cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fifty years of hybrid rice research in China

It has been over a half century on the hybrid rice research in China since the first time discovery of male sterile rice by Yuan LongPing in the indica cultivar Dong-Ting-Zao-Xian in 1964. In the last 50 years, hybrid rice contributes substantially on the security for food supply in China, and which makes China take a leading role on hybrid rice around the world. Here, in this context, the trajectory of hybrid rice development in China was reviewed, and strategies for the production and development of hybrid rice in the industrilization era were discussed. In the 1970, the discovery of natural male sterile line named “Wild Abortive” by Li Bihu, assistant of Yuan LongPing, in wild rice Oryza rufipogon in Sanya, Hainan Island, marked a great breakthrough to the hybrid rice development. Two years latter, the first commercial cytoplasmic male sterile line Zhenshan 97A was developed by consecutive backcross of Zhenshan 97 as male parent to the “Wild Abortive” male sterile line, which established a foundation for the three-line hybrid rice. In 1976, the hybrid rice combinations were released for commercial production after a series of elite fertility restorer lines including IR6 and IR64 etc. being discovered. The successful breeding of WA-type hybrid rice inspired people to create new CMS by wide crossing, then, a great many of CMS types including Honglian, Dian I/II, Gang and D-types, and their corresponding restorer lines were developed from a variety of wild rice or landraces by different research groups in 1970s–1980s. These researches greatly enriched the diversity of hybrid rice. As the development of three line hybrid rice, a new genic male sterile line which showed reversible transition between male sterility and fertility under different temperature and photoperiod environments was discovered by Shi MingSong in 1973. This discovery brought the dream to breed two-line hybrid rice into truth in 1990s after tremendous efforts. In order to resolve the problems for hybrid rice development in breeding practice, some questions such as ideal plant architecture, heterosis and combining ability, CMS and fertility restoring genes etc. were raised. These questions drive us to deepen understanding the essentiality of heterosis and rice yield, and lead to a trend that a great many agronomic important genes were cloned in the last two decades, which greatly promotes the application of molecular technologies in hybrid rice development. After half-a-century development, hybrid rice has been spread over forty countries in Southeastern Asia, Africa and Southern American apart from China. It also has been recommended by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) as one of the most efficient way to safeguard food security of the world.
Force Generation by T Cells Modulates the Strength of Activation

T cell activation is a key step in the adaptive immune response and involves formation of a complex signaling structure by both the T cell and antigen presenting cell (APC). The process of activation is punctuated by dramatic reorganization of the T cell's cytoskeleton at the synapse. In order to measure forces generated by T cells at the T-APC interface and understand how they modulate activation strength, we developed a novel application of atomic force microscopy (AFM). We used chemically modified AFM cantilevers to present antigenic signal to primary T cells while imaging optically and measuring forces exerted by the cell on the cantilever. T cells exert significant push and pull forces during activation, mediated by actin network growth and myosin contractility. Inhibition of actin polymerization greatly weakened force generation and T cell activation. We were able to emulate T cell generated forces using movement of the cantilever, partially rescuing activation in these actin-inhibited T cells. Furthermore, negation of cell-generated forces by “force-clamping” the cantilever resulted in decreased T cell sensitivity to antigenic signals. Our studies suggest a feedback loop wherein initial TCR engagement leads to force generation by the T cell against the APC to enhance signaling strength allowing increased sensitivity to cognate antigen.
An evaluation of copy number variation detection tools for cancer using whole exome sequencing data

Recently copy number variation (CNV) has gained considerable interest as a type of genomic/genetic variation that plays an important role in disease susceptibility. Advances in sequencing technology have created an opportunity for detecting CNVs more accurately. Recently whole exome sequencing (WES) has become primary strategy for sequencing patient samples and study their genomics aberrations. However, compared to whole genome sequencing, WES introduces more biases and noise that make CNV detection very challenging. Additionally, tumors’ complexity makes the detection of cancer specific CNVs even more difficult. Although many CNV detection tools have been developed since introducing NGS data, there are few tools for somatic CNV detection for WES data in cancer. In this study, we evaluated the performance of the most recent and commonly used CNV detection tools for WES data in cancer to address their limitations and provide guidelines for developing new ones. We focused on the tools that have been designed or have the ability to detect cancer somatic aberrations. We compared the performance of the tools in terms of sensitivity and false discovery rate (FDR) using real data and simulated data. Comparative analysis of the results of the tools showed that there is a low consensus among the tools in calling CNVs. Using real data, tools show moderate sensitivity (~50% - ~80%), fair specificity (~70% - ~94%) and poor FDRs (~27% - ~60%). Also, using simulated data we observed that increasing the coverage more than 10× in exonic regions does not improve the detection power of the tools significantly. The limited performance of the current CNV detection tools for WES data in cancer indicates the need for developing more efficient and precise CNV detection methods. Due to the complexity of tumors and high level of noise and biases in WES data, employing advanced novel segmentation, normalization and de-noising techniques that are designed specifically for cancer data is necessary. Also, CNV detection development suffers from the lack of a gold standard for performance evaluation. Finally, developing tools with user-friendly user interfaces and visualization features can enhance CNV studies for a broader range of users.
Use of lung ultrasonography to determine the accuracy of clinically estimated dry weight in chronic hemodialysis patients.

The use of lung ultrasound (LUS) to identify extravascular lung water has received increasing acceptance. Sonographic B-lines, discrete vertical lines that originate from the pleura, represent pulmonary edema and are correlated with the accumulation of fluid. The goal of this study was to evaluate the utility of LUS to determine the accuracy of prescribed dry weight (DW) in chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients and to ascertain the adequacy of fluid removal. LUS was scheduled to be performed pre- and post-HD in 20 patients. The HD prescription and DW challenge were done independent of the results of the LUS. The presence of B-lines was tabulated and compared to the intradialytic ultrafiltration parameters. Of the 20 patients, 3 did not exhibit B-lines at the first dialysis session. In regard to the other 17 patients, B-lines disappeared in 7 patients at the end of the HD session (mean B-lines 4.2–0). One patient was 0.3 kg away from the prescribed dry weight, but the 6 patients were a mean of 1.7 kg below DW. Of the remaining 10 patients, eight decreased but did not eliminate the B-lines (mean B-lines 15.5–3.8) and were a mean of 3.8 kg below DW post-HD. Two patients who exhibited more cardiac insufficiency than initially recognized could not reach DW or eliminate the B-lines. Eight patients who had residual B-lines at the end of the first HD session had their DW re-estimated and had a second session. Two were able to eliminate the B-lines (mean 2.5–0) and reached a mean of 1.2 kg below DW. Six did not eliminate the B-lines (mean 11.5–4.2) but were able to reach a mean of 0.6 kg below DW. Correlation analysis showed a statistically significant correlation (P < 0.05) between the intradialytic percent change in B-lines and the percent change in total body weight (r = 0.40) and ultrafiltration rate (r = 0.33). Seven of 10 patients with clear chest X-rays pre-HD exhibited B-lines. This study supports the hypothesis that reduction in B-lines during HD can provide accurate information regarding changes in pulmonary fluid content. Further, LUS is a valuable diagnostic tool for recognizing both the adequacy of fluid removal and the occurrence of error in the estimation of dry weight by usual clinical parameters.
Impact of early positive cultures in the elderly with traumatic brain injury.

BACKGROUND Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States, especially in the elderly, who have the highest rates of TBI-related hospitalizations and deaths among all age groups. Sepsis is one of many risk factors that is associated with higher mortality and longer length of hospital stay in this population partially due to the immunosuppressive effects of TBI. The significance of early indicators of infection, such as a positive blood, sputum, or urine culture, is not well described. The purpose of this study was to determine if early positive cultures predict higher mortality in elderly patients with TBI. METHODS All trauma patients aged ≥65 years with TBI, admitted between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2013 to the surgical intensive care unit, were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical data including results from sputum, blood, and urine cultures were reviewed. RESULTS Overall, 288 elderly patients with TBI were identified, and 92 (32%) had a positive culture. Patients with positive cultures had longer intensive care unit (median 6.0 versus 2.0 days, P < 0.001) and ventilation days (median 7.0 versus 2.0 days, P < 0.001). Patients who had positive cultures within 2-3 days of admission had a higher adjusted hazard ratio for mortality than those patients who had positive cultures after 6 or more days. CONCLUSIONS In elderly patients with TBI, early positive cultures are associated with a higher risk of mortality. Further research is required to determine the role of obtaining cultures on admission in this subpopulation of trauma patients.
Phase-locked two-color soliton microcombs

We design a dispersion-engineered Si 3 N 4 microresonator to support two-color soliton states. The directly-pumped 1550 nm soliton is phase-locked to a second color whose center wavelength can be tailored between 750 nm to 3000 nm.
Treatment of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma: Is There a Benefit to Pleuropneumonectomy?

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare but highly aggressive tumor of the pleura that has defied standard approaches to treatment. Left untreated, the disease carries a grave prognosis, with median survival ranging from 4 to 12 months. Surgery serves as the mainstay of treatment: the strategy with resectable tumors is to widely remove all gross disease and apply adjunctive treatments for maximal local and systemic control. This approach is necessarily aggressive, with the goal of prolonging survival and the hope of cure for patients who are treated early in the course of the disease. Extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP), the en bloc resection of the lung, visceral and parietal pleura, pericardium, and ipsilateral diaphragm, represents the most radical surgical approach to eradicate all macroscopic tumor burden. Other surgical options, such as pleurectomy and decortication, serve to debulk tumors but inevitably leave gross residual disease within the hemithorax.
Southeast Asian Studies: Religion

The world religions in Southeast Asia—Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity being the major ones—have been linked to states and statecraft since their appearance here. The early states in the region were theocratic, drawing legitimacy from Hinduism and Buddhism. Islam filtered into the region along oceanic trade routes, and finally began to replace the Indic faiths in certain court centers not long before Christianity arrived with Portuguese explorers and colonizers. The nationalist movements that rose up against French, British, and Dutch colonial rule often had religious justifications and were suspicious of Christian missionaries and their converts. Religion remains central to political life in most of the modern nation-states of the region.
ASYMPTOTIC CONDITIONS FOR FORCED NONLINEAR OSCILLATIONS

Publisher Summary This chapter presents asymptotic conditions for forced nonlinear oscillations. It presents forced nonlinear ordinary differential equations and discusses a few recent results concerning the existence of ω-periodic solutions of the equations under hypotheses involving assumptions on the behavior of g ( t , x ) as x approaches each of ±∞. A. C. Lazer in his 1968 paper considered the question of forced oscillations for an equation. In the proof of theorem, Lazer developed an ingenious method for applying the Schauder fixed point theorem within the general framework of Cesari's approach to nonlinear problems. The arguments and ideas of have been adapted and extended to a variety of situations, including the periodic problem at higher eigenvalues and to elliptic boundary value problems.
Renal Replacement Therapies in Patients with Left Ventricular Assist Devices

Increasing use of implantable left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) is occurring as a bridge to transplant or as a destination therapy in individuals with dual heart and kidney organ dysfunction. LVAD recipients who develop kidney failure are associated with increased adverse outcomes, particularly those who require maintenance dialysis. Challenges unique to this LVAD population with kidney failure include dialysis modality selection, management of dialysis access, and hemodynamic monitoring during maintenance dialysis, Dual heart–kidney transplant may also be considered in a subgroup, although survival outcomes are similar to heart transplant alone. It is necessary for the nephrologist to understand the basic management of an LVAD recipient in clinical practice, as it pertains to kidney dysfunction, dialysis needs, and transplant considerations.
Complications and Mortality Among Correctly Triaged and Undertriaged Severely Injured Older Adults With Traumatic Brain Injuries

Determining differences in clinical outcomes of older adults treated at trauma centers (TCs) and nontrauma centers (NTCs) is imperative considering their persistent undertriage and the projected costs of fixing the problem. This study compared the incidence and predictors of complications and mortality among brain-injured older adults treated at TCs and NTCs. This secondary analysis of New York inpatient data included patients aged 55+ years, primary brain injury diagnosis, and acute care hospital admission. Interfacility transfers and nontraumatic brain injuries were excluded. International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) diagnosis codes identified complications and mortality. Injury severity was determined by mapping ICD-9-CM diagnoses to Abbreviated Injury Scale 2005 Revision 2008 dictionary scores. A subgroup analysis of 1,594 patients with New Injury Severity Scores greater than 15 was performed to examine complications and mortality. This study included 7,138 patients who met inclusion criteria. Predictors of subgroup complications included chronic renal failure, odds ratio (OR) = 2.251 (confidence interval [CI] = 1.470-3.447), p < .001; major operating room procedure, OR = 2.349 (CI = 1.679-3.285), p < .001; number of diagnoses, OR = 1.201 (CI = 1.158-1.245), p < .001; and number of procedures, OR = 1.119 (CI = 1.077-1.162), p £ .001. Mortality predictors included age, OR = 1.031 (CI = 1.017-1.045), p < .001; preexisting coagulopathy, OR = 1.753 (C = 1.130-2.719), p = .012; number of procedures, OR = 1.122 (CI = 1.081-1.166), p < .001; acute renal failure, OR = 3.114 (CI = 1.672-5.797), p < .001; systemic inflammatory response syndrome, OR = 4.058 (CI = 1.463-11.258), p = .007; adult respiratory distress syndrome, OR = 3.179 (CI = 1.673-6.041), p < .001; and subarachnoid bleed, OR = 2.667 (CI = 1.415-5.029), p = .002. Nearly 23% of the severely/critically injured patients experienced 1 or more complications. Incidence of complications was low and comparable for TCs and NTCs. The proportion of deaths was slightly higher at TCs but not significant. The most prevalent complications carry a high mortality risk.
A change is needed, a change is coming

I try not to feel angry, but a few weeks ago in A&E I was sitting with my 6-month-old daughter quite angry. She had awoken early in the morning upset with a temperature and discharge from her ear. I had been unable to get an appointment with either my GP or a MIAMI clinic. What should have been a …
Static urine osmolality with elevated first trimester urine copeptin in human preeclampsia

We have previously shown that maternal plasma copeptin (CPP), as a marker of vasopressin, is highly predictive of preeclampsia (PE) in the first trimester and remains elevated throughout pregnancy. Furthermore, in maternal urine samples we demonstrated that CPP was also significantly elevated in the first trimester in women who later developed PE. Because a urine dipstick test could be easily used in the clinic, we sought to validate this finding in a new and expanded cohort of samples and to determine whether these changes persist throughout pregnancy. In addition, to begin to address the mechanism for this difference, we also assessed urine osmolality to further probe renal function.
Intubation and Extubation

Emergent intubation can be one of the most stressful clinical situations one can encounter. Knowledge of the indications and adequate preparation can decrease possible morbidity and mortality. MACOCHA score is clinically proven to assist in identifying difficult intubation, and having a multidisciplinary airway team available can be very beneficial in securing an airway. Extubation can also be equally daunting, but knowledge of the criteria and parameters for extubation can lessen the risk of reintubation.
Paired Drainage Catheter Insertion: Feasibility of Placing Two Catheters within the Same Complex Abscess Cavity as a Primary and Salvage Percutaneous Drainage Technique.

Rationale and Objectives To assess the feasibility of paired catheter drainage for management of complex abdominal abscesses. Materials and Methods This was a single-center retrospective study of 54 patients (35 males; mean age 48.9 years) that underwent paired catheter insertion for complex abdominal fluid collections in an 18-month period. Complex collections were defined as abscesses ≥6 cm in diameter with septations, high viscosity fluid or necrotic debris, or abscesses with an associated fistula. Abscess etiologies included postoperative (n = 28), pancreatitis (n = 12), perforated bowel (n = 7), liver abscess (n = 4), and perihepatic from gallbladder perforation (n = 3). Paired catheter insertion was defined two catheters co-located within one collection through the same skin incision or two closely spaced insertion sites. Paired catheter insertion was used primarily as initial drainage for complex intraabdominal abscesses and for salvage drainage in collections that could not be evacuated by a single catheter. Primary paired catheter insertion was used in 45 patients and as salvage in nine patients. Results Abscess resolution occurred in 51 (94.4%) patients. Patients had a median of three drainage procedures. Median duration of paired catheterization was 22 days. Seven abscesses recurred and all resolved with repeated drainage. Complications included one hemorrhage that was taken for surgical exploration. Overall, 48 patients had good clinical outcome, 3 patients died (multiorgan failure, n = 2; sepsis, n = 1), and 3 patients were lost to follow-up. Conclusion Percutaneous paired catheter drainage is a feasible technique for the treatment of both complex intraabdominal abscesses and abscesses unresponsive to single catheter drainage.
The rise and fall of worldwide income inequality, 1820–2035

The development process and the demographic changes that are a central element of it explain both the nearly two centuries of increasing income inequality prior to 2000 and the reversal of this trend that followed. There are at least four phases of the development process: (1) Malthusian pre‐development, (2) initial growth, (3) improved productivity, and (4) receding growth. Prior to the industrial revolution, the entire world was in the Malthusian Phase 1. During 1820–1950, about 20 countries, mostly in Western Europe, North America, and Oceania, moved out of Phase 1 and began to grow more rapidly. But, per capita income levels in the rest of the world continued to stagnate and worldwide income inequality widened continuously for at least 150 years following the Industrial Revolution. Around 1960, developing countries began to escape the Malthusian trap and move into Phase 2 of development. By the latter part of the 20th century, many developing countries were achieving growth rates equal to or greater than the high‐income countries, slowing the rise in inequality. By 2000–2015 most developing countries were in either Phases 2 or 3 of development, while most of the high‐income countries were moving into Phase 4, leading to a sharp reduction in worldwide income inequality. The recent reductions in worldwide income inequality are likely to continue in the near term because of the continuation of the more favorable demographic changes in developing compared to high‐income countries.
Magazine Readership and Adult Sex-Role Schematicity

Gender is commonly used to segment magazine audiences for product target market profile matching as well as to help guide persuasive appeals. In fact, marketers commonly divide magazines by male and female readership. For example, Red Book, Mademoiselle, and Glamour would be considered women’s magazines, while Playboy, Gentlemen’s Quarterly, and Sport's 11/ustrated are men’s magazines. This practice is consistent with the common observation that unique interests and knowledge associated with the genders’ social roles guide males’ and females’ preferences.
Tennis II--Intermediate Tennis Instruction.

(1979). Tennis II. Journal of Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 50, No. 9, pp. 40-41.
Comparative analysis of the catalytic regulation of NEDD4-1 and WWP2 ubiquitin ligases.

NEDD4-1 E3 ubiquitin protein ligase (NEDD4-1) and WW domain-containing E3 ubiquitin ligase (WWP2) are HECT family ubiquitin E3 ligases. They catalyze Lys ubiquitination of themselves and other proteins and are important in cell growth and differentiation. Regulation of NEDD4-1 and WWP2 catalytic activities is important for controlling cellular protein homeostasis, and their dysregulation may lead to cancer and other diseases. Previous work has implicated noncatalytic regions, including the C2 domain and/or WW domain linkers in NEDD4-1 and WWP2, in contributing to autoinhibition of the catalytic HECT domains by intramolecular interactions. Here, we explored the molecular mechanisms of these NEDD4-1 and WWP2 regulatory regions and their interplay with allosteric binding proteins such as Nedd4 family-interacting protein (NDFIP1), engineered ubiquitin variants, and linker phosphomimics. We found that in addition to influencing catalytic activities, the WW domain linker regions in NEDD4-1 and WWP2 can impact product distribution, including the degree of polyubiquitination and Lys-48 versus Lys-63 linkages. We show that allosteric activation by NDFIP1 or engineered ubiquitin variants is largely mediated by relief of WW domain linker autoinhibition. WWP2-mediated ubiquitination of WW domain-binding protein 2 (WBP2), phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), and p62 proteins by WWP2 suggests that substrate ubiquitination can also be influenced by WW linker autoinhibition, although to differing extents. Overall, our results provide a deeper understanding of the intricate and multifaceted set of regulatory mechanisms in the control of NEDD4-1–related ubiquitin ligases.
Current cigarette smoking among U.S. college graduates.

Abstract Although U.S. college graduates are at relatively low risk for smoking, 12–15% of U.S. smokers (~8 million people) are college graduates. Few studies have examined smoking risk among college graduates. To address that gap, the present study examined smoking risk among U.S. college graduates and those who did not graduate from college in a nationally representative sample of adults (National Survey on Drug Use and Health 2011–2017, n = 202,137). We examined smoking risk in association with well-established risk factors: alcohol abuse/dependence, drug abuse/dependence, mental illness, age, sex, race/ethnicity, and poverty status, using group contrasts and Classification and Regression Tree (CART) modeling. Smoking prevalence among U.S. college graduates and non-graduates was 10% and 26%, respectively. College graduates initiated any smoking and daily smoking at a later age and were lighter smokers than smokers who did not graduate college. Within college graduate and non-graduate groups, prevalence rates varied by orders of magnitude across different risk-factor profiles (ranges = 3–37% and 14–73% among graduates and non-graduates, respectively). Past year drug abuse/dependence was a robust predictor of smoking prevalence in both populations. For college graduates, past year alcohol abuse/dependence and mental illness were stronger predictors of smoking compared to those who did not graduate college, for whom race/ethnicity and age were stronger predictors. Overall, smoking risk increases to surprisingly high levels, even among college graduates, when select risk factors co-occur, particularly psychiatric conditions. Socio-demographic risk factors appear to be less robust predictors of smoking risk among college graduates relative to those who did not graduate college.
Peer support specialists and perinatal opioid use disorder: Someone that’s been there, lived it, seen it

Abstract Perinatal opioid use disorder (OUD) has increased drastically since 2000 and is associated with myriad adverse outcomes. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recommends using peer support services to promote sustained remission from substance use disorders (SUDs). Integrating peer support specialists into perinatal OUD treatment has the potential to improve maternal and child health. However, there is limited published research on the experiences of pregnant and parenting women with peer support specialists during SUD treatment. The purpose of this study was to: (1) describe experiences of perinatal women undergoing OUD treatment with peer support specialists; (2) describe recommendations for improving or enhancing peer support services. For this qualitative descriptive study, we conducted two focus groups in a private location in a clinic that serves postpartum women with OUD (N = 9) who were parenting a child under the age of 5. The focus groups were voice recorded, professionally transcribed, and analyzed in MAXQDA using content analysis. Four themes emerged from the data: Feeling Supported by Peer Support Specialists, Qualities of an ‘Ideal’ Peer Support Specialist, Strategies to Improve Interactions with Peer Support Specialists, and Importance of Communication Across the Perinatal Period. Participants reported that PSSs had a strong, positive impact on their recovery. Postpartum women report overall positive experiences receiving peer support services during their pregnancy and postpartum period. However, participants offered suggestions to improve their interactions with PSSs, such as clarifying the boundaries between peer supporters and clients. Pregnant and postpartum women in OUD treatment have the potential to benefit from access to PSS throughout their perinatal period. Future research is needed to determine the impact of PSS on sustained recovery for perinatal women with OUD.
Changes in Genome-Wide Methylation and Gene Expression in Response to Future pCO2 Extremes in the Antarctic Pteropod Limacina helicina antarctica

Epigenetic processes such as variation in DNA methylation may promote phenotypic plasticity and the rapid acclimatization of species to environmental change. The extent to which an organism may mount an epigenetic response to current and future climate extremes may influence its capacity to acclimatize or adapt to global change on ecological rather than evolutionary time scales. The thecosome pteropod Limacina helicina antarctica is an abundant macrozooplankton endemic to the Southern Ocean and is considered a bellwether of ocean acidification as it is highly sensitive to variation in carbonate chemistry. In this study, we quantified variation in DNA methylation and gene expression over time across different ocean acidification regimes. We exposed L. helicina antarctica to pCO2 levels mimicking present-day norms in the coastal Southern Ocean of 255 atm pCO2, present-day extremes of 530 atm pCO2, and projected extremes of 918 atm pCO2 for up to 7 days before measuring global DNA methylation and sequencing transcriptomes in animals from each treatment across time. L. helicina antarctica significantly reduced DNA methylation by 29–56% after 1 day of exposure to 918 atm pCO2 before DNA methylation returned to control levels after 6 days. In addition, L. helicina antarctica exposed to 918 atm pCO2 exhibited drastically more differential expression compared to cultures replicating present-day pCO2 extremes. Differentially expressed transcripts were predominantly downregulated. Furthermore, downregulated genes were enriched with signatures of gene body methylation. These findings support the potential role of DNA methylation in regulating transcriptomic responses by L. helicina antarctica to future ocean acidification and in situ variation in pCO2 experienced seasonally or during vertical migration. More broadly, L. helicina antarctica was capable of mounting a substantial epigenetic response to ocean acidification despite little evidence of metabolic recovery or transcriptional homeostasis in this species at future pCO2 levels.
AVR: Abstractly Verifying Reachability

We present AVR, a push-button model checker for verifying state transition systems directly at the source-code level. AVR uses information embedded in the word-level syntax of the design representation to automatically perform scalable model checking by combining a novel syntax-guided abstraction-refinement technique with a word-level implementation of the IC3 algorithm. AVR provides independently-verifiable certificates that offer provable assurance and are easy to relate to the word-level system. Moreover, proof certificates can be further used in innovative ways to extract key design information and are useful in a growing number of applications.
Monoclonal Antibody Therapy Protects Pharmacologically Immunosuppressed Mice from Lethal Infection with Influenza B Virus

Human influenza A and B viruses are highly contagious and cause similar illnesses and seasonal epidemics. Currently available antiviral drugs have limited efficacy in humans with compromised immune systems; therefore, alternative strategies for protection are needed. Here, we investigated whether monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) targeting hemagglutinin (HA) and/or neuraminidase (NA) proteins would protect immunosuppressed mice from severe infections with influenza B virus. Pharmacologically immunosuppressed BALB/c mice were inoculated with B/Brisbane/60/2008 (BR/08) influenza virus and were treated with a single dose of 1, 5, or 25 mg/kg of body weight per day of either an anti-HA MAb (1D2) or an anti-NA MAb (1F2) starting at 24 hours postinoculation (hpi). Monotherapy with 1D2 or 1F2 MAbs provided dose-dependent protection of mice, with decreased BR/08 virus replication and spread in the mouse lungs, compared with those of controls. Combination treatment with 1D2 and 1F2 provided greater protection than did monotherapy, even when started at 48 hpi. Virus spread was also efficiently restrained within the lungs, being limited to 6%, 10%, and 10% of that seen in active infection when treatment was initiated at 24, 48, and 72 hpi, respectively. In most cases, the expression of cytokines and chemokines was altered according to when treatment was initiated. Higher expression of proinflammatory IP-10 and MCP-1 in combination-treatment groups, but not in monotherapy groups, to some extent, promoted better control of virus spread within the lungs. This study demonstrates the potential value of MAb immunotherapy in treating influenza in immunocompromised hosts who are at increased risk of severe disease.
Facilitators and Barriers to Attendance in a Nursing Home Exercise Program.

Abstract Summary Women and residents in Certified Nursing Homes (CNHs) with higher star ratings had better attendance in exercise and social engagement programming (ie, Bingocize) than men and residents in CNHs with lower ratings. Objective The purpose of the current study was to determine whether resident factors and nursing home star ratings influenced attendance in Bingocize, a therapeutic exercise program that incorporates opportunities for social engagement in nursing homes. Design This is a descriptive study of data collected across multiple nursing homes over 17 months. Setting and Participants Data were collected from residents in 25 certified nursing homes in the mid-southern United States. Methods The program consisted of two 45–60-minute sessions each week. Bingocize attendance was recoded as number of sessions attended each month from September 2017 to February 2019 in 25 nursing homes. The impact of gender, age, cognitive functioning, and Nursing Home Star Ratings on adherence to the program based on percentage of Bingocize sessions attended was analyzed. Results A total of 1165 residents of certified nursing homes were recruited and participated in Bingocize; 55% of participants attended Bingocize infrequently or had poor attendance, 21% of the participants had average attendance, and 24% had good attendance. The association between gender and level of attendance was significant (P = .045). The star rating of the nursing home also affected attendance. As star level of the nursing home increased, the percentage of good attendance increased (P Conclusions and Implications We examined adherence to an exercise program called Bingocize based on percentage of sessions attended in 25 nursing homes. Women and residents in nursing homes with higher star ratings were reported to have better attendance in Bingocize than men or residents in nursing homes with lower ratings, respectively. Residents of all ages and cognitive ability can successfully participate in the Bingocize program.
Role of two metacaspases in development and pathogenicity of the Rice Blast fungus, Magnaporthe oryzae

ABSTRACT Rice blast disease caused by Magnaporthe oryzae is a devastating disease of cultivated rice worldwide. Infections by this fungus lead to a significant reduction in rice yields and threats to food security. To gain better insight into growth and cell death in M. oryzae during infection, we characterized two predicted M. oryzae metacaspase proteins, MoMca1 and MoMca2. These proteins appear to be functionally redundant and are able to complement the yeast Yca1 homologue. Biochemical analysis revealed that M. oryzae metacaspases exhibited Ca2+ dependent caspase activity in vitro. Deletion of both MoMca1 and MoMca2 in M. oryzae resulted in reduced sporulation, delay in conidial germination and attenuation of disease severity. In addition, the double ΔMomca1mca2 mutant strain showed increased radial growth in the presence of oxidative stress. Interestingly, the ΔMomca1mca2 strain showed an increase accumulation of insoluble aggregates compared to the wild-type strain during vegetative growth. Our findings suggest that MoMca1 and MoMca2 promote the clearance of insoluble aggregates in M. oryzae, demonstrating the important role these metacaspases have in fungal protein homeostasis. Furthermore, these metacaspase proteins may play additional roles, like in regulating stress responses, that would help maintain the fitness of fungal cells required for host infection. IMPORTANCE Magnaporthe oryzae causes rice blast disease that threatens global food security by resulting in the severe loss of rice production every year. A tightly regulated life cycle allows M. oryzae to disarm the host plant immune system during its biotrophic stage before triggering plant cell death in its necrotrophic stage. The ways M. oryzae navigates its complex life cycle remains unclear. This work characterizes two metacaspase proteins with peptidase activity in M. oryzae that are shown to be involved in the regulation of fungal growth and development prior to infection by potentially helping maintain fungal fitness. This study provides new insight into the role of metacaspase proteins in filamentous fungi by illustrating the delays in M. oryzae morphogenesis in the absence of these proteins. Understanding the mechanisms by which M. oryzae morphology and development promote its devastating pathogenicity may lead to the emergence of proper methods for disease control.
Malcolm L. H. Green. 16 April 1936 24 July 2020

Malcolm Green was a remarkable maneven a short meeting was enough to make this clear. He had that rare charismatic ability to connect personally with those around him, whatever their rank or status...
Lessons Learned in Implementing a Practical Aircraft System Health Management (ASHM) Syste

Aircraft System Health Management (ASHM) is a web application used for Boeing 787® and Airbus A320® and A380® aircraft system monitoring by airlines and field engineers worldwide which also serves all existing Aircraft Condition Monitoring Function (ACMF) reports, Flight Deck Effects (FDE) records and aircraft metadata to UTC engineering teams to aid in efficient aftermarket support. This enables creation, testing and fielding of off-board diagnostics and prognostics modules of varying levels of sophistication, that convert this abundance of existing data into actionable and timely knowledge about a/c fleet health. ASHM encourages and promotes cross functional collaboration allowing those with the most subject matter expertise within the enterprise to access the field data they need to observe operational performance and to create, test and field modules that can actively diagnose and warn field service professionals of problems when and potentially before they arise. A practical case study related to monitoring of the novel Boeing 787® electromechanically driven distributed aircraft environmental systems is presented. This use case motivates a discussion of pragmatic lessons learned in the fielding of diagnostic and prognostics solutions.
In acute atrial flutter, adding pharmacologic before electrical cardioversion did not increase conversion to normal sinus rhythm.

SOURCE CITATION Stiell IG, Sivilotti MLA, Taljaard M, et al. A randomized, controlled comparison of electrical versus pharmacological cardioversion for emergency department patients with acute atrial flutter. CJEM. 2021;23:314-24. 33959925.
The Impact of Total Joint Arthroplasty on Long-Term Physical Activity: A Secondary Analysis of the Health and Retirement Study.

OBJECTIVE Physical inactivity is the fourth leading cause of global mortality and is prevalent among people with lower extremity osteoarthritis. Lower extremity osteoarthritis is the most common arthritis type afflicting older adults, and total joint arthroplasty (TJA) performed to address the condition is Medicare's largest annual expense. Despite TJA intervention to address the disabling effects of osteoarthritis, physical activity (PA) level remains stable 6 months after TJA; however, the effect of TJA on long-term PA $\Big(\ge$2 y) in a representative sample of older adults is unknown. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that PA would remain stable in the long term. METHODS In this longitudinal observational study, a probability-weighted difference-in-differences analysis was conducted to observe the predictive margins of nontraumatic hip or knee TJA on levels of vigorous and moderate PA after 2 years. A combined Health and Retirement Study data set of community-dwelling adults who were > 55 years old, had symptomatic osteoarthritis, and were in need of TJA between 2008 and 2018 (N = 4652) was used. RESULTS TJA was not associated with vigorous PA ($\updelta$ = 2.37; SE = 5.23) or moderate PA ($\updelta$ = -2.84; SE = 7.76) after 2 years. CONCLUSION TJA was not associated with increased long-term PA in older adults with osteoarthritis. IMPACT Physical therapists should not assume that there will be a natural increase in PA after functional recovery from TJA procedures. Older adults with lower extremity osteoarthritis may benefit from PA screening and promotion practices in physical therapy services. LAY SUMMARY Receiving a total joint replacement does not lead to increased physical activity levels 2 years after surgery.
Literary Scholars’ Disciplinary Literacy Orientations

This study examines how four university-based literary scholars in the United States read literary texts. Findings suggest that the scholars used four related literary literacy orientations in their reading: They attended to their affective experiences with literature, built recursive interpretations of literature, contextualized literature, and recognized and managed literary complexity. As broad-level disciplinary ways of navigating literature, these literary literacy orientations included the scholars’ meaning-making practices as well as their beliefs, feelings, and attitudes about literature and making sense of it. Findings support and build upon existing scholarship on English disciplinary literacies and offer paths for further research.
Chemical analysis: Double core-hole spectroscopy with free-electron lasers

Abstract Free-electron lasers with their femtosecond pulse duration, high pulse energy and tunable photon energy in a regime from XUV to hard-X-ray have opened up several research avenues in physics, chemistry and biology. We have exploited the attributes of these new lasers by exploring intriguing non-linear effects such as double core-hole formation via multiphoton absorption. We have carried out X-ray two-photon photoelectron spectroscopy for molecular chemical analysis using the Linac Coherent Light Source. Our experimental work aimed to probe the chemical environment of specific atomic sites in several molecules and validate the theory of two-photon photoelectron spectroscopy. This work demonstrates that our methodology will be very effective with the future intense, high repetition rate as well as laser-seeded or self-seeded photon facilities.
Time as an Ingredient in Meal Production and Consumption

Economic factors such as wages may have different influences on meal production and consumption times. Previous research has typically investigated only production or consumption time, and has produced mixed results. After developing a stylized model that illustrates how higher wages may reduce meal production time but have ambiguous effects on meal consumption time, I examine these relationships using time diary information from the ATUS supplemented with wage information from the CPS. Using standard and censored regression models, I find that for meal production time, women experience a negative effect from wages on weekdays, as expected, and no effect on weekends. However, men show no weekday effect and a surprising positive effect of wages on weekends, suggesting that men with a high value of weekday time may substitute weekend meal production time for weekday time. Higher wages are associated with more meal consumption time for both men and women on weekdays and weekends, indicating that consumption time is a normal good.
The Biosynthesis of Hyaluronic Acid by Streptococcus

Abstract The mechanism of hyaluronic acid chain growth in a particulate enzyme preparation obtained from Group A Streptococcus has been examined and additional characteristics of the enzyme detailed. Hyaluronic acid chain elongation occurs by the transfer of monosaccharide units from uridine nucleoside diphosphate derivatives to the nonreducing ends of endogenous oligosaccharide. This oligosaccharide which appeared to be chemically identical with hyaluronic acid was released from the enzyme by either acid hydrolysis or digestion with streptococcal hyaluronidase. The only detectable uridine nucleotide product of hyaluronic acid synthesis was UDP, and synthesis was not inhibited by bacitracin. There was no evidence for the participation of lipid-extractable intermediates during hyaluronic acid formation. The pH optimum for polysaccharide formation is 7.1. The enzyme exhibits an absolute dependence upon divalent metal ion and is maximally activated by 10 mm Mg++ or 1 mm Mn++. Michaelis constants for UDP-GlcUA and UDP-GlcNAc are 5 x 10-5 m and 5 x 10-4 m, respectively. The enzyme is inactivated by treatment with 4% 1-butanol. Addition of Mg++ and UDP, UDP-GlcUA, UDP-GlcNAc, or other uridine nucleoside diphosphate sugars prior to butanol treatment prevented inactivation. Fifty per cent stabilization of the enzyme during butanol treatment occurred at 7 x 10-5 m UDP.
Fine Motor Skills and Executive Function Both Contribute to Kindergarten Achievement

This study examined the contribution of executive function (EF) and multiple aspects of fine motor skills to achievement on 6 standardized assessments in a sample of middle-socioeconomic status kindergarteners. Three- and 4-year-olds’ (n = 213) fine and gross motor skills were assessed in a home visit before kindergarten, EF was measured at fall of kindergarten, and Woodcock–Johnson III Tests of Academic Achievement were administered at fall and spring. Correlations indicated that EF and fine motor skills appeared distinct. Further, controlling for background variables, higher levels of both EF and fine motor skills, specifically design copy, predicted higher achievement on multiple subtests at kindergarten entry, as well as improvement from fall to spring. Implications for research on school readiness are discussed.
Basic Research for Military Applications

The military must understand the atmosphere in which it operates. That understanding will ultimately depend on scientific understanding of the atmospheric processes, an ability to use all of the information available, and an ability to synthesize and display that information in a quickly understandable fashion. The military's needs for understanding the atmosphere's behavior has changed as a result of geopolitics and advancing technology. On the battlefield, future enemies are more apt to resort to chemical or biological attacks as a preferred method of mass destruction. The atmospheric boundary layer is the pathway of the attack. Increased reliance on “smart” weapons means that turbulent and turbid atmospheric effects will influence electromagnetic and acoustic signals propagating through the boundary layer. Intelligence preparation of the battlespace, a key to successful strategies, depends on full knowledge of the enemy, weather, and terrain. It requires an ability to estimate atmospheric details at specific locations and future times to maximize strategic advantages that weather presents a commander. It also avoids hazards and strategic disadvantages. Keywords: military operations; electromagnetic propagation; atmospheric wave propagation; laser-based systems; doppler shift