cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
LDPC-Coded Modulation for High-Speed Optical Transmission Systems

Several LDPC-coded modulation schemes enabling ges100 Gb/s transmission using commercially available components operating 40 Giga symbols/s are presented: (a) coded orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), (b) bit-interleaved coded modulation (BICM), and (c) multilevel coding (MLC).
Dopamine-β-hydroxylase activity in serum

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the dopamines-β-hydroxylase (DBH) activity in serum. The DBH activity found in blood is biochemically similar to DBH activity in the adrenal medulla and sympathetic nerves with regard to co-factor requirements, requirement for oxygen; Michaelis–Menten constant for substrate, and response to the addition of cupric ion to inhibit endogenous inhibitors of the enzyme. Starch block electrophoresis of serum DBH activity, and the enzyme activity found in sympathetic nerves, and the adrenal medulla has demonstrated that there are differences in the electrophoretic mobilities of the DBH activity among various species, but that within a given species the enzymatic activity found in the blood has the same electrophoretic mobility as that found in other tissues. Immunochemical studies have shown that there is immunochemical cross reactivity within a given species of serum DBH with antibody formed in response to the purified adrenal enzyme from that same species.
Treatment of Mice with 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-Dioxin Leads to Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor-Dependent Nuclear Translocation of NF-κB and Expression of Fas Ligand in Thymic Stromal Cells and Consequent Apoptosis in T Cells

We investigated the role of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in the regulation of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p -dioxin (TCDD)-induced apoptosis in thymic T cells. AhR knockout (KO) mice were resistant to TCDD-induced thymic atrophy and apoptosis when compared with the AhR wild-type mice. TCDD triggered the expression of several apoptotic genes, including FasL in AhR wild-type but not AhRKO mice. TCDD-induced increase in FasL was seen only in thymic stromal but not thymic T cells. When TCDD-exposed stromal cells were mixed with untreated thymic T cells, increased apoptosis was detected in T cells that involved Fas-FasL interactions. Thus, apoptosis in T cells was not detected when TCDD-treated stromal cells from FasL-defective or AhRKO mice were mixed with wild-type T cells or when TCDD-exposed wild-type stromal cells were mixed with Fas-deficient T cells. TCDD treatment, in vivo and in vitro, led to colocalization and translocation of NF-κB subunits (p50, p65) to the nucleus in stromal but not T cells from AhR wild-type mice. NF-κB activation was not observed in stromal cells isolated from TCDD-treated AhRKO mice. Mutations in NF-κB-binding sites on the FasL promoter showed that TCDD regulates FasL promoter activity through NF-κB. TCDD treatment in vivo caused activation of the death receptor and mitochondrial pathways of apoptosis. Cross-talk between the two pathways was not necessary for apoptosis inasmuch as TCDD-treated Bid KO mice showed thymic atrophy and increased apoptosis, similar to the wild-type mice. These findings demonstrate that AhR regulates FasL and NF-κB in stromal cells, which in turn plays a critical role in initiating apoptosis in thymic T cells.
On the pseudocodeword weight and parity-check matrix redundancy of linear codes

The minimum pseudocodeword weight w min of a linear graph-based code is more influential in determining decoding performance when decoded via iterative and linear programming decoding algorithms than the classical minimum distance d min under standard maximum-likelihood decoding Moreover, unlike the minimum distance which is unique to the code regardless of representation, the set of pseudocodewords, and therefore also the minimum pseudocodeword weight, depends on the graph representation used in decoding as well as on the communication channel. This means that a judicious choice of parity-check matrix is crucial for realizing the best potential of any graph-based code. In this paper, we introduce the notion of pseudoweight redundancy for the memoryless binary symmetric channel (BSC). Analogous to the stopping redundancy in the literature, this parameter gives the smallest number of rows needed for a parity-check matrix to have d min = w min. We provide some upper bounds on the BSC-pseudoweight redundancy and illustrate the concept with some results for Hamming codes, tree-based and finite geometry LDPC codes, Reed-Muller codes and Hadamard codes.
Overview of PCTE standardization

This paper outlines the background to the standardisation of PCTE. It briefly covers its origins, current status and future plans as well as an overview of current announced commercial backing and related activities. PCTE arose out of one of the first CEC sponsored ESPRIT collaborative research projects. ESPRIT Project 32 was formally titled 'A Basis for a Portable Common Tool Environment'. The formal objectives of the PCTE project were to define the necessary interface specifications and to implement the basic utilities and a working prototype of a portable common tool environment to support tool development. >
Understanding gentrification: an empirical analysis of the determinants of urban housing renovation

Abstract The “back-to-the-city” phenomenon presented an unpredicted countercurrent in the prevalent tide of suburbanization, and this process of upper-income resettlement in the inner city has been thoroughly analyzed in the urban economic literature. Housing renovation, a process that always accompanies gentrification and constitutes a significant portion of residential housing investment, has been studied much less. Contrary to the expectation that “location matters,” the existing empirical studies have concluded that most neighborhood amenities and structural attributes are insignificant as determinants of renovation. Using a detailed parcel-level data set that documents all residential renovation activity in Chicago between 1995 and 2000, this paper establishes that the characteristics of a building and its neighborhood do indeed influence the likelihood that it will be renovated.
Trauma exposure influences cue elicited affective responses among smokers with and without a history of major depression

The current study tested the emotional reactivity of smokers with and without histories of major depression (MDD Hx) and trauma exposure (TE). Four counterbalanced conditions nested negative (e.g., dysphoric) or neutral mood inductions with in vivo versus control smoking paraphernalia cues (Neutral+Control; Neutral+Cigarette; Neg+Control; Neg+Cigarette). Mixed model analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) tested between and within subjects differences in negative affective symptoms pre- to post-exposure across four groups (TE+MDD Hx; TE only; MDD Hx only; no history). Results produced two notable effects. First, TE only individuals endorsed the greatest increase in depressive symptoms across both negative mood induction conditions (regardless of smoking paraphernalia) compared with other groups. Second, dual history participants (TE+MDD Hx) show a potentiated depressive response to the Neg+Cigarette condition compared with the Neg+Control condition. Implications to a depression-specific negative affective vulnerability among TE only smokers that is independent of MDD Hx and greater than smokers with a MDD Hx are discussed.
Inherent problems in implementing cable TV based metropolitan area networks

A survey is presented of the problems and pitfalls of cable-TV-based metropolitan area networks (MANs). While the CATV system in the US is very widespread and touches approximately 50% of all American homes, the use of this utility for networking has been extremely limited. Some of the strengths and weaknesses of using the cable plant for metropolitan area networking are discussed. The problems inherent in using CATV for metropolitan area networking are identified. >
Image reconstruction from linograms: implementation and evaluation

The notion of a linogram corresponds to the notion of a sinogram in the conventional representation of projection data for image reconstruction. In the sinogram, points which correspond to rays through a fixed point in the cross section to be reconstructed all fall on a sinusoidal curve. In the linogram, however, these points fall on a straight line. The implementation of a novel image reconstruction method using this property is discussed. The implementation is of order N/sup 2/ log N, where N is proportional to the number of pixels on a side of the reconstruction region. It is demonstrated that the performance of the algorithm is superior to that of the filter backprojection method in computational speed on realistic size problems and is equivalent to filtered backprojection in accuracy of reconstruction. >
Target organ pathology in iron-deficient suckling rats.

Pathological changes in 18-day-old rat pups from iron-deficient dams (5 ppm dietary iron) included severe fatty degeneration of the liver with focal hepatocellular necrosis plus complete depression of hemopoiesis in this organ. Similar fatty degeneration occurred in the cortical tubular epithelial cells of the kidneys of deficient rats. Lesions in spleens and thymuses of the iron- deficient rat pups indicate depression of hemopoiesis and lymphopoiesis of both thymus-dependent lymphocyte (T-cell) and bursa-equivalent lymphocyte (B-cell) areas. From the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of thymus and spleen it may be concluded that the iron-deficient young rats are immunologically re tarded and/or are permanently less competent than the controls. J. Nutr. 110: 1648-1654, 1980.
Too Few Women? - Or Too Many Men? The Gender Imbalance in Undergraduate Economics

There is a gender imbalance in undergraduate economics departments with most departments educating a strong majority of young men. This imbalance has led many economists to ponder the question of why relatively few women choose to take courses and major in economics. Our hypothesis is that the gender imbalance in undergraduate economics, particularly at institutions with traditional liberal arts curriculums, is as much the result of too many men choosing economics as it is too few women. Students choose their majors based on both their interests and their abilities. The literature indicates that the grade a student receives in an introductory class relative to grades received in other departments is one of the strongest predictors of whether or not the student chooses to enroll in more courses in the discipline. However, our hypothesis is that men who take economics courses are less responsive to this signal than are women. As a result, men who do poorly in economics are more likely to continue in the major. Women who do poorly, in contrast, are more likely to abandon economics and pursue a different major. Our results, generated from 16 years of data from a liberal arts college where economics is one of the most popular majors, support this hypothesis. The overall economics GPA for female majors is significantly higher than that for males. In addition, histograms show that male students dominate the bottom of the grade distribution. Finally, results from estimation of a series of selection models of the decision to take more economics courses indicate that, holding other characteristics constant, women are more responsive to the relative grade received in the second semester of economics than are men.
ε-samples for kernels

We study the worst case error of kernel density estimates via subset approximation. A kernel density estimate of a distribution is the convolution of that distribution with a fixed kernel (e.g. Gaussian kernel). Given a subset (i.e. a point set) of the input distribution, we can compare the kernel density estimates of the input distribution with that of the subset and bound the worst case error. If the maximum error is e, then this subset can be thought of as an e-sample (aka an e-approximation) of the range space defined with the input distribution as the ground set and the fixed kernel representing the family of ranges. Interestingly, in this case the ranges are not binary, but have a continuous range (for simplicity we focus on kernels with range of [0, 1]); these allow for smoother notions of range spaces.It turns out, the use of this smoother family of range spaces has an added benefit of greatly decreasing the size required for e-samples. For instance, in the plane the size is
Small Molecule Disruptors of the Glucokinase–Glucokinase Regulatory Protein Interaction: 4. Exploration of a Novel Binding Pocket

Structure–activity relationship investigations conducted at the 5-position of the N-pyridine ring of a series of N-arylsulfonyl-N′-2-pyridinyl-piperazines led to the identification of a novel bis-pyridinyl piperazine sulfonamide (51) that was a potent disruptor of the glucokinase–glucokinase regulatory protein (GK–GKRP) interaction. Analysis of the X-ray cocrystal of compound 51 bound to hGKRP revealed that the 3-pyridine ring moiety occupied a previously unexplored binding pocket within the protein. Key features of this new binding mode included forming favorable contacts with the top face of the Ala27-Val28-Pro29 (“shelf region”) as well as an edge-to-face interaction with the Tyr24 side chain. Compound 51 was potent in both biochemical and cellular assays (IC50 = 0.005 μM and EC50 = 0.205 μM, respectively) and exhibited acceptable pharmacokinetic properties for in vivo evaluation. When administered to db/db mice (100 mg/kg, po), compound 51 demonstrated a robust pharmacodynamic effect and significantly...
CORPORATE DIVERSIFICATION, BUREAUCRATIC COSTS AND LIKELIHOOD OF BANKRUPTCY

Based on a sample of 858 observations, we show that there is a significant difference between the bureaucratic costs incurred by bankrupt and non-bankrupt firms. Further, our results from matched-p...
Isolation of bacillus HB-1 from human clinical sources.

Seventeen recent isolates from a variety of human clinical sources of organisms designated as HB-1 according to the subgrouping of King and Tatum11,12 were studied with respect to their morphologic, cultural, and biochemical characteristics, as well as their experimental pathogenicity in mice. These nonfermentative, Gram-negative rods produced striking, dry, flat, radially-spreading colonies consisting of a clear, moist center circled by a highly refractile, speckled, pearl-like zone of growth resembling mercury droplets, surrounded in turn by an outer nonrefractile perimeter of spreading growth. Growth of all HB-1 strains was enhanced by the concomitant presence of X factor (hemin) and Co2, but growth was not influenced by V factor (NAD). However, on brain–heart infusion agar alone, in the absence of hemin, growth was obtained under anaerobiosis which was comparable to that observed on blood and chocolate agar. Biochemically, all strains were nonfermentative, and only oxidase and nitrate were positive. All of the isolates were susceptible to most of the commonly employed antibiotics with the exception of lincomycin and oxacillin. Experimental mouse pathogenicity could not be demonstrated, but microorganisms of the HB-1 group may conceivably possess pathogenic potential, as evidenced by their derivation from human pathologic sources.
Knowledge rate of kaschin-beck disease(KBD) among pupils in the KBD endemic areas, Xi'an

Objective To investigate the knowledge of KBD among the pupils in KBD areas of Xi'an, and give basic scientific information about this disease for further investigation. Methods Using the stratified random cluster sampling method, 1076 pupils randomly selected from 7 schools in the KBD areas were interviewed with a self-designed questionnaire. Results The total correct rate of KBD-related knowledge was 24.79% and the rates were from 8.74% to 46.65%. The correct rate of KBD-related knowledge was different between the different grades and endemic areas. The rate was higher in the high grades and serious endemic areas compared with the lower grades and minor endemic areas(P0.05). 345 pupils(38.63%) got KBD knowledge from TV broadcasts,while 366 pupils(34.01%) were willing to get KBD knowledge from TV broadcasts. Conclusion The status of KBD-related knowledge among the pupils in the KBD areas of Xi'an were not optimistic. The pupils' awareness rates between different demographic characteristics are different. Specific health education programs should be promoted among the pupils.
Abstract 1361: Impact of Cardiovascular Disease Risk on the Association Between Dietary Supplement Use and Attempted Weight Loss in the US Adult Population

Background Studies have sought to identify the determinants of dietary supplement (DS) use. Few of these have been based on a conceptual model of health behavior, and most have involved small, non-random samples. Objectives To evaluate a novel conceptual model developed to explain DS use and engagement in other cardio-protective behaviors (CBs) as a function of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Methods The model purported that CVD risk would be positively associated with DS use and CB participation, DS use and CB participation would be positively correlated, and the association between DS use and CB participation would be moderated by CVD risk. Data were taken from the 1999–2004 waves of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Participants were classified according to CVD risk as low-risk, at-risk, or diseased. DS use and attempted weight loss (AWL) were modeled as a function of CVD risk while adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics. Results Persons at risk for CVD or with evidence of disease were more likely to engage in DS use and AWL than those with low CVD risk (Figure 1). Differences between the at-risk and diseased groups were insignificant. AWL and DS use were positively correlated (p=0.005). Although the magnitude of this correlation increased with CVD risk (Figure 2), there was no statistical support for moderation (p=0.484). Conclusions The model provided an adequate description of associations among CVD risk, DS use, and CB participation. The results suggest that moderate CVD risk may trigger participation in healthy behaviors. Once CVD develops, further increases in behavioral participation may not accrue due to a perceived lack of benefit.
Is This Bum Any Good

Every morning at 2 A.M., as professors sleep and graduate students arrive to pull all-nighters, my computer diligently makes the rounds of the Websites of all major frontons, downloading the latest schedules and results and then running these files through Dario's parsing programs. After a few months of retrieval we had built a large-enough collection of jai alai data to justify some serious analysis. Our goal was to use all this data to measure the relative abilities of jai alai players and incorporate this information into our Monte Carlo simulation to make customized predictions for each match. To get this job done, I had to bring another student on to the project, Meena Nagarajan. Meena was a different type of student than Dario. As a married woman with a young child, she realized that there are other things to life besides computers. She was returning to school to get her master's degree with the express goal of getting a lucrative job with a financial services company associated with Wall Street, as indeed she ultimately did. She realized that building a program-trading system for jai alai was a great way to learn how to build one for trading stocks, and she therefore signed on to work on the project. Her undergraduate degree back in India was in applied mathematics; thus, she brought to the table an understanding of the meaning and limitations of statistics.
Industrial Forests and Mechanical Marvels: Modernization in Nineteenth-Century Brazil

An account of modernization and technological innovation in nineteenth-century Brazil that provides a distinctly Brazilian perspective. Existing scholarship on the period describes the beginnings of Brazilian modernization as a European or North American import dependent on foreign capital, transfers of technology, and philosophical inspiration. Promoters of modernization were considered few in number, derivative in their thinking, or thwarted by an entrenched slaveholding elite hostile to industrialization. Teresa Cribelli presents a more nuanced picture. Nineteenth-century Brazilians selected among the transnational flow of ideas and technologies with care and attention to the specific conditions of their tropical nation. Studying underutilized sources, Cribelli illuminates a distinctly Brazilian vision of modernization that challenges the view that Brazil, a nation dependent on slave labor for much of the nineteenth century, was merely reactive in the face of the modernization models of the North Atlantic industrializing nations.
High-Sensitivity Micro LC-MS/MS Assay for Serum Estradiol without Derivatization.

Background: There are considerable demands to accurately measure estradiol (E2) at low concentrations ( Methods: A total of 290 μL of sample was mixed with internal standard (IS), E2-d4, and extracted with a mixture of hexane/ethyl acetate (90/10) (v/v). After extraction, sample was separated by Eksigent Ekspert™ micro LC 200 system with a flow rate of 35 μL/min in a total run time of 3.5 min and detected by SCIEX QTRAP 6500 mass spectrometer in a negative mode using transitions: 271/145 (quantifier) and 271/143 (qualifier). In this method, it was crucial to use HPLC columns with stability at a pH >10. Results: The validation study demonstrated broad linear ranges (3.0–820.0 pg/mL) with r2 > 0.999. Total precision was below 15% at all QC levels, and limit of quantification (LOQ) was 3.0 pg/mL. Our method showed good correlation with E2 RIA (r2 = 0.96, bias = −1.0 pg/mL) and modest correlation with E2 Roche Cobas automated immunoassay (r2 = 0.86, bias = 6.0 pg/mL). Conclusions: In conclusion, we developed and validated a routinely applicable micro LC-MS/MS method without derivatization for E2 in blood samples with an LOQ of 3.0 pg/mL.
The Immune Response in the Pathogenesis of Alcoholic Liver Disease

Many hypotheses have been put forward to explain ethanolinduced liver damage, including direct and indirect toxicity. Despite many years of intensive research, the molecular mechanisms involved in the toxicity of this simple compound have still not been fully clarified. Initial studies investigated the direct toxic effects of ethanol on tissues, but it is now believed that the products of ethanol metabolism are the major factors causing alcoholic liver disease (ALD). The metabolic products and metabolic events induced by alcohol ingestion are varied in nature and vast in scope. Major research interest has focused on the effects of aldehyde production, oxygen radical formation, mitochondrial membrane permeability defects, endotoxins, and infectious agents as factors in hepatocellular dysfunction and cell death. At the same time, increasing evidence suggests that immune-mediated mechanisms are involved in ALD.
A Conceptual Framework for Residential Satisfaction

There is little doubt that in contemporary industrial societies housing is multifaceted in character. It is viewed as an investment, a commodity, an element of the federal tax system, a design problem, a building, a set of buildings, a community asset, and so on. However, all housing is ultimately viewed by someone as a place for home As a “place” for home, it represents the core of the physical portion of the social-physical environment that is home.
Dreams in Cybernetic Fugue: Cold War Technoscience, the Intelligentsia, and the Birth of Soviet Mathematical Economics

This article positions the vogue for cybernetics as a key driver of the transformation of the institutional structures and epistemic order of Soviet technoscience that occurred in the 1950s and 1960s. Inseparable from the rapid growth of Soviet military science, Soviet cybernetics was both the result and medium of surprising recombinations of different forms of scientific and engineering expertise to create novel military technologies. Military computing was the point of entry for cybernetics, while its focal tasks—the bomb, rocketry, and radar—in turn shaped cybernetic understandings. The rapid growth and cyberneticization of these new areas of militarily driven science caused a tectonic transformation of the Stalinist articulation of science, technology, and politics. A crucial moment of these latter shifts, the article further suggests, was the transformation of Soviet economics into a properly mathematical economics. In a series of analogical transfers, mathematicians and engineers derived a radical vision of cybernetic communism from their specific military engineering tasks. Their encounter with reformist economics, mediated by computational utopias, enabled the transfer of advanced mathematical techniques, metaphors, and personnel from military science to the social sciences. This complex process constituted Soviet mathematical economics. Soviet cybernetics’ challenge to the Stalinist order of knowledge and its attendant institutional reconfigurations thus opened up a critical space for political reflection for the Cold War era “scientific-technical intelligentsia” at the heart of the party-state.
Abstract 419: Wall Thickness Influence on Computational Wall Stress of Arteries

Objective: Biomechanical analysis can predict mechanical stresses in cardiovascular structures. Prior models often assume uniform arterial wall thickness (WT). We hypothesize that including local W...
Comparative uptake of Cu-64 labeled G-rich oligonucleotides with different sequence length in lung cancer cells

1605 Objectives AS1411 is a 26-base G-rich oligonucleotide that self-anneals to form a stable structure resistant to degradation by serum nucleases. It binds with high affinity and specificity to nucleolin, a multifunctional protein over-expressed in various cancer cells. Our previous studies have demonstrated that Cu-64 labeled AS1411 conjugated with DOTA or CB-TE2A has very high uptake (20-78%) in lung cancer cells and at least 50% of the uptake was specific binding to the targeted protein. In order to further understand the robustness of Cu-64 labeled AS1411 as a potential imaging probe, we investigated the effect of sequence length by comparing the uptake of Cu-64 labeled AS1411 with that of Cu-64 labeled GRO15 (GTT-GTT-TGG-GGT-GGT), a random G-rich sequence known not to bind to nucleolin in lung cancer cells. Methods Either DOTA or CB-TE2A was used to conjugate AS1411 (DA or CBA) or GRO15 (DG15 or CBG15). All four compounds were then labeled with Cu-64. HTB177 cells (1×105) were seeded into each well for 48 hr. Three µCi of Cu-64 labeled DA, CBA, DG15 or CBG15 was added into each well and incubated at 37 oC for 1, 3, 6, 9, 24 and 48 hr respectively (n=4 for each time point). Uptake was calculated by % (counts in cells)/total counts. Results All Cu-64 was incorporated into both oligonucleotides conjugated with either chelator during the synthesis. The specific activity for all four radiotracers was in the range of 80-120 mCi/µmol. The maximal uptake for Cu-64 labeled DA, CBA, CBG15 and DG15 were 76.4±1.1, 19.8±2.5, 8.7±0.7 and 7.5±0.9% respectively, although they occurred at different time points. Conclusions AS1411 and GRO15 were successfully conjugated with DOTA and CB-TE2A and then labeled with Cu-64 with high yield and specific activity. Regardless of the chelator choice, the uptake of Cu-64 labeled AS1411 was significantly higher than that of Cu-64 labeled GRO15, indicating that uptake depended on the sequence length of the oligonucleotide and Cu-64 labeled AS1411 is a PET imaging probe specifically targeting the protein in lung cancer cells
Metalation and Selective Oxidation of Diphenyl-23-oxa-, -thia-, and -selena-21-carbaporphyrins

The availability of diphenyl-23-oxa-, -thia-, and -selena-21-carbaporphyrins has enabled the reactivity of these systems to be investigated and contrasted. All three heterocarbaporphyrins reacted with palladium(II) acetate in refluxing chloroform–acetonitrile to give organometallic palladium(II) derivatives in good yields. These structures are stable and give UV–vis spectra that show increasing broadening and bathochromic shifts as the size of the heteroatom increases. Nickel(II) acetate in refluxing N,N-dimethylformamide reacted with the oxa- and thiacarbaporphyrins under nitrogen to give the corresponding nickel(II) complexes, but the selenacarbaporphyrin did not metalate under these conditions. The NMR spectra for all of the metal complexes showed that they possess strong diamagnetic ring currents, although the palladium complexes gave larger downfield shifts that were slightly diminished when larger heteroatoms were present in the porphyrinoid cavity. Reactions of the oxacarbaporphyrin with nickel(II)...
Diffraction of a Dipole Field by a Perfectly Conducting Half Plane

The various forms of solution for the problem of an arbitrarily oriented electric or magnetic dipole in the presence of a half plane are reviewed and presented from a unified point of view. Some new results are given and errors in the literature are corrected.
The ROSwell Device

Plants grown on orbit seem to be experiencing oxidative stress. The gene expression response of the plants to this oxidative stress bears striking resemblance to their response towards dilute hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ). Thus, one route towards developing plants better suited to the stresses of spaceflight begins with developing a way to reliably and consistently treat plants with hydrogen peroxide in a laboratory setting. The ROSwell Device embraces this challenge, using 3D-printed components, Arduino and Raspberry Pi microcontroller units, and a solenoid valve mounted on a frame of 80/20 aluminum. The final goal for this device is to construct a reliable method for testing and development of plants designed to grow in space, before sending them into orbit.
A protein that controls the onset of a Salmonella virulence program

Abstract The mechanism of action and contribution to pathogenesis of many virulence genes are understood. By contrast, little is known about anti‐virulence genes, which contribute to the start, progression, and outcome of an infection. We now report how an anti‐virulence factor in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium dictates the onset of a genetic program that governs metabolic adaptations and pathogen survival in host tissues. Specifically, we establish that the anti‐virulence protein CigR directly restrains the virulence protein MgtC, thereby hindering intramacrophage survival, inhibition of ATP synthesis, stabilization of cytoplasmic pH, and gene transcription by the master virulence regulator PhoP. We determine that, like MgtC, CigR localizes to the bacterial inner membrane and that its C‐terminal domain is critical for inhibition of MgtC. As in many toxin/anti‐toxin genes implicated in antibiotic tolerance, the mgtC and cigR genes are part of the same mRNA. However, cigR is also transcribed from a constitutive promoter, thereby creating a threshold of CigR protein that the inducible MgtC protein must overcome to initiate a virulence program critical for pathogen persistence in host tissues.
The Theory of Vibrational Optical Activity

A new theory of vibrational rotational strengths and its earliest applications to the prediction of vibrational circular dichroism spectra are described.
Frank A. Beach Award. Metabolic sense.

All living organisms require a minimum of usable metabolic energy. When the natural supply of energy becomes low or the demand high, animals respond by making a wide array of behavioral, physiological, and metabolic adjustments. Animals may increase caloric intake by changing food preference or foraging behavior, reduce energetic requirements for thermoregulation by building nests or hibernating, or make metabolic adjustments that promote mobilization of usable energy from sources such as lipids in adipose tissue. In animals in which reproduction is energetically costly, such as female mammals, postponement of reproductive activity frees a large portion of available calories for physiological processes that are essential for individual survival.
Bio-viscoelastic Fluids

Most biofluids are viscoelastic. Our saliva, for example, behaves more like an elastic body than like water. Mucus, sputum, and synovial fluids are well known for their elastic behavior. Viscoelasticity is an important property of mucus. In the respiratory tract mucus is moved by cilia lining the walls of the trachea and bronchi. If the mucus were a Newtonian fluid, the ciliary motion will be less effective in moving it. Similar ciliary motion is responsible for the movement of the ovum from ovary to uterus through the fallopian tube.
Cell Enrichment from Human Blood through Red Cell Lysis

Abstract Enrichment of rare cells in human blood typically requires several processing steps using both positive and negative selection methodologies. When red blood cells removal is desired, one of the two commonly used methods for removal is red cell lysis. In this report, an optimized red blood lysis protocol used on several hundred metastatic breast cancer patients is presented, including tabulated performance.
Parameter optimization and uncertainty analysis of FREYA for spontaneous fission

Abstract In this paper we report on an effort to determine an optimal parameter set for the complete event fission model F R E Y A to reproduce spontaneous fission of 252 Cf(sf), 244 Cm(sf), 238 Pu(sf), 240 Pu(sf), 242 Pu(sf), and 238U(sf). Earlier studies have partially optimized the event-by-event fission model F R E Y A with respect to the available experimental data using brute force computational techniques. We have confirmed and expanded these results using a least-squares minimization based on the simulated annealing approach. We have also developed a more complete statistical picture of this optimization, consisting of a full correlation matrix for the parameters utilized by F R E Y A . The newly improved parameter values themselves, along with this correlation matrix, have led to a more well-developed physical picture of the fission process.
Upregulation of miR‐146a‐5p is associated with increased proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells in aortic dissection

BACKGROUND This study aimed to investigate whether miR-146a-5p was involved in the pathogenesis of thoracic aortic dissection (AD) via regulating the biological function of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). METHODS Circulating miR-146a-5p level was measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) in AD patients and healthy controls. Human dissected aortic samples were obtained from patients with thoracic AD Stanford type A undergoing surgical repair, and normal control samples were from organ donors who died from nonvascular diseases. The expression level of miR-146a-5p was detected using qPCR in each sample. The expression of SMAD4, which is involved in the TGF-β pathway and indicated as the target gene of miR-146a-5p, was measured by qPCR and Western blot analysis at the mRNA level and protein level, respectively. Subsequently, VSMCs were transfected with miR-146a-5p mimics or inhibitors in vitro. VSMC proliferation and migration were detected using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and Transwell assay, respectively. Flow cytometry was used to identify apoptosis. The expression of SMAD4 in VSMCs was determined using qPCR and Western blot analysis. RESULTS Plasma level of miR-146a-5p is significantly higher in the AD group as compared with the control group. The expression of miR-146a-5p was significantly upregulated in dissected aorta compared with controls (P < 0.05). The overexpression of miR-146a-5p significantly induced VSMC proliferation and migration in vitro. CONCLUSIONS The expression of SMAD4 was modulated by miR-146a-5p. miR-146a-5p induced VSMC proliferation and migration through targeting SMAD4 and hence might be potentially involved in the development of AD.
A fatal case of fetus-in-fetu

Introduction Fetus-in-fetu (FIF) is a rare congenital anomaly with an incidence of 1:500,000 births that is characterized by the incorporation of one or more partially-developed fetuses into the body of an otherwise normally developed fetus. First described in 1800, FIF was initially thought to represent a mature teratoma. It has since been defined as a separate entity, distinguished by the presence of an axial skeleton with organized limbs and organs. Genetic studies suggest that this phenomenon occurs in monozygotic monochorionic diamniotic twin gestations when one twin is absorbed by the other during ventral folding of the trilaminar embryonic sac. Unlike teratomas, FIF does not …
A total life cycle approach for developing predictive design methodologies to optimize product performance

Abstract Sustainable products must be designed by considering how design decisions impact their total life cycle (TLC) sustainability content. Even more so important when designing products to incorporate the technological elements of sustainable manufacturing, the 6Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover, Redesign and Remanufacture), to achieve Circular Economy (CE). This paper presents the preliminary work of an ongoing research project on developing a novel framework incorporating predictive models with TLC considerations. This unique approach develops and integrates models with associated risks, and optimizes for maximizing the sustainability benefits due to design decisions. Such predictive capability is extremely useful for process planning, where careful planning and optimization of process conditions would allow inducing favorable product performance and improved sustainability.
Consistent picture of electronic Raman scattering and infrared conductivity in the cuprates

Calculations are presented for electronic Raman scattering and infrared conductivity in a ${d}_{{x}^{2}\ensuremath{-}{y}^{2}}$ superconductor including the effects of elastic scattering via anisotropic impurities and inelastic spin-fluctuation scattering. A consistent description of experiments on optimally doped Bi-2212 is made possible by considering the effects of correlations on both inelastic and elastic scattering.
Youth with disabilities transitioning from foster care: Examining prevalence and predicting positive outcomes

Abstract Youth with disabilities are overrepresented among youth transitioning out of the foster care system (Slayter, 2016), yet few studies specifically examine the needs of former foster youth with disabilities as they transition into adulthood. Addressing this gap, the current study provides a more nuanced account of foster youth with disabilities’ transitions into adulthood. Using two national databases (NYTD and AFCARS), this study: (1) describes the prevalence of disability among older youth in foster care (age 17) and (2) investigates differences in educational and employment outcomes at age 21 among youth with and without disability diagnoses, with attention toward distinguishing emotional from non-emotional diagnoses. These lines of inquiry provide information about the experiences and needs of older foster youth with disabilities so that practices and policies aimed toward improving educational and employment outcomes can be appropriately tailored to this substantial population of youth exiting care.
Dosing and Outcomes of Conversion to Extended-Release Tacrolimus in Lung Transplant Recipients

Purpose Extended release tacrolimus (LCP-Tac) is a novel once daily formulation with improved pharmacokinetic parameters compared to immediate release tacrolimus (IR-Tac). LCP-Tac use in renal transplant is associated with reduced tremor and decreased dose requirements; minimal data in lung transplant exist. We sought to assess the outcomes of conversion from IR-Tac to LCP-Tac in a cohort of lung transplant recipients (LTRs). Methods All LTRs converted from IR-Tac to LCP-Tac from 10/2018-9/2019 were evaluated. Patient demographics, reason for and dose at time of conversion, conversion dose, and dose needed to achieve goal levels were recorded. Tac variability was calculated using coefficient of variability (CV). To normalize dose requirements across LTRs with variable goals, tac level to dose ratios were calculated. Results Conversion occurred in 8 LTRs with a median of 181 days of follow-up. LTRs converted were 65±7.8 years old, 75% male, and 75% Caucasian at a median of 124 (IQR 85.5-156) days post-transplant. Seven (87.5%) were converted due to tremor and 1 (12.5%) for high dose requirements. Of those converted for tremor, 5/7 (71.4%) reported improvement in baseline tremor. 50% of LTRs were on concurrent systemic azole. As expected, median overall tac dose requirements were decreased by 9.1%, however two LTRs required dose increases to maintain adequate trough levels. One LTR discontinued systemic azole during IR-Tac to LCP-Tac conversion. No change in tac CV was seen. Conclusion Conversion from IR-Tac to LCP-Tac in LTRs was successful in this limited series. Most LTRs converted for tremor saw improvement. We observed decreases in dose requirements, however not to the degree recommended by package labeling (20%). Tac variability remained consistent with conversion. Further research is needed to determine the long-term clinical impact of conversion.
“Racial Bias…I’m Not Sure if It Has Affected My Practice”: a Qualitative Exploration of Racial Bias in Team-Based Primary Care

In summer 2020, COVID-19 laid bare social determinants contributing to disproportional African-American death rates,1 and #BlackLivesMatter protests decried police brutality and systematic racism that continue to exert daily pressure on African American lives.2 These twin forces resulted in renewed commitment to health equity and criminal justice reform within the medical community.3 Microaggressions including “microinvalidation”—the denial of racialized experiences of people of color—may more profoundly impact racial anger, frustration, and self-confidence than overt forms of racism.4 Furthermore, denial of racism prevents team members from realizing and confronting their role in causing traumatic reactions or perpetuating disparities.5
Quantification of the Peripapillary Microvasculature in Eyes with Glaucomatous Paracentral Visual Field Loss.

Purpose: To quantify abnormalities in the peripapillary microvasculature in eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and paracentral visual field (VF) loss. Design Prospective, cross-sectional study. Participants Thirty-three POAG patients, including 15 with paracentral VF loss and 18 with peripheral VF loss, and 31 control participants underwent swept-source OCT angiography (OCTA) of the peripapillary region. Methods The POAG groups were matched by VF mean deviation (MD). The peripapillary microvasculature from the internal limiting membrane to the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) interface was quantified within a 0.70-mm annulus around Bruch’s membrane opening after removal of large vessels. Both vessel density (VD) and the integrated OCTA by ratio analysis signal (IOS) suggestive of flow were measured. Regional VD and IOS were measured from the affected hemisphere corresponding to the VF hemifield of more severe loss, which was used to calculate the paracentral total deviation (PaTD), or total deviation within the central 10°. One eye per participant was included. Main Outcome Measures Difference in peripapillary OCTA measurements between paracentral and peripheral VF loss groups and correlation of peripapillary VD and IOS with PaTD. Results The POAG groups had matched VF MD (–3.1 ± 2.5 dB paracentral vs. –2.3 ± 2.0 dB peripheral; P = 0.31), did not differ in average RNFL thickness (71.1 ± 14.7 μm vs. 78.1 ± 15.0 μm; P = 0.55), but differed in age (59.2 ± 9.6 years paracentral vs. 67.4 ± 6.6 years peripheral; P = 0.02). Compared with control participants, both paracentral and peripheral VF loss groups showed reduced VD (P Conclusions Regional peripapillary microvasculature showed decreased VD and flow in POAG with paracentral loss, supporting its importance in this glaucoma subtype.
Development of the systematic observation of COVID-19 mitigation (SOCOM): Assessing face covering and distancing in schools

Author(s): Camplain, Ricky; Lopez, Nanette V; Cooper, Dan M; McKenzie, Thomas L; Zheng, Kai; Radom-Aizik, Shlomit | Abstract: IntroductionDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, some K-12 schools resumed in-person classes with varying degrees of mitigation plans in the fall 2020. Physical distancing and face coverings can minimize SARS-CoV-2 spread, the virus that causes COVID-19. However, no research has focused on adherence to mitigation strategies during school days. Thus, we sought to develop a systematic observation protocol to capture COVID-19 mitigation strategy adherence in school environments: The Systematic Observation of COVID-19 Mitigation (SOCOM).MethodsWe extended previously validated and internationally used tools to develop the SOCOM training and implementation protocols to assess physical-distancing and face-covering behaviors. SOCOM was tested in diverse indoor and outdoor settings (classrooms, lunchrooms, physical education [PE], and recess) among diverse schools (elementary, secondary, and special needs).ResultsFor the unique metrics of physical-distancing and face-covering behaviors, areas with less activity and a maximum of 10-15 students were more favorable for accurately capturing data. Overall proportion of agreement was high for physical distancing (90.9%), face covering (88.6%), activity type (89.2%), and physical activity level (87.9%). Agreement was lowest during active recess, PE, and observation areas with ≥20 students.ConclusionsMillions of children throughout the USA are likely to return to school in the months ahead. SOCOM is a relatively inexpensive research tool that can be implemented by schools to determine mitigation strategy adherence and to assess protocols that allow students return to school safely and slow the spread of COVID-19.
A General Continuous Time Markov Chain Approximation for Multi-Asset Option Pricing With Systems of Correlated Diffusions

Continuous time Markov Chain (CTMC) approximation techniques have received increasing attention in the option pricing literature, due to their ability to solve complex pricing problems, although existing approaches are mostly limited to one or two dimensions. This paper develops a general methodology for modeling and pricing financial derivatives which depend on systems of stochastic diffusion processes. This is accomplished with a general de-correlation procedure, which reduces the system of correlated diffusions to an uncorrelated system. This enables simple and efficient approximation of the driving processes by uni-variate CTMC approximations. Weak convergence of the approximation is demonstrated, with second order convergence in space. Numerical experiments demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the method for various European and early-exercise options in two and three dimensions.
Solidarity: A Missing Component of Research Ethics.

Solidarity means standing with others: expressing support in times of stress and working together toward shared goals. As Saunkeah and colleagues note (Saunkeah et al. 2021), solidarity also incorp...
Perceptions of Overall Mental Health and Barriers to Mental Health Treatment Among US Older Adults.

ABSTRACT Objectives We surveyed older adults about their perceived mental health and their comfort discussing and engaging in mental health treatment. Methods A nationally representative survey of community-dwelling older adults aged 50–80 (N = 2,021), with respondents asked to rate their current mental health as compared to 20 years ago, comfort discussing their mental health, and potential hesitations to seeking treatment in the future. Results About 79.6% reported their mental health as the same or better than 20 years ago; 18.6% reported their mental health to be worse. Most respondents reported that they were comfortable (87.3%) discussing their mental health, preferring to discuss such concerns with their primary care provider (30.6%). About 28.5% of respondents did endorse some hesitation seeking mental health care in the future. Conclusions Most older adults reported that their mental health was as good if not better than it was 20 years ago and felt comfortable discussing mental health concerns.