cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Twenty-Year Survivorship of Cementless Anatomic Graduated Component Total Knee Arthroplasty

There is a renewed interest in cementless total knee arthroplasty (TKA) due to improved biomaterials, desire for decreased surgical times and the potential increased longevity. Seventy-three cementless TKAs (AGC, Biomet, Warsaw, Ind) were performed from 1984 to 1986. All components were implanted without cement and without screws and obtained minimum 10 years of follow-up. No patient was lost to follow-up. Fifteen failures occurred, including 12 failed metal-backed patellae, and survivorship for aseptic loosening of any component was 76.4% at 20 years. Two tibial components failed of aseptic loosening at 1.1 and 2.2 years. Excluding patella failures, the survivorship for the cementless tibial component was 96.8% at 20 years. There were no femoral component failures. After eliminating patella failures, this cementless monoblock tibial component without screws demonstrated excellent 20-year survivorship.
MicroRNA Targeting of Neurotropic Flavivirus: Effective Control of Virus Escape and Reversion to Neurovirulent Phenotype

Neurotropic flaviviruses can efficiently replicate in the developing and mature central nervous systems (CNS) of mice causing lethal encephalitis. Insertion of a single copy of a target for brain-expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) in the 3′ noncoding region (3′NCR) of the flavivirus genome (chimeric tick-borne encephalitis virus/dengue virus) abolished virus neurovirulence in the mature mouse CNS. However, in the developing CNS of highly permissive suckling mice, the miRNA-targeted viruses can revert to a neurovirulent phenotype by accumulating deletions or mutations within the miRNA target sequence. Virus escape from miRNA-mediated suppression in the developing CNS was markedly diminished by increasing the number of miRNA target sites and by extending the distance between these sites in the virus genome. Insertion of multiple miRNA targets into the 3′NCR altered virus neuroinvasiveness, decreased neurovirulence and neuroinflammatory responses, and prevented neurodegeneration without loss of immunogenicity. Although the onset of encephalitis was delayed, a small number of suckling mice still succumbed to lethal intracerebral infection with the miRNA-targeted viruses. Sequence analysis of brain isolates from moribund mice revealed that the viruses escaped from miRNA-mediated suppression exclusively through the deletion of miRNA targets and viral genome sequence located between the two miRNA targets separated by the greatest distance. These findings offer a general strategy to control the reversion of virus to a virulent phenotype: a simultaneous miRNA targeting of the viral genome at many different functionally important regions could prevent virus escape from miRNA-based attenuation, since a deletion of the targeted genomic sequences located between the inserted miRNA binding sites would be lethal for the virus.
Hot filament assisted CVD of titanium nitride films

Titanium nitride thin films have been deposited using a novel Hot Filament Chemical Vapor Deposition (HFCVD) technique. In this technique, a resistively heated tungsten wire (~1700°C) is used to decompose ammonia to obtain highly reactive nitrogen precursor species. This approach allows for low temperature deposition of nitride thin films. In the past, we have used this method to deposit good quality silicon and aluminum nitride films. Titanium nitride thin films have been deposited on Si(100) at substrate temperatures from 500°C to 600°C. These films were characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction, Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) and scanning electron microscopy. The effects of deposition pressure, substrate temperature and titanium chloride flow rate on film properties have been studied. TiN films with resistivities as low as 80.0 μΩ-cm have been deposited. RBS analysis indicates that the films serve as excellent diffusion barriers for copper and aluminum metallization on silicon.
Broadband Albedo Observations in the Southern Great Plains

Abstract Time series of daily broadband surface albedo for 1998 and 1999 have been analyzed from six locations in the network of 22 Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program Solar–Infrared Radiation Stations distributed from central Kansas to central Oklahoma. Two of the stations are in Kansas, and four are in Oklahoma; together they reasonably encompass the variation in geography in the southern Great Plains. Daily precipitation totals locally measured or obtained from nearby Oklahoma Mesonet stations and time series of biweekly maximum normalized difference vegetation index obtained from NOAA’s Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer were used to determine linkages between surface albedo and amount of precipitation and degree of green vegetation. As part of this determination, daily albedo was categorized according to sky condition, that is, clear, partly cloudy, or overcast, with appropriate boundaries for each category. The more notable results are the following: 1) 2-yr mean annual albedos varied by...
Dynamic Constraint-based Optimal Shape Trajectory Planner for Shape-Accelerated Underactuated Balancing Systems

This paper presents an optimal shape trajectory planner for shape-accelerated underactuated balancing systems, which are destabilized by gravitational forces. These systems have unactuated shape variables and fully actuated external variables. They also have the same number of actuated and unactuated degrees of freedom. Their equations of motion result in nonholonomic acceleration/dynamic constraints, which relate the acceleration of external variables to the position, velocity and acceleration of shape variables. This paper describes a procedure to use the dynamic constraints for planning shape trajectories, which when tracked will result in optimal tracking of desired external configuration trajectories. Examples of planned optima l shape trajectories for the 3D ballbot system, which is a 3D omnidirectional wheeled inverted pendulum, are also presented.
A novel minimal residual disease model of neuroblastoma in mice.

Abstract Introduction Patients with high-risk neuroblastoma rarely succumb to their primary tumor but rather from relapsed metastatic disease after surgery. We, therefore, sought to create an in vivo model of minimal residual disease (MRD), which clinically replicates tumor recurrence and metastasis after surgical resection. Methods Neuroblastoma cell lines CHLA-255, CHLA-136, and SH-SY5Y were used. After establishing orthotopic xenografts, mice were divided into control tumor group (sham operation at 14 days) and tumor resection group (resection at 14 days). Mice were monitored by bioluminescent imaging and sacrificed when institutional criteria for euthanasia were met. Results In the CHLA-255 and CHLA-136 cell lines, mice experienced significantly longer survival following tumor resection (p Conclusion In this study, we describe a novel neuroblastoma model of MRD in mice. This MRD model serves as an innovative means to test preclinical therapies as well as elucidate mechanisms of metastatic disease in experimental neuroblastoma.
Modification of an Impregnation Technique for Use With Glycol Methacrylate

Silver impregnation techniques for use in paraffin-embedded tissue sections, such as the recently developed Jamarri silver technique of Murdock and Fratkin, are useful for identifying abnormalities of neuritic processes in a variety of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. However, glycol methacrylate has been used increasingly as a substitute for paraffin in tissue embedding, because it results in less tissue distortion during processing and provides greater clarity and resolution of cellular architecture and structural details (particularly where quantitation of the histopathologic changes is necessary). We have been able to modify the J amarri silver technique for use in glycol methacrylate-embedded brain sections. The use of this modification willpermit more accurate quantitation of the histopathologic changes in neurodegenerative diseases.
Lymphatic Contribution to the Cellular Niche in Heterotopic Ossification.

Objective The objective of this study was to determine the contribution of lymphatic tissue to heterotopic ossification.
Persistent right aortic arch with an aberrant left subclavian artery, Kommerell’s diverticulum and bicarotid trunk in a 3-year-old cat:

Case summaryA 3-year-old male, neutered, domestic shorthair cat with a history of chronic regurgitation since being obtained as a kitten was presented for weight loss and regurgitation of all ingested food. The cat was in poor body condition and had a firm swelling in the ventral neck at the time of presentation. Thoracic radiographs showed severe dilation of the entire cervical and cranial intrathoracic esophagus to the level of the heart base. Computed tomographic angiography (CTA) showed a persistent right aortic arch with an aberrant left subclavian artery and severe dilation of the cervical and intrathoracic esophagus cranial to the heart base. CTA also showed a bicarotid trunk and Kommerell’s diverticulum to be present, which are rare vascular structures in the cat. Esophagoscopy showed esophageal dilation and multiple compact trichobezoars obstructing the esophagus. Removal of the obstructing trichobezoars resulted in resolution of clinical signs, and the cat was able to drink water and eat a canne...
Impact of Fungal Epizootics on the Biology and Management of the Twospotted Spider Mite (Acari: Tetranychidae) in Soybean

A pathogenic fungus ( Neozygites sp.) caused dramatic reductions in spider mite populations in artificially infested soybean plots in both 1987 and 1988. Buildup of the pathogen occurred for approximately two weeks, with the most devastating epizootic infecting 100% of living mites sampled and reducing mite intensity up to 95% over a six-day period. Fungal activity was very dependent upon environmental conditions, with spread of the disease occurring only during sustained cool and humid weather. Thick-walled resting (overwintering) spores were found in 7.8% of all mites sampled late in 1988. This is the first study in the Midwest to show that Neozygites sp. can overwinter away from its host. The impact of fungal epizootics on spider mite management is also discussed.
The diet of black bears tracks the human footprint across a rapidly developing landscape

Abstract Food subsidies have become a widely available and predictable resource in human-modified landscapes for many vertebrate species. Such resources can alter individual foraging behavior of animals, and induce population-wide changes. Yet, little consensus exists about the relative influence of the availabilities of native and human food subsidies to wildlife foraging throughout altered landscapes. We explored this unresolved question by analyzing the effects of landscape factors on American black bear ( Ursus americanus ) diet across the state of Colorado, USA. We estimated assimilated diet using stable isotope analysis of harvested black bear tissues to determine the contribution of human-derived foods to bear diets throughout Colorado, as well as how increasing reliance on human-derived food subsidies increases the risk of conflict. We found that bears ( n = 296) showed strong regional diet variability, but substantial use of human-derived food subsidies in eastern Colorado (> 30% assimilated diet). The age-sex class of the bear and housing density of its harvest location were the most influential predictors of 13 C enrichment (a tracer of human food subsidies). Furthermore, foraging on subsidies increased risk of conflict; the odds of being a nuisance bear increased by 60% for each ~ 1‰ increase in δ 13 C. Our study confirms the efficacy of δ 13 C as a proxy for human activity, and indicates that while demographic differences play a clear role in the foraging ecology of bears, availability of subsidies coincident with varying levels of human activity appears to be a major driver in predicting black bear diet throughout the western United States.
Precision in donor selection: Identifying ideal stem-cell donors through their T cells.

HLA-identical siblings have always been considered ideal donors for allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) in the treatment of hematologic cancers. Recent data suggest that we should rethink this paradigm. In "High Graft CD8+ Cell Dose Predicts Improved Survival and Enables Better Donor Selection in Allogeneic Stem-Cell Transplantation With Reduced-Intensity Conditioning," we identified a group of stem-cell donors whose grafts contain an optimal composition of T-cells, leading to a dramatic decrease in disease relapse risk and an improvement in overall survival following allo-HSCT. To demonstrate this, we analyzed the outcomes of 200 patients with hematologic malignancies who underwent allo-HSCT after reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC). The analysis focused on T-cell content of peripheral blood stem-cell grafts. We found that higher graft CD8+ T-cell dose (CD8hi), a trait found only in grafts collected from young donors, was associated with improved survival due to a reduction in the risk for cancer relapse without a significant increase in graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Though not all young donors mobilized CD8hi grafts, we found that a low CD4:CD8 ratio in the peripheral blood could identify these ideal donors prior to transplant. The likelihood of finding CD8hi donors correlated inversely with age, and elderly RIC transplant recipients had a low chance of receiving an ideal graft from their similarly aged siblings. Here, we examine these findings and their implications on choosing donors according to age and relatedness. We also explore biological mechanisms that determine the CD4:CD8 ratio in healthy donors.
Composition dependence of the elastic constants of β-phase and (α + β)-phase PdHx

Abstract We have measured the composition and temperature dependence of the shear moduli C′ and C44 for two-phase (α + β)- and single-phase β-PdHx. In the two-phase region, the α- and β-phases are coherent. Here, the composition dependence of C44 and C′ deviate negatively from a Vegard-type volume average. We attribute the deviations to two effects: (1) the partly in-series arrangement of the precipitate and matrix phases, relative to the externally applied stress, and (2) thermally activated anelastic relaxations involving the rapid motion of H interstitial atoms, leading to slight changes in the shape of coherent precipitates. The first effect is present for both C′ and C44 and is temperature-independent, whereas the second is present only for C′ and is strongly temperature-dependent.
The Şekerhane Köşkü at Selinus (Cilicia): The Temple of the Deified Trajan

In 117 CE the emperor Trajan died at Selinus (modern Gazipasa, Turkey) while returning to Italy from the East. A building preserved among the ruins of the ancient city has been historically labeled as a cenotaph associated with the emperor’s death in the city. This structure has been identified as temple-like by the recent excavators, but continues to be called a cenotaph. This paper addresses the notion of this identification as a body-less mausoleum, and suggests that the structure served not only as a cult temple to the Deified Trajan, but also may mark the location of the ustrinum for Trajan’s funerary pyre. DOI:10.2458/azu_jaei_v10i1_hoff
Wealth and Secular Stagnation: The Role of Industrial Organization and Intellectual Property Rights

Changes in firm strategy and structure partially explain the sources and consequences of rising wealth inequality in America. Combining use of state-created monopolies around intellectual property rights (IPRs) for profitability and firm-level strategies to transform their industrial organization by pushing physical capital and noncore labor outside the boundaries of the firm leads to rising levels of wealth and income inequality among firms as well as individuals. Income inequality among firms in turn reduces growth in productive investment and thus in aggregate demand. Slower growth reflexively deters firms from new investment, aggravating the shortfall in aggregate demand. Decreased protection for IPRs and increased protection for subcontracted workers would help increase aggregate demand and thus push growth back to its prior level, as well as reducing wealth and income inequality among individuals.
An Exploratory Research on Virtual Reality and How it Affects Future of Shopping and Immerging Fields

As we move towards future the advancement in technology and its methodologies are taking place more frequently than imagined. In every single stream the changes are vivid prominent, whether it be Computers, Genetic engineering or Nano technology. On this run we have generated the whole new dimension of technology know as virtual reality or (VR), this investigation is focused on its related field and the impact that virtual reality persist over the future of fast growing technologies specifically on augmented reality and shopping.
Direct expression of active human tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases by periplasmic secretion in Escherichia coli.

As regulators of multifunctional metalloproteinases including MMP, ADAM and ADAMTS families, tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) play a pivotal role in extracellular matrix remodeling, which is involved in a wide variety of physiological processes. Since abnormal metalloproteinase activities are related to numerous diseases such as arthritis, cancer, atherosclerosis, and neurological disorders, TIMPs and their engineered mutants hold therapeutic potential and thus have been extensively studied. Traditional productions of functional TIMPs and their N-terminal inhibitory domains (N-TIMPs) rely on costly and time-consuming insect and mammalian cell systems, or tedious and inefficient refolding from denatured inclusion bodies. The later process is also associated with heterogeneous products and batch-to-batch variation. In this study, we developed a simple approach to directly produce high yields of active TIMPs in the periplasmic space of Escherichia coli without refolding. Facilitated by disulfide isomerase (DsbC) co-expression in protease-deficient strain BL21 (DE3), N-TIMP-1/-2 and TIMP-2 which contain multiple disulfide bonds were produced without unwanted truncations. 0.2–1.4 mg purified monomeric TIMPs were typically yielded per liter of culture media. Periplasmically produced TIMPs exhibited expected inhibition potencies towards MMP-1/2/7/14, and were functional in competitive ELISA to elucidate the binding epitopes of MMP specific antibodies. In addition, prepared N-TIMPs were fully active in a cellular context, i.e. regulating cancer cell morphology and migration in 2D and 3D bioassays. Periplasmic expression in E. coli is an excellent strategy to recombinantly produce active TIMPs and N-TIMPs.
Resetting the bar for graduate admissions.

The In Depth News story “Drop in foreign applicants worries engineering schools” (17 February, J. Mervis, p. [676][1]) raised concerns for me about our current graduate programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. According to the News story, university administrators worry
Highly efficient cellular cloning using Ferro-core Micropallet Arrays.

Advancing knowledge of biological mechanisms has come to depend upon genetic manipulation of cells and organisms, relying upon cellular cloning methods that remain unchanged for decades, are labor and time intensive, often taking many months to come to fruition. Thus, there is a pressing need for more efficient processes. We have adapted a newly developed micropallet array platform, termed the “ferro-core micropallet array”, to dramatically improve and accelerate the process of isolating clonal populations of adherent cells from heterogeneous mixtures retaining the flexibility of employing a wide range of cytometric parameters for identifying colonies and cells of interest. Using transfected (retroviral oncogene or fluorescent reporter construct) rat 208 F cells, we demonstrated the capacity to isolate and expand pure populations of genetically manipulated cells via laser release and magnetic recovery of single micropallets carrying adherent microcolonies derived from single cells. This platform can be broadly applied to biological research, across the spectrum of molecular biology to cellular biology, involving fields such as cancer, developmental, and stem cell biology. The ferro-core micropallet array platform provides significant advantages over alternative sorting and cloning methods by eliminating the necessity for repetitive purification steps and increasing throughput by dramatically shortening the time to obtain clonally expanded cell colonies.
Multisite Nonprofit Organizations

Though many nonprofit organizations have multiple sites, the research on this type of organization has been minimal (Cornforth, 2012; Young & Faulk, 2010). This study looks at the current literatur...
Land Modification for Efficient Use of Water

For any water management practice to function efficiently, the surface of the land must be properly prepared. The following methods are considered: land grading for surface drainage in the higher rainfall areas; land leveling for irrigation in the West; contour benching to control erosion from rainfall and give efficient irrigation in the Midwest; soil swapping in western alluvial valleys; deep plowing to eliminate slick spots and increase water penetration in Idaho; water leveling of ricelands in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas, which reduces water requirements by one-third; parallel terracing in the Midwest and South to conserve rainfall and stop erosion; and dry-land leveling in low rainfall areas to eliminate runoff and increase crop yields. Cuts exposing soils of different textures seem to be the major hazard encountered in this work. The engineer and the soil scientist should work as a team to establish design criteria.
Risk of hysterectomy and salpingectomy or oophorectomy compared to repair after pelvic gynecologic trauma.

Pelvic gynecologic trauma (PGT) includes injury to the uterus, ovaries or fallopian tubes. We hypothesized Injury Severity Score (ISS) ≥ 25, hypotension on admission and age ≥ 51 (average age for menopause) would be independent risk factors for resection compared to repair. A retrospective analysis of the National Trauma Data Bank was performed between 2007 and 2015. Of 2,040,235 female patients, 1938 (< 0.1%) presented with PGT with the majority sustaining injury to the ovary or fallopian tubes (52.9%). Most patients were managed nonoperatively (77.1 vs 22.9%). On multivariable analysis, in patients with injury to the uterus, ISS ≥ 25 (OR 3.52, CI 1.67–7.48, p < 0.05) was associated with higher risk for hysterectomy compared to repair. In patients with injury to the ovaries or fallopian tubes, gunshot wound (OR 3.73, CI 1.43–9.68, p < 0.05) was associated with a higher risk for salpingectomy or oophorectomy compared to repair. Age ≥ 51 and hypotension on admission were not independent risk factors for resection in patients with PGT. Operative treatment was associated with a lower risk for mortality in patients with an injury to the uterus (OR 0.27, CI 0.14–0.51, p < 0.001) or ovaries/fallopian tubes (OR 0.37, CI 0.19–0.72, p < 0.001) compared to those managed nonoperatively. In the largest study reported, PGT occurred in < 0.1% of traumas involving women. Patients with ISS ≥ 25 have higher risk for hysterectomy compared to repair. Gunshot injuries have higher risk for salpingectomy or oophorectomy compared to repair. Hypotension on arrival or age ≥ 51 are not independent risk factors for resection in PGT. Operative management is associated with lower risk of mortality in PGT patients.
Abstract 686: Notch Activation Increases Following Injury In The Adult Heart

The adult heart has a limited regenerative capacity. Intense interest has focused on the definition of factors or signaling pathways that promote myocardial repair and regeneration. To identify and decipher the pathways that direct the proliferation and differentiation of cardiac progenitor cells in the adult mouse heart, an in vitro culture system was utilized. Using a Notch indicator transgenic mouse and flow cytometry, we isolated a population of CD31 − /CD45 − cells with activated Notch that increases following cryoinjury. Using genome wide transcriptome analysis to compare these cells isolated from an uninjured animal versus cells isolated day 5 post cryoinjury we observed a pronouced induction of cardiac specific genes. The CD31 − /CD45 − cells with activated Notch isolated from an uninjured adult mouse are highly proliferative in culture and appear to be immortalized. They spontaneously differentiate into fibroblasts, myofibroblasts and smooth muscle cells as determined by immunohistochemisty. These cells also exhibit cardiac specific markers following chemically induced differentiation. These results identify a population of cells that have the potential to regenerate an injured mouse heart, thus highlighting the possible utility of perturbations within the Notch pathway to regulate proliferation and differentiation in the adult mouse heart.
A monoclonal antibody-defined membrane antigen complex is required for neutrophil-neutrophil aggregation

We examined the aggregation responses of normal neutrophils treated with the murine monoclonal antibody (MoAb) 60.3. Addition of MoAb 60.3 to normal neutrophils produced dose-dependent inhibition of neutrophil aggregation in response to phorbol myristate acetate, zymosan-activated plasma, and N-formyl-methionylleucylphenylalanine. We conclude that the membrane glycoprotein complex recognized by MoAb 60.3--designated CDw18- -is required for neutrophil-neutrophil aggregation in vitro.
Transitions between normal intraventricular conduction, bundle branch block, and ventricular tachycardia

Abstract Electrocardiographic observations on a patient with myocardial infarction and severe cardiac decompensation revealed transitions between normal intraventricular conduction, bundle branch block, and ventricular tachycardia. The terminal cardiac mechanism was progressive slowing of the ventricular rate and ventricular standstill.
The Biological Roles of MicroRNAs in Cancer Stem Cells

The concept of cancer stem cells (CSCs) has great clinical implications because small sub-populations of CSCs have been identified in many different tumors that are associated with poor clinical outcome. Sufficient evidence supports central functions of CSCs in tumorigenesis, due to its distinct high potentials of self-renewal, pluripotent differentiation and apoptosis-resistance, contributing to tumor aggressiveness. Therefore, inhibiting/eliminating CSCs will provide a new effective therapeutic approach for the treatment of aggressive tumors. However, the mechanistic roles of CSCs in tumorigenesis are not well understood. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been discovered to act as key regulators of gene expression in tumorigenesis. Aberrant expression of miRNAs has been discovered to be related to worse clinical outcome of many different tumors. Evidence shows that these tumor-related miRNAs have key functions in the regulation of cell cycle/proliferation, migration/invasion, chemo-radiation resistance, and metastasis. Moreover, miRNAs may also exert important functions in modulating CSC characteristics; however, its detailed mechanism(s) has not been fully elucidated. Here, we will summarize the potential role of CSC-related miRNAs in CSC function, and will further define the role of genistein in targeting these CSC-related miRNAs.
STATE OF AGGREGATION OF MEMBRANE PROTEINS

ABSTRACT Rhodopsin from bovine retinal rods, bacteriorhodopsin from Halobacterium halobium and the calcium-stimulated ATPase from rabbit muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum can be obtained in soluble form in suitable non-denaturing detergents without loss of their native functional or strucutral properties, to the extent that they can be determined. Different detergents, even if closely related, are not equally effective, and results in several detergents have to be compared before one can come to confident conclusions about the state of association in the native membrane. Our studies so far show that bacteriorhodopsin and probably Ca++-ATPase are functionally stable as monomers, which does not imply that they have to be monomers in the native membrane, and bacteriorhodopsin is obviously not, since its native state is crystalline. Rhodopsin is in an oligomeric (probably tetrameric) state in the only detergent studied so far in which bleaching is reversible.
Predicting the future with multi-scale successor representations

Abstract The successor representation (SR) is a candidate principle for generalization in reinforcement learning, computational accounts of memory, and the structure of neural representations in the hippocampus. Given a sequence of states, the SR learns a predictive representation for every given state that encodes how often, on average, each upcoming state is expected to be visited, even if it is multiple steps ahead. A discount or scale parameter determines how many steps into the future SR’s generalizations reach, enabling rapid value computation, subgoal discovery, and flexible decision-making in large trees. However, SR with a single scale could discard information for predicting both the sequential order of and the distance between states, which are common problems in navigation for animals and artificial agents. Here we propose a solution: an ensemble of SRs with multiple scales. We show that the derivative of multi-scale SR can reconstruct both the sequence of expected future states and estimate distance to goal. This derivative can be computed linearly: we show that a multi-scale SR ensemble is the Laplace transform of future states, and the inverse of this Laplace transform is a biologically plausible linear estimation of the derivative. Multi-scale SR and its derivative could lead to a common principle for how the medial temporal lobe supports both map-based and vector-based navigation.
Microstructural and micro-mechanical characterization during hydrogen charging: An in situ scanning electron microscopy study

Abstract Despite the tremendous industrial and scientific interest, hydrogen storage and embrittlement studies still suffer from experimental difficulties in studying diffusible hydrogen effects. As a consequence of the small size and high diffusivity of hydrogen atoms, it is challenging to detect and confirm hydrogen presence in material volumes, let alone investigate corresponding effects on microstructure or damage evolution. To address this need, we developed a novel in situ hydrogen-charging setup which can be applied to high vacuum-based systems such as scanning electron microscopes, to enable high-resolution microstructural analysis during electrochemical hydrogen permeation. In this setup, a hydrogen source is isolated from the objective sample surface in order to avoid the contamination problems from the source and enable analyses of the clean surface during hydrogen charging. Moreover, simultaneous microstructural observation and mechanical testing can be performed during hydrogen charging, by using the developed setup with a miniaturized mechanical tester compatible with high vacuum systems. Here, we demonstrate the capabilities of this experimental approach by carrying out three separate investigations on a duplex stainless steel, a α/β titanium alloy and a ferritic stainless steel. These case studies reveal interesting insights regarding hydrogen effects in these materials.
Do cockroaches ‘know’ about fluid dynamics?

Animals use their senses to extract information from the world around them, so they need to be able to gauge the physical properties of their environment in order to build up an accurate perception of it. For example, a bat needs to ‘know’ the velocity of sound to estimate how far away an object is, although input to a sensory system may often exploit more complicated properties than this. Here we measure the response by the wind-sensing system of the American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) to a complex hydrodynamic flow. We find that the insect's interneurons relay crucial information about the wind's spectral properties, which may warn it of approaching predators.
L’hymne national du Cameroun: un chant patriotique sans ancrage géo-identitaire

This paper questions the relationship between identity and space in Cameroon’s national anthem entitled: O Cameroon, Thou Cradle of our Fathers. This “song-poem” was composed in 1928 by the francop...
Decreased rate of cytolysis of Colpidium striatum by cystic fibrosis serum. I. Bioassay and evidence for the possible involvement of a C/F factor--IgG complex.

Abstract Treatment of the protozoan ciliate Colpidium striatum with whole serum from cystic fibrosis (C/F) patients, their parents (obligate heterozygote carriers), and normal controls uniformly caused complete cytolysis of the protozoa. At a 1:10 dilution of serum, a distinct decrease in the rate of cytolysis was found for 16 out of 19 cystic fibrosis patients, and 12 out of 16 heterozygote samples. An investigation into the cause of the decreased cytolytic rate indicated that a serum component associated with the IgG fraction from homozygote and heterozygote serum was responsible for the decreased rate.
Mitochondrial Homeostasis in AML and Gasping for Response in Resistance to BCL2 Blockade

Understanding resistance to BCL2 inhibition is a critical scientific and clinical challenge. In this issue of Cancer Discovery, two laboratories use unbiased approaches of large loss-of-function CRISPR/Cas 9 screens to discover targetable liabilities in cell signaling and metabolism to acute myeloid leukemia resistant to BCL2 inhibition.See related article by Chen et al., p. 890.See related article by Nechiporuk et al., p. 910.
Does Ras Activate Raf and PI3K Allosterically

The mechanism through which oncogenic Ras activates its effectors is vastly important to resolve. If allostery is at play, then targeting allosteric pathways could help in quelling activation of MAPK (Raf/MEK/ERK) and PI3K (PI3K/Akt/mTOR) cell proliferation pathways. On the face of it, allosteric activation is reasonable: Ras binding perturbs the conformational ensembles of its effectors. Here, however, we suggest that at least for Raf, PI3K, and NORE1A (RASSF5), that is unlikely. Raf's long disordered linker dampens effective allosteric activation. Instead, we suggest that the high-affinity Ras-Raf binding relieves Raf's autoinhibition, shifting Raf's ensemble from the inactive to the nanocluster-mediated dimerized active state, as Ras also does for NORE1A. PI3K is recruited and allosterically activated by RTK (e.g., EGFR) at the membrane. Ras restrains PI3K's distribution and active site orientation. It stabilizes and facilitates PIP2 binding at the active site and increases the PI3K residence time at the membrane. Thus, RTKs allosterically activate PI3Kα; however, merging their action with Ras accomplishes full activation. Here we review their activation mechanisms in this light and draw attention to implications for their pharmacology.
Rat Models of Alcohol Use Disorder

Abstract Alcohol use disorder (AUD) imposes a great burden on public health. Rat models of AUD have been critical for our understanding of the physiological effects of alcohol, including its reinforcing and motivational effects that are central to AUD. Rat models have contributed substantially to the development of currently available medications for the treatment of AUD and are important for the development of better strategies for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Rats provide a model organism for studying alcohol's physiological effects on the nervous system and allow behavioral studies of various aspects of AUD. In this chapter, we describe data that were collected following experimenter-administered alcohol to discuss the effects of alcohol in the rat. We review various currently available rat models for AUD research. These models include nonoperant approaches, such as conditioned place preference and homecage drinking. Operant models of alcohol self-administration, the motivation to self-administer, and punishment-resistant self-administration are also discussed. The chapter further covers methods for inducing alcohol dependence and methods for assessing relapse-like behavior.
Tourism in protected areas: worsening prospects for tigers?

Against the backdrop of the increasing popularity of ecotourism and the dramatic loss of tigers due to lack of funding, mismanagement, population and development pressures as well as poaching, this article finds that the present policies benefit neither conservation nor local communities. It is only by integrating ecotourism into a broader array of sustainable livelihoods, will local communities be more inclined to support conservation efforts. T ourism in India’s wide network of protected areas (PAs) has a long history, but concerns about its na­ ture are relatively recent. In recent dec­ ades, while the popularity of “ecotourism” has skyrocketed, the concept remains poorly understood and much abused, par­ ticularly in India. Scholars of ecotourism have identified at least four principles that must be satisfied for genuine ecotourism: minimisation of environmental impacts, generation of funds for conservation, ben­ efits to local communities, and education of visitors (Honey 1999). However, even a cursory examination of wildlife tourism in PAs of India demonstrates that few of these conditions are met, with the result that such tourism benefits neither conservation nor local communities. Concerns about the shortcomings of
Leadership, Staff Empowerment, and the Retention of Nursing Assistants: Findings From a Survey of U.S. Nursing Homes

Abstract Objectives We examined the relationship between nursing assistant (NA) retention and a measure capturing nursing home leadership and staff empowerment. Design Cross-sectional study using nationally representative survey data. Setting and Participants Data from the Nursing Home Culture Change 2016-2017 Survey with nursing home administrator respondents (N = 1386) were merged with facility-level indicators. Methods The leadership and staff empowerment practice score is an index derived from responses to 23 survey items and categorized as low, medium, and high. Multinomial logistic regression weighted for sample design and to address culture-change selection bias identified factors associated with 4 categories of 1-year NA retention: 0% to 50%, 51% to 75%, 76% to 90%, and 91% to 100%. Results In an adjusted model, greater leadership and staff empowerment levels were consistently associated with high (76%-90% and 91%-100%) relative to low (0%-50%) NA retention. Occupancy rate, chain status, licensed practical nurse and certified nursing assistant hours per day per resident, nursing home administrator turnover, and the presence of a union were also significantly associated with higher categories of retention (vs low retention). Conclusions and Implications Modifiable leadership and staff empowerment practices are associated with NA retention. Associations are most significant when examining the highest practice scores and retention categories. Nursing homes seeking to improve NA retention might look to leadership and staff empowerment practice changes common to culture change.
Thorium-uranium fission radiography II

Abstract The high energy secondary neutron flux produced by 500–650 MeV protons at the beam stop of the Los Alamos Meson Physics Facility (LAMPF) is evaluated for use in measuring the micro distribution of thorium in geologic materials, e.g. in individual mineral grains, ⪆50 μ m in size. The relative Th/U fission rate is found to be 0.5 with a Th track production rate of 1.2×104 tracks/cm2·ppm·mAh. The background of long interaction tracks (⩽10 μm) limits the sensitivity of this method to samples of 3–5 ppm Th. We find a similar background of long interaction tracks in a LAMPF proton irradiation.
Research Note: Evaluating the roles of surface sanitation and feed sequencing on mitigating Salmonella Enteritidis contamination on animal food manufacturing equipment.

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of flushing surfaces with untreated feed vs. the use of two different dry chemical sanitizers on residual surface and feed Salmonella Enteritidis contamination. First, a Salmonella-negative batch of poultry feed was mixed in 9 laboratory-scale paddle mixers. A feed sample was collected, and targeted locations on surfaces within the mixer were swabbed to confirm Salmonella-negative. Next, a Salmonella-positive batch of poultry feed was mixed, sampled, and mixer surfaces swabbed. Mean Salmonella Enteritidis contamination across all 9 mixers were 3.63 CFU/g for sampled feed and 1.27 CFU/cm2 for surface contamination. Next, the mixers manufactured one of the following treatments (3 mixers/treatment): 1) none (control); 2) a commercially-available essential oil blend; or 3) rice hulls treated with a 10% concentration of a propriety blend of medium chain fatty acids (MCFA). After each treatment, each mixer manufactured another 2 batches of Salmonella-free feed (Sequence 1 and Sequence 2). Feed samples were collected, and surfaces were swabbed between each batch of feed. Manufacturing sequence (P 0.05) impacted feed or surface contamination of Salmonella Enteritidis (Table 1). There was Salmonella-positive residue in the batch of feed manufactured immediately after the positive control batch. However, no Salmonella residue was detected in batches of feed treated with either the commercial essential oil blend or MCFA. Low levels of Salmonella residue were observed from either feed (0.7 cfu/g for commercial essential oil blend) or surfaces (0.1 cfu/cm2 for MCFA) manufactured in Sequence 1, but no residue was observed by Sequence 2. This data suggests that sequencing of feed during manufacturing reduces Salmonella-positive contamination within animal food and on manufacturing surfaces, particularly after the second batch or with the use of chemical treatments.
Adam Smith's

In the Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith argues that a country's national income depends on its labor productivity, which in turn hinges on the division of labor. But why are some countries able to take advantage of the division of labor and become rich, while others fail to do so and remain poor? Smith's answer, in an important but neglected theme of his work, is the security of property rights that enable individuals to "secure the fruits of their own labor" and allow the division of labor to occur. Countries that can establish a "tolerable administration of justice" to secure property rights and allow investment and exchange to take place will see economic progress take place. Smith's emphasis on a country's "institutions" in determining its relative income has been supported by recent empirical work on economic development.
The Bridge to English 101: Redesigning the Intersession Reading and Writing Workshop

Developmental interventions for reading and writing often take place at community colleges during the winter or summer. These brief, intersession workshops are examples of compressed acceleration, ...
In vitro and in vivo characterization of CPP and transferrin modified liposomes encapsulating pDNA.

Abstract The limitations imposed on brain therapy by the blood–brain barrier (BBB) have warranted the development of carriers that can overcome and deliver therapeutic agents into the brain. We strategically designed liposomal nanoparticles encasing plasmid DNA for efficient transfection and translocation across the in vitro BBB model as well as in vivo brain-targeted delivery. Liposomes were surface modified with two ligands, cell-penetrating peptide (PFVYLI or R9F2) for enhanced internalization into cells and transferrin (Tf) ligand for targeting transferrin-receptor expressed on brain capillary endothelial cells. Dual-modified liposomes encapsulating pDNA demonstrated significantly (P
High Frequency Online Battery Impedance Measurement Method Using Voltage and Current Ripples Generated by DC-DC Converter

This paper presents an online battery complex impedance measurement method at high frequency values by utilizing the battery voltage and current switching ripple information generated by the DC-DC power converter. First, perturbation based online battery impedance measurement methods from the literature are reviewed and discussed. The previously presented perturbation based methods are only suitable for impedance measurement within a frequency range much lower than the switching frequency of converter and they affect the normal operation of the system. The presented high frequency complex impedance measurement method in this paper utilizes the inherent switching characteristics of DC-DC converter for impedance measurement without having the need to add small perturbation signal to the system, which eliminates the aforementioned frequency range limitation and perturbation drawback. The battery voltage and current ripple components are extracted by using FFT analysis and then used to calculate the battery complex impedance values at the switching frequency. By sweeping the switching frequency values of the DC-DC converter, the battery impedance values at different high frequency values can be obtained. The method is evaluated using results obtained from a laboratory proof-of-concept (POC) prototype.
Risk Factors for Complications, Longer Hospital Stay, and Readmission After Total Ankle Arthroplasty

Background Studies have shown conflicting results regarding associations of preoperative comorbidities with outcomes after total ankle arthroplasty (TAA). Our aim was to analyze preoperative risk factors for complications, longer hospital stay, and readmission within 30 days after TAA. Methods We conducted a retrospective study using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. We included 294 patients who underwent TAA from 2009 through 2012. We used multivariate logistic regression to identify risk factors for complications, longer hospital stay, and hospital readmission. Results Surgical site infection was the most common complication. Diabetes was associated with greater odds of complications as was current smoker status. Notably, obesity was not associated with greater odds of complications. Age, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and diabetes mellitus were associated with longer hospital stays. Surgical site infection was the most common reason for hospital readmission. Conclusions TAA has a low complication rate, with surgical site infection being the most common complication and the most common reason for hospital readmission. Patients with diabetes have greater odds of poor outcomes and prolonged hospital stays after TAA than patients without diabetes. Obesity was not associated with poor outcomes after TAA. Levels of evidence Level III.
Challenges in High Current On-Chip Voltage Stacked Systems

Due to the increasing throughput of high performance integrated circuits, the power consumption of recent high performance computing systems has grown significantly, leading to high on-chip current demand. The large current flowing within the power delivery network leads to challenging issues such as electromigration, low power efficiency, and thermal hotspots. As a technique to reduce on-chip current demand, voltage stacking has become a topic of growing interest within the industrial and academic communities. The challenges of on-chip voltage stacking are however significant. The limitations of relying on on-chip decoupling capacitors when load imbalances occur within a high current system are reviewed. To manage these load imbalances, a ladder topology switched capacitor converter is proposed to regulate the voltages between layers within a voltage stacked system. A 20X improvement in voltage drop is demonstrated on a case study. The current path within a voltage stacked system is quite different from a standard system. A horizontal current path is formed due to the serial connection between layers, producing large parasitic impedances within the power network. The on-chip power network within a voltage stacked system therefore requires careful consideration and specialized design techniques.