cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Food Safety of Bt Cry Proteins from Biotechnology-derived Crops

Bt microbial insecticides have been used to control larval insect pests that feed on agricultural crops, forest and drinking water for over 50 years. They are also widely used in certified organic agricultural food production in the United States, Europe and other countries. Cry proteins are most commonly introduced in registered Bt crops. Mode of action, food safety and allergenicity of Cry protein have been rigorously tested using rodent, farm animals, and human experiment and bioinformatics research tools. The insecticidal function of Cry protein only works in the alkaline environment of the insect gut where specific receptors on the membranes of midgut epithelial cells present. Other non-target organisms (humans, rhesus monkeys, mice, rats and cows etc.) lack these receptors. Regulatory agencies in US, EU and other countries have confirmed the history of safe consumption of Bt crop and Cry protein residues on crops and in drinking water. Food processing can minimize dietary intake to functionally active Cry proteins. Bt crop contributes to reduce use of insecticides and improves the safe consumption of corn grain by lowering contamination from fumonisin mycotoxins.
Gastrointestinal bleeding and iron absorption in the experimental blind loop syndrome

Rats with surgically created self-filling jejunal blind loops and the blind loop syndrome manifested gastrointestinal bleeding and hyperabsorption of iron. Although the mean hematocrit and serum iron levels of rats with self-filling blind loops became overtly anemic and manifested low-serum iron levels. It is suggested that the documented gastrointestinal bleeding in these rats with the experimental blind loop syndrome is another manifestation of damage to the intestinal epithelium in conditions of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.
Psychiatric manifestations of medications commonly prescribed in otolaryngology

Otolaryngologists, nurses, and psychological professionals should be familiar with the potential psychiatric side effects of medications that are commonly prescribed by otolaryngologists. Because some of these side effects are atypical, their relationship to medications might not be obvious. An awareness of the potential for psychiatric side effects caused by adrenocorticoids, antihistamines and decongestants, and antisecretory medications will help the clinician avoid or detect and treat drug-induced disorders, as will an awareness of the potential for side effects caused by combinations of medications. Identification of individual risk factors such as age, pre-existing organic brain disease, a history of drug abuse or dependence, or coexisting or pre-existing psychiatric disorders is important in preventing and detecting drug-induced psychiatric disorders. The drugs discussed in this article can have serious, even fatal, interactions with certain psychiatric medications.
The Aftermath: Bengal and Kashmir 1946–1951

In 1939, one simple act had demonstrated that Britain’s relationship with India remained highly paternalistic, heavy handed and imperially minded. London had informed India that because Britain was at war with Nazi Germany, India too was at war. Indian views on whether the colony should go to war were not sought; Indian participation was merely assumed by London. Britain was at war and therefore the dependent empire was also at war. India had thereby been confirmed as a lowly member of the colonial empire. This supposition by Britain undermined the pre-1939 Anglo-Indian political process. In the period leading up to the Second World War, Britain had made a number of positive overtures towards Indian politicians that India would eventually achieve Dominion status (similar to Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa). Hints of political evolution had appeased the aspirations of the Indian political establishment and blunted the demands of the nationalists for an independent India. Now, in 1939, Britain had issued a unilateral declaration of war and conclusively proved that India lingered as just another part of the dependent empire. When the going got tough, political evolution had become non-existent. In reality, Britain had demonstrated that autocratic imperial management persisted, and Britain had confirmed that consultation and partnership remained but an illusion.
Sequential and intermittent docetaxel (D) and imatinib (Im) in hormone-refractory prostate cancer patients (NYU 04-47)

e16108 Background: Platelet-derived growth factor is frequently expressed in advanced prostate cancer (PC) lesions where it supports PC cell growth and neo-angiogenesis. Im. is a PDGF inhibitor tha...
Mine Drainage Generation and Control Options

This review provides a snapshot of papers published in 2015 relevant to the topic of mine drainage generation and control options. The review is broken into 3 sections: Generation, Prediction and Prevention, and Treatment Options. The first section, mine drainage generation, focuses on the characterization of mine drainage and the environmental impacts. As such, it is broken into three subsections focused on microbiological characterization, physiochemical characterization, and environmental impacts. The second section of the review is divided into two subsections focused on either the prediction or prevention of acid mine drainage. The final section focuses on treatment options for mine drainage and waste sludge. The third section contains subsections on passive treatment, biological treatment, physiochemical treatment, and a new subsection on beneficial uses for mine drainage and treatment wastes.
Improved Lithium Ionic Conductivity in Composite Polymer Electrolytes with Oxide-Ion Conducting Nanowires

Solid Li-ion electrolytes used in all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are being considered to replace conventional liquid electrolytes that have leakage, flammability, and poor chemical stability issues, which represents one major challenge and opportunity for next-generation high-energy-density batteries. However, the low mobility of lithium ions in solid electrolytes limits their practical applications. Here, we report a solid composite polymer electrolyte with Y2O3-doped ZrO2 (YSZ) nanowires that are enriched with positive-charged oxygen vacancies. The morphologies and ionic conductivities have been studied systemically according to concentration of Y2O3 dopant in the nanowires. In comparison to the conventional filler-free electrolyte with a conductivity of 3.62 × 10–7 S cm–1, the composite polymer electrolytes with the YSZ nanowires show much higher ionic conductivity. It indicates that incorporation of 7 mol % of Y2O3-doped ZrO2 nanowires results in the highest ionic conductivity of 1.07 × ...
Self-Control And Academic Performance In Engineering

Self-control has been related to positive student outcomes including academic performance of college students. Because of the critical nature of the first semester academic performance for engineering students in terms of retention and persistence in pursuing an engineering degree, this study investigated the relationship between freshmen engineering students’ scores on the Brief Self-Control Scale and first semester GPA. To identify the unique explanatory contribution of self-control beyond incoming academic performance differences, the effect of ACT Composite scores was statistically removed from the sample of three cohorts of freshmen engineering students (n=1295 total). The results showed the measure of self-control explained on average 4.2% of the residual variability in first semester GPA, after accounting for the variability explained by ACT scores. Based on results of this study, self-control predicted between 27%-42% as much of the variance in first semester GPA as did ACT scores, a much-used high stakes measure frequently used for decisions such as program admittance or mathematics course placement. Thus self-control is a nontrivial predictor of academic performance. Based on post hoc analysis, relevant self-control behaviors might manifest themselves in time and study management since there was a significant correlation between self-control scores and scores on the MSLQ time and study management measure. These results have implications for both how much of an impact positive self-control may have on freshmen engineering academic performance, while also offering potential avenues to support students in bolstering aspects of this personality trait through a focus on strengthening time and study management skills.
Seasonal variability of the inorganic carbon system in a large coastal plain estuary

Abstract. Carbonate geochemistry research in large estuarine systems is limited. More work is needed to understand how changes in land-use activity influence watershed export of organic and inorganic carbon, acids, and nutrients to the coastal ocean. To investigate the seasonal variation of the inorganic carbon system in the Delaware Estuary, one of the largest estuaries along the US east coast, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), total alkalinity (TA), and pH were measured along the estuary from June 2013 to April 2015. In addition, DIC, TA, and pH were periodically measured from March to October 2015 in the nontidal freshwater Delaware, Schuylkill, and Christina rivers over a range of discharge conditions. There were strong negative relationships between river TA and discharge, suggesting that changes in HCO3− concentrations reflect dilution of weathering products in the drainage basin. The ratio of DIC to TA, an understudied but important property, was high (1.11) during high discharge and low (0.94) during low discharge, reflecting additional DIC input in the form of carbon dioxide (CO2), most likely from terrestrial organic matter decomposition, rather than bicarbonate (HCO3−) inputs due to drainage basin weathering processes. This is also a result of CO2 loss to the atmosphere due to rapid water transit during the wet season. Our data further show that elevated DIC in the Schuylkill River is substantially different than that in the Delaware River. Thus, tributary contributions must be considered when attributing estuarine DIC sources to the internal carbon cycle versus external processes such as drainage basin mineralogy, weathering intensity, and discharge patterns. Long-term records in the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers indicate shifts toward higher alkalinity in estuarine waters over time, as has been found in other estuaries worldwide. Annual DIC input flux to the estuary and export flux to the coastal ocean are estimated to be 15.7 ± 8.2 × 109 mol C yr−1 and 16.5 ± 10.6 × 109 mol C yr−1, respectively, while net DIC production within the estuary including inputs from intertidal marshes is estimated to be 5.1 × 109 mol C yr−1. The small difference between riverine input and export flux suggests that, in the case of the Delaware Estuary and perhaps other large coastal systems with long freshwater residence times, the majority of the DIC produced in the estuary by biological processes is exchanged with the atmosphere rather than exported to the sea.
Unlocking Reactivity of TrpB: A General Biocatalytic Platform for Synthesis of Tryptophan Analogues

Derivatives of the amino acid tryptophan (Trp) serve as precursors for the chemical and biological synthesis of complex molecules with a wide range of biological properties. Trp analogues are also valuable as building blocks for medicinal chemistry and as tools for chemical biology. While the enantioselective synthesis of Trp analogues is often lengthy and requires the use of protecting groups, enzymes have the potential to synthesize such products in fewer steps and with the pristine chemo- and stereoselectivity that is a hallmark of biocatalysis. The enzyme TrpB is especially attractive because it can form Trp analogues directly from serine (Ser) and the corresponding indole analogue. However, many potentially useful substrates, including bulky or electron-deficient indoles, are poorly accepted. We have applied directed evolution to TrpB from Pyrococcus furiosus and Thermotoga maritima to generate a suite of catalysts for the synthesis of previously intractable Trp analogues. For the most challenging substrates, such as nitroindoles, the key to improving activity lay in the mutation of a universally conserved and mechanistically important residue, E104. The new catalysts express at high levels (>200 mg/L of Escherichia coli culture) and can be purified by heat treatment; they can operate up to 75 °C (where solubility is enhanced) and can synthesize enantiopure Trp analogues substituted at the 4-, 5-, 6-, and 7-positions, using Ser and readily available indole analogues as starting materials. Spectroscopic analysis shows that many of the activating mutations suppress the decomposition of the active electrophilic intermediate, an amino-acrylate, which aids in unlocking the synthetic potential of TrpB.
Sex Differences in Contraception Non-Use Among Urban Adolescents: Risk Factors for Unintended Pregnancy.

BACKGROUND Contraception non-use among sexually active adolescents is a major cause of unintended pregnancy (UP). METHODS In this cross-sectional study we sought to identify overall and sex-specific correlates of contraception non-use using the 2015 Philadelphia Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) (N = 9540). Multivariate regression models were used to examine mental health, sexual activity, substance use, and violence indicators on reported contraception non-use among sexually active youth. RESULTS Marijuana use among boys and girls was a statistically significant risk factor for contraception non-use. Availability of illegal drugs on school property in the past year was also significantly related to contraception non-use among boys. CONCLUSIONS These results may inform overall and sex-specific adolescent programs to promote consistent contraception use among urban youth within school-based communities.
VISCOELASTICITY OF SWOLLEN NETWORKS AS PROBED BY LIGHT INTENSITY FLUCTUATION SPECTROSCOPY

The intensity fluctuations in time of the scattered light as induced by the random thermal motions of the scattering entities provide information about the dynamics of the system. If one considers the network as composed of harmonically-bound particles, each oscillating independently about a mean position, the intensity autocorrelation function can be used for determining both the friction coefficients and the storage moduli of the swollen networks. Quantitative measurements were done on Polyacrylamide from which the equilibrium storage moduli deduced from light scattering were compared with those determined by unilateral compression measurements. Some of the data on poly(2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate) and Polyacrylamide were also analyzed according to a different theoretical model proposed by Tanaka et al. (1973) for comparison.
Weakly-Supervised Learning-Based Feature Localization for Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy Glioma Images

Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy (CLE) is novel handheld fluorescence imaging technology that has shown promise for rapid intraoperative diagnosis of brain tumor tissue. Currently CLE is capable of image display only and lacks an automatic system to aid the surgeon in diagnostically analyzing the images. The goal of this project was to develop a computer-aided diagnostic approach for CLE imaging of human glioma with feature localization function. Despite the tremendous progress in object detection and image segmentation methods in recent years, most of such methods require large annotated datasets for training. However, manual annotation of thousands of histopathology images by physicians is costly and time consuming. To overcome this problem, we constructed a Weakly-Supervised Learning (WSL)-based model for feature localization that trains on image-level annotations, and then localizes incidences of a class-of-interest in the test image. We developed a novel convolutional neural network for diagnostic features localization from CLE images by employing a novel multiscale activation map that is laterally inhibited and collaterally integrated. To validate our method, we compared the model output to the manual annotation performed by four neurosurgeons on test images. The model achieved 88% mean accuracy and 86% mean intersection over union on intermediate features and 87% mean accuracy and 88% mean intersection over union on restrictive fine features, while outperforming other state of the art methods tested. This system can improve accuracy and efficiency in characterization of CLE images of glioma tissue during surgery, and may augment intraoperative decision-making regarding the tumor margin and improve brain tumor resection.
Effects of Climate Variability on Snowmelt and Implications for Organic Matter in a High‐Elevation Lake

Author(s): Sadro, S; Sickman, JO; Melack, JM; Skeen, K | Abstract: Few coupled lake-watershed studies examine long-term effects of climate on the ecosystem function of lakes in a hydrological context. We use 32 years of hydrological and biogeochemical data from a high-elevation site in the Sierra Nevada of California to characterize variation in snowmelt in relation to climate variability and explore the impact on factors affecting phytoplankton biomass. The magnitude of accumulated winter snow, quantified through basinwide estimates of snow water equivalent (SWE), was the most important climate factor controlling variation in the timing and rate of spring snowmelt. Variations in SWE and snowmelt led to significant differences in lake flushing rate, water temperature, and nitrate concentrations across years. On average in dry years, snowmelt started 25ndays earlier and proceeded 7nmm/day slower, and the lake began the ice-free season with nitrate concentrations ~2nμM higher and water temperatures 9°C warmer than in wet years. Flushing rates in wet years were 2.5 times larger than those in dry years. Consequently, particulate organic matter concentrations, a proxy for phytoplankton biomass, were 5–6nμM higher in dry years. There was a temporal trend of increase in particulate organic matter across dry years that corresponded to lake warming independent of variation in SWE. These results suggest that phytoplankton biomass is increasing as a result of both interannual variability in precipitation and long-term warming trends. Our study underscores the need to account for local-scale catchment variability that may affect the accumulation of winter snowpack when predicting climate responses in lakes.
THE NATURE AND LOCATION OF CYANIDE AND ANTIMYCIN RESISTANT RESPIRATION IN HIGHER PLANTS

ABSTRACT The EPR-detectable electron transport components of higher plant mitochondria are described and incorporated into a general scheme of electron transport. The relations of the iron sulfur centers and ubisemiquinone to the alternative oxygen reducing step are examined. It is concluded that none of the iron sulfur centers are per se the “alternative oxidase” and that a pool of ubiquinone or an as yet optically- and EPR- invisible component which oxidizes this pool of ubiquinone is the oxygen-reducing agent.
COMPUTATIONAL PROBLEMS RELATED TO THE GALTON-WATSON PROCESS

SUMMARY An algorithm to compute the probability distributions of the successive generation sizes in a Galton-Watson process is presented. The distribution of the number of offspring of each individual is assumed to be of phase type. A probability distribution is of phase type if it can be identified as the distribution of the time till absorption in an absorbing finite Markov chain with appropriate initial conditions. A detailed analysis of the error due to truncation is given, as well as an application in a problem related to the M/G/1 queue.
Univariate Data Distributions

The first part of the chapter gives a quick review of the classical parametric families of probability distributions and the statistical estimation of their parameters. We also review nonparametric density estimation, but our interest in financial data and heavy tail distributions prompts us to focus on quantile comparison. We introduce Q-Q plots as the main graphical tool to detect the presence of heavy tails. Because random simulation will be used throughout the book, the last part of the chapter presents the basics of Monte Carlo computations.
A formal model for classical planning

In this paper, we describe a formal semantic model that applies to many "classical" planning systems. This gives a unifying framework in which to study diverse planners, and motivates formal logics that can be used to study their properties. As an example of the model's utility, we present a general truth criterion which tests for the necessary truth of a proposition at arbitrary points in the planning process.
Assessing the Relationships Among Performance Measures, Managerial Practices, and Satisfaction When Evaluating the Salesforce: A Replication and Extension

The performance appraisal practices used by industrial firms when evaluating members of the sales force are investigated. A formal model of the relationships among major aspects of the appraisal process is proposed and tested. Results are presented from a survey of 104 senior sales managers. Significant relationships are identified between what is being measured, how the appraisal is conducted, and managerial satisfaction. The findings also suggest that evaluation programs remain relatively unsophisticated and unsystematic in most firms.
EXACT RNG FOR DISORDERED DIFFUSIVE SYSTEMS AND FLUIDS

This contribution reports the results of applying an exact renormalization-group method to disordered systems and liquids. The method is based on discrete-time, discrete-space equations of motion on which space-coarsening (i.e. renormalization) and time-coarsening transformations can be exactly defined. The fixed points are computed exactly for both systems (Fick's law for disordered diffusion, and the Euler equation for fluids.) The equations of motion are parameterized in terms of bare transport coefficients by exponentiation of an infinitesimal-time generator, and exact eigenvectors and eigenvalues at the fixed point are computed. For a diffusive system the most relevant eigenvector is a nonlinear scattering interaction: the time correlation function has been computed to lowest order in this eigenvector and gives the amplitude of the nonanalytic long-time tail exactly. The same thing can be done for the fluid, in which the viscosity term (eigenvalue 2-1) is the most relevant eigenvector for dimension d>2, with the nonlinear convective term (eigenvalue 2-d/2) giving the long-time tail. For d<2, the nonlinear term is more relevant, destroying Navier-Stokes behavior.
Reply to "A Comment on Singularities in Quantum Cosmology"

We argue that the reasonings that underlie a recent comment by Gotay and Demaret [1, gr-qc/9605025] are defective. We maintain that, contrary to what they assert, our previous papers [2,3,4] are correct and indeed disprove their conjecture that quantum cosmological singularities are predetermined on the classical level by the choice of time.
Asymmetric Nafion-Coated Nanopore Electrode Arrays as Redox-Cycling-Based Electrochemical Diodes

Inspired by the functioning of cellular ion channels, pore-based structures with nanoscale openings have been fabricated and integrated into ionic circuits, for example, ionic diodes and transistors, for signal processing and detection. In these systems, the nonlinear current responses arise either because asymmetric nanopore geometries break the symmetry of the ion distribution, creating unequal surface charge across the nanopore, or by coupling unidirectional electron transfer within a nanopore electrode. Here we develop a high-performance redox-cycling-based electrochemical diode by coating an asymmetric ion-exchange membrane, that is, Nafion, on the top surface of a nanopore electrode array (Nafion@NEA), in which each pore in the array exhibits one or more annular electrodes. Nafion@NEAs exhibit highly sensitive and charge-selective electroanalytical measurements due to efficient redox-cycling reaction, the permselectivity of Nafion, and the strong confinement of redox species in the nanopore array. In addition, the top electrode of dual-electrode Nafion@NEAs can serve as a voltage-controlled switch to gate ion transport within the nanopore. Thus Nafion@NEAs can be operated as a diode by switching voltages applied to the top and bottom electrodes of the NEA, leading to a large rectification ratio, fast response times, and simplified circuitry without the need for external electrodes. By taking advantage of closely spaced and individually addressable electrodes, the redox-cycling electrochemical diode has the potential for application to large-scale production and electrochemically controlled circuit operations, which go well beyond conventional electronic diodes or transistors.
Giving Advice and Responding to it in a Spanish Discussion among Puerto Ricans

Although advice is considered in many languages as a face-threatening speech act; in Spanish it is often seen as a solidarity-building tool that shows closeness among the interlocutors. This study analyzes the advice sequences in a conversation between a Puerto Rican couple in order to identify the strategies, types of sentences, and reactions that took place during the verbal exchange. Results show evidence that -contrary to building solidarity among Spanish speakers- advice can also serve as a tool for questioning, criticizing, and demeaning the interlocutor.
Autonomous vehicles: An imperfect path to saving millions of lives

Autonomous vehicles will eventually save millions of lives, underscoring the importance of accelerating research, development, engineering, and testing.
Truth as an Ethical Principle

Truth is typically understood as the primary standard of news media organizations and of social media networks. Most codes of media ethics, including Al Jazeera’s, specify the reporters’ duty to tell the truth. Though interpreted in various ways, truthtelling has been centered on human rationality and empirical methods. In the traditional view, objective reporting is not only the goal of competent professionals, but neutrality is considered a moral imperative. The dominant scheme is increasingly controversial, and theoretical work in international media ethics contributes by finding a new pathway intellectually. A different concept of truth as authentic disclosure gives the idea of truth a global understanding. News, defined as disclosing the inside meaning, brings to light the underlying puzzles that enable audiences to work constructively on socio-political problems themselves. For research on Al Jazeera, the question is whether it practices what might be called interpretive sufficiency or in Geertz’s terms “thick description.” Interpretive sufficiency locates cultures in a non-hierarchical relationship to the moral dimension of human life. In this view, news is a form of knowledge production, in contrast with news as an information system. The intellectual history of truth in the Occident is accounted for, with the universal idea of aletheia providing the assessment of the Al Jazeera Media Network worldwide.
Social Integration and Knowledge Spillover Entrepreneurship

The knowledge spillover theory of entrepreneurship (KSTE) asserts that entrepreneurship is one potential mechanism that facilitates the spillover of knowledge, leading to economic growth. However, ...
Broadband Linear-to-Circular Polarization Conversion Enabled by Birefringent Off-Resonance Reflective Metasurfaces

Due to the scarcity of circular polarization light sources, linear-to-circular polarization conversion is required to generate circularly polarized light for a variety of applications. Despite significant past efforts, broadband linear-to-circular polarization conversion remains elusive particularly in the terahertz and midinfrared frequency ranges. Here we propose a novel mechanism based on coupled mode theory, and experimentally demonstrate at terahertz frequencies that highly efficient (power conversion efficiency approaching unity) and ultrabroadband (fractional bandwidth up to 80%) linear-to-circular polarization conversion can be accomplished by the judicious design of birefringent metasurfaces. The underlying mechanism operates in the frequency range between well separated resonances, and relies upon the phase response of these resonances away from the resonant frequencies, as well as the balance of the resonant and nonresonant channels. This mechanism is applicable for any operating frequencies from microwave to visible. The present Letter potentially opens a wide range of opportunities in wireless communications, spectroscopy, and emergent quantum materials research where circularly polarized light is desired.
Supervised classification for dynamic CoAP mode selection in real time wireless IoT networks

The Internet Engineering Task Force recommends the use of a group of well-defined protocols to support Internet of ThingsLow-Power Low-Rate Networks (LLNs). These mechanisms range from physical and media access layer technologies like IEEE 802.15.4 and Bluetooth Low Energy to session and application layer protocols like the Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP). Specifically, CoAP provides, by means of two different modes of operation, great flexibility to deal with the power requirements of wireless LLNs. One mode supports fire-and-forget packet transmission while the other, through retransmissions, guarantees delivery. The trade-off between these mechanisms is the exchange of high packet loss by high latency and increased power consumption. In this paper we introduce an algorithm that dynamically predicts these parameters, by means of supervised learning, based on network conditions that result from Maximum Likelihood Estimation. This prediction, in turns, can be used for on-the-fly CoAP mode selection that accomplishes quality goals.
Constructing a GDP‐based index for use as a benchmark

The gross domestic product [GDP] is a fundamental economic indicator that is frequently used as a benchmark for local equity indices. The widespread appeal of this association is understandable because an equity index, especially if broad, could, like the GDP, also manifest the state of the economy. At the same time, however, the validity of a direct relation between the two is debatable since the GDP is known to be characteristically different from the typical equity index, however broad. In this work, we review some of the key elements that separate the GDP from a typical broad equity index in order to explain why the two cannot be compared directly with each other. We then incorporate a readily available mapping technique to create a GDP-based index that circumvents their inherent disparities and, thus, enable us to benchmark one against the other.
Measures of financial burden for families dealing with serious illness: A systematic review and analysis:

Background:Many families coping with serious illness report experiencing financial burden, which negatively impacts coping and quality of life. Financial burden, however, is a complex construct tha...
Blood eosinophils, specific immunoglobulin E, and bronchiolitis severity.

Background Bronchiolitis is the leading cause of hospitalization for United States infants. Blood eosinophil and serum specific IgE (sIgE) levels are separately linked to clinical severity but few studies have examined these biomarkers together. Objective Among infants hospitalized for bronchiolitis, we investigated the association between (1) blood eosinophilia and severity, (2) sIgE sensitization and severity, and (3) interaction between the two biomarkers on severity. Methods We enrolled 1016 infants hospitalized for bronchiolitis between 2011 and 2014 across 17 U.S. hospitals into a prospective cohort study. Of those, 873 (86%) had eosinophils measured and all had sIgE levels from blood collected at hospitalization. We investigated higher bronchiolitis severity using intensive care therapy as the outcome (i.e., intensive care unit admission, intubation, and/or receipt of continuous positive pressure ventilation). Results Among 873 infants in the analytic cohort, 18% had blood eosinophilia of ≥3%, and 20% were positive for sIgE. With regard to bronchiolitis severity, 15% received intensive care therapy. In unadjusted analyses, eosinophils ≥3% was not associated with intensive care therapy, while sIgE was associated with a significantly higher risk (odds ratio [OR]: 1.44, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.08-1.92; p = .01). In a multivariable model for intensive care therapy, eosinophilia remained unassociated with severity, and sIgE remained associated (OR: 1.60, 95% CI: 1.05-2.45; p = .03). Also, sIgE did not modify the association between eosinophil level and intensive care therapy (pinteraction = .14). Conclusion Blood eosinophilia of ≥3% was not associated with bronchiolitis severity. By contrast, sIgE was independently associated with bronchiolitis severity and did not modify the association between eosinophil level and severity.
Impact of Comorbidities on Atrial Fibrillation and Sudden Cardiac Death in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND The impact of comorbid disease states on the development of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) remains unresolved. OBJECTIVE Evaluate the association of comorbidities linked to arrhythmias in other cardiovascular diseases (e.g., obesity, systemic hypertension, diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, renal disorders, tobacco and alcohol use) to atrial fibrillation (AF) and sudden cardiac death (SCD) events in a large cohort of HCM patients. METHODS 2269 patients, 54 ± 15 years of age, 1392 males, were evaluated at the Tufts HCM Institute between 2004 to 2018 and followed for an average of 4 ± 3 years for new-onset clinical AF and SCD events (appropriate defibrillation for ventricular tachyarrhythmias, resuscitated cardiac arrest, or SCD). RESULTS One or more comorbidity was present in 75% of HCM patients, including 50% with ≥ 2 comorbidities, most commonly obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2 ) in 43%. New-onset atrial fibrillation developed in 11% of our cohort (2.6%/year). On univariate analysis, obesity was associated with a 1.7-fold increased risk for AF (p=0.03) with 12% of obese patients developing AF (3.3%/year) as compared to 7% of patients with BMI 0.10 for each). SCD events occurred in 3.3% of patients (0.8%/year) and neither obesity nor other comorbidities were associated with increased risk for SCD (p > 0.10 for each). CONCLUSIONS In adult HCM patients comorbidities do not appear to impact AF or SCD risk. Therefore, for most patients with HCM adverse disease related events of AF and SCD appear to be primarily driven by underlying left ventricular and atrial myopathy as opposed to comorbidities. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
The Expansion Theorem for Hilbert Spaces of Analytic Functions

Some improvements are made in the spectral theory of transformations which are nearly selfadjoint. Consider a densely defined transformation T, with domain and range in a Hilbert space Open image in new window , such that the adjoint T* of T has the same domain as T and T — T* is (the restriction of) a completely continuous transformation. The existence of invariant subspaces is not known for (the resolvents of) T if no further hypothesis is made on T — T*. But if T — T* belongs to the class of completely continuous operators introduced by Macaev [1], then invariant subspaces exist which cleave the spectrum of the transformation. The hypotheses of the Brodskii expansion [2] are satisfied. A generalization of the Fourier transformation results when the expansion is formulated in terms of the nodal Hilbert spaces of analytic functions of a Livsic-Brodskii node [3].
Remarks at Memorial Service for the Honorable Morris E. Lasker, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York

Remarks at the Memorial Service for the Honorable Morris E. Lasker, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, July 9, 2010. Professor Robinson was law clerk to Judge Lasker from 1970-1972.
Selecting, Establishing, and Managing Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) for Biofuels

Switchgrass is being widely considered as a feedstock for biofuel production. Much remains to be learned about ideal feedstock characteristics, but switchgrass offers many advantages already and can perhaps be manipulated to offer more. When planning to grow switchgrass, select a cultivar that is well adapted to the location - generally a lowland cultivar for the southern United States and an upland cultivar at higher latitudes. Plant non-dormant seed after soils are well warmed, preferably with no-till methods and always with good weed control. Except for weeds, few pests appear to be widespread; but disease and insect pests could become more important as acreages increase. Fertilization requirements are relatively low, with 50 kg N/ha/year being a good "generic" recommendation where a single harvest is taken after plants have senesced; more will be needed if biomass is harvested while still green. Switchgrass should be harvested no more than twice per year and may generally be expected to produce 12 to >or=20 mg/ha/year across its usual range of distribution. A single harvest may provide for maximum sustainable yields - especially if the harvest is taken after tops die back at the end of the season. Several harvesting technologies are available, but the preferred technology may depend on logistics and economics associated with the local processing point, or biorefinery.
One XP experience: introducing agile (XP) software development into a culture that is willing but not ready

The main question to be asked is "Does Extreme Programming (XP) make sense as a development methodology in a diverse, multidisciplinary web development environment? This environment includes diverse, and perhaps, distributed teams requiring close coordination with multidisciplinary skills -- information architecture, visual design, XML, Java and others. The potential is to make the development process more responsive to users' needs and changing business requirements. This could have high impact on outcomes of the development process, decreasing cost, decreasing time to deployment, and increasing user satisfaction. The challenges are to adapt and reconcile the corporate and the agile culture processes and methodologies without seriously compromising either. We will discuss our experience from conception into implementation of XP through the first release that incorporates several iteration cycles. We will discuss the positive and negative forces and how they have or have not been resolved to date.
Drift Analysis of GATE Ship Surface Measurement Systems

An analysis scheme is developed to estimate drift or low frequency noise in ship measurement systems during GATE. The term “measurement system”. is used to encompass the collection of hand recorded...
Suppression of conformational heterogeneity at a protein-protein interface.

Staphylococcal protein A (SpA) is an important virulence factor from Staphylococcus aureus responsible for the bacterium’s evasion of the host immune system. SpA includes five small three-helix–bundle domains that can each bind with high affinity to many host proteins such as antibodies. The interaction between a SpA domain and the Fc fragment of IgG was partially elucidated previously in the crystal structure 1FC2. Although informative, the previous structure was not properly folded and left many substantial questions unanswered, such as a detailed description of the tertiary structure of SpA domains in complex with Fc and the structural changes that take place upon binding. Here we report the 2.3-A structure of a fully folded SpA domain in complex with Fc. Our structure indicates that there are extensive structural rearrangements necessary for binding Fc, including a general reduction in SpA conformational heterogeneity, freezing out of polyrotameric interfacial residues, and displacement of a SpA side chain by an Fc side chain in a molecular-recognition pocket. Such a loss of conformational heterogeneity upon formation of the protein–protein interface may occur when SpA binds its multiple binding partners. Suppression of conformational heterogeneity may be an important structural paradigm in functionally plastic proteins.
Early Responses to School Violence: A Qualitative Analysis of Students' and Parents' Immediate Reactions to the Shootings at Columbine High School

On April 20, 1999, two angry students attacked Columbine High School. The unprecedented murder/suicide resulted in 15 deaths, more than 20 injuries, and thousands of psychologically traumatized individuals. We present a qualitative analysis of interviews conducted two weeks after the incident with 4 Columbine High School students and 7 parents who were directly and indirectly affected. Findings highlight both similarities and variability in immediate emotional, cognitive, and social responses to the mass violence. Helpful and unhelpful support attempts are noted. Implications of the media's heavy involvement in sensational traumas are discussed, emphasizing important considerations for future research on the psychological effects of school violence.
Design of Mn porphyrins for treating oxidative stress injuries and their redox-based regulation of cellular transcriptional activities.

The most efficacious Mn(III) porphyrinic (MnPs) scavengers of reactive species have positive charges close to the Mn site, whereby they afford thermodynamic and electrostatic facilitation for the reaction with negatively charged species such as O 2 •− and ONOO−. Those are Mn(III) meso tetrakis(N-alkylpyridinium-2-yl)porphyrins, more specifically MnTE-2-PyP5+ (AEOL10113) and MnTnHex-2-PyP5+ (where alkyls are ethyl and n-hexyl, respectively), and their imidazolium analog, MnTDE-2-ImP5+ (AEOL10150, Mn(III) meso tetrakis(N,N′-diethylimidazolium-2-yl) porphyrin). The efficacy of MnPs in vivo is determined not only by the compound antioxidant potency, but also by its bioavailability. The former is greatly affected by the lipophilicity, size, structure, and overall shape of the compound. These porphyrins have the ability to both eliminate reactive oxygen species and impact the progression of oxidative stress-dependent signaling events. This will effectively lead to the regulation of redox-dependent transcription factors and the suppression of secondary inflammatory- and oxidative stress-mediated immune responses. We have reported on the inhibition of major transcription factors HIF-1α, AP-1, SP-1, and NF-κB by Mn porphyrins. While the prevailing mechanistic view of the suppression of transcription factors activation is via antioxidative action (presumably in cytosol), the pro-oxidative action of MnPs in suppressing NF-κB activation in nucleus has been substantiated. The magnitude of the effect is dependent upon the electrostatic (porphyrin charges) and thermodynamic factors (porphyrin redox ability). The pro-oxidative action of MnPs has been suggested to contribute at least in part to the in vitro anticancer action of MnTE-2-PyP5+ in the presence of ascorbate, and in vivo when combined with chemotherapy of lymphoma. Given the remarkable therapeutic potential of metalloporphyrins, future studies are warranted to further our understanding of in vivo action/s of Mn porphyrins, particularly with respect to their subcellular distribution.
Topics in Guided-Wave Propagation in Magnetized Ferrites

Contributions of various authors to the linear theory of propagation in magnetized ferrites are briefly reviewed. Modes of propagation are discussed for the cases where a static magnetic field is applied to a ferrite in directions parallel and perpendicular respectively to the direction of propagation of the microwave field. Various properties of propagation are described for waveguides of rectangular or circular cross section which are either partially or completely filled with ferrites. Emphasis is placed on those characteristics of propagation in ferrite media which are in contrast with those obtained in conventional media. Unusual types of mode "cutoffs" are described, as well as various nonreciprocal propagation properties resulting from the particular type of anisotropy which is present in a magnetized ferrite. The review closes with a brief discussion of some results obtained by perturbation methods.
Expanding self‐help group participation in culturally diverse urban areas: Media approaches to leveraging referent power

Accumulating research attests to the benefits of self-help groups for people who have various chronic health problems. Expansion of self-help group participation may enable a broader portion of society to experience these health benefits. The Media and Education for Self-Help (MESH) Project was an effort to increase interest in health-related self-help groups among middle- and lower-income people in two California urban areas with minority–majority populations. A diverse coalition of self-help group leaders designed English- and Spanish-language radio public service announcements and posters that were disseminated in Oakland and Los Angeles. The outcome measures in each urban area were self-help-group-related telephone inquiries to local information and referral agencies (English and Spanish language) and the number of individuals attending self-help groups at agencies hosting many groups. Telephone caller data were also gathered in a nonintervention control urban area (Sacramento). Los Angeles experienced an overall increase in telephone calls about self-help groups during the MESH intervention, whereas the control urban area had no change in the number of telephone calls over the same period. The initial sharp increase in self-help-group-related telephone calls was not sustained in Oakland, however. The number of Spanish-language calls about self-help groups increased 821% in Los Angeles and 149% in Oakland in the period from the 6 months that preceded the project through the first 6 months of the MESH Project. In the MESH Project urban areas, the number of visits to self-help groups was significantly higher in intervention months than in the same calendar months of the preceding year, particularly in Oakland, where the increase exceeded 300 visits to self-help groups per month. These intriguing findings are discussed in terms of their health policy and program evaluation implications. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comm Psychol 32: 413–424, 2004.
TED—a language for modeling telecommunication networks

TeD is a language designed mainly for modeling telecommunication networks. The TeD language specification is separated into two parts --- (1) a meta language (2) an external language. The meta language specification is concerned with the high-level description of the structural and behavioral interfaces of various network elements. The external language specification is concerned with the detailed low-level description of the implementation of the structure and behavior of the network elements. In this document, we present an introduction to the TeD language, along with a brief tutorial using an example model of a simple ATM multiplexer.
Design and synthesis of actinide specific chelators: Synthesis of new cyclam tetrahydroxamate (CYTROX) and cyclam tetraacetonylacetone (CYTAC) chelators

Abstract Molecular modeling shows that two new chelators, the cyclam tetrahydroxamate, 1, and the cyclam tetraacetonylacetone derivative, 2, have potential for the binding of plutonium (IV). The synthesis of these chelators has been achieved using short sequences from readily available cyclam. Both the details of the molecular modeling and the synthetic route to these molecules are described.