cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sequencing-based large-scale genomics approaches with small numbers of isolated maize meiocytes.

High-throughput sequencing has become the large-scale approach of choice, and enables the study of global gene expression and the distribution of specific chromatin marks and features. However, the limited availability of large amounts of purified cells made it very challenging to apply sequencing-based techniques in plant meiosis research in the past. In this paper, we describe a method to isolate meiocytes from maize anthers and detailed protocols to successfully perform RNA-seq, smRNA-seq, H3K4me3-ChIP-seq and DNA bisulfite conversion sequencing with 5,000 to 30,000 isolated maize male meiotic cells. These methods can be adjusted for other flowering plant species as well.
Phosphorylation of mammalian translation initiation factor 5 (eIF5) in vitro and in vivo

Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5 (eIF5) interacts with the 40S initiation complex (40S•eIF3•AUG•Met-tRNAf•eIF2•GTP) and, acting as a GTPase activating protein, promotes the hydrolysis of bound GTP. We isolated a protein kinase from rabbit reticulocyte lysates on the basis of its ability to phosphorylate purified bacterially expressed recombinant rat eIF5. Physical, biochemical and antigenic properties of this kinase identify it as casein kinase II (CK II). Mass spectrometric analysis of maximally in vitro phosphorylated eIF5 localized the major phosphorylation sites at Ser-387 and Ser-388 near the C-terminus of eIF5. These serine residues are embedded within a cluster of acidic amino acid residues and account for nearly 90% of the total in vitro eIF5 phosphorylation. A minor phosphorylation site at Ser-174 was also observed. Alanine substitution mutagenesis at Ser-387 and Ser-388 of eIF5 abolishes phosphorylation by the purified kinase as well as by crude reticulocyte lysates. The same mutations also abolish phosphorylation of eIF5 when transfected into mammalian cells suggesting that CK II phosphorylates eIF5 at these two serine residues in vivo as well.
Wall Shear Rate Distribution in an Abdominal Aortic Bifurcation Model: Effects of Vessel Compliance and Phase Angle Between Pressure and Flow Waveforms

The goal of this study was to determine how vessel compliance (wall motion) and the phase angle between pressure and flow waves (impedance phase angle) affect the wall shear rate distribution in an atherogenic bifurcation geometry under sinusoidal flow conditions. Both rigid and elastic models replicating the human abdominal aortic bifurcation were fabricated and the wall shear rate distribution in the median plane of the bifurcation was determined using the photochromic flow visualization method. In the elastic model, three phase angle conditions were simulated (+12, -17, -61 deg), and the results compared with those obtained in a similar rigid model. The study indicates a very low (magnitude close to zero) and oscillatory wall shear rate zone within 1.5 cm distal to the curvature site on the outer (lateral) wall. In this low shear rate zone, unsteadiness (pulsatility) of the flow greatly reduces the mean (time-averaged) wall shear rate level. Vessel wall motion reduces the wall shear rate amplitude (time-varying component) up to 46 percent depending on the location and phase angle in the model. The mean wall shear rate is less influenced by the wall motion, but is reduced significantly in the low shear region (within 1.5 cm distal to the curvature site on the outer wall), thus rendering the wall shear rate waveform more oscillatory and making the site appear more atherogenic. The effect of the phase angle is most noteworthy on the inner wall close to the flow divider tip where the mean and amplitude of wall shear rate are 31 and 23 percent lower, respectively, at the phase angle of -17 deg than at -61 deg. However, the characteristics of the wall shear rate distribution in the low shear rate zone on the outer wall that are believed to influence localization of atherosclerotic disease, such as the mean wall shear rate level, oscillation in the wall shear rate waveform, and the length of the low and oscillatory wall shear rate zone, are similar for the three phase angles considered. The study also showed a large spatial variation of the phase angle between the wall shear stress waveform and the circumferential stress waveform (hoop stress due to radial artery expansion in response to pressure variations) near the bifurcation (up to 70 deg). The two stresses became more out of phase in the low mean shear rate zone on the outer wall (wall shear stress wave leading hoop stress wave as much as 125 deg at the pressure-flow phase angle of -61 deg) and were significantly influenced by the impedance phase angle.
On the Natural History of Health Care Occupations

A natural history model presents occupations as attempting to shape their environments and also as shaping themselves in response to their environments. The tactics and strategies employed by occupations in response to changing circumstances are described in the context of emerging, consolidating, and transforming phases of development.
Colic modifications in iguanine lizards

All lizard species of the subfamily Iguaninae except Amblyrynchus cristatus possess from one to eleven transverse valves in the proximal colon. Valves are of two kinds: circular (sometimes with a sphincter valve) or semilunar. Circular valves (if present) always occur proximally to semilunar valves. Intraspecific variation in the number and type of valves is small, but increase with modal number of valves. No significant ontogenetic change in number of valves could be demonstrated. Colic valves in iguanine lizards apparently evolved as simple infoldings of the medical colic wall. Comparisons are made with colic modifications occurring in other lizard families. Herbivorous species of the Scincidae, Agamidae, and Iguanidae are the only lizards known to exhibit colic partitioning, suggesting that the evolution of these structures is intimately related to the evolution of herbivory in these lizards. The potential taxonomic and phylogenetic importance of lizard colon anatomy is discussed.
Optimal subspace-based parameter estimation

Many important parameter estimation problems in time series modeling and sensor array processing using state-space models can be reduced to finding a solution to the equation U/sub 1/ F approximately=U/sub 2/, where noises in both sides of the equation are highly correlated because of a nonlinear transformation (the SVD) of the data matrix. Least squares or even total least squares solutions are not optimal and the complicated covariance structure in U/sub 1/ and U/sub 2/ does not allow a weighted total least squares procedure to be carried out. The authors propose an optimal subspace estimation method (OSE) to solve this equation in an approximate maximum likelihood sense. Instead of solving the equation directly, OSE first gets a maximum likelihood estimate of the structured subspace represented by U/sub 1/ and U/sub 2/. Parameters are then extracted from the estimated subspace. An array processing example shows that the performance of OSE achieves the Cramer-Rao bound. >
THE BIOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS OF AN EDRIOASTEROID ATTACHED TO A PLEUROCYSTITID RHOMBIFERAN

The attachment of a small edrioasteroid to the nonperiproctal surface of a small specimen of the pleurocystitid rhombiferan Amecystis has implications for the life posture of pleurocystitids and indicates that Amecystis was epifaunal. Articulation of the preserved portions of both thecae indicates that the edrioasteroid and Amecystis were alive at or very near the time of burial and that the edrioasteroid used the Amecystis theca as an attachment surface. Other examples of edricasteroids attaching to live organisms are known suggesting that an edrioasteroid attached to a live rhombiferan is not highly unusual. The position of the edrioasteroid on the rhombiferan suggests that Amecystis was oriented with the anal side down in life and that this pleurocystitid was fully epifaunal.
Multiple Myeloma and the Bone Marrow Niche

e4 fusion of bendamustine with vorinostat that aims to increase the efficacy of the alkylator through the HDACi-mediated chromatin relaxation to make DNA more accessible to the damaging effect of bendamustine. It induced a high rate of response in Vk*MYC MM that was sustained for more than three months in mice receiving only two doses, one week apart. The IAP antagonist LCL161 results in rapid degradation of cIAP1/2 with stabilization of NIK and constitutive activation of NFkB. In vivo this results in activation of the innate immune system, with a cytokine release syndrome the dose limiting toxicity. In Vk*MYC mice with MM LCL161 results in a phagocytic-cell dependent, NK and T-cell independent anti-tumor response that is augmented with the addition of cyclophosphamide. Inhibition of coinhibitory receptors CTLA4, PD1 or PDL1 was ineffective, however activation of the costimulatory receptor CD137 with agonist antibody resulted in NK and CD8 T-cell dependent anti-tumor responses. These preclinical studies suggest that the Vk*MYC model can be successfully used to rationally develop novel targeted and immunotherapies for the treatment of MM.
The Emergence of Medical Psychiatry: A Provocative Viewpoint

In the past 50 years, several major movements have attempted to integrate psychiatric concepts into the care of medical pa­ tients. Three of the most influential movements have been consultation-liaison psychiatry, behavioral medicine, and the clinical branch of psychosomatic medicine. I Each of these movements may be broadly defined by its respective theoreti­ cal orientation, goals, and techniques. A fourth approach, med­ ical psychiatry, has germinated and represents an attempt to unify the skills, knowledge, and attitudes unique to psychia­ trists who treat the medically ill. This article will briefly de­ scribe the three earlier movements, and then discuss how the concept of medical psychiatry differs from them and how it may have unique advantages in meeting future efforts to inte­ grate psychiatric and medical care. Flanders Dunbar's landmark book Emotions and Bodily Changes2 served as part of the theoretical framework for the subsequent development of both psychosomatic medicine and consultation-liaison psychiatry. 3 In this book, Dunbar reviewed the currently available, psychosomatically oriented literature and speculated on the relationship between personality traits and physical illness. Basing his work partly on the psychophysi­ ological studies of Cannon 4 and the work of Dunbar,2.S Franz Alexander published the seminal work Psychosomatic Medi­ cine: Its Principles and App/ications. 6 Although Alexander's specificity theory, which attempted to relate specific types of neurotic conflicts to specific types of physical illness, has been largely discarded and often derided, the specificity theory was but one component of his overall approach. Careful reading of his work reveals that Alexander believed that psychosomatic illness always occurred in the context of multiple other interact­ ing variables, such as biogenetic vulnerabilities and social and environmental influences. 7 More recently, Alexander's multi­ factorial approach was recast by George Engel, who used a general systems approach, which closely resembled the psycho­ biological approach of Adolph Meyer,S into the "biopsycho­ social model."9 While Alexander's psychoanalytically oriented specificity
Oceans on Mars

Past astronomers debated the possibility of canals on Mars, perhaps engineered by an advanced civilization desperately holding on to the dwindling moisture of a dying planet. JPL’s Timothy Parker takes us to the real Mars, where past epochs have left the fingerprints of flood plains, river valleys, and perhaps telltale evidence of beaches lining vast oceans of acidic water.
Editorial: Prevention Strategies Targeting Different Preclinical Stages of Alzheimer's Disease.

Abstract The incidence of dementia is rapidly increasing not only in developed countries but also in developing countries with rising aging populations. This trend is expected to worsen, with the number of cases possibly tripling in the coming decades. Over the last few decades, epidemiological studies have revealed that vascular-or lifestyle-related factors are associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and dementia. Researches into the pathophysiological processes of AD have revealed that the pathological brain lesions of AD begin decades before the onset of symptoms. Many prevention studies have indicated that physical activity and/or mental training can improve cognition and daily life in subjects with AD or mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, issues with early detection and preclinical staging and effective preventive approaches that are based on these stages remain unresolved. Therefore, we propose different strategies for AD prevention based on its preclinical stages: one involves physical and mental training that targets the risk factors in subjects without pathophysiological changes, and the second approach combines nonpharmacological and pharmacological methods and aims to treat MCI in individuals with amyloid deposits and/or neurodegeneration with drugs that target the amyloid cascade. The results of several ongoing and promising trials are expected in the next few years.
Developmental disruptions underlying brain abnormalities in ciliopathies

Primary cilia are essential conveyors of signals underlying major cell functions. Cerebral cortical progenitors and neurons have a primary cilium. The significance of cilia function for brain development and function is evident in the plethora of developmental brain disorders associated with human ciliopathies. Nevertheless, the role of primary cilia function in corticogenesis remains largely unknown. Here we delineate the functions of primary cilia in the construction of cerebral cortex and their relevance to ciliopathies, using an shRNA library targeting ciliopathy genes known to cause brain disorders, but whose roles in brain development are unclear. We used the library to query how ciliopathy genes affect distinct stages of mouse cortical development, in particular neural progenitor development, neuronal migration, neuronal differentiation and early neuronal connectivity. Our results define the developmental functions of ciliopathy genes and delineate disrupted developmental events that are integrally related to the emergence of brain abnormalities in ciliopathies.
Democratization and...Administrative Law

The democratization revolution that recently swept Eastern Europe and much of the Third World is the most excititng and hopeful trend of the late twentieth century. With the collapse of an analytical Marxism and a paucity of overarching theories of a social democracy, a neoconservative law and economics has dominated thinking about this revolution. Hoping for a new withering away of the state, ethnocentric American economists have neglected the roles administrative law can and should play in this revolution. But leaders in nascent democracies know that their citizens expect them to do something, right now, to improve citizen welfare through a rather activist state and administrative law. The article thus surveys ways to strengthen the adminstrative state, in democratic ways. Based on the ideas of Kenneth Davis and Jerry Mashaw, "internal" administrative law reforms should reduce bureaucratic discretion--usually expressed as the power to do nothing, unless a bribe overcomes the bureaucrat's lethargy--and force meaningful and neutral evaluations of the performance of specifically-enumerated bureaucratic tasks. An "external" and more democratic accountability of bureaucrats then evolves, as the relevant institutions--parliaments, courts, ombudsmen, nongovernmental organizations, etc.--are strengthened in democratic ways. The roles of lawyers in this process are discussed and specific topics are sketched, to flesh out the analyses: property rights, dealing with citizens' and bureaucrats' uncertainties, industrial policies, the privatization of state-owned enterprises, deregulation and some planned re-regulation, and social welfare policies.
The Immortality of Equitable Balancing

Can a court refrain from enjoining the violation of a statute on the basis that compliance would be an undue hardship on the defendant? “No,” answers Jared Goldstein in an article in the Virginia Law Review, “Equitable Balancing in the Age of Statutes”. At the behest of the review, I wrote a comment in which I answer “yes”, but with a proviso. A court may refrain from enjoining the violation on the basis of hardship of a sort that the legislature did not consider in formulating the statutory rule violated if doing so would be consistent with the statute’s goals. Because this principle honors the decisions that the legislature did make, it is not an affront to separation of powers. Indeed, because courts do generally take this approach, it is a background understanding in the enactment of modern statutes. Statutes should be interpreted accordingly unless the legislature expresses a contrary intention. A principled undue hardship defense reconciles separation of powers with the need for flexibility when a statute applies to a situation of a sort not contemplated by the legislature. Aristotle saw the need for such flexibility. The need is much greater today because legislatures work in a world that, compared to Aristotle’s, changes faster and is more complex. That is why we have the Chevron doctrine in agency implementation of statutes and the undue hardship defense in equitable enforcement of statutes.
Heterostructural Composites of TiO2 Mesh−TiO2 Nanoparticles Photosensitized with CdS: A New Flexible Photoanode for Solar Cells

A flexible electrorde utilizing TiO2 nanotubes (T_NT) anodically grown on titanium mesh with TiO2 nanoparticles as an overlying layer for solar cell applications has been investigated. Deposition o...
Abstract 387: Development of a model of acquired resistance to a multi targeted VEGFR TKI and strategies to target resistance mechanisms through combination

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Anti angiogenic agents that target the VEGF pathway (bevacizumab, sorafenib and sunitinib (SU)) have demonstrated improved clinical benefit as single agents or in combination with chemotherapy in a variety of solid tumor types. Although this class of agents has provided an improved treatment option to certain tumor types, it is evident that some patients do not respond to therapy or will relapse despite an initial response to treatment due to an acquired resistance. To better understand this mode of acquired resistance to this class of agents, a model of Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) which has shown regression, eventually developed evasive resistance during long term administration of the single agent sunitinib (a small-molecule inhibitor of the VEGF-1, 2, 3, PDGF-α,β, KIT, CSF-1R and FLT-3 receptor tyrosine kinases). Despite the observation that resistant tumors under continuous treatment with sunitinib (60 mg/kg PO, QD) demonstrated a gross phenotypic reduction of micro-vascular density (MVD), they continued to show a progressive increase in size. Because the observed low MVD phenotype was suggestive of an ability of resistant tumor cells to survive in an increasingly hypoxic environment with a reduced functional vasculature, emphasis was placed on identifying tumor cell derived resistance factors. Gene expression and/or proteomic profiling studies accompanied by confirmatory immunoblotting indicated a subset of differentially expressed genes and/or proteins in resistant vs. sensitive treated tumors. Although profiling studies did not clearly elucidate definitive resistance mechanisms, the dysregulation of EGFR, FGFR1, & TGFB1 pathways and downstream signaling through PI3K and MEK were potentially implicated. Comparative genomic hybridization studies did not identify any resistance mechanisms at the cytogenetic level. Sunitinib combination studies designed to target pathways potentially involved in resistance (SU + a PI3K/mTOR inhibitor; SU + a MEK inhibitor) demonstrated the ability to restore sensitivity in the sunitinib resistance model. The ability to identify and characterize resistance mechanisms and circumvent resistance through combination approaches may have utility in developing future combination regimens for anti angiogenic therapies. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 387.
The Synthesis and Physical Studies of a new Synthetic Metal: The Charge-Transfer Salt of Dimethyltetrathiotetracene-Tetracyanoethylene

The 1:1 charge transfer salt of dimethyltetrathiotetracene (DMTTT) and of tetracyanoethylene (TCNE), C 26 H 12 N 4 S 4 crystallizes from chlorobenzene in the monoclinic system, space group P2(l)/c with cell constants a = 11.136(2), b = 11.254(3), C = 17.280(4) A, beta = 96.56(2), V = 2151.4(9) A, Z = 4 and dcalc = 1.57 0 mg/nun. The structure is made up of dimers of DMTTT and TCNE, respectively. Polycrystalline samples of DMTTT/TCNE exhibit a weak paramagnetism which was studied by ESR techniques from 102 to 293 K. The ESR studies reveal anisotropie spectra which are best resolved in the temperature range 102 to 250 K. The spectra observed are those expected from a spin system which is described by an orthorhombic g-tensor. The isotropie g-value calculated from the observed anisotropie g-tensors falls between the isotropie g-values for DMTTT and TCNE. As the temperature is increased, the spectral width decreases suggesting motion of and/or an increase in the spin concentration. DMTTT/TCNE is a relatively poor electrical conductor which is consistent with its crystal structure.
Kant and the Aesthetic Norms of Political Persuasion

In this presentation I want to explore the possibility that there is a worthwhile model of political judgment in Kant’s account of the ways we talk — or better, “quarrel” — about beauty. While a coupling of political and aesthetic theory initially appears as rather odd bedfellows, a line of thinkers including Hannah Arendt has found the intellectual resources and reflective framework or the political philosophy which Kant never wrote in the aesthetics of the Critique of Judgment. In an overlooked passaged of that “third Critique”, Kant suggests that there is a specifiable domain of rational discourse appropriate for aesthetic judgments. Kant calls this particular kind of communicative act “streiten”, which is fairly translated as “quarreling”; but the words “streiten” and “Streit” also connote a fight in the sense of a heated argument or even a brawl — the kind of thing to which one resorts when rational, discursive, and diplomatic procedures to resolve a dispute come up short but when the issue at hand is too important to remain unsettled. Unlike the anomie of a free-for-all, however, Kant clearly wants to distinguish streiten from the brute imposition of superior force. In other words, Kant intends the Streit to operate within a distinctively normative arena. The question is whether marking out the normative space in which aesthetic quarrels take place provides any insight into the conditions and possibilities of political discourse.
Acute rejection episodes--best predictor of long-term primary cadaveric renal transplant survival.

Uniformly high 1-year primary cadaveric renal transplant survival has prompted an interest in establishing clinical factors associated with longer-term (i.e., more than 5-year) graft survival. We have studied 665 consecutive primary transplanted cadaveric kidneys using sequential quadruple immunosuppression with at least 1 year of follow-up (average 41.4 months). No attempt at HLA matching was made and all rejection episodes were confirmed by histology. Overall, 8-year patient and graft survival were 78% and 60%, respectively. Death as a cause of graft loss occurred in 103 patients. However, only 14 patients died from complications of immunosuppression. A multivariate analysis was performed using age, sex, blood type, race, presence of diabetes, HLA mismatch, current and maximum panel reactive antibody (PRA), time to first rejection episode, treatment of first rejection episode, and number of rejection episodes (none, one, or more than one). Number of rejection episodes was by far the most important co-variate (p = < 0.00001). In total, 53% of patients had no rejection episodes, 25% had one, and 22% had more than one. The occurrence of acute rejection did not correlate with the degree of HLA mismatch or PRA. Demographic and immunologic variables were similar for all three groups. Actuarial 8-year graft survival was negatively affected by rejection history (Fig. 1). Uncensored T1/2 in the group with no rejection episodes was 16.9 years, compared with 3.9 years in the group that experienced more than one such episode.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Characterization of the scintillation anisotropy in crystalline stilbene scintillator detectors

Abstract This paper reports a series of measurements that characterize the directional dependence of the scintillation response of crystalline melt-grown and solution-grown trans- stilbene to incident DT and DD neutrons. These measurements give the amplitude and pulse shape dependence on the proton recoil direction over one hemisphere of the crystal, confirming and extending previous results in the literature for melt-grown stilbene and providing the first measurements for solution-grown stilbene. In similar measurements of liquid and plastic detectors, no directional dependence was observed, confirming the hypothesis that the anisotropy in stilbene and other organic crystal scintillators is a result of internal effects due to the molecular or crystal structure and not an external effect on the measurement system.
Synecdoche and audience in see it now's “the case of Milo Radulovich”

Since its telecast on Edward R. Murrow's documentary series See It Now, “The Case of Milo Radulovich” has been seen as “symbolizing” the problems of McCarthyism. This essay questions “how” the text “comes to stand” for the victims of McCarthyism and argues that the appeal of the program may be traced to the set of representations at its center. This essay suggests one way a documentary text finds persuasive appeal via the particular case.
Federalism and Community in the Metropolis: Can Los Angeles Neighborhoods Help Govern Gargantua?1

AbstractThis paper considers the potential of a neighborhood council system to improve community governance in Los Angeles. A neighborhood counCil system arguably manifests a federal principle, in ...
The Apostle Paul in Spinoza and Badiou

This paper offers an analysis of the philosophical interpretations of the apostle Paul in Spinoza’s Tractatus Theologico-Politicus (1669) and Badiou's Saint Paul: La foundation de l'universalisme (1997). In addition, a brief description is offered on the difference between, on the one hand, the theological Paul, the Apostle of Faith, and, on the other hand, the historical Paul. Both Spinoza and Badiou offer complex philosophical readings of Paul that can be better understood when taking into consideration how they square with the image of Paul that has been constructed by the various theological traditions of Europe (i.e., the theological Paul), as well as the figure of Paul that is currently being reconstructed by historical-critical biblical scholarship (both New Perspective on Paul and postcolonial/empire-critical readings of Paul).
Call to Retweet: Negotiated Diffusion of Strategic Political Messages

Twitter allows political candidates to broadcast messages directly to the public, some of which spread virally and potentially reach new audiences and supporters. During the 2014 U.S. gubernatorial election, 74 candidates posted 20,580 tweets, of which, 10,946 were retweeted a total of 139,315 times. Using content analysis, automated classification and regression analysis, we show that actors with different levels of network influence tend to promote different types of election content, but that the convergence of their choices and actions lead to information flows that reach the largest audiences. We also show that actors with middle-level influence, in terms of the number of followers they have, tend to be the most influential in the diffusion process. Our work provides empirical support for the theoretical framework of negotiated diffusion, which suggests that information flows are the result of the convergence of top-down forces (structures and powerful gatekeepers) and bottom-up forces (collective sharing of actors with varying degrees of influence).
Establishing traceability for SOLT calibration kits

Establishing traceability for a measurement is very important in that the results of the measurement can be used in a common framework for comparisons and understanding. The standard path of traceability for Short-Open-Load-Thru (SOLT) Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) calibrations has been through empirical models and is tenuous at best. Additionally, the uncertainties do not contain any information about crossfrequency correlations. This work describes a technique for establishing traceability for SOLT calibration kits with fully correlated uncertainties. The calibrations performed using calibration kits evaluated with this new approach are traceable back to dimensional standards. This paper describes the new technique and shows the results of measurements based on this technique.
TREE2FASTA: a flexible Perl script for batch extraction of FASTA sequences from exploratory phylogenetic trees

The body of DNA sequence data lacking taxonomically informative sequence headers is rapidly growing in user and public databases (e.g. sequences lacking identification and contaminants). In the context of systematics studies, sorting such sequence data for taxonomic curation and/or molecular diversity characterization (e.g. crypticism) often requires the building of exploratory phylogenetic trees with reference taxa. The subsequent step of segregating DNA sequences of interest based on observed topological relationships can represent a challenging task, especially for large datasets. We have written TREE2FASTA, a Perl script that enables and expedites the sorting of FASTA-formatted sequence data from exploratory phylogenetic trees. TREE2FASTA takes advantage of the interactive, rapid point-and-click color selection and/or annotations of tree leaves in the popular Java tree-viewer FigTree to segregate groups of FASTA sequences of interest to separate files. TREE2FASTA allows for both simple and nested segregation designs to facilitate the simultaneous preparation of multiple data sets that may overlap in sequence content.
Electrochemical and thermal behaviour of LiNi0.8Co0.2O2 cathode in sealed 18650 Li-ion cells

The electrochemical performance of LiNi0.8Co0.2O2 cathodes in Li ion cells was investigated under static and dynamic load conditions, which prevail in ‘electric and hybrid vehicles’ using ‘constant current constant voltage and ‘hybrid pulse power characteristic’ procedures.The thermal properties of this cathode were investigated using the differential scanning calorimetric and accelerated rate calorimetric techniques. The cell fabricated with a LiNi0.8Co0.2O2 cathode showed excellent power performance. The specific energy produced by the 18650 cell was 90 Wh kg−1 at 100 W kg−1 power level.
Molecular screening of donor corneas for fungi before excision.

PURPOSE. To develop panfungal and Candida albicans species-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays to screen donor eyes for fungal contamination before corneal excision. METHODS. PCR primers were designed for either the broad-spectrum detection of fungal DNA or the specific detection of C. albicans DNA. Their sequences were based on rDNA regions highly conserved among and specific to fungi and C. albicans, respectively. PCR conditions with the two primer sets were optimized and tested for sensitivity using purified C albicans genomic DNA and a plasmid containing the relevant region of C. albicans DNA. The specificity of the primer sets was established using higher eukaryotic, fungal, prokaryotic, and viral DNAs as PCR templates. Donor eye swab specimens were collected before corneal excision. DNA was extracted from the specimens and tested by both PCR assays. RESULTS. The lower limit of detection for both primer sets was consistently 10 3 genome equivalents, when using genomic DNA as a template and 10 2 copies of plasmid. The fungal PCR assay amplified DNA from all fungal species tested but did not amplify any of the selected mammalian, bacterial, or viral DNA. The C. albicans PCR detected the C. albicans DNA but was negative for all other DNA substrates, including the other fungal templates. Thirty-five percent of the donor eye samples tested were positive for fungus, and 19% were positive for C. albicans DNA. CONCLUSIONS. The PCR assays allowed the rapid screening of DNA extracted from specimens collected from corneal donors for potential fungal contamination. The assay was highly sensitive and specific for screening corneal surfaces. The results suggest that approximately one-third of donor eyes tested harbor fungi on the ocular surface.
The Process of Designing Organization Structures and their Information Substructures

The processes of organization design are logically identical to algorithms and search procedures, and have varying degrees of efficiency. Unless a logical order is imposed on the choice space in which the algorithm is to operate or the search to occur, there is no way to specify the algorithm or analyze its efficiency. This logical order, or algebra, forms the basis on which one may identify the conceptual steps in the algorithm or search procedure. For example, the process of differentiation for the calculus is directly based on the algebra of real numbers. It is an efficient way to proceed to find a continuous function’s maximum. It is more efficient than a totally random search. The same logic applies to processes of designing organization structures. The specification or identification of efficient processes depends on one’s capacity to impose a logical structure on the set of organization structures. Furthermore, unless this algebra allows us to map the operational components of organization structures onto it, it will be little or no use as a basis for determining process efficiency or the choice of efficient processes.
Preparatory techniques, including cryotechnology

This chapter outlines the major preparative techniques employed to date for qualitative energy dispersive X-ray analysis in human pathology. In problems of human pathology, much of the microanalytical work to date has relied on relatively unsophisticated techniques of specimen preparation. These methods require only minor modifications from routine histologic processing for light or electron microscopy. Because most clinical cases in which analytical electron microscopy (AEM) has been used have involved foreign material identification and localization, usually nondiffusible, inorganic xenobiotics, these simple techniques have usually been adequate. Simple preparative techniques are generally superior to more elaborate ones if they are sufficient to resolve the problem under study. Undoubtedly, greater numbers of pathologists in the future will address more difficult questions in human pathophysiology using microanalytical techniques to describe the in vivo distribution of soluble endogenous elements and molecules. Such work necessarily calls for significant technical improvements in and wider adoption of more elaborate methods of tissue preparation, such as cryotechniques.
A Relay Selection Scheme to Prolong Connection Time for Public Safety Communications

Public safety communication aims to provide efficient mission critical and first responder communication scenarios. Device-to-device (D2D) proximity services are designed to offload massive traffic from base stations and extend the coverage area. Utilizing relay to provide network services for user equipment (UE) that out of coverage is one of the most important attributes of proximity services. Existing works mainly focus on the transmission rate and energy efficiency for relay selection. In this paper, we propose a relay selection scheme that targets to extend the connection time in public safety communications. In particular, the proposed scheme takes into consideration the remaining battery capacity and communication capability of each UE. The system level simulation results show that the proposed scheme can prolong the connection time for the UE that is out of coverage.
Semi-Public Offerings? Pushing the Boundaries of Securities Law

Securities law traditionally only permits corporations that have registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and completed an initial public offering (IPO) to sell equity to the general public. The initial coin offering (ICO) is a new kind of fundraising tool private blockchain-based companies have used over the past several years to raise billions of dollars, circumventing registration with the SEC and the public offering process altogether. But U.S. ICOs have been struggling to avoid the SEC’s assertion of jurisdiction over their offerings. The purpose of this Essay is to use ICOs as the launching point for a thought experiment about how securities law might harness technology—here blockchain technology—in service of lowering the cost of capital-raising from the general public while continuing to serve the underlying goals of U.S. securities law. Such a mechanism would do more than facilitate economic growth—it also has the potential to distribute investment gains more broadly by permitting the general public to access investments in private companies that have until now been the exclusive preserve of the rich.
Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy: Is It Due to Adrenal Crisis or Sjogren's Flare?

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is a form of reversible cardiomyopathy. It is usually due to sudden emotional or physical stress. It is associated with excessive sympathetic stimulation and catecholamine release. Patients have a very similar presentation to an acute coronary syndrome with patent coronaries. We present a case of takotsubo cardiomyopathy in a patient who has a history of Sjogren ' s disease on a steroid taper. Cardiol Res. 2018;9(6):378-380 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/cr759w
FFT-based homogenization of hypoelastic plasticity at finite strains

Abstract Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) based methods are becoming increasingly popular for modeling the texture evolution and local mechanical response of polycrystalline materials within the representative volume element (RVE). Originally, the FFT-based method was formulated through the Lippman–Schwinger (L–S) equation in terms of a homogeneous elastic reference medium. More recently, the Fourier–Galerkin method was proposed to discretize the RVE weak form independently of the reference medium using trigonometric polynomials . The Fourier–Galerkin method, albeit efficient and robust, has not been extended to solve crystal plasticity (CP) problems with spatial heterogeneity and fine resolution. Also, its algorithmic homogenization has not yet been investigated, which is essential for concurrent multiscale modeling . In this paper, a general framework is proposed that connects the FFT-based method and objective rate constitutive models, in particular a generalized implementation of crystal plasticity. Consistent linearization is achieved by pulling back the tangent stiffness from unrotated configuration to reference configuration, which improves the convergence behavior of the Newton–Krylov solver. Applying the inexact Newton method further improves the numerical efficiency. Also, the algorithmic homogenized tangent stiffness for the Fourier–Galerkin method is derived to enable mixed boundary conditions and concurrent multiscale modeling. Lastly, the Fourier–Galerkin method’s accuracy and efficiency for solving CP problems are studied in a parallelized environment, and significant speedup is observed versus the finite element method and L–S based FFT method.
Active Learning for Efficient Audio Annotation and Classification with a Large Amount of Unlabeled Data

There are many sound classification problems that have target classes which are rare or unique to the context of the problem. For these problems, existing data sets are not sufficient and we must create new problem-specific datasets to train classification models. However, annotating a new dataset for every new problem is costly. Active learning could potentially reduce this annotation cost, but it has been understudied in the context of audio annotation. In this work, we investigate active learning to reduce the annotation cost of a sound classification dataset unique to a particular problem. We evaluate three certainty-based active learning query strategies and propose a new strategy: alternating confidence sampling. Using this strategy, we demonstrate reduced annotation costs when actively training models with both experts and non-experts, and we perform a qualitative analysis on 20k unlabeled recordings to show our approach results in a model that generalizes well to unseen data.
A Sixth Generation Fighter? An Overview of the Essential Background

This paper considers the background to the subject of the sixth generation jet fighter plane now under development for several countries' armed forces, situating it within the context of the "generational" classification system for such aircraft, and the political, military and economic context in which such aircraft might be developed and deployed.
Aspirin Is Associated With Improved Liver Function After Embolization of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to assess the mechanism by which aspirin therapy improves survival when combined with transarterial chemoembolization or transarterial embolization (TAE) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS. A retrospective review included 304 patients with HCC who were treated with TAE. The patients were divided into two groups on the basis of whether the patient took aspirin (n = 42) or did not take aspirin (n = 262) at the time of initial TAE. For each patient, response of embolized tumors, time to progression, initial site of progression, survival time, and liver function test results before and after embolization were evaluated. RESULTS. Patients taking aspirin and those not taking aspirin at the time of initial TAE for HCC had no difference in initial response rate (88% vs 90% complete response or partial response, p = 0.59), median time to progression (6.2 vs 5.2 months, p = 0.42), initial site of progression (p = 0.77), or fraction of patients dying with disease progression (88% vs 89%, p = 1.00). Before embolization, there was no difference in mean bilirubin level (0.8 vs 0.9 mg/dL, p = 0.11) for patients taking versus not taking aspirin. Among patients taking aspirin, bilirubin level was significantly lower 1 day (0.9 vs 1.3, p < 0.001), 1 month (0.9 vs 1.2, p = 0.048), and 1 year (0.8 vs 1.0, p = 0.021) after embolization. The median overall survival period after initial embolization was longer for patients taking aspirin (57 vs 23 months, p = 0.008). CONCLUSION. Aspirin use is associated with improved liver function test results and survival after TAE for HCC. It is not associated with differences in response or time to progression.
The gut microbiome and metabolome of saddleback tamarins (Leontocebus weddelli): Insights into the foraging ecology of a small-bodied primate.

Body mass is a strong predictor of diet and nutritional requirements across a wide range of mammalian taxa. In the case of small-bodied primates, because of their limited gut volume, rapid food passage rate, and high metabolic rate, they are hypothesized to maintain high digestive efficiency by exploiting foods rich in protein, fats, and readily available energy. However, our understanding of the dietary requirements of wild primates is limited because little is known concerning the contributions of their gut microbiome to the breakdown and assimilation of macronutrients and energy. To study how the gut microbiome contributes to the feeding ecology of a small-bodied primate, we analyzed the fecal microbiome composition and metabolome of 22 wild saddleback tamarins (adult body mass 360-390 g) in Northern Bolivia. Samples were analyzed using high-throughput Illumina sequencing of the 16 S rRNA gene V3-V5 regions, coupled with GC-MS metabolomic profiling. Our analysis revealed that the distal microbiome of Leontocebus weddelli is largely dominated by two main bacterial genera: Xylanibacter and Hallella (34.7 ± 14.7 and 22.6 ± 12.4%, respectively). A predictive analysis of functions likely carried out by bacteria in the tamarin gut demonstrated the dominance of membrane transport systems and carbohydrate metabolism as the predominant metabolic pathways. Moreover, given a fecal metabolome composed mainly of glucose, fructose, and lactic acid (21.7 ± 15.9%, 16.5 ± 10.7%, and 6.8 ± 5.5%, respectively), the processing of highly fermentable carbohydrates appears to play a central role in the nutritional ecology of these small-bodied primates. Finally, the results also show a potential influence of environmentally-derived bacteria in colonizing the tamarin gut. These results indicate high energetic turnover in the distal gut of Weddell's saddleback tamarin, likely influenced by dominant bacterial taxa that facilitate dietary dependence on highly digestible carbohydrates present in nectar, plant exudates, and ripe fruits.
Total Phenol, Antioxidant and Allelopathy Assay, and Meiosis Study of Lampranthus spectabilis and Aptenia cordifolia

Lamperanthus spectabilis and Aptenia cordifolia (Aiozaceae) are two ornamental plants. A little information is available about their active compounds and meiosis’ process. In this study, the phenolic content, antioxidant activity, allelopathy effects and meiosis’ process of pollen mother cells of L. spectabilis and A. cordifolia were studied. The alcohol extract was used for phenol, antioxidant and allelopathy assay along with young buds for meiosis study. The stamens and petals of both plants possessed the highest phenol and antioxidant effects. All extracts of L. spectabilis and A. cordifolia had small inhibitory effects on mungbeen seed germination and seedlings growth. The allelopathy effect of both plants on barley seed germination and seedlings growth was significant especially for A. cordifolia. The count of chromosomes in meiosis revealed that the chromosome number of A. cordifolia was 2n=12 and 2n=18 for L. spetabilis. The meiosis in both plants was normal and the chromosomes were very small. Our results revealed that the extracts of all organs of both plants; specially stamens and petals, have a lot antioxidant activity. They had not allelopathic effects on seed germination’ and seedlings growth’ mungbeen and barley. Chromosome number of two plants was different but meiosis process and chromosomes size was similar.