cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Efficient Culture of Human Naive and Memory B Cells for Use as APCs

The ability to culture and expand B cells in vitro has become a useful tool for studying human immunity. A limitation of current methods for human B cell culture is the capacity to support mature B cell proliferation. We developed a culture method to support the efficient activation and proliferation of naive and memory human B cells. This culture supports extensive B cell proliferation, with ∼103-fold increases following 8 d in culture and 106-fold increases when cultures are split and cultured for 8 more days. In culture, a significant fraction of naive B cells undergo isotype switching and differentiate into plasmacytes. Culture-derived (CD) B cells are readily cryopreserved and, when recovered, retain their ability to proliferate and differentiate. Significantly, proliferating CD B cells express high levels of MHC class II, CD80, and CD86. CD B cells act as APCs and present alloantigens and microbial Ags to T cells. We are able to activate and expand Ag-specific memory B cells; these cultured cells are highly effective in presenting Ag to T cells. We characterized the TCR repertoire of rare Ag-specific CD4+ T cells that proliferated in response to tetanus toxoid (TT) presented by autologous CD B cells. TCR Vβ usage by TT-activated CD4+ T cells differs from resting and unspecifically activated CD4+ T cells. Moreover, we found that TT-specific TCR Vβ usage by CD4+ T cells was substantially different between donors. This culture method provides a platform for studying the BCR and TCR repertoires within a single individual.
Proximity of the Lateral Calcaneal Artery With a Modified Extensile Lateral Approach Compared to Standard Extensile Approach

Background:The extensile lateral approach (EL) has been associated with increased wound complications such as apical necrosis which may be due partially from violation of the lateral calcaneal arte...
Loss of Zebrafish Mfrp Causes Nanophthalmia, Hyperopia, and Accumulation of Subretinal Macrophages.

Purpose Mutations in membrane frizzled-related protein (MFRP) are associated with nanophthalmia, hyperopia, foveoschisis, irregular patches of RPE atrophy, and optic disc drusen in humans. Mouse mfrp mutants show retinal degeneration but no change in eye size or refractive state. The goal of this work was to generate zebrafish mutants to investigate the loss of Mfrp on eye size and refractive state, and to characterize other phenotypes observed. Methods Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 methods were used to generate multiple frameshift mutations in zebrafish mfrp causing premature translational stops in Mfrp. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) was used to measure eye metrics and refractive state, and immunohistochemistry was used to study adult eyes. Gene expression levels were measured using quantitative PCR. Results Zebrafish Mfrp was shown to localize to apical and basal regions of RPE cells, as well as the ciliary marginal zone. Loss of Mfrp in mutant zebrafish was verified histologically. Zebrafish eyes that were mfrp mutant showed reduced axial length causing hyperopia, RPE folding, and macrophages were observed subretinally. Visual acuity was reduced in mfrp mutant animals. Conclusions Mutation of zebrafish mfrp results in hyperopia with subretinal macrophage infiltration, phenocopying aspects of human and mouse Mfrp deficiency. These mutant zebrafish will be useful in studying the onset and progression of Mfrp-related nanophthalmia, the cues that initiate the recruitment of macrophages, and the mechanisms of Mfrp function.
The effects of fructose and phosphate infusions on dry matter intake of lactating cows.

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to examine the effects of fructose and phosphate (Pi) infusions on dry matter intake by dairy cows to further understand the mechanisms controlling feed intake related to hepatic energy status. We performed 3 experiments in which we infused fructose and Pi intravenously or abomasally to Holstein cows. The first experiment used 8 cows (4–8 d postpartum) in a duplicated 4 × 4 Latin square experiment with 1 square of multiparous and 1 square of primiparous cows. A 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments was used including jugular infusions of solutions (1 L/h) containing fructose or glucose (0.6 mol/h) and Pi (NaH 2 PO 4 ) or NaCl (0.3 mol/h). Periods were 24 h, including 2 h for infusions and 22 h for recovery. The second experiment used 4 multiparous cows (74–81 d postpartum) in a 4 × 4 Latin square design and infused fructose or glucose and either Pi or no Pi at the same rates as experiment 1. Periods were 24 h, including 1 h for infusions and 23 h for recovery. The third experiment used 4 ruminally cannulated multiparous cows (15–26 d postpartum) in a 4 × 4 Latin square design and infused fructose or glucose and either Pi or NaCl at the same rates as experiment 1 but to the abomasum. Periods were 24 h, including 1 h for infusions and 23 h for recovery. In each experiment, feed intake was recorded by a computerized data acquisition system; blood was analyzed for the concentrations of glucose, nonesterified fatty acids, and Pi; and the liver was analyzed for the concentration of Pi (experiments 2 and 3 only). Overall, fructose infusion increased DMI by fresh cows when infused intravenously and abomasally, but it did not affect DMI by mid-lactation cows. Fructose infusion also reduced hepatic Pi, and Pi infusion increased hepatic Pi when infused abomasally but not intravenously. These results suggest that fructose increases feed intake, likely by sequestering Pi and preventing ATP production. When infused intravenously to multiparous cows, Pi increased DMI and did not affect hepatic Pi content. However, when infused abomasally, Pi reduced DMI and increased hepatic Pi content. These results suggest that although Pi infusion prevents the effect of fructose loading and reduces DMI, it also increases intake through a competing mechanism. Examining long-term effect of Pi infusion on DMI could determine if competing mechanisms complicate the determination of P requirement for dairy cows. These results are consistent with the control of feed intake by hepatic energy status in dairy cows.
Efficient and expressive extensions of constraint-based temporal reasoning

In the field of artificial intelligence, a great deal of effort has been extended toward improving methods for temporal constraint satisfaction. Research on this topic typically addresses either the representation of a constraint system, the algorithms necessary to compute its resolution, or the application of these techniques to real-world problems commonly faced in practice. However, there are certain situations where existing temporal representations and reasoning systems remain inadequate. First, many state-of-the-art solvers are unable to provide much more than a notice of failure when encountered with infeasibility, whereas one may instead desire some form of partial plan. Second, there are some scenarios where the Constraint Satisfaction Problem contains a mixture of both finite-domain and temporal constraints, requiring a hybrid approach to obtain a jointly feasible solution. Finally, there may be cases where the constraints of a given problem are themselves uncertain. When faced with such uncertainty, it may be useful to precompute a set of contingent solutions for all possible scenarios, or to instead produce a single robust solution that is likely to be supported in the greatest number of realizations. This dissertation proposes a series of powerful extensions to the Disjunctive Temporal Problem to accommodate each of the aforementioned concerns. We first investigate the problem of infeasibility in DTPs by proposing the application of partial constraint satisfaction. We present both systematic and approximate algorithms to achieve this objective, and expose a strong connection to the related problem of preferential optimization. Second, we consider a hybrid constraint system capable of expressing both finite-domain and temporal constraints. This requires not only a new representation, but also a new algorithm for establishing consistency of the hybrid problem. Third, we propose a method to handle uncertainty with respect to the constraints of a DTP by introducing the Uncertain Disjunctive Temporal Problem. This new formalism allows the encoding of meta-level decisions that lie outside the direct control of the executing agent, giving rise to several forms of resolution. We conclude with a novel application of this enhanced temporal constraint satisfaction system to the interesting and unusual domain of rectangle packing.
Experimental validation of the RATE tool for inferring HLA restrictions of T cell epitopes.

The RATE tool was recently developed to computationally infer the HLA restriction of given epitopes from immune response data of HLA typed subjects without additional cumbersome experimentation. Here, RATE was validated using experimentally defined restriction data from a set of 191 tuberculosis-derived epitopes and 63 healthy individuals with MTB infection from the Western Cape Region of South Africa. Using this experimental dataset, the parameters utilized by the RATE tool to infer restriction were optimized, which included relative frequency (RF) of the subjects responding to a given epitope and expressing a given allele as compared to the general test population and the associated p-value in a Fisher’s exact test. We also examined the potential for further optimization based on the predicted binding affinity of epitopes to potential restricting HLA alleles, and the absolute number of individuals expressing a given allele and responding to the specific epitope. Different statistical measures, including Matthew’s correlation coefficient, accuracy, sensitivity and specificity were used to evaluate performance of RATE as a function of these criteria. Based on our results we recommend selection of HLA restrictions with cutoffs of p-value < 0.01 and RF ≥ 1.3. The usefulness of the tool was demonstrated by inferring new HLA restrictions for epitope sets where restrictions could not be experimentally determined due to lack of necessary cell lines and for an additional data set related to recognition of pollen derived epitopes from allergic patients. Experimental data sets were used to validate RATE tool and the parameters used by the RATE tool to infer restriction were optimized. New HLA restrictions were identified using the optimized RATE tool.
Autophagy enables retromer-dependent plasma membrane translocation of SLC2A1/GLUT1 to enhance glucose uptake.

Macroautophagy sustains core metabolic functions during starvation or stress by promoting intracellular catabolism and nutrient recycling. In addition to salvaging metabolic intermediates, autophag...
Mechanism of abnormal dual-peak profiles in large tilt-angle ion implantation studied by SRIM analysis

Large-tilt angle (LTA) implantation has been employed in Si manufacturing processes in many applications, such as lightly-doped drain and Halo Implant. The depth profile of implant ions usually consists of only single peak at incident angle of zero degree with respect to the perpendicular of the silicon surface. However, an abnormal dual-peak profile was observed at LTA (>40 degree) for both boron and phosphorous. By using a Monte Carlo method (SRIM) to simulate the ion implant process, it was found that the projected range of the implant ions agrees with the formation of the first peak position which is shallower in depth. However, the cause for the second peak which corresponds to a depth much deeper in the Si substrate was unknown. During the simulation, it was also found that when the tilt angle was increased, the sputtering yields and Si displacements increased significantly, and this phenomenon indicated that during the LTA implantation, Si damage may not be negligible. The Si damage effect, which was due to either low Si density or transient Si displacement in the simulation, could have led to partial incident ions penetrating much deeper into the Si substrate and thus, caused the emergence of the second peak.
Mosaic anisotropy model for magnetic interactions in mesostructured crystals

We propose a new model for interpreting the magnetic interactions in crystals with mosaic texture called the mosaic anisotropy (MA) model. We test the MA model using hematite as a model system, comparing mosaic crystals to polycrystals, single crystal nanoparticles, and bulk single crystals. Vibrating sample magnetometry confirms the hypothesis of the MA model that mosaic crystals have larger remanence (Mr/Ms) and coercivity (Hc) compared to polycrystalline or bulk single crystals. By exploring the magnetic properties of mesostructured crystalline materials, we may be able to develop new routes to engineering harder magnets.
Survey for the presence of a vitronectin–like protein in micro‐ and macroalgae and cyanobacteria

Vitronectin (Vn) is a glycoprotein that serves a wide variety of roles in multicellular organisms. It was first identified in multicellular animals but has also been isolated from land plants and some algae, where it appears to serve as an extracellular adhesive molecule. In order to further elucidate presence and localization of a Vn-like protein and its potential role in algae, we surveyed different morphological regions of 24 species of macro- and microalgae and three species of cyanobacteria for the presence of a Vn-like protein. Vn-like proteins were not detected in any of the species of cyanobacteria, microalgae or Rhodophyta investigated. They were detected in several species of the Phaeophyceae and Chlorophyta where their localization was limited to the holdfast and rhizoids of these organisms, respectively. Detection of a Vn-like protein (between 0.0125 and 0.097 μg · μL-1 protein extract) was therefore limited to locations associated with substrate attachment.
Itchy, Scratchy: A Musical Robot for Low-Income Kid's Piano Practicing

With children in low-income backgrounds often struggling more academically than children in a financially higher bracket, musical training, such as learning piano, can be implemented to bridge this gap. Although non-profit organizations can offer free piano classes for children from low-income families, musical instruments are often unaffordable for them to continue practicing. We designed an inexpensive robot, Itchy, Scratchy, for children to practice piano in an out-of-class context. Our prototype evaluation indicated that Itchy, Scratchy could act as an economical, effective, and engaging musical instrument, which is important for closing the gap in musical education achievement between different socioeconomic backgrounds.
Classifying medical histories in US Medicare beneficiaries using fixed vs all-available look-back approaches.

PURPOSE Evaluate use of fixed and all-available look-backs to identify eligibility criteria and confounders among Medicare beneficiaries. METHODS We identified outpatient visits (2007-2012) with recently documented (≤180 days) cardiovascular risk and classified patients according to whether the exposure (statin) was initiated within 14 days. We selected each beneficiary's first eligible visit (in each treatment group) that met criteria during the respective look-backs: continuous enrollment (1 or 3 years for fixed look-back; 180 days for all-available), no cancer history, and no statin claims. We estimated crude and standardized mortality ratio weighted hazard ratios (HRs) for the effect of statin initiation on incident 6-month cancer (a known null effect) and 2-year mortality, separately, adjusting for covariates assessed by using each look-back. RESULTS Analyzing short-term cancer, the estimated HR from the all-available approach (HR = 0.90, 95% CI: 0.83, 0.98) was less biased than the 1-year look-back (HR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.73, 0.84), which included beneficiaries with prevalent cancer. The 3-year look-back (HR = 1.05, 95% CI: 0.90, 1.21) was somewhat less biased than the all-available estimate but less precise due the exclusion of a large proportion of observations without sufficient continuous enrollment (62.0% and 59.9% of initiators and non-initiators, respectively). All approaches produced similar estimates of the effect on all-cause mortality. Alternative look-backs did not differ in their ability to control confounding. CONCLUSIONS The all-available look-back performed nearly as well as the 3-year fixed, which produced the least biased point estimate. If 3-year look-backs are infeasible (eg, due to power/sample), all-available look-backs may be preferable to short (1-year) fixed look-backs.
Intracellular absorption underlies collective bacterial tolerance towards an antimicrobial peptide

The collective tolerance towards antimicrobial peptides (APs) is thought to occur primarily through mechanisms associated with live bacterial cells. In contrast to the focus on live cells, we discover that the LL37 antimicrobial peptide kills Escherichia coli, forming a subpopulation of dead cells that absorbs the remaining LL37 into its intracellular space. Combining mathematical modeling with population and single-cell experiments, we show that bacteria absorb LL37 at a timing that coincides with the permeabilization of their cytoplasmic membranes. Furthermore, we show that one bacterial strain can absorb LL37 and protect another strain from killing by LL37. Finally, we demonstrate that the intracellular absorption of LL37 can be reduced using a peptide adjuvant. In contrast to the existing collective tolerance mechanisms, we show that the dead-bacterial absorption of APs is a dynamic process that leads to emergent population behavior, and the work suggests new directions to enhance the efficacy of APs.
What will they know? Standards in the high school computer science curriculum

The ACM's Computer Science Teacher Association (CSTA) published a Computer Science curriculum recommendation for K-12 in 2003 and delivered its most recent revision in 2011. The International Society of Technology in Education (ISTE) produces the National Educational Technology Standards for Computer Science Educators (NETS-CSE) for secondary school educators. In 2010, an initiative to standardized K-12 curriculum, called the Common Core, developed standards for several core K-12 subjects. Common core in this context pertains to the core topics that every student should obtain to be successful in college or a career. These are broadly divided into "English Language arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and technical Subjects" and "Mathematics." Computing is left out of this common core. An examination of the CSTA, NETS-CSE and Common Core Mathematics (CCM) at the secondary level is made in this paper. The purpose is to highlight commonalities and disparities, providing some insight into related high school curriculum for computer science educators at the undergraduate level.
Blast-Related Concussion

Blast-related concussion is a serious problem faced by providers in both the military and civilian setting. Blast may cause injury to the central nervous system by several mechanisms including the primary blast wave, secondary penetrating or blunt trauma, tertiary effects of being projected by the blast and blunt or crushing trauma, quaternary effects from exposures due to the explosion, and the experience of the traumatic event may have psychological sequelae that can result in prolonged symptoms. While the mechanism is significantly different, the outcomes and treatment of blast-related concussion are similar to that of other mechanisms.
Cloning Salt Tolerance Genes by Insertional Mutagenesis Tagging and Gene Complementation

The plasmid pMN24 carrying a functional copy of the nitrate reductase gene Nitl was used for insertional mutagenesis of nit- Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Over 6800 nit+ transformants were screened for mutations causing NaCl sensitivity. Four mutants with salt sensitivity that cosegregated with nit+were isolated. Salt sensitivity of these mutants also cosegregated with the presence of a DNA fragment hybridizing to the Nitl plasmid pMN24. Over 8000 EMS mutagenized yeast colonies were screened for salt sensitivity and eleven sensitive lines were isolated. One of these, SS2, was complemented for salt tolerance with a genomic library from wild type yeast. A salt tolerant transformant was found to harbor a DNA fragment encoding the calcineurin regulatory subunit (CNB1) gene. Gene disruption and segregation analysis indicated the SS2 and CNB1 loci were allelic. Molecular modification of calcineurin catalytic subunit (CNA) to remove the calmodulin (CAM)-binding and auto-inhibitory domains was performed. The subsequent truncated CNA (CNAtr1) gene, along with a CNB1 gene were over-expressed in yeast. This resulted in a 5 fold increase in salt tolerance. The CNAtr1 and CNB1 genes were also transformed into tobacco and several tobacco lines expressing yeast CNAtr1 and CNB1 transcripts were isolated. Preliminary experiments indicate that CNAtr1/CNB1 transgenic tobacco plants have altered growth on salt.
Meaning and Late Life Learning

Let me begin with a semantic question: How do we describe the enterprise? What do we call the subject of this conference for which we are gathered here in Finland? Several labels suggest themselves.
The association of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations on prostate cancer risk, frequency, and mortality: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

5060Background: A prior meta-analysis (Fachal, Prostate, 2011) suggested no association between BRCA1 mutation and prostate cancer (PCa). Several additional BRCA2 studies have shown an association ...
A PCB Technology-Based 22–42-GHz Quasi-Absorptive Bandstop Filter

A $K/Ka$ -band low-cost continuously tunable quasi-absorptive bandstop filter fabricated with PCB technology is presented for the first time in this letter. A unique implementation of vertically integrated PCB-based evanescent-mode cavity resonator allows the filter to reach a maximum operating frequency of 42 GHz with commercially available linear actuators. The measured results reveal a state-of-the-art performance with less than 1-dB out-of-band insertion loss (1.5–3.2 dB with connectors) and higher than 50-dB isolation. The measured 3-dB bandwidth varies from 1.47% at 22 GHz to 4.65% at 42 GHz. This first-of-its-kind demonstration reveals the high potential of low-cost PCB technologies for manufacturing the high-performance RF front-end filters for high-frequency applications.
Towards Experimental Verification of Permeability Upgrading Using Metamaterial Inserts

AATRASC2018AZQNfinal. The new material will be anisotropic or bi-anisotropic. The analysis and simulation show the multiplicative effect of the hybrid structure, operating at high frequencies using specially designed host materials. In this paper, we take the first step in proving the concept of permeability upgrading by performing experimental verification of a hybrid structure that uses commercially available host material at low frequency. Measuring the $S$ -parameters of thin layers of the host material, followed by using documented parameter retrieval algorithms, we calculate the host material's permeability, permittivity, and loss tangent versus frequency. The measurements are repeated for the metamaterial-inserted hybrid structure to obtain the same parameters and observe the permeability upgrading, or multiplication.
Distinct roles of histamine H1- and H2-receptor signaling pathways in inflammation-associated colonic tumorigenesis.

Histamine-producing Lactobacillus reuteri can suppress development of inflammation-associated colon cancer in an established mouse model. The net effects of histamine may depend on the relative act...
Social Networks and Commercialisation of African Indigenous Vegetables in Kenya: A Cragg’s Double Hurdle Approach

This paper employs a two-stage Cragg’s double-hurdle model to assess the effects of market information networks on commercialisation decisions of smallholders of African Indigenous Vegetables (AIVs...
Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome in primary care: diagnosis, treatment and a case of African-American man presenting with POTS.

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a heterogeneous autonomic disorder characterised by orthostatic intolerance and a rise in heart rate by at least 30 bpm or an absolute heart rate value of at least 120 bpm within 10 min of standing or during a tilt table test. Overwhelmingly, POTS affects young Caucasian women, which can lead physicians to miss the diagnosis in men or non-white patients. We describe a case of 29-year-old African-American man who developed lightheadedness, generalised weakness, tachycardia and palpitations and was subsequently diagnosed with POTS. We review its clinical features, differential diagnosis, pathophysiology and treatment options. We also emphasise that POTS should be considered as a differential diagnosis in any patient presenting with typical clinical features, who may not be in the usual demographics of the disorder.
Dollar Tree Leadership Transition: Passing the Buck

Management succession is a significant issue in many businesses. You put all your energy into your business, but how much time is spent on bench strength planning? Are you ready to hand the reins over and begin a life outside the office? Have you ensured everything you've worked to create will seamlessly help support your heirs? Macon F. Brock Jr. (president and CEO of Dollar Tree Stores), his brother-in-law Doug Perry, and "almost family member" Ray Compton founded the successful Dollar Tree business in 1986. For many years, they worked hard to develop leaders within the company as an ongoing source of talent. Through their combined efforts, the business grew from a small startup to the number one company in the discount and variety retail sector, generating nearly $2 billion in sales during 2001. As the entrepreneurs thought about retiring, many questions emerged: Who was going to take over leadership of the company? Would they need more than one person? Was there an heir apparent ready to step up? How would they structure the transition? This case presents the challenges of a transition from an entrepreneurial venture to a publicly traded business with a focus on succession management. Excerpt UVA-ENT-0082 Rev. Mar. 18, 2013 DOLLAR TREE LEADERSHIP TRANSITION: PASSING THE BUCK Thinking about the family business—Dollar Tree Stores—Macon F. Brock Jr., president and CEO, focused on the issue of succession. Brock, his brother-in-law Doug Perry, and “almost family member” Ray Compton had founded the successful Dollar Tree retail chain in 1986. For many years, they had worked hard to develop leaders within as an ongoing source of talent. Through their combined efforts, the business grew from a small startup to the number one company in the discount and variety retail sector, generating nearly $ 2 billion in sales during 2001. Enjoying the picturesque view from his second-story office in Chesapeake, Virginia, Brock thought about the type of seasoned professional he would like to see move into his office. As the entrepreneurs retired, who was going to take over leadership of the company? Would they need more than one person? Was there an heir apparent ready to step up? How would they structure the transition? What were the expectations of the extended set of relatives connected with the company about the role of the business for the family? What would the future Dollar Tree executive suite look like? Background: From Toys to Trinkets . . .
Equal Protection and the Male Gaze: Another Approach to State of New Hampshire v. Lilley

This Article uses New Hampshire v. Lilley, a case recently decided by the New Hampshire Supreme Court, as a starting point for an equal protection analysis of indecent exposure laws that distinguish between women and men. After discussing contemporary equal protection jurisprudence and historicizing these laws, this Article uses the film theorist Laura Mulvey’s concept of the “male gaze” to demonstrate how overbroad generalizations about sex and sexuality serve as the foundation for this legal distinction. This Article concludes by emphasizing that municipalities and states may continue to enact and enforce indecent exposure laws that reflect community standards, so long as they apply equally to women and men.
Digest: Structuring interactions in Streptomyces

For bacteria growing in colonies, spatial structure can allow maintenance of costly traits such as the production of antibiotics. Using spatially structured environments, Westhoff et al. examined the benefits of streptomycin production for the bacterium Streptomyces griseus in competition with a streptomycin-susceptible strain. Streptomyces griseus outcompeted susceptible competitors, but the benefit of its antibiotic decreased as competitor resistance to streptomycin increased. Spatial structure also increased the ability of S. griseus to invade susceptible competitor populations from low starting densities. These results demonstrate that spatially structured environments can both provide and amplify benefits of antibiotics to antibiotic-producing bacteria on a microbial scale.
Neutrino condensation from a new Higgs-like interaction

We revisit the scenario of having a new interaction between neutrinos and a Higgs-like scalar suggested by short-baseline neutrino anomalies. We find that there are two possible attractive channels in the resulting effective 4-Fermi theory which lead to a neutrino condensation in cosmic neutrinos and the creation of a neutrino superfluid at low temperatures and finite chemical potential. We find that at the minimum of the effective potential $V$ the condensates are mostly made up of pairs of left-left $+$ right-right composites, with a tiny admixture of left-right $+$ right-left composites which differs from the scenario of Kapusta which focused on the energetically unfavored left-right $+$ right-left scenario. We obtain an approximate equation for the gap ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}}^{2}=4{m}_{H}(\ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{-}m)\mathrm{Exp}[\ensuremath{-}\frac{{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{2}}{{G}_{\mathrm{eff}}\ensuremath{\mu}\sqrt{{\ensuremath{\mu}}^{2}\ensuremath{-}{m}^{2}}}]$, where ${m}_{H}$ is the mass of the Higgs scalar, and ${G}_{\mathrm{eff}}$ is the effective (renormalized) 4- Fermi interaction. Recent constraints on cosmological neutrinos suggest the possibility that ${\mathrm{log}}_{10}({\mathrm{G}}_{\text{eff}}\text{ }{\mathrm{MeV}}^{2})=\ensuremath{-}1.72$ which would lead to an exponentially small gap.
Single-cell analyses of the corneal epithelium: Unique cell types and gene expression profiles

ABSTRACT Corneal Epithelial Stem Cells (CESCs) and their proliferative progeny, the Transit Amplifying Cells (TACs), are responsible for homeostasis and maintaining corneal transparency. Owing to our limited knowledge of cell fates and gene activity within the cornea, the search for unique markers to identify and isolate these cells remains crucial for ocular surface reconstruction. We performed single-cell RNA sequencing of corneal epithelial cells from stage 49-51 Xenopus larvae. We identified five main clusters with distinct molecular signatures, which represent apical, basal and keratocyte cell types as well as two discrete proliferative cell types in the bi-layered epithelium. Our data reveal several novel genes expressed in corneal cells and spatiotemporal changes in gene expression during corneal differentiation. Through gene regulatory network analysis, we identified key developmental gene regulons, which guide these different cell states. Our study offers a detailed atlas of single-cell transcriptomes in the frog corneal epithelium. In future, this work will be useful to elucidate the function of novel genes in corneal homeostasis, wound healing and cornea regeneration, which includes lens regeneration in Xenopus. SUMMARY STATEMENT This study identifies cell types and transcriptional heterogeneity in the corneal epithelium that regulate its differentiation, and facilitates the search for corneal stem cell markers.
Combination Lower Extremity Nerve Blocks and Their Effect on Postoperative Pain and Opioid Consumption: A Systematic Review.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to perform a systematic review of the literature examining postoperative outcomes following single site and combined peripheral nerve blocks (PNBs), including (1) sciatic and femoral nerve, (2) popliteal and saphenous nerve, and (3) popliteal and ankle nerve, during elective foot and ankle surgery. We hypothesized that combination blocks would decrease postoperative narcotic consumption and afford more effective postoperative pain control as compared to general anesthesia, spinal anesthesia, or single site PNBs. A review of the literature was performed according to the PRISMA guidelines. Medline, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were searched from January 2009 to October 2019. We identified studies by using synonyms for “foot,” “ankle” “pain management,” “opioid,” and “nerve block.” Included articles explicitly focused on elective foot and ankle procedures performed under general anesthesia, spinal anesthesia, PNB, or with some combination of these techniques. PNB techniques included femoral, adductor canal, sciatic, popliteal, saphenous, and ankle blocks, as well as blocks that combined multiple anatomic sites. Outcomes measured included postoperative narcotic consumption as well as patient-reported efficacy of pain control. Twenty-eight studies encompassing 6703 patients were included. Of the included studies, 57% were randomized controlled trials, 18% were prospective comparison studies, and 25% were retrospective comparison studies. Postoperative opioid consumption and postoperative pain levels were reduced over the first 24 to 48 hours with the use of combined PNBs when compared with single site PNBs, both when used as primary anesthesia or when used in concert with general anesthesia either alone or combined with systemic/local anesthesia in the first 24 to 48 hours following surgery. Studies demonstrated higher reported patient satisfaction of postoperative pain control in patients who received combined PNB. Nine of 14 (64%) studies reported no neurologic related complications with an overall reported rate among all studies ranging from 0% to 41%. Our study identified substantial improvement in postoperative pain levels, postoperative opioid consumption, and patient satisfaction in patients receiving PNB when compared with patients who did not receive PNB. Published data also demonstrated that combination PNB are more effective than single-site PNB for all data points. Notably, the addition of a femoral nerve block to a popliteal nerve block during use of a thigh tourniquet, as well as addition of either saphenous or ankle blockade to popliteal nerve block during use of calf tourniquet, may increase overall block effectiveness. Serious complications including neurologic damage following PNB administration are rare but do exist.
Photoluminescence enhancement of perovskites nanocomposites using ion implanted silver nanoparticles

Abstract Metal enhanced photoluminescence by 70 keV Ag ions implanted at various fluences in quartz substrates was studied using drop casted CsPbX (X = Br3, I3, BrI2) perovskites. Concentration and depth profile of the implanted Ag was determined by Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry. Ag nanoparticles existence was confirmed by optical absorption spectroscopy. Photoluminescence enhancement was obtained using steady state photoluminescence spectroscopy and enhancement was observed for CsPbBrI2 and CsPbI3 reaching as high as 3.6 and 5.9 fold, respectively. Whereas, a 60% photoluminescence quenching was observed for CsPbBr3, which could be attributed to the non-radiative energy transfer from perovskite to nanoparticles.
Obesity-Linked PPARγ S273 Phosphorylation Promotes Insulin Resistance through Growth Differentiation Factor 3.

Summary The thiazolidinediones (TZDs) are ligands of PPARγ that improve insulin sensitivity, but their use is limited by significant side effects. Recently, we demonstrated a mechanism wherein TZDs improve insulin sensitivity distinct from receptor agonism and adipogenesis: reversal of obesity-linked phosphorylation of PPARγ at serine 273. However, the role of this modification hasn’t been tested genetically. Here we demonstrate that mice encoding an allele of PPARγ that cannot be phosphorylated at S273 are protected from insulin resistance, without exhibiting differences in body weight or TZD-associated side effects. Indeed, hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp experiments confirm insulin sensitivity. RNA-seq in these mice reveals reduced expression of Gdf3, a BMP family member. Ectopic expression of Gdf3 is sufficient to induce insulin resistance in lean, healthy mice. We find Gdf3 inhibits BMP signaling and insulin signaling in vitro. Together, these results highlight the diabetogenic role of PPARγ S273 phosphorylation and focus attention on a putative target, Gdf3.
Caged-Contact Pair Recombination Following Photolysis in Cooled Triiodide Solutions

The temperature-dependent recombination of caged-contact pairs following triiodide photolysis is investigated via ultrafast single-shot pump-probe spectroscopy. We find that the fraction of contact pairs formed increases at low temperature while the decays obey an Arrhenius relation.
Acute renal failure in patient with renal cell carcinoma after combination immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy

Abstract Recent advances in immunotherapy have shown great promise, especially in the setting of renal cell carcinoma with its well-known history of highly immunogenic tumor microenvironment. In particular, combination immune checkpoint inhibition with nivolumab and ipilimumab will likely soon be used as a first line regimen in the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma given recent trial data. However, we urge close monitoring and caution with such therapies given dual immune checkpoint blockade may potentiate the effects and lead to more severe immune-related adverse events. We present a case of a patient started on combination immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy developing acute renal failure with subsequent dialysis dependence. Our case highlights the need for a more proactive approach to preventing and monitoring for immune-related adverse events. We especially wanted to highlight the concern for nephrotoxic events in renal cell carcinoma patients given their increased vulnerability to renal insult in the setting of prior surgical interventions and underlying malignancy.
Pre-Visit Education on Pain Management Options Prior to the First Clinic Visit Improves Chronic Pain Patient Satisfaction with Proposed Treatment Plans

OBJECTIVE This study sought to evaluate if actively informing new chronic pain patients about treatment options and setting realistic expectations for care, through the use of a pre-visit informational handout prior to the first clinic visit, improved patient satisfaction with subsequently proposed treatment plans. METHODS The study was divided into two 3-month periods. During the first 3 months, with our current pain clinic practices in place, new patients (n = 147) were given surveys to establish a baseline of patient satisfaction with treatment plans proposed on their first visit. During the second 3 months, a different group of new patients (n = 156) was given a detailed informational handout which described our clinic's multimodal approach to pain management and therapeutic expectations prior to their visit with a provider. Patient satisfaction with subsequently proposed treatment plans was then assessed and compared with the baseline group. RESULTS The average patient satisfaction score for the group of patients given the informational handout was 4.21 (on a 5-point Likert scale), compared to an average score of 3.25 for the baseline group (P < .0001, unpaired t-test). 77.6% of patients given the informational handout said their proposed treatment plan met their expectations compared to 46.3% of patients in the baseline group (χ2= 31.61, two-tailed P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS Patient satisfaction with proposed chronic pain treatment plans was improved when clinic approaches to pain were explicitly outlined and therapeutic expectations were clearly established in the form of an informational handout at the outset of the first visit.
Societal trust and the economic behavior of nonprofit organizations

Abstract This study explores the impact of societal trust on the economic behavior of nonprofit organizations. Although prior studies reveal that trust has a positive impact on the economic behavior of for-profit firms, the institutional differences between the two organization types make it unclear whether trust plays a similar role in nonprofits. Our results show that nonprofits operating in higher trust areas are more likely to overspend on administrative expenses. This positive relationship between trust and overspending is primarily driven by service organizations, as opposed to public charities. Moreover, within service organizations, we find that the positive trust-administrative overspending association is most prevalent in situations of weaker monitoring or governance. Additional tests show trust has a similar impact on excess compensation and abnormal accruals in service organizations. Overall, our findings suggest that trust may provide opportunities for nonprofit managers, particularly in service-oriented organizations, to engage in opportunistic behavior that may be exacerbated by weaker forms of oversight.
Fracture characteristics and heat treatment of laser powder bed fusion additively manufactured GRCop-84 copper

Abstract Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) of Glenn Research Copper 84 (GRCop-84), a Cr2Nb (8 at. % Cr, 4 at. % Nb) precipitation hardened alloy, produces a fully dense high conductivity alloy with a yield strength of 500 MPa and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 740 MPa, superior to other competing copper alloys, and 20% elongation at fracture for material stressed perpendicular to the build direction. The high thermal stability of the Cr2Nb precipitate in the copper matrix reduces coarsening and maintains a 300 MPa yield, 520 MPa UTS and 26% elongation after a 900 °C, 5-h heat treatment, while a 3 h 450 °C heat treatment increases yield to 810 MPa, UTS to 970 MPa with 9% elongation at fracture, for samples stressed perpendicular to the build direction. Tensile strength anisotropy based on print direction was attributed to internal stress and columnar grain formation. Void nucleation during tensile fracture was initiated by brittle fracture of precipitate particles within the copper matrix. Fracture cusps contain matching precipitate fragment geometry on opposing sides located near the cusp center in at least 80% of fracture cusps. An optimal precipitate size of 100 nm is predicted for maximum tensile strength from precipitates on fracture surfaces, while tensile testing with varying heat treatments shows maximum strength with 100 nm and smaller precipitates. Cr2Nb precipitates are shown to transition between polycrystalline and monocrystalline structures at high temperature.
Gibt es strategische Gesetzmäßigkeiten

Thema dieses Buches ist die Verknupfung von Unternehmensstrategie mit Unternehmenserfolg. Bei der Untersuchung dieser Beziehung greifen wir auf Erfahrungen aus der Vergangenheit zuruck. Jeder Manager lernt naturlich aus eigenen Erfahrungen, aus denen der Kollegen und aus der Untersuchung von Verhaltensweisen der Konkurrenten. Neben diesem Lernprozess aus direkten Quellen kann auch eine Analyse der Erfahrungen zahlreicher Unternehmen, die in den unterschiedlichsten Industriezweigen angesiedelt sind, Aufschlusse uber die Beziehung von Strategie und Erfolg geben. Dieser Art von Forschung gehen wir und unsere Kollegen am Strategic Planning Institute seit 1972 nach, als das PIMS (Profit Impact of Market Strategies) — Programm initiiert wurde. Seither haben zu diesem Programm mehr als 450 Unternehmen mit Informationen beigetragen. Strategien und finanzielle Ergebnisse von nahezu 3.000 strategischen Geschaftseinheiten (SGE) konnten uber Zeitraume von zwei bis zu zwolf Jahren erfast werden. In der Datenbank sind Unternehmen verschiedenster Grose gespeichert, Markte in Nordamerika, Europa und in anderen Teilen der Welt sowie eine Vielzahl unterschiedlichster Produkte und Dienstleistungen — von Suswaren uber Guter des Anlagebaues bis hin zu Finanzdienstleistungen.
Constitutional Constraints on Using Eminent Domain to Write-Down Underwater Mortgages

Beginning in 2007, the U.S. economy was hit with a series of damaging financial blows, the negative repercussions of which still affect Americans today. In years prior thereto, various economic and political factors worked in unison to artificially inflate the selling price of residential homes within many U.S. markets.1 When the market could stand no more inflation, the metaphorical bubble burst, sending the banking, investment, and mortgage industries into a downward tailspin.
Restoration of the Anterior Segment in a Cleft Palate in Conjunction with Surgically Facilitated Orthodontic Therapy: An Interdisciplinary Approach

Abstract A 26-year-old woman was referred to a periodontal surgical practice for concerns related to gingival recession. After several consultations among the orthodontist, periodontist, and cosmetic/restorative dentist, she decided to have surgically facilitated orthodontic therapy as part of a collaborative, interdisciplinary treatment planning process to correct her constricted maxillary arch form, augment thin dentoalveolar facial bone, simultaneously with gaining root coverage as well as improving attached gingiva width and mucogingival thickness. As a consequence of changing the arch form, an improvement in the buccal corridor space was gained which optimized her smile display.
Semi-Supervised Boosting for Multi-Class Classification

Most semi-supervised learning algorithms have been designed for binary classification, and are extended to multi-class classification by approaches such as one-against-the-rest. The main shortcoming of these approaches is that they are unable to exploit the fact that each example is only assigned to one class. Additional problems with extending semi-supervised binary classifiers to multi-class problems include imbalanced classification and different output scales of different binary classifiers. We propose a semi-supervised boosting framework, termed Multi-Class Semi-Supervised Boosting (MCSSB) , that directly solves the semi-supervised multi-class learning problem. Compared to the existing semi-supervised boosting methods, the proposed framework is advantageous in that it exploits both classification confidence and similarities among examples when deciding the pseudo-labels for unlabeled examples. Empirical study with a number of UCI datasets shows that the proposed MCSSB algorithm performs better than the state-of-the-art boosting algorithms for semi-supervised learning.
Biopreservation of Foods

This chapter provides an overview of the biologically based preservation technologies termed “biopreservation.” Acid production by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in temperature-abused foods (controlled acidification) is covered in the chapter. Some LAB produce antimicrobial proteins, called bacteriocins, which inhibit spoilage and pathogenic bacteria without changing (e.g., through acidification, protein denaturation, and other processes) the physicochemical nature of the food. While organic acids are usually added to foods, LAB can produce lactic acid in situ. The controlled production of acid in situ is an important form of biopreservation. There are many different ways to use bacteriocins in foods. The first is to add bacteriocins directly to the food for the purpose of inhibiting spoilage or pathogenic bacteria. The second way to use bacteriocins is to add bacteriocinogenic cultures to the food or use them as starter cultures that produce the bacteriocin in situ. A third way to use bacteriocins is to facilitate the use of defined starter cultures in fermented foods. Emulsifiers such as Tween 80 or the entrapment of the pediocin in multilamellar vesicles increases pediocin effectiveness in fatty foods. Nisin is the only bacteriocin approved internationally for use in foods. The biological methods of food preservation covered here mark only the beginning of the biopreservation era in the food industry.