine-grained sediments. Since the 1970s, western LIS and to a lesser extent, central LIS, suffer summer hypoxia or even anoxia. We used sediment cores in westernmost and central LIS to document environmental changes over the last millennium, including the time of European settlement, using microfossil, geochemical, sedimentological, and trace element proxies. Sediment ages were determined using metal pollution records and radiometric carbon dating. In the marginal marine environment of LIS, benthic foraminiferal faunas are low-diversity, with slightly higher diversity towards its eastern end. Before European settlement, the assemblages were dominated by Elphidium excavatum (feeding on living diatoms) at shallow depths, where the light penetrates to the bottom (10-15 m). At greater depths, faunas in westernmost LIS were dominated by Elphidium incertum and/or Buccella frigida, by Buccella frigida and/or Eggerella advena over most of LIS. In almost all cores, the absolute abundance of benthic foraminifera and the relative abundance of E. excavatum increased from the early-mid 1800s on. In addition, E. excavatum became common at greater depths, where older faunas had been dominated by the agglutinant E. advena. The faunal changes coincided with an increase in contaminant trace metal concentration, with human population growth in the region, with a marked decrease in salinity in westernmost LIS, and with the beginning of low oxygen conditions as indicated by carbon isotope values in foraminiferal tests. Accumulation rates of organic carbon and nitrogen Anuar io do Inst i tu to de Geociencias UFRJ ISSN 0101-9759 Vol. 29 1 / 2006 p. 573-574
Amoral Oil, Paradise without Labour: A Conversation with David McDermott Hughes, Author of Energy without Conscience: Oil, Climate Change, and Complicity, Durham and London, Duke University Press, 2017, 208 pp., $23.95, ISBN 978-0-8223-6298-2

This conversation took place in April, 2017, in the Department of Geography at Rutgers University.ML: Would you give us a brief summary of the book, its main conceptual contributions, interventions...
Kidney Transplantation With and Without Native Nephrectomy for Polycystic Kidney Disease: Results of the National Inpatient Sample and the Rationale for a 2-Staged Procedure

Background Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is one of the most common causes of end-stage renal disease requiring hemodialysis or transplantation. In patients requiring transplantation, there are several indications for native nephrectomy, including recurrent cyst infection, bleeding, or to provide room for the graft. There is disagreement about whether it is advisable to perform kidney transplantation alone (KT), or to perform KT with simultaneous native nephrectomy (KTN). We compared postoperative outcomes of KTN and KT in a large national cohort. Study Design The Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) between 2000 and 2014 was examined for a diagnosis of PKD with evidence for KT or KTN. Logistic regression, adjusting for age, sex, comorbidity, and hospital region, was used to compare groups for the need for blood transfusion, need for critical care interventions, and development of postoperative complications. Results A total of 4,003 hospitalizations were identified, which was representative of 19,302 weighted discharges nationally. In adjusted logistic regression models, KTN demonstrated significantly higher risk for blood transfusion (odds ratio [OR] 2.06; 95% CI 1.44 to 2.96; p Conclusions Among patients with PKD, in comparison with KTN, KT alone represents a decreased risk for negative postoperative outcomes. A 2-staged procedure should be considered, when feasible, to minimize adverse patient outcomes.
The real and the quasi-real: problems of distinction

This paper surveys some ways of distinguishing Quasi-Realism in metaethics (and I hope also in other areas) from Non-naturalist Realism, including ‘Explanationist’ methods of distinguishing, which characterize the Real by its explanatory role, and Inferentialist methods. Rather than seeking the One True Distinction, the paper adopts an irenic and pragmatist perspective, allowing that different ways of drawing the line are best for different purposes.
Combinations of Ionizing Radiation and Other Sensitizing Agents

Several chapters in this book cover broad classes of radiosensitizing agents. Two specific agents, recently used as “radiation enhancers,” are addressed in the present chapter. They include the redox modulator motexafin-gadolinium (MGd), and the alkylating agent temozolomide. Each of these agents came to clinical testing through the recognition of unique preclinical radiosensitizing mechanisms and data that suggest enhancement of radiation cytotoxicity; they share the common theme of having been clinically tested primarily in tumors of the central nervous system (CNS), in a series of recent clinical trials, primarily because although radiation therapy (RT) has a central role in managing the majority of primary and secondary CNS neoplasms, outcomes for most patients afflicted by these tumors remain poor, and furthermore, these neoplasms, in many ways, present an ideal opportunity for enhancing the efficacy of RT in combination with radiosensitizers (Patel et al. 2004). The major reasons for considering these neoplasms as candidates for radiosensitization are as follows: 1. The majority of CNS neoplasms cause death due to local progression, thereby underscoring the need for local control (Wallner et al. 1989). 2. Evidence exists that improving local control improves survival (Patchell et al. 1990; Noordijk et al. 1994; Mintz et al. 1996; Andrews et al. 2004). 3. A dose-response relationship for RT has been established (Walker et al. 1979). 4. These neoplasms refl ect a rapidly growing population with high cell turnover in a milieu of slowly proliferating cells, thereby affording an opportunity for tumor-selective localization of several radiosensitizers (McGinn et al. 1996). 5. Linear (dose escalation linked to lengthening of treatment duration) radiation dose-escalation strategies have been limited by late normal tissue toxicity (Lee et al. 1999). Historically, several classes of radiation sensitizers, including S-phase halogenated pyrimidines (Phillips et al. 1995; Prados et al. 1999), oxygen mimetics (Evans et al. 1990), and others (Mehta et al. 2001a), have been tested without clear evidence of clinical benefi t. Recently, agents with very different mechanisms of action have gained attention and are in clinical trials (Abraham et al. 1992; Rodrigus 2003; Mehta and Suh 2004). These agents, MGd, a redox modulator, and temozolomide, a DNA alkylator, are the focus of this chapter and each is addressed in sequence. CONTENTS
Using behavior and ecology to exploit schooling fishes

By the late 1980's, humans were removing 76 million metric tons (MMT) of marine fishes annually. The potential sustainable catch is somewhere between 69 and 96 MMT. As a result, major fisheries have collapsed or are in danger of collapsing. Many of these species school. Schooling is effective against gape-limited predators because of dilution and confusion. However, larger predators may exploit schooling behavior to sequester and consume a non-trivial fraction of the group. This is the strategy of fishers. Both gear and fisher behavior have ‘evolved’ to take advantage of the seemingly canalized response of schooling species. This paper examines the ways artisanal and western fishers have exploited knowledge of the behavior and ecology of schooling species to aid in fish capture. Topics include object association; use of light, sound, and chemicals; perceived barriers; predator-prey and other trophic interactions; inherent cyclical rhythms such as diel migration, lunar spawning, and seasonality; and correlations with the physical environment. Exploiting schooling allows fishers to increase efficiency through knowledge of when and where fish aggregate, or by extending the conditions under which aggregation occurs. However, knowledge of behavioral ecology can also be used to conserve schooling stocks. Gear selectivity, group size and population dynamics, and fisher efficiency are all potential areas of integration between behavioral ecology and fishery management. However, no amount of integration of behavioral ecology into fishery management will have the intended conservation effects if fishing effort is not limited to at least numerical if not behaviorally-sustainable levels.
Animal models of sleep disorders.

Problems with sleep affect a large part of the general population, with more than half of all people in the United States reporting difficulties with sleep or insufficient sleep at various times and about 40 million affected chronically. Sleep is a complex physiologic process that is influenced by many internal and environmental factors, and problems with sleep are often related to specific personal circumstances or are based on subjective reports from the affected person. Although human subjects are used widely in the study of sleep and sleep disorders, the study of animals has been invaluable in developing our understanding about the physiology of sleep and the underlying mechanisms of sleep disorders. Historically, the use of animals for the study of sleep disorders has arguably been most fruitful for the condition of narcolepsy, in which studies of dogs and mice revealed previously unsuspected mechanisms for this condition. The current overview considers animal models that have been used to study 4 of the most common human sleep disorders—insomnia, narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome, and sleep apnea—and summarizes considerations relevant to the use of animals for the study of sleep and sleep disorders. Animal-based research has been vital to the elucidation of mechanisms that underlie sleep, its regulation, and its disorders and undoubtedly will remain crucial for discovering and validating sleep mechanisms and testing interventions for sleep disorders.
Examining the role of access to care: Racial/ethnic differences in receipt of resection for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer among integrated system members and non-members.

Abstract Objectives To examine the role of uniform access to care in reducing racial/ethnic disparities in receipt of resection for early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by comparing integrated health system member patients to demographically similar non-member patients. Materials and methods Using data from the California Cancer Registry, we conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients from four racial/ethnic groups (White, Black, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander), aged 21–80, with a first primary diagnosis of stage I or II NSCLC between 2004 and 2011, in counties served by Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) at diagnosis. Our cohort included 1565 KPNC member and 4221 non-member patients. To examine the relationship between race/ethnicity and receipt of surgery stratified by KPNC membership, we used modified Poisson regression to calculate risk ratios (RR) adjusted for patient demographic and tumor characteristics. Results Black patients were least likely to receive surgery regardless of access to integrated care (64–65% in both groups). The magnitude of the black-white difference in the likelihood of surgery receipt was similar for members (RR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.73–0.93) and non-members (RR: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.80–0.94). Among members, roughly equal proportions of Hispanic and White patients received surgery; however, among non-members, Hispanic patients were less likely to receive surgery (non-members, RR: 0.93, 95% CI: 0.86–1.00; members, RR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.89–1.08). Conclusion Disparities in surgical treatment for NSCLC were not reduced through integrated health system membership, suggesting that factors other than access to care (e.g., patient-provider communication) may underlie disparities. Future research should focus on identifying such modifiable factors.
Managers’ Support for Employee Wellness Programs: An Integrative Review:

Objective:The aim of this integrative literature review is to synthesize the existing evidence regarding managers’ support for employee wellness programs.Data Source:The search utilized multiple el...
189 Epidemiology of antiphospholipid syndrome: a population-based study

Background The epidemiology of definite antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) in the general population has not been described. A recent meta-analysis concluded that it was difficult to determine the frequency of a clinically significant antiphospholipid (aPL) profile in patients with aPL-related clinical outcomes due to the lack of robust data; only 4% of the studies had the current cutoff values for anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) and less than one fifth of them had confirmation after 6–12 weeks. This study aimed to characterize the epidemiology of definite APS based on the 2006 updated international consensus (Sydney) classification criteria. Methods An inception cohort of patients with incident APS in 2000–2015 in a geographically well-defined population were identified based on comprehensive individual medical record review. All cases met the definite 2006 Sydney consensus APS criteria, including the laboratory and clinical criteria as well as laboratory confirmation after 12 weeks. Lupus anticoagulant, IgM and IgG aCL and anti-2 glycoprotein-1 antibodies were tested in a centralized lab (cutoff >40 GPL/MPL). Incidence rates were age and sex adjusted to the US white 2010 population. Prevalence estimates were obtained from the incidence rates assuming no increased mortality associated with APL and assuming migration in/out of the area was independent of disease status. Results In 2000–2015, 33 cases of incident APS by the Sydney criteria were identified (mean age 54.2 years, 55% female; 97% Caucasian). The annual incidence of APS was 2.1 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.4–2.8) per 1 00 000 population aged 18 years. Incidence rates were similar in both sexes. The estimated prevalence of APS was 50 per 1 00 000 (95% CI: 42–58) and was similar in both sexes. Six (18%) patients had a concurrent diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The most frequent clinical manifestation was deep venous thrombosis. The overall mortality of patients with APS was not significantly different from the general population (standardized mortality ratio: 1.61; 95% CI: 0.74–3.05). Conclusions Results from this first ever population based study revealed that definite APS occurred in about 2 persons per 1 00 000 per year. The estimated prevalence is 50 per 1 00 000. Overall mortality was not different from the general population. The incidence and prevalence of APS in the same population was at least as common as SLE. Funding Source(s): None
Endoscopic diagnosis of pancreatic cysts.

Purpose of review Pancreatic cystic lesions (PCLs) are increasingly identified on abdominal imaging. Given the malignant potential of certain cyst subtypes and the poor survival rates of pancreatic cancer, accurate diagnosis and appropriate management of these cysts are critical. Recent findings Advances in endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided diagnostics have increased the accuracy of differentiating PCLs. These include cyst fluid molecular analysis, EUS-guided needle-based confocal laser endomicroscopy, and EUS-guided through the needle microforceps biopsy. This review encapsulates recent advances in the endoscopic management of PCLs with a specific focus on EUS-guided diagnosis. Summary It is important to accurately diagnose pancreatic cystic lesions with malignant potential where the definitive management is surgical resection. Misdiagnosis can result in inadvertent surgery of an otherwise benign lesion or malignant progression of a precancerous cyst. Moreover, pancreatic surgery is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Recent advances in EUS-guided tissue acquisition, imaging, and molecular biomarkers have resulted in improved diagnostic accuracy of pancreatic cystic lesions. Future studies need to define efficient and accurate diagnostic algorithms for improved management of pancreatic cysts.
Protein folding modulates the adhesion strategy of Gram positive pathogens

Gram positive bacteria colonize mucosal tissues against large mechanical perturbations, such as coughing, which generate large shear forces that exceed the ability of non-covalent bonds to remain attached. To overcome these challenges, the pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes utilizes the protein Cpa, a pilus tip-end adhesin equipped with a Cys-Gln thioester bond. The reactivity of this bond towards host surface ligands enables covalent anchoring of the bacterium, allowing it to resist large mechanical shocks; however, colonization also requires cell migration and spreading over surfaces. The molecular mechanisms underlying these seemingly incompatible requirements remain unknown. Here, we demonstrate a magnetic tweezers force spectroscopy assay that resolves the dynamics of Cpa thioester bond under force. While folded at forces
Histological variation of early stage atherosclerotic lesions in baboons after prolonged challenge with high-cholesterol, high-fat diet.

INTRODUCTION The baboon is a well-characterized model of human early stage atherosclerosis. However, histological and morphological changes involved in atherogenesis in baboons are not known. Previously, we challenged baboons with a high-cholesterol, high-fat diet for two years and observed fatty streak and plaque lesions in iliac arteries (RCIA). METHODS We evaluated histological and morphological changes of baboon arterial lesions and control arteries. In addition, we evaluated the vascular expression of CD68 and SMαA markers with progression of atherosclerosis. RESULTS We observed changes that correlated with extent of atherosclerosis, including increased maximum intimal thickness. We demonstrated at molecular level the infiltration of smooth muscle cells and macrophages into the intimal layer. Further, we observed histological and morphological discordancy between the affected and adjacent areas of the same RCIA. CONCLUSION Atherogenesis in baboons is accompanied by histological, morphological, and molecular changes, as in humans, providing insights to evaluate the mechanisms underlying early stage atherosclerosis in target tissues.
Epistemologies for Technology and its Teaching: Untying the Knot of a Three-level Technological Problem

This article negotiates philosophical and epistemological aspects of technology and its teaching. After identifying the nature of technological knowledge, we unveil a number of constrains that raise demands on epistemologies used to describe its production, transfer and sharing, even without taking into account personal or discipline preferences. Difficulties in teaching the subject of technology, that result both from the multiplicity of forms of technological knowledge and the aforementioned constrains, are identified. Some limitations of existing teaching technologies and their incompatibility with the demands and constrains on using them to impart technological knowledge are investigated. The need for multiple epistemologies is identified, along with the possible spectrum they occupy. Then, the possibility of developing an integrating technology that facilitates designing the teaching of technology by using teaching technologies - as in using the modalities that ICTs offer for teaching - at the same time conforming with subject-appropriate and knowledge-type-appropriate methodologies and, in the end, epistemologies is hinted upon, thus creating a three-level technological problem. Finally, some implications for curricula and instruction are identified and the complexity of the resulting system is pointed out, along with the applicability of systems thinking for handling it.
Mourning Writing: A Poetic Autoethnography on the Passing of My Father:

This poetic autoethnography explores the author’s experiences of the death of his father, processes of mourning, and ways of addressing through writing a difficult family legacy related to the Holo...
Three hallmarks of malaria-induced selection in human genomes

Malaria has plausibly been the single strongest selective pressure on our species. Many of the best-characterized cases of adaptive evolution in humans are in genes tied to malaria resistance. However, the complex evolutionary patterns at these genes are poorly captured by standard scans for non-neutral evolution. Here we present three new statistical tests for selection based on population genetic patterns that are observed more than once among key malaria resistance loci. We assess these tests using forward-time evolutionary simulations and apply them to global whole-genome sequencing data from humans, and thus we show that they are effective at distinguishing selection from neutrality. Each test captures a distinct evolutionary pattern, here called Divergent Haplotypes, Repeated Shifts, and Arrested Sweeps, associated with a particular period of human prehistory. We clarify the selective signatures at known malaria-relevant genes and identify additional genes showing similar adaptive evolutionary patterns. Among our top outliers, we see a particular enrichment for genes involved in erythropoiesis and for genes previously associated with malaria resistance, consistent with a major role for malaria in shaping these patterns of genetic diversity. Polymorphisms at these genes are likely to impact resistance to malaria infection and contribute to ongoing host-parasite coevolutionary dynamics.
Macroscopic response and microstructure evolution in viscoplastic polycrystals with pressurized pores

This paper presents a finite-strain homogenization model for the macroscopic behavior of porous polycrystals containing pressurized pores that are randomly distributed in a polycrystalline matrix. The porous polycrystal is modeled as a three-scale composite, where the pore size is taken to be much larger than the grain size, and the grains are described by single-crystal viscoplasticity. The instantaneous macroscopic response and corresponding field statistics in the material are determined using a generalization of the recently developed iterated second-order homogenization method, which employs the effective behavior of a linear comparison composite to estimate that of the nonlinear composite by means of a suitably designed variational approximation. Moreover, consistent evolution laws are derived for the pore pressure, pore geometry, and the underlying texture for the polycrystalline matrix. The model is then used to investigate porous ice polycrystals under a wide range of loading conditions. It is found that the pore pressure evolution has a strong effect on the material’s response under compressive loadings. More specifically, the macroscopic response of the porous polycrystals can be categorized into three different regimes: (i) a texture-controlled regime at low triaxialities, where the materials behave like solid polycrystals; (ii) a porosity-controlled regime at high triaxialities, where the materials behave like porous untextured materials; and (iii) a transition regime at intermediate triaxialities, where the materials exhibit a more complex behavior. This work highlights the importance of accounting for the interplay between porosity and matrix texture evolution in describing the constitutive response of porous polycrystals undergoing finite deformations.
Ammonium transporter AcAmt mutagenesis uncovers reproductive and physiological defects without impacting olfactory responses to ammonia in the malaria vector mosquito Anopheles coluzzii

Anopheline mosquitoes are the sole vectors of malaria and rely on olfactory cues for host seeking in which ammonia derived from human sweat plays an essential role. To investigate the function of the Anopheles coluzzii ammonium transporter (AcAmt) in the mosquito olfactory system, we generated an AcAmt null mutant line using CRISPR/Cas9. AcAmt-/- mutants displayed a series of novel phenotypes compared with wild-type mosquitoes including significantly lower insemination rates during mating and increased mortality during eclosion. Furthermore, AcAmt-/- males showed significantly lower sugar consumption while AcAmt-/- females and pupae displayed significantly higher ammonia levels than their wild-type counterparts. Surprisingly, in contrast to previous studies in Drosophila that revealed that the mutation of the ammonium transporter (DmAmt) induces a dramatic reduction of ammonia responses in antennal coeloconic sensilla, no significant differences were observed across a range of peripheral sensory neuron responses to ammonia and other odorants between wild-type and AcAmt-/- females. These data support the existence in mosquitoes of novel compensatory ammonia-sensing mechanisms that are likely to have evolved as a result of the importance of ammonia in host-seeking and other behaviors.
Fast NEON-Based Multiplication for Lattice-Based NIST Post-quantum Cryptography Finalists

This paper focuses on high-speed NEON-based constant-time implementations of multiplication of large polynomials in the NIST PQC KEM Finalists: NTRU, Saber, and CRYSTALS-Kyber. We use the Number Theoretic Transform (NTT)-based multiplication in Kyber, the Toom-Cook algorithm in NTRU, and both types of multiplication in Saber. Following these algorithms and using Apple M1, we improve the decapsulation performance of the NTRU, Kyber, and Saber-based KEMs at the security level 3 by the factors of 8.4, 3.0, and 1.6, respectively, compared to the reference implementations. On Cortex-A72, we achieve the speed-ups by factors varying between 5.7 and 7.5\(\times \) for the Forward/Inverse NTT in Kyber, and between 6.0 and 7.8\(\times \) for Toom-Cook in NTRU, over the best existing implementations in pure C. For Saber, when using NEON instructions on Cortex-A72, the implementation based on NTT outperforms the implementation based on the Toom-Cook algorithm by \(14\%\) in the case of the MatrixVectorMul function but is slower by \(21\%\) in the case of the InnerProduct function. Taking into account that in Saber, keys are not available in the NTT domain, the overall performance of the NTT-based version is very close to the performance of the Toom-Cook version. The differences for the entire decapsulation at the three major security levels (1, 3, and 5) are \(-4\), \(-2\), and \(+2\%\), respectively. Our benchmarking results demonstrate that our NEON-based implementations run on an Apple M1 ARM processor are comparable to those obtained using the best AVX2-based implementations run on an AMD EPYC 7742 processor. Our work is the first NEON-based ARMv8 implementation of each of the three NIST PQC KEM finalists.