cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An extensible object-oriented framework for distributed computational simulation of gas turbine propulsion systems

Designing and developing new aerospace propulsion systems is time-consuming and expensive. Computational simulation is a promising means for alleviating this cost, but requires a flexible software simulation system capable of integrating advanced multidisciplinary and multifidelity analysis methods, dynamically constructing arbitrary simulation models, and distributing computationally complex tasks. To address these issues, we are developing Onyx, a Javabased object-oriented application framework for aerospace propulsion system simulation. The Onyx framework defines a common component object model which provides a consistent component interface for the construction of hierarchical object models. Because Onyx is a framework, component analysis models may be changed dynamically to adapt simulation behavior as required. A customizable visual interface provides highlevel symbolic control of propulsion system construction and execution. For computationallyintensive analysis, components may be distributed across heterogeneous computing architectures and operating systems. This paper presents an overview of the design concepts and object-oriented architecture of Onyx.
Spinal Cord Injury: Lessons from Locomotor Recovery and Axonal Regeneration in Lower Vertebrates

After severe spinal cord injury in adult higher vertebrates (birds and mammals), there normally is little or no axonal regeneration and virtually no recovery of voluntary locomotor function below the lesion. In contrast, certain lower vertebrates, including lamprey, fish, and some amphibians, exhibit robust axonal regeneration and substantial recovery of locomotor function after spinal cord injury. The remarkable behavioral recovery of lower vertebrates with spinal cord injuries is due to at least three factors: 1) minimal hemorrhagic necrosis at the injury site and the lack of a neurite growth–inhibiting astrocytic scar, 2) an environment in the spinal cord that is permissive for axonal regeneration, and 3) mechanisms for directed axonal elongation and selection of appropriate postsynaptic targets. The latter two features probably represent developmental mechanisms for axonal guidance and synaptogenesis that persist in the nervous systems of these animals well beyond the main phase of neural development....
User Profile Anonymization in Personalized Web Search

To solve potential user privacy leaking in personalized web search,an approach of anonymizing user profiles is proposed.According to the similarity of user profiles,the profiles are clustered as equivalences which meet p-linkability and then calculated the weight of interest items.Here p-linkability means that the probability that a certain user is determined by the attacker on the basis of the background knowledge link is less than p.This approach realizes the anonymization of user profiles and the constancy of the user interest tendency,and sufficiently protects user privacy while the anonymized user profiles are still effective in personalized web search.It is verified that after anonymization the recall ratio of the search result can be guaranteed over 50% as the related items increase.Meanwhile,the reduction of p-linkability does not greatly influence the recall ratio.
ASSIGNMENT OF THREE GENE LOCI (PGK, HGPRT, G6PD) TO THE LONG ARM OF THE HUMAN X CHROMOSOME BY SOMATIC CELL GENETICS

The intrachromosomal localization of three X-linked gene loci (PGK, HGPRT and G6PD) has been determined using a somatic cell genetic approach. A human cell line possessing an X/14 translocation was used as one parent in the formation of human/mouse hybrids. The translocation separates the human X into two parts: Xp and t(Xq14q). The data indicate that all three X-linked loci segregate with the t(Xq14q) rearrangement product thus permitting their assignment to the X chromosome's long arm. Secondary rearrangements and data from other laboratories suggest that the order of the the three markers from the centromere to the distal end of the X long arm is PGK, HGPRT, G6PD. It was also observed that NP, an autosomal locus, segregated with the t(Xq14q) chromosome. This provides strong support for the assignment of NP to 14.
Inventory control system achievement test for dietetics and foodservice management students

The purpose of this study was to develop an inventory control system achievement test that measures cognitive achievement of students in a foodservice management information systems course. We developed a table of specifications for inventory control systems that included the following content areas: receiving, storing, issuing, inventory control, inventory valuation, and inventory control computer systems. We composed 114 test items in a multiple-choice format on the basis of the table of specifications. A sample of 105 students responded to the test; each had previously received 3 hours of instruction on inventory control systems in a foodservice management information systems course. The 50 best items, judged on the basis of item-analysis data and adherence to the table of specification, were selected for the final form of the inventory control system achievement test. The 50-item test was reliable as indicated by a Kuder-Richardson 20 value of .84. The test may be used to evaluate individual student's achievement, to evaluate the effectiveness of instruction, and to compare achievement of different groups.
Nutrition and metabolism following thermal injury.

Major burn injury is the most extensive stress sustained by man, and it is essential for survival to maintain optimal integrated function of the body cell mass. A review of the metabolic derangements which occur following thermal injury is presented and techniques for restoration of energy and nutritional balance are outlined.
Thermogravimetric and calorimetric characteristics during co-pyrolysis of municipal solid waste components.

Abstract The thermogravimetric and calorimetric characteristics during pyrolysis of wood, paper, textile and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic in municipal solid wastes (MSW), and co-pyrolysis of biomass-derived and plastic components with and without torrefaction were investigated. The active pyrolysis of the PET plastic occurred at a much higher temperature range between 360 °C and 480 °C than 220–380 °C for the biomass derived components. The plastic pyrolyzed at a heating rate of 10 °C/min had the highest maximum weight loss rate of 18.5 wt%/min occurred at 420 °C, followed by 10.8 wt%/min at 340 °C for both paper and textile, and 9.9 wt%/min at 360 °C for wood. At the end of the active pyrolysis stage, the final mass of paper, wood, textile and PET was 28.77%, 26.78%, 21.62% and 18.31%, respectively. During pyrolysis of individual MSW components at 500 °C, the wood required the least amount of heat at 665.2 J/g, compared to 2483.2 J/g for textile, 2059.4 J/g for paper and 2256.1 J/g for PET plastic. The PET plastic had much higher activation energy of 181.86 kJ/mol, compared to 41.47 kJ/mol for wood, 50.01 kJ/mol for paper and 36.65 kJ/mol for textile during pyrolysis at a heating rate of 10 °C/min. H2O and H2 peaks were observed on the MS curves for the pyrolysis of three biomass-derived materials but there was no obvious H2O and H2 peaks on the MS curves of PET plastic. There was a significant interaction between biomass and PET plastic during co-pyrolysis if the biomass fraction was dominant. The amount of heat required for the co-pyrolysis of the biomass and plastic mixture increased with the increase of plastic mass fraction in the mixture. Torrefaction at a proper temperature and time could improve the grindability of PET plastic. The increase of torrefaction temperature and time did not affect the temperature where the maximum pyrolytic rates occurred for both biomass and plastic but decreased the maximum pyrolysis rate of biomass and increased the maximum pyrolysis rate of PET plastic. The amount of heat for the pyrolysis of biomass and PET mixture co-torrefied at 280 °C for 30 min was 4365 J/g at 500 °C, compared to 1138 J/g for the pyrolysis of raw 50% wood and 50% PET mixture at the same condition.
The Effect of Pharmaceutical Utilisation and Innovation on Hospitalisation and Mortality

This paper presents an econometric analysis of the effect of changes in the quantity and type of pharmaceuticals prescribed by physicians in outpatient visits on rates of hospitalisation, surgical procedure, mortality, and related variables. It examines the statistical relationship across diseases between changes in outpatient pharmaceutical utilisation and changes in inpatient care utilisation and mortality during the period 1980–92.
Principles and Methods of Law and Economics: INTRODUCTION: INNOVATION IN LEGAL THINKING

This book introduces principles and methods of economic analysis of law, also known as “law and economics.” Principles are the fundamental conceptions, assumptions, or beliefs that are common to those who employ economic analysis of law. Methods are the tools, techniques, or tricks they use. The aggregate of all legal thinkers could be imagined as a massive workshop. All human knowledge and events are the inputs that the workshop of jurists uses. The outputs include judicial decisions, statutes, proposals for changes of rules, and interpretations. To a novice, this workshop seems cavernous and daunting. This book is a guide to that area of the workshop where economic analysis of law occurs and introduces the use of its tools. The principles section shows the common understandings, assumptions, and goals, what problems economic analysis of law engages. The methods section explains its main tools. For students who are uncomfortable trying to learn the universe of legal thinking, understanding the direction of this book may be daunting. Let us start our travel through economic analysis of law with a simplifying metaphor. Rather than jurists, let us act as managers of an apartment building. How should we act in our managerial capacity? If this question is too abstract, suppose we have reached a concrete problem. Our building's heating system has failed. What should we do? PROPOSALS, CONSEQUENCES, AND IDEALS The building manager must react to the problem. Study the manager's decision by separating three components: proposals, consequences, and ideals.
Supplemental Appendix to 'Taxation and the Allocation of Talent'

This supplemental appendix accompanies "Taxation and the Allocation of Talent" by the same authors, available at http://ssrn.com/abstract=1324424.
Some Recent Trends in the Linguistic Anthropology of Native North America

Although the languages of Native North America and the linguistic communities that spoke these languages once provided the key data for American anthropology's early agenda under Boas, linguistic anthropologists continue their study in a manner inflected to contemporary political economic realities and theoretical concerns. One area of scholarship that displays some continuity with earlier research is the study of Native American place-names, but even here contemporary researchers have explored the ethnographic surround of naming practices, including the multilingualism and multiculturalism of today's indigenous communities. Other research topics that have had less precedent include verbal art, language ideologies, and linguistic racism. Recent research in Native North American verbal art has advanced the appreciation of indigenous poetics but also developed a “critical” ethnopoetics that attends to a larger political economic context. Recent research on language ideologies has explored such topics as new...
Variations in outcomes of hemodialysis vascular access by race/ethnicity in the elderly.

Abstract Objective Prevalence of end-stage renal disease, modality of treatment, and type of hemodialysis vascular access used varies widely by race/ethnicity in the United States, but outcomes of hemodialysis vascular access by race/ethnicity are poorly described. The objective of this study is to evaluate variations in outcomes of hemodialysis vascular access in the elderly by race/ethnicity. Methods Medicare outpatient, inpatient, and carrier files were queried from 2006 to 2011 for beneficiaries that were age ≥66 years and dialysis-dependent at time of index fistula/graft creation, qualified for Medicare by age only, and were continuously enrolled in Medicare 12 months before and after index fistula/graft creation. Primary outcome measures were early vascular access failure and 12-month failure-free survival, specifically, the variation in the difference between fistula and graft in non-White vs White race/ethnicity groups. Results Fistulas comprised a smaller proportion of index procedures performed in Blacks (65.9%; P P P = .59). Incidence of early failure after graft vs fistula was Whites, 34.9% vs 43.5% ( P P P = .014), and Hispanics 35.2% vs 43.2% ( P = .005). The difference in early failure after fistula vs graft in Blacks was significantly larger than the difference in Whites ( P P = .008), Blacks 48.5% vs 37.3% ( P P = .98), and Hispanics 51.9% vs 42.2% ( P P P = .02, respectively). Conclusions Outcomes of fistulas vs grafts in the elderly vary significantly by race/ethnicity. The decreased risk of early failure after graft vs fistula creation is larger in Blacks compared with Whites. The higher failure-free survival at 12 months after graft vs fistula creation is larger in Blacks compared with Whites and trends toward being larger in Hispanics compared with Whites.
Favorable Cardio-Metabolic Outcomes Following High Carbohydrate Intake in Accordance with the Daniel Fast: A Review of Available Findings

The Daniel Fast is a biblically inspired dietary program rich in carbohydrate, most closely resembling a vegan diet but with additional restrictions, including the elimination of processed foods, white flour products, preservatives, additives, sweeteners, caffeine, and alcohol. While no specific requirements are placed on the ingestion of specific percentages of macronutrients, the mean daily carbohydrate intake is by default approximately 60%, while protein and fat intake are 15% and 25%, respectively. Despite a relatively high carbohydrate intake, multiple favorable cardio-metabolic effects are noted when following the plan, in as few as three weeks. This includes improvements in HOMA-IR, which may be at least in part due to the lower glycemic load and high dietary fiber content of the foods consumed. Other notable changes include reductions in systemic inflammation, total and LDL-cholesterol, oxidative stress, blood pressure, and body weight/body fat. Short and moderate-term compliance to the program is excellent-better than most dietary programs, perhaps due to the ad libitum nature of this plan. This paper presents an overview of the Daniel Fast, a carbohydrate-rich dietary program, including relevant findings from both human and animal investigations using this dietary model.
In-line monitoring and optimization of powder flow in a simulated continuous process using transmission near infrared spectroscopy

In-line monitoring of continuous powder flow is an integral part of the continuous manufacturing process of solid oral dosage forms in the pharmaceutical industry. Specifically, monitoring downstream from loss-in-weight (LIW) feeders and/or continuous mixers provides important data about the state of the process. Such measurements support control of the process and thereby enhance product quality. Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) is a potential PAT tool to monitor the homogeneity of a continuous powder flow stream in pharmaceutical manufacturing. However, the association of analytical results from NIR sampling of the powder stream and the homogeneity (content uniformity) of the resulting tablets provides several challenges; appropriate sampling strategies, adequately robust modeling techniques and poor sensitivities (for low dose APIs) are amongst them. Information from reflectance-based NIRS sampling is limited. The region of the powder bed that is interrogated is confined to the surface where the measurement is made. This potential bias in sampling may, in turn, limit the ability to predict the homogeneity of the finished dosage form. Further, changes to the processing parameters (e.g., rate of powder flow) often have a significant effect on the resulting data. Sample representation, interdependence between process parameters and their effects on powder flow behavior are critical factors for NIRS monitoring of continuous powder flow system. A transmission NIR method was developed as an alternative technique to monitor continuous powder flow and quantify API in the powder stream. Transmission NIRS was used to determine the thickness of the powder stream flowing from a loss-in-weight feeder. The thickness measurement of the powder stream provided an in-depth understanding about the effects of process parameters such as tube angles and powder flow rates on powder flow behaviors. This knowledge based approach helped to define an analytical design space that was specific to flow properties and to determine the optimum process parameters for successful quantitation of powder stream. A PAT method based on transmission NIRS was developed to monitor the homogeneity of API in a continuously flowing powder stream.
Muricidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) of the Angostura Formation Northwestern Ecuador

The muricid fauna of the Late Miocene Angostura Formation, northwestern Ecuador, includes two species previously known from the Gatun Formation of Panama, the Esmeraldas Beds of Ecuador, and other localities in the Caribbean Tertiary. There are also two new species described herein. One, Eupleura olssoni, is most closely related to an unnamed Gatun species; the second, Ceratostoma (Microrhytis) ecuadorium, is most closely related to C. (M.) pecki (Emerson), described from the Atlantic side of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Mexico. Thus, the muricid fauna has a closer affinity with the Tertiary beds of the western Atlantic than with the Recent fauna of the eastern Pacific.
Iodosylbenzene-Pseudohalide-Based Initiators for Radical Polymerization

Iodosylbenzene reacts with various (pseudo)halides (trimethylsilyl azide or isocyanate or potassium azide, cyanate, and bromide) to yield unstable hypervalent iodine(III) compounds, PhIX2 (X = (pseudo)halide), that undergo rapid homolysis of the hypervalent I–X bonds and generate (pseudo)halide radicals, which can initiate the polymerization of styrene, (meth)acrylates, and vinyl esters. Polymers are formed containing (pseudo)halide functionalities at the α-chain end but, depending on the termination mechanism and the occurrence of transfer of (pseudo)halide groups from the initiator to the propagating radicals, also at the ω-chain end. With slowly polymerizing monomers (styrene and methyl methacrylate) and initiators that were generated rapidly at high concentrations and were especially unstable, the reactions proceeded via a “dead-end” polymerization mechanism, and only low to moderate monomer conversions were attained. When the initiator was generated more slowly and continuously throughout the polymer...
Climate change: the south-north connection.

A new ice-core record from Antarctica provides the best evidence yet of a link between climate in the northern and southern polar regions that operates through changes in ocean circulation.
Fabrication of (111)-faced single-crystal diamond plates by laser nucleated cleaving

Abstract Single-crystal diamond plates with surfaces oriented in a (111) crystal plane are required for high-performance solid-state device platforms ranging from power electronics to quantum information processing architectures. However, producing plates with this orientation has proven challenging. In this paper, we demonstrate a method for reliably and precisely fabricating (111)-faced plates from commercially available, chemical-vapor-deposition-grown, type-IIa single-crystal diamond substrates with (100) faces. Our method uses a nanosecond-pulsed visible laser to nucleate and propagate a mechanical cleave in a chosen (111) crystal plane, resulting in faces as large as 3.0mm × 0.3mm with atomically flat surfaces, negligible miscut angles, and near zero kerf loss. We discuss the underlying physical mechanisms of the process along with potential improvements that will enable the production of millimeter-scale (111)-faced single-crystal diamond plates for a variety of emerging devices and applications.
Master Plans to Meet Basic Public Health Needs for Projected Growth in Urban Populations

As noted at the beginning of this book, demographers project that the global urban population will grow from ~4 billion people (of 7.5+ billion) in 2018 to 6.9 billion (of 9.8 billion) by 2050. Most of this demographic change will take place in Asia and Africa as countries focus on economic growth through industrial development and employment opportunities that industry and its service businesses (suppliers) create for citizens. Because of jobs open in construction for industrial development, (e.g. infrastructure), in industries as they go into production, presumed access to education for children, and better health care, workers flocked to and are still flocking to urban centers. Unfortunately many growing cities, and mega-cities that grew from them, did not adequately plan on providing quality shelter for workers serviced by basic requirements as discussed earlier in this text. These include safe water, access to adequate sanitation, electricity, gas, and efficient transportation to move workers (if they are employed) to their jobs and back to their homes. Nor did all municipalities do thorough environmental impact studies. For example, one devastating result is that there has been air pollution from gases, aerosols, and fine size particles (<2.5 μ) emitted by industries. Globally there were 4.2 million premature deaths abetted by air pollution in 2015. In China alone, 1.11 million people died prematurely abetted by inhalation of fine size particles with India was not far behind with 1.09 million premature deaths abetted by fine size particle inhalation [1]. There was damage to agricultural soils by acid rain thus threatening internal food security. Instead, governments exhibited tunnel vision on industrial advancement but not on caring effectively for their growing populations. Only recently, as a result of citizen protests (e.g., of death and sickness by smog, of Pb (lead) poisoning of children from residentially located factories) and international condemnation of problems such as just cited, have governments (e.g., China) begun to respond to environmental dangers with legislation that is being enforced albeit ofttimes spottily.
AAS: a simple and rugged system for trace and ultratrace elemental analysis

“Clever ... your signal is noisy? ...what’s the standard deviation of your blank? ...what elements are you running today? ...we’ve never done barium before, have we? All right, I’ll be down in a minute.”
The Pyramid Model: An Integrated Approach for Evaluating Continuing Education Programs and Outcomes.

Recent mergers and downsizing of health care agencies have made resources for continuing education (CE) increasingly scarce. Nurse educators must demonstrate the effectiveness and sustainability of CE programs and establish the link between nursing professionalism and positive patient outcomes. The Pyramid Evaluation Model expands and enhances previous evaluation frameworks. Simple steps are outlined to evaluate CE programs and outcomes systematically and comprehensively through an impact model that examines goals, reviews program design, monitors program implementation, assesses outcomes and impact, and analyzes efficiency.
Effect of Cytochalasin B on Human Monocyte Binding and Sphering of IgG-coated Human Erythrocytes

The ability of human mononuclear phagocytic cells to bind IgG-coated human erythrocytes (EA) and to cause bound EA to become osmotically fragile (sphered) was investigated in the presence of cytochalasin B, a known inhibitor of phagocytosis. Cytochalasin B inhibited the binding of EA to mononuclear cells in a dose-dependent fashion; 80% inhibition of binding was observed at a concentration of 5 mug/ml. This profound effect on EA binding together with presently available data suggested a role for IgG receptor mobility in the macrophage binding of IgG-coated erythrocytes. Cytochalasin B, however, had a minimal effect on the capacity of mononuclear cells to sphere adherent EA, suggesting that the processes involved in macrophage-induced spherocytosis may differ from those operable in phagocytosis.
Inorganic Amorphous Solids and Glass-Ceramic Materials

A liquid can solidify in either of two ways: It can form a crystalline solid, in which the molecules are regularly arranged on a lattice; or it can form an amorphous solid, called a glass, in which the molecular array is characterized by the absence of long-range order.
Poster Award for U. Creutzig

Through the years considerable advances have been made, and have been highly publicized in developing curative regimens for acute lymphocytic leukemia. For most large series the probability of a long-term continuous complete remission exceeds 0.5. Equally well publicized have been the less dramatic, but steady advances in the management of adult nonlymphocytic acute leukemias where long-term survivals are reported in 10%–30% of cases, depending both on the rigorousness of treatment and the constraints of eligibility to the study. Surprisingly, relatively little attention has been afforded the good news in the treatment of acute myelocytic leukemias occurring in pediatric patients during this same period.
Statements and Their Criteria

Among the conditions of success indicated in an act of assertion are that there exist two sometime applicable procedures, one for verifying and the other for falsifying the statement that would be produced in the assertion, were it to succeed.
Effect of response-independent delivery of positive and negative reinforcers on the development of superstitious behavior and belief in humans.

The present study investigated the development of superstitious conditioning, including sensory superstition, under positive reinforcement and avoidance conditions. College students were instructed to produce the textual stimulus GOOD on a computer screen (positive reinforcement condition) or to pre
Preliminary validation of the Yale Food Addiction Scale for Children 2.0: A dimensional approach to scoring.

OBJECTIVE Assessment approaches for food addiction in younger samples have not been updated to reflect recently revised diagnostic approaches for addictive disorders. The aim of the current study is to develop a new dimensional approach to assess food addiction in adolescents that is psychometrically sound, developmentally appropriate, and reflective of the updated diagnostic criteria. METHODS The dimensional Yale Food Addiction Scale for Children 2.0 (dYFAS-C 2.0) and related measures were administered to 127 adolescents from the community in the United States. Endorsement rates for each question were reviewed, and the psychometric properties were evaluated. RESULTS Problem-focused symptoms had low endorsement rates and were excluded from the final version of the scale. The dYFAS-C 2.0 demonstrated partial evidence for a one-factor structure, had good internal consistency reliability, and was positively associated with emotional eating, external eating, and body mass index (BMI). The dYFAS-C 2.0 also accounted for unique variance in BMI. Unexpectedly, the dYFAS-C 2.0 was positively associated with restrained eating. CONCLUSIONS The dYFAS-C 2.0 appears to have adequate psychometric properties for assessing food addiction in community samples of adolescents. Future research should evaluate the measure in clinical samples and investigate the association between food addiction and restrained eating over the lifespan.
Cognitive DDx Assistant in Rare Diseases

There are between 6,000 – 7,000 known rare diseases today. Identifying and diagnosing a patient with rare disease is time consuming, cumbersome, cost intensive and requires resources generally available only at large hospital centers. Furthermore, most medical doctors, especially general practitioners, will likely only see one patient with a rare disease if at all. A cognitive assistant for differential diagnosis in rare disease will provide the knowledge on all rare diseases online, help create a list of weighted diagnosis and access to the evidence base on which the list was created. The system is built on knowledge graph technology that incorporates data from ICD-10, DOID, medDRA, PubMed, Wikipedia, Orphanet, the CDC and anonymized patient data. The final knowledge graph comprised over 500,000 nodes. The solution was tested with 101 published cases for rare disease. The learning system improves over training sprints and delivers 79.5 % accuracy in finding the diagnosis in the top 1 % of nodes. A further learning step was taken to rank the correct result in the TOP 15 hits. With a reduced data pool, 51% of the 101 cases were tested delivering the correct result in the TOP 3 – 13 (TOP 6 on average) for 74% of these cases. The results show that data curation is among the most critical aspects to deliver accurate results. The knowledge graph technology demonstrates its power to deliver cognitive solutions for differential diagnosis in rare disease that can be applied in clinical practice.
Discovery and Characterization of FMN-Binding β-Glucuronidases in the Human Gut Microbiome.

Abstract The human gut microbiota encodes β-glucuronidases (GUSs) that play key roles in health and disease via the metabolism of glucuronate-containing carbohydrates and drugs. Hundreds of putative bacterial GUS enzymes have been identified by metagenomic analysis of the human gut microbiome, but less than 10% have characterized structures and functions. Here we describe a set of unique gut microbial GUS enzymes that bind flavin mononucleotide (FMN). First, we show using mass spectrometry, isothermal titration calorimetry, and x-ray crystallography that a purified GUS from the gut commensal microbe Faecalibacterium prausnitzii binds to FMN on a surface groove located 30 A away from the active site. Second, utilizing structural and functional data from this FMN-binding GUS, we analyzed the 279 unique GUS sequences from the Human Microbiome Project database and identified 14 putative FMN-binding GUSs. We characterized four of these hits and solved the structure of two, the GUSs from Ruminococcus gnavus and Roseburia hominis, which confirmed that these are FMN binders. Third, binding and kinetic analysis of the FMN-binding site mutants of these five GUSs show that they utilize a conserved site to bind FMN that is not essential for GUS activity, but can affect KM. Lastly, a comprehensive structural review of the PDB reveals that the FMN-binding site employed by these enzymes is unlike any structurally characterized FMN binders to date. These findings reveal the first instance of an FMN-binding glycoside hydrolase and suggest a potential link between FMN and carbohydrate metabolism in the human gut microbiota.
Does Meaning Motivate Magical Thinking Among Theists and Atheists

Past research indicates that existential threats related to meaning in life increase religious-related magical beliefs (e.g., belief in God). The present three studies examined more broadly whether...
Establishing "Normal" Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Physical Function and Pain Interference Scores: A True Reference Score According to Adults Free of Joint Pain and Disability.

Numerous recent studies have demonstrated the validity and efficiency of the National Institutes of Health Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) forms in patients undergoing orthopaedic surgical procedures. It is assumed that a score of 50 in each domain represents the health state of a "reference" population, but this threshold has not been definitively proven. In order to truly assess whether a given orthopaedic intervention is successful, the comparative scores of healthy individuals must be known for any given health domain measured. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine baseline scores for the PROMIS general physical function (PROMIS-PF), pain interference (PROMIS-PI), and upper-extremity physical function (PROMIS-UE) domains in physically healthy, asymptomatic adult individuals. We hypothesized that, in individuals 50 and PROMIS-PI scores would be <50. We further hypothesized that these scores would be impacted by participant age. Methods Three PROMIS computer adaptive test (CAT) domains were administered (either in person or through email) to healthy adult volunteers. These domains included PROMIS-PF, PROMIS-UE, and PROMIS-PI. Individuals who reported joint pain or dysfunction were excluded. Results In total, 294 healthy volunteers with a mean age of 33.2 years (range, 18 to 83 years) completed all 3 PROMIS CAT forms. The mean (and standard deviation) PROMIS-UE, PROMIS-PF, and PROMIS-PI scores were 55.9 ± 6.6, 59.7 ± 8.0, and 43.6 ± 7.6, respectively, for individuals <40 years old and 51.2 ± 8.2, 52.9 ± 7.6, and 49.0 ± 8.0, respectively, for individuals ≥40 years old. Age correlated significantly with PROMIS-UE and PROMIS-PF in the older cohort. Conclusions For individuals <40 years old, baseline PROMIS-PF scores were significantly higher than 50 and PROMIS-PI scores were significantly lower. This difference was less pronounced in individuals ≥40 years old. When treating young patients, clinicians should be cognizant of these healthy baseline scores. Clinical Relevance In this study, reference range for asymptomatic musculoskeletal volunteers was determined across PROMIS CAT forms. These reference scores are important in treating and counseling patients with musculoskeletal conditions in order to determine relative impairment or functional capabilities.
30 μm Heterodyne receiver

Advantages and constraints of remote measurements using heterodyne spectroscopy near 30 μm are discussed. The state of the art of wideband HgCdTe photomixers and PbSnSe diode laser local oscillators being developed for far infrared heterodyne receivers is described. The first compact 30 μm heterodyne radiometer was built and initial results at 28 μm show about 2% mixer efficiency for a 500 MHz bandwidth receiver. Factors limiting receiver performance are discussed, along with the projected sensitivity of new interdigitated-electrode HgCdTe photoconductor mixers being developed for operation up to 200 μm.
Analytic $I_{\text{sc}}$ – $V_{\text{oc}}$ Method and Power Loss Modes From Outdoor Time-Series $I$ – $V$ Curves

Utilizing large-scale outdoor $I$ – $V$ data streams, the authors demonstrated a feasible, repeatable method to construct outdoor time-series $I_{\text{sc}}$ – $V_{\text{oc}}$ curves. Resulting Analytic $I_{\text{sc}}$ – $V_{\text{oc}}$ curves are validated with laboratory $Suns$ - $V_{\text{oc}}$ measurements. Comparing $I_{\text{sc}}$ – $V_{\text{oc}}$ with real $I$ – $V$ curves, power loss modes including uniform current loss, recombination loss, series resistance loss, and current mismatch loss can be quantified in units of watts or percent nominal power, making them directly comparable. Above power loss modes are calculated for long-term $I$ – $V$ data from fielded modules in different climate zones, and dominant power loss modes were determined from the resulting time series. This method has been published as an open source package in R programming language.
Mesenteric Lipoma with Volvulus: A Rare Cause of Acute Abdomen in a Child.

Lipoma is benign tumor of mature fat cells and is reported to develop anywhere in the body, e.g. trunk and extremities; however, lipoma in the mesentery of gut is rare, particularly in children. Mesenteric lipomas may be asymptomatic or may present with acute abdomen by leading to volvulus of gut. We report a 6-year female with intestinal obstruction. Exploratory laparotomy revealed a large mesenteric lipoma in the mesentery of small bowel causing volvulus of ileum. Lipoma was excised and postoperative recovery remained uneventful both in the hospital and on subsequent follow up. We believe mesenteric lipoma should be considered as a cause of volvulus and in differential diagnosis of acute abdomen in children. Key Words: Mesentery, Lipoma, Volvulus, Ileum, Intestinal obstruction.
Abstract A21: Loss of Argonaute 2 leads to oncogene-induced senescence in mutant RAS-driven cancer

The RAS gene family is among the most commonly mutated genes within cancer, but little progress has been made in successfully targeting RAS mutations. Targeting binding partners of mutated RAS, however, presents a promising alternative therapeutic strategy. With the goal of uncovering novel interactors of RAS, we recently identified Argonaute 2 (AGO2) of the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) as a novel partner of the Switch II domain of KRAS. In order to assess the role of AGO2 in KRAS-G12D driven disease, we developed a mouse model of pancreatic cancer with conditional loss of AGO2. While AGO2 knockout did not prevent development of early precursor pancreatic intraepithelial (PanIN) lesions, loss of AGO2 prevented progression to late-stage PanINs, pancreactic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), and metastatic disease. AGO2 null lesions displayed increased activation of the EGFR-RAS signaling axis during PanIN development. This signaling resulted in an increase in WT RAS-GTP activation, pEGFR-Y1068, and pERK levels leading to the development of oncogene-induced senescence in these PanIN lesions. Furthermore, we observed that EGFR-mediated phosphorylation of AGO2-Y393 disrupted the interaction between WT RAS and AGO2. This regulation by EGFR, however, was blocked in cells expressing mutant KRAS. These results suggested that the interaction of mutant RAS and AGO2 was vital to tumor development. To better assess the role of AGO2 loss in mutant RAS driven cancer, we performed AGO2 knockdown in multiple cell lines expressing mutations in either NRAS or HRAS isoforms. In each cell line, AGO2 directly interacted with KRAS, NRAS, and KRAS. In addition to suppressing growth in mutant RAS-driven cells (T24: HRAS-G12V, SK-MEL-2: NRAS-Q61H), loss of AGO2 produced marked increases in beta-galactosidase and p16 expression, as well as a decrease in cyclin D1, suggesting development of oncogene-induced senescence. Interestingly, upon AGO2 loss, cells displayed induction of pEGFR and pERK similar to what was observed in our pancreatic mouse model, and despite decreased expression of mutant RAS, WT RAS-GTP loading upon AGO2 loss was strongly induced. Together these results suggest a unique EGFR-AGO2-RAS signaling axis that requires AGO2-RAS interaction to prevent induction of oncogene-induced senescence in mutant RAS-driven cancers. Citation Format: Ronald F. Siebenaler, Sunita Shankar, Jean C. Tien, Vijaya L. Dommeti, Sylvia Zelenka-Wang, Jessica Waninger, Malay Mody, Seema Chugh, Chandan Kumar-Sinha, Arul M. Chinnaiyan. Loss of Argonaute 2 leads to oncogene-induced senescence in mutant RAS-driven cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Targeting RAS-Driven Cancers; 2018 Dec 9-12; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2020;18(5_Suppl):Abstract nr A21.
Therapeutic approach to the epidemic of atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation is the most frequent arrhythmia found in clinical practice and its prevalence increases with age which explains why it has reached epidemic proportions. The associated risk of thromboembolism and mortality worsen the prognosis in older patients with cardiac abnormalities. There are three kinds of atrial fibrillation according to the clinical relevance of the presentation: paroxysmal, persistent and permanent. Due to the clinically heterogeneous nature of this arrhythmia (it occurs with or without associated heart disease or symptom) and the difficulty of establishing appropriate treatment for each particular case, the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association and European Society of Cardiology, have established guidelines for the management of patients with atrial fibrillation. These guidelines were obtained through consensus by a Committee of Experts, after an exhaustive review of the most relevant English literature on atrial fibrillation in human beings from 1980 to 2000. The recent publication of these guidelines should facilitate and notably improve the management of patients with atrial fibrillation.
Delivering a Multi-Institutional Short-Term Faculty-Led Paralympic Study Abroad Program: The PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games

Short-term faculty-led study abroad programs have been offered in various institutions across the United States. Despite the many program offerings, students who are interested in the niche marketp...
Initiation and propagation of one-dimensional planar flames in mixtures with variable reaction progress

Abstract In light of the recent high temperature flame experiment conducted in a shock tube, the main objective of the present study is to understand flame initiation regimes and propagation features with various ignition energy and various extents of unburnt mixture reaction progress. Flame initiation and propagation are numerically investigated for a partially reactive, near stoichiometric n-heptane/air/He mixtures under elevated temperature 700 K in a one-dimensional planar domain under nearly isobaric condition. Emphasis on flame initiation is placed on the effects of ignition energy and initial reaction progress. For ignition timing at tig = 0 s, while regular hot flames are directly initiated with higher ignition energy as expected, a class of autoignition-assisted cool flames can be directly triggered with relatively low ignition energy. By postponing ignition at later times, more pronounced chemical reaction progress is associated with the unburnt mixture such that autoignition-assisted hot flame can be achieved. For such flames, a notable flame speed increment is observed after the first-stage ignition occurs in the upstream unburnt mixture. It is found that both autoignition-assisted cool and hot flames prior to the first-stage ignition strongly depend on the ignition energy and ignition timing, and hence are case-sensitive. Extra caution needs to be taken to evaluate and compare these data. Hot flames in the post first-stage ignition mixture nevertheless exhibit much less variation to the ignition energy and initial reaction progress. For steady-state simulation, it is emphasized that a sufficiently short upstream and sufficiently long downstream domain are needed to obtain desired flame solution in the classical diffusion-reaction limit. A good agreement between the steady and unsteady simulations demonstrates the unsteady flame propagates in a quasi-steady manner with the classical flame structure, as long as τchem/τflame>>1. Sensitivity analysis and reaction network analysis have further suggested the similar key reactions on flame speed compared with regular conditions and demonstrated indirect effects from the low temperature ignition chemistry. This work provides useful insights into flame initiation regimes and propagation features under elevated temperature.
Histidine methylation of yeast ribosomal protein Rpl3p is required for proper 60S subunit assembly (LB185)

Histidine protein methylation is an unusual posttranslational modification. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the large ribosomal subunit protein Rpl3p is methylated at histidine-243, a residu...
Empirical partition coefficients for Sr and Ca in marine barite: Implications for reconstructing seawater Sr and Ca concentrations

[1] A robust record of fluctuations in seawater Sr and Ca concentrations is critical for understanding the long-term global carbon cycle as it is influenced by the history and location of carbonate precipitation, chemical weathering, and hydrothermal activity. Such a record is also necessary for interpretation of paleoceanographic records (temperature, productivity) derived from carbonate sources (e.g. Sr/Ca, Mg/Ca, Li/Ca). Marine barite, an inorganic phase preserved in oxic, deep-sea sediments, may record seawater Sr and Ca concentrations. Using core top barite samples we have derived the partition coefficients for Sr (DSr = 2.9 × 10−5), Ca (DCa = 1.9 × 10−8), and Sr/Ca (DSr/Ca = 1.6 × 103) in barite. The natural variability of core top marine barite Sr/Ca, Sr/Ba, and Ca/Ba ratios, selected from different ocean basins, is 10.1%, 15.0%, and 16.3%, respectively. Since estimates of Cenozoic fluctuations in seawater Sr/Ca ratios are large (possibly greater than 80%) relative to the variability recorded in core tops, marine barite may be used to reconstruct seawater Sr/Ca ratios, and Sr and Ca concentrations, using empirically derived partition coefficients.
Performance study of OFDMA vs. OFDM/SDMA

We first consider the OFDM/SDMA system which admits several OFDM users simultaneously by reusing the same frequency band. With the linear minimum mean squared error (MMSE) receiver, it has been shown that such a system can improve the system capacity significantly compared to the single antenna OFDM system. However, the number of required linear filters is huge. Thus, in this paper, we propose two reduced-complexity MMSE receivers for OFDM/SDMA system; namely, interpolated MMSE and partial MMSE. We demonstrate that both methods perform much better than the previously proposed reduced-complexity receiver. Other than OFDM/SDMA, an alternative to support multiple users with high spectrum efficiency is to use orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) with high-level modulation. With both theoretical analysis and simulation, we find that the relative BER performance of these two systems depends on the receiver design of OFDM/SDMA. In particular, when the MMSE receiver is used, OFDM/SDMA is usually worse than or comparable to OFDMA. However, the former has the potential to outperform the latter because when the optimal (and the most complicated) ML detector is used, it is superior to the latter. On the other hand, OFDMA has the advantage of a simple receiver structure.
Impact of parental weight status on a school-based weight management programme designed for Mexican-American children.

Summary Background While overweight and obese children are more likely to have overweight or obese parents, less is known about the effect of parental weight status on children's success in weight management programmes. Objectives This study was a secondary data analysis of a randomized controlled trial and investigated the impact of having zero, one or two obese parents on children's success in a school-based weight management programme. Methods Sixty-one Mexican–American children participated in a 24-week school-based weight management intervention which took place in 2005–2006. Children's heights and weights were measured at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months. Parental weight status was assessed at baseline. Repeated measures anova and ancova were conducted to compare changes in children's weight within and between groups, respectively. Results Within-group comparisons revealed that the intervention led to significant decreases in standardized body mass index (zBMI) for children with zero (F = 23.16, P < .001) or one obese (F = 4.99, P < .05) parent. Between-group comparisons indicated that children with zero and one obese parents demonstrated greater decreases in zBMI compared to children with two obese parents at every time point. Conclusions The school-based weight management programme appears to be most efficacious for children with one or no obese parents compared to children with two obese parents. These results demonstrate the need to consider parental weight status when engaging in childhood weight management efforts.
African Green Revolution Needn’t Be a Mirage

Africa missed out on the scientific breakthroughs that revolutionized agriculture in Asia. However, with locally developed and locally relevant technologies, a built-up human and institutional capacity, and supportive national policy and leadership, an African Green Revolution can be a reality.
Navigating the Normative

Over the past several decades, the curriculum field has advanced ideas that one could characterize as centrifugal in nature—outside of the lines of the school curriculum, moving along multiple epis...