cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rapid time-resolved magnetic resonance angiography via a multiecho radial trajectory and GraDeS reconstruction.

Contrast enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CE-MRA) is challenging due to the need for both high spatial and temporal resolution. A multi-shot trajectory composed of pseudo-random rotations of a single multi-echo radial readout was developed. The trajectory is designed to give incoherent aliasing artifacts and a relatively uniform distribution of projections over all time scales. A field map (computed from the same data set) is used to avoid signal dropout in regions of substantial field inhomogeneity. A compressed sensing reconstruction using the GraDeS algorithm was employed. Whole brain angiograms were reconstructed at 1 mm isotropic resolution and a 1.1 s frame rate (corresponding to an acceleration factor > 100). The only parameter which must be chosen is the number of iterations of the GraDeS algorithm. A larger number of iterations improves the temporal behavior at cost of decreased image signal to noise ratio. The resulting images provide a good depiction of the cerebral vasculature and have excellent arterial/venous separation.
RADIATIVE STELLAR WINDS

The effect of the radiative cooling on the steady-state transonic wind model is calculated. It happens that there exists a maximum limit to the mass-loss rate such that if the limit is exceeded, the wind will no longer be in the steady state and turbulence may occur, giving rise to a possible source of X rays in T Tauri objects.
Calorie Restriction Does Not Increase Short-term or Long-term Protein Synthesis

Increased protein synthesis is proposed as a mechanism of life-span extension during caloric restriction (CR). We hypothesized that CR does not increase protein synthesis in all tissues and protein fractions and that any increased protein synthesis with CR would be due to an increased anabolic effect of feeding. We used short- (4 hours) and long-term (6 weeks) methods to measure in vivo protein synthesis in lifelong ad libitum (AL) and CR mice. We did not detect an acute effect of feeding on protein synthesis while liver mitochondrial protein synthesis was lower in CR mice versus AL mice. Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling was repressed in liver and heart from CR mice indicative of energetic stress and suppression of growth. Our main findings were that CR did not increase rates of mixed protein synthesis over the long term or in response to acute feeding, and protein synthesis was maintained despite decreased mTOR signaling.
The fuzzy relationship between trawl and acoustic surveys in the North Sea

Mackinson, S., van der Kooij, J., and Neville, S. 2005. The fuzzy relationship between trawland acoustic surveys in the North Sea. e ICES Journal of Marine Science, 62: 1556e1575.Adding information on the horizontal and vertical distribution of ﬁsh both on and betweentrawl stations is reason enough to perform acoustic surveys routinely in tandem with annualgroundﬁsh trawl surveys. Ideally, acoustic and trawl density indices could be combined tomaximize information on ﬁsh distribution and provide more reliable estimates of stock size.The core of the problem boils down to the question: ‘‘how does what we see on anechosounder relate to what we catch in a net?’’ The fuzzy logic ‘‘model-free estimation’’approach presented here sidesteps the need to understand speciﬁc mechanisms thatdetermine the nature and variability of any relationship between acoustics and trawlcatches. Fuzzy logic models that describe and predict the relationship linking acoustics andenvironmental variables (inputs) with trawl catches (output) are developed, and thesensitivities and robustness of the approach are discussed. In the models examined, thestatic environmental variables location and depth proved to be better predictors of trawlcatches in the North Sea than the acoustic energy in the ﬁrst 5 m oﬀ the bottom. We suggestthat ﬁnding the ‘‘hidden’’ relationship between acoustics and trawls will require closerattention to partitioning the acoustics data by species/assemblages and understanding thekey gear and behavioural diﬀerences responsible for producing the high between-gearvariability.
Robot sensing techniques based on high-dimensional moment invariants and tensors

A generalization of the concepts of moments and moment invariants to n-dimensions is presented. These concepts are used to develop techniques for object identification and attitude determination. Experimental results for these techniques are presented, and theoretical error analyses are developed. >
Pollinator preference and the evolution of floral traits in monkeyflowers (Mimulus)

A paradigm of evolutionary biology is that adaptation and reproductive isolation are caused by a nearly infinite number of mutations of individually small effect. Here, we test this hypothesis by investigating the genetic basis of pollinator discrimination in two closely related species of monkeyflowers that differ in their major pollinators. This system provides a unique opportunity to investigate the genetic architecture of adaptation and speciation because floral traits that confer pollinator specificity also contribute to premating reproductive isolation. We asked: (i) What floral traits cause pollinator discrimination among plant species? and (ii) What is the genetic basis of these traits? We examined these questions by using data obtained from a large-scale field experiment where genetic markers were employed to determine the genetic basis of pollinator visitation. Observations of F2 hybrids produced by crossing bee-pollinated Mimulus lewisii with hummingbird-pollinated Mimulus cardinalis revealed that bees preferred large flowers low in anthocyanin and carotenoid pigments, whereas hummingbirds favored nectar-rich flowers high in anthocyanins. An allele that increases petal carotenoid concentration reduced bee visitation by 80%, whereas an allele that increases nectar production doubled hummingbird visitation. These results suggest that genes of large effect on pollinator preference have contributed to floral evolution and premating reproductive isolation in these monkeyflowers. This work contributes to growing evidence that adaptation and reproductive isolation may often involve major genes.
Impacts of delay propagation on airline operations: Network vs. point-to-point carriers

The National Airspace System (NAS) forms a network of airports that depend on each other for on-time performance. In a sequence of flights operated by the same tail-numbered aircraft, delays at one airport are likely to accumulate and have ripple effects on others downstream. Propagated delays are stochastic and have multiple causes. This, in turn, makes it difficult for airlines to build a reliable and robust schedule. This paper examines propagated delays in terms of a root delay in flight sequences. It compares propagated delays between hub and point-to-point airports as well as between legacy and low-cost carriers. This study shows that the point-to-point carrier under investigation propagates more delays than the legacy carrier that operates a network.
Institutional Barriers to Diversity Change Work in Higher Education

While the concepts related to diversity and inclusion are commonly found as part of universities’ mission and vision, implementing these concepts into practice can present a challenge. This study identified discrepancies between concepts and practice of diversity and inclusion at a multidisciplinary health sciences university. The results indicated that participants experienced inclusion along a range of engagement. Hispanic/Latino students, faculty, and staff as well as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer students and staff experienced disparaging behavior on a regular basis at the University, which contributed to fear. The results demonstrate barriers to the inclusion efforts and indicate that the university must bridge the gap between diversity concepts and practice.
Environmental Regulation of Exopolysaccharide Production in Sinorhizobium meliloti

Exopolysaccharide production by Sinorhizobium meliloti is required for invasion of root nodules on alfalfa and successful establishment of a nitrogen-fixing symbiosis between the two partners. S. meliloti wild-type strain Rm1021 requires production of either succinoglycan, a polymer of repeating octasaccharide subunits, or EPS II, an exopolysaccharide of repeating dimer subunits. The reason for the production of two functional exopolysaccharides is not clear. Earlier reports suggested that low-phosphate conditions stimulate the production of EPS II in Rm1021. We found that phosphate concentrations determine which exopolysaccharide is produced by S. meliloti. The low-phosphate conditions normally found in the soil (1 to 10 microM) stimulate EPS II production, while the high-phosphate conditions inside the nodule (20 to 100 mM) block EPS II synthesis and induce the production of succinoglycan. Interestingly, the EPS II produced by S. meliloti in low-phosphate conditions does not allow the invasion of alfalfa nodules. We propose that this invasion phenotype is due to the lack of the active molecular weight fraction of EPS II required for nodule invasion. An analysis of the function of PhoB in this differential exopolysaccharide production is presented.
Communicating more than nothing

Strong social connections permeate one's daily life. With the numerous means available, these connections can easily dominate one's communications, though one only wants to convey and have a sense of presence in each other's lives. Portal Frame fosters this feeling of connection between individuals while keeping the amount of active communication that must take place to a minimum. Individuals are provided a means to glimpse the lives of intimate friends through a well known and established physical medium, the picture frame.
Why do least developed countries in Asia not benefit more from transfers of technology

Technological progress is a critical factor driving economic development and inclusive growth. Together with capital accumulation and an increase in labour, it boosts national productive capacities by increasing total factor productivity, drives structural changes and increases competitiveness. For Asia’s least developed countries (LDCs) in particular, technological progress is vital to ensure economic growth, poverty reduction and inclusive development.
Glutamate metabolism in fetus and placenta of late-gestation sheep.

Glutamate is produced by the fetal liver and taken up by the placenta. To explore the functional meaning of this exchange, the disposal rate (DR), clearance, conversion to glutamine, and decarboxylation rate of fetal plasma glutamate were studied at 129 +/- 2 days of gestation in seven fetal lambs infused via a systemic vein with L-[2,3,3,4,4-2H5]glutamate and L-[1-14C]glutamate. In two experiments, L-[1-13C]glutamate was also infused. The mean glutamate DR and clearance were 11.9 +/- 1.3 mumol.min-1.kg-1 and 200 +/- 8 ml.min-1.kg-1, respectively. The placenta extracted 88.5 +/- 0.8% of the tracer glutamate carried by the umbilical circulation and contributed to 61.3 +/- 3.2% of the glutamate DR. Most of the 14C infused as L-[1-14C]glutamate was converted to 14CO2: 37 +/- 4% by the fetus and 41 +/- 6% by the placenta. Of the labeled glutamate taken up by the placenta, 6.2 +/- 1.5% was returned to the fetus as glutamine. The glutamine-to-glutamate enrichment ratio in fetal arterial plasma was 0.066 +/- 0.008. We conclude that fetal plasma glutamate has an exceptionally high clearance because the flux of glutamate into the placenta is virtually equal to umbilical glutamate delivery rate. The main pathway of fetal plasma glutamate disposal is oxidation by placental and fetal tissues. Placental conversion of glutamate to fetal glutamine is a relatively small component of the placental metabolism of fetal glutamate.
Susceptibility of a Strain or Rat Virus to Statolon and Other Virus Inhibitors.

SummaryRat virus, strain XI4, a small (22 m/x) virus isolated from the mammary tissue of an X-irradiated rat, was found to be inhibited by statolon and by guanidine. Since statolon, a penicillium-derived antibiotic previously had been found to inhibit RNA viruses of the arbor- and entero-groups, it is noteworthy that rat virus was also inhibited by 5-fluoro-2-deoxyuridine and that the inhibition was prevented by thymidine, a conventional identification of a DNA virus.
Surface energy as a barrier to creasing of elastomer films: an elastic analogy to classical nucleation.

In a soft elastic film compressed on a stiff substrate, creases nucleate at preexisting defects and grow across the surface of the film like channels. Both nucleation and growth are resisted by the surface energy, which we demonstrate by studying creases for elastomers immersed in several environments—air, water, and an aqueous surfactant solution. Measurement of the position where crease channeling is arrested on a gradient thickness film provides a uniquely characterized strain that quantitatively reveals the influence of surface energy, unlike the strain for nucleation, which is highly variable due to the sensitivity to defects. We find that these experimental data agree well with the prediction of a scaling analysis.
Pitiamides A and B, Multifunctional Fatty Acid Amides from Marine Cyanobacteria.

Two geometric isomers related to pitiamide A, termed 1E-pitiamide B (1) and 1Z-pitiamide B (2), were isolated from a marine cyanobacterium collected from the shallow reef flat at Piti Bomb Holes, Guam, Mariana Islands. The structures of these analogues were elucidated using 1D and 2D NMR analysis. Pitiamide A, which has been previously described, but has not been investigated in bioassays, was co-isolated. Pitiamides A and B were subjected to a biological evaluation and they both showed antiproliferative effects on HCT116 cells with IC50 values of 1-5 µM. Pitiamide A was investigated individually and caused plasma membrane hyperpolarization and an increase of intracellular calcium in HCT116 cells.
Determination of minodronic acid in Minodronic Acid Tablets by HPLC

Objective To establish a RP-HPLC method for the determination of minodronic acid in Minodronic Acid Tablets.Method The Agilent column XDB-C18(250 mm×4.6 mm,5 μm) was used.The mobile phase consisited of 0.03 mol/L sodium pyrophosphate(0.322 g/L tetrabutylammonium bromide,adjusting pH value to 7.5 with phosphorous acid)-methanol(85:20).The flow rate was 1.0 mL/min with the column temperature at 30 ℃.The detection wavelenth was 280 nm and the injection volumn was 20 μL.Results The solution of minodronic acid was stability.The linear range for minodronic acid was 0.02—0.18 mg/mL(r=0.999 9).Conclusion The method is accurate and reliable,which is suitable for the determination of Minodronic Acid Tablets.
Abstract PL01-01: Meet your microbiome: An introduction to the who, what, and how of mixed microbial communities

The human microbiome is comprised of the bacteria, archaea, fungi, protists, and viruses that live in and on our bodies. It is estimated that the microbial cells that comprise your individual microbiome outnumber your own cells by a factor of 10 and that their collective gene content outnumbers your own by a factor of 100. Although scientists and physicians have appreciated the diversity of our “fellow travelers” for decades, our ability to count, study, and categorize our microbes was long limited by the challenges associated with their culture in the laboratory. The utilization of high-throughput sequencing platforms, development of new and improved bioinformatics resources, and the introduction of other ‘omics technologies have shed new light on the composition and function of the human microbiome. The NIH-sponsored Human Microbiome Project characterized the microbial communities of hundreds of healthy individuals in an attempt to define the “healthy” microbiome at various sites throughout the body, and other projects have examined the human microbiome under varying states of disease and health. Microbiome and metagenomic studies have revealed that microbes may contribute to metabolic disorders, inflammatory bowel disease, heart disease, and cancer; and emerging evidence from mouse models suggests a strong link between gut microbiome composition and brain development and behavior. Microbiome and metagenomic studies have also demonstrated that our microbiota may confer protective or beneficial effects, and the depletion or loss of these “good” microbes may leave us susceptible to disease or infection. This talk will introduce the concept of the human microbiome, discuss the techniques that are used to characterize the structure and function of mixed microbial communities, and highlight recent findings from the literature. Citation Format: Emily B. Hollister. Meet your microbiome: An introduction to the who, what, and how of mixed microbial communities. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirteenth Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research; 2014 Sep 27-Oct 1; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Can Prev Res 2015;8(10 Suppl): Abstract nr PL01-01.
Projective configuration theorems: Old wine into new wineskins

We survey some recent results concerning projective configuration theorems in the spirit of the classical theorems of Pappus, Desargues, Pascal, …We hope that this modern take on the old theorems makes this evergreen topic fresh again. We connect configuration theorems to completely integrable systems, identities in Lie algebras of motion, modular group, and other subject of contemporary interest.
Length functions in commutative rings with zero divisors

ABSTRACTLet R be a commutative ring. We investigate several functions which measure the length of factorizations of an element of R. Some of these functions are l,lU:R→ℕ0 (for R atomic) and L,LU:R→ℕ0∪{∞} where l(x)=lU(x)=L(x)=LU(x)=0 for x a unit, and for x not a unit l(x)=inf{n|x=x1⋯xn,xi irreducible}, lU(x)=inf{n|x=y1⋯ym⌈x1⋯xn⌉, a U-decomposition}, L(x)=sup{n|x=x1⋯xn,xi a nonunit}, and LU(x)=sup{n|x=y1⋯ym⌈x1⋯xn⌉ a U-factorization}. For R satisfying the ascending chain condition on principal ideals, we consider the ordinal-valued function L obtained by recursively defining L(x) to be the least ordinal strictly greater than L(y) for each proper divisor y of x.
Revisiting the connection between African Easterly Waves and Atlantic tropical cyclogenesis

African Easterly Waves (AEWs) are the primary precursor for Atlantic tropical cyclones (TCs). We update the statistics on this relationship using reports from the U.S. National Hurricane Center. Sixty-one percent of TCs originate directly from AEWs. Indirectly, AEWs are implicated in the formation of an additional 11% of TCs. AEW activity is quantified by eddy kinetic energy (EKE). The correlation between seasonal mean EKE and TC genesis is maximized in the lower troposphere below the southern AEW storm track, instead of where the canonical AEW is maximized. Therefore, midlevel AEW activity is a poor predictor of TC genesis, whereas its lower tropospheric circulation exerts stronger control. In most seasons, AEW activity is supercritical, and therefore, EKE is only a controlling factor in seasons when the low-level EKE is weak. Predicting 1000–800 hPa EKE below the southern AEW track may be useful for seasonal TC prediction.
Insulin receptor substrate signaling controls cardiac energy metabolism and heart failure

The heart is an insulin-dependent and energy-consuming organ in which insulin and nutritional signaling integrates to the regulation of cardiac metabolism, growth and survival. Heart failure is highly associated with insulin resistance, and heart failure patients suffer from the cardiac energy deficiency and structural and functional dysfunction. Chronic pathological conditions, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus, involve various mechanisms in promoting heart failure by remodeling metabolic pathways, modulating cardiac energetics and impairing cardiac contractility. Recent studies demonstrated that insulin receptor substrates 1 and 2 (IRS-1,-2) are major mediators of both insulin and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) signaling responsible for myocardial energetics, structure, function and organismal survival. Importantly, the insulin receptor substrates (IRS) play an important role in the activation of the phosphatidylinositide-3-dependent kinase (PI-3K) that controls Akt and Foxo1 signaling cascade, regulating the mitochondrial function, cardiac energy metabolism and the renin-angiotensin system. Dysregulation of this branch in signaling cascades by insulin resistance in the heart through the endocrine system promotes heart failure, providing a novel mechanism for diabetic cardiomyopathy. Therefore, targeting this branch of IRS→PI-3K→Foxo1 signaling cascade and associated pathways may provide a fundamental strategy for the therapeutic and nutritional development in control of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. In this review, we focus on insulin signaling and resistance in the heart and the role energetics play in cardiac metabolism, structure and function.
Abstract P002: Pim-1 Engineering of Human CPCs Increases Their Ability to Repair the Heart After Myocardial Infarction

Rationale: The efficiency of adoptively transferred human cardiac stem cells to repair damaged myocardium is extremely limited. There is an urgent need to improve the potency of human stem cells to engraft, proliferate and differentiate into cardiac phenotypes before launching them as viable therapeutic tool in clinics. Objective: Demonstrate that Pim-1 engineering of human cardiac stem cells (hCPCs) can improve their long term persistence in the damaged myocardium associated with significant augmentation of cardiac function. Methods and Results: hCPCs positive for the putative stem cell marker c-kit were isolated from heart biopsy samples from patients undergoing Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) implantation. hCPCs were engineered to express Pim-1-GFP, a fused GFP version of the kinase by using a lentivirus expression system. Pim-1 engineering of hCPCs significantly increased their viability, proliferation and metabolic activity. Conversely, treatment with a Pim-1 specific inhibitor quercetagetin completely abrogated the observed proliferative response. Pim-1 engineered hCPCs were transplanted in immunocompromised mice with myocardial infarction to evaluate functional competency of the cells. Animals receiving Pim-1 CPCs showed increased hemodynamic performance as evidenced by dp/dt, LVEDP and LVDP measurements 10 weeks after transplantation. Cardiac function demonstrated sustained improvement even after 20 weeks of transplantation in Pim-1 CPC transplanted animals compared to control cell transplanted group. Concurrent with enhanced cardiac function, animals having Pim-1 CPCs demonstrated increased cellular engraftment, persistence and proliferation of human CPCs. In particular, a greater number of c-kit+ cells, improved vasculature and reduced infarct size were observed. Conclusion: Genetic engineering of human CPCs with Pim-1 enhances their ability to repair damaged myocardium. Ex vivo gene delivery to enhance survival, proliferation and regeneration in damaged myocardium has emerged as a viable option addressing current limitations associated with stem cell therapy.
The Theory of Dyadic Morality: Reinventing Moral Judgment by Redefining Harm:

The nature of harm—and therefore moral judgment—may be misunderstood. Rather than an objective matter of reason, we argue that harm should be redefined as an intuitively perceived continuum. This r...
Guidelines for the Analysis of Vapor–Liquid Equilibrium Data

It is current practice to represent and analyze vapor–liquid equilibrium data through the use of state conditions (temperature and pressure) and phase compositions. However, these representations do not reveal and identify the accuracy of the data for important purposes, such as separation by distillation—and this is particularly a problem for the important low-concentration regions. The intent of this editorial is to present the guidelines of the Journal of Chemical & Engineering Data that vapor–liquid equilibrium data should be evaluated through the use of charts and related analyses that bring to light the low-concentration regions, for example, K-values and relative volatilities.
Generation of recombinant affinity reagents against a two-phosphosite epitope of ATF2

Activating Transcription Factor 2 (ATF2) plays an important role in mammalian cell proliferation, apoptosis and DNA repair. Its activation is dependent on the sequential phosphorylation of residue threonine 71 (T71) followed by threonine 69 (T69) in its transactivation domain. While these modifications can be directed by a variety of kinases, the time to reach full phosphorylation is dependent on which signaling pathway has been activated, which is thought to be important for proper temporal regulation. To explore this phenomenon further, there have been ongoing efforts to generate affinity reagents for monitoring phosphorylation events in cellular assays. While phospho-specific antibodies have been valuable tools for monitoring cell signaling events, those raised against a peptide containing two or more adjacent phosphosites tend to cross-react with that peptide's various phospho-states, rendering such reagents unusable for studying sequential phosphorylation. As an alternative, we have employed the N-terminal Forkhead-associated 1 (FHA1) domain of yeast Rad53p as a scaffold to generate recombinant affinity reagents via phage display and were successful in generating a set of reagents that can distinguish between the dual-phosphorylated epitope, 63-IVADQpTPpTPTRFLK-77, and the mono-phosphorylated epitope, 63-IVADQpTPTPTRFLK-77, in the human ATF2 transactivation domain.
The Methylerythritol Phosphate Pathway: Promising Drug Targets in the Fight against Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), is a severe infectious disease in need of new chemotherapies especially for drug-resistant cases. To meet the urgent requirement of new TB drugs with novel modes of action, the TB research community has been validating numerous targets from several biosynthetic pathways. The methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway is utilized by Mtb for the biosynthesis of isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP) and its isomer dimethylallyl pyrophosphate (DMAPP), the universal five-carbon building blocks of isoprenoids. While being a common biosynthetic pathway in pathogens, the MEP pathway is completely absent in humans. Due to its unique presence in pathogens as well as the essentiality of the MEP pathway in Mtb, the enzymes in this pathway are promising targets for the development of new drugs against tuberculosis. In this review, we discuss three enzymes in the MEP pathway: DXS, DXR, and IspF, which appear to be the most promising antitubercular drug targets. Str...
Wrapping Glial Morphogenesis and Signaling Control the Timing and Pattern of Neuronal Differentiation in the Drosophila Lamina.

Various regions of the developing brain coordinate their construction so that the correct types and numbers of cells are generated to build a functional network. We previously discovered that wrapping glia in the Drosophila visual system are essential for coordinating retinal and lamina development. We showed that wrapping glia, which ensheath photoreceptor axons, respond to an epidermal growth factor cue from photoreceptors by secreting insulins. Wrapping glial insulins activate the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway downstream of insulin receptor in lamina precursors to induce neuronal differentiation. The signaling relay via wrapping glia introduces a delay that allows the lamina to assemble the correct stoichiometry and physical alignment of precursors before differentiating and imposes a stereotyped spatiotemporal pattern that is relevant for specifying the individual lamina neuron fates. Here, we further describe how wrapping glia morphogenesis correlates with the timing of lamina neuro...
Rationalization of solidification mechanism of Nd–Fe–B magnets during laser directed-energy deposition

Near-net fabrication techniques are highly beneficial to minimize rare earth metal usage to fabricate dense fully functional magnets. In this study, feasibility of using the directed-energy deposition technique for fabrication of magnets is evaluated. The results show that despite the ability to fabricate highly reactive materials in the laser deposition process, the magnetic coercivity and remanence of the hard magnets is significantly reduced. X-ray powder diffraction in conjunction with electron microscopy showed that the material experienced a primary Nd2Fe17Bx solidification. Consequently, the absence of the hard magnetic phase resulted in deterioration of the build properties.
Resilient Modulus of Liquid Chemical-Treated Expansive Soils

Diluted acids are used as chemical stabilizers in Texas to treat expansive soils for residential projects via deep injection. Due to the proprietary nature of the chemical stabilizers, there are very limited studies on the resilient modulus (MR) of chemically-treated expansive soils. This paper evaluates the effect of a liquid chemical stabilizer on the treatment of expansive soils collected from Texas and Colorado. The chemical solution, called ionic soil stabilizer (ISS) which contain sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, citric acid, and water was used as an additive and tests were carried out on untreated and treated bulk soil samples in accordance with AASHTO T-307. The treated soil specimens were prepared by hand mixing the dry soils with the chemical stabilizer at three application ratios and two curing periods (7 and 28 days). The experiment results show that the value of resilient modulus increases with the increase of chemical application ratio. The resilient modulus of the treated sample cured for 28 days is much higher that of the untreated sample. Also, MR test results were found to be highly dependent on the compaction, moisture content, chemical ratio and curing time. Finally, MR test results are compared with compressive strength obtained from UCS test to find out the optimum treatment chemical dosage for field application.
Pullback attractors for non-autonomous reaction-diffusion equations on ℝn

We study the long time behavior of solutions of the non-autonomous reaction-diffusion equation defined on the entire space ℝn when external terms are unbounded in a phase space. The existence of a pullback global attractor for the equation is established in L2(ℝn) and H1(ℝn), respectively. The pullback asymptotic compactness of solutions is proved by using uniform a priori estimates on the tails of solutions outside bounded domains.
Sub-Scale Modeling of Aircraft Trailing Vortices

Most experimental studies of trailing vortices have been conducted with one of the following three methods: (1) wind-tunnel study, (2) intercepting the vortices shed by one airplane with another airplane, (3) measurements of the vortices shed by a low-flying airplane with ground-based instruments. The wind-tunnel method is suitable for the study of vortex formation, but not the long-time decay process. The second method would have been the most realistic approach, but unfortunately, the difficulty in coordinating the two traveling airplanes plus the various unknown effects of the atmosphere have so far precluded any consistent and useful data. The third kind of study inevitably includes the ground effect in addition to all the unpredictable atmospheric effects. The data obtained, though useful to the air-traffic control near the runways, are nevertheless hard to analyze; therefore it is difficult to separate the various mechanisms responsible for the vortex decay.
On The Relation of Connectivity and Specificational Pseudoclefts

From Higgins (1973) to Iatridou and Varlokosta (1998), connectivity has been considered in the literature to be a defining characteristic of specificational pseudoclefts. This paper argues against this view based on an analysis of specificational pseudoclefts in Hebrew. Pseudoclefts in Hebrew are interesting in two ways. First, predicational and specificational pseudoclefts are distinguished lexically in the choice of the copula. Second, specificational pseudoclefts fall into two classes, each exhibiting a different set of connectivity effects. The connectivity pattern in Hebrew is accounted for following Jacobson (1994) and Sharvit (1999), who assume that connectivity effects are independent of each other and derive them as a by-product of semantic equation. It is shown that this pattern cannot be obtained using any single grammatical operation, such as reconstruction or coping, which would necessarily derive all connectivity effects at once.
Species Diversity is a Good Predictor of Prairie Plant Persistence in Restorations

Introduction Prairie restoration projects sometimes fail because of heavy invasion by invasive weeds, especially if they are not intensively managed. Few restoration projects are sampled after the first few years post-establishment, and little is known about what predictors are significant in maintaining restored communities over the very long term. Here, we stopped weeding experimental restoration plots to determine if persistence (that is, remaining unchanged after weeds are allowed to invade) of native prairie in western Iowa was related to planted species diversity.
Prognostic factors in osteosarcoma: A single institution study.

e22503Background: We reviewed the long term clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients treated for osteosarcoma in our institution. Methods: We reviewed 328 osteosarcoma patients treated fro...
Preliminary Outcomes of Letermovir Use for Cytomegalovirus Prophylaxis: A Retrospective Assessment at a Single Center

Introduction Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality in the hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) population. In the absence of prophylaxis, reactivation occurs in upwards of 80% of seropositive allogeneic HCT recipients and primary infections in roughly 15% of CMV-mismatched HCTs. Agents used to prevent clinically significant CMV (csCMV) including ganciclovir and foscarnet can be associated with toxicities including renal dysfunction and myelosuppression. Letermovir is a novel antiviral targeting the viral terminase complex and has demonstrated efficacy in preventing csCMV in adult CMV seropositive allogeneic HCT recipients with minimal associated toxicities. Objectives To describe a single center experience of the use of letermovir as primary and secondary prophylaxis in adult allogeneic HCT recipients. Methods This retrospective analysis assessed 25 adult HCT patients receiving letermovir for primary or secondary prophylaxis between January 1, 2018 and September 24, 2018. Primary prophylaxis per hospital protocol was given through approximately d+100 in CMV seropositive recipients and also allowed in CMV seronegative recipients with seropositive donors. csCMV was defined as CMV viremia necessitating preemptive therapy or CMV disease. Patients were evaluated for development of csCMV on letermovir prophylaxis, early cessation of prophylaxis due to perceived toxicities, and development of csCMV post-cessation of primary prophylaxis. Results Twenty-two patients received letermovir for primary CMV prophylaxis. The primary underlying disease was AML (7/22, 32%). CMV serostatus was as follows: D-/R+ (9/22, 41%), D+/R+ (9/22, 41%), D+/R- (4/22, 18%). Letermovir was initiated ata median of 5.5 days post-transplant. Median letermovir duration was 95 days post-transplant. Early cessation due to perceived toxicities occurred in 41% (7/22) of patients. Reasons for early discontinuation were ongoing cytopenias (4/7, 44%) and nausea (3/7, 33%). No csCMV developed during therapy. In patients completing the intended primary prophylaxis (n = 10), thus far no patients have developed csCMV within a median duration of 150 days post letermovir cessation. Three patients received letermovir for secondary prophylaxis. All were CMV seropositive and high risk on basis of haploidentical donors (2/3, 67%) and use of cord blood (1/3, 33%). Therapy was initiated a median of 57 days post-transplant with no patients developing csCMV on therapy. Conclusions Letermovir was an effective antiviral in both primary and secondary CMV prophylaxis and was generally well tolerated. Side effects directly related to letermovir were difficult to assess in this complex patient population. Close monitoring is required following cessation of primary prophylaxis. Prospective studies defining the optimal duration for letermovir prophylaxis are needed.
A Novel Constant E-Field Methodology for Intrinsic TDDB Lifetime Projection

In this study, we demonstrated an innovative constant electrical field stress (CES)methodology to minimize spacing variation impact on intrinsic time-dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB)lifetime prediction. Based on current-voltage (I-V)characterization, the effective spacing of each sample could be identified prior to TDDB test without significant damage. Stress electrical field of TDDB is normalized by real silicon spacing of every sample. We verified the constant electric field on test samples by normalized initial TDDB stress current, field independent Weibull slope and conservation of Poisson area scaling model. This test methodology is shown to be of higher efficiency and better accuracy than conventional constant voltage stress tests (CVS)for semiconductor process development of 7nm and beyond.
Creating Greeks and Greek-Americans: Geographic and Educational Identity Constructions at the Socrates and Koraes Greek-American Schools

This paper reveals the complex intersectionalities of immigrant identity construction, nationalisms (and national exceptionalisms), and how Greek culture/language schools in the United States signi...
The Role of Empathy and Efficacy In Public Service Announcements: Using Narratives to Induce Bystander Intervention in Domestic Violence

ABSTRACT This research explores the understudied relationship between two crucial variables—empathy elicited by narratives and the degree of efficacy possessed by bystanders—by using narratives in public service announcements. Findings showed that empathy-laden narratives were indeed superior to nonnarratives in generating more favorable attitudes toward public service announcements and motivating bystanders to report abuse. The positive effect of narrative public service announcements was amplified when participants9 issue involvement was high. More important, the results confirmed a serial multiple-mediator model of empathy and bystander efficacy for the effects of narratives on positive reporting intention.
Grassroots entrepreneurial program: developing best practices

Entrepreneurial programs often do not address the needs of Millennial learners nor do they offer students an opportunity to enhance skills that companies want most. We examined high recognition pro...
The landscape of psychiatric illness in CKD and ESRD

Abstract Psychiatric disorders are not uncommon in CKD and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients, although their true prevalence in these populations is unknown. Many of the psychiatric disorders, especially anxiety and depression, which are especially common in these populations, are closely linked to perceptions of quality of life. Studies in the ESRD hemodialysis population have linked psychiatric disorders to poor outcomes, including mortality. The mechanisms underlying these associations are not clear, although changes in immune function, adherence to prescriptions for dialysis and regarding medications, and alterations in nutritional factors all may be implicated. It is important to diagnose and treat psychiatric disorders in patients with CKD and ESRD, as treatment may be associated with improvement in quality and quantity of life. Further research is necessary to link outcomes of therapy of psychiatric disorders to hard outcomes such as improved survival, in patients with CKD and ESRD. In addition, it will be important to assess the effects of these disorders on progression of CKD.
Deep learning prediction of likelihood of ICU admission and mortality in COVID-19 patients using clinical variables

Background This study aimed to develop a deep-learning model and a risk-score system using clinical variables to predict intensive care unit (ICU) admission and in-hospital mortality in COVID-19 patients. Methods This retrospective study consisted of 5,766 persons-under-investigation for COVID-19 between 7 February 2020 and 4 May 2020. Demographics, chronic comorbidities, vital signs, symptoms and laboratory tests at admission were collected. A deep neural network model and a risk-score system were constructed to predict ICU admission and in-hospital mortality. Prediction performance used the receiver operating characteristic area under the curve (AUC). Results The top ICU predictors were procalcitonin, lactate dehydrogenase, C-reactive protein, ferritin and oxygen saturation. The top mortality predictors were age, lactate dehydrogenase, procalcitonin, cardiac troponin, C-reactive protein and oxygen saturation. Age and troponin were unique top predictors for mortality but not ICU admission. The deep-learning model predicted ICU admission and mortality with an AUC of 0.780 (95% CI [0.760-0.785]) and 0.844 (95% CI [0.839-0.848]), respectively. The corresponding risk scores yielded an AUC of 0.728 (95% CI [0.726-0.729]) and 0.848 (95% CI [0.847-0.849]), respectively. Conclusions Deep learning and the resultant risk score have the potential to provide frontline physicians with quantitative tools to stratify patients more effectively in time-sensitive and resource-constrained circumstances.
Energy state alters regulation of proopiomelanocortin neurons by glutamatergic ventromedial hypothalamus neurons: pre- and postsynaptic mechanisms

To maintain metabolic homeostasis, motivated behaviors are driven by neuronal circuits that process information encoding the animal's energy state. Such circuits likely include ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) glutamatergic neurons that project throughout the brain to drive food intake and energy expenditure. Targets of VMH glutamatergic neurons include proopiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons in the arcuate nucleus that, when activated, inhibit food intake. Although an energy-state-sensitive, glutamate circuit between the VMH and POMC neurons has been previously indicated, the significance and details of this circuit have not been fully elucidated. Thus, the goal of the present work was to add to the understanding of this circuit. Using a knockout strategy, the data show that the VMH glutamate→POMC neuron circuit is important for the inhibition of food intake. Conditional deletion of the vesicular glutamate transporter (VGLUT2) in the VMH results in increased bodyweight and increased food intake following a fast in both male and female mice. Additionally, the targeted blunting of glutamate release from the VMH resulted in an ∼32% reduction in excitatory inputs to POMC cells, suggesting that this circuit may respond to changes in energy state to affect POMC activity. Indeed, we found that glutamate release is increased at VMH-to-POMC synapses during feeding and POMC AMPA receptors switch from a calcium-permeable state to a calcium-impermeable state during fasting. Collectively, these data indicate that there is an energy-balance-sensitive VMH-to-POMC circuit conveying excitatory neuromodulation onto POMC cells at both pre- and postsynaptic levels, which may contribute to maintaining appropriate food intake and body mass.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Despite decades of research, the neurocircuitry underlying metabolic homeostasis remains incompletely understood. Specifically, the roles of amino acid transmitters, particularly glutamate, have received less attention than hormonal signals. Here, we characterize an energy-state-sensitive glutamate circuit from the ventromedial hypothalamus to anorexigenic proopiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons that responds to changes in energy state at both sides of the synapse, providing novel information about how variations in metabolic state affect excitatory drive onto POMC cells.
Cancer Stemness Meets Immunity: From Mechanism to Therapy

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are self-renewing cells that facilitate tumor initiation, promote metastasis, and enhance cancer therapy resistance. Transcriptomic analyses across many cancer types have revealed a prominent association between stemness and immune signatures, potentially implying a biological interaction between such hallmark features of cancer. Emerging experimental evidence has substantiated the influence of CSCs on immune cells, including tumor-associated macrophages, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and T cells, in the tumor microenvironment and, reciprocally, the importance of such immune cells in sustaining CSC stemness and its survival niche. This review covers the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the symbiotic interactions between CSCs and immune cells and how such heterotypic signaling maintains a tumor-promoting ecosystem and informs therapeutic strategies intercepting this co-dependency.
Thriving after pediatric spinal cord injury: two life stories.

INTRODUCTION The primary objective of this qualitative study was to explore the lived experience of spinal cord injury (SCI) as described by life story interviews with two adults who sustained SCI as children. CASE PRESENTATION Data were collected by conducting 15 life story interviews with two individuals with SCI. Atkinson's Life Story Interview approach along with open-ended questions was utilized to capture the narrative data. Polkinghorne's narrative analysis of eventful data approach was used to configure the data elements into a story with the purpose of understanding the lived experience of SCI of these two individuals. Four themes relevant to the experience of living with a chronic condition emerged: adjustment to life with SCI, hardiness, interdependence, and post-traumatic growth. DISCUSSION This study illustrated how the two participants' personal development and life trajectories were deeply shaped by pediatric-onset SCI. The life story interview process proved to be an effective approach to understanding the lived experience of SCI as told by two adults with pediatric-onset SCI. While the two participants represented unique contexts, their stories conveyed several cohesive, transcendent themes relevant to the experience of living with a chronic condition. Future narrative inquiry research in individuals with pediatric-onset SCI is necessary to build a representation of this population's lived experiences.
GOLD in Practice: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Treatment and Management in the Primary Care Setting

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Early detection and appropriate treatment and management of COPD can lower morbidity and perhaps mortality. Clinicians in the primary care setting provide the majority of COPD care and are pivotal in the diagnosis and management of COPD. In this review, we provide an overview of the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) 2020 report, with a focus on the management of COPD in the primary care setting. We discuss the pathophysiology of COPD; describe COPD risk factors, signs, and symptoms that may facilitate earlier diagnosis of COPD; and reinforce the importance of spirometry use in establishing the diagnosis of COPD. Disease monitoring, as well as a review of the 2020 GOLD treatment recommendations, is also discussed. Patients and families are important partners in COPD management; therefore, we outline simple steps that may assist them in caring for those affected by COPD. Finally, we discuss nonpharmacological treatment options for COPD, COPD monitoring tools that may aid in the evaluation of disease progression and response to therapy, and the importance of developing a COPD action plan on an individualized basis.