cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mass spectrometry study of multiply negatively charged, gas-phase NaAOT micelles: how does charge state affect micellar structure and encapsulation?

We report the formation and characterization of multiply negatively charged sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (NaAOT) aggregates in the gas phase, by electrospray ionization of methanol/water solution of NaAOT followed by detection using a guided-ion-beam tandem mass spectrometer. Singly and doubly charged aggregates dominate the mass spectra with the compositions of (Na n-z AOT n ) z- (n01-18 and z01-2). Solvation by water was detected only for small aggregates (Na n-1 AOT n H 2 O) - of n03-9. Incorporation of glycine and tryptophan into (Na n-z AOT n ) z- aggregates was achieved, aimed at identifying effects of guest molecule hydrophobicity on micellar solubilization. Only one glycine molecule could be incorporated into each (Na n-z AOT n ) z- of n≥7, and at most two glycine molecules could be hosted in that of n≥13. In contrast to glycine, up to four tryptophan molecules could be accommodated within single aggregates of n≥6. However, deprotonation of tryptophan significantly decrease its affinity towards aggregates. Collision-induced dissociation (CID) was carried out for mass-selected aggregate ions, including measurements of product ion mass spectra for both empty and amino acid-containing aggregates. CID results provide a probe for aggregate structures, surfactant-solute interactions, and incorporation sites of amino acids. The present data was compared with mass spectrometry results of positively charged (Na n+z AOT n ) z+ aggregates. Contrary to their positive analogues, which form
Exenatide as a Novel Weight Loss Modality in Patients without Diabetes

Objective:To evaluate the potential role of exenatide for weight loss in overweight or obese adults without diabetes.Data Sources:PubMed (1946-August 2012) and EMBASE (1974-August 2012) were used to conduct a literature search utilizing the terms exenatide, weight loss, obesity, and overweight. Additional references were identified by bibliographic review of relevant articles.Study Selection and Data Extraction:Studies assessing the use of exenatide in adult subjects without type 2 diabetes or polycystic ovary syndrome and reporting effects on body weight were included.Data Synthesis:Five studies were identified that reported use of exenatide in nondiabetic adults and included weight change as an outcomes measure. In all 5 of these studies, subjects taking exenatide experienced statistically significant weight loss, which ranged from 2.0 ± 2.8 to 5.1 ± 0.5 kg. Two of the trials were randomized, placebo-control led studies; 1 trial was a randomized, open-label investigation; 1 study had a prospective, open...
The Sexualized Work Environment: A Look at Women Jail Officers

This article examines the nature of a sexualized work environment and adjustment strategies of female deputy sheriffs working in four county jails and three local adult detention centers. Semistruc...
Small molecular modulation of macrophage migration inhibitory factor in the hyperoxia-induced mouse model of bronchopulmonary dysplasia

The role and mechanism of action of MIF in bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) are not known. We hypothesized that increased MIF signaling would ameliorate the pulmonary phenotype of BPD in the mouse lung. We studied newborn wild type (WT), MIF knockout (MIFKO), and lung MIF transgenic (MIFTG) mice in room air and a BPD model, and examined the effects of administering a small molecule MIF agonist and antagonist. Lung morphometry was performed and mRNA and protein expression of vascular mediators were analyzed. The pulmonary phenotype of MIFKO and MIFTG mice lungs in room air (RA) and BPD model were comparable to the WT-BPD mice at postnatal (PN) day 14. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A, -R1 and Angiopoietin (Ang)1 mRNA were decreased, and Ang2 increased in the WT-BPD, MIFKO-RA, MIFKO-BPD, MIFTG-RA and MIFTG-BPD mice lungs, compared to appropriate controls. The protein expression of Ang1 in the MIFKO-RA was similar to WT-RA, but decreased in MIFTG-RA, and decreased in all the BPD groups. Ang2 was increased in MIFKO-RA, MIFTG-RA and in all 3 BPD groups. Tie2 was increased in WT-BPD compared to WT-RA, but decreased in MIFKO- and MIFTG- RA and BPD groups. VEGFR1 was uniformly decreased in MIFKO-RA, MIFTG-RA and in all 3 BPD groups. VEGF-A had a similar expression across all RA and BPD groups. There was partial recovery of the pulmonary phenotype in the WT-BPD model treated with the MIF agonist, and in the MIFTG mice treated with the MIF antagonist. These data point to the careful regulatory balance exerted by MIF in the developing lung and response to hyperoxia and support the potential therapeutic value of small molecule MIF modulation in BPD.
Low-pH Rescue of Acid-Sensitive Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhi Strains by a Rhamnose-Regulated Arginine Decarboxylase System

For Salmonella, transient exposure to gastric pH prepares invading bacteria for the stresses of host-cell interactions. To resist the effects of low pH, wild-type Salmonella enterica uses the acid tolerance response and the arginine decarboxylase acid resistance system. However, arginine decarboxylase is typically repressed under routine culture conditions, and for many live attenuated Salmonella vaccine strains, the acid tolerance response is unable to provide the necessary protection. The objective of this study was to enhance survival of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi vaccine strains at pHs 3.0 and 2.5 to compensate for the defects in the acid tolerance response imposed by mutations in rpoS, phoPQ, and fur. We placed the arginine decarboxylase system (adiA and adiC) under the control of the ParaBAD or PrhaBAD promoter to provide inducible acid resistance when cells are grown under routine culture conditions. The rhamnose-regulated promoter PrhaBAD was less sensitive to the presence of its cognate sugar than the arabinose-regulated promoter ParaBAD and provided tighter control over adiA expression. Increased survival at low pH was only observed when adiA and adiC were coregulated by rhamnose and depended on the presence of rhamnose in the culture medium and arginine in the challenge medium. Rhamnose-regulated acid resistance significantly improved the survival of ΔaroD and ΔphoPQ mutants at pHs 3 and 2.5 but only modestly improved the survival of a fur mutant. The construction of the rhamnose-regulated arginine decarboxylase system allowed us to render S. Typhi acid resistant (to pH 2.5) on demand, with survival levels approximately equivalent to that of the native arginine decarboxylase system.
Seasonal water use by deciduous and evergreen woody species in a scrub community is based on water availability and root distribution

In a seasonally dry plant community of central Florida, USA, that experiences water limitation in the dry season and high water availability in the wet season, we first tested whether evergreen woody species shift from shallow water in the wet season to deep water in the dry season. Second, we tested whether deciduous woody species restrict water uptake to the shallow soil during the wet season and cease water uptake during the dry season. To address these questions, we measured water source use of two deciduous and three evergreen species over 13months using stable isotopes. As hypothesized in previous studies, we showed that leaflessness in deciduous plants is an important source of stem water isotopic fractionation. Therefore, we compared stable isotope ratios of stem water only when deciduous species had leaves and found that all species, except the evergreen Lyonia ferruginea, used proportionally the same water sources. Early dry season water use was based on water availability for all species except L. ferruginea, and deep soil (50–150 cm) was the most important water source. During the late dry and wet seasons, water uptake from each soil layer was based on its respective proportion of fine roots. Nevertheless, deep water remained an important water source throughout the year. This study clearly demonstrates the limitations of using stable isotopes of stem water when comparing deciduous versus evergreen species. Further, this study is the first to directly quantify depth of water uptake via isotope analysis and couple these findings with root distribution. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Teaching Evolutionary Developmental Biology: Concepts, Problems, and Controversy

Although sciences are often conceptualized in terms of theory confirmation and hypothesis testing, an equally important dimension of scientific reasoning is the structure of problems that guide inquiry. This problem structure is evident in several concepts central to evolutionary developmental biology (Evo-devo)—constraints, modularity, evolvability, and novelty. Because problems play an important role in biological practice, they should be included in biological pedagogy, especially when treating the issue of scientific controversy. A key feature of resolving controversy is synthesizing methodologies from different biological disciplines to generate empirically adequate explanations. Concentrating on problem structure illuminates this interdisciplinarity in a way that is often ignored when science is taught only from the perspective of theory or hypothesis. These philosophical considerations can assist life science educators in their continuing quest to teach biology to the next generation.
Elish-Piper: Response to "Beyond the Common Core: Examining 20 Years of Literacy Priorities and Their Impact on Struggling Readers".

As Cassidy et al. (2016) outline in their article, the Common Core State Standards (CCSS; National Governors Association [NGA] Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers [CC...
An Empirical Study of Attitude Components

rections must be made when such statements are applied under less than ideal conditions. In one sense, the determination of these corrections can be thought of as a further generalizing of the original model. Once the influences of variation in conditions are determined, the model can be applied to a larger class of events than the originally very limited ideal class. The exploration of the logistic model in two experimental situations where the conditions of the original simple model were not matched has led to some generalizing of the above type. A potency function and an activity function have been incorporated, and indicate what appear to be fertile research avenues. New research problems have been suggested, and must be iinvestigated prior to the achievement of a general diffusion model. The question of the general empirical import of the logistic model must remain unanswered until such additional investigation has been completed.
Inheritance of Larval Body Color in Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Larval body color of Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say), varies geographically. Genetic analyses of larval color variation in crosses of populations from Morelos (Mexico) and Rhode Island indicated that two loci with epistasis controlled larval body color. There was no correlation between larval color and ovipositional behavior on potato. A higher percentage of red–orange larvae accepted potato as food than yellow larvae.
Costs and effectiveness of routine therapy with long-term beta-adrenergic antagonists after acute myocardial infarction.

Abstract We analyzed the costs and effectiveness of routine therapy with beta-adrenergic antagonists in patients who survived an acute myocardial infarction. On the basis of data pooled from the literature, this form of therapy resulted in a 25 percent relative reduction annually in the mortality rate for years 1 to 3 and a 7 percent relative reduction for years 4 to 6 after a myocardial infarction. The estimated cost of six years of routine beta-adrenergic-antagonist therapy to save an additional year of life was $23,400 in low-risk patients, $5,900 in medium-risk patients, and $3,600 in high-risk patients, assuming that the entire benefit of earlier treatment is lost immediately after six years. Under a more likely assumption — that the benefit of six years of treatment wears off gradually over the subsequent nine years — the estimated cost of therapy per year of life saved would be $13,000 in low-risk patients, $3,600 in medium-risk patients, and $2,400 in high-risk patients. As compared with coronary-...
Genetics of water use physiology in locally adapted Arabidopsis thaliana.

Abstract Identifying the genetic basis of adaptation to climate has long been a goal in evolutionary biology and has applications in agriculture. Adaptation to drought represents one important aspect of local adaptation, and drought is the major factor limiting agricultural yield. We examined local adaptation between Sweden and Italy Arabidopsis thaliana ecotypes, which show contrasting levels of water availability in their local environments. To identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling water use physiology traits and adaptive trait QTL (genomic regions where trait QTL and fitness QTL colocalize), we performed QTL mapping on 374 F 9 recombinant inbred lines in well-watered and terminal drought conditions. We found 72 QTL (32 in well-watered, 31 in drought, 9 for plasticity) across five water use physiology traits: δ 13 C, rosette area, dry rosette weight, leaf water content and percent leaf nitrogen. Some of these genomic regions colocalize with fitness QTL and with other physiology QTL in defined hotspots. In addition, we found evidence of both constitutive and inducible water use physiology QTL. Finally, we identified highly divergent candidate genes, in silico. Our results suggest that many genes with minor effects may influence adaptation through water use physiology and that pleiotropic water use physiology QTL have fitness consequences.
Review of sodium channel resistance in the Blattella germanica

Wide application of insecticides has resulted in severe resistance in the German cockroach(Blattella germanica). This study reviews the discovery and molecular and evolutional mechanisms of the knockdown resistance(kdr),also known as the sodium channel resistance,with emphasis on the molecular structure,functional research methods of kdr mutations and up-todate representative results.In addition,the latest findings are summarized to inform the prevention,control and resistance monitoring of the cockroaches.
Pregnancy loss history at first parity and selected adverse pregnancy outcomes

Abstract Purpose To evaluate the association between pregnancy loss history and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Methods Pregnancy history was captured during a computer-assisted personal interview for 21,277 women surveyed in the National Survey of Family Growth (1995–2013). History of pregnancy loss ( Results At first parity, compared with having no loss, having 3+ previous pregnancy losses (adjusted risk ratio (aRR) = 1.66 [95% CI = 1.13, 2.43]), a maximum gestational age of loss(es) at ≥10 weeks (aRR = 1.28 [1.04, 1.56]) or having experienced a loss 24+ months ago (aRR = 1.36 [1.10, 1.68]) were associated with increased risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes. For future pregnancies, only having a history of 3+ previous pregnancy losses at first parity was associated with increased risks (aRR = 1.97 [1.08, 3.60]). Conclusion Number, gestational age, and recency of pregnancy loss at first parity were associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes in U.S. women.
Developmen of Flood Risk Map Information Management System Based on GIS

The developing targets,developing principles and developing environment of flood risk map information management system based on GIS were given in details.The logic framework of this kind of system was designed according to the function which the system should refer to,and successfully applied to the flood risk map information management system for Lianyungang City.
Influence of amorphous structure on polymorphism in vanadia

Normally we think of the glassy state as a single phase and therefore crystallization from chemically identical amorphous precursors should be identical. Here we show that the local structure of an amorphous precursor is distinct depending on the initial deposition conditions, resulting in significant differences in the final state material. Using grazing incidence total x-ray scattering, we have determined the local structure in amorphous thin films of vanadium oxide grown under different conditions using pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Here we show that the subsequent crystallization of films deposited using different initial PLD conditions result in the formation of different polymorphs of VO2. This suggests the possibility of controlling the formation of metastable polymorphs by tuning the initial amorphous structure to different formation pathways.
Fast voltammetry of metals at carbon-fiber microelectrodes: rapid determination of solution formation constants.

Metal speciation controls the behavior of aqueous metal ions. Fundamental thermodynamic parameters, such as the formation constant (Kf) of metal–ligand equilibria, provide useful speciation information. Although this information can be determined by spectroscopic techniques with high accuracy, it comes at the expense of time and cost. In this work, we studied Cu2+ complexation with different ligands using an ultra-fast method, fast scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) at carbon-fiber microelectrodes (CFMs). We observed a correlation between the FSCV response and the previously reported Cu2+–ligand equilibrium constants. This relationship allowed us to model a predictive relationship between Kf and 16 model ligands. We hence present an essential proof of principle study that highlights FSCV's capability to prove speciation information in real time.
A Non-parametric Approach to Detect Epileptogenic Lesions using Restricted Boltzmann Machines

Visual detection of lesional areas on a cortical surface is critical in rendering a successful surgical operation for Treatment Resistant Epilepsy (TRE) patients. Unfortunately, 45% of Focal Cortical Dysplasia (FCD, the most common kind of TRE) patients have no visual abnormalities in their brains' 3D-MRI images. We collaborate with doctors from NYU Langone's Comprehensive Epilepsy Center and apply machine learning methodologies to identify the resective zones for these {MRI-negative} FCD patients. Our task is particularly challenging because MRI images can only provide a limited number of features. Furthermore, data from different patients often exhibit inter-patient variabilities due to age, gender, left/right handedness, etc. In this paper, we introduce a new approach which combines the restricted Boltzmann machines and a Bayesian non-parametric mixture model to address these issues. We demonstrate the efficacy of our model by applying it to a retrospective dataset of MRI-negative FCD patients who are seizure free after surgery.
Breaking the 3D IC power delivery wall

Several power “walls” that must be overcome in future technologies are the 3D IC power delivery wall and the on-chip power regulation efficiency wall. In 3D ICs, power is consumed in the volume of the 3D chip, but can be delivered only to a 2D surface - as the number of layers in a 3D IC becomes larger, the greater the mismatch between 3D consumption and 2D delivery. The efficiency of on-chip regulators, which bounds the overall power efficiency of an IC, is not unique to 3D, but becomes essential due to the volumetric nature of the system. This paper studies voltage stacking of multi-layer heterogeneous 3D systems with distributed DC-to-DC on-chip regulators. The physical layering of 3D IC naturally maps to a voltage stacked solution that overcomes some of the difficulties with voltage stacking in 2D, such as isolating the stacked domains from the substrate. The paper presents a design methodology and optimization strategy for efficient on chip regulation using switch capacitor. Through simulation, we show how voltage stacked clustered layers can help overcome some of the limitations in 3D IC power delivery design.
Applications of DIC in the Mechanics of Collective Cell Migration

During wound repair, embryonic development, and cancer invasion, cells migrate in cooperative groups and clusters. Collective migration has been studied for decades, for example with experiments to determine how quickly a sheet of cells migrates to close a wound. Until recently, those experiments have been limited to investigating molecular mechanisms due to a lack of experimental tools to quantify the kinematics and forces. Now that digital image correlation has gained wide acceptance in engineering, physics, and biology, new possibilities exist to reveal quantitative understanding of the connections between signaling, motions, and forces. Here we review applications of digital image correlation in measuring cell velocities, cell-to-substrate tractions, and cell-to-cell stresses. The data show that forces and motions follow no typical constitutive relationship such as that of an elastic solid or a viscous fluid; in many cases even the orientations of force and motion are misaligned. Ongoing research is seeking to connect force and motion, often by modeling the active processes associated with cell signaling. While it remains unclear how to reduce the complicated and numerous signaling pathways into a physical picture of collective cell migration, the experimental tools now available offer a useful place to start.
Factors Associated with American Indian Mental Health Service Use in Comparison with White Older Adults

Our objective was to identify the factors that impact mental health service use among American Indian (AI) older adults living in South Dakota compared to their White counterparts. Using a cross-sectional design with 735 participants (n = 502 Whites, n = 233 AIs), we used ordinal regressions to analyze the extent to which predisposing, need, and enabling/hindering factors predicted the level of mental health service utilization. White older adults used more mental health services as compared with AI older adults. For both groups, more adverse childhood experiences along with prior negative experience with mental health service use were significantly related to an increased level of mental health service use. Compared to their White counterparts, AI older adults who reported a higher level of depressive symptoms, better self-perceived physical health, and a more positive attitude toward mental health services tended to use more mental health services. To reduce mental health disparities among AI older adults, community, local government, and academic partners should pay attention to how to encourage the use of mental health services to meet the unique needs of AI older adults.
Clinical utility of gastric emptying scintigraphy: Patient and physician perspectives.

BACKGROUND The use of gastric emptying scintigraphy (GES) in the evaluation of patients with dyspeptic symptoms is controversial. Our aim was to investigate objective and subjective parameters of clinical utility of GES from the perspectives of both the patient and the ordering physician. METHODS Socio-demographic features, healthcare resource utilization, gastroparetic symptoms and quality of life (QoL) were obtained from consecutive patients referred for GES immediately prior to GES and again 4 months later. The ordering physician received a brief survey 2 weeks after the GES regarding their perceptions on whether the test provided them with clinically useful information. KEY RESULTS One hundred and seventy-two (mean age ± SD 52.0 ± 17.9; 78% female) of 266 patients enrolled completed both the baseline and follow-up questionnaires and comprised our study population. At baseline, patients with abnormal GES had significantly higher gastroparesis symptom scores and reduced QoL. At the 4-month follow-up, an improvement in symptoms and QoL was seen, but the degree of improvement was not significantly different between those with a normal or abnormal GES. One hundred and ninety-seven ordering physicians completed the survey and perceived that GES, particularly when abnormal, provided new information (91%) and resulted in a change in diagnosis (58%) and management (60%). CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES Although patients with an abnormal GES generally had worse symptoms and lower QoL, the results of GES did not help to identify those with improved or worsened symptoms or QoL at follow-up. Nevertheless, the ordering physicians generally felt that the results of GES were helpful in managing these patients.
The Severity of State Truancy Policies and Chronic Absenteeism

ABSTRACTSince the Common School era, states have maintained truancy laws to ensure that students attend school. However, we know little about the severity of these laws and their relationship to st...
A review of medical and surgical techniques for overcoming cervical stenosis

Cervical stenosis is anomalous narrowing or obstruction of any part or the entirety of the cervical canal. It may be congenital or acquired as the result of aging, nulliparity, use of progestins, curettage, cervical surgery or any combination of these factors. Cervical stenosis is challenging to gynecologists in that it presents an additional complication to the completion of procedures that require examination of or passage through the cervical canal. Limited literature on overcoming cervical stenosis recommends both medical therapy using laminaria or misoprostol (with additional estrogen therapy in postmenopausal patients) and surgical therapy using a variety of tools including hysteroscope, grasping forceps, scissors, bipolar electrode, hysteroscopic morcellator, resectoscope, LEEP and incision. We present an exemplar case where use of medical therapy might have eliminated the need for or at least reduced the risk of the surgical therapy that the patient actually received. We recommend that gynecologists become familiar with the variety of methods currently in use for resolving cervical stenosis so that they may best advise patients that need such treatment and that medical therapy be attempted before surgical therapy is applied whenever possible.
Computer Programming Effects in Elementary: Perceptions and Career Aspirations in STEM

The development of elementary-aged students’ STEM and computer science (CS) literacy is critical in this evolving technological landscape, thus, promoting success for college, career, and STEM/CS professional paths. Research has suggested that elementary-aged students need developmentally appropriate STEM integrated opportunities in the classroom; however, little is known about the potential impact of CS programming and how these opportunities engender positive perceptions, foster confidence, and promote perseverance to nurture students’ early career aspirations related to STEM/CS. The main purpose of this mixed-method study was to examine elementary-aged students’ (N = 132) perceptions of STEM, career choices, and effects from pre- to post-test intervention of CS lessons (N = 183) over a three-month period. Findings included positive and significant changes from students’ pre- to post-tests as well as augmented themes from 52 student interviews to represent increased enjoyment of CS lessons, early exposure, and its benefits for learning to future careers.
Reduction in HIV community viral loads following the implementation of a "Treatment as Prevention" strategy over 2 years at a population-level among men who have sex with men in Hangzhou, China.

Previous studies have shown that the increased coverage of antiretroviral therapy (ART) could reduce the community viral load (CVL) and reduce the occurrence of new HIV infections. However, the impact on the reduction of HIV transmission among men who have sex with men (MSM) is much less certain. The frequency of HIV infections in MSM have been rapidly increasing in recent years in Hangzhou, China. The “Treatment as Prevention” strategy was implemented at a population-level for HIV-infected MSM from January 2014 to June 2016 in Hangzhou; it aimed to increase the ART coverage, reduce the CVL, and reduce HIV transmission. We investigated a subset of MSM diagnosed with HIV pre- and post-implementation of the strategy, using random sampling methods. Viral load (VL) testing was performed for all enrolled individuals; the lower limits of detection were 20 and 50 copies/mL. The data on infections were collected from the national epidemiology database of Hangzhou. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with the differences in social demographic characteristics and available VL data. The ART coverage increased from 60.7% (839/1383) during the pre-implementation period to 92.3% (2183/2365) during the post-implementation period in Hangzhou. A total of 940 HIV-infected MSM were selected for inclusion in this study: 490 (52.1%) and 450 (47.9%) MSM in the pre- and post-implementation periods, respectively. In total, 89.5% (841/940) of patients had data available on VL rates. The mean CVL was 579 copies/mL pre-implementation and this decreased to 33 copies/mL post-implementation (Kruskal-Wallis < 0.001). The mean CVL decreased for all variables investigated post-implementation of the treatment strategy (P < 0.05). The undetectable VL (≤400 copies/mL) rate pre-implementation period was 50.0% which increased to 84.7% post-implementation (P < 0.001). The mean CVL at the county level significantly decreased in each county post-implementation (Kruskal-Wallis < 0.05). Our study confirmed a population-level association between increased ART coverage and decreased mean CVL; overall 84.7% of HIV infected MSM had an undetectable VL and were no longer infectious.
What Do You Want From Your Echocardiogram

Getting old can be tough. Cataracts form, joints deteriorate, arteries stiffen, and bone demineralizes. The heart is certainly not immune to senescence. Diastolic function shows perhaps the greatest deterioration: ventricular compliance decreases, and diastolic relaxation becomes prolonged.[1][1], [
A Digital Solution to the Mind/Body Problem

We have applied the concepts from the mathematical theory of cellular automata – as developed to understand the emergence of spacetime at Planck scale – to consciousness. This gives rise to a digital, spacetime solution to the mind/body problem.
β2-Microglobulin of Lymphocytes

Recent developments in the chemistry and function of membranes have been of particular interest to immunologists because of the primary events of the immune response (antigen recognition) as well as other immune phenomenon e.g. complement binding, allergic reactions, phagocytosis, etc. occur at the cell surface. The largest constituent of most cell membranes is protein and undoubtedly the composition, conformation and organization of this protein determines membrane function. A wide variety of proteins of the lymphocyte membrane has been described, usually in functional e.g. histo-compatible or immune response (Ia) antigens, Fc receptor, complement receptor, rather than in physicochemical terms. Probably the most thoroughly characterized of the membrane-associated proteins are the immunoglobulins (Ig) and β2-microglobulin (β2m).
Mitigation of sand liquefaction using in situ production of biogas with biosealing

Sand liquefaction refers to a phenomenon whereby sand loses its strength and stiffness. It is responsible for many of the damages associated with earthquake. Partial desaturation of soil using bacterial production of biogas is a new method for mitigation of sand liquefaction. However, there is a concern that whether biogas in sand can be stable over a long duration when there is groundwater flow. In this study, a new method that combines biogas generation in situ with biosealing of the biogas bubbles in sand using a small quantity of biocement was developed. Biogas bubbles were produced in the form of nitrogen gas during microbial denitrication process by denitrifying bacteria Acidovorax sp. DN1 in fully saturated sand. It was experimentally observed of complete removal of biogas under flow conditions with a hydraulic gradient of 0.1 within three days. On the other hand, if sand with biogas bubbles was biosealed with calcium carbonate crystals produced by urease-producing bacteria Sporosarcina pasteurii DSMZ 33, the stability of biogas bubbles was improved by 40% 70%. Therefore, the sequential biogas production in saturated sand and biosealing of the gas bubbles in sand pores could be useful for sustainable mitigation of sand liquefaction under groundwater flow. The cost of the sequential biogas production in saturated sand and biosealing of biogas bubbles in sand pores could be significantly lower than the cost of biocementation of the saturated sand.
Development and modifiability of adult intellectual performance: An examination of cognitive intervention in later adulthood

Traditionally, differential and cognitive approaches have emphasized different dimensions of adult intelligence. Differential psychology has sought to represent intellectual functioning in terms of structural models of human abilities (Cattell, 1971; Guilford, 1967). Much of the emphasis in this approach has been on idividual differences in intellectual ability. In contrast, cognitive psychology has focused on identifying the cognitive processes and strategies involved in intellectual functioning (Newell and Simon, 1972; Sternberg, 1977). It has been suggested that cognitive psychology provides a more dynamic approach to the study of intelligence in that the focus is on the processing of information, whereas psychometric ability factors represent static products of cognition.
Startup Act for the States

Research carried out or supported by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation confirms that new and young firms generate a disproportionately large share of net job creation in the U.S. economy. However, even before the recession and since, the job-creating engine of startups (those less than five years old) has been slowing down. This not only is unhelpful on the job front, but, because major technological advances are disproportionately commercialized by new firms, it portends slower growth in living standards in the future if startup trends are not reversed. In July 2011, the Kauffman Foundation published the “Startup Act,” a menu of federal policy ideas aimed at promoting the formation and growth of new businesses in the United States. In addition to federal policy - which is preeminent on a number of issues - new businesses also navigate state-level laws and regulations. This document is designed to provide state policymakers with a similar menu of initiatives at the state level to reinforce any policies that promote entrepreneurial growth at the federal level. The fundamental premise behind these ideas, as well as this entire document, is that states and their citizens are better off encouraging the formation and growth of new companies, rather than pursuing the timeworn and cost-ineffective approach of competing for the headquarters and/or expansions of existing firms (sometimes referred to as “smokestack chasing”). The menu provided in this essay is not offered as a “one-size-fits-all” prescription, but rather as simply a list of ideas from which state policymakers can choose and adapt to suit the needs of their particular states. Where possible and available, we note the empirical evidence relating to these proposals. But, for the most part, the proposals are new or sufficiently recent not to have a strong empirical base. They reflect, therefore, our collective judgment of what is most likely to work in terms of supporting new firm formation. States should thus adopt or adapt them in a spirit of experimentation, being ready, as entrepreneurs themselves would be, to refine them as they gain more experience, or even to jettison some ideas in favor of others. In the same vein, states and their citizens must become comfortable with the inherent messiness and turbulence of entrepreneurial growth: It is part of the process that some new firms will grow, while others will die or shrink. On balance, however, the evidence is clear: Entrepreneurial growth is key to the growth of net new jobs and of major advances in living standards. We have organized the proposals by stage of the entrepreneurial process: encouraging and training entrepreneurs to take the often-audacious step of launching a business, measures to facilitate the actual launch of new ventures, and nurturing the growth of these new firms.
FleN contributes to heterogeneous swimming at high temperatures in Pseudomonas syringae

Motility is generally conserved among many animal and plant pathogens. Environmental conditions, however, significantly impact expression of the motile phenotype. In this study, we describe a novel heterogeneous motility phenotype in Pseudomonas syringae, where under normally suppressive incubation conditions (30C) punctate colonies arise that are spatially isolated from the point of inoculation, giving rise to a motility pattern we term constellation swimming (CS). We demonstrate that this phenotype is reproducible, reversible, and dependent on a functioning flagellum. Mirroring the heterogeneous motility phenotype, we demonstrate the existence of a sub-population of cells under non-permissive conditions that express flagellin (fliC) at levels similar to cells incubated under permissive conditions using both quantitative single cell microscopy and flow cytometry. To understand the genetics underlying the CS phenotype, we selected for naturally arising mutants that exhibited a normal swimming phenotype at the warmer incubation temperature. Sequencing these mutants recovered several independent non-synonymous mutations within FleN (also known as FlhG) as well as mutations within the promoter region of FleQ, the master flagellum regulator in Pseudomonas. We further show that nutrient depletion is the likely underlying cause of CS, as reduced nutrients will stimulate both fliC expression and a normal swimming phenotype at 30 C.
Detection of Herpes Simplex Virus and Varicella-Zoster Virus by Traditional and Multiplex Molecular Methods.

Objectives To compare multiplex nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) that detect and differentiate herpes simplex virus (HSV) and varicella-zoster virus (VZV) with traditional virologic assays. Methods The HSV ELVIS Test System (Quidel, San Diego, CA) and/or Light Diagnostics VZV direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) kit (Millipore Sigma, Billerica, MA), as well as an ARIES HSV 1&2/VZV assay (Luminex, Austin, TX) and the Solana HSV1 + 2/VZV Assay (Quidel), were performed on non-cerebrospinal fluid specimens. Results The sensitivities/specificities for the ELVIS, Aries, and Solana assays for HSV were 71.1%/93.2%, 94.9%/93.2%, and 94.7%/100%, respectively. The sensitivities/specificities for the DFA, Aries, and Solana assays for VZV were 71.4%/100%, 100%/96.0%, and 95.3%/100%, respectively. HSV and VZV were detected but clinically unsuspected in 5.4% and 4.2% of the specimens, respectively. Conclusions Both NAAT assays were comparable and more sensitive than traditional methods. The recovery of unsuspected HSV and VZV from clinical specimens supports the implementation of a combined HSV/VZV assay.
Review of microstructure and micromechanism-based constitutive modeling of polycrystals with a low-symmetry crystal structure

Predictions of the mechanical response of polycrystalline metals and underlying microstructure evolution and deformation mechanisms are critically important for the manufacturing and design of metallic components, especially those made of new advanced metals that aim to outperform those in use today. In this review article, recent advancements in modeling deformation processing-microstructure evolution and in microstructure–property relationships of polycrystalline metals are covered. While some notable examples will use standard crystal plasticity models, such as self-consistent and Taylor-type models, the emphasis is placed on more advanced full-field models such as crystal plasticity finite elements and Green’s function-based models. These models allow for nonhomogeneity in the mechanical fields leading to greater insight and predictive capability at the mesoscale. Despite the strides made, it still remains a mesoscale modeling challenge to incorporate in the same model the role of influential microstructural features and the dynamics of underlying mechanisms. The article ends with recommendations for improvements in computational speed.
Model of the solar-driven reduction of cobalt oxide in a particle suspension reactor

Abstract We develop a model to investigate the impact of volume fraction and extent of mixing on the thermal efficiency with which a cavity-based particle suspension solar reactor reduces Co3O4 into CoO and O2. Thermal efficiency is defined as the fraction of solar energy used to drive the endothermic reduction. In the model, particles move continuously through the reactor in either mixed or plug flow—mixing conditions that give rise to isothermal and nonisothermal suspensions, respectively—and reduce at a rate governed by shrinking core kinetics, the parameters of which are determined using thermogravimetric data. Radiation is simulated using the Monte Carlo Ray Tracing technique. The model is applied to a reactor heated by 4 kW of point-focused solar radiation with a mean concentration ratio of 1400 suns containing monodisperse suspensions of 40 μ m diameter particles with volume fractions between 1 × 10 −5 and 1 × 10 −2. Thermal efficiency is insensitive to mixing for the two conditions considered. The maximum thermal efficiency obtained for mixed flow with an isothermal suspension is 34.1% at 102 g min−1 and a volume fraction of 2 × 10 −4. At the same volume fraction, the maximum thermal efficiency for nonisothermal plug flow is 33.2% at 94 g min−1. Thermal efficiency is more sensitive to the volume fraction, but only below a threshold value of 2 × 10 −4. Thus, from the perspective of coupling heat transfer to the chemical reaction, design and operational efforts of particle suspension reactors for the reduction of cobalt oxide should focus on generating suspensions of at least this threshold value rather than on mixing the particles within the suspension.
Toward a Distributed Gallery in the scholarly network

How can we persuade universities to own their responsibilities to the practice-based research that they patronize — while bringing new, fully-accredited methodologies and infrastructures to Humanities and Arts scholarship? Link to Keynote video: https://youtu.be/BNlmGD8yJhc​
Cyberbullying Ends Here: Towards Robust Detection of Cyberbullying in Social Media

The potentially detrimental effects of cyberbullying have led to the development of numerous automated, data-driven approaches, with emphasis on classification accuracy. Cyberbullying, as a form of abusive online behavior, although not well-defined, is a repetitive process, i.e., a sequence of aggressive messages sent from a bully to a victim over a period of time with the intent to harm the victim. Existing work has focused on harassment (i.e., using profanity to classify toxic comments independently) as an indicator of cyberbullying, disregarding the repetitive nature of this harassing process. However, raising a cyberbullying alert immediately after an aggressive comment is detected can lead to a high number of false positives. At the same time, two key practical challenges remain unaddressed: (i) detection timeliness, which is necessary to support victims as early as possible, and (ii) scalability to the staggering rates at which content is generated in online social networks. In this work, we introduce CONcISE, a novel approach for timely and accurate Cyberbullying detectiON on Instagram media SEssions. We propose a sequential hypothesis testing formulation that seeks to drastically reduce the number of features used in classifying each comment while maintaining high classification accuracy. CONcISE raises an alert only after a certain number of detections have been made. Extensive experiments on a real-world Instagram dataset with ~ 4M users and ~ 10M comments demonstrate the effectiveness, scalability, and timeliness of our approach and its benefits over existing methods.
Developing preservice teachers’ sensitivity and confidence: a service-learning experience at a homeless shelter

This article describes how early childhood preservice teachers can develop sensitivity toward and confidence in working with children who are homeless through a service learning project. The 14 wee...
Public value co-creation: A pedagogical approach to preparing future public administrators for collaboration:

As the realm of public service and its relative partnerships (both social and economic) continues to change, so must the leadership charged with managing it. Gone are the days when a single governm...
Access to a Catalytically Generated Umpolung Reagent through the Use of Cu-Catalyzed Reductive Coupling of Ketones and Allenes for the Synthesis of Chiral Vicinal Aminoalcohol Synthons

We report the development of a stereoselective method for the allylation of ketones utilizing N-substituted allyl equivalents generated from a chiral allenamide. By employing N-heterocyclic carbenes as ligands for the Cu catalyst, good branched selectivity can be obtained with high diastereocontrol. This methodology allows access to a catalytically generated, polarity-reversed (umpolung) allyl nucleophile to enable the preparation of chiral 1,2-aminoalcohol synthons containing a dissonant functional group relationship.
Limitar las armas. Sobre la formulación de normas internacionales en contra de la proliferación nuclear de América Latina.

After the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Cuban Missile Crisis, the countries in Latin America created a communal framework for nuclear security and a nuclear-free zone through the Tlatelolco Treaty. Mexico, a middle power, emerged as the leader of the negotiations and Mexican diplomats later used Tlatelolco to actively participate in the formulation of international nuclear norms and institutions. How did a middle power, with limited capacities in the hierarchies of authority, influence global nuclear governance? Mexico strategically used the Latin American coalition and the nuclear standard as a way of amplifying its influence in the international negotiations.
Kinetics of an Elementary Charge Transfer Act Involving Polyatomic Dipole Polarizable Species: A Spectroscopic Study

The possibilities of optical and radiowave spectral methods in investigating the kinetics of elementary acts of charge transfer and phototransfer in irregular condensed systems are studied. It is proposed to study the effect of the electrical double layer on the adsorption of dipole polarizable polyatomic species using the IR spectra of adsorbed species and theoretical quantum-mechanical calculations. An analytical equation is obtained for the extinction coefficient of outer-sphere electron phototransfer between species, which accounts for the interaction of intramolecular vibrations of reacting species with fluctuations of the environment polarization. A method based on the recording of nonlinear electromagnetic radiation and microcurrents of the electrochemical system is theoretically substantiated.
Multi-dimensional confocal laser scanning microscopy image correlation for nanoparticle flow velocimetry

We present a new multi-dimensional confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) image correlation for nanoparticle flow velocimetry that is robust to sources of decorrelating errors. Random and bias errors from nanoparticle flow measurements exacerbate with increased dimensionality in CLSM images, rendering measurements unusable. Our new algorithm tackles these measurement limitations in twofold. First, we model and correct for the bias errors introduced by the effects of the volumetric laser scanning image acquisition. Second, we developed a new spectral filter using a phase-quality masking technique that optimizes its size for the spectral content of CLSM images, without requiring a priori knowledge of displacement fields or flow tracer properties. We validated our algorithm using synthetic images and experimentally obtained 2D and 3D CLSM images of nanoparticle flow through a micro-channel. We show that our technique significantly outperforms the standard cross-correlation (SCC) in reducing both the random and bias errors and accelerated the convergence of ensemble correlation velocity measurements from CLSM images.