cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Age-related decline in rod phototransduction sensitivity in rhesus monkeys fed an n-3 fatty acid-deficient diet.

PURPOSE Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an n-3 fatty acid, is the major polyunsaturate in rod outer segments. The effect of long-term n-3 fatty acid deficiency on rod and cone phototransduction was investigated in the rhesus monkey. METHODS From birth to approximately = 9 years rhesus monkeys were fed an n-3-deficient diet (n = 9) known to reduce retinal DHA by 80%. Monkeys in the control group (n = 12) received either 8% alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) or 0.6% DHA, both of which support normal retinal DHA levels. None of the diets contained carotenoids. Photoactivation kinetics were assessed from the rate of increase and a P3 model fit of the ERG a-wave. Maximal cone amplitude and sensitivity were measured from the cone a-wave at 4 ms. The rod photoresponse and rod recovery were derived by using a paired flash METHOD RESULTS Rod sensitivity was reduced by 40% in the n-3-deficient monkeys at 9 but not 4.5 years. The onset of the rising phase of the photoresponse was significantly delayed (P < 0.004) at 9 years. Rod recovery was delayed by 20% in n-3-deficient monkeys at both ages, but only for bright saturating flashes. Cone phototransduction was not altered by n-3 deficiency. CONCLUSIONS Long-term dietary n-3 deficiency in the rhesus monkey was associated with two changes in retinal function. First, there was a delay in rod recovery that has remained relatively constant throughout life. Second, there was an age-dependent loss in rod phototransduction sensitivity; the lack of dietary carotenoids may have contributed to this decline.
Re(gion)alizing Women's Human Rights in Latin America

Between 1993 and 2000, nearly every democracy in Latin America passed a law prohibiting domestic violence. Between 2001 and 2006, five countries strengthened their legislation, and Brazil passed its first law. What explains these advances with respect to women's rights? While other work has focused on domestic or international factors, this article brings to light the role of the region. It reveals that the two inter-American women's rights organizations have been active in both establishing regional norms and promoting their national adoption and implementation. While this suggests that regional governance can promote women's social rights, there is no automatic institutionalization of these norms. Case studies on Chile and Brazil illustrate the impact of national context.
Diurnal variability in currents and temperature on the continental shelf between central and southern California

[1] Long time series are used to describe the diurnal variability in the meteorological and astronomical tidal forcing and the temperature and current response on the continental shelf of California between Port San Luis and Port Hueneme. Spectral characteristics are used to attribute the response to each of the forcing mechanisms. The diurnal temperature field is decomposed into two dominant vertical modes. A surface-enhanced mode is coherent with the meteorological forcing, suggesting that it is a direct response to local heating and wind forcing. The amplitude of the second mode is maximum at middepth. Spectra of this mode exhibit multiple peaks at frequencies corresponding to the astronomical tidal forcing. The phase difference between the middepth mode and the tidally dominated sea level is not consistent across the region. We conclude that this mode is a localized baroclinic response to the astronomical tidal forcing. The diurnal velocity field is dominated by a clockwise component. At the surface this component is coherent across the study region, and it is also coherent with the diurnal wind stress, suggesting that it is a direct response to the diurnal heating and wind forcing. Coherence with the surface-enhanced temperature mode further confirms this. A weaker, barotropic counterclockwise component is also present in the diurnal velocity field. Spectra of this component exhibit multiple peaks at periods corresponding to the astronomical tidal forcing. The phase difference between this component and the surface elevation varies little between the observational sites. We conclude that this velocity component represents a barotropic response to astronomical forcing that is coherent over the study area.
Human prefrontal cortex is not specific for working memory: a functional MRI study.

Lesion studies in monkeys have provided evidence that lateral prefrontal cortex is necessary for working memory, the cognitive processes involved in the temporary maintenance and manipulation of information. Monkey electrophysiological studies, however, have also observed prefrontal neuronal activity associated with cognitive processes that are nonmnemonic. We tested the hypothesis that the same regions of human prefrontal cortex that demonstrate activity during working memory tasks would also demonstrate activity during tasks without working memory demands. During echoplanar fMRI imaging, subjects performed a three-condition experiment (working memory task, nonworking memory task, rest). In the working memory task, subjects observed serially presented stimuli and determined if each stimulus was the same as that presented two stimuli back. The nonworking memory task in Experiment 1 required subjects to identify a single predetermined stimulus; in Experiment 2, subjects were required to make a button press to every stimulus. In all subjects in both experiments, the working memory task exhibited greater prefrontal cortical activity compared to either nonworking memory task. In these same prefrontal regions, greater activation was also observed during both nonworking memory tasks compared to rest. We conclude that human lateral prefrontal cortex supports processes in addition to working memory. Thus, reverse inference of the form "if prefrontal cortex is active, working memory is engaged" is not supported.
Effect of temperature on long-term storage of codling moth granulovirus formulations.

Abstract Codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.), is the major pest of apple (Malus spp.) in the western United States and many other regions of the world. The codling moth granulovirus (CpGV) provides a selective and safe means of its control. We assessed the long-term stability and storage potential of two commercial formulations of CpGV, Cyd-X, and Virosoft. All assays were performed with individual C. pomonella neonate larvae in 2-ml vials on 1 ml of artificial larval diet that was surface inoculated with 10 μl of the test virus suspension. Baseline quantitative assays for the two formulations revealed that the LC50 and LC95 values (occlusion bodies per vial) did not differ significantly between the formulations. For year-long studies on Cyd-X stability, the product was stored at −20, 2, 25, and 35°C, and quantitative bioassays were conducted after 0, 3, 6, and 12 mo of storage. Cyd-X retained good larvicidal activity from −20 to 25°C, and it was the least negatively affected at the lowest temperature. Sto...
A sonic hedgehog-dependent signaling relay regulates growth of diencephalic and mesencephalic primordia in the early mouse embryo

Sonic hedgehog (Shh) is a key signal in the specification of ventral cell identities along the length of the developing vertebrate neural tube. In the presumptive hindbrain and spinal cord, dorsal development is largely Shh independent. By contrast, we show that Shh is required for cyclin D1 expression and the subsequent growth of both ventral and dorsal regions of the diencephalon and midbrain in early somite-stage mouse embryos. We propose that a Shh-dependent signaling relay regulates proliferation and survival of dorsal cell populations in the diencephalon and midbrain. We present evidence that Fgf15 shows Shh-dependent expression in the diencephalon and may participate in this interaction, at least in part, by regulating the ability of dorsal neural precursors to respond to dorsally secreted Wnt mitogens.
Kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Effect with Projected Fields: A Novel Probe of the Baryon Distribution with Planck, WMAP, and WISE Data.

The kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (KSZ) effect\char22{}the Doppler boosting of cosmic microwave background (CMB) photons due to Compton scattering off free electrons with nonzero bulk velocity\char22{}probes the abundance and the distribution of baryons in the Universe. All KSZ measurements to date have explicitly required spectroscopic redshifts. Here, we implement a novel estimator for the KSZ\char22{}large-scale structure cross-correlation based on projected fields: it does not require redshift estimates for individual objects, allowing KSZ measurements from large-scale imaging surveys. We apply this estimator to cleaned CMB temperature maps constructed from Planck and WMAP data and a galaxy sample from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE). We measure the KSZ effect at $3.8\ensuremath{\sigma}\char21{}4.5\ensuremath{\sigma}$ significance, depending on the use of additional WISE galaxy bias constraints. We verify that our measurements are robust to possible dust emission from the WISE galaxies. Assuming the standard $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}$ cold dark matter cosmology, we directly constrain $({f}_{b}/0.158)({f}_{\text{free}}/1.0)=1.48\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.19$ (statistical error only) at redshift $z\ensuremath{\approx}0.4$, where ${f}_{b}$ is the fraction of matter in baryonic form and ${f}_{\text{free}}$ is the free electron fraction. This is the tightest KSZ-derived constraint reported to date on these parameters. Astronomers have long known that baryons do not trace dark matter on $\ensuremath{\sim}$ kiloparsec scales and there has been strong evidence that galaxies are baryon poor. The consistency between the ${f}_{b}$ value found here and the values inferred from analyses of the primordial CMB and big bang nucleosynthesis verifies that baryons approximately trace the dark matter distribution down to $\ensuremath{\sim}$ megaparsec scales. While our projected-field estimator is already competitive with other KSZ approaches when applied to current data sets (because we are able to use the full-sky WISE photometric survey), it will yield enormous signal-to-noise ratios when applied to upcoming high-resolution, multifrequency CMB surveys.
Design of a Biologically Inspired Underwater Burrowing Robot That Utilizes Localized Fluidization

The Atlantic razor clam (Ensis directus) digs by contracting its valves, fluidizing the surrounding soil and reducing burrowing drag. Moving through a fluidized, rather than static, soil requires energy that scales linearly with depth, rather than depth squared. In addition to providing an advantage for the animal, localized fluidization may provide significant value to engineering applications such as vehicle anchoring and underwater pipe installation. This paper presents the design of a self-actuated, radially expanding burrowing mechanism that utilizes E. directus burrowing methods. The device is sized to be a platform for an anchoring system for autonomous underwater vehicles. Scaling relationships presented allow for design of burrowing systems of different sizes for a variety of applications. The motion to sufficiently create soil fluidization is presented. Max force for the actuator to contract is based on force to pump fluid out of the device, and max expansion force is determined by the soil. Friction force in the device and potential considerations for increased force are presented. Data from laboratory tests are used to characterize how power is split between pumping water out of the device versus accelerating the mechanism itself. These relationships provide the optimal sizing and power needs for various size subsea burrowing systems.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Moscow meeting—the glasnost menagerie

(Being a personal account of adventures in Moscow, meetings with Andrei Sakharov, gossip on Aeroflot 317, Gorbachev at the Kremlin, a Saturday night seminar with refuseniks, and the Scientists' Forum.)
Oxidation of carbene-stabilized diarsenic: diarsene dications and diarsenic radical cations.

Oxidation of carbene-stabilized diarsenic, L:As–As:L [L: = :C{N(2,6-iPr2C6H3)CH}2] (1), with gallium chloride in a 1:4 ratio in toluene affords the dicationic diarsene complex [L:As═As:L]2+([GaCl4]−)2 (22+[GaCl4]2), while oxidation of 1 with GaCl3 in a 1:2 ratio in Et2O yields the monocationic diarsenic radical complex [L:AsAs:L]•+[GaCl4]− (2•+[GaCl4]). Strikingly, complex 2•+ is the first arsenic radical to be structurally characterized in the solid state. The nature of the bonding in these complexes was probed computationally and spectroscopically.
Effects of Artificial and Insect Defoliation on Soybean Net Photosynthesis

Greenhouse and field trials were conducted during 1974–75 to determine the effects of artificial and insect defoliation on soybean net photosynthesis. Net carbon exchange rates were measured by using an excised-leaflet technique. Cork-borer, paper-punch, and along-the-midrib leaflet bisections adequately simulated defoliation of soybean leaflets by Plathypena scabra (F.) and Cynthia cardui (L.). Across-the-midrib leaflet bisections increased net photosynthesis and, thus, did not adequately simulate defoliation by these insects. Net carbon exchange rate was significantly reduced 12 h postdefoliation but was not significantly different from the check 24 h postdefoliation.
A New Borehole Tool for Subsurface Seismic Imaging—A Full Waveform Inversion Approach

The technique of borehole-based full waveform inversion (FWI) using a regularized GaussNewton method has been developed to provide high-resolution velocity images along and around a borehole at depth and within a socket proposed for use in the design of a drilled shaft foundation. The capability of the proposed imaging technique has been demonstrated through comprehensive synthetic model studies. Accurate 3D borehole models and axisymmetric borehole models were both formulated using ABAQUS, and the regularized Gauss-Newton method proved to work well for time-domain FWI within a borehole. High nonlinearity of FWI coupled with a downhill optimization scheme requires a reasonably good starting model to avoid local minima, thus, the strategies of frequency filtering and temporal windowing were adopted to improve convergence. The proposed imaging technique is capable of delineating earth models that are either horizontally or cylindrically multi-layered. It is also capable of locating ring-type anomalies at various distances away from the borehole wall, embedded inside a homogeneous or a layered background. Despite the fact that the forward model is axisymmetric, the proposed imaging technique appears to be capable of finding indications of isolated anomalies in the vicinity of a borehole.
Thermodynamic Investigation of Desulphurization in Chemical Looping Combustion Based on Calcium Oxygen Carrier

In this study,sulfur-containing gases from the high hydrogen sulfide-bearing natural gas and the side reactions during the reduction of CLC were simultaneously removed by the method of the addition of Ca-based sorbent(CaO)in the fuel reactor.Based on the minimization of the total Gibbs free energy,the effects of oxygen carrier/fuel molar ratio, reaction temperature,reaction pressure and Ca/S molar ratio on the release of sulfur in the CLC were investigated.The simulation results show that the optimal oxygen carrier/fuel molar ratio is 0.955.The optimal Ca/S molar ratio is 2during the desulphurization process. The optimal temperature ranges and pressure in the fuel reactor are 800 ℃ ~850 ℃ and atmospheric,respectively.The conclusion in this work provides the theoretical basis and reference for the further experiment.
Design of Alternating Current Testing Instrument with High Accuracy

The principle and design method of alternating current testing instrument with wide rang is introduced.In this instrument,two-stage current transformers are used as current shunt,log-antilog amplifiers are used to perform true rms-to-dc conversion,and rms voltage is sampled by ultralinear analog to digital converter.There is not any adjustable element in the circuit because of advanced auto-calibration introduced.Experimental results show that the linearity of rms-to-dc conversion is up to 0.02% in the range from 45 Hz to 65 Hz.
On the use of reincorporation in interactive drama

Marlinspike is an interactive drama system. It produces a story by playing short pre-authored story components called scenes in response to the actions of a human player. Marlinspike selects the next scene to play so as to reincorporate—or narratively build upon—as much of the story-so-far as possible. In accordance with an Aristotelian definition of narrative unity, this reincorporation serves to make earlier events—particularly the player's actions— narratively necessary to the finished story. An evaluation with human players of Marlinspike's novel reincorporation feature produced mixed results. On the one hand, reincorporation does indeed produce internal story structures that are more unified and that include more of the players' significant actions. However, the players themselves did not report a correspondingly improved experience of either story quality or story-level agency.
Paraendocrine syndromes of cancer.

Understanding of the humoral manifestations of cancer has steadily increased over recent years. The endocrine syndromes, where they are understood, appear to be caused by increased production by the cancer of protein hormones, protein hormone precursors, or protein hormone-like substances. These proteins are commonly produced also by nonneoplastic, nonendocrine cells, and presumably represent paracrine or autocrine substances. Many of the neurologic syndromes, and possibly a wide range of other paraneoplastic syndromes, appear to be caused by tumor immunogen stimulation of antibodies that cross-react not only with the specific tumor antigen but also with antigens from host tissues. Antibody-mediated cell injury leads to the specific symptoms, determined by the tissue injured. Some of the hematologic paraneoplastic syndromes (e.g., aplastic anemia, red cell aplasia) may also be produced by immune mechanisms. Finally, at least one syndrome, multifocal leukoencephalopathy, is caused by a viral infection. Presumably the host with cancer is more susceptible to such infections. The pathogenesis of many syndromes caused by cancers remains unclear. The amino acid structure of the hormones produced by cancers has not been determined for any of the syndromes. The function of these protein hormones produced by normal, nonendocrine tissues is unknown.
Long-Distance Lipid Signaling and its Role in Plant Development and Stress Response

Lipids are important signaling compounds in plants. They can range from small lipophilic molecules like the dicarboxylic acid Azelaic acid to complex phosphoglycerolipids and regulate plant development as well as the response to biotic and abiotic stress. While their intracellular function is well described, several lipophilic signals are known to be found in the plant phloem and can, thus, also play a role in long-distance signaling. Mostly, they play a role in the pathogen response and systemic acquired resistance. This is particularly true for oxylipins, dehydroabietinal, and azelaic acid. However, several phospholipids have now been described in phloem exudates. Their intracellular function as well as implications and a model for long-distance signaling are discussed in this chapter.
The Future of Feminist Theory: Dreams for New Knowledges

Dado que o feminismo nao conseguiu um dos seus objetivos fundamentais, a criacao de uma profunda igualdade ou a constituicao de uma verdadeira e autonoma pratica, na qual as mulheres escolhem por si as definicoes de si mesmas e do seu mundo, ideal representado nas filosofias da diferenca sexual -- agora pode ser tempo de, mais uma vez retomar a questao. Nao no intuito de prever o que sera a teoria feminista no futuro, mas de investigacao do que poderia ser, talvez ate mesmo o que deveria ser. A preocupacao nao e extrapolar a teoria feminista como a conhecemos hoje. Em vez de perguntar: o que a teoria feminista pode se tornar no futuro? Como ela vai mudar? Como continuara a mesma? Ou seja, em vez de prever o que pode ocorrer com a teoria feminista, aquiquero discutir algo que parece muito proximo, mas e realmente muito diferente: a questao do que a teoria feminista deve ser, os meus anseios de um pensamento feminista futuro. O que e a teoria feminista no seu melhor?Qual e a sua continua promessa radical? Como ela esta localizada em relacao a outros saberes? O que pode aspirar a teoria feminista? Como podemos construir saberes, tecnicas, metodos e praticas que produzam novos tipos de sujeitos e novas relacoes sociais?
Some Educational Imperatives regarding the Peaceful Pursuit of Intergroup Accommodation in a Plural Society

When one begins discussing the various options which are open to the plural societies in relationship to the pursuing of peaceful intergroup accommodation it becomes increasingly apparent that the mere listing of a plethora of options is, probably, not appropriate. It is not the intent of this paper to pursue a massively designed multiple-option approach. Instead this writer’s thrust is designed to place keen emphasis upon the critical issue of education as the principal option which must be aggressively dealt with by the pluralistic society, as it seeks to accommodate the needs, longings and even demands of various subgroups within the matrix. In effect, it is suggested that education becomes the central pivot upon which all plural societies must platform their endeavours as designed to deal with the goal of peaceful intergroup accommodation. It becomes the keystone of the arch. It becomes one, if not the overriding consideration. This is not to say that education is proposed to the exclusion of political decision-making freedom, economic opportunity equality, social intermingling equality, and/or freedom of movement equality. Instead it is merely presented as one of the principal ingredients in whatever thrusts are designed by plural societies as a means of ensuring some semblance of progress toward an announced goal of peaceful intergroup accommodation.
Perceptions of higher education reform in Hong Kong: a glocalisation perspective

Purpose – In 2012, the eight UGC-funded higher education institutions in Hong Kong completed a multi-year process in which the majority of academic programmes were transformed from three-year to four-year undergraduate curricula to accommodate liberal arts education. The purpose of this paper is to discuss why stakeholders in Hong Kong felt that reforms were necessary and summarizes the implementation of these reforms. Afterwards, recent literature that has similarly addressed higher education reforms is reviewed. Finally, the results of a qualitative research study, grounded in glocalization theory, are presented and contextualized. Design/methodology/approach – This paper first draws upon policy documents, newspaper accounts, and other published primary sources for the review of Hong Kong’s educational reforms. Subsequently, an exploratory qualitative research design consisting of semi-structured interviews with 23 administrators and professors in Hong Kong is presented. These individuals are designated...
Carrier transport in nBn infrared detectors

The nBn photodetector architecture proposed and demonstrated by Maimon and Wicks provides an effective means for lowering generation-recombination dark current by suppressing Shockley-Read-Hall processes, and for reducing surface leakage dark current. This has been especially beneficial for III-V semiconductor based infrared photodiodes, which traditionally tend to suffer from excess depletion dark current and lack of good surface passivation. We examine how contact (n), barrier (B), and absorber (n) properties can affect carrier transport in nBn infrared detector. In an nBn detector the unipolar electron barrier should block only the electrons while allowing the un-impeded flow of holes, but improper barrier doping or barrier-absorber band offset could also block hole transport and result in higher turn-on bias. Contact doping has also been observed to result in higher turn-on bias at higher temperatures. In the case when the absorber is made from n-doped type-II superlattice (T2SL), although it is often assumed that the exceedingly large growth-direction band-edge curvature hole effective mass in n-type long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) T2SL would lead to low hole mobility and therefore low detector collection quantum efficiency, in practice mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) and LWIR nBn infrared detectors have demonstrated good optical response. We explore how hole mobility can be affected by band structure effects such as band mixing and subband splitting to gain better understanding of hole transport in T2SL.
HTLV-1 Infection of Human Hematopoietic Stem Cells Induces a Novel T Cell Lymphoma in Humanized SCID Mice

Human T-lymphotropic virus type-1 (HTLV-1) is a human retrovirus linked to cancer and is the etiologic agent of Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL), an aggressive CD4 + /CD25 + T cell malignancy. The early molecular events induced by HTLV-1 infection as well as the role of various viral genes in the induction of leukemia remain unclear, predominantly due to the lack of an animal model that recapitulates ATLL development. HTLV-1 infection of humanized NOD/SCID mice (HTLV-1- HU-SCID) was achieved by inoculation of NOD/SCID mice with CD34 + hematopoietic progenitor cells and stem cells (CD34 + HP/HSCs) infected ex vivo with HTLV-1. HTLV-1-HU-NOD/SCIDmice consistently developed CD4 + CD25 + T cell lymphomas with clinical characteristics associated with ATLL and infected mice showed hyperproliferation of infected human stem cells (CD34 + CD38 − ) in the bone marrow. Inoculation of NOD/SCID mice withCD34 + HP/HSCs transduced with a lentivirus vector (LV) expressing the HTLV-1oncoprotein (Tax1) also developed CD4 + CD25 + lymphomas. The HTLV-1 bZIP protein(HBZ), encoded by the minus strand of the HTLV-1 genome, is expressed in all ATLL cells and has been implicated in the maintenance of leukemogenesis. HBZ has previously been previously shown to interact with numerous cellular factors and can modulate Tax1 activity in vitro . To establish the role of HBZ in HTLV-1 replication and leukemogenesis in vivo , HU-SCID mice were infected with an infectious proviral clone lacking functional HBZ (HTLV-1ΔHBZ). HTLV-1ΔHBZ-infected HU-SCID mice developed lymphoproliferations with an immature preleukemic CD4 − CD8 − CD90 + phenotype starting at ~10 weeks post-reconstitution. In contrast wild type HTLV-1 infection reproducibly induces a mature CD4 + CD25 + CD90 − lymphoma. Lymphoma cells successfully engrafted naive NOD/SCID mice when injected into the peritoneal cavity and these cells maintain the expression of viral proteins, gp46 env and p19 gag . HTLV-1 infection of CD34 + HP/HSCs and the recapitulation of a lymphoma similar to ATLL in HU-NOD/SCID mice suggest that hematopoietic stem cells provide a relevant cellular target and viral reservoir in vivo and that infection of these cells contribute to viral lymphomagenesis in humans. The HTLV-1-HU-SCID mouse model presents a compelling in vivo model to characterize molecular initiation and progression of events in the generation of ATL and to establish the role of HTLV-1 auxiliary proteins in viral pathogenesis.
Abstract LB-031: Biochemical profiling of cancer-associated KRAS mutants: clues towards an understanding of differential clinical outcomes

As one of the first identified and most commonly activated oncogenes, V-Ki-ras2 Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) has been a focus of cancer research for many decades. Despite progress in our understanding of RAS biology, significant questions remain unanswered regarding observed differences in clinical outcomes between tumors harboring different KRAS mutations. In an attempt to understand these clinical differences we characterized the pertinent biochemical properties of the most commonly observed KRAS mutants including, nucleotide exchange rate, intrinsic and GTPase activating protein (GAP)-stimulated GTP hydrolysis rate and affinity for one of the enzyme9s primary downstream effectors, Raf kinase. We additionally solved high resolution crystal structures of four of these mutants and attempt to explain the observed biochemical differences between the mutants in the context of these structures. Based on the individual biochemical properties of each KRAS mutant, we propose a classification scheme to predict the propensity of the various mutants to activate Raf-kinase and respond to therapies targeting this downstream signaling pathway. Citation Format: John C. Hunter, Deepak Gurbani, Martin Carrasco, Anuj Manandhar, Sudershan Gondi, Kenneth Westover. Biochemical profiling of cancer-associated KRAS mutants: clues towards an understanding of differential clinical outcomes. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-031. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-LB-031
Evaluating the Impact of Mesopredators on Oyster Restoration in the New York Metropolitan Region

ABSTRACT Predation of newly settled juvenile Crassostrea virginica often dominates post-settlement mortality. Resident mesopredators such as the xanthid mud crabs are abundant (>200/m2) on constructed subtidal oyster reefs in the New York metropolitan region and may contribute to post-settlement oyster mortality. Two study sites with differing mesopredator species, Hastings and Soundview Park, were selected to examine the role of small crustacean predators in post-settlement mortality. The white-fingered mud crab (Rhithropanopeus harrisii) inhabits Hastings, whereas the flat mud crab (Eurypanopeus depressus) and Sayi mud crab (Dyspanopeus sayi) inhabit Soundview Park. Using size-selective mesh cages to exclude predators, the effects of predator size on oyster predation and recruitment at Hastings and Soundview Park were examined. Overall, Soundview Park had higher consumption rates than Hastings. The highest consumption at Soundview Park occurred when predators of all sizes had access to the oyster prey. ...
Sense of Community, Sense of Community Responsibility, and Public Service Motivation as Predictors of Employee Well-Being and Engagement in Public Service Organizations:

Public management scholars have suggested that employee motivation can be accentuated by organizational cultures and contexts. One of the most researched topics in this regard is the concept of public service motivation (PSM). Research shows that PSM works to direct applicants toward public service careers and, once hired, can be linked to motivated activity within public-sector organizations. Similarly, like PSM, a sense of community (SOC) and a sense of community responsibility (SOC-R) have also been posited to act as powerful predictors of employee well-being and engagement. The present study demonstrates that SOC-R is a more powerful predictor of employee engagement compared with PSM and SOC. Concurrently, SOC more strongly predicts employee well-being compared with PSM and SOC-R. The findings bring additional light and clarification to the predictive power of PSM on employee perceptions and behavior, and they demonstrate that community experiences have utility in public service settings.
On the efficiency of connection charges under renewable integration in distribution systems

The economic efficiency of two-part retail electricity tariffs in the presence of renewable resources in the distribution system is analyzed. Two integration models are considered: (i) a centralized model involving a regulated retail utility who owns the resources as part of its generation portfolio, and (ii) a decentralized model in which each consumer individually owns and operates the resources behind the meter and is capable of selling surplus electricity back to the retailer in a netmetering setting. The structure of the optimal two-part tariffs is obtained. For both integration models, it is shown that, under two-part tariffs, renewable resources generally improve efficiency and consumer surplus. In contrast, under linear tariffs, the integration of renewable resources by consumers may lower both consumer surplus and social welfare.
Carbon use efficiency diagnostics in Nannochloropsis salina

Abstract Carbon dioxide (CO2) can be a significant resource input affecting the cost of algae biomass production on an industrial scale. Improvements in biofuel productivity therefore require characterization of CO2 use efficiency (CUE). RuBisCO saturation with CO2 is an important factor influencing biomass productivity. During CO2 fixation by RuBisCO, fractionation of carbon isotopes occurs, with preferential fixation of 12CO2, resulting in assimilation of the lighter isotope in algae. This photosynthetic discrimination (ΔDIC-algae), approximated by the difference between the δ13C of external medium and that of algae, is a function of the proportion of CO2 fixed relative to supply. ΔDIC-algae has been applied to the study of photosynthesis in algae over the past few decades and we have adopted the tool to characterize improvements in conditions optimized for biofuel productivity, such as controlled photobioreactors. We report the use of ΔDIC-algae as a tool for characterizing CO2 dynamics and RuBisCO saturation in Nannochloropsis salina CCMP 1776, a benchmark strain in algal biofuels research. We use ΔDIC-algae to describe the conditions under which RuBisCO saturation can be achieved to maximize biomass productivity. Our results suggest that determination of ΔDIC-algae can provide important feedback to support engineering and cultural improvements that can impact carbon use efficiency and biomass productivity.
Prospective validation of a molecular prognostication panel for clival chordoma.

OBJECTIVEThere are currently no reliable means to predict the wide variability in behavior of clival chordoma so as to guide clinical decision-making and patient education. Furthermore, there is no method of predicting a tumor’s response to radiation therapy.METHODSA molecular prognostication panel, consisting of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) of the chromosomal loci 1p36 and 9p21, as well as immunohistochemistry for Ki-67, was prospectively evaluated in 105 clival chordoma samples from November 2007 to April 2016. The results were correlated with overall progression-free survival after surgery (PFSS), as well as progression-free survival after radiotherapy (PFSR).RESULTSAlthough Ki-67 and the percentages of tumor cells with 1q25 hyperploidy, 1p36 deletions, and homozygous 9p21 deletions were all found to be predictive of PFSS and PFSR in univariate analyses, only 1p36 deletions and homozygous 9p21 deletions were shown to be independently predictive in a multivariate analysis. Using a prognosti...
Calambres, rigidez muscular e intolerancia al ejercicio

E l calambre es una contraccion dolorosa involuntaria de un musculo o de una parte de un musculo. Los calambres pueden ocurrir en los ninos normales durante y despues del ejercicio vigoroso, y despues de la perdida de liquidos o electrolitos. El signo caracteristico de tales calambres en el electromiograma (EMG) es la activacion repetida de potenciales de unidad motora normales. El estiramiento del musculo alivia el calambre. El musculo con denervacion parcial se muestra particularmente susceptible a los calambres no solo con el ejercicio sino tambien durante el sueno. Los calambres nocturnos pueden despertar a los pacientes con neuronopatias, neuropatias o compresion radicular. Los calambres durante el ejercicio ocurren tambien en pacientes con diferentes trastornos del metabolismo energetico muscular. El silencio electrico en el EMG es caracteristico de estos calambres.
Derivation of the Forchheimer Law Via Matched Asymptotic Expansions

Matched asymptotics are used formally in the linearized Navier–Stokes equations, the so-called Oseen approximation, to derive a nonlinear law for the flow of a single-phase, incompressible Newtonian fluid through a rigid porous medium. A suitable choice of the linear term gives, to order ɛ a Forchheimer-type law.
Comparative utility of NRG and NRGS mice for the study of normal hematopoiesis, leukemogenesis, and therapeutic response.

Cell-line-derived xenografts (CDXs) or patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) in immune-deficient mice have revolutionized our understanding of normal and malignant human hematopoiesis. Transgenic approaches further improved in vivo hematological research, allowing the development of human-cytokine-producing mice, which show superior human cell engraftment. The most popular mouse strains used in research, the NOG (NOD.Cg-Prkdcscid Il2rγtm1Sug/Jic) and the NSG (NOD/SCID-IL2Rγ−/−, NOD.Cg-PrkdcscidIl2rγtm1Wjl/SzJ) mouse, and their human-cytokine-producing (interleukin-3, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and stem cell factor) counterparts (huNOG and NSGS), rely partly on a mutation in the DNA repair protein PRKDC, causing a severe combined immune deficiency (SCID) phenotype and rendering the mice less tolerant to DNA-damaging therapeutics, thereby limiting their usefulness in the investigation of novel acute myeloid leukemia (AML) therapeutics. NRG (NOD/RAG1/2−/−IL2Rγ−/−) mice show equivalent immune ablation through a defective recombination activation gene (RAG), leaving DNA damage repair intact, and human-cytokine-producing NRGS (NRG-SGM3) mice were generated, improving myeloid engraftment. Our findings indicate that unconditioned NRG and NRGS mice can harbor established AML CDXs and can tolerate aggressive induction chemotherapy at higher doses than NSG mice without overt toxicity. However, unconditioned NRGS mice developed less clinically relevant disease, with CDXs forming solid tumors throughout the body, whereas unconditioned NRG mice were incapable of efficiently supporting PDX or human hematopoietic stem cell engraftment. These findings emphasize the contextually dependent utility of each of these powerful new strains in the study of normal and malignant human hematopoiesis. Therefore, the choice of mouse strain cannot be random, but must be based on the experimental outcomes and questions to be addressed.
Hepatitis D Virus-Specific CD8+ T Cells Have a Memory-Like Phenotype Associated With Viral Immune Escape in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis D Virus Infection.

Background & Aim Hepatitis D virus (HDV) superinfection of patients with chronic HBV infection results in rapid progression to liver cirrhosis. Little is known about HDV-specific T cells and how they contribute to the antiviral immune response and liver disease pathogenesis. Methods We isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 28 patients with chronic HDV and HBV infection, identified HDV-specific CD8+ T-cell epitopes, and characterized HDV-specific CD8+ T cells. We associated these with HDV sequence variations and clinical features of patients. Results We identified 6 CD8+ T-cell epitopes; several were restricted by multiple HLA class I alleles. HDV-specific CD8+ T cells were as frequent as HBV-specific CD8+ T cells but were less frequent than T cells with specificity for cytomegalovirus, Epstein–Barr virus, or influenza virus. The ex vivo frequency of activated HDV-specific CD8+ T cells correlated with transaminase activity. CD8+ T-cell production of interferon gamma after stimulation with HDV peptides correlated inversely with HDV titer. HDV-specific CD8+ T cells did not express the terminal differentiation marker CD57, and fewer HDV-specific than Epstein–Barr virus–specific CD8+ T cells were 2B4+CD160+PD1+, a characteristic of exhausted cells. Approximately half of the HDV-specific CD8+ T cells had a memory-like PD1+CD127+TCF1hiT-betlow phenotype, which associated with HDV sequence variants with reduced HLA binding and reduced T-cell activation. Conclusions CD8+ T cells isolated from patients with chronic HDV and HBV infection recognize HDV epitopes presented by multiple HLA molecules. The subset of activated HDV-specific CD8+ T cells targets conserved epitopes and likely contributes to disease progression. The subset of memory-like HDV-specific CD8+ T cells is functional but unable to clear HDV because of the presence of escape variants. ClinicalTrials.gov , Numbers: NCT02511431 , NCT00023322 , NCT01495585 , and NCT00001971 . GenBank accession, Number: MK333199-333226
Two-stage prediction in linear models

We consider making predictions with a fitted regression model when one of the necessary covariates is expensive, either in terms of actual cost or in terms of the effort required to collect...
Mitigation: Tamper-Mitigating Routing Fabrics

Intuitively, a biochip designed for a single function is physically unable to realize an undesired operation. On the other hand, a reconfigurable biochip could be configured in a way that is not only undesirable, but potentially destructive. This chapter introduces the concept of a tamper-mitigating routing fabric, which is a reconfigurable biochip technology that is designed in such a way that the effects of control signal tampering are probabilistically less severe or controlled. Both routing fabric analysis and synthesis techniques are developed and then applied to a DNA barcoding application.
Controller Hardware-in-the-Loop Validation of a Modular Control Architecture for a Composite DC-DC Converter

This paper presents a modular control architecture for a composite dc-dc converter topology. A composite converter comprises multiple dissimilar partial-power converter modules arranged and operated to minimize stresses and improve system efficiency over a wide range of operating points. This requires transitioning to different operating modes for different operating conditions. A control strategy is required to determine the optimal mode, and to achieve smooth mode transitions and fast closed-loop system dynamic responses. A modular control architecture capable of meeting these objectives is described. In this architecture, low-level module controls are decoupled from system-level operations. The resulting hierarchical control strategy is relatively simple, and highly scalable in nature. The approach is developed and validated on a controller hardware-inthe-loop (CHIL) platform. A frequency scaling strategy is applied to allow validations of high-switching frequency converters on bandwidth-limited CHIL platforms.
Instability of nonlinear Trivelpiece-Gould waves I: Wave degeneracies

Arguments based on energy conservation are used to evaluate the fluid theory of stability of nonlinear traveling waves (pump waves) in an ideal plasma system. Instabilities growing on the pump wave are associated with wave degeneracies. The relative signs of the energies of degenerate waves, as seen in the frame of the pump wave, determine whether their amplitudes grow exponentially or merely oscillate through resonant energy exchange. This energy analysis is carried out in detail for Trivelpiece-Gould (TG) waves and is compared to numerical calculations. It is verified that nonlinear TG waves are stable with respect to 3 wave processes, but weaker 4 wave, 5 wave, and higher order wave processes cause instability over narrow wavenumber bands. A modulational instability is also identified.Arguments based on energy conservation are used to evaluate the fluid theory of stability of nonlinear traveling waves (pump waves) in an ideal plasma system. Instabilities growing on the pump wave are associated with wave degeneracies. The relative signs of the energies of degenerate waves, as seen in the frame of the pump wave, determine whether their amplitudes grow exponentially or merely oscillate through resonant energy exchange. This energy analysis is carried out in detail for Trivelpiece-Gould (TG) waves and is compared to numerical calculations. It is verified that nonlinear TG waves are stable with respect to 3 wave processes, but weaker 4 wave, 5 wave, and higher order wave processes cause instability over narrow wavenumber bands. A modulational instability is also identified.
CreLite: An Optogenetically Controlled Cre/loxP System Using Red Light

ABSTRACT Precise manipulation of gene expression with temporal and spatial control is essential for functional studies and the determination of cell lineage relationships in complex biological systems. The Cre-loxP system is commonly used for gene manipulation at desired times and places. However, specificity is dependent on the availability of tissue- or cell-specific regulatory elements used in combination with Cre or CreER (tamoxifen-inducible). Here we present CreLite, an optogenetically-controlled Cre system using red light in developing zebrafish embryos. Cre activity is disabled by splitting Cre and fusing the inactive halves with the Arabidopsis thaliana red light-inducible binding partners, PhyB and PIF6. In addition, PhyB-PIF6 binding requires phycocyanobilin (PCB), providing an additional layer of control. Upon exposure to red light (660 nm) illumination, the PhyB-CreC and PIF6-CreN fusion proteins come together in the presence of PCB to restore Cre activity. Red-light exposure of transgenic zebrafish embryos harboring a Cre-dependent multi-color fluorescent protein reporter (ubi:zebrabow) injected with CreLite mRNAs and PCB, resulted in Cre activity as measured by the generation of multi-spectral cell labeling in various tissues, including heart, skeletal muscle and epithelium. We show that CreLite can be used for gene manipulations in whole embryos or small groups of cells at different stages of development. CreLite provides a novel optogenetic tool for precise temporal and spatial control of gene expression in zebrafish embryos that may also be useful in cell culture, ex vivo organ culture, and other animal models for developmental biology studies.
Study of Charge Neutralization Techniques to Prevent Copper Corrosion On Post-FIB Wet Stained Sample

This paper presents the study of various charge neutralization techniques to prevent copper corrosion on post-FIB wet stained sample. Conventional fast and economic wet staining on post-FIB copper processed sample can sometimes cause unwanted artifact such as copper corrosion due to build-up of charge on non-grounded, long copper interconnect structure during FIB milling. Some charge neutralization techniques such as probe-pin grounding, conductive paint application and UV treatment were investigated. The results revealed that these techniques can prevent/reduce copper corrosion effect on the samples and the most effective technique is recommended to prevent this artifact.
USE OF VALSARTAN-SACUBITRIL IN ELIGIBLE SYSTOLIC HEART FAILURE PATIENTS

Due to benefits in mortality and morbidity, angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitors (ARNI) are now recommended in the management of patients with chronic heart failure with a reduced ejection fraction. Due this recent update in guidelines, we sought to investigate the percentage of eligible
Management of catchment for the protection of source water in the Densu River basin, Ghana: implications for rural communities

Since the 1990s, integrated catchment management (ICM) has been promoted as a holistic and integrated approach to water resources management. However, there is evidence to show that the costs and b...