cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Acute antibody-mediated renal allograft rejection associated with HLA-Cw17 antibody

Detection of donor-specific human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies is an important part of diagnosis of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) in the renal transplant population. Donor-specific antibodies (DSA) against HLA-C, a Class 1 major histocompatibility gene product, are not considered to be of major importance in renal transplant rejection. Typing for HLA-C is not a routine part of pre- and post-transplant evaluation. In roughly 10% of biopsy-proven C4d-positive rejections, DSA are not detected by standard testing protocols. In some of these cases, minor HLA and non-HLA antibodies have been implicated. The role of HLA-C antibodies in this patient group is not clear. We present a patient with acute renal graft dysfunction 21 months post-transplant. The allograft biopsy showed features of AMR with diffuse margination of inflammatory cells and diffuse C4d staining in peritubular capillaries. HLA-Cw17 antibody was detected by single-bead antigen Luminex assay, which was further confirmed by a mock flow crossmatch. This case highlights the importance of checking anti-HLA-Cw antibodies in patients with AMR and no detectable DSA using standard methods.
Acoustic radiation force impulse imaging: a parametric analysis of factors affecting image quality

Acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging utilizes brief, high energy, focused acoustic pulses to generate radiation force in tissue, and conventional diagnostic ultrasound methods to detect the resulting tissue displacements in order to image the mechanical properties of tissue. The goal of this work was to perform a parametric analysis of the effect of system parameters and target characteristics on image quality. METHODS: FEM simulations and phantom experiments have been performed using varying system configurations and tissue properties to determine their impact on ARFI image quality. Phantom experimental results were utilized to validate the FEM models. RESULTS: Matched simulation and FEM experiments support the validity of the FEM model. Due to the dynamic nature of ARFI excitation, lesion contrast is temporally dependent. Contrast efficiencies (CE) were computed immediately after force cessation, prior to appreciable wave propagation. CE does not vary with applied force, increases with lesion stiffness, and increases as the forcing volume size decreases with respect to the size of the structure being imaged. CONCLUSIONS: The response of tissue to ARFI excitation is complex and depends upon tissue geometry, forcing function geometry, and tissue mechanical and acoustic properties. These studies indicate that improved contrast in ARFI images will be achieved as forcing volume size decreases relative to the structure being imaged. Frame rate and thermal considerations present tradeoffs with small load volume sizes for ARFI imaging.
Two-dimensional electronic beam-steering with implant-defined coherent VCSEL arrays

Evanescently-coupled two-dimensional vertical cavity surface emitting laser arrays may be defined by proton implantation in the top mirror. By controlling injection current to each of the elements in these laser arrays, the main lobe of emission can be steered in different directions up to 5° from normal. This two-dimensional electronic beam-steering with a three-element triangular array is demonstrated.
Bioenergetics Modeling: Progress since the 1992 Symposium

Abstract A symposium held at the annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society in Rapid City, South Dakota, in 1992 provided an overview of bioenergetics modeling and led to the publication of a series of papers in the Transactions of the American Fisheries Society the next year. Since then, Wisconsin Sea Grant has published a new version of its bioenergetics software (Fish Bioenergetics 3.0) and a manual to facilitate use of that model. Review of the more recent literature reveals continuing development and application of this modeling approach. A symposium held at the annual meeting in Madison, Wisconsin, in 2004 provided an opportunity for reporting progress and concerns about the “Wisconsin model.” This special section stems from the papers presented at that meeting.
A Multiplex Assay for the Detection and Mapping of Complex Glycerol Kinase Deficiency

Background: Glycerol kinase deficiency (GKD) is an X-linked recessive disorder that presents in both isolated and complex forms. The contiguous deletion that leads to GKD also commonly affects NR0B1 ( DAX1 ), the gene associated with adrenal hypoplasia congenita, and DMD , the Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene. Molecular testing to delineate this deletion is expensive and has only limited availability. Methods: We designed a multiplex PCR assay for the detection and mapping of a contiguous deletion potentially affecting the IL1RAPL1 , NR0B1 , GK , and DMD genes in a 29-month-old male patient with GKD. Results: Multiplex PCR detected a contiguous deletion that involved the IL1RAPL1 , NR0B1 , GK , and DMD genes. Although the patient had a creatine kinase concentration within the reference interval, further mapping with PCR revealed that exon 74 was the last intact exon at the 3′ end of the DMD gene. Conclusions: Multiplex PCR is an effective and inexpensive way to detect and map the contiguous deletion in cases of complex GKD. The extension of a deletion to include DMD exon 75 in a patient with a creatine kinase concentration within the reference interval suggests that this region of the gene may not be essential for protein function.
Developmental Toxicity of the Dithiocarbamate Pesticide Sodium Metam in Zebrafish

Sodium metam (NaM), a dithiocarbamate, is a general agricultural biocide applied prior to planting for the elimination of nema-todes, soil pathogens, and weeds. There is a remarkable paucity of information about the mechanism of action and the risk that dithiocarbamates may pose to developing vertebrates. We have characterized NaM toxicity during early life stage exposure in zebrafish. Zebrafish embryos are most sensitive to NaM exposure during gas-trulation and early segmentation (4-14 hours post fertilization, hpf). For mortality, the dose response curve is steep with an LC 5 0 estimate of 1.95 μM (248 ppb) at 48 hpf. The most notable malformation among surviving embryos was a severely twisted notochord, which became evident by 24 hpf. Surprisingly, this notochord defect was not immediately lethal and the animals continued to grow despite delays in hatching, apparent paralysis, and an inability to feed. We have characterized the notochord malformation using histological and in situ hybridization techniques. collagen 2al mRNA expression is normally localized to the notochord sheath cells at 24 hpf, whereas in NaM-exposed embryos it is misexpressed in the notochord cells. Histological staining and myoD expression indicate that the myotomes of the NaM-exposed embryos are less defined, compacted and block-shaped compared to controls. The degradation product of NaM, methyl isothiocyanate (MITC), causes similar malformations at similar concentrations as NaM, suggesting that MITC or another common product may be the active toxicant. Our results indicate that developing zebrafish are sensitive to NaM and MITC and we believe that this model is ideal to elucidate the molecular mechanism(s) and etiology of NaM toxicity in vertebrates.
Admission hypo- or hyperthermia and survival after trauma in civilian and military environments.

In the care of patients with traumatic injuries, focus is placed on hypothermia secondary to its deleterious impact on the coagulation cascade. However, there is scant information on the mortality effect of hyperthermia. We hypothesized that both hypothermia and hyperthermia are associated with decreased survival in patients with traumatic injuries. Furthermore, we hypothesized that in the military setting, the incidence of hyperthermia would be greater compared to the civilian environment and thus contributing to an increase in mortality. Registries compared were the National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB), three civilian Level I trauma centers, and military combat support hospitals. The NTDB was used as a reference to define hypothermia and hyperthermia based upon survival. Admission temperature and outcome were known for 4,093 civilian and 4,394 military records. Hypothermia was defined as 38°C as mortality increased outside this range. The overall mortality rates were 3.5% for civilians and 2.5% for military (p < 0.05). Of civilians, 9.3% (382) were hypothermic and 2.2% (92) hyperthermic. The incidence of hypothermia in the military patients was 6.0% (263) and for hyperthermia the incidence was 7.4% (327). Irrespective of group, patients with hypothermia or hyperthermia had an increased mortality compared to those with normal temperatures, ([for civilian:military ] hypothermia 12%:11%; normal 2%:2%; hyperthermia 14%:4%). Care of the victim with traumatic injuries emphasizes avoidance of hypothermia; however, hyperthermia is also detrimental. The presence of hypothermia or hyperthermia should be considered in the initial treatment of the patient with traumatic injuries.
Effects of previous major depressive illness on cognition in Alzheimer disease patients.

Objective Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) may be a risk factor for subsequent development of irreversible dementia; however, the influence of a premorbid history of MDD on the clinical course of patients diagnosed with probable Alzheimer disease (AD) has not been fully explored. Methods Forty-three AD patients with mild-to-moderate cognitive impairment were screened for a life-long history of MDD with the Clinical Assessment of Depression in Dementia Scale. Twenty-two subjects had a history of MDD before onset of cognitive impairment, but none was suffering from an MDD episode at time of cognitive assessment. Results After controlling for age, education, duration of illness, gender, and medication status, subjects with a history of MDD had significantly lower scores, as a group, on cognitive performance tests, including the Mini-Mental State Exam, WAIS Full-Scale and Verbal Scale I.Q., and the Initiation/Perseveration subscale of the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale. These subjects also developed symptoms of dementia at a significantly earlier age than the subjects who had no premorbid history of MDD. Conclusions Although previous studies have shown that late-onset MDD may increase risk for subsequent dementia, the current results suggest that premorbid MDD is associated with more severe cognitive deficits during the actual course of dementia.
Diagnosis and management of pneumonia in children.

Background. This paper describes challenges in etiologic diagnosis and treatment of childhood community-acquired pneumonia and the means of addressing some of them. Microbiologic diagnosis. From about one-third to two-thirds of cases of pneumonia can be attributed to a specific etiology depending on which culture, antigen detection and specialized serologic techniques, some of which are unavailable to clinicians, are used. Results of studies in which microbiologic causes have been sought confirm the importance of Streptococcus pneumoniae as the primary bacterial cause of pneumonia in infants and children. Viral etiologies become less prevalent and mycoplasmal and chlamydial infections become more prevalent with increasing age. Empiric treatment. Because definitive information about causative pathogens is seldom available, treatment of pneumonia is most often empiric. Antibiotic therapy can be withheld in mildly ill, ambulatory patients in whom viral infection is likely. Most guidelines suggest initial treatment with orally administered amoxicillin or amoxicillin/clavulanate or with intravenous cefuroxime when patients require hospitalization. In May, 2000, the Centers for Disease Control-convened Drug-Resistant S. pneumoniae Therapeutic Working Group identified oral beta-lactams including cefuroxime axetil, amoxicillin and amoxicillin/clavulanate as appropriate options for first line therapy of community-acquired pneumonia in ambulatory adults and children. Conclusions. New diagnostic techniques such as pneumococcal serologies and polymerase chain reaction testing have improved the ability to determine the microbiologic etiology of childhood pneumonia. Because these tests are not generally available, empiric treatment is necessary. Efforts to identify new intervention strategies, diagnostic tools, therapies and vaccines will be helpful in managing this disease.
The rural growth trifecta: outdoor amenities, creative class and entrepreneurial context

Recent work challenges the notion that attracting creative workers to a place is sufficient for generating local economic growth. In this article, we examine the problem of sustaining robust growth in the periphery of the USA, demonstrating the contingent nature of talent as an engine for economic growth. We test the hypothesis that rural growth in the knowledge economy is dependent on the ability to utilize new knowledge, perhaps generated elsewhere, in addressing local economic challenges. Tests confirm that the interaction of entrepreneurial context with the share of the workforce employed in the creative class is strongly associated with growth in the number of new establishments and employment, particularly in those rural counties endowed with attractive outdoor amenities.
Economic Behavior Under Uncertainty

The final preliminary topic concerns managerial behavior. Our study of managerial uses of accounting information requires that we combine accounting and managerial behavior. This, in turn, demands that we adopt some image, implicit or explicit, of managerial behavior. Economic rationality is our choice.
Future Actions and Next Steps

The purpose of this lesson is to provide a brief summary of this text and to introduce a few topics that should be considered once initial skills in the use of R for biostatistics have been mastered. Along with a few ideas on external resources, contact information for the author is also provided.
Different Types of High-Occupancy Vehicle Access Control: Comparative Analysis of Empirical Capacities

High-occupancy vehicle (HOV) facilities have been widely implemented in the United States as a way to improve mobility, trip time reliability, and air quality of freeway systems. In California there are two types of HOV facilities, namely, limited access and continuous access with part-time or full-time operation. This paper presents a framework for comparing the mobility performance of the types of HOV facilities on the basis of regression analyses using a California data set as a case study. Parametric regression models were developed to explain empirical freeway capacity as a function of a set of explanatory variables including the type of HOV access. Modeling results consistently indicated that freeway segments with limited-access HOV lanes would have had higher overall capacities than those of continuous-access HOV facilities, everything else being equal. In addition, the proposed framework can be applied well to the analyses on other types of managed lanes.
Postoperative Hypoxia and Pulmonary Embolism

In the postoperative period, adequate oxygen delivery to the tissues is necessary to ensure proper healing and recovery. Failure to do so results in tissue hypoxia. This can be due to poor oxygen delivery to the tissues or poor utilization of oxygen by the tissues. When tissues become hypoxic, aerobic metabolism converts to anaerobic metabolism. This ultimately provides an unsustainable environment for cells, causing cell death. It is imperative that physicians are able to understand the causes of tissue hypoxia, the presenting symptoms, and how to treat these causes to avoid life-threatening consequences. The development of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) resulting in pulmonary embolism (PE) as a cause of hypoxia is of particular concern in postoperative patients.
Aircraft Navigation with Uncertain Aerodynamics

In assignments such as navigation, nonlinear aircraft is controlled through the linear time-invariant model based stabilizing controllers (or simply referred as controllers). When the aircraft model is poorly known due to an unpredictable atmospheric conditions, one of the concerns in aircraft control is that the controller becoming fragile to uncertainties. Hence, design of controllers for uncertain aircraft navigation has been categorized as a challenging problem. In this paper, uncertainties such as plant and control parameter variations, sensor and actuator faults, etc., are considered and fragile definition [5] is applied to separate admissible uncertainties for which aircraft navigation using a controller would be valid. In linear systems framework, first it is shown that the uncertainties at which a certain matrix becomes singular are all the contributing factors of fragile aircraft dynamics with respect to the controller. A procedure to determine these singular points is presented. Then the admissible parametrically dependent stable Jacobian matrix as a function of state trajectory variables is derived as a sufficient stability condition for nonlinear uncertain aircraft. It is again posed as a matrix singularity problem to analyze potential eigenvalue bifurcations in the right half plane of the complex plane when a trajectory for navigation varies. A micro air vehicle model in pitch plane is considered to illustrate navigation of the fragile aircraft dynamics using control when uncertainties as real parameter variations are present.
On the identification of self-adjoint distributed systems using modal filters

A method is presented for the identification of external excitations acting on distributed-parameter systems and, for certain cases, the parameters contained in the equations of motion of the distributed system. By extracting the modal coordinates from the system output, and using these modal coordinates to identify the modal excitations acting on a number of modes, the actual external disturbances are synthesized. The modal coordinates are extracted from the system output by interpolation of the sensors measurements and use of the expansion theorem, a process known as modal filtering. It is shown that the accuracy of the identification improves as the number of sensors is increased. The effects of factors such as measurement noise and interpolation error are analyzed.
Modified logistic regression algorithm for accurate determination of heart beats from noisy passive RFID tag data

Passive RFID tags provide a promising way to create wireless and battery-free heart rate monitors. However, the reliability of these tags is limited in the presence of common noise sources in their environment. In this paper, we propose an algorithm to improve the beat detection for RFID based heart rate monitors in noisy environments. To achieve this, a logistic regression model is first employed to determine data points that have a very high probability of being actual heart beats. These data points are then used as features to remove the ambiguity in detection of other heart beats. The algorithm is trained using features from a single heart rate measurement and the obtained parameters are used for determining various other heart rates. Using our algorithm, we achieve an F1-score of 0.98 for correct heart beat detection, and completely eliminate an error of over 75% in mean heart rate calculation.
Acute bilateral testicular torsion in the adolescent.

AbstractA case of acute bilateral testicular torsion in the adolescent is reported. This case reaffirms the need to perform bilateral scrotal exploration in cases of suspected torsion. Although it represents an extreme rarity, delay in exploration may have resulted in bilateral orchiectomy. The case also appears to be another example of intermittent testicular pain as a harbinger of impending torsion in a patient with the bell clapper deformity. Perhaps a more aggressive approach should be taken to explore patients surgically who present with intermittent scrotal pain.
Treatment of lung Cancer Metastatic to the Brain: Results of Combined Excision

Lung cancer with solitary metastasis to the brain has been treated by surgical resection of both lesions over a 25-year period. Survival was 55 per cent at 1 year and 31 per cent at 2 years. Mean survival was 2.3 years, surpassing the 6-month average survival with more conservative therapy. An aggressive surgical approach to lung cancer with solitary cerebral metastasis results in improved survival and a better quality of life.
Activity in Boolean networks

In this paper we extend the notion of activity for Boolean networks introduced by Shmulevich and Kauffman (Phys Rev Lett 93(4):48701:1–4, 2004). In contrast to existing theory, we take into account the actual graph structure of the Boolean network. The notion of activity measures the probability that a perturbation in an initial state produces a different successor state than that of the original unperturbed state. It captures the notion of sensitive dependence on initial conditions, and provides a way to rank vertices in terms of how they may impact predictions. We give basic results that aid in the computation of activity and apply this to Boolean networks with threshold functions and nor functions for elementary cellular automata, d-regular trees, square lattices, triangular lattices, and the Erdős–Renyi random graph model. We conclude with some open questions and thoughts on directions for future research related to activity, including long-term activity.
Intraoperative diagnosis of sentinel lymph node metastases in breast cancer treatment with one-step nucleic acid amplification assay (OSNA)

INTRODUCTION The aim of the study was to evaluate the clinical usefulness of a one-step nucleic acid amplification assay (OSNA) for intraoperative detection of metastases to sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) in comparison to examination of frozen sections, and to summarize the results of previous studies. MATERIAL AND METHODS We enrolled 98 patients aged 58.13 ±10.74 years treated surgically for breast cancer, and 99 biopsies of SLNs were followed by analysis of 105 SLNs. The central 1 mm slice of SLN was used for examination of frozen sections, whereas 2 outer slices of SLNs were analyzed intraoperatively with OSNA. Detection of isolated tumor cells (ITC), micrometastases or macrometastases with OSNA extended surgery to axillary lymph node dissection. Congruency of results was assessed between OSNA and examination of frozen sections. RESULTS One-step nucleic acid amplification assay detected metastases in 29/105 SLNs in surgery of 27/99 breasts, including ITC in 3/29 SLNs, micrometastases in 12/29 and macrometastases in 14/29. One-step nucleic acid amplification assay detected significantly more metastases to SLNs than examination of frozen sections (p < 0.0001). All 8 inconsistent results were positive in OSNA and negative in examination of frozen sections; ITC were identified in 2/8 SLNs and micrometastases in 6/8 SLNs. Sensitivity for OSNA was calculated as 100%, specificity as 90.47%, and κ was 79.16%. CONCLUSIONS One-step nucleic acid amplification assay analysis allows rapid and quantitative detection of mRNA CK19 with high specificity and a low rate of false positives. One-step nucleic acid amplification assay is a reliable tool for intraoperative diagnosis of whole SLNs during surgery of breast cancer. One-step nucleic acid amplification assay minimizes the need for secondary surgery and avoids delays in the adjuvant treatment.
Preference Construction and Reconstruction

Preferences are frequently used to predict choice and to shape marketing strategy. Market surveys and experiments assessing consumers’ preferences are frequently used to design new products, forecast sales, set prices, and guide promotion and advertising strategy. Most commonly-used procedures to elicit and analyze consumers’ preferences — such as conjoint analysis and other forms of multiattribute evaluation modeling (e.g., Green and Srinivasan 1990; Lynch 1985) — assume that consumers’ preferences are well-defined, articulated, and stable. However, recent research suggests that well-defined, articulated preferences are not always available in memory to serve as a basis for decision making (Coupey, Irwin, and Payne 1998; Payne, Bettman, and Johnson 1992, 1993; Slovic 1995). Instead of consulting a master list of previously-formed preferences stored in memory, decision makers are sometimes required to construct or generate preferences on-line while responding to preference measures (Hastie and Park 1986). The distinction between previously-formed, memory-based preferences versus constructed, on-line preferences is important, because, theoretically, only the former type is predictive of subsequent behavior (Feldman and Lynch 1988; Fischhoff 1991). The goal of the present set of studies is to investigate the conditions under which previously-formed preferences are retrieved from memory, and the conditions under which newly-formed preferences are constructed on-line. We also examine the role of metacognitive processes in reconstructing previously-formed preferences from newly-formed preferences.
Characteristics of Participants Enrolled onto a Randomized Controlled Trial of Palliative Care for Patients on Phase I Studies

Abstract Introduction: Advanced cancer patients participating in phase 1 clinical trials experience considerable symptom burden. Palliative care (PC) may benefit these individuals by providing supportive care during clinical research participation. This study investigates integration of a PC intervention among phase 1 trial participants with advanced cancer. Methods and Materials: This study is a multisite randomized clinical trial testing a concurrent PC intervention among phase 1 trial participants. Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics and descriptive baseline assessment findings were examined for all participants to date. Self-report assessments included quality of life (QOL) using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General, spirituality using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spirituality, and overall distress using the Distress Thermometer. Clinical trial retention and healthcare utilization were assessed through chart audit at study completion. Results: The s...
Recurrence of Renal Tuberculosis 29 Years after Therapy

AbstractA case of renal tuberculosis in a man when he was 23 years old is reported. He was treated with streptomycin and reported routinely for followup examinations. When the patient was 52 years old, 29 years after treatment, he had a positive urine culture from the remaining kidney. Triple drug therapy was administered and has been effective. The need for lifelong examination of patients with renal tuberculosis is justified.
Optimal Renewable Energy Systems: Minimizing the Cost of Intermittent Sources and Energy Storage

Abstract To address climate change, society must obtain most of its energy from carbon-neutral renewable sources, including solar, wind, hydropower, tidal, geothermal, and biomass energy. Most ambient energy sources are nondispatchable, or not available on demand. A prominent problem for renewable energy utilization is thus matching energy supply and demand, which in an electric grid, must be equal at each moment. This chapter demonstrates the use of economic methods to identify a cost-minimizing portfolio of renewable energy sources and energy storage that is sufficient to meet energy demand, given ambient energy availability. An empirical example from the US state of Vermont illustrates that to minimize total cost of energy and energy storage, marginal costs for all energy and storage sources must be equal. But this equality holds only at critical times when ambient energy is limited and/or energy demand is great.
Spectroscopic Characterization of Surface Oxygen Species on Barium-Containing Methane Coupling Catalysts

Abstract Promotion of MgO, CaO, and ZnO with 2 mol% Ba imparts high activity and C 2 selectivity to these oxide supports for the oxidative coupling of CH 4 at 800-850°C. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) of CO 2 have been employed to characterize the nature of surface species on both the fresh and used catalysts. These techniques have established that a direct correlation exists between the oxidative coupling activity of these promoted oxides and their ability to form surface peroxide ions (O 2 2 ) in the presence of gaseous O 2 , but that activity is not directly related to support basicity. Selective poisoning of CH 4 /CD 4 isotopic exchange reactions indicate that at least two different types of sites that are capable of activating C-H bonds in CH 4 exist on these catalysts.
Characterization of Bus Transactions for SPECweb96 Benchmark

In this Chapter, we have characterized the bus traffic generated by the SPECweb96 benchmark in a four-processor SMP system with NT/4 operating system. We observe that the benchmark is very network intensive, in terms of computation and bandwidth consumption. The study shows that the transactions across the four processors are well balanced and do not have any long-range dependencies. There is a substantial amount of locking contention in the benchmark as is reflected by a large number of hit-modified transactions. In addition, a significant amount of spatial locality exists in the bus transactions that can be exploited through efficient cache organization. The inferences from this study can be used for designing efficient Internet servers.
The Tumor Pathology of Genetically Engineered Mice: Genomic Pathology

This chapter examines a newly emerging view of tumorigenesis by exploring the evidence that the molecular origin of the tumor determines the microscopic phenotype of the tumor. It is primarily based on the genetically engineered mice (GEM) expressing transgenic oncogenes or lacking homologs of human tumor-suppressor genes. The current data supporting this hypothesis are based primarily on mouse models of human prostate and breast cancers, but additional evidence is provided from other organ systems. The data demonstrate that the molecular origins of tumors create unique signature phenotypes that belong to distinct molecular pathways. The members of each pathway display unique interrelationships and dependencies. Many of the signature phenotypes mimic human tumor morphology in incredible detail and often represent involvement of the same genes. The pathology of tumorigenesis in GEM has important implications for human and comparative pathology.
Counting Rhizobia by a Plant Infection Method

The plant infection count, also known as the most-probable-number (MPN) count, is used to determine the number of viable and infective rhizobia in the presence of other microorganisms. The trap legume selected in the MPN method must belong to the same cross-inoculation group of legumes nodulated by the rhizobia under investigation. This indirect method is commonly used to determine the quality of inoculants produced from nonsterile carrier materials. It is also used to determine the number of rhizobia in the soil.
The 'Press,' Then & Now

Does the First Amendment’s protection of freedom of “the press” simply mean that we all have the right to use mass communication technology to disseminate our speech? Or does it provide constitutional safeguards for a particular group of speakers who function as government watchdogs and citizen surrogates? This question defines the current debate over the Press Clause. The Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, along with recent work by Michael McConnell and Eugene Volokh, suggests the answer is the former. This article pushes back on that view. It starts by expanding the scope of the relevant historical evidence. Discussions about the original meaning of the “press” typically focus only on the ratifying generation’s explicit rhetoric. This approach, however, fails to consider valuable evidence about colonial and early-American lived experiences with the printing press. To members of the framing generation, this new evidence reveals, the press was a tool of limited access, available only to certain speakers, controlled by gatekeeper printers, and used primarily for matters of public concern. Early Americans may have spoken of press freedom as open and inclusive, but printing, as they actually knew it, was not. Rather, it played a specific societal role. Historical evidence is only of true value, moreover, if it is used to address the right question. This article thus shifts the pertinent question from “what” members of the founding generation were protecting — technology or trade — to “why” they sought to protect it. History reveals that they saw the Press Clause as having two functions — an individual, self-expressive function and a structural, government-monitoring function. At the time, a singular notion of the “press” embodied all of these concepts (a technology as well as an expressive and a structural function), leaving no need to distinguish among them. Today, however, that conceptual overlap no longer exists. For a variety of reasons — including advances in communication technologies, expansion of access to these technologies, growing complexity of government, and development of journalistic standards — press functions and press technology are now unique concepts. Today’s advanced mass communication technologies, buoyed by our modern robust speech jurisprudence, provide individuals with extensive expressive channels. Modern journalistic practices, meanwhile, fill a more dedicated and refined watchdog role. To be sure, some overlap still exists. Broad use of mass communication technology can lead to government scrutiny, and journalism has expressive qualities. But the primary uses of the two have diverged significantly since the late-1700s. An interpretation of the Press Clause that is faithful to the original goals of press freedom should reflect these modern realities.
Sociocultural Theory in Second Language Acquisition: An Introduction through Narratives by Merrill Swain, Penny Kinnear and Linda Steinman (2015)

Sociocultural Theory in Second Language Acquisition: An Introduction through Narratives by Merrill Swain, Penny Kinnear and Linda Steinman (2015)
Features of Postfailure Fuel Behavior in Transient Overpower and Transient Undercooled/Overpower Tests in the Transient Reactor Test Facility

Prototypic oxide fuel was subjected to simulated, fast reactor severe accident conditions in a series of in-pile tests in the Transient Reactor Test Facility reactor. Seven experiments were perform...
Accuracy of the Cosmed K5 portable calorimeter.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to assess the accuracy of the Cosmed K5 portable metabolic system dynamic mixing chamber (MC) and breath-by-breath (BxB) modes against the criterion Douglas bag (DB) method. Methods Fifteen participants (mean age±SD, 30.6±7.4 yrs) had their metabolic variables measured at rest and during cycling at 50, 100, 150, 200, and 250W. During each stage, participants were connected to the first respiratory gas collection method (randomized) for the first four minutes to reach steady state, followed by 3-min (or 5-min for DB) collection periods for the resting condition, and 2-min collection periods for all cycling intensities. Collection periods for the second and third methods were preceded by a washout of 1–3 min. Repeated measures ANOVAs were used to compare metabolic variables measured by each method, for seated rest and each cycling work rate. Results For ventilation (VE) and oxygen uptake (VO2), the K5 MC and BxB modes were within 2.1 l/min (VE) and 0.08 l/min (VO2) of the DB (p≥0.05). Compared to DB values, carbon dioxide production (VCO2) was significantly underestimated by the K5 BxB mode at work rates ≥150W by 0.12–0.31 l/min (p<0.05). K5 MC and BxB respiratory exchange ratio values were significantly lower than DB at cycling work rates ≥100W by 0.03–0.08 (p<0.05). Conclusion Compared to the DB method, the K5 MC and BxB modes are acceptable for measuring VE and VO2 across a wide range of cycling intensities. Both K5 modes provided comparable values to each other.
P854 Interspecies chimeras: a tool to identify chlamydial virulence factors

Background Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate intracellular bacterium and is the most common notifiable infection in the United States. It spends its entire developmental cycle in a membrane bound cytosolic vacuole termed the inclusion, which protects it from otherwise deleterious host innate immune responses. Interferon gamma (IFNγ) plays a critical role in the clearance of Chlamydia in vitro and in vivo, at least in part by inducing cell-autonomous immunity in infected epithelial cells. Chlamydia muridarum, a rodent pathogen with high genomic synteny to C. trachomatis, is completely susceptible to human cell-autonomous immune responses in vitro. In contrast, C. trachomatis is highly resistant to these IFNγ-induced responses. In published coinfection experiments, inclusions coinhabited by these species are resistant to recognition by cell-autonomous immunity, suggesting that C. trachomatis has evolved active mechanisms to evade recognition by host cytosolic immune surveillance. These mechanisms are completely unknown. Methods To identify chlamydial genes that may be involved, we have taken advantage of a previously generated library of interspecies chimeras, each of which has a genome that is predominantly C. trachomatis serovar L2 with discrete regions of C. muridarum genes recombined in (range = 12–113 recombined genes in each individual chimera). We have used these chimeras in an initial screen looking for ubiquitin recruitment to inclusion membranes—an established marker of cell-autonomous immunity recognition. Results We have identified four chimeras that are ubiquitinated following IFNy stimulation. These four have zones of recombination overlapping with one another, providing us with 11 candidate genes. Conclusion This outcome highlights the utility of our chimera library, especially when used to identify genetic factors underlying phenotypes for which C. trachomatis and C. murdarum are disparate. Future characterization of the candidate genes in this screen will identify chlamydial virulence factors that aid in immune evasion of IFNγ-induced host responses, and may inform design of future vaccines. Disclosure No significant relationships.
The War of Words, by Kenneth Burke: edited by Anthony Burke, Kyle Jensen, and Jack Selzer, Oakland, University of California Press, 2018, viii + 285 pp., $85.00/£66.00 (cloth), $29.95/£24.00 (paper)

Would not the recovery of a lost manuscript by a major twentieth-century literary theorist be an occasion for celebration? If that manuscript modeled an approach to social criticism that avoided th...
Stringent Mutant/Stringent Response

Stringent mutants exhibit a stringent-like response in the absence of (p)ppGpp, a global regulator modulating many of the cellular responses to stress. In Escherichia coli , these suppressor mutants occur exclusively in RNA polymerase subunit genes and have highlighted many of the features that we do not understand about the transcriptional basis of the stringent response. These features range from sites of (p)ppGpp interaction on RNA polymerase to ribosomal RNA transcriptional regulation, activation of transcription of multiple amino acid biosynthetic pathways, and gene expression mediated by alternative sigma factors. The stringent response in Gram-positive bacteria differs greatly from E. coli and stringent mutants are expected to be equally different.
It’s a Wonderful Life: William H. Teale’s Contributions to Early and Emergent Literacy:

We highlight in this essay the significant career contributions of William H. Teale to the field of literacy research, policy, and practice in recognition of his receipt of the 2020 Oscar S. Causey...
Filthy Animals: Integrating the Behavioral Immune System and Disgust into a Model of Prophylactic Dehumanization.

The behavioral immune system (BIS) is an evolved psychological mechanism that motivates prophylactic avoidance of disease vectors by eliciting disgust. When felt toward social groups, disgust can dampen empathy and promote dehumanization. Therefore, we investigated whether the BIS facilitates the dehumanization of groups associated with disease by inspiring disgust toward them. An initial content analysis found that Nazi propaganda predominantly dehumanized Jews by portraying them as disease vectors or contaminants. This inspired three correlational studies supporting a Prophylactic Dehumanization Model in which the BIS predicted disgust toward disease-relevant outgroups, and this disgust in turn accounted for the dehumanization of these groups. In a final study, we found this process of prophylactic dehumanization had a downstream effect on increasing anti-immigrant attitudes during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, consistent with the evolutionary logic of a functionally flexible BIS, this effect only occurred when the threat of COVID-19 was salient. The implications of these results for the study of dehumanization and evolutionary theories of xenophobia are discussed.
Constraints on the behavior of a descending ice probe due to force balance

Abstract Water is a key ingredient to the potential for life, and several icy moons, such as Europa and Enceladus, are thought to harbor a dynamic subsurface ocean of liquid water. An ice probe or “cryobot” is a proposed technology to penetrate the surrounding ice shell and deliver a life-detection payload to these oceans. As the ice probe descends, it is surrounded by a thin melt film of liquid water. This paper focuses on the fluidics of the melt film for the case of a general ice probe shape, leading to a new approximate equation for the force balance constraints (validated to 0 . 4 % error by numerical model). In addition to the introduction of water by melting, the analysis allows for consideration of additional volumetric flow via a pumped jet of recirculated water. The general force balance equation is explored in more detail for the example of a cylindrical probe geometry with flat circular end caps. The thickness of the melt film below and to the side of the cylindrical probe is constrained by the force balance such that the probe typically operates in one of two asymptotic regimes, moving or stalled.
The impact of CIO characteristics on data breaches

Abstract The exponential rate of increase in IT security breach incidents has led governments, regulators, and practitioners to respond by introducing standards and frameworks for the disclosure and management of organizational cybersecurity risk exposure. Cybersecurity, which is a part of IT risk management, is affected by the capability and the ability of senior leadership responsible for IT-related decisions. This paper uses hand-collected data related to the Chief Information Officer (CIO) for S&P 500 firms and explores whether the presence of a CIO role, human capital characteristics of the CIO, and structural capital characteristics of the firm and the CIO are related to a firm’s cybersecurity risk exposure. This study finds that firms disclosing the presence of a CIO are more likely to be breached, even after matching on the likelihood of a breach and controlling for the likelihood that a firm would choose to disclose a CIO. This study also finds predictable variations in the likelihood of a breach among CIOs based on various human capital dimensions (including past technology experience, external board memberships, firm tenure, and CIO tenure) and structural capital dimensions (including a recognized commitment to IT and charging the CIO with multiple responsibilities). Finally, this study finds evidence that the observed associations depend on both the source of the breach (external vs. internal) as well as the type of data compromised by the breach (e.g. financial, personal, etc.). The results of this study contribute to the growing body of academic breach literature, while also informing practitioners as they evaluate the costs and benefits of various methods for combating breaches.
Models with Convenient Assessment and Interpretation

Both the economic structure of the outcome and the DM’s personal preferences are factors that affect the tractability of assessing and interpreting the value of information. This chapter covers practical or prescriptive techniques for quantita­tively assessing the value of an information structure in the context of a number of convenient problem framings. Such models are also useful in the early stages of user information processing, when the DM has no specific source in mind but is merely interested in what information wouled be worth, if it had given proper­tis.
Applications of Neural Networks in Modeling and Design of Structural Systems

There has been considerable recent activity in exploring biological motivated computational paradigms in problems of engineering analysis and design. Such computational models are placed in a broad category of soft-computing tools that span the gap between traditional procedural methods of computation on one side, and heuristics driven inference engines (non procedural methods) on the other. Of these, methods of neural computing and evolutionary search have been extensively explored in problems of structural analysis and design. The purpose of the present chapter is two-fold. It provides an overview of those neural network architectures that are pertinent to the problem of structural analysis and design, including the back-propagation network, the counterpropagation network, the ART network, and the Hopfield network. It then provides a summary of select applications of neurocomputing in the field of structural synthesis. This summary includes the applications of neural networks in function modeling, in establishing causality in design data, in function optimization, and in diagnostics of structural systems.
Specificity of lipoxygenases: Separation of isomeric hydroperoxides by high performance liquid chromatography

The methyl esters of the 9 and 13 hydroperoxides obtained from oxygenation of linoleate by potato and soyabean lipoxygenases have been separated and analysed using high performance liquid chromatography.
Nature of Penicillin-Induced Growth Inhibition of Mycoplasma neurolyticum

When penicillin was added to cultures of Mycoplasma neurolyticum in amounts up to 1,000 units per ml, lag time and generation time were increased and the total population was reduced in proportion to the antibiotic concentration. Although growth suppression by penicillin was complete, the death rate was slow and linear over periods up to 12 days. Growth after induced lag was due to a decay in penicillin activity and was not the result of mutant selection. However, repeated transfer in media which contained increasing concentrations of penicillin resulted in normal growth of M. neurolyticum at penicillin levels as high as 1,000 units per ml. Penicillinase did not play a role in recovery from penicillin-induced lag, and the inactive penicillin molecule did not prevent normal growth of M. neurolyticum. Removal of penicillin from the medium by washing or penicillinase during the induced lag was immediately followed by normal growth of the organism. These results suggest a reversible antibiotic function for penicillin which prevents multiplication of the organism by means unrelated to cell wall formation.