cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The use of multi-dimensional scaling to investigate similarities between non-random oligonucleotide frequencies in introns and exons

Abstract A major consequence of the wide range of context-dependent mutation rates shown to occur in the primate genome is that sequences undergo a non-random drift that leads to characteristic biases in the content and arrangement of bases in oligonucleotide strings, or N -tuples. Coding regions appear to have accommodated these strong mutational pressures with different levels of synonymous codon usage, obscuring lexical distinctions between tuples in exons and introns. A multi-dimensional scaling (MDS) statistical analysis of 3-tuple frequencies (triplets) shows the tuple frequencies in non-coding (intron and flanking) sequences to be similar to those in coding sequences. We have conducted some preliminary MDS analyses on human exon and intron sequences to explore the efficacy of this method for distinguishing different functional regions in the genome and for the identification of distinctive tuple keywords.
Theoretical investigation of the thermodynamic stability of nano-scale systems—I: Periodic layer-structures

Abstract The thermodynamic stability of periodic layer-structures is analyzed theoretically using equilibrium statistical mechanics. While the system itself is not in complete thermodynamic equilibrium, it can be stable under appropriate constraint conditions and its stability can be determined by minimizing the free energy in the constrained state. A model binary FCC system with a miscibility gap is treated using the pair approximation of the Cluster Variation Method. A symmetric system with an overall average composition 50 atom % A and 50 atom % B is considered. It is shown that the equilibrium compositions of two phases in a periodic layerstructure depend strongly on the periodicity when the composition wavelength is decreased down to a few nanometers. The result reveals that the mutual solubilities of two materials increase significantly as the layer-thickness decreases. In an extreme case, they may become totally miscible.
A non-parametric method for the extraction of information from digitized spectra

Abstract A method for determining the location and calibration of peaks in digitized spectra is discussed. It is based on the use of interpolating polynomials to represent experimental data. As an application of method, the treatment of Ge(Li) spectrometer data taken from a multichannel analyzer is briefly discussed.
434. Peptide nucleic acids targeted to the dopamine transporter alter behavior

laboratories have reported widely disparate CYP2A6 allele frequencies across European populations. These differences prompted us to reexamine the genotyping methods for CYP2A6. We developed an improved genotyping strategy using CYP2A6-specific nested PCR, and differential restriction enzyme digestion to identify variant nucleotides in exon 3. In addition, we developed a new nomenclature in which the “wild-type” allele, CYP2A6*1, is designated CYP2A6*A1-*B1, while the two null variants, CYP2A6*2 and CYP2A6*3, are designated CYP2A6*A2 and CYP2A6*B2, respectively. The frequencies of CYP2A6*A2 and CYP2A6*B2 were then estimated in samples from 6 populations; European-Americans, African-Americans, Japanese, Ashkenazi Jews, Ethiopian Jews, and Bedouins. CYP2A6 null allele frequencies were low (#5%) across all populations studied, and were substantially lower than those reported in most previous studies. Sets of similar allele frequencies appear to cluster according to genotyping methodology, suggesting the need for careful re-evaluation of: 1) the population genetics of CYP2A6, and 2) recent association studies of CYP2A6 alleles and nicotine dependence. The statistical power of future genetic association studies of these two CYP2A6 null alleles and nicotine dependence may be quite low in most populations.
October: Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) causes approximately seven thousand infant deaths in the United States every year. SIDS is the sudden and unexpected death of an apparently healthy infant; it is the most common cause of death in infants after their first week of life. Also known as “crib death” or “cot death,” it typically occurs at night when an infant is sleeping.
Impedance Modeling and Analysis of Grid-Connected Voltage-Source Converters

This paper presents small-signal impedance modeling of grid-connected three-phase converters for wind and solar system stability analysis. In the proposed approach, a converter is modeled by a positive-sequence and a negative-sequence impedance directly in the phase domain. It is further demonstrated that the two sequence subsystems are decoupled under most conditions and can be studied independently from each other. The proposed models are verified by experimental measurements and their applications are demonstrated in a system testbed.
Expanding the domains of clinical behaviorism: A comment on dougher

Dougher (1998) describes the experimental work on the untrained acquisition of stimulus functions and suggests some of the clinical implications of stimulus equivalence. This paper clarifies how the experimental work might manifest itself in clinical settings. Some clinical interventions stemming from derived relational responding are presented. The paper highlights some practical obstacles that make application in treatment settings difficult. In particular, though extinction of transferred functions has been demonstrated in the laboratory, it is not clear that it can be achieved in clinical settings where the size and interrelationships of stimulus classes is unknown. Distinctions between clinical implications based on this research and more traditional cognitive therapy approaches are discussed. Some ideas for applications of stimulus equivalence to experimental psychopathology are also presented.
Towards Personalized Care Coordination Service: Integrating Guideline-Based Practice with Interactive Data-Driven Analytics

Transforming clinical requirements into personalized care plans is a challenging task. Existing care coordination services account for the most common physiology -based needs addressed in clinical guidelines, but do not discern different individuals' unique needs. Moreover, the individual difference-conferring signals are not explicitly recorded in patient health records and often can only be captured by integrating data sources obtained from a multitude of service providers. The quest for better personalized care coordination services leads to the exploration of two dimensions: what are the properties of tailoring matrix to personalize care coordination plans, and how to use the tailoring matrix to improve the relevance of care plans and provide individual feedbacks. In this paper, we present a personalization service framework that accounts for the two dimensions, leveraging the longitudinal records of other cohort patients whom have been dynamically identified as exhibiting patterns similar to the patient in focus. We summarize the design rationale and overall operation of the framework as well as details of the interactive analytics components as to how to capture individual differences and optimize expected utility of the coordinated care services in a continuous feedback loop.
TENDOVAGINITIS WITH ARTHRITIS, A NEW SYNDROME OF CHICKENS: ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF AN INFECTIOUS AGENT

The findings with an infectious agent isolated from cases of tendovaginitis or arthritis of chickens were as follows:— Cultures, stains, and darkfield studies of material containing this agent for spirochetes, bacteria, and pleuropneumonia-like organisms were negative. The yolk sac was the preferred route of inoculation, all of the embryos dying in 4 to 12 days. The agent passed through a bacteria-retaining filter, but with a drop in titer. Antibiotic sensitivity tests revealed that the agent was most sensitive to the tetracycline antibiotics, less sensitive to chloromycetin, dihydrostreptomycin, and resistant to penicillin. From electron micrographs it was concluded that the agent is a rigid, dense, coccobacillus from 0.2 µ to 0.5 µ, in size. The agent produced a cytopathogenic effect in tissue cultures of chick heart fibroblasts. The agent had no gross effect on suckling or newly weaned mice, pigs, or guinea pigs. Reasons for suggesting that the agent is most similar to a rickettsia or possibly a large virus are discussed.
A novel peptide defined through phage display for therapeutic protein and vector neuronal targeting

A novel peptide with the binding characteristics of tetanus toxin was identified with phage display, for application in therapeutic protein and vector motor and sensory neuron targeting. A 12mer phage library was biopanned on trisialoganglioside (G(T1b)) and eluted with the tetanus toxin C fragment (rTTC). Phage ELISAs revealed increases in G(T1b) binding for the Tet1 and Tet2 phage clones when compared to peptideless phage (PLP). rTTC displaced both Tet1 and Tet2 phage clones from G(T1b), and both clones reduced rTTC-G(T1b) binding. Comparison of Tet1, Tet2, PLP, and the random phage library binding to PC12 and HEK293 cells revealed enhanced cellular binding by Tet1 and Tet2 phage. Tet1 phage binding was selective for neurons. Immunofluorescence also confirmed selective PC12 binding of Tet1 and Tet2 phage. Fluorescein-conjugated synthetic Tet1, but not Tet2, peptide showed strong binding to cultured PC12, primary motor neurons, and dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cells. Synthetic Tet1 bound DRG and motor neurons but not muscle in tissue sections. The enhanced neuronal binding affinity and specificity of Tet1, a novel 12 amino acid peptide, suggests potential utility for targeting neurotherapeutic proteins and viral vectors in the treatment of motor neuron disease, neuropathy, and pain.
Verbal and nonverbal indices of the communicative performance and acculturation of Chinese immigrants

Abstract This paper develops a theoretical framework for examining the acculturation process of immigrants. Focusing on communication variables, it suggests five levels of analysis for assessing acculturation as a continuous rather than dichotomous variable: the speech act level, ritualistic communication, strategic communication, the organization of conversational discourse, and verbal information processing. Examples from research on Chinese communication are utilized to illustrate important differences between Chinese and Americans at each level of analysis. The use of this perspective offers the twofold promise of improving our understanding of “acculturation processes” in general as well as our understanding of the particular everyday communicative actions of immigrant groups. Research on Chinese communication patterns using this perspective will increase our knowledge of Chinese and American interrelations, in addition to providing insight aimed at developing better indices of acculturation of Chinese in the United States.
Thrombotic microangiopathy and the kidney: a nephropathologist's perspective

Abstract Thrombotic microangiopathy is a common renal pathologic finding, which is characterized by the presence of endothelial cell injury and microvascular thrombi. The spectrum of clinical diseases that are connected by a thrombotic microangiopathic injury may appear to be unrelated, but overactivation of the complement system is emerging as an important mechanism, especially in atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome, anti-phospholipid antibody syndrome, HELLP syndrome, and others. Although few pathologic findings enable the pathologist to establish the precise aetiology of the microvascular injury, kidney biopsy remains the gold standard for diagnosing renal thrombotic microangiopathy and excluding other potential causes of kidney injury. After this critical step, additional investigation of the clinical and laboratory data is necessary to establish the underlying aetiology and guide subsequent therapeutic options. The salient clinical and pathologic features of common diseases that are associated with thrombotic microangiopathy will be discussed.
Superresolved time‐frequency parametrization of electromagnetic scattering mechanisms due to structural dispersion

We present a superresolution procedure that applies ESPRIT in both the time and frequency domains to obtain a parametrized representation of electromagnetic scattering mechanisms due to structural dispersion. This procedure is applied to the backscattered data from an open-ended circular waveguide. The dispersive waveguide modes are identified with very good accuracy. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The thermodynamic structure atop a penetrating convective thunderstorm

The thermodynamic structure on top of a numerically simulated severe storm is examined to explain the satellite observed plume formation above thunderstorm anvils. The same mechanism also explains the formation of jumping cirrus observed by Fujita on board of a research aircraft. A three-dimensional, non-hydrostatic cloud model is used to perform numerical simulation of a supercell that occurred in Montana in 1981. Analysis of the model results shows that both the plume and the jumping cirrus phenomena are produced by the high instability and breaking of the gravity waves excited by the strong convection inside the storm. These mechanisms dramatically enhance the turbulent diffusion process and cause some moisture to detach from the storm cloud and jump into the stratosphere. The thermodynamic structure in terms of the potential temperature isotherms above the simulated thunderstorm is examined to reveal the instability and wave breaking structure. The plumes and jumping cirrus phenomena represent an irreversible transport mechanism of materials from the troposphere to the stratosphere that may have global climatic implications.
On Outsourcing and Offshoring in Community Source

Community source has emerged as a unique way of developing enterprise applications that combine the resources of multiple user organizations to reduce risk and improve efficiency in application development. The completed software products in a community source will become open source. In this paper, we discuss potential problems found in the development stage in community source via an empirical study in Kuali - a real world community source project. We further examine the possible impacts of applying outsourcing and offshoring to community source.
Kinetic mechanism of the ssDNA recognition by the polymerase X from African Swine Fever Virus. Dynamics and energetics of intermediate formations.

Kinetic mechanism of the ssDNA recognition by the polymerase X of African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV) and energetics of intermediate formations have been examined, using the fluorescence stopped-flow method. The association is a minimum three-step process PolX + ssDNA k(1) k(-1) (P-ssDNA)(1) k(2) k(-2) (P-ssDNA)(2) k(3) k(-3) (P-ssDNA)(3). The nucleic acid makes the initial contact through the C-terminal domain, which generates most of the overall ΔG°. In the second step the nucleic acid engages the N-terminal domain, assuming the bent structure. In equilibrium, the complex exists in at least two different states. Apparent enthalpy and entropy changes, characterizing formations of intermediates, reflect association of the DNA with the C-terminal domain and gradual engagement of the catalytic domain by the nucleic acid. The intrinsic DNA-binding steps are entropy-driven processes accompanied by the net release of water molecules. The final conformational transition of the complex does not involve any large changes of the DNA topology, or the net release of the water molecules.
Pursuing Gender Diversity in Police Organizations in the 1990s: A Longitudinal Analysis of Factors Associated With the Hiring of Female Officers

This article examines the relevance of a number of factors presumed to be associated with the employment of female police officers in U.S. municipal law enforcement agencies. Female officer representation is investigated with respect to three primary race/ethnic groups in mind: Caucasians, African Americans, and Hispanics. This study utilizespanel data collected during the period from 1993 to 2000 on a representative sample of police departments serving populations of 25,000+ residents distributed across the United States. A noteworthy increase in the number of female officers did occur during the decade of the 1990s, and both internal departmental and external environmental influences on the hiring of female police officers were investigated. The major finding observed is that different sets of external and internal features have an influence on the hiring of women officers in each race/ethnic group.
The application of fuzzy logic to the precautionary principle

One of the major problems in the implementation of the precautionary principle in environmental cases is the estimation of the weight of evidence. In this paper we propose a formal method that determines the weight of evidence based on the specific parameters of a given case. The proposed method is based on an artificial intelligence approach called fuzzy logic, which is commonly used as an interface between logic and human perception, and often applied to computer-based complex decision making. We use one fuzzy expert system that provides a quantification of the estimated environmental damage, and a second fuzzy expert system that computes the weight of evidence in a given case. The proposed expert system can be easily defined and adjusted by regulators and environmental science and policy experts.
The Role of Payload Hydrophobicity in Nanotherapeutic Pharmacokinetics

Although drug delivery with nanovectors is regarded as one of the paradigm-shifting advances in modern medicine, the compatibility and performance of drug-vector formulations have not been systematically studied in terms of their physicochemistry and pharmacokinetics (PKs). The drug delivery systems (DDSs), currently available in clinics or trials, were analyzed based on hydrophobicity and anatomical therapeutic chemical (ATC) classification of drug payloads. Four major types of DDSs differentiated based on DDS structure and drug hydrophobicity, where payload hydrophobicity decreased: micelles, serum albumin, liposome membrane, and liposome interior. A strong relationship between the increase in half-life in DDS formulation and drug hydrophobicity was found with up to 200-fold greater increase for hydrophilic drugs. The analysis results seemingly integrated PKs, ATC, and hydrophobicity to reinforce the development or optimization of drug delivery vectors and their formulations.
THE DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF DEEPWATER MACROALGAE IN CENTRAL CALIFORNIA

Deepwater macroalgal assemblages (DWAAS) were sampled from 30m to their lower depth limits at 4 locations in central California using enriched air Nitrox and the ROV Ventana. The lowest observed depth limits were 78 m for nongeniculate (encrusting) coralline algae, 58 m for non-calcified red algae (i.e. Maripelta rotata), 40 m for foliose brown algae (i.e. Desmarestia tabacoides), and 37 m for kelps (i.e. Pleurophycus gardneri). Green algae, such as Derbesia marina and an undescribed deep water species of Codium, were observed at 30m, while large patches of an unknown green or blue-green algal film of coccoid cells were found from 45 to 48 m. DWAAS zonation was generally similar to that in southern California, with subtle differences in the zonation of foliose red algae and the occurrence of an unknown Chlorophyta or Cyanophyta from 45–49m. Twenty four species of algae (13 Rhodophyta, 11 Phaeophyta) were sampled during the percent cover analysis at 30 m. Nongeniculate corallines varied from 53% to 91% cover depending on location, while geniculate corallines (i.e. Bossiella schmittii) averaged ca. 25% cover. Pleurophycus gardneri, a stipitate kelp previously described as “rare” in central California, was the most abundant brown alga, averaging from 2.68 to 4.8 individuals m−2. Algal abundance (percent cover and density), zonation, and light levels at the lower algal depth limits were similar between sites and locations, suggesting that the environment of deep water algal populations in this region is less variable than that of the shallow water kelp forest communities above them.
Biquadratic surface fits for two-dimensional interferometric head/tape spacing

A biquadratic surface-fit technique to provide the "calibration envelopes" for monochromatic interference fringe patterns is described. The fringe patterns are recorded using an analog camera and an 8 bit frame grabber. The least-squares method is used to fit biquadratic surfaces to selected intensity extrema. The surfaces then serve as the calibration envelopes needed to calculate the head/tape spacing over a two-dimensional area. The spacing is determined with a one standard deviation uncertainty of /spl plusmn/5 nm. The method is compared to the "unloading" technique on a linear drive using a cylindrical head with the result that the surface-fit spacing is on average 5 nm higher due to differences in the lower envelopes. Sample spacing results for a longitudinally slotted quarter-inch cartridge (QIC) tape head are given, showing tape spacing variations of approximately 15 nm amplitude between the slots at a tape speed of 3 m/s. >
Addiction as accomplishment: The discursive construction of disease

The ubiquity of the disease concept of addiction obscures the fact that it did not emerge from the accretion of scientific discoveries. Addiction-as-disease has been continuously redefined, mostly ...
Concentration independent absolute intensity determinations: A new method

Attention is given to the means for obtaining, independently of any data on molecular concentration, the absolute intensity determinations on the basis of relative line intensity measurements conducted across the vibration-rotation band of a diatomic molecule. This approach is important for the vibrational fundamental bands of diatomic molecules, which cannot be studied by the lifetime method; its application will be especially significant in the case of diatomic radical species whose concentrations can only be indirectly inferred.
Soil sorptivity enhancement with crop residue accumulation in semiarid dryland no-till agroecosystems

Abstract Water capture and precipitation use efficiency are of great importance in dryland cropping systems because the world's dependence on food produced in dryland areas continues to increase. Growing season evapotranspiration potential greatly exceeds growing season precipitation rates in dryland areas, creating a water deficit for crops. Management practices that positively impact soil physical properties increase the potential for soils to capture water. One way to assess the ability of soils to capture water is through the measurement of sorptivity. Sorptivity is defined as the cumulative infiltration proportionality constant and is governed by surface soil physical properties such as texture, degree of aggregation and aggregate stability. A study was conducted to determine how crop residue accumulation after 12 years of no-till management affects surface soil sorptivity under semi-arid dryland conditions and how sorptivity is related to surface soil physical properties known to be related to crop residue accumulation. Surface soil sorptivity, bulk density, porosity (total and effective) and aggregation measurements were made across cropping systems and soil positions representing a wide gradient of crop residue accumulation at 3 sites in eastern Colorado. Results show that increasing crop residue accumulation will have the indirect effect of increased sorptivity via improvements in soil aggregation, bulk density, and porosity that are conducive to water infiltration. Management practices that result in greater amounts of crop residue returned to the soil system lead to beneficial soil physical properties that increase water sorptivity, greatly reducing the potential for runoff and erosion, and thereby increase the precipitation use efficiency of the system.
TD-CI Simulation of the Strong-Field Ionization of Polyenes

Ionization of ethylene, butadiene, hexatriene, and octate- traene by short, intense laser pulses was simulated using the time-dependent single-excitation configuration-interaction (TD-CIS) method and Klamroth's heuristic model for ionization (J. Chem. Phys. 2009, 131, 114304). The calculations used the 6-31G(d,p) basis set augmented with up to three sets of diffuse sp functions on each heavy atom as well as the 6-311++G(2df,2pd) basis set. The simulations employed a seven-cycle cosine pulse (ω = 0.06 au, 760 nm) with intensities up to 3.5 × 10 14 Wc m −2 (Emax = 0.10 au) directed along the vector connecting the end carbons of the linear polyenes. TD-CIS simulations for ionization were carried out as a function of the escape distance parameter, the field strength, the number of states, and the basis set size. With a distance parameter of 1 bohr, calculations with Klamroth's heuristic model reproduce the expected trend that the ionization rate increases as the molecular length increases. While the ionization rates are too high at low intensities, the ratios of ionization rates for ethylene, butadiene, hexatriene, and octatetraene are in good agreement with the ratios obtained from the ADK model. As compared to earlier work on the optical response of polyenes to intense laser pulses, ionization using Klamroth's model is less sensitive to the number of diffuse functions in the basis set, and only a fraction of the total possible CIS states are needed to model the strong field ionizations.
A 2.2 GS/s 188mW spectrometer processor in 65nm CMOS for supporting low-power THz planetary instruments

The paper presents a 2.2 GS/s (1.1 GHz Nyquist bandwidth), 188 mW 512-channel spectrometer processor developed to support of future science observations on NASA planetary missions, where payload size, weight, and power consumption are extremely limited. The presented spectrometer processor chip contains a pair of 7 bit ADC IQ converters coupled with a 512 point PSD processor, and averaging accumulator, allowing it to be sensitive enough to detect trace gases like NH3, HCN, and CO2 when coupled to the appropriate band RF front-end receiver. The bandwidth and resolution of the presented processor make it suitable for exploring the composition of planets, moons and their atmospheres throughout our solar system.
Organization of the Chicken and Xenopus Peripherin/rds Gene

Peripherin/rds is an integral membrane glycoprotein located in the rim region of rod and cone outer segment disk membranes (1). Interest in peripherin/rds has increased since the discovery of its association with different forms of human retinal diseases. Over 50 different pathogenic mutations have been identified that are associated with retinitis pigmentosa (RP), pattern dystrophy, retinitis punctata albescens, macular dystrophy (MD), butterfly-shaped MD, or cone-rod dystrophy (2). These mutations include base substitutions causing missense mutations or premature termination, and in-frame insertion/deletion mutations that change the reading frame. The majority of these mutations are located in the large intradiscal loop, emphasizing the important role played by this region in the function of peripherin/rds.
Order by disorder decision making via Berry flux

Order by disorder is a decision making process for frustrated systems but often leads to simple answers. We study order by disorder in the kagome Kondo model known for its complexity seeking rich decision making capabilities. At half-filling and large Kondo coupling to hopping ratio ${J}_{K}/t$, the full manifold of ${120}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}$ kagome ground states are degenerate at second order in $t/{J}_{K}$. We show this degeneracy lifts at sixth order when a fermion can hop around a hexagon and feel the Berry flux induced by a given spin texture. Using the Monte Carlo method, we then seek the ground state of this sixth-order Hamiltonian and find in a $4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}4$ unit cell system that a coplanar 12-site unit cell order is selected over the $\sqrt{3}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}\sqrt{3},q=0$ and cuboc1 states, a result that survives even in the thermodynamic limit. This state is selected for its SU(2) flux properties induced by the spin texture. Given the existence of numerous quantum Hall plateaus for electrons in a magnetic field, the existence of this 12-site unit cell state suggests that complex decision making is possible on the manifold of ${120}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}$ states and achievable in different kagome Kondo models.
Detection of antibody therapy-induced anti-tumor immune responses using anti-CD8 immuno-pet

Tumor heterogeneity and the dynamic tumor immune microenvironment have become important topics in the field of cancer immunotherapy. The ability to noninvasively monitor immune cells in vivo via surface markers on immune cell subsets using immuno-positron emission tomography (immuno-PET) is an attractive means of visualizing both systemic and intratumoral alterations in immune cell numbers and localization during experimental immunotherapies. Due to the critical role of tumor-infiltrating cytotoxic CD8+ T cells in anti-tumor immune responses, a radiolabeled anti-CD8 antibody fragment (cys-diabody) was developed for immuno-PET detection of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells in vivo. The anti-CD8 cys-diabody radiolabeled with 89Zr using the bifunctional chelator deferoxamine-maleimide enabled visualization of the spleen and lymph nodes in normal mice; specificity was confirmed in CD8-blocking studies. Next, anti-CD8 immuno-PET was shown to specifically detect tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in immunotherapy models including agonistic antibody therapy (anti-CD137/4-1BB) and checkpoint blockade antibody therapy (anti-PD-L1). Balb/c mice bearing week old syngeneic CT26 colorectal tumors were treated with either anti-CD137 or anti-PD-L1 antibody therapy and imaged at day 8 post-therapy. All mice treated with anti-CD137 therapy demonstrated tumor regression and increased anti-CD8 immuno-PET targeting in the tumors of mice treated with anti-CD137 therapy compared to the tumor of untreated mice. Ex vivo biodistribution confirmed enhanced tumor uptake of anti-CD137 treated versus untreated mice (15 ± 5.5 %ID/g versus 6.0 ± 0.83 %ID/g, respectively). Anti-CD8 immuno-PET of untreated mice demonstrated a rim of activity around the tumor while anti-CD137 treated mice demonstrated enhanced intratumoral uptake. The increase in CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes was validated by both flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry. About 30% of mice treated with anti-PD-L1 therapy demonstrated tumor regression and were grouped into non-responders (average tumor diameter > 8mm) and responders (average tumor diameter < 8mm). Anti-PD-L1 non-responders and responders had tumor anti-CD8 immuno-PET uptake of 6.4 ± 1.5 %ID/g and 11.27 ± 2.7 %ID/g as determined from ex vivo biodistribution analysis, respectively, demonstrating enhanced CD8+ T cell infiltration in responding mice that was confirmed by flow cytometry. Anti-CD8 immuno-PET was successful in the noninvasive detection of tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells in two differing antibody-based immunotherapy strategies that have shown promise in the clinic.
Evolutionary origins of germline segregation in Metazoa: evidence for a germ stem cell lineage in the coral Orbicella faveolata (Cnidaria, Anthozoa)

The ability to segregate a committed germ stem cell (GSC) lineage distinct from somatic cell lineages is a characteristic of bilaterian Metazoans. However, the occurrence of GSC lineage specification in basally branching Metazoan phyla, such as Cnidaria, is uncertain. Without an independently segregated GSC lineage, germ cells and their precursors must be specified throughout adulthood from continuously dividing somatic stem cells, generating the risk of propagating somatic mutations within the individual and its gametes. To address the potential for existence of a GSC lineage in Anthozoa, the sister-group to all remaining Cnidaria, we identified moderate- to high-frequency somatic mutations and their potential for gametic transfer in the long-lived coral Orbicella faveolata (Anthozoa, Cnidaria) using a 2b-RAD sequencing approach. Our results demonstrate that somatic mutations can drift to high frequencies (up to 50%) and can also generate substantial intracolonial genetic diversity. However, these somatic mutations are not transferable to gametes, signifying the potential for an independently segregated GSC lineage in O. faveolata. In conjunction with previous research on germ cell development in other basally branching Metazoan species, our results suggest that the GSC system may be a Eumetazoan characteristic that evolved in association with the emergence of greater complexity in animal body plan organization and greater specificity of stem cell functions.
Ineffectiveness of Intranasal Zinc Gluconate for Prevention of Experimental Rhinovirus Colds

Zinc has generally been administered by the oral route in studies of prevention or treatment of the common cold. The purpose of these studies was to evaluate the effectiveness of intranasal zinc gluconate for prevention of experimental rhinovirus infection and illness. Ninety-one volunteers, 41 treated with active medication and 50 treated with placebo, received study medication for 3 days, were inoculated with rhinovirus, and then were treated with study medication for an additional 6 days. Rhinovirus infection was documented in 37 (74%) of the 50 placebo-treated volunteers and in 32 (78%) of the 41 volunteers treated with active medication. Zinc treatment had no effect on total symptom score, rhinorrhea, nasal obstruction, or the proportion of infected volunteers who developed clinical colds. These data do not support a role for intranasal zinc gluconate for prevention or treatment of the common cold.
The atmospheric partial lifetime of carbon tetrachloride with respect to the global soil sink

The magnitude of the terrestrial soil sink for atmospheric carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) remains poorly constrained, with the estimated uncertainty range of CCl4 partial lifetimes between ~110 and 910 years. Field observations are sparse, and there are uncertainties in extrapolating these results to the global scale. Here we add to the published CCl4 fluxes with additional field measurements, and we employ a land cover classification scheme based on Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer measurements that align more closely with the measurement sites to reevaluate the global CCl4 soil sink. We calculate an updated partial lifetime of CCl4 with respect to the soil sink to be 375 (288–536) years, which is 50 to 90% longer than the most recently published best estimates of the soil sink partial lifetime (195 and 245 years). This translates into a longer overall atmospheric lifetime estimate, which is more consistent with the observed atmospheric concentration trend and interhemispheric gradient.
Enhanced levitation force using YBa2Cu3Oy trapped field magnets

Abstract YBa 2 Cu 3 O y HTS, field cooled in 2.3 T, are used in place of permanent magnets (PM) as the source of field in magnetic levitation. They produce fields equal to their maximum trapped field ( B t , max ), up to 1.6 T in this work. Since commonly used PM produce only ∼0.5 T, replacing them with such HTS trapped field magnets (TFM) significantly increases the magnetic field and thus the levitation force ( F L ) and pressure. The TFM is opposed by a second HTS which is 91) zero field cooled, (2) cooled adjacent to the TFM, or (3) field cooled in 2.3 T. F L increases by a factor of 4–10 compared to common levitation systems with PM, up to 393 N (125 N/cm 2 ). F L ( B t , max ) is normalized to a common curve for data sets with different TFM. The stability of the various configurations is determined by lateral force measurements.
Influence of mucosal sodium concentration on electrical resistances and potentials of toad bladder.

SummaryThis study was undertaken to delineate the upper limits of paracellular resistance in toad bladder, and the effect of mucosal [Na+] <10 mM on cellular resistance and epithelial, apical, and basallateral potentials. These parameters were determined at mucosal Na+ of 100, 20, 10, 7, 3, and 1 mM. There was an enormous increase in paracellular or junctional resistance which, at 1 mM Na+, was over fourfold that determined at 100 mM. There was no effect on cellular resistance. A primary effect of low mucosal Na+ on apical potential independent of effect on basal-lateral potential was not demonstrable. Although apical membrane potential responds to mucosal [Na+], the response is less than that seen with pure Na+ sensitive electrode. The response of basal-lateral potential to mucosal [Na+] suggest that, to some considerable extent, ψαb may be the result of Na+ pump activity. However, basal-lateral K+ diffusion potentials may contribute to ψαb and both membrane potentials may be influenced by shunt current ...
Relation of Feedlot Performance and Certain Physiological Responses to the Metabolizable Protein and Urea Content of Cattle Diets

An experiment was conducted to test the accuracy of the metabolizable protein system in predicting the amount of urea that would be useful in a corn-based cattle diet. Treatment diets included a basal, low-protein (7.8% CP) negative control (NC) with no supplemental N and a positive control (PC) that contained soybean meal. Urea was added to the NC diet in quantities calculated to be either 25% deficient (LU), equal to (MU) or 25% in excess (HU) of the urea fermentation potential ( UFP ). In vitro rumen fermentation studies were used to determine sequential ammonia production and digestible dry matter content of the diets. In a growth trial, 12 individually-fed Angus, Hereford and Angus X Hereford steers weighing an average of 213 kg were assigned randomly to each treatment diet. At the conclusion of the 112-d trial, rumen ammonia and jugular blood urea N (BUN) concentrations were determined on two steers from each treatment before feeding and at 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 h postfeeding. In vitro ammonia concentrations of the NC and PC treatments were lower (P less than .05) than that of urea containing diets. In vivo rumen ammonia concentrations at 1 h postfeeding and BUN levels at 3 h postfeeding were low for both the NC and PC diets compared with urea-containing diets. Both of these values increased with each successive increase of added urea to the NC diet. During the initial 70 d of the growth trial, daily gains were improved (P less than .05) by addition of urea up to the MU level, which fulfilled the calculated UFP .(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Surgical diseases of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses

Nasal diseases in small animals range from simple foreign bodies to invasive malignancies, yet the patients may present with identical clinical signs. As is true in many situations in veterinary medicine, one of the first questions a clinician ponders is: does this animal have a good disease or a bad disease? Recent advances in diagnostic methods have improved our ability to answer that question using noninvasive techniques. However, surgical intervention remains a viable option for exploring the nasal cavity and sinuses to establish and possibly treat the cause. If a malignant process is found, owners should be advised that surgery alone is not helpful and that radiation therapy can improve survival. Complications of all treatment options must be thoroughly outlined to owners because they are common.
Emotion Regulation in Social Anxiety Disorder

Abstract Individuals with social anxiety disorder (SAD) suffer from intense fear of social evaluation, heightened emotional reactivity to social cues, and problems implementing effective forms of emotion regulation (ER), particularly in social situations. In this chapter, we examine the role of emotion and ER in SAD to elucidate how different families of ER strategies function in individuals with SAD, and are modified by clinical interventions for SAD, specifically, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR).
Evolution and the Future of Medicine

Abstract Medicine has undergone three major revolutions up to the end of the 20th century. Here we propose the need for a fourth: one based on evolutionary biology and genomics. Medicine is reaching the limits of what can be achieved, with its present focus on etiologies of chronic disease that arise from single genetic mutations or the interruption of single metabolic pathways. Now medicine faces the etiological, diagnostic, and therapeutic challenges that arise from complex genome-wide inherited risk factors—risks that are in turn further complicated by their dependence on dietary and other lifestyle choices. Evolutionary biology offers both explanatory frameworks for such risks as well as new strategies for mitigating their impact on human health, particularly in the context of chronic disorders. However, in order to take advantage of this new opportunity, an extensive and careful reconfiguration of the biomedical sciences is required.
Ultrasound and Acoustic Monitoring: a New Methodology for Diagnostic Analysis of the Knee

INTRODUCTION: Previous modalities such as static x-rays, MRI scans, CT scans and fluoroscopy have been used to diagnosis both soft-tissue clinical conditions and bone abnormalities. Each of these diagnostic tools has definite strengths, but each has significant weaknesses. The objective of this study is to introduce two new diagnostic, ultrasound and sound/vibration sensing, techniques that could be utilized by orthopaedic surgeons to diagnose injuries, defects and other clinical conditions that may not be detected using the previous mentioned modalities. METHODS: A new technique has been developed using ultrasound to create three-dimensional (3D) bones and soft-tissues at the articulating surfaces and ligaments and muscles across the articulating joints (Figure 1). Using an ultrasound scan, radio frequency (RF) data is captured and prepared for processing. A statistical signal model is then used for bone detection and bone echo selection. Noise is then removed from the signal to derive the true signal required for further analysis. This process allows for a contour to be derived for the rigid body of questions, leading to a 3D recovery of the bone. Further signal processing is conducted to recover the cartilage and other soft-tissues surrounding the region of interest. A sound sensor has also been developed that allows for the capture of raw signals separated into vibration and sound (Figure 2). A filtering process is utilized to remove the noise and then further analysis allows for the true signal to be analyzed, correlating vibrational signals and sound to specific clinical conditions. RESULTS: Numerous tests have been conducted using this ultrasound technique to create 3D bones compared more traditional techniques, MRI and CT Scans. These tests have shown repeatedly that 3D bones can be created with an error less than 1.0 mm. Soft-tissues at the joint of question are also created with a high accuracy. Sound signals have been analyzed and correlated to specific knee and hip clinical pathology as well as complications after Total Joint Arthroplasty. Sounds such as squeaking, knocking, grinding, clicking and even a rusty door hinge have been recovered during weight-bearing activities. DISCUSSION: Both CT scans and x-rays emit radiation, and static CT scans and MRI scans are conducted under non weight-bearing conditions. These two new orthopaedic diagnostic techniques, ultrasound and sound, allow a surgeon to make clinical diagnoses while the patient is performing weight-bearing, dynamic activities, while not being subjected to harmful radiation. Sound analyses allow for support of the ultrasound and physical exam that can lead to enhanced diagnostics that are not possible using only a visual based analysis. Early results are promising for both of these new diagnostic techniques. This study revealed that weight-bearing, dynamic diagnoses can be made by an orthopaedic surgeon and could have distinct advantages compared to traditional techniques.
Auto-Tuning and Self-Calibration of High-Sensitivity Radio Frequency Interferometers.

We demonstrate a technique that automatically tunes the sensitivity of a radio-frequency (RF) interferometer with a tunable liquid attenuator by accurately changing its liquid volume. The obtained effective quality factor (QEFF ) of the interferometer is up to 1×108 at ~5 GHz. The QEFF is ~100 times higher than previously reported results. When material-under-test (MUT), i.e., methanol-water solution in this work, is used for the tuning, a self-calibration and measurement process is demonstrated from 2 GHz to 7.5 GHz at a methanol concentration level down to 5×10-5 mole fraction, which is 100 times lower than previously reported results. Further investigations are needed to achieve better system stability and higher sensitivity.
Residential Fire-Related Injuries and Deaths in Anchorage, Alaska, 2007–2012: Causes and Prevention

The purpose of the study was threefold: (1) to identify the main causes of fire injuries to the civilian population of Anchorage; (2) to identify risk factors through a data set drawn from fire department records and newspaper surveillance, and (3) to suggest preventative measures. Methods used included an analysis of cases in ANFRS, newspaper surveillance, and cross-tabulations. The analysis finds that Anchorage census tract analysis did not show a relationship between income and fire injuries, however behavior such as entering the fire area before it has been cleared, inadequate supervision of children, widespread use of space heaters, as well as above average smoking and drinking behaviors were likely to affect fires. The addition of sprinklers, repair of equipment such as hydrants, a public health campaign on children and fire play, smoking cessation efforts and increased warnings on holidays could be helpful.
Klimatic: a virtual data lake for harvesting and distribution of geospatial data

Many interesting geospatial datasets are publicly accessible on web sites and other online repositories. However, the sheer number of datasets and locations, plus a lack of support for cross-repository search, makes it difficult for researchers to discover and integrate relevant data. We describe here early results from a system, Klimatic, that aims to overcome these barriers to discovery and use by automating the tasks of crawling, indexing, integrating, and distributing geospatial data. Klimatic implements a scalable crawling and processing architecture that uses an elastic container-based model to locate and retrieve relevant datasets and to extract metadata from headers and within files to build a global index of known geospatial data. In so doing, we create an expansive geospatial virtual data lake that records the location, formats, and other characteristics of large numbers of geospatial datasets while also caching popular data subsets for rapid access. A flexible query interface allows users to request data that satisfy supplied type, spatial, temporal, and provider specifications; in processing such queries, the system uses interpolation and aggregation to combine data of different types, data formats, resolutions, and bounds. Klimatic has so far incorporated more than 10,000 datasets from over 120 sources and has been demonstrated to scale well with data size and query complexity.