cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
HIV-1 Reduces Aβ-Degrading Enzymatic Activities in Primary Human Mononuclear Phagocytes

The advent and wide introduction of antiretroviral therapy has greatly improved the survival and longevity of HIV-infected patients. Unfortunately, despite antiretroviral therapy treatment, these patients are still afflicted with many complications including cognitive dysfunction. There is a growing body of reports indicating accelerated deposition of amyloid plaques, which are composed of amyloid-β peptide (Aβ), in HIV-infected brains, though how HIV viral infection precipitates Aβ accumulation is poorly understood. It is suggested that viral infection leads to increased production and impaired degradation of Aβ. Mononuclear phagocytes (macrophages and microglia) that are productively infected by HIV in brains play a pivotal role in Aβ degradation through the expression and execution of two endopeptidases, neprilysin (NEP) and insulin-degrading enzyme. In this study, we report that NEP has the dominant endopeptidase activity toward Aβ in macrophages. Further, we demonstrate that monomeric Aβ degradation by primary cultured macrophages and microglia was significantly impaired by HIV infection. This was accompanied with great reduction of NEP endopeptidase activity, which might be due to the diminished transport of NEP to the cell surface and intracellular accumulation at the endoplasmic reticulum and lysosomes. Therefore, these data suggest that malfunction of NEP in infected macrophages may contribute to acceleration of β amyloidosis in HIV-inflicted brains, and modulation of macrophages may be a potential preventative target of Aβ-related cognitive disorders in HIV-affected patients.
Sex differences in attribution: A Norwegian study

A quasi-experimental study was conducted to examine the effect of sex on actor and observer attributions of success and failure. It was predicted that, contrary to American results in similar studies, Norwegian males and females would tend to be largely similar in their attribution of success and failure. Only same-sex attributions were explored. Subjects were asked to attribute causality along a set of six standard causal dimensions. The results showed that sex had a relatively minor effect on attributions, compared to the effects of attributor role and task outcome. Only in their attributions of ability did men and women differ to some degree in that women were more likely to use lack of ability as an explanation for own failure. The study concludes that cross-cultural research is needed in order to better assess the normative impact on attribution.
Cavitation and Its Discontents: Opportunities for Resolving Current Controversies

Cavitation has long been recognized as a key constraint on the structure and functional integrity of the xylem. Yet, recent results call into question how well we understand cavitation in plants. Here, we consider embolism formation in angiosperms at two scales. The first focuses on how air-seeding occurs at the level of pit membranes, raising the question of whether capillary failure is an appropriate physical model. The second addresses methodological uncertainties that affect our ability to infer the formation of embolism and its reversal in plant stems. Overall, our goal is to open up fresh perspectives on the structure-function relationships of xylem.
3D reconstruction from electron microscope images with TxBR

Tomographic reconstruction from large format electron microscope requires special procedures to handle geometric distortions arising from electron optics as opposed to light-ray optics. In particular, electrons travel in curvilinear paths through the sample and defocus and other aberrations can be more severe. We report on a software package, TxBR, which solves the inverse problem associated with a generalized ray transform. We also review the prospects for automated alignment, and discuss possible approaches.
Quinpirole attenuates the striatal Fos expression induced by escape behavior

Several studies have shown that the D2-like dopamine receptor agonist quinpirole is able to markedly potentiate the striatal Fos expression induced by D1 agonists. The present study examined the effects of quinpirole on the striatal Fos-like immunoreactivity (FLI) induced by escape behavior. Male rats were pretreated with either saline or quinpirole (0.156, 0.625, 1.25 or 2.5 mg/kg) and 30 min later, placed in a shuttle box and required to crossover every 30 s in order to escape mild footshock. Animals were sacrificed 30 min following the completion of a 1-h block of escape trials and sections through the striatum were processed for FLI. Pretreatment with quinpirole produced a marked, dose-dependent, attenuation of escape-induced FLI in the striatum. These findings demonstrate that quinpirole affects the striatal Fos expression induced by shuttling in a very different fashion than it does that induced by D1 agonists, and further support the view that dopaminergic mechanisms play an important role in behaviorally induced striatal Fos expression.
The angiogenic response is dependent on ultrasound contrast agent concentration

Objective Ultrasound (US) and ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) provide a way to noninvasively induce targeted angiogenesis. However, there exists a lack of understanding regarding the mechanisms of this process that has impeded progress. This study sought to characterize the angiogenic response, by both exploring the role of UCA concentration ([UCA]) in bioeffect induction at 0 days post exposure (DPE) and assessing the bioeffect as a possible potentiator of angiogenesis at 5 DPE.
Towards a subject-independent adaptive pupil tracker for automatic eye tracking calibration using a mixture model

This paper describes the initial pre-processing steps used to follow the motions of the human eye in an eye tracking application. The central method models each pixel as a combination of either: a dark pupil pixel, bright highlight pixel, or a neutral pixel. Portable eye tracking involves tracking a subject's pupil over the course of a study. This paper describes very preliminary results from using a mixture model as a processing stage. Technical issues of using a mixture model are discussed. The pixel classifications from the mixture model were fed into a naive Bayes pupil tracker. Only low-level information is used for pupil identification. No motion tracking is performed, no belief propagation is performed, and no convolutions are computed. The algorithm is well positioned for parallel implementations. The solution surmounts several technical challenges, and initial results are unexpectedly accurate. The technique shows good promise for incorporation into a system for automatic eye-to-scene calibration.
THz Polarizer Controller Based on Cylindrical Spoof Surface Plasmon Polariton (C-SSPP)

Spoof surface plasmon polariton (SSPP) based devices have recently garnered a great deal of attention owing to their ability to propagate THz signal without dispersion and very low signal attenuation. In this paper, a rigorous mathematical model has been proposed by performing full-field analysis on the periodically corrugated cylindrical waveguide. It has been shown that this structure has the capability of propagating localized spoof surface plasmons polariton (SSPP) mode of EM waves. The variation of band diagrams as a function of different groove dimensions has been investigated. Finally, by employing cylindrical SSPP a new polarizer controller has been designed that can be utilized to design THz Boolean gates.
Refining Measurement of Substance Use Disorders Among Women of Child-Bearing Age Using Hospital Records: The Development of the Explicit-Mention Substance Abuse Need for Treatment in Women (EMSANT-W) Algorithm

Substance use disorder (SUD) in women of reproductive age is associated with adverse health consequences for both women and their offspring. US states need a feasible population-based, case-identification tool to generate better approximations of SUD prevalence, treatment use, and treatment outcomes among women. This article presents the development of the Explicit Mention Substance Abuse Need for Treatment in Women (EMSANT-W), a gender-tailored tool based upon existing International Classification of Diseases, 9th Edition, Clinical Modification diagnostic code-based groupers that can be applied to hospital administrative data. Gender-tailoring entailed the addition of codes related to infants, pregnancy, and prescription drug abuse, as well as the creation of inclusion/exclusion rules based on other conditions present in the diagnostic record. Among 1,728,027 women and associated infants who accessed hospital care from January 1, 2002 to December 31, 2008 in Massachusetts, EMSANT-W identified 103,059 women with probable SUD. EMSANT-W identified 4,116 women who were not identified by the widely used Clinical Classifications Software for Mental Health and Substance Abuse (CCS-MHSA) and did not capture 853 women identified by CCS-MHSA. Content and approach innovations in EMSANT-W address potential limitations of the Clinical Classifications Software, and create a methodologically sound, gender-tailored and feasible population-based tool for identifying women of reproductive age in need of further evaluation for SUD treatment. Rapid changes in health care service infrastructure, delivery systems and policies require tools such as the EMSANT-W that provide more precise identification methods for sub-populations and can serve as the foundation for analyses of treatment use and outcomes.
Dissolved oxygen fluxes and ecosystem metabolism in an eelgrass (Zostera marina) meadow measured with the eddy correlation technique

Dissolved oxygen (DO) fluxes were measured by eddy correlation to estimate net ecosystem metabolism (NEM) during summer in a restored eelgrass (Zostera marina) meadow and a nearby, unvegetated sediment. This technique measures benthic fluxes under true in situ light and hydrodynamic conditions, integrates over a large area (typically . 100 m2), and captures short-term variations. DO fluxes measured through eight 24-h periods showed pronounced temporal variation driven by light and local hydrodynamics on multiple scales: hour-to-hour, within each daily cycle, and between deployments. The magnitude of variation between hours during single deployments equaled that between deployments, indicating that short-term variation must be included for metabolism estimates to be accurate. DO flux variability was significantly correlated to mean current velocity for the seagrass site and to significant wave height for the unvegetated site. Fluxes measured in low-flow conditions analogous to many chamber and core incubations underestimated those measured in higher-flow conditions typical of in situ conditions by a factor of 2–6. Rates of gross primary production (GPP), respiration (R), and NEM varied substantially between individual deployments, reflecting variations in light and hydrodynamic conditions, and daily values of GPP and R for individual deployments were tightly linked. Average daily NEM of the seagrass site was higher than that of the unvegetated site; the seagrass site was in metabolic balance, and the unvegetated site showed a tendency toward net heterotrophy during this midsummer period. Benthic metabolism is the key component of overall system metabolism and nutrient cycling in shallow bays and lagoons where most of the seafloor lies within the photic zone (McGlathery et al. 2007). Benthic autotrophs, including seagrasses and micro- and macroalgae, fix substantial amounts of carbon, are a temporary sink for nutrients, and influence bacterial processes in the sediment (e.g., mineralization, nitrification–denitrification, anaerobic ammonium oxidation [Annamox]) by modifying redox conditions and competing with bacteria for limiting nutrients. The status of the benthos in shallow coastal systems as a source or a sink of carbon and nutrients is largely dependent on the metabolism of these primary producers and the associated heterotrophs in the community (Eyre and Ferguson 2005; Sundback and McGlathery 2005; McGlathery 2008). Seagrasses are the foundation of benthic communities in many shallow systems, and their metabolism often exceeds that of nearby unvegetated sediments by several fold (Barron et al. 2006; Stutes et al. 2007; Apostolaki et al. 2010). However, accurate estimates of metabolism are difficult to obtain using conventional methods because of the relatively large stature of seagrasses, their often dense root system, the complex hydrodynamics associated with the canopy structure, and the spatial heterogeneity characteristic of these communities.
Retrieval of Three-Dimensional Particle Velocity from Airborne Doppler Radar Data

Abstract A technique has been developed for the retrieval of three-dimensional particle velocities from Doppler data obtained with an airborne radar. The 95-GHz radar was mounted on the University of Wyoming KingAir aircraft. The retrieval technique is derived from the velocity azimuth display (VAD) analysis and is termed the airborne velocity azimuth display (AVAD). Data for this analysis are taken when the radar beam is scanned by the turning of the aircraft. As in VAD analysis, a functional form for the horizontal variation of the velocity of the scatterers must be assumed. The components of the velocity field are then determined using a least squares fit to the Doppler velocities. The AVAD technique differs from VAD analysis because of the mobility of the platform and its proximity to regions of interest, and it is due to geometric considerations dictated by the turning of the aircraft. The analysis region is only a few kilometers in diameter—considerably smaller than for a ground-based VAD analysis. ...
Synergism between genome sequencing, tandem mass spectrometry and bio-inspired synthesis reveals insights into nocardioazine B biogenesis

Correction for 'Synergism between genome sequencing, tandem mass spectrometry and bio-inspired synthesis reveals insights into nocardioazine B biogenesis' by Norah Alqahtani et al., Org. Biomol. Chem., 2015, 13, 7177-7192.
Herpes type 2 infection with unusual generalised manifestations and delayed diagnosis in an adult male.

Summary A case of severe generalised herpes simplex type 2 infection is described in an adult male who had known exposure to herpes. The patient first complained of headache, fever and neurological symptoms, and three to six days later of conjunctivitis, severe pharyngitis, arthralgia and vesicular lesions about the body. During the first 14 days of illness, including three in hospital, the patient was diagnosed as having infection with varicella virus, vesicular stomatitis virus, or hand-foot-and-mouth disease virus. The diagnosis of infection with herpesvirus was not considered until herpesvirus was visualised in vesicular fluid by electron microscopy six weeks after onset. HSV-2 was then repeatedly isolated from vesicular fluids over the next four years. Detailed serological tests on the patient's sequential serum samples demonstrated a specific and continued response to HSV-2. He possibly acquired the virus iatrogenically, either by oral droplet transmission into or finger contamination of a PPD injection site, from the nurse who administered the injection and then palpated the site.
Analysis of p53 mutants for transcriptional activity.

Abstract The wild-type p53 protein functions to suppress transformation, but numerous mutant p53 proteins are transformation competent. To examine the role of p53 as a transcription factor, we made fusion proteins containing human or mouse p53 sequences fused to the DNA binding domain of a known transcription factor, GAL4. Human and mouse wild-type p53/GAL4 specifically transactivated expression of a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter in HeLa, CHO, and NIH 3T3 cells. Several mutant p53 proteins, including a mouse p53 mutant which is temperature sensitive for suppression, were also analyzed. A p53/GAL4 fusion protein with this mutation was also transcriptionally active only at the permissive temperature. Another mutant p53/GAL4 fusion protein analyzed mimics the mutation inherited in Li-Fraumeni patients. This fusion protein was as active as wild-type p53/GAL4 in our assay. Two human p53 mutants that arose from alterations of the p53 gene in colorectal carcinomas were 30- to 40-fold less effective at activating transcription than wild-type p53/GAL4 fusion proteins. Thus, functional wild-type p53/GAL4 fusion proteins activate transcription, while several transformation competent mutants do so poorly or not at all. Only one mutant p53/GAL4 fusion protein remained transcriptionally active.
The Transition Zone and Secondary Maximum of Radar Reflectivity behind a Midlatitude Squall Line: Results Retrieved from Doppler Radar Data

Abstract Thermodynamic and microphysical retrieval techniques are applied to dual-Doppler synthesized air motion fields for a midlatitude squall line, which passed through the Oklahoma-Kansas Preliminary Regional Experiment for the Stormscale Operational and Research Meteorology Program (PRE-STORM) observational array in Kansas and Oklahoma on 10–11 June 1985. The retrieved pressure and potential temperature fields are consistent with surface network and sounding data, while the retrieved microphysical fields show the characteristic secondary maximum of radar reflectivity in the stratiform region and the band of low reflectivity, or transition zone, lying between the leading convective line and the secondary maximum. The retrieved fields indicate the processes producing the secondary maximum and transition zone minimum of radar reflectivity more quantitatively than has been possible in previous studies. The primary processes accounting for these features of the radar reflectivity pattern were 1) the subst...
Real-time series resistance monitoring in PV systems without the need for IV curves

We apply the physical principles of a familiar method, suns-Voc, to a new application: the real-time detection of series resistance changes in modules and systems operating outside. The real-time series resistance (RTSR) method that we describe avoids the need for collecting IV curves or constructing full series-resistance-free IV curves. RTSR is most readily deployable at the module level on micro-inverters or module-integrated electronics, but it can also be extended to full strings. Automated detection of series resistance increases can provide early warnings of some of the most common reliability issues, which also pose fire risks, including broken ribbons, broken solder bonds, and contact problems in the junction or combiner box. We describe the method in detail and describe a sample application to data collected from modules operating in the field.
Ultrahigh-strength steels for aerospace applications

The ultrahigh-strength steels used in aerospace applications are primarily alloys developed 25 or more years ago, which would seem to illustrate the conservatism of alloy producers. However, the now widespread use of AF1410, which was developed in the mid-1970s, suggests that new alloys will be adopted for aerospace applications if their mechanical properties are markedly superior to incumbent alloys. Given the excellent properties of the secondary hardening steels such as AF1410, it would appear that the greatest need is for alloys with yield strengths of 1,725 MPa and higher, which have improved fracture toughness and resistance to stress-corrosion cracking. Control of sulfide-type inclusions, coupled with low sulfur levels, may be a means of achieving quite reasonable toughness at high strength levels. Improving resistance to stress-corrosion cracking appears to be a more difficult problem, but it is hoped that a general solution for the case of intergranular fracture by stress-corrosion cracking will arise from ongoing fundamental studies of the effects of segregating impurities and alloying additions on grain boundary cohesion.
Abstract A107: Polymorphisms in nucleotide excision repair pathway and acute myeloid leukemia outcome

A107 Acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the most common leukemia in adults is frequently associated with genetic abnormalities. Based on pre-treatment cytogenetics, AML patients are classified into favorable, intermediate and poor subgroups. Cytogenetics are good predictors of treatment outcome for the favorable and poor subgroups. However, for patients with intermediate cytogenetics, optimal treatment is uncertain. For these patients incorporating genetic markers to the existing prognostic factors might be helpful to identify subgroups of patients. Variants in genes within the nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathway may lead to inter-individual differences in DNA repair capacity which could eventually influence AML outcome. We studied the role of 5 polymorphisms (ERCC1 Gln 504 Lys , XPD Lys 751 Gln , XPC Ala 499 Val , XPC Lys 939 Gln , and CCNH Val 270 Ala ) within this pathway on overall and disease-free survival among 170 adult de-novo AML patients with intermediate cytogenetics [diploid karyotypes (n = 117) and non-diploid karyotypes (n = 53)], treated with induction chemotherapy. Kaplan-Meier methods and Cox proportional hazards models were performed. After a median follow-up of 16 months, 56% of diploid patients died compared to 71% among the non-diploid group (Log Rank p = 0.03). Among patients with diploid karyotypes, after adjusting for clinical and socio-demographic characteristics (age, sex, ethnicity, WBC, performance status, and smoking), XPD Lys 751 Gln and XPC Ala 499 Val were found to be independently associated with overall survival. Patients with the XPD Lys 751 Gln / Gln 751 Gln genotype were twice more likely to have died than those with the wild genotype (HR: 1.97; 95% CI: 1.09 - 3.55). XPC Ala 499 Val/Val 499 Val patients had a 75% increased mortality compared to those with the wild genotype (HR: 1.75; 95% CI: 1.02 - 2.98). Patients carrying both (XPD Lys 751 Gln/Gln 751 Gln and XPC Ala 499 Val / Val 499 Val ) had significantly shorter survival compared to those with the wild genotype (HR: 3.49; 95% CI: 1.58 - 7.68). 21% of the AML patients with diploid cytogenetics carried both risk variants. No significant associations were observed for disease-free survival in AML patients. Our results suggest that polymorphic variants in NER repair enzymes may modulate AML outcome in patients with diploid cytogenetics. Patients with the high risk genotype combination could have diminished DNA repair capacity, which in turn, could result in greater susceptibility to genotoxic effects of treatment decreasing overall survival. These findings could in the future be used in selecting treatment strategies for patients with normal cytogenetics. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2008;1(7 Suppl):A107.
The relation of adrenalin to the action of insulin upon the blood sugar content.

During the course of experimental work on the effect of insulin upon the blood sugar content in rabbits, the question arose as to whether insulin and adrenalin were antagonists.It is well known that insulin acts by diminishing the blood sugar, while adrenalin increases it. It was, therefore, thought highly probable that the administration of both drugs would result in a neutralization of these effects so that the blood sugar would remain practically normal.A study of the literature gave support to the assumption. Magenti and Biagotti conclude that adrenalin, when given simultaneously with insulin, acts by strongly disturbing the usual insulin effect. These tests were repeated only for the reason that in the first papers on insulin by Banting and Best, and especially in a recent article by McLeod and Orr, special attention was called to the individual differences in rabbits, for sugar test, after the administration of insulin.A series of rabbits was tested primarily for the separate effects of insulin and ...
Strong Coupling Limit of Certain Multidimensional Nonlinear Wave Equations

A class of multidimensional nonlinear evolution equations of physical interest are considered in the limit of strong coupling. It turns out that the initial value solution is readily obtained. In the special case of the Davey-Stewartson equation the inverse scattering transform is shown to reduce to the obtained solution via perturbation. A number of other features are discussed as well, such as action angle variables, periodic solutions, and quantum analogues.
Epidemiological characteristics of hand,foot and mouth disease among children in New District of Wuxi,2011

Objective To study the epidemiological characteristics of hand,foot and mouth disease(HFMD) among children in New District of Wuxi,2011 and provide basis for outlining preventive measures.Methods By descriptive epidemiology,the data of HFMD surveillance were analyzed and genotype of entericvirus was detected by RT-PCR.Results In 2011,There were 1 374 HFMD cases reported in New District of Wuxi and the incidence was 227.43 per 100 000,including 61 severe cases.No case of them was dead.There were two prevalent peaks occurred during May to July and September.The cases mainly occurred in children whose ages ranged from 0 to 6 years old(96.72%).The sex ratio was 1.34:1.Twenty-two cases were infected by EV71(enterovirus 71) in 75 cases(56.41% of all the positive results).Conclusion The occurrence of HFMD had obvious characteristics in season,occupation,age and sex..Both epidemic and etiological surveillance of HFMD should be strengthened in order to provide a more effective scientific basis for controlling HFMD.
Coordinate regulation of renal expression of nitric oxide synthase, renin, and angiotensinogen mRNA by dietary salt

Experiments were performed to examine the effect of changes in dietary salt intake on the neuronal form of the constitutive nitric oxide synthase (ncNOS, type I NOS), renin, and angiotensinogen mRNA expression in the kidney. Three groups of Sprague-Dawley rats were studied as follows: rats maintained on a 3% Na diet plus 0.45% NaCl in the drinking fluid for 7 days (high salt), rats given a single injection of furosemide (2 mg/kg i.p.) and a 0.03% Na diet for 7 days (low salt), and rats on a diet containing 0.2% Na (control). mRNA expression was assessed with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) methods using cDNA prepared from samples of renal cortex and microdissected tubular segments. ncNOS PCR products were quantified by comparison with a dilution series of a mutant deletion template. Compared with their respective control, ncNOS mRNA levels in renal cortical tissue were elevated in rats on a low-salt diet and reduced in rats on a high-salt diet. Similar changes were seen in the expression of renin and angiotensinogen mRNA. Dietary salt intake did not alter the mRNA levels for ncNOS from the inner medulla or for endothelial constitutive NOS (ecNOS, type III NOS) and inducible NOS (iNOS, type II NOS) in the renal cortex. ncNOS mRNA was found in glomeruli dissected with the macula densa-containing segment (MDCS), but only at marginal levels in glomeruli without MDCS. Furthermore, a low-salt diet stimulated ncNOS mRNA in glomeruli with MDCS by 6.2-fold compared with a high-salt diet. There was no effect of salt diet on ncNOS mRNA in glomeruli without MDCS or in inner medullary collecting ducts. These results suggest that ncNOS expression in macula densa cells is inversely regulated by salt intake, thus following the known response of the renin-angiotensin system to changes in salt balance.
On the Effective Yield Surface of a Simple Polycrystal

The dependence of the effective yield strength of polycrystals on their microstructure has been the subject of extensive work. In the present paper, which is a sequel to [3], we continue to develop an iterative procedure for obtaining closer inner and outer bounds to the effective yield surface of a polycrystals. The procedure starts with the improvement of the “defective” stress field associated with the homogeneous deformation of the Taylor bound. Numerical simulations are utilized to provide insight for the construction of the iterated fields. These insights may be used to estimate the effective yield surface of more realistic polycrystals without resorting to costly computations.
CO2 capture using nanoporous TiO(OH)2/tetraethylenepentamine

Abstract In this work, an inorganic-organic CO2 sorbent was prepared by immobilizing tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA) onto nanoporous titanium oxyhydrate (TiO(OH)2). The prepared sorbents were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analyses. At the optimal TEPA loading of 60 wt% on TiO(OH)2, the CO2 sorption capacity reached 3.1 mmol CO2/g-sorbent for 1 vol% CO2 in N2 along with ∼1 vol% H2O at 60 °C. Studies of adsorption kinetics and thermodynamics showed that the activation energies for CO2 adsorption and desorption of TiO(OH)2/TEPA are 19.6 kJ/mol and 51.1 kJ/mol, respectively. This low CO2 desorption activation energy means a high CO2 desorption rate, thus a low CO2 capture cost. Accordingly, the sorbent has the potential to be used for capturing ultra-dilute CO2 from gas mixtures.
Structural analysis and design of dynamic-flow networks: Implications in the brain dynamics

In this paper, we study dynamic-flow networks, i.e., networks described by a graph whose weights evolve according to linear differential equations. Further, these linear differential equations depend on the incidence relation of the edges in a node, and possibly nodal dynamics. Because some of these weights and their dependencies may not be accurately known, we extend the notion of structural controllability for dynamic-flow networks, and provide necessary and sufficient conditions for this to hold. Next, we show that the analysis of structural controllability in dynamic-flow networks can be reduced to that of a digraph which we refer to as meta digraph. In addition, we consider different actuation capabilities, i.e., we assume that both the nodes and edges in the dynamic-flow network can be actuated, and we explore the implications in terms of computational complexity when the minimum cost-placement of actuators is considered. The proposed framework can be used to identify actuation capabilities required to mitigate epileptic-brain dynamics. More precisely, the functional connectivity of mesoscale brain dynamics can be modeled as a dynamic-flow network by considering dynamic functional connectivity of the network. In the context of epilepsy, the modeling is motivated by new findings that show that the edges within seizure-generating areas are almost constant over time, whereas the edges outside these areas exhibit higher variability over time in human epileptic networks. In addition, implementable devices to control drug-resistant seizures by affecting the epileptic network has gained considerable attention as a viable treatment option. Subsequently, from a control-theoretic perspective, one can consider actuation to attenuate edge variability responsible for seizure-generation in the epileptic network. In particular, we address the following two scenarios: (i) current placement of electrical stimulators, and their probable capabilities; and (ii) determine the minimum cost placement with minimum actuation capabilities. The latter problem is motivated by the fact that some edges may correspond to more accessible (or less harmful) regions in the brain, whereas others might correspond to sensitive regions in the brain.
Contrasting the Use of Contact and Non-Contact Dilatometers to Measure Ferrite Recrystallization in Cold-Rolled Dual-Phase Steel

The applicability of dilation data for characterization of heating rate effects on the continuous-heating recrystallization behavior of cold-rolled 1020 (0.2 C, 0.5 Mn wt. %) sheet steel was assessed in both a Gleeble® 3500 and a commercial push-rod dilatometer. Prior to the start of the ferrite-to-austenite transformation, measurements of sample dimension on heating exhibited a change in slope measured by contact dilatometry, which coincided with the start of recrystallization. The degree of the observed slope change depended on degree of cold work, heating rate, and measuring equipment. The specific temperature associated with the slope change was independent of measuring equipment. In contrast, deviations from linearity were not observed for data obtained with the non-contact laser dilatometer. Recrystallization measurements with contact dilatometry appear to be due to recrystallization-induced plasticity, and the significance of this observation is assessed with comparisons between data obtained on the 1020 steel and reported literature data.
Evolutionary biology: Fin to limb within our grasp

There was thought to be little in common between fish fin bones and the finger bones of land-dwellers. But zebrafish studies reveal that hox genes have a surprisingly similar role in patterning the two structures. See Letter p.225 Hox genes are major players in limb and digit development in tetrapods, prompting the question of whether or how they might have been involved in the transition between the fins of fishes and the limbs of tetrapods. Neil Shubin and colleagues have compared Hox function in fins and limbs by performing cell lineage and knockout assays of Hox genes in zebrafish fins. They find that zebrafish deficient in HoxA and HoxD gene clusters show reduced fin rays and increased endochondral elements. The results establish homology between the developmental programs creating digits and the radials in fins, and represent an important step forward in understanding the transition from water to land and the evolution of tetrapods.
Characterization of Coastal Drift-Cell Sediment Processes Effecting the Restoration of the Southern Lake Michigan Shoreline.

Hard structures along the southern shore of Lake Michigan restrict natural longshore sediment transport, destabilizing the shoreline, and dissecting the coast into localized shoreline reaches. A geometric design was used to sample (n = 590 nodes) at nine shoreline reaches near the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore to characterize existing sediment in the offshore and onshore zones. Cluster Analysis grouped shoreline sites into two clusters. Factor Analysis showed that 35 % of the sand fractionation’s cumulative variance across all sites was explained by an increased loading on medium sand (0.250 mm) with a corresponding decrease loading on small pebbles (4.750 mm), and an additional 30 % of the cumulative variance was explained by a negative loading on very fine sand (0.075 mm). Individual clusters showed that 43 % of the cumulative variance within cluster one could be explained by increased loadings on fine and medium sand (0.149–0.250 mm) with a corresponding negative loading on small pebbles (4.75 mm). An additional 22 % of the cumulative variance was explained by the positive loading on coarse sand (0.850 mm). Cluster two was explained by a single factor (62 % cumulative variance) highlighting an increased loading on small pebbles and coarse sand, and decreased loadings on medium to very fine sand. Principal component analysis showed that sediment characterization of the swash zone provided the best explanation of between site variance.
Acute psychosis secondary to suspected hyperparathyroidism: A case report and literature review.

Abstract Introduction: Hyperparathyroidism begins as a benign disease that is often left undetected unless the patient presents with severe symptoms. Often, the first sign of hyperparathyroidism is elevation in serum calcium. Case Description: A 38-year-old man presented with new onset acute psychosis. Laboratory testing revealed co-occurring untreated hyperparathyroidism. Discussion: A literature search was performed using PubMed to identify articles published in English with the following key terms: “hyperparathyroidism,” “psychosis,” and “hypercalcemia.” A review of findings follows the case report. Despite a thorough literature review, any pathophysiological explanation for psychiatric manifestations of hyperparathyroidism remains hypothetical.
Local and transient gene expression primes the liver to resist cancer metastasis

The liver is the primary site of metastasis for gastrointestinal cancers and is a location highly susceptible to the establishment of metastasis in numerous other primary cancers, including breast, lung, and pancreatic cancers. The current standard of care typically consists of primary tumor resection and systemic administration of potent but toxic chemotherapeutics, yielding a minimal improvement in the median survival rate. CXCL12, a chemokine, is a key factor for activating the migration/survival pathways of CXCR4+ cancer cells and for recruiting immunosuppressive cells to areas of inflammation. Therefore, reducing CXCL12 concentrations within the liver has the potential to decrease tumor and immunosuppressive cell activation/migration within the liver. However, because of off-target toxicities associated with systemic administration of anti-CXCL12 therapies, transient and liver-specific expression of a CXCL12 trap is necessary. To address this challenge, we developed a lipid calcium phosphate nanoparticle optimized for delivering plasmid DNA, encoding an engineered CXCL12 protein trap, to the nucleus of liver hepatocytes. This pCXCL12-trap formulation yielded transient (4 days) liver-specific expression, which greatly decreased the occurrence of liver metastasis in two aggressive liver metastasis models, including colorectal [CT-26(FL3)] and breast (4T1) cancers. Subsequent studies in an aggressive human colorectal liver metastasis model (HT-29) decreased the establishment of liver metastasis more effectively than did systemic administration of the CXCL12 protein trap and to a level comparable to a high-dose regimen of a potent CXCR4 antagonist (AMD3100).
L’efficacité du traitement conservateur de épicondylite médiale: revue systématique

The results of this review of medial epicondylitis show the limited amount of proven evidence for the various nonoperative treatment modalities. There is evidence for the use of corticosteroid injections to relieve pain in the short-term. The evidence for the use of kinesio taping, autologous blood injections, PRP injections, a wearable, long duration, low-intensity therapeutic ultrasound device and extracorporeal shockwave therapy is either conflicting or showed insubstantial. Further study designs investigating these treatment options should be high quality randomized controlled trials in order to draw more valid conclusions. In addition, any study which includes both patients with medial epicondylitis and patients with lateral epicondylitis should delineate the difference in outcome for each patient type.
Reduction of Fumonisin Toxicity by Extrusion and Nixtamalization (Alkaline Cooking)

Fumonisins are mycotoxins found in corn. They are toxic to animals and cause cancer in rodents and neural tube defects in LM/Bc mice. Reducing their concentrations in corn-based foods is therefore desirable. Chemical analysis or in vitro bioassays of food extracts might not detect toxic fumonisin reaction products that are unknown or unextractable from food matrices, thus potentially underestimating in vivo toxicity. The effectiveness of two common cooking methods, extrusion and nixtamalization (alkaline cooking), to reduce the toxicity of fumonisin-contaminated corn grits (extrusion) and whole kernel corn (nixtamalization) was shown by means of rat feeding bioassays using fumonisin-specific kidney effects as indicators of potential toxicity. A third bioassay showed that in contrast to fumonisin B1 (FB1), hydrolyzed fumonisin B1 (HFB1; formed from FB1 during nixtamalization) did not cause neural tube defects in LM/Bc mice. The findings indicate that extrusion and nixtamalization reduce the potential toxicity of FB1-contaminated corn.
Stau coannihilation, compressed spectrum, and SUSY discovery potential at the LHC

The lack of observation of supersymmetry thus far implies that the weak supersymmetry scale is larger than what was thought before the LHC era. This observation is strengthened by the Higgs boson mass measurement at $\ensuremath{\sim}125\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{GeV}$, which within supersymmetric models implies a large loop correction and a weak supersymmetry scale lying in the several TeV region. In addition if neutralino is the dark matter, its relic density puts further constraints on models often requiring coannihilation to reduce the neutralino relic density to be consistent with experimental observation. The coannihilation in turn implies that the mass gap between the lightest supersymmetric particle and the next to lightest supersymmetric particle will be small, leading to softer final states and making the observation of supersymmetry challenging. In this work we investigate stau coannihilation models within supergravity grand unified models and the potential of discovery of such models at the LHC in the post--Higgs boson discovery era. We utilize a variety of signal regions to optimize the discovery of supersymmetry in the stau coannihilation region. In the analysis presented we impose the relic density constraint as well as the constraint of the Higgs boson mass. The range of sparticle masses discoverable up to the optimal integrated luminosity of the HL-LHC is investigated. It is found that the mass difference between the stau and the neutralino does not exceed $\ensuremath{\sim}20\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{GeV}$ over the entire mass range of the models explored. Thus the discovery of a supersymmetric signal arising from the stau coannihilation region will also provide a measurement of the neutralino mass. The direct detection of neutralino dark matter is analyzed within the class of stau coannihilation models investigated. The analysis is extended to include multiparticle coannihilation where stau along with chargino and the second neutralino enter into the coannihilation process.
Autohagiobiography: Gregory of Nazianzus among His Biographers

Over the past fourteen centuries, Gregory of Nazianzus (ca. 330–390 C.E.) has been the subject of more than a dozen biographical narratives and monographs, beginning with the late antique hagiography of Gregory the Presbyter and concluding with the modern biography by John McGuckin. This is likely the result of Gregory9s vast autobiographical corpus, which has provided scholars with a chronological narrative and character perspective from which to start their own secondary narratives. By examining this tradition of biography, I argue that two trends remain regularly operative. First, each biographer has consistently endowed his subject with his own values, ideals, and theological commitments. Second, each biography has given pride of place to Gregory9s autobiographical voice. To make a precise demonstration of the latter trend, I follow the notorious Maximus affair from its presentation in Gregory9s autobiography and in the biographical tradition, showing how Gregory9s narrative remains almost entirely intact and unscrutinized. Ultimately I contend that the generic boundaries between autobiography, hagiography, and biography have broken down and suggest that readers subject autobiographical texts, along with their content, structure, style, and narrative, to rhetorical analysis rather than treat them as texts that reveal, with varying degrees of transparency, the authentic personality of their author.
Two Explanatory Principles in Semantics

Contemporary linguistic theory has concerned itself, to a large extent, with the question of which possible grammars are capable of serving as the actual grammars of natural languages. Considerably less attention has been given to the cognate question of which possible meanings are capable of serving as meanings actually expressed by natural languages. The first question deals with the so-called generative power of language, the grammatical structures that can or cannot relate the constituents that comprise a sentence, word, or phrase. The second question deals with the expressive power of language, the semantic contents that can or cannot be conveyed by a sentence, word, or phrase. In this paper, we will concern ourselves with the second of these two questions and, in particular, with two explanatory principles that appear to be helpfuI’in providing it with at least the beginnings of an answer.1
Characterization of Sensory-Motor Behavior Under Cognitive Load Using a New Statistical Platform for Studies of Embodied Cognition

The field of enacted/embodied cognition has emerged as a contemporary attempt to connect the mind and body in the study of cognition. However, there has been a paucity of methods that enable a multi-layered approach tapping into different levels of functionality within the nervous systems (e.g., continuously capturing in tandem multi-modal biophysical signals in naturalistic settings). The present study introduces a new theoretical and statistical framework to characterize the influences of cognitive demands on biophysical rhythmic signals harnessed from deliberate, spontaneous and autonomic activities. In this study, nine participants performed a basic pointing task to communicate a decision while they were exposed to different levels of cognitive load. Within these decision-making contexts, we examined the moment-by-moment fluctuations in the peak amplitude and timing of the biophysical time series data (e.g., continuous waveforms extracted from hand kinematics and heart signals). These spike-trains data offered high statistical power for personalized empirical statistical estimation and were well-characterized by a Gamma process. Our approach enabled the identification of different empirically estimated families of probability distributions to facilitate inference regarding the continuous physiological phenomena underlying cognitively driven decision-making. We found that the same pointing task revealed shifts in the probability distribution functions (PDFs) of the hand kinematic signals under study and were accompanied by shifts in the signatures of the heart inter-beat-interval timings. Within the time scale of an experimental session, marked changes in skewness and dispersion of the distributions were tracked on the Gamma parameter plane with 95% confidence. The results suggest that traditional theoretical assumptions of stationarity and normality in biophysical data from the nervous systems are incongruent with the true statistical nature of empirical data. This work offers a unifying platform for personalized statistical inference that goes far beyond those used in conventional studies, often assuming a "one size fits all model" on data drawn from discrete events such as mouse clicks, and observations that leave out continuously co-occurring spontaneous activity taking place largely beneath awareness.