cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessing hydraulic conditions through Francis turbines using an autonomous sensor device

Abstract Fish can be injured or killed during turbine passage. This paper reports the first in-situ evaluation of hydraulic conditions that fish experienced during passage through Francis turbines using an autonomous sensor device at Arrowrock, Cougar, and Detroit Dams. Among different turbine passage regions, most of the severe events occurred in the stay vane/wicket gate and the runner regions. In the stay vane/wicket gate region, almost all severe events were collisions. In the runner region, both severe collisions and severe shear events occurred. At Cougar Dam, at least 50% fewer releases experienced severe collisions in the runner region operating at peak efficiency than at the minimum and maximum opening, indicating the wicket gate opening could affect hydraulic conditions in the runner region. A higher percentage of releases experienced severe events in the runner region when passing through the Francis turbines than through an advanced hydropower Kaplan turbine (AHT) at Wanapum Dam. The nadir pressures of the three Francis turbines were more than 50% lower than those of the AHT. The three Francis turbines had much higher magnitudes and rates of pressure change than the AHT. This study provides critical information on hydraulic conditions and fish passage information of Francis turbines, which can help guide future laboratory studies of fish passing through Francis turbine, design fish-friendly turbines, and optimize the operation of existing turbines for better fish passage conditions.
Diabetes regulates fructose absorption through thioredoxin-interacting protein

Metabolic studies suggest that the absorptive capacity of the small intestine for fructose is limited, though the molecular mechanisms controlling this process remain unknown. Here we demonstrate that thioredoxin-interacting protein (Txnip), which regulates glucose homeostasis in mammals, binds to fructose transporters and promotes fructose absorption by the small intestine. Deletion of Txnip in mice reduced fructose transport into the peripheral bloodstream and liver, as well as the severity of adverse metabolic outcomes resulting from long-term fructose consumption. We also demonstrate that fructose consumption induces expression of Txnip in the small intestine. Diabetic mice had increased expression of Txnip in the small intestine as well as enhanced fructose uptake and transport into the hepatic portal circulation. The deletion of Txnip in mice abolished the diabetes-induced increase in fructose absorption. Our results indicate that Txnip is a critical regulator of fructose metabolism and suggest that a diabetic state can promote fructose uptake.
Data acquisition system design for a 1 mm 3 resolution PSAPD-based PET system

We are developing an application specific, high resolution 1 mm3 3-D PET system that comprises two detector panels that are 16 cm times 9.1 cm times 2 cm in dimension with arrays of sandwiched position sensitive avalanche photodiode (PSAPD) detectors. The system will comprise 2240 PSAPD devices per panel with approximately 11,200 channels per detector head. A data acquisition architecture is being designed around dedicated readout ASICs. The readout ASIC, the RENA-3, was developed by NOVA R&D for low noise charge sensitive readout of solid state detectors, with shaping, triggering, and timestamp generation circuitry. Using the RENA-3 evaluation system, two PSAPD devices operated in coincidence achieved a 17.2% global energy resolution, 1 mm2 spatial resolution, and 11 ns (15.5 ns paired) FWHM coincidence time resolution. A Monte-Carlo simulation of a PET mammography configuration was used to generate realistic count rates. The realistic count rates were then run through an event based simulation model of the PET mammography system and data acquisition to determine the count rate performance of the architecture. The data acquisition we propose with the RENA-3 ASIC readout should be able to handle a 5 mCi imaged whole body dose in a 160 cm tall woman receding 75% of the events with a 100 keV low energy threshold.
A Diagnostic Marker to Discriminate Childhood Apraxia of Speech From Speech Delay: I. Development and Description of the Pause Marker

Purpose The goal of this article (PM I) is to describe the rationale for and development of the Pause Marker (PM), a single-sign diagnostic marker proposed to discriminate early or persistent child...
An Experimental and Theoretical Study of the Thermal Decomposition of C4H6 Isomers

The chemistry of small unsaturated hydrocarbons, such as 1,3-butadiene (1,3-C4H6), 1,2-butadiene (1,2-C4H6), 2-butyne (2-C4H6), and 1-butyne (1-C4H6), is of central importance to the modeling of combustion systems. These species are important intermediates in combustion processes, and yet their high-temperature chemistry remains poorly understood, with various dissociation and isomerization pathways proposed in the literature. Here we investigate the thermal decompositions of 1,3-C4H6, 1,2-C4H6, 2-C4H6, and 1-C4H6 inside a diaphragmless shock tube, at postshock total pressures of 26–261 Torr and temperatures ranging from 1428 to 2354 K, using laser schlieren densitometry. The experimental work was complemented by high-level ab initio calculations, which collectively provide strong evidence that formally direct dissociation is the major channel for pyrolysis of 1,3-C4H6 and 2-C4H6; these paths have not been previously reported but are critical to reconciling the current work and disparate literature report...
An investigation on slowness-weighted CCP stacking and its application to receiver function imaging

Common-conversion-point (CCP) stacking of receiver functions is a widely used technique to image velocity discontinuities in the mantle. The CCP imaging technique assumes that receiver functions are composed solely of P to S conversions at velocity boundaries, whose depths can be mapped out through their arrival times. The multiple reflections at shallow boundaries with large velocity contrasts, such as the base of unconsolidated sediments and the Moho, can lead to artificial structures in the CCP images. We develop a refined CCP stacking method that uses relative slowness as a weighting factor to suppress the multiples (slowness weighted CCP stacking; SWCCP). We conduct extensive numerical tests with synthetic data to seek the best weighting scheme and to verify the robustness of the images. We apply this technique to receiver function data of NECESSArray in China and the transportable array in western US, and find most of the events in the depth range of 200-400 km shown in the regular CCP images are eliminated. The SWCCP images, on the other hand, reveal a clear negative event under some parts of the two arrays, indicating the presence of low velocity layer above the 410-km discontinuity, which was reported by previous studies.
New Methods to Study Gustatory Coding

The sense of taste allows animals to detect chemicals in the environment, giving rise to behaviors critical for survival. When Gustatory Receptor Neurons (GRNs) detect tastant molecules, they encode information about the identity and concentration of the tastant as patterns of electrical activity that then propagate to follower neurons in the brain. These patterns constitute internal representations of the tastant, which then allow the animal to select actions and form memories. The use of relatively simple animal models has been a powerful tool to study basic principles in sensory coding. Here, we propose three new methods to study gustatory coding using the moth Manduca sexta. First, we present a dissection procedure for exposing the maxillary nerves and the subesophageal zone (SEZ), allowing recording of the activity of GRNs from their axons. Second, we describe the use of extracellular electrodes to record the activity of multiple GRNs by placing tetrode wires directly into the maxillary nerve. Third, we present a new system for delivering and monitoring, with high temporal precision, pulses of different tastants. These methods allow the characterization of neuronal responses in vivo directly from GRNs before, during and after tastants are delivered. We provide examples of voltage traces recorded from multiple GRNs, and present an example of how a spike sorting technique can be applied to the data to identify the responses of individual neurons. Finally, to validate our recording approach, we compare extracellular recordings obtained from GRNs with tetrodes to intracellular recordings obtained with sharp glass electrodes.
Simple visit behavior unifies complex Zika outbreaks

Abstract New outbreaks of Zika in the U.S. are imminent. Human nature dictates that many individuals will continue to revisit affected ‘Ground Zero’ patches, whether out of choice, work or family reasons − yet this feature is missing from traditional epidemiological analyses. Here we show that this missing visit-revisit mechanism is by itself capable of explaining quantitatively the 2016 human Zika outbreaks in all three Ground Zero patches. Our findings reveal counterintuitive ways in which this human flow can be managed to tailor any future outbreak’s duration, severity and time-to-peak. Effective public health planning can leverage these results to impact the evolution of future outbreaks via soft control of the overall human flow, as well as to suggest best-practice visitation behavior for local residents.
VERIFIABLE FUEL CYCLE SIMULATION MODEL (VISION): A TOOL FOR ANALYZING NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE FUTURES

The nuclear fuel cycle consists of a set of complex components that are intended to work together. To support the nuclear renaissance, it is necessary to understand the impacts of changes and timin...
A comparison of three PET phantoms for evaluating spatial resolution

2512 Objectives PET spatial resolution impacts quantitation, which is important in multicenter trials. Phantoms are used to evaluate spatial resolution for both clinical acceptance testing and scanner qualification in clinical trials. The purpose of this work was to compare imaging results of three phantoms on different PET/CT systems. Methods The SNMMI CTN phantom, ACR phantom, and EANM NEMA NU-2 phantoms were imaged multiple times on a GE Discovery ST, GE Discovery 710 ,and Siemens Biograph mCT. Each acquisition was 4 minutes per bed position. Images were reconstructed using harmonized parameters to produce comparable quantitative results. Advanced reconstruction methods such as time of flight and point spread function recovery were not used. The results of the multiple scans were averaged. SUVmean was measured using 2D ROIs sized to fit the known diameter of each lesion. Finally, recovery coefficient curves were generated plotting the measured SUV divided by the true SUV of each lesion and compared to show all three phantoms on each PET/CT system. Results Selected reconstruction harmonization parameters resulted in similar resolution recovery curves across scanners. The NEMA NU-2 and CTN phantoms both have spherical lesions and recovery curves were most similar with these two phantoms. Relatively higher recovery values were observed from the ACR phantom, since this employs rod shaped lesion compartments. Compared to phantoms with spherical objects, the ACR phantom may overestimate recovery values of spherical objects. Conclusions All 3 phantoms demonstrate similar trends in underestimating SUVs for smaller object sizes due to the partial volume effect. While the NEMA NU-2 and CTN phantoms result in comparable values, it is important to recognize the ACR phantom will result in relatively higher recovery curves due to the geometry of the rods versus spherical inserts.
Using known map category marginal frequencies to improve estimates of thematic map accuracy

By means of two simple sampling plans suggested in the accuracy-assessment literature, it is shown how one can use knowledge of map-category relative sizes to improve estimates of various probabilities. The fact that maximum likelihood estimates of cell probabilities for the simple random sampling and map category-stratified sampling were identical has permitted a unified treatment of the contingency-table analysis. A rigorous analysis of the effect of sampling independently within map categories is made possible by results for the stratified case. It is noted that such matters as optimal sample size selection for the achievement of a desired level of precision in various estimators are irrelevant, since the estimators derived are valid irrespective of how sample sizes are chosen.
Augmented Reality Visualization for Computer Assisted Surgical Training

Laparoscopic surgical training systems limit the users’ depth perception and hand-eye coordination due to the use of a 2D camera image. In this paper, we present an approach to enhance visualization using augmented reality which aids in hand-eye coordination and depth perception in the operating environment. An optimal path is calculated in a 3D space and projected onto a 2D camera image. The mapping from the 3D to 2D coordinate system is calculated using least squares camera calibration method. Instrument tip location in space is calculated using feedback from encoders attached to them. We combine the information about the instrument tip and optimal path to achieve robust visualization.
Residual triose phosphate isomerase activity and color measurements to determine adequate cooking of ground beef patties.

The objectives were to (i) compare the use of triose phosphate isomerase (TPI) activity and internal color scores for determination of cooking adequacy of beef patties and (ii) determine the effect of frozen storage and fat content on residual TPI activity in ground beef. Ground beef patties (24.4% fat) were cooked to five temperatures ranging from 60.0 to 82.2 degrees C. TPI activity decreased as beef patty cooking temperature was increased from 60.0 to 71.1 degrees C; however, no difference (P > 0.05) in activity (6.3 U/kg meat) was observed in patties cooked to 71.1 degrees C and above. Degree of doneness color scores, a* values and b* values, of ground beef patties decreased as internal temperature was increased from 60.0 to 71.1 degrees C; however, temperature had no effect on L* values. TPI activity in raw ground beef after five freeze-thaw cycles did not differ from the control. Three freeze-thaw cycles of raw ground beef resulted in a 57.2% decrease in TPI activity after cooking. TPI activity of cooked beef increased during 2 months of frozen storage, but TPI activity in ground beef stored for 3 months or longer did not differ from the unfrozen control. While past research has shown color to be a poor indicator of adequate thermal processing, our results suggest that undercooked ground beef patties could be distinguished from those that had been adequately cooked following U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines using residual TPI activity as a marker.
University Teachers of English and the New Humanities

This paper argues that the pursuit of knowledge in the departments of humanities is faced with unprecedented crisis. The crisis emanates from the emergence of a new world order wherein the very idea of a human is questioned. Late capitalism promotes the creation of wealth for its own sake, the advancements in technology and science sketch narrow definitions of knowledge within the confines of objectivity and verifiability, and the whole idea of democracy is reduced to the manipulations of narratives. The study of English literature in India too is faced with this crisis. In this paper, an attempt is made to redefine and reformulate the role of humanities to face the challenges of the emerging world order.
The A-type domain in Escherichia coli NfuA is required for regenerating the auxiliary [4Fe–4S] cluster in Escherichia coli lipoyl synthase

The lipoyl cofactor plays an integral role in several essential biological processes. The last step in its de novo biosynthetic pathway, the attachment of two sulfur atoms at C6 and C8 of an n-octanoyllysyl chain, is catalyzed by lipoyl synthase (LipA), a member of the radical SAM superfamily. In addition to the [4Fe–4S] cluster common to all radical SAM enzymes, LipA contains a second [4Fe–4S] auxiliary cluster, which is sacrificed during catalysis to supply the requisite sulfur atoms, rendering the protein inactive for further turnovers. Recently, it was shown that the Fe–S cluster carrier protein NfuA from Escherichia coli can regenerate the auxiliary cluster of E. coli LipA after each turnover, but the molecular mechanism is incompletely understood. Herein, using protein–protein interaction and kinetic assays as well as site-directed mutagenesis, we provide further insight into the mechanism of NfuA-mediated cluster regeneration. In particular, we show that the N-terminal A-type domain of E. coli NfuA is essential for its tight interaction with LipA. Further, we demonstrate that NfuA from Mycobacterium tuberculosis can also regenerate the auxiliary cluster of E. coli LipA. However, an Nfu protein from Staphylococcus aureus, which lacks the A-type domain, was severely diminished in facilitating cluster regeneration. Of note, addition of the N-terminal domain of E. coli NfuA to S. aureus Nfu, fully restored cluster-regenerating activity. These results expand our understanding of the newly discovered mechanism by which the auxiliary cluster of LipA is restored after each turnover.
Selection of a Nominal Device Using Functional Data Analysis

Nominal behavior selection of an electronic device from a measured dataset is often difficult. Device characteristics are rarely monotonic and choosing the single device measurement which best represents the center of a distribution across all regions of operation is neither obvious nor easy to interpret. Often, a device modeler uses a degree of subjectivity when selecting nominal device behavior from a dataset of measurements on a group of devices. This paper proposes applying a functional data approach to estimate the mean and nominal device of an experimental dataset. This approach was applied to a dataset of electrical measurements on a set of commercially available Zener diodes and proved to more accurately represent the average device characteristics than a point-wise calculation of the mean. It also enabled an objective method for selecting a nominal device from a dataset of device measurements taken across the full operating region of the Zener diode.
Modern Management of Hepatic Metastatic Disease

Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in both men and women with 136,830 new cases in the United States estimated to be diagnosed in 2014 [1]. For individuals diagnosed with colorectal cancer, approximately 20% of patients will have metastatic disease at the time of initial diagnosis [2]. Despite the overall incidence of colorectal cancer declining, the number of patients presenting with metastases has remained relatively unchanged. In multiple population-based studies, the incidence of synchronous liver metastases was reported to be 14–18% [3–5]. Similarly, on a population level, the rate of metachronous liver metastases was approximately 12–14% at 3 years [3, 4]. The liver is the most common site of distant colorectal metastases and disease is limited to this site in at least one-third of the patients [6]. Overall, approximately 50% of patients will develop liver metastases at some point during the course of their disease.
Does family communication matter? Exploring knowledge of breast cancer genetics in cancer families.

Knowledge of breast cancer genetics is critical for those at increased hereditary risk who must make decisions about breast cancer screening options. This descriptive study explored theory-based relationships among cognitive and emotional variables related to knowledge of breast cancer genetics in cancer families. Participants included first-degree relatives of women with breast cancer who had received genetic counseling and testing. Study participants themselves did not have breast cancer and had not received genetic counseling or testing. Data were collected by telephone interviews and surveys. Variables analyzed included numeracy, health literacy, cancer-related distress, age, education, and the reported amount of information shared by the participants’ family members about genetic counseling. The multiple regression model explained 13.9% of variance in knowledge of breast cancer genetics (p = 0.03). Best fit of the multiple regression model included all variables except education. Reported amount of information shared was the only independently significant factor associated with knowledge (β = 0.28, p = 0.01). Participants who reported higher levels of information shared by a family member about information learned during a genetic counseling session also demonstrated increased knowledge about breast cancer genetics.
Norma Shearer’s Dramatic Performance, 1937–1938

This chapter analyzes Norma Shearer’s intervention in the screenwriting process to transform Marie-Antoinette into a clever and romantic figure and her arduous preparation for playing the historical role before the cameras. It commences by situating Shearer’s biographical performances of the mid-1930s in relation to current trends in character identification and psychological penetration necessary for persuasive acting. It then discusses the actress’ close relationship to replacement producer Hunt Stromberg and oversight of the cost-saving substitute director Woody Van Dyke as responsible for the production quality of Marie Antoinette. The core discussion focuses on Shearer’s ability to deploy a full range of expressive talents to reinforce the Production Code’s required “punished profligate” narrative and to offer an independent subtext about the potential of women’s power within a patriarchal framework. Finally, it assesses critical and public response to her performance upon its premiere at the Carthay Circle Theatre on 8 July 1938.
Modification by Ethanol and Taurine, Singly and in Combination, of Changes in Indices of Renal Dysfunction Caused by Diabetes in Rats.

The present study was carried out in diabetic rats to examine the effects of ethanol (EtOH) and taurine (TAU), singly and in combination, in reducing the changes of laboratory test values indicating renal dysfunction. For this purpose, male Sprague-Dawley rats, 250–280 g in weight and in groups of 6, were made diabetic with a single, 60 mg/kg intraperitoneal dose of streptozotocin in 10 mM citrate buffer pH 4.5. On day 15 and for the remaining 14 days of the study, the diabetic rats (a) started to drink 5% EtOH in place of water, (b) received a single daily 2.4 mM/kg oral dose of TAU or (c) were allowed to drink 5% EtOH after receiving a dose of TAU. Starting from day 28 and ending on day 29, a 24 h urine sample was collected, its volume was measured, and then used to measure glucose (GLC), total protein (TP) and electrolytes (Na+, K+, Ca++, Mg++). Blood samples collected immediately thereafter via cardiac puncture were processed for the plasma fractions which were analyzed for their creatinine (CRT) and urea nitrogen (UN) contents. In comparison to normal (control) rats, diabetic ones showed a higher output of urine (+5.6-fold), a massive increase in plasma GLC (+473%), passed more GLC (+73.8-fold) and TP (+8.2-fold) in the urine, showed higher plasma CRT (+241%) and UN (+74%) levels, a lower plasma UN/CRT ratio (−47%) and a greater output of electrolytes in the urine (by at least twofold). By themselves both EtOH and TAU were found to markedly lower the effects of diabetes, with EtOH generally appearing more effective than TAU. However, the concurrent availability of EtOH and TAU was found to be more protective than either treatment alone.
Comprehensive Assessment of Primary Mitral Valve Disease: Clinical Presentation, Diagnosis, Medical and Surgical Therapy

Mitral valve disease comprises a variety of pathologies that lead to valvular regurgitation or stenosis. In the developed world, clinicians most often encounter patients with mitral regurgitation (MR). Advances in echocardiography, particularly 3D, have substantially improved the diagnosis of mitral valve pathology and quantification of lesion severity. Currently no medical therapy directed at primary MR improves the natural history of the disease, but significant progress has been made in the surgical management of primary MR where better repair techniques have decreased operative mortality and improved durability.
Diverse viruses have restricted biogeography in deep-sea hydrothermal vent fluids

In the ocean, viruses impact microbial mortality, regulate biogeochemical cycling, and alter the metabolic potential of microbial lineages. At deep-sea hydrothermal vents, abundant viruses infect a wide range of hosts among the archaea and bacteria that inhabit these dynamic habitats. However, little is known about viral diversity, host range, and biogeography across different vent ecosystems, which has important implications for how viruses manipulate microbial function and evolution. Here, we examined viral diversity, viral and host distribution, and viral-host interactions in venting fluids from two geographically distant hydrothermal systems, the Mid-Cayman Rise in the Caribbean Sea and Axial Seamount in the Pacific Ocean. Analysis of viral sequences and CRISPR spacers revealed highly diverse viral assemblages and abundant lysogenic viruses, with 40% of metagenome-assembled genomes encoding a putative prophage. Network analysis revealed that viral host range was relatively narrow, with very few viruses infecting multiple microbial lineages. Viruses were largely endemic to individual vent sites, indicating restricted dispersal, and in some cases viral assemblages persisted over time. Thus, while the viruses at deep-sea hydrothermal systems play an important role in driving the evolution and ecology of resident vent microbial communities, their influence is highly localized to specific regions and taxa.
Pediatric ovarian Sertoli‐Leydig cell tumors with heterologous rhabdomyosarcoma elements: Clinical case series and review of the literature

Sertoli-Leydig cell tumors (SLCTs) are rare ovarian neoplasms in pediatric patients. More exceedingly rare are SLCTs that also contain heterologous rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) elements. For these patients, there is no standardized treatment. We report four cases of pediatric SLCT with heterologous RMS elements that were successfully treated with surgical resection and adjuvant chemotherapy. All four patients are alive and remain in remission.
AIDS in the Heartland-Hemophilia Was the Harbinger of Things to Come.

ABSTRACT The history of the AIDS epidemic in the United States has focused largely on the experience in coastal cities where the syndrome was first recognized among gay men. In Cleveland and in many other heartland cities, early recognition of this syndrome was primarily among men with hemophilia who were at risk because of exposure to HIV during treatment with lyophilized antihemophilic factor concentrates that were pooled from plasmas of thousands of donors. Disease and subclinical immune deficiency in these men and in other populations drove recognition that AIDS was due to a blood-borne and sexually transmissible agent. As the AIDS epidemic expanded, heartland cities mobilized their staff and resources to meet the needs of a growing epidemic that ultimately affected the entire nation.
Surgeons lack of agreement on determining preoperative radiographic and clinical shoulder balance in adolescent and adult idiopathic scoliosis patients

Preoperative shoulder balance is an important factor in determining the upper instrumented vertebrae (UIV). In adolescent and adult idiopathic scoliosis (AIS/AdIS) patients, we studied the intraobserver and interobserver reliability of spinal surgeons’ assessment of preoperative shoulder balance using X-rays (XR) and anterior/posterior photographs. An observational review of a prospective multicenter database (AIS Lenke Type 1/5/6) and prospective single-institution database (AdIS) was conducted. Ten spine surgeons reviewed AIS cases; 12 spine surgeons reviewed AdIS cases. Surgeons rated the higher shoulder: left/right/same/unsure. Reliability was calculated using Fleiss’ kappa coefficient. Among 145 Type 1 AIS cases, intraobserver reliability was moderate-to-substantial: XR (κ = 0.59), anterior photographs (κ = 0.68), posterior photographs (k = 0.65). Interobserver reliability was fair to moderate for XR (κ = 0.31), anterior photographs (κ = 0.20), and posterior photographs (κ = 0.30). Among 52 Type 5/6 AIS cases, intraobserver reliability was substantial: XR (κ = 0.70), anterior photographs (κ = 0.76), posterior photographs (κ = 0.71). Interobserver reliability was fair to moderate for XR (κ = 0.49), anterior photographs (κ = 0.47), and posterior photographs (κ = 0.36). Among 66 AdIS cases, intraobserver reliability was substantial: XR (κ = 0.68), anterior photographs (κ = 0.67), posterior photographs (κ = 0.69). Interobserver reliability was moderate for XR (κ = 0.45), anterior photographs (κ = 0.43), posterior photographs (κ = 0.49). Within Type 1 AIS patients, attendings had better intraobserver reliabilities compared to fellows using X-rays (κ = 0.61 vs. 0.53), yet no effect of surgeon experience was seen with clinical photographs. Though surgeons’ ability to agree with themselves was moderate to substantial, surgeons’ ability to agree with each other was fair to moderate. Combined measures to assess preoperative shoulder balance are needed for UIV selection.
Timing of Acute Stroke in COVID-19—A Health System Registry Study

Background and Purpose:The association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and stroke remains unknown. We aimed to compare the characteristics of stroke patients who were hospitalized with Coronavirus Dis...
Genetic variation among wMel strains of Wolbachia pipientis differentially rescues a bag of marbles partial loss of function mutant in Drosophila melanogaster

Wolbachia is an intracellular, maternally inherited endosymbiotic bacteria that infects over 65% of insects and manipulates their reproduction for its own transmission. In Drosophila melanogaster, Wolbachia genetically interacts with the adaptively evolving germline stem cell gene bag of marbles (bam). Since Wolbachia must enter the host female germline to propagate, one hypothesis is that Wolbachia and bam are in a genetic conflict for control of oogenesis. In order to understand if Wolbachia could be driving the adaptive evolution of bam, we must understand the nature of the genetic interaction between bam and Wolbachia. Previously, we documented that infection with the wMel strain of Wolbachia rescued the fertility and cytological ovarian defect of a bam hypomorphic mutant. However, this mutant was generated over 20 years ago in an uncontrolled and variable genetic background, and thus we have been unable to perform controlled experiments to further assess the interaction. Here, we used CRISPR/Cas9 to engineer the same single amino acid bam mutation into the w1118 isogenic background as well as generated a bam null allele in the same background. We confirm that the amino acid replacement results in the bam hypomorphic phenotype previously described when expressed over a bam null allele. We assess the female fertility of wildtype bam, a bam transheterozygous hypomorph/null mutant, and a homozygous bam hypomorphic mutant, each infected individually with 10 diverse Wolbachia variants. Overall, we find that the Wolbachia variants tested here do not generally increase bam+ female fertility, but they do rescue bam hypomorphic defects with variation in the effect size of some variants on female fertility.
David Oliver: What parliament omitted from its “lessons learnt” on coronavirus

On 12 October the parliamentary committees on health and social care and science and technology published a joint report, Coronavirus: Lessons Learned to Date ,1 attracting much media traffic and political comment. What the report says is excellent, sensible, and well evidenced. In well over 100 pages it covers the themes of “pandemic preparedness,” “lockdowns and social distancing,” “testing and contact tracing,” “social care,” “at-risk communities,” and “vaccines,” finishing with a series of punchy conclusions and strong recommendations. I have no issue with what’s there, but the report glosses over some aspects or avoids them completely. First, while it acknowledges that the capacity in NHS beds, intensive care beds, staffing, and social care meant that they were already struggling and thus had little headroom when covid struck, it fails to mention that this resulted from …
Variants of Unknown Significance and Their Impact on Autonomy

In the context of future preventive WGS/WES genomic screening programs, Lazaro-Munos and colleagues (2015) discuss whether the autonomy of participating individuals is best served by an all-or-noth...
Intracellular Activation Events for Parietal Cell Hydrochloric Acid Secretion

The sections in this article are: 1 Evidence Supporting A Role For Cyclic Amp in Control of Parietal Cell Hydrochloride Acid Secretion 2 Cyclic Amp-Dependent and Cyclic Amp-Independent Protein Kinases in Parietal Cells 3 Role Of Calcium in Control of Acid Secretion 4 Future Perspectives
Implementation of Sparse Neural Networks on Fixed Size Arrays

Recent research in Artificial Neural Networks (ANN’s) has shown that ANN’s will play an important role in solving many signal processing problems. To fully capture the potential that this new computational paradigm possesses, ANN models will have to be implemented in hardware. Initially, attempts were made to simulate ANN’s on serial computers. These software simulations were too slow to be of any practical significance and it was realized that ANN’s will have to be implemented on parallel machines that can exploit the parallelism inherent in ANN’s. In this chapter, we investigate how sparse Neural Networks can be implemented on a fixed size mesh of processors. A number of currently available machines make available a computing environment based on this architecture and this architecture is also amenable to VLSI implementation. We show how one iteration of activation value updates for a sparse neural network with n neurons and e non-zero connections is simulated on a p × p array of processors in O((n + e)/p) time. The efficiency of the algorithm is partly due to the fact that preprocessing is done on the connection matrix. This makes the algorithm efficient carrying out many iterations of the search phase computation with the same connection structure. Although not described here, learning algorithms like the Delta rule, which are based on the computation of a weighted sum, can also be run using a modified version of the algorithm.
Adapting connectionless approach to mobile ad hoc networks in obstacle environment

Most of today's communication techniques for mobile ad hoc networks take a connection-oriented approach. Mobile nodes need to discover routes and establish a connection before they can communicate. This strategy is not robust as it cannot adapt to frequent unpredictable topology changes due to high mobility. Constant reconnections incur significant overhead making these schemes unsuitable for applications such as voice and video. To address these issues, we explore a connectionless paradigm in this paper. We leverage technology such as GPS (Global Positioning System) to allow a source node to discover its general direction with respect to a destination node. Data packets are relayed along this directional path toward the destination using different intermediate nodes at different times without having to first establish a connection. Although an earlier work called connectionless approach (CLA) to mobile ad hoc network can work well in high mobility environment, it cannot be applied directly to obstacle environments because obstacle (i.e., mountains, lakes, or buildings) often block direct path between any two nodes. The contribution of this paper is to adapt CLA to obstacle environments. The proposed approach can relay data around obstacles, can quickly adapt to topology change, and can provide multiple communicating paths to the destination.
Large-Scale Human Mobility Analysis Based on Mobile Phone and Social Media Communication: A Case-Study in Africa

Mobile phone and social media communication are sometimes explored as viable sources of location information for human mobility research. To the best of our knowledge, however, no one has studied how location information obtained via these two event-based techniques compare to each other. In this paper, we present a comparative analysis of obtaining location information using mobile phone records and social media communication. The comparison was made under similar conditions. Specifically, the two datasets are from the same geographical area (a developing country in Africa), have the same number of users, and were collected over a similar period of time (months and days). Our analysis shows that the source of the location information used has a significant impact on what can be perceived in terms of individual mobility within a population. Using the results from these two datasets, we conclude that mobile phone communication is a better source of location information for human mobility research when compared to social media communication. We argue that our conclusion exists due to the relation of social media communication to economic and demographic factors.
Bottle and sippy cup use is associated with diet and energy intake in toddlers.

The second year of life incorporates a continued shift from a liquid- to solid-based diet. Little is known about the prevalence and dietary impact of bottle and sippy cup use. This paper describes associations between percent of energy consumed via drinking containers (bottles and sippy cups combined) and dietary outcomes, between 1 and 2 years of age. This observational study recruited n = 299 low-income, nutrition programme clients from the Bronx, NY, whose 12 month olds consumed ≥ 2 non-water bottles per day. The main exposure variable was percent of energy intake via drinking containers (PEDC), dichotomized at the median into low-percent-energy-from-drinking-containers (LOW-C) and high-percent-energy-from-drinking-containers (HIGH-C) groups, assessed quarterly, for 1 year. We report 24-hour dietary recall nutrient and food serving data by LOW-C vs. HIGH-C. We employed linear mixed models to study associations between PEDC and nutrient intake. PEDC decreased from 52% to 33% between 1 and 2 years of age in both groups. The LOW-C group had higher intake of energy, dietary fibre, iron and sodium, grains, protein-rich foods and sweets. Conversely, LOW-C group had lower intake of Vitamin D and calcium vs. the HIGH-C group. PEDC was inversely associated with total energy intake in a model controlling for baseline age, baseline-weight-for-length and gender (β = -5.8, P = 0.029, 95% confidence interval (-10.96, -0.6). Lower bottle and sippy cup use had significant, albeit mixed association with diet quality in the second year of life, and was associated with higher energy intake. Evidence-based guidelines are needed to determine the appropriate use of those feeding methods.
Glycosidic Specificity of Fucosyltransferases Present in Rat Epididymal Spermatozoa

We have recently demonstrated multiple fucosyltransferase (FT) activity in rat spermatogenic cells. To complement these findings, here we identify and partially characterize the glycosidic linkage specificity of FTs present in spermatozoa from caput and cauda epididymides. Analysis of the acceptor substrate specificity of the FTs by thin-layer chromatography indicated that both caput and cauda sperm expressed alpha(1-2)-, alpha(1-3)-, alpha(1-4)-FTs as demonstrated by fucose incorporation into phenyl-beta-D-galactoside, 2'-fucosyllactose, and lacto-N-fucopentaose-I, respectively. Spermatozoa from the cauda epididymidis exhibited significant decreases in the levels of alpha(1-2)-, alpha(1-3)-, alpha(1-4)-FTs, and of total soluble FTs in comparison to spermatozoa from the caput epididymidis. The relative ratio of alpha(1-3)-FT to total FT activity appeared to be significantly higher than those of alpha(1-2)- or alpha(1-4)-FTs, in spermatozoa both from caput and cauda epididymides. Using different types of low molecular weight acceptors and the selective inhibition of the FT by N- ethylmaleimide, we have demonstrated that at least alpha(1-2)-FT is different from alpha(1-3)- or alpha(1-4)-FTs. Kinetic studies also showed that alpha(1-2)-FT is different from alpha(1-3)- or alpha(1-4)-FTs as demonstrated by apparent Km and Vmax values. Moreover, alpha(1-3)- and alpha(1-4)-FT activities in cauda sperm were found to be highly sensitive to Mn2+ but showed differential responses to divalent cations. In contrast, both alpha(1-3)- and alpha(1-4)-FTs seemed to be relatively less sensitive to Mg2+. Thus, these results not only demonstrate the presence of multiple FTs in rat epididymal sperm but also differentiate individual FTs with regard to their kinetic properties and sensitivity to both inhibitor and divalent cations.
The Safeguard of Silence: Un-Heroic Resistance in Sophocles' Antigone

Most contemporary political theorists have interpreted Sophocles’ Antigone by focusing on the fearsome clash between Antigone and Creon. The relationship between Antigone and her weaker, more cautious sister Ismene has not garnered similar attention. This paper addresses this gap by revisiting the tantalizing possibility that Ismene played a more significant role in resisting Creon than has often been assumed. The paper shifts the analysis of Antigone, first, by illuminating the complex and fraught relationship between two women and emphasizing the political and legal challenges that they face together as women. Second, the paper shifts focus from vertical power relations - that is, between the individual and government - to horizontal power relations between disempowered outsiders. On this reading, Antigone reveals less about the downfall of a character and more about the political power of the weak and disadvantaged.
Extension of Aho-Corasick Algorithm to Detect Injection Attacks

In this paper we propose an extension to the Aho-Corasick algorithm to detect injection of characters introduced by a malicious attacker. We show how this is achieved without significantly increasing the size of the finite-state pattern matching machine of the Aho-Corasick algorithm. Moreover, the machine would detect a match only if the number of stuffed characters is within a specified limit so that the number of false positives remains low. A comparison of the CPU time consumption between Aho-Corasick algorithm and the proposed algorithm is provided. It was found the proposed algorithm can outperform the Aho-Corasick, while ignoring the stuffed characters and detecting a valid match.
Cost and Morbidity Analysis of Chest Port Insertion: Interventional Radiology Suite Versus Operating Room

Abstract Purpose To compare complications and cost, from a hospital perspective, of chest port insertions performed in an interventional radiology (IR) suite versus in surgery in an operating room (OR). Methods This study was approved by an institutional review board and is HIPAA compliant. Medical records were retrospectively searched on consecutive chest port placement procedures, in the IR suite and the OR, between October 22, 2010 and February 26, 2013, to determine patients' demographic information and chest port-related complications and/or infections. A total of 478 charts were reviewed (age range: 21-85 years; 309 women, 169 men). Univariate and bivariate analyses were performed to identify risk factors associated with an increased complication rate. Cost data on 149 consecutive Medicare outpatients (100 treated in the IR suite; 49 treated in the OR) who had isolated chest port insertions between March 2012 and February 2013 were obtained for both the operative services and pharmacy. Nonparametric tests for heterogeneity were performed using the Kruskal-Wallis method. Results Early complications occurred in 9.2% (22 of 239) of the IR patients versus 13.4% (32 of 239) of the OR patients. Of the 478 implanted chest ports, 9 placed in IR and 18 placed in surgery required early removal. Infections from the ports placed in IR versus the OR were 0.25 versus 0.18 infections per 1000 catheters, respectively. Overall mean costs for chest port insertion were significantly higher in the OR, for both room and pharmacy costs ( P Conclusions Hospital costs to place a chest port were significantly lower in the IR suite than in the OR, whereas radiology and surgery patients did not show a significantly different rate of complications and/or infections.
Cartilage degradation and associated changes in biomechanical and electromechanical properties

In osteoarthritis (OA), the combination of altered cartilage matrix composition and mechanical wear from joint motion can result in erosion of cartilage down to the bone surface [1]. In its degenerated state, OA cartilage exhibits dramatically different biochemical, physicochemical, mechanical, and electromechanical properties from normal tissue, including a distinct loss of proteoglycan [2,3], marked collagen network fibrillation [4], increases in tissue hydration [5], and loss of compressive stiffness [6]. The role of enzymatic degradation in OA has been studied extensively, but is not completely understood. It has been suggested [7] that families of enzymes, including matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) [8,9], serine proteinases [10], and a novel “aggrecanase” [11] contribute to cartilage degradation in OA. It seems likely that the enzymatic component of OA involves a cascade of activities which work in tandem to degrade the tissue.
Sporotrichosis acquired from a cat

Two cases of cutaneous sporotrichosis in veterinary assistants who handled the same infected cat are described.
Hexachlorocyclohexane—A Fumigant for the Control of Chicken Lice

Abstract THE need for louse control on chickens is universally recognized, but the problem has never had a satisfactory solution. While present control practices are generally effective, they cannot be regarded as altogether practical. The dipping of infested birds in sodium fluoride or other solutions, aside from involving considerable labor, is generally accompanied by a drop in egg production, and not infrequently by the loss of a bird or two. The application of dusts, like dipping, is a laborious procedure, requires the individual handling of birds, and if not performed carefully and cautiously, is detrimental in some degree to chickens. The use of fumigants, since the introduction of nicotine sulphate, is a highly progressive measure. The vapors of fumigants applied to roosts penetrate the feathers of infested birds and thereby destroy the lice. Such products obviate the need to handle the birds individually, and reduce the expenditure of time and labor. . . .
Transportation to Clinic: Findings from a Pilot Clinic-Based Survey of Low-Income Suburbanites

Health care policymakers have cited transportation barriers as key obstacles to providing health care to low-income suburbanites, particularly because suburbs have become home to a growing number of recent immigrants who are less likely to own cars than their neighbors. In a suburb of New York City, we conducted a pilot survey of low income, largely immigrant clients in four public clinics, to find out how much transportation difficulties limit their access to primary care. Clients were receptive to the opportunity to participate in the survey (response rate = 94%). Nearly one-quarter reported having transportation problems that had caused them to miss or reschedule a clinic appointment in the past. Difficulties included limited and unreliable local bus service, and a tenuous connection to a car. Our pilot work suggests that this population is willing to participate in a survey on this topic. Further, since even among those attending clinic there was significant evidence of past transportation problems, it suggests that a population based survey would yield information about substantial transportation barriers to health care.