cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rapid Screening for CRISPR-Directed Editing of the Drosophila Genome Using white Coconversion

Adoption of a streamlined version of the bacterial clustered regular interspersed short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/Cas9 defense system has accelerated targeted genome engineering. The Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 protein, directed by a simplified, CRISPR-like single-guide RNA, catalyzes a double-stranded DNA break at a specific genomic site; subsequent repair by end joining can introduce mutagenic insertions or deletions, while repair by homologous recombination using an exogenous DNA template can incorporate new sequences at the target locus. However, the efficiency of Cas9-directed mutagenesis is low in Drosophila melanogaster. Here, we describe a strategy that reduces the time and effort required to identify flies with targeted genomic changes. The strategy uses editing of the white gene, evidenced by altered eye color, to predict successful editing of an unrelated gene-of-interest. The red eyes of wild-type flies are readily distinguished from white-eyed (end-joining-mediated loss of White function) or brown-eyed (recombination-mediated conversion to the whitecoffee allele) mutant flies. When single injected G0 flies produce individual G1 broods, flies carrying edits at a gene-of-interest were readily found in broods in which all G1 offspring carried white mutations. Thus, visual assessment of eye color substitutes for wholesale PCR screening of large numbers of G1 offspring. We find that end-joining-mediated mutations often show signatures of microhomology-mediated repair and that recombination-based mutations frequently involve donor plasmid integration at the target locus. Finally, we show that gap repair induced by two guide RNAs more reliably converts the intervening target sequence, whereas the use of Lig4169 mutants to suppress end joining does not improve recombination efficacy.
Two forms of (naphthalen-1-yl)boronic acid

Two polymorphs of the title compound, C10H9BO2, were prepared by recystallization from different solvents at room temperature. Both forms demonstrate nearly identical mol­ecular structures with all naphthalene group atoms located in one plane and all boronic acid atoms in another: the dihedral angles between these planes are 39.88 (5) and 40.15 (5)° for the two asymmetric mol­ecules of the ortho­rhom­bic form and 40.60 (3)° for the single asymmetric mol­ecule in the monoclinic form. In each extended structure, mol­ecules form dimers, connected via two O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds. The dimers are connected by further O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming layered networks in the (001) plane and the (100) plane in the ortho­rhom­bic and monoclinic forms, respectively. The resulting layers are practically identical in both forms. However, these layers are shifted along the [010] axis in the two forms, resulting in a slightly more effective packing for monoclinic structure (packing index = 0.692) compared to the ortho­rhom­bic form (0.688).
Advanced antenna design for NASA's EcoSAR instrument

Advanced antenna arrays were designed for NASA's EcoSAR airborne radar instrument. EcoSAR is a beamforming synthetic aperture radar instrument designed to make polarimetric and "single pass" interferometric measurements of Earth surface parameters. EcoSAR's operational requirements of a 435MHz center frequency with up to 200MHz bandwidth, dual polarization, high cross-polarization isolation (> 30 dB), ± 45° beam scan range and antenna form-factor constraints imposed stringent requirements on the antenna design. The EcoSAR project successfully developed, characterized, and tested two array antennas in an anechoic chamber. EcoSAR's first airborne campaign conducted in the spring of 2014 generated rich data sets of scientific and engineering value, demonstrating the successful operation of the antennas.
A User Experience Study of Annual Activity Reports: Bridging Context and (In)visible Technoservice Work of Technical Communication Faculty

This research highlights areas of tension between accepted reporting categories and technical communication service conducted by technical communication faculty as a requirement of their academic appointments, teaching, or research, and it suggests how current document design and communication strategies within academic practices make visible or invisible certain types of service work. Through an analysis of the design and categories of activity reports from a range of universities, this poster examines the ways in which service as an academic activity is framed within academic reporting structures. Findings suggest that the categories institutions provide for documenting our service often do not reflect the complex service we perform in technical communication and may need to be troubled and interrogated in order to make our work visible. "Service" contextualizes faculty work in various ways, and its institutional acceptance as a necessary but rarely sufficient category for promotion may challenge the abilities of Technical Communication faculty to effectively explain the new work of communication design in documents such as annual reports.
Evaluation of the Gene Xpert DX System for Molecular Monitoring in CML

Abstract 4794 Background: The diagnosis of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and the monitoring during therapy requires identification and quantification of the BCR-ABL1 transcripts. Molecular monitoring has become a requirement as therapy has become more efficient in inducing cytogenetic and molecular remissions. Unfortunately, there is great variability in the methodologies used for molecular monitoring, with various levels of expertise, great variability of the results between different laboratories, and frequently limited access. A simple method for rapid detection and quantification of BCR-ABL1 transcripts would benefit patients and improve outcomes. The GeneXpert DX System rapidly detects and quantifies BCR-ABL1 mRNA transcripts (type e13a2/b2a2 or e14a2/b3a2) in patients diagnosed with CML via an automated, quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results are available within 2 hours and adjusted to the international scale. We assessed the correlation between the GeneXpert system with the results from the Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory (MDL) at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Methods: Peripheral blood specimens were collected from 55 patients with CML, acute lymphoblastic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia and used for assay development, analytical validation and precision studies that compared the GeneXpert BCR-ABL1 Monitor Assay versus the standard MD Anderson MDL real-time PCR protocol. CML Ph positive was assessed as belonging to categories based on the BCR-ABL1 mRNA transcript level (Category I, >1%; Category 2, >0.1–1%; Category 3, >0.01%–0.1%; Category 4, ≤0.01%). Patients who had tyrosine kinase therapy resulting in stable disease were in categories 3 or 4, whereas newly diagnosed patients or those with acute disease were in categories 1 and 2. Ph-negative patients with ALL (n=2) and AML (n=4) were the negative controls. Results: Of the 55 patients whose blood was tested by the GeneXpert monitoring assay, 49 patients with CML fell into categories 1–4 (3, 7,4,35 respectively). The remaining 6 patients had a diagnosis of ALL or AML and acted as negative control. These patients had undetectable transcript levels by the GeneXpert system. The median time to obtaining results with the GeneXpert system was 1 hour and 30 min (range 1:29:51 to 1:31:16). There was a strong correlation between the results achieved with the GeneXpert system and those obtained at the MDACC MDL (R=0.7597; P= Conclusion: Results from GeneXpert system BCR-ABL1 are rapid and reliable and can be obtained with little training required. These results suggest that this methodology can be used to expand access and reproducibility to molecular monitoring in CML. Disclosures: Cortes:Cepheid: Research Funding.
Definition, Incidence, and Etiology of Melasma in Brown Skin

Melasma is an acquired disorder leading to hyperpigmentation on sun-exposed areas. Affects commonly women of childbearing age; women are ten times more affected than men. Predominance among Asian, Hispanic, and African descendants. Incidence variability among regions from 4 to 40 % of the population. Most common known trigger factors are exposure to ultraviolet radiation, the use of contraceptive pills, and pregnancy. Some drugs are also involved in its etiology. New concepts, including pollution and stress, are emerging as possible triggering factors.
Pseudorabies Virus: A Transneuronal Tracer for Neuroanatomical Studies

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the development of the viral transneuronal labeling method and focuses on viral transneuronal tracers. The objective of neuroanatomical research is to obtain information on the chemical nature of central neuronal networks and, subsequently, relate these data to the physiology of each neural system. .The major development has been the viral transneuronal labeling method, a technique that depends on the ability of certain viruses to sequentially infect functionally related chains of neurons. The infection spreads in a hierarchical fashion along synaptically connected groups of neurons regardless of whether they are excitatory or inhibitory Transneuronal labeling of a neural circuit depends on using a weak neurotropic virus that causes an infection in a chain of functionally related neurons without killing them so that they can be visualized by histochemical methods. The herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) and pseudorabies virus (PrV) are the two most commonly used viruses for transneuronal labeling studies. This method depends on using relatively weak neurotropic viruses to produce highly selective, non-lytic infections that spread via a transsynpatic mechanism. The chapter outlines the historical development of the viral transneuronal labeling method and explains in detail the role of PrV as a transneuronalmarker. Bartha–PrV is a herpes virus used in the pig industry as a vaccine to prevent a lethal disease called the “mad itch” or Aujesky's disease. It also can be used in rats as a specific retrograde transneuronal marker of central nervous system neurons. The property of being only mildly cytopathetic makes Bartha-PrV extremely useful for neuroanatomical studies. However, there are certain limitations with viral transneuronal labeling method. Bartha-PrV cannot be considered to be a universal transneuronal marker because certain types of neurons are refractory to infection. Also, there may be differences in the rate at which infections occur within different neurons that that are related to axoplasmic transport rates.
Study of electromigration in Cu and Ag wirebonds operating at high current in extreme environments

Small form factor of the latest electronics has significantly increased the current densities in the interconnects. Under high temperature operating conditions, these interconnects fail prematurely due to electromigration phenomenon as well as Joule heating. Electromigration (EM) is a mass transport of a material due to the momentum transfer between conducting electrons and atoms. High current densities in the wires can start mass transfer from one place to another, depending on the direction of the current. Joule heating of the wirebonds can significantly increase EMC-wirebond contact temperature and cause localized degradation of the EMC; which results into rapid degradation of the bond wire. Mechanisms of electromigration behavior of Palladium coated Copper (PCC), Copper (Cu), Silver (Ag) wirebonds are not widely reported in the literature. Relation between microstructural changes due to electromigration with the change in electric response of these interconnects is not yet reported. In this paper, combined effect of high current and high temperature on PCC, Ag, Cu, and Au wirebonds was evaluated. The tests were performed at ambient temperature with current density of 8.5∗104A/cm2. High resistance of the package increased the temperature of the package till 152°C. Change in electric response was correlated with change in morphology of bond-pad interface. Failure mechanisms for Cu-Al, PCC-Al, Ag-Al, and Au-Al system were developed.
Stimulated Raman Imaging Reveals Aberrant Lipogenesis as a Metabolic Marker for Azole-Resistant Candida albicans

Candida albicans is the single most prevalent cause of fungal bloodstream infections worldwide causing significant mortality as high as 50 percent. This high mortality rate is, in part, due to the inability to initiate an effective antifungal therapy early in the disease process. Mortality rates significantly increase after 12 hours of delay in initiating the appropriate antifungal therapy following a positive blood culture. Early administration of appropriate antifungal therapy is hampered by the slow turnovers of the conventional antimicrobial testing techniques, which require days of incubation. To address this unmet need, we explored the potential of employing stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) imaging to probe for metabolic differences between fluconazole-susceptible and -resistant strains at a single cell level in search of a metabolic signature. Metabolism is integral to pathogenicity. Since only a few hours are needed to observe a full metabolic cycle in C. albicans, metabolic profiling provides an...
Infrabarrels Are Layer 6 Circuit Modules in the Barrel Cortex that Link Long-Range Inputs and Outputs

Summary The rodent somatosensory cortex includes well-defined examples of cortical columns—the barrel columns—that extend throughout the cortical depth and are defined by discrete clusters of neurons in layer 4 (L4) called barrels. Using the cell-type-specific Ntsr1-Cre mouse line, we found that L6 contains infrabarrels, readily identifiable units that align with the L4 barrels. Corticothalamic (CT) neurons and their local axons cluster within the infrabarrels, whereas corticocortical (CC) neurons are densest between infrabarrels. Optogenetic experiments showed that CC cells received robust input from somatosensory thalamic nuclei, whereas CT cells received much weaker thalamic inputs. We also found that CT neurons are intrinsically less excitable, revealing that both synaptic and intrinsic mechanisms contribute to the low firing rates of CT neurons often reported in vivo . In summary, infrabarrels are discrete cortical circuit modules containing two partially separated excitatory networks that link long-distance thalamic inputs with specific outputs.
Revisiting Old Friends: Sortilin-1, Low-Density Lipoprotein Receptor, and Prorenin Receptor as Modulators of Lipoprotein and Energy Metabolism.

Although initially named for its ability to bind renin and prorenin, it is now universally accepted that the prorenin receptor ((P)RR) encoded by the ATP6AP2 gene has a myriad of functions outside of the renal axis, including a role in lipoprotein metabolism. (P)RR knockdown in vitro is known to reduce the levels of 2 low-density lipoprotein (LDL) clearance receptors, the LDL receptor (LDLR) and SORT1 (sortilin-1).1 In this issue, Ren et al2 further explore the role of (P)RR in lipid metabolism and report that antisense-mediated reduction of Atp6ap2 expression in vivo affects plasma cholesterol, plasma triglycerides, LDL clearance, triglyceride secretion, and hepatic lipid content and that some of the effects of Atp6ap2 inhibition depend on genetic background and diet, nominating the (P)RR pathway as an important regulator of lipoprotein metabolism. Article, see p 730 Ren et al2 used antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) to decrease Atp6ap2 expression in mouse liver and found that consistent with prior in vitro studies, (P)RR knockdown reduced hepatic LDLR and SORT1 protein levels. Both SORT1 and the LDLR play critical roles in lipid metabolism, with LDLR serving as the primary receptor for LDL clearance and SORT1 serving both as an LDL clearance receptor and as a regulator of hepatic lipoprotein secretion. Atp6ap2 knockdown in wild-type mice fed normal and high-fat diets increased plasma cholesterol and decreased LDL clearance. ASO-mediated hepatic Atp6ap2 knockdown also decreased plasma triglycerides and triglyceride secretion. In contrast to wild-type mice, in 2 different models of LDLR deficiency, genetically Ldlr -deficient mice and mice injected with an adeno-associated virus encoding a gain-of-function proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 mutant (D377Y), ASO-mediated Atp6ap2 knockdown decreased plasma cholesterol and triglycerides. These discordant results may be related to the effect of decreased (P)RR on SORT1 protein levels. Sort1 deficiency is known …
Estimation of Nonstationary Crosswind Response of Tall Buildings with Nonlinear Aeroelastic Effect

AbstractThis study addresses analysis of the crosswind response of tall buildings under nonstationary wind excitations. The wind load under nonstationary wind excitation was quantified using the fo...
Dynamically adjusting categories to accommodate changing contexts

Context Concept formation is the process by which generalizations are formed through observation of instances from the environment. These instances are described along a number of attributes, which are selected according to their relevance to the problem or task for which the concepts will be used. The context of a concept learning problem consists of the goals and tasks of the learner, as well as its background knowledge and domain theories and the external environment in which it operates. Context is essential to inductive concept learning for it determines which attributes to use for a given problem out of the infinitely many available, providing a bias for the learner (Mitchell, 1980). Furthermore, context is not a static entity, but is constantly changing, especially in the types of learning tasks faced by humans (e.g. Seifert 1989, Barsalou 1991). As concept formation systems are employed in tasks more typical of natural domains and “real-world” problems, the ability to respond to changing contexts becomes increasingly important.
That's a Stretch: Reconstructing, Rearticulating, and Commodifying Yoga

Yoga’s immense popularity prompts concerns about the extent to which cultural appropriation has compromised its original philosophy. This study examines how yoga is constructed by mainstream news media discourse, with an emphasis on its religious versus spiritual attributes. In doing so, I consider yoga as a commodity articulated through globalization, capitalism, and transculturation, the product of cultural appropriation (Rogers, 2006) and symbolic displacement (Wilson, 2012). Findings demonstrate that yoga’s discursive detachment from religious origins facilitates its rearticulation as: a means to achieve physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing; a flexible experience amenable to other faiths and creeds; and an elite and exotic commodity embedded within overlapping consumerist structures of capitalism and spiritual renewal. These findings reflect the extent to which its global appropriation complicates conceptualizations of cultural ownership and the authenticity of indigenous artifacts.
Changes in Outpatient Services and Medication Use Following a Non-fatal Opioid Overdose in the West Virginia Medicaid Program.

Fewer than 10% of West Virginia Medicaid enrollees received medication for opioid use disorder after a non-fatal overdose, making it an opportunity to increase treatment for opioid use disorder and co-occurring mental health conditions.
Differential metabolism of inorganic arsenic in mice from genetically diverse Collaborative Cross strains.

Mice have been frequently used to study the adverse effects of inorganic arsenic (iAs) exposure in laboratory settings. Like humans, mice metabolize iAs to monomethyl-As (MAs) and dimethyl-As (DMAs) metabolites. However, mice metabolize iAs more efficiently than humans, which may explain why some of the effects of iAs reported in humans have been difficult to reproduce in mice. In the present study, we searched for mouse strains in which iAs metabolism resembles that in humans. We examined iAs metabolism in male mice from 12 genetically diverse Collaborative Cross (CC) strains that were exposed to arsenite in drinking water (0.1 or 50 ppm) for 2 weeks. Concentrations of iAs and its metabolites were measured in urine and livers. Significant differences in total As concentration and in proportions of total As represented by iAs, MAs, and DMAs were observed between the strains. These differences were more pronounced in livers, particularly in mice exposed to 50 ppm iAs. In livers, large variations among the strains were found in percentage of iAs (15–48%), MAs (11–29%), and DMAs (29–66%). In contrast, DMAs represented 96–99% of total As in urine in all strains regardless of exposure. Notably, the percentages of As species in urine did not correlate with total As concentration in liver, suggesting that the urinary profiles were not representative of the internal exposure. In livers of mice exposed to 50 ppm, but not to 0.1 ppm iAs, As3mt expression correlated with percent of iAs and DMAs. No correlations were found between As3mt expression and the proportions of As species in urine regardless of exposure level. Although we did not find yet a CC strain in which proportions of As species in urine would match those reported in humans (typically 10–30% iAs, 10–20% MAs, 60–70% DMAs), CC strains characterized by low %DMAs in livers after exposure to 50 ppm iAs (suggesting inefficient iAs methylation) could be better models for studies aiming to reproduce effects of iAs described in humans.
Periodic solutions of one-dimensional cellular automata with random rules

We study cellular automata with randomly selected rules. Our setting are two-neighbor rules with a large number $n$ of states. The main quantity we analyze is the asymptotic probability, as $n \to \infty$, that the random rule has a periodic solution with given spatial and temporal periods. We prove that this limiting probability is non-trivial when the spatial and temporal periods are confined to a finite range. The main tool we use is the Chen-Stein method for Poisson approximation. The limiting probability distribution of the smallest temporal period for a given spatial period is deduced as a corollary and relevant empirical simulations are presented.
Microstructural Responses of Alloy 625 and Alloy 625 Plus Under Ion and Proton Irradiations

Ion- and proton-irradiated Ni-based alloys, Alloy 625 and Alloy 625 Plus, in the as-quenched and aged conditions, were investigated to understand the precipitation behavior under irradiation. Ion irradiations led to randomization of solute distributions while precipitation of the Pt2Mo-type ordered phase, solute clustering and solute segregation to dislocation loops were observed after proton irradiations. In addition, pre-existing γ″ precipitates dissolved under proton irradiation in Alloy 625, while they appeared stable in Alloy 625 Plus. The irradiated microstructures were independent of the starting conditions (as-quenched or aged) and appeared to converge to the same steady state for a given irradiation condition.
ERP system and implementation‐process benefits

Purpose – The purpose of this work is to empirically demonstrate the synergistic implications of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems and emerging intra‐organizational technologies.Design/methodology/approach – Using established operational theory as a foundation, the article analyzes the history of ERP use and its impact on gains from business‐to‐business (B2B) purchasing technologies.Findings – The findings reveal that the extent to which firms witness maintenance‐repair‐operating (MRO) savings through such procurement is dependent not only on the presence of an ERP system, but also on the length of time systems have been in use.Research limitations/implications – Although limited to the analysis of B2B “success” cases, the results provide strong implications for the importance of ERP as a key infrastructure for B2B activities.Practical implications – Managers seeking to benefit from B2B economies, should ensure that they possess an adequate IT infrastructure (e.g. ERP) to realize all such potenti...
Controlling opioid receptor functional selectivity by targeting distinct subpockets of the orthosteric site

Controlling receptor functional selectivity profiles for opioid receptors is a promising approach for discovering safer analgesics; however, the structural determinants conferring functional selectivity are not well understood. Here, we used crystal structures of opioid receptors, including the recently solved active state kappa opioid complex with MP1104, to rationally design novel mixed mu (MOR) and kappa (KOR) opioid receptor agonists with reduced arrestin signaling. Analysis of structure-activity relationships for new MP1104 analogs points to a region between transmembrane 5 (TM5) and extracellular loop (ECL2) as key for modulation of arrestin recruitment to both MOR and KOR. The lead compounds, MP1207 and MP1208, displayed MOR/KOR Gi-partial agonism with diminished arrestin signaling, showed efficient analgesia with attenuated liabilities, including respiratory depression and conditioned place preference and aversion in mice. The findings validate a novel structure-inspired paradigm for achieving beneficial in vivo profiles for analgesia through different mechanisms that include bias, partial agonism, and dual MOR/KOR agonism.
Parameterizing Human Locomotion Across Quasi-Random Treadmill Perturbations and Inclines

Previous work has shown that it is possible to use a mechanical phase variable to accurately quantify the progression through a human gait cycle, even in the presence of disturbances. However, mechanical phase variables are highly dependent on the behavior of the body segment from which they are measured, which can change with the human’s task or in response to different disturbances. In this study, we compare kinematic parameterization methods based on time, thigh phase angle, and tibia phase angle with motion capture data obtained from ten able-bodied subjects walking at three inclines while experiencing phase-shifting perturbations from a split-belt instrumented treadmill. The belt, direction, and timings of perturbations were quasi-randomly selected to prevent anticipatory action by the subjects and sample different types of perturbations. Statistical analysis revealed that both phase parameterization methods are superior to time parameterization, with thigh phase angle also being superior to tibia phase angle in most cases.
Ki-67 Proliferation Index Assessment in Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors by Digital Image Analysis With Stringent Case and Hotspot Level Concordance Requirements

Objectives The Ki-67 proliferation index is integral to gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (GEP-NET) assessment. Automated Ki-67 measurement would aid clinical workflows, but adoption has lagged owing to concerns of nonequivalency. We sought to address this concern by comparing 2 digital image analysis (DIA) platforms to manual counting with same-case/different-hotspot and same-hotspot/different-methodology concordance assessment. Methods We assembled a cohort of GEP-NETs (n = 20) from 16 patients. Two sets of Ki-67 hotspots were manually counted by three observers and by two DIA platforms, QuantCenter and HALO. Concordance between methods and observers was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) measures. For each comparison pair, the number of cases within ±0.2xKi-67 of its comparator was assessed. Results DIA Ki-67 showed excellent correlation with manual counting, and ICC was excellent in both within-hotspot and case-level assessments. In expert-vs-DIA, DIA-vs-DIA, or expert-vs-expert comparisons, the best-performing was DIA Ki-67 by QuantCenter, which showed 65% cases within ±0.2xKi-67 of manual counting. Conclusions Ki-67 measurement by DIA is highly correlated with expert-assessed values. However, close concordance by strict criteria (>80% within ±0.2xKi-67) is not seen with DIA-vs-expert or expert-vs-expert comparisons. The results show analytic noninferiority and support widespread adoption of carefully optimized and validated DIA Ki-67.
Clinical outcomes and safety of the SpineJack vertebral augmentation system for the treatment of vertebral compression fractures in a United States patient population.

Abstract The SpineJack implant system was recently FDA approved for treatment of vertebral compression fractures (VCF), however United States-based outcomes data is lacking. We sought to examine the safety and clinical outcomes following vertebral augmentation using the SpineJack implant for treatment of VCF in a U.S. patient population. An IRB-approved, retrospective study of SpineJack implants used in vertebral augmentation was performed from 11/2018 to 2/2020. Outcome objectives included pain improvement, vertebral body height (VH) restoration, improvement in local kyphotic angle (LKA), and incidence of adjacent level fractures (ALF). Complications were reviewed to assess safety of the procedure. Thirty patients with VCF (60% female; mean [SD] age of 62.7 [±12.8] years) underwent a total of 53 vertebral augmentations with 106 SpineJack implants. Worst pain scores decreased significantly from 8.7 to 4.3 (95%CI of the change [Δ]: 4.3–4.4; p
Phosphate Metabolism in Blue-green Algae III. The effect of fixation and post-staining on the morphology of polyphosphate bodies in Plectonema boryanum

The fine structural morphology of polyphosphate bodies is described after a variety of fixation and post-staining procedures. Glutaraldehyde fixation alone or in combination with osmium tetroxide provides the best preservation of polyphosphate bodies. Post-staining in uranyl acetate and lead citrate alone or in combination seems to extract polyphosphate bodies to varying degrees. Three morphological types of polyphosphate bodies are described; electron dense, porous, and those having an electron transparent center with an electron dense periphery. The effect of fixation, post-staining and electron beam on these bodies is described. Thick sections (0.5, μm) observed at 100 KV also reveal these three morphologies. The authors suggest that investigators should observe unstained glutaraldehyde fixed sections to determine if polyphosphate bodies are present in their material.
Triage sepsis alert and sepsis protocol lower times to fluids and antibiotics in the ED.

Abstract Background Early identification of sepsis in the emergency department (ED), followed by adequate fluid hydration and appropriate antibiotics, improves patient outcomes. Objectives We sought to measure the impact of a sepsis workup and treatment protocol (SWAT) that included an electronic health record (EHR)–based triage sepsis alert, direct communication, mobilization of resources, and standardized order sets. Methods We conducted a retrospective, quasiexperimental study of adult ED patients admitted with suspected sepsis, severe sepsis, or septic shock. We defined a preimplementation (pre-SWAT) group and a postimplementation (post-SWAT) group and further broke these down into SWAT A (septic shock) and SWAT B (sepsis with normal systolic blood pressure). We performed extensive data comparisons in the pre-SWAT and post-SWAT groups, including demographics, systemic inflammatory response syndrome criteria, time to intravenous fluids bolus, time to antibiotics, length-of-stay times, and mortality rates. Results There were 108 patients in the pre-SWAT group and 130 patients in the post-SWAT group. The mean time to bolus was 31 minutes less in the postimplementation group, 51 vs 82 minutes (95% confidence interval, 15-46; P value P value Conclusions An EHR-based triage sepsis alert and SWAT protocol led to a significant reduction in the time to intravenous fluids and time to antibiotics in ED patients admitted with suspected sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock.
Deadwood Report Update: Paperweight

When we introduced the Deadwood Report in our Winter 2008 issue, we staked out two main positions on what we would treat as scholarship when assessing faculty productivity. Fair Warning to Law Schools..., 11 GREEN BAG 2D 139, 144. We are standing by one of those positions and abandoning the other, at least for now. First we said, "Not all writing is scholarship and not all scholarship is the same" - a position we still like. For now we plan to proceed with a simple independent-sufficiency-for-tenure standard: We know that a professor can satisfy the scholarship requirement for tenure with a record consisting exclusively of articles in scholarly journals or exclusively of books. We know of no law school that grants tenure based on a record consisting exclusively of any other form of publication. But the Green Bag is not all-knowing, and so, as we said in our Winter 2008 issue, we will make exceptions. We do hope to provide some insight into one touchy area: the relative worth of student, faculty, and practitioner judgments about scholarly value. As with the weighting of teaching, we will be asking deans for help. See Deadwood Report Update: Pick Your Own Weight, 11 GREEN BAG 2D 275. The draft survey below invites deans to assign weights to a variety of scholarly products, including articles appearing in journals edited by students, professors, and practitioners. As before, we welcome your comments on the draft. Second we said, "Inbreeding is bad policy" - a position we cannot justify now. For a variety of reasons, works appearing in organs published by your school or your students, or on which a member of your faculty serves as an editor or in some similar capacity, do count.
The Concept of the Soil‐Plant‐Atmosphere Continuum and Applications

J.R. Philip pioneered the concept of the soil, plant, atmosphere as a thermodynamic continuum (SPAC) for water transfer. A central, currently unresolved problem arises as a result of the SPAC concept. How can water move to the top of tall trees in a water continuum from soil to leaf surface without cavitation? A suction pump can lift water only to the height due to atmospheric pressure (1.0 atm = 10.33 m). However, trees are taller than 10.33 m. To get water to the top of skyscrapers, standing tanks are used. In plants, there are no standing tanks, pumps (hearts), or valves that can move water up trees. At present, the cohesion theory is the theory generally accepted as the one that explains the way that water ascends in plants. With the advent of the pressure probe, the necessary high tensions for the cohesion theory have not been found. Consequently, in 1995 a new theory was put forward which postulates that solutes in the parenchyma cells of the tissue around the tracheary elements cause an imbibing of water, and this creates a pressure on them that prevents water cavitation. However, the theory has been questioned both thermodynamically and anatomically. The challenging problem now is to use the SPAC concept on a fine scale and determine the water potential gradients in the xylem tissue to see how water can be at the top of tall trees.
Patterns of Neural Circuit Activation and Behavior during Dominance Hierarchy Formation in Freely Behaving Crayfish

Creation of a dominance hierarchy within a population of animals typically involves a period of agonistic activity in which winning and losing decide relative positions in the hierarchy. Among crayfish, fighting between size-matched animals leads to an abrupt change of behavior as the new subordinate retreats and escapes from the attacks and approaches of the dominant (Issa et al., 1999). We used high-speed videography and electrical recordings of aquarium field potentials to monitor the release of aggressive and defensive behavior, including the activation of neural circuits for four different tail-flip behaviors. We found that the sequence of tail-flip circuit excitation traced the development of their dominance hierarchy. Offensive tail flipping, attacks, and approaches by both animals were followed by a sharp rise in the frequency of nongiant and medial giant escape tail flips and a fall in the frequency of offensive tail flips of the new subordinate. These changes suggest that sudden, coordinated changes in the excitability of a set of neural circuits in one animal produce the changes in behavior that mark its transition to subordinate status.
Outsourcing Local Government Services: Holding Contractors Accountable in Noncompetitive Contract Markets

The work of local government administrators is influenced by government’s growing reliance on nongovernmental organizations for service delivery. Yet research suggests that when local governments outsource services, they sometimes confront noncompetitive contractor markets. Under such conditions, they may intervene in order to improve their position in the provider market. We contend that these “market management” activities – strategies used to build, expand, and otherwise strengthen competition – threaten contract accountability and performance because they divert scarce administrative resources from contract oversight. In other words, market management creates opportunity costs by reducing attention to the primary goal of the contract management process – overseeing performance and maintaining contract accountability. This paper addresses these issues directly by examining the relationships between market competition and opportunity costs. Do market management and noncompetitive markets contribute to opportunity costs? And if so, to what extent do those opportunity costs compromise contract effectiveness? To answer these questions, we use primary data derived from interviews with local government officials and a national survey of local government contract managers. Our results indicate that opportunity costs are higher when competition is weak, and when local officials “manage the market.” We also conclude that contract effectiveness is reduced by those opportunity costs that divert resources away from oversight.
Two-fraction anaerobic fermentation of grass waste.

Background Waste from public green areas represents large quantities of grassy phytomass. The grass is usually utilised by composting, combustion or anaerobic fermentation. However, the classical composts are time-demanding, the quality of accelerated composts is low, combustion is under increasing criticism and conventional anaerobic fermentation requires high investment. Results A new method of two-fraction anaerobic fermentation of grass waste consisting from a hot maceration, up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor, steam explosion, horizontally stirred batch anaerobic fermentors and a charcoal kiln, all run on waste heat from a co-generation unit was investigated on a commercial scale. Conclusion The results shows that due to faster energy utilisation the two-fraction technology requires smaller fermentors and hence the technology is approximately one-third less costly than conventional systems, with 4 years shorter payback time. Additionally, huge amounts of charcoal are produced. However, the process control and optimisation is more demanding. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry
Solving mastermind using genetic algorithms

The MasterMind game involves decoding a secret code. The classic game is a code of six possible colors in four slots. The game has been analyzed and optimal strategies have been posed by computer scientists and mathematicians. In this paper we will survey previous work done on solving MasterMind, including several approaches using Genetic Algorithms. We will also analyze the solution sets and compare our results using a novel scoring system inside a GA against previous work using Genetic and Heuristic algorithms. Our GA is performing closer to optimal then previously published work. The GA we present is a Steady State GA using Fitness Proportional Reproduction (FPR), where the fitness function incorporates a simple heuristic algorithm. We also present a scoring method that is simpler then those used by other researchers. In larger games such as 10 colors and 8 slots our GA clearly outperform the heuristic algorithm. In fact if one wishes to tradeoff a higher average number of guesses to a faster running time, extremely large games such as 12 x10 can be solved in a reasonable time (i.e. minutes) of run time.
Semantic referencing - determining context weights for similarity measurement

Semantic similarity measurement is a key methodology in various domains ranging from cognitive science to geographic information retrieval on the Web. Meaningful notions of similarity, however, cannot be determined without taking additional contextual information into account. One way to make similarity measures context-aware is by introducing weights for specific characteristics. Existing approaches to automatically determine such weights are rather limited or require application specific adjustments. In the past, the possibility to tweak similarity theories until they fit a specific use case has been one of the major criticisms for their evaluation. In this work, we propose a novel approach to semi-automatically adapt similarity theories to the user's needs and hence make them context-aware. Our methodology is inspired by the process of georeferencing images in which known control points between the image and geographic space are used to compute a suitable transformation. We propose to semi-automatically calibrate weights to compute inter-instance and inter-concept similarities by allowing the user to adjust pre-computed similarity rankings. These known control similarities are then used to reference other similarity values.
Identification of a new transcriptional initiation site and the corresponding functional gene 2b in the murine coronavirus RNA genome.

Abstract We have previously shown that some strains of the murine coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) synthesize an additional mRNA species (mRNA 2b, previously called mRNA 2a) with a size intermediate between that of mRNAs 2 and 3, suggesting the presence of an optional transcriptional initiation site. This transcriptional start is dependent on the leader sequence of the virus strains. To study the mechanism of coronavirus transcriptional regulation, we have cloned and sequenced the region of the viral genome corresponding to the 5' unique coding region of mRNA 2 of the JHM strain of MHV. In addition to the open reading frame (ORF) predicted to encode the viral nonstructural protein p30, a second complete ORF, with the potential to encode a 439-amino-acid polypeptide, was discovered. The transcriptional initiation sites of both mRNA 2a (formerly called mRNA 2) and mRNA 2b were determined by primer extension studies and RNA sequencing. The data indicated that transcription of mRNA 2a initiated at a site, UCUAUAC, that resembled the consensus intergenic sequence. In contrast, the start signal of the optional mRNA 2b, UAAUAAAC, deviated from the consensus sequence. mRNA 2b is a functional mRNA, as shown by in vitro translation studies of mRNA and ORF 2b and by the detection of an additional viral structural protein, gp65, in the JHM strain that synthesized this mRNA. Although the A59 strain of MHV was found to retain ORF 2b, it lacked the correct transcriptional and translational start signals for this gene. This study has therefore identified an optional gene product for murine coronaviruses and provided insights into the mechanism of regulation of MHV RNA transcription.
Expression of 9E3 mRNA is associated with mitogenicity, phosphorylation, and morphological alteration in chicken embryo fibroblasts

Transformation of chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF) with viruses encoding src, ros, yes, and fps as well as ras, mos, middle T, erbA and erbB, myc, and crk stimulated 9E3 mRNA expression. Treatment of CEF with agents that modulate cell shape or attachment to the substratum caused an increase in 9E3 mRNA without an increase in tyrosine phosphorylation. 9E3 mRNA was also increased in CEF in response to several agents which modulate phosphorylation, including phorbol myristic acetate, vanadate, and okadaic acid, which suggests that the rapid induction of 9E3 mRNA expression in CEF by the src protein occurs downstream of morphological or phosphorylation events.
Cardiometabolic Risk, Knowledge, Risk Perception, and Self‐Efficacy among American Indian Women with Previous Gestational Diabetes

ABSTRACT Objective To describe cardiometabolic risk among a sample of American Indian women with previous gestational diabetes and describe the women's knowledge, risk perception for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and self‐efficacy beliefs related to preventing these diseases. Design Mixed methods, cross‐sectional, exploratory, descriptive. Setting Four campuses within one American Indian tribal health care system in a southwestern state. Participants A purposeful sample of 22 self‐identified American Indian women with a history of gestational diabetes. Methods Qualitative interview data were subjected to content analysis, and descriptive statistics were used to analyze quantitative questionnaire data and biophysiologic data. Results The majority of participants (13 of 21) were classified as having metabolic syndrome, and 13 of 18 women were found to be insulin resistant. In general, the women had high levels of knowledge related to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease and high risk perception, but low self‐efficacy related to preventing cardiometabolic disease. The overarching theme from the in‐depth interviews, struggling to change lifestyle behaviors while doubting prevention is possible, encompassed four categories that provided further illumination into participants' risk perceptions and self‐efficacy beliefs: concerns, control, beliefs/attitudes, and prevention. Conclusions High levels of knowledge and risk perception do not necessarily promote increased self‐efficacy to prevent cardiometabolic disease among American Indian women with previous gestational diabetes. Findings indicate the need to further explore women's self‐efficacy beliefs in the context of American Indian culture prior to developing interventions aimed at increasing self‐efficacy to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Rapid molecular diagnosis using femA mecA real-time PCR for staphylococcal bacteraemia improves early appropriate antibiotic prescribing: a randomised clinical trial

Vancomycin overuse exerts a selective pressure for VRE and VISA and has been associated with poorer outcomes than beta-lactams when treating MSSA. Rapid determination of methicillin susceptibility should be particularly helpful to spare vancomycin in a setting where MRSA prevalence is low.
Taxonomía de Platyrrhinus dorsalis y Platyrrhinus lineatus (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) en Perú

Taxonomy of Platyrrhinus dorsalis and Platyrrhinus lineatus (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) in Peru. We review the taxonomy of Platyrrhinus dorsalis and Platyrrhinus lineatus using morphological and morphometric analyses. Our paper indicates that P. dor- salis, in Peru, is represented by two taxa morphometric and morphologically distinct from populations of P. dorsalis which are restricted to the western slope of the Andes in Ecuador. Our research also suggests the division of P. lineatus into two allopatric species, P. nigellus from Ecuador and Peru, and P. lineatus from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. None of the three analyzed species in Peru showed significant variation among geographic population or between sexes. Palabras Clave: Platyrrhinus, Chiroptera, Peru, Morfometria, Morfologia, Taxonomia.
Ordinary differential equations on closed subsets of locally convex spaces with applications to fixed point theorems

Abstract The construction and convergence of an approximate solution to the initial value problem x ′ = f ( t , x ), x (0) = x 0 , defined on closed subsets of locally convex spaces are given. Sufficient conditions that guarantee the existence of an approximate solution are analyzed in relation to the Nagumo boundary condition used in the Banach space case. It is also shown that the Nagumo boundary condition does not guarantee the existence of an approximate solution. Applications to fixed point theorems for weakly inward mappings are given.