cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
HaloTag: A Novel Protein Labeling Technology for Cell Imaging and Protein Analysis

We have designed a modular protein tagging system that allows different functionalities to be linked onto a single genetic fusion, either in solution, in living cells, or in chemically fixed cells. The protein tag (HaloTag) is a modified haloalkane dehalogenase designed to covalently bind to synthetic ligands (HaloTag ligands). The synthetic ligands comprise a chloroalkane linker attached to a variety of useful molecules, such as fluorescent dyes, affinity handles, or solid surfaces. Covalent bond formation between the protein tag and the chloroalkane linker is highly specific, occurs rapidly under physiological conditions, and is essentially irreversible. We demonstrate the utility of this system for cellular imaging and protein immobilization by analyzing multiple molecular processes associated with NF-κB-mediated cellular physiology, including imaging of subcellular protein translocation and capture of protein−protein and protein−DNA complexes.
Fair Bandwidth Allocation under User Capacity Constraints

In this paper, we present a theoretical framework and a distributed mechanism for fair bandwidth allocation on a network with various bottleneck links. In our model, a user is guaranteed a minimum bandwidth and charged a price for a bandwidth capacity request. We defined a utility function that reflects user's bandwidth demand when the user requests the bandwidth capacity. We then present a non-cooperative game with social welfare function to resolve users' conflicting bandwidth capacity requests at bottleneck links. We also show that our proposed game-theoretic solution guarantees fair bandwidth allocation as defined in our residual capacity fairness. In order to guarantee the minimum bandwidth requirement, we integrate an admission control in our solution. However, global optimal admission conditions are not easy to implement for large networks. We therefore propose a distributed admission scheme. As a result, the paper presents fair and practical distributed algorithms for bandwidth allocation and admission control in enterprise networks. Our simulation and evaluation study show that the distributed approach is sufficiently close to the global optimal solution.
The effect of semantic and syntactic variables on recall

The objectives of the study are to increase the discipline's knowledge about reader performance with technical documents, help writers and editors better allocate their efforts, and explore the effect of semantic and syntactic variables on recall in a single study. For this study, subjects read and recalled one of two technical texts. Their recall protocols were analyzed for numerous syntactic and semantic characteristics. Results suggest that information has a greater chance of being recalled if it is more important, or if it is placed in independent clauses or in the first paragraph of a document.
Effects of 100% Oxygen on Performance of Professional Soccer Players

Supplemental oxygen is currently widely utilized in conjunction with athletic competition. To assess the utility of this practice, 12 professional soccer players performed two bouts of exhaustive exercise separated by 5 minutes of rest ("recovery period"). During the recovery period, the subjects breathed either room air or 100% oxygen, assigned by randomized, double-blind design. The entire procedure was repeated on each subject using the opposite gas. The administration of enriched oxygen during the recovery period had no effect on plasma lactate levels or on performance during the second period of exercise. The subjects were unable to identify which gas they received. In conclusion, data from this study indicate that using 100% oxygen applied for short periods offers no advantage on recovery from exhaustive exercise or on subsequent exercise performance. ( JAMA . 1989;262:227-229)
Hummingbird foraging position is altered by the touch-sensitive stigma of bush monkeyflower

The two stigma lobes of bush monkeyflower (Mimulus aurantiacus) close together rapidly in response to touch by a hummingbird pollinator and usually remain closed for the life of the flower, preventing further pollen receipt. Previous work showed that hummingbirds visiting bush monkeyflowers with closed stigmas export more than twice as much pollen to recipient flowers as birds visiting flowers with open stigmas. To investigate how stigma closure increases pollen export, we used videotape to examine the interaction between bird and flower. Hummingbirds altered their method of foraging in response to whether the stigma was open or closed. When stigmas were closed, birds most frequently entered flowers from above, relative to the long axis of the corolla tube, bringing the bill close to the ceiling of the corolla where anthers and stigma are positioned. However, birds were much more likely to enter corollas from below when stigmas were open, keeping the bill farther from the sex organs, and resulting in failure to contact open stigmas 33% of the time. Distance of the bill from the corolla-tube ceiling was associated with frequency of contact with anthers and, when contact was made, explained pollen export in a non-linear fashion. Morphometric analyses showed that smaller corolla openings promoted stigma contact, but corolla openings that were wide relative to their height produced increased contact with anthers. Changes in hummingbird foraging position and reduced pollen export when visiting flowers with open stigmas helps to explain the observation of permanent stigma closure, even when less than full seed set has been achieved.
Renewable energy engineering — Sustainable energy engineering — Anoverview

This paper discusses many of the issues of renewable — sustainable energy use in the light of the second law of thermodynamics. This paradigm reinforces some issues and highlights others. The proposition is put that no energy is renewable. A budget is presented for energy use in the globe. Several technologies currently experiencing substantial research attention are discussed under this paradigm. The case is made that efficiency of use is a fundamental part of energy considerations, and several topical issues in energy efficiency are discussed. The issue of matching the entropy of the load to the entropy of the source is introduced.
African Interstate Conflict: A Perceptual Approach:

The study of interstate conflict in Africa has focused largely on the following factors as causes of tension between states: undemarcated borders, irredenta, resource distribution and refugee questions, liberation wars, or conflict as diversion from domestic political and/or economic crises. There has been little attempt to examine the dynamic between subjective images that African leaders hold of each other, their perception of events and the above-mentioned empirical factors. As the leaders manage national interests, their perception of other elites and the events they create or shape may or may not foster an environment conducive to conflict. Through a textual analysis of elite public statements, this work examines the role of leadership perception in interstate conflicts on the continent within the past quarter century.
The effects of intensity on the energetics of brief locomotor activity.

The energetic costs associated with locomotion are often estimated only from the energy expended during activity and do not include the costs incurred during recovery. For some types of locomotion, this method overlooks important aspects of the metabolic costs incurred as a result of the activity. These estimates for energetic cost have also been predicted from long-duration, low-intensity activities that do not necessarily reflect all the behavior patterns utilized by animals in nature. We have investigated the effects of different activity intensities on the metabolic expenditure (per unit distance traveled) associated with brief exercise, and offer a more inclusive analysis of how the energetics of short-duration activities might be analyzed to estimate the costs to the animal. Mice ran on a treadmill for 15 or 60 s at 25 %, 50 % or 100 % of maximum aerobic speed (MAS) while enclosed in an open-flow respirometry system. Following the run, each mouse was allowed to recover while remaining enclosed in the respirometry chamber. Excess exercise oxygen consumption (EEOC), the excess volume of oxygen consumed during the exercise period, increased with the duration and increased linearly with the intensity of exercise. In contrast, the volume of oxygen consumed during the recovery period, or excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), was independent of exercise intensity and duration and accounted for more than 90 % of the total metabolic cost. The net cost of activity (C(act)), calculated by summing EEOC and EPOC and then dividing by the distance run, increased as both activity duration and intensity decreased. The values for C(act) ranged from 553 ml O(2)g(−)(1)km(−)(1) for a 15 s run at 25 % MAS to 43 ml O(2)g(−)(1)km(−)(1) for a 60 s run at 100 % MAS. Combining these data with data from a companion paper, we conclude (1) that EPOC is independent of both the duration and intensity of activity when exercise duration is brief in mice, (2) that EPOC accounts for a majority of the oxygen consumed as a result of the activity when exercise durations are short, and (3) that animals can minimize their energy expenditure per unit distance by running faster for a longer period.
Immunization financing: key area for American Academy of Pediatrics advocacy.

After reading these very informative articles, I cannot help but imagine that, if I were a business person charged with organizing a pediatric practice, I would immediately eliminate immunizations from the menu of services offered. However, immunizations are the most effective public health tool ever invented. They are the backbone of preventive pediatrics and the most valuable “carrots” pediatricians have to attract families to their practices. Furthermore, pediatricians chose their profession not from a business perspective but to experience the excitement and gratification of providing comprehensive health services for all children in a pediatric medical home. In light of that calling, these articles serve as a wake-up call. Pediatricians must examine their immunization practices carefully and must work within the public and private health care sectors to improve the financing of child and adolescent immunization. If there is no profit margin in this large portion of their pediatric businesses, then surely there will be a reduction in their ability to accomplish their holistic child health mission. What should be the strategy of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)? Tradition and facts are on the side of pediatricians, and the AAP must use this information to promote its cause. Parents expect their children to receive immunizations … Address correspondence to David T. Tayloe Jr, MD, FAAP, Goldsboro Pediatrics, 2706 Medical Office Place, Goldsboro, NC 27534. E-mail: dd.tayloe{at}earthlink.net
Magnetic resonance imaging of the levator veli palatini muscle before and after primary palatoplasty.

Abstract Objective: To explore the application of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the evaluation of patients with cleft palate before and after primary palatoplasty with particular attention focused on the levator veli palatini muscle. Design: Prospective study using MRIs of subjects before and after primary cleft palate surgery. Setting: Hospital and university based. Patients: One female infant with normal anatomy. Three male and four female infants with cleft palate of varying severity. Intervention: Furlow double-opposing Z-plasty and V-Y palatoplasty. Main Outcome Measures: Magnetic resonance images. Results: It was found that the levator veli palatini muscle can be imaged before and after palatal surgery in infants using MRI. The muscle may have sufficient volume, proportionate to a normal infant or adult, in infants born with cleft palate. If retrodisplaced properly, the muscle is likely to be steeper (more vertical) from its origin at the base of the skull to its insertion into the velum follo...
Unnecessary Source of Pain and Suffering or Necessary Management Tool: Attitudes of Conservation Professionals Toward Outlawing Leghold Traps

One particularly complex issue confronting wildlife conservation is the role of regulated trapping as a management tool. Public opinion polls, recent ballot initiatives and referenda, and the continual introduction (and uneven success) of antitrapping legislation in state legislatures illustrate the intensity of public controversy surrounding trapping. Little is known, however, about the perspectives of wildlife and fisheries conservation professionals regarding traps and trapping. We conducted a survey to explore the attitudes and values of conservation professionals regarding a variety of conservation-related issues including whether to outlaw use of leghold traps. We sent a mailback questionnaire to a stratified random sample of 1,000 members each of The Wildlife Society, American Fisheries Society, North American Wildlife Enforcement Officers' Association, and Society for Conservation Biology. We achieved an 81% overall response rate. Respondents were divided on whether to outlaw leghold traps; 46% favored outlawing use of the leghold trap, 39% opposed outlawing its use, and 15% had no opinion. Those who favored outlawing leghold traps believed they cause unnecessary animal pain or stress, may harm nontargets, and are not a necessary management tool. The 3 most frequently mentioned reasons offered in support of not outlawing the leghold traps were efficiency of harvest, they are an important tool for managing furbearers, and that they did not adversely affect furbearer populations. Responses differed by organization membership, employer, gender, and whether or not respondents were a hunter and/or trapper. Our results suggest that conservation professionals may be as conflicted about use of the leghold trap as are public stakeholders. We believe our findings pose important questions that conservation professionals must consider if they are to provide the leadership to more effectively address wildlife management conflicts.
Synthesis, structure and reactivity of a terminal magnesium fluoride compound, [TpBut,Me]MgF: hydrogen bonding, halogen bonding and C–F bond formation

The bulky tris(3-tert-butyl-5-pyrazolyl)hydroborato ligand, [TpBut,Me], has been employed to obtain the first structurally characterized example of a molecular magnesium compound that features a terminal fluoride ligand, namely [TpBut,Me]MgF, via the reaction of [TpBut,Me]MgMe with Me3SnF. The chloride, bromide and iodide complexes, [TpBut,Me]MgX (X = Cl, Br, I), can also be obtained by an analogous method using Me3SnX. The molecular structures of the complete series of halide derivatives, [TpBut,Me]MgX (X = F, Cl, Br, I) have been determined by X-ray diffraction. In each case, the Mg–X bond lengths are shorter than the sum of the covalent radii, thereby indicating that there is a significant ionic component to the bonding, in agreement with density functional theory calculations. The fluoride ligand of [TpBut,Me]MgF undergoes halide exchange with Me3SiX (X = Cl, Br, I) to afford [TpBut,Me]MgX and Me3SiF. The other halide derivatives [TpBut,Me]MgX undergo similar exchange reactions, but the thermodynamic driving forces are much smaller than those involving fluoride transfer, a manifestation of the often discussed silaphilicity of fluorine. In accord with the highly polarized Mg–F bond, the fluoride ligand of [TpBut,Me]MgF is capable of serving as a hydrogen bond and halogen bond acceptor, such that it forms adducts with indole and C6F5I. [TpBut,Me]MgF also reacts with Ph3CCl to afford Ph3CF, thereby demonstrating that [TpBut,Me]MgF may be used to form C–F bonds.
Early and transient stages of Cu oxidation: Atomistic insights from theoretical simulations and in situ experiments

Abstract Understanding of metal oxidation is critical to corrosion control, catalysis synthesis, and advanced materials engineering. Although, metal oxidation process is rather complicated, different processes, many of them coupled, are involved from the onset of reaction. Since first introduced, there has been great success in applying heteroepitaxial theory to the oxide growth on a metal surface as demonstrated in the Cu oxidation experiments. In this paper, we review the recent progress in experimental findings on Cu oxidation as well as the advances in the theoretical simulations of the Cu oxidation process. We focus on the effects of defects such as step edges, present on realistic metal surfaces, on the oxide growth dynamics. We show that the surface steps can change the mass transport of both Cu and O atoms during oxide growth, and ultimately lead to the formation of different oxide morphology. We also review the oxidation of Cu alloys and explore the effect of a secondary element to the oxide growth on a Cu surface. From the review of the work on Cu oxidation, we demonstrate the correlation of theoretical simulations at multiple scales with various experimental techniques.
Practicing Critical Evaluation of Online Sources Improves Student Search Behavior

Abstract This research investigated the effect of critical source evaluation on student online search behavior and results. The study employed an experimental design in which participants in the treatment condition conducted a prompted critical evaluation of a set of provided sources, while participants in the control condition reviewed them without any prompts. Participants in both conditions then searched online for sources on an assigned research topic. Server log data and participant survey responses were analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative measures to identify the impact of the intervention, guided practice in the critical evaluation of online information, on their search behavior. Results showed that the treatment condition participants who conducted the prompted critical evaluation of sources performed better on most measures of search behavior, and appeared to be better prepared to search effectively and complete their group assignment. Implications for instructors and librarians teaching information literacy skills are discussed.
The Intrauterine Insemination Outcome of PCOS Patients by Different Stimulate Ovulation

Objective:To compare the intrauterine insemination(IUI) outcome of PCOS patients by different stimulate ovulation,to find out the best stimulate ovulation.Method:161 cases of PCOS who cycle underwent in intrauterine insemination.They were divided into clomiphene(CC) group(group A), CC+HMG group(group B),HMG group(group C) according to personal willingness.The clinical data and the outcome of the three groups were compared. Result:There were no significant difference among the three groups in patients' average age,infertility,the number of mature follicle,the clinical pregnancy rate and the incidence of OHSS,multiplets rate(P0.05),but the highest clinical pregnancy rate was group B,the hCG day endometriums was thinner and the abortion rate was higher in group A than those of the other two groups(P0.05).Comparing group C and group B,the less Gn days and the small Gn dosage in group B than that of group C,the differences were statistically significant(P0.05).Conclusion:All three stimulate ovulation scheme are applicable to patients with PCOS,The CC+ HMG group can be used as first choice for high clinical pregnancy rate and low abortion rate,the less Gn days and the small Gn dosage.
Analysis of 398 case reports of children's adverse drug reactions

Objective: To offer reference material for clinical safety and rational medication and reduce adverse drug reactions(ADR).Methods: 398 cases of children's ADR from January 2000 to December 2004 collected from our hospital were put into data base and analyzed.Results: Most patients who had ADR were teenagers younger than 6 years,and the most cases of ADR were caused by anti-infection drugs.The preparations of Chinese medicine were the next.The serious adverse reactions were usually resulted from intravenous medication.Conclusions: Most attention should be paid to monitoring children's adverse drug reactions.
Atomic layer deposition of Al2O3 films on polyethylene particles

Sequential exposures of Al(CH3)3 and H2O at 77 °C were used to encapsulate low-density polyethylene (LDPE) particles with an ultrathin Al2O3 film. FTIR studies revealed that the nucleation of Al2O3 atomic layer deposition (ALD) on the LDPE particles occurred primarily via adsorption of Al(CH3)3 onto the LDPE surface or absorption of Al(CH3)3 into the LDPE particle followed by the reaction with H2O. The FTIR spectra then revealed the progressive switching between AlCH3* and AlOH* species with alternating exposure to Al(CH3)3 and H2O. This nucleation of Al2O3 ALD did not require the existence of specific chemical functional groups on the polymer. The FTIR spectra also demonstrated that the sequential exposures of Al(CH3)3 and H2O led to an increase in Al2O3 bulk vibrational modes. The increase of the absorbance for the Al2O3 bulk vibrational modes was linear with the number of AB cycles. The presence of an Al2O3 film on the LDPE particles was confirmed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The TEM i...
Requirements and Enabling Technologies for Optical Cross-Connect Node Based on Wavebands

This paper presents our recent research activities on optical cross-connect node based on wavebands toward 100-Tbit/s class capacity. The architecture, functionality, and enabling technologies for wavelength and waveband switching are described with experimental results.
High performance parametric design optimization of RF devices

We present an integrated environment for large scale multi-parameter design optimization of RF devices based on AFRL's Galaxy Simulation Builder productivity tool for distributed high-performance computing, Sandia National Lab's DAKOTA optimization library, and a suite of highly efficient GPU-based Electromagnetic codes developed at NRL in collaboration with Leidos, Inc. The environment allows for an end-to-end optimization cycle of an RF device to be set up, deployed, carried out, monitored and analyzed in a quick, user-friendly, robust, and flexible fashion using a diverse variety of high-end parallel computing resources.
Bias Due to Confounders for the Exposure-Competing Risk Relationship.

Background:Epidemiologic studies that aim to estimate a causal effect of an exposure on a particular event of interest may be complicated by the existence of competing events that preclude the occurrence of the primary event. Recently, many articles have been published in the epidemiologic literatur
Abelian and Non-Abelian Triangle Mysteries

AbstractBehrends and Humble characterized the Abelian groups behind mysterious behavior related to certain triangular arrays and asked if such triangles could be constructed from non-Abelian groups...
Monitoring cultural landscapes from space: Evaluating archaeological sites in the Basin of Mexico using very high resolution satellite imagery

Abstract Satellite data allow archaeologists to not only identify archaeological sites and features but to monitor them in relation to contemporary landscape changes. This article pursues this goal by assessing the contemporary conditions of archaeological sites originally recorded over 40 years ago in the northern Basin of Mexico. We examine archaeological site locations and 1970s land-use data recorded by surveyors against contemporary land-use information observable in very high resolution (VHR) GeoEye-1 multi-spectral satellite imagery. Our results demonstrate continuity in the types of land classes within which sites existed during the 1970s and today, but they also show significant changes with potentially negative impacts on the preservation of cultural resources. Most sites in agro-pastoral lands over 40 years ago remain in agro-pastoral land. However, the expansion of modern settlements due to population growth and changing property laws has encroached on archaeological sites. Technological intensification of agricultural practices (i.e., tractors) can impact site preservation even if the landuse category remained unchanged. This article also discusses the potential impact that different settlement types, depositional environments, and looting can have on cultural resources and outlines key areas of future research requiring the integration of remote sensing and archaeological fieldwork.
Determination of battery energy storage technology and size for standalone microgrids

The high investment cost associated with upgrading utility grid to supply remote area's demand for electricity makes the implementation of standalone microgrids inevitable. These microgrids normally consist of a mix of energy sources such as diesel generators, photovoltaic arrays, wind turbines, and fuel cells. In order to improve the microgrid reliability, reduce its operation cost, and address operational challenges, battery energy storages (BESs) are commonly integrated within remote microgrids. There are a variety of BES technologies with different characteristics which makes it crucial to select the BES technology that is best suited for the standalone microgrid. Since the BES capital cost depends on its size, it is also very important to determine the optimal size for the installed BES. In this paper, a mathematical model that combines the optimization of choosing the BES technology (based on the technical characteristics) and size is developed. The objective is to minimize the standalone microgrid annual expansion planning cost while ensuring that critical loads could be supplied without interruption. Value of loss load is included in the objective function to quantify the economic loss of failing to supply the local load. A mixed integer programming method is used to formulate the problem. The proposed model is tested on a standalone microgrid. The results indicate that the BES technology selection and sizing depend greatly on the microgrid configuration and the renewable penetration level.
Late Reversal of Dominance after Dual Cord Blood Transplantation

Background: Most adult patients are transplanted with two cord units to enhance engraftment after stem cell transplantation. Previous reports have demonstrated that one cord blood unit becomes dominant in the recipient and the other unit regresses. Complete chimerism with the dominant unit is achieved in >90% of patients by day +100 after transplantation. We report a case of a patient who initially demonstrated engraftment with one cord blood unit, but months later was found to be engrafted with the other unit. A 30 year old man underwent dual cord blood transplantation for Acute Myeloid Leukemia in June 2015. The cords had identical HLA types and were both 6/10 match to the patient. During his recovery, he experienced engraftment syndrome, mild sinusoidal obstruction syndrome, Enterococcus bacteremia, and prolonged count recovery. A bone marrow biopsy done on day +77 demonstrated no evidence of disease; chimerism studies demonstrated 95% donor cells (CD3: 44% cord 1, 56% cord 2; CD33: 100% cord 2; CD56: 16% cord 1, 84% cord 2, see table). He was noted to have converted his blood type from his original O-Positive to B-Positive. He returned to his home and was not seen at our institution for several months. When he returned for follow-up on day +244, he was found to have a blood type of A-Negative. Testing with a new specimen confirmed this finding. Chimerism studies were performed to evaluate the status of the two donors in his peripheral blood on day +306. Methods: A PCR-based STR assay was done on peripheral blood or bone marrow using the PromegaPowerPlex 16 HS System. The WBC populations were manipulated to create sub-populations enriched for CD3, CD33, and CD56, respectively. Results: No significant recipient DNA was found in any of the specimens. On day +29, Cord 1 dominated in the CD56 cell population, but Cord 2 dominated in the CD3 and CD33 populations. On day +77, Cord 2 dominated in all cell populations, but Cord 1 still represented nearly half (44%) of CD3 cells. On day +306, Cord 1 dominated all cell populations. Conclusion: The change in the patient's blood type is consistent with reversal of the dominance of the cord blood units received by this patient. Only one other case of this sort of reversal has been reported. This is not consistent with previously published data that the cord unit with higher CD3 chimerism as early as day +14 becomes the long-term engrafting unit. ![Table][1] Table Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare. [1]: pending:yes
The Invisible Hand of the Lyric: Emily Dickinson’s Hypermediated Manuscripts and the Debate over Genre

The guiding force at work is no longer that of the intentional patriarchic editor behind the scenes that Howe condemned three decades ago. Rather, in a moment in which print and electronic versions coexist, an "invisible hand" guiding Dickinson textual scholarship is that of the enduring influence of the lyric genre itself. As the next generation of readers encounter Dickinson primarily in virtual environments, viewing scanned typed texts from various editions alongside manuscript versions­, efforts to read Dickinson in traditional generic terms will be unsettled. Thirty years after Howe's important intervention, this essay describes how critics have come to consider media environments as a constitutive element of genre-making rather than an afterthought. After recounting a recent debate over the relationship between genre and medium among Dickinson scholars, I revisit Thomas Wentworth Higginson's preface to the first edition of Dickinson's Poems (1890) to demonstrate that knowledge structures in a digital age—what new media scholars call "folksonomies"—require us to conceptualize media and genre side by side. As readers encounter Dickinson's work exposed, transcribed, and described down to the smallest material detail in electronic environments, a next generation of Dickinson textual scholars will need to keep one eye on contextualizing and historicizing Dickinson's materials and another on understanding how generic classifications are established and how they endure.
Lexical Ambiguity Resolution Using Discourse Contexts in Persons With and Without Aphasia.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the ability of persons with aphasia (PWA) to resolve different types of ambiguous words (homophones, metaphors, and metonyms) in discourse conte...
The Isolation and Characterization of the Blym-1 Transforming Gene

The study of the genetic and molecular events which are involved in tumor development has been stimulated by the observation of discrete genes with oncogenic potential. Such genes have been detected in the genomes of acutely transforming retroviruses which induce tumors in susceptible hosts within a relatively short latent period (reviewed by Cooper, 1982). The mutation or deletion of such genes from the retroviral genome results in their loss of tumorigenicity. In addition, the ability of subgenomic fragments of retroviral DNA to induce the morphological transformation of recipient cells by transfection has provided further evidence for their role in neoplastic diseases (Anderson et al., 1979; Blair et al., 1980; Chang et al., 1980; Copeland et al., 1980; Barbacid, 1981). Sequences homologous to retroviral transforming genes have been detected in normal cellular DNA, suggesting that these sequences were acquired during the evolution of the viruses (Bishop, 1981), The first evidence that cellular DNA from neoplasms could efficiently transform recipient cells was reported by Shih et al. in 19 79 who showed that the high molecular weight DNA of chemically transformed mouse fibroblasts could transform other mouse cells by transfection.
Time-slotted transmission over molecular timing channels

Abstract This work studies time-slotted communication over molecular timing (MT) channels. The transmitter, assumed to be perfectly synchronized in time with the receiver, is required to send K bits to the receiver using K information particles. It releases a single information particle in each time-slot, where the information is encoded in the time of release. The receiver decodes the transmitted information based on the random time of arrivals of the information particles during a finite-time observation window. The maximum-likelihood (ML) detector is derived in terms of the permanent of a matrix involving the arrival times, and shown to have an exponential computational complexity, thus, rendering it impractical. Therefore, two additional (practical) detectors are presented: The first is a symbol-by-symbol detector. The second is a sequence detector which is based on the Viterbi algorithm (VA), yet, the VA is used differently than in its common application in electromagnetic communications where the channels are linear. Numerical simulations indicate that the proposed sequence detection algorithm significantly improves the performance compared to the symbol-by-symbol detector. For a short number of transmitted symbols, the numerical results indicate that the performance of the proposed sequence detector closely approaches the performance of the highly complicated ML detector. Finally, the proposed sequence detector is numerically compared with a one-shot transmission scheme that releases all K particles simultaneously to send a single symbol out of a constellation of size 2 K . It is shown that while for a small number of bits the one-shot scheme is better, when the number of bits is medium to large, the sequence detector achieves significantly better performance.
Constant mass metastructure with vibration absorbers of linearly varying natural frequencies

This work looks at the effectiveness of constant weight metastructures for vibration suppression. A metastructure is a structure with distributed vibration absorbers. The metastructures are compared to a baseline structure of equal mass. The equal mass constraint shows that any increase in performance is due to the addition of the vibration absorbers and not due to adding additional mass to the structure. In this paper, two different metastructure designs are compared. These structures are designed to suppress longitudinal vibrations traveling along the length of the bar. The metastructures have ten vibration absorbers distributed on the length of the bar and the ratio of mass of the absorbers to mass of the host structure is 0.26. One metastructure has all the absorbers tuned to the natural frequency of the host structure and the other metastructure uses absorbers that are tuned to frequencies that have linearly varying natural frequencies. These structures were modeled using two different methods, a one-dimensional (1D) finite element method with lumped mass vibration absorbers and a fully three-dimensional (3D) finite element model. The results show that the metastructure with linearly varying natural frequencies outperforms that metastructure with vibration absorbers tuned to a single natural frequency.
CDC Screening Recommendation for Baby Boomers and Hepatitis C Virus Testing in the US Military Health System.

Objectives:Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most common blood-borne infection in the United States, with an estimated 2.7 to 3.9 million cases as of 2014. In August 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended 1-time HCV testing of all baby boomers. The objectives of this study were to (1) determine the proportion of people screened for HCV in the US Department of Defense Military Health System before and after the CDC screening recommendation for baby boomers and (2) assess whether certain patient or system factors were associated with screening for HCV before and after August 2012.Methods:We used a dataset containing 5% of beneficiaries randomly selected from the Military Health System Data Repository medical claims database for the period July 2011 through September 2013.Results:Of 108 223 people eligible for HCV screening during the first period (July 2011 through July 2012), 1812 (1.7%) were screened. Of 109 768 people eligible during the second period (September 2012 ...
Black Silicon/Elastomer Composite Surface with Switchable Wettability and Adhesion between Lotus and Rose Petal Effects by Mechanical Strain

Although many recent studies demonstrate surfaces with switchable wettability under various external stimuli, a deliberate effort to self-propel liquid droplets utilizing a surface wetting mode switch between slippery lotus and adhesive rose petal states via a mechanical strain has not been made yet, which would otherwise further benefit microfluidic applications. In this work, we present a black silicon/elastomer (bSi/elastomer) composite surface which shows switchable wettability and adhesion across the two wetting modes by mechanical stretching. The composite surface is composed of a scale-like nanostructured silicon platelet array that covers an elastomer surface. The gap between the neighboring silicon platelets is reversibly changeable as a function of a mechanical strain, leading to the transition between the two wetting modes. Moreover, the composite surface is highly flexible although its wetting properties primarily originate from superhydrophobic bSi platelets. Different wetting characteristics...
Water Supply Pipeline Failures: Investigative Procedures and Data Management

AbstractInvestigating causes of water main failures can help utilities reduce their frequency and save on lifecycle costs, but procedures are not well established in most utilities. A process to tr...
Obstetricians' and gynecologists' knowledge, education, and practices regarding chronic hepatitis B in pregnancy.

Background In pregnant women with high viral loads, third-trimester initiation of antiviral agents can reduce the risk of vertical transmission. We aimed to assess obstetricians’ and gynecologists’ (OB-GYN) knowledge and clinical practice when treating pregnant women with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV). Methods All program directors (PDs) from 250 US OB-GYN residency programs were invited to anonymously complete an 18-item questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were calculated and analyzed. Results A total of 323 participants responded, including both PDs (n=51, response rate 21%) and residents (n=272, response rate 11%). Responding PDs (62% university-based vs. 32% community-based) came from various practice types. All PDs and 95.2% of residents reported screening for chronic HBV in pregnant patients on the first prenatal visit. A majority of PDs (85.5%) and residents (85%) correctly interpreted HBV serologies. Referral patterns showed that 66.7% of PDs and 65.5% of residents refer to a specialist regardless of viral load. A minority of respondents (19.6% PDs and 12.6% residents) knew that third-trimester antiviral therapy is recommended for women with high viral loads (>200,000 IU/mL). Few respondents had prescribed HBV antivirals (9.8% PDs and 6.0% residents), with residents more commonly prescribing tenofovir and less frequently lamivudine. Half the PDs believed trainees from their programs were comfortable managing HBV in pregnancy, but only 41.8% of residents reported being comfortable managing pregnant patients with HBV. Conclusion OB-GYNs report screening almost all pregnant patients for chronic HBV, though significant gaps still exist in practitioner comfort and training regarding the management of HBV during pregnancy. Keywords Hepatitis B virus, pregnancy, obstetricians and gynecologists, survey, education, practice Ann Gastroenterol 2017; 30 (6): 670-674
The use of free non-dementia-specific Apps on iPad to conduct group communication exercises for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease (Innovative Practice):

This study examined the use of various iPad Apps to conduct group cognitive exercises for clients with mild or early stage dementia of Alzheimer’s type. A list of free non-dementia-specific Apps suitable for group sessions was compiled. The procedures in choosing these Apps and determining the most successful ones for group exercises were discussed. Based on participants’ and professionals’ responses to the use of these Apps, the results would render practitioners useful guidelines in replicating and running technology-based training for individuals with dementia.
LOCALIZATION OF S100 ALPHA IN MAMMALIAN KIDNEY

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the localization of S100 alpha in mammalian kidney. The alpha subunit of S100, a calcium binding protein, has been found in the mammalian kidney by radioimmunoassay (RIA) and immunocytochemistry (ICC). An antiserum was generated in rabbits against the alpha subunit of S100 protein from bovine brain. For biochemical studies, the kidneys of rats were homogenized, and a supernatant fraction prepared and evaluated for the presence of S100 alpha by RIA. Kidneys for ICC were fixed in Bouin's fluid and processed by routine paraffin-methods. S100alpha was localized by the peroxidase-anti-peroxidase technique and the biotin-strepavidin method. Kidneys were positive for S100alpha by RIA and levels of S100alpha were higher in the medulla than in the cortex. Cells reactive for S100alpha by ICC were found in both the medulla and the cortex. Immunoreactivity was localized to the epithelial cells lining the collecting tubules. Positive tubules were especially prominent in the papilla; however, the epithelium covering the papilla was unreactive. Immunoreactivity was eliminated when the antiserum was absorbed with an excess of S100alpha. Limited co-localization suggests the possibility that these two proteins may coordinate signal responses in some cells.
2-Covers of Chamber Systems

A full account of J. Tits’ “local approach theorem” is given, using the homotopy-theoretic concepts of Chaps. 1 and 9. An additional lemma on covers of truncations due to A. Kasikova is needed for the succeeding chapter.
Experimental models of arthritis

This chapter focuses on experimental models of arthritis. Arthritis has been reported as an occasional complication of Mycoplasma pneumoniae respiratory infection, but most mycoplasmal arthritides are found in immunocompromised, especially hypogammaglobulinemic, patients and tend to involve species from the urogenital tract, such as M. hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum. The experimental mycoplasmal arthritides provide excellent models for these human infections. The mycoplasmal arthritides occurring in small laboratory animals such as rats, mice, and (to a lesser extent) rabbits are those most often used as models for human disease. The discussion is divided into two sections. The first is a description of the more common model systems, including animal strains, mycoplasmal species and dosages, routes of inoculation, and methods of assessment of illness. The second is a discussion of the use to which some of these models may be put, using examples drawn from the literature.
Patterns of Failure and Survival Outcomes after Total Lymphoid Irradiation and High-Dose Chemotherapy with Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation for Relapsed or Refractory Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma.

Purpose The patterns of failure and long-term outcomes of patients with relapsed or refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma treated with total lymphoid irradiation (TLI) and high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (aSCT) are reported. Methods and Materials Patients with biopsy-proven primary refractory or relapsed classical Hodgkin lymphoma who received salvage chemotherapy and accelerated hyperfractionated TLI before high-dose chemotherapy and aSCT were included. Patterns of failure were delineated after fusing pretransplant planning computed tomography to the scan reporting the first failure. Survival rates were computed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariate analysis using proportional hazards regression was done to determine prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Results Between 1993 and 2016, 89 patients underwent salvage treatments. Twenty patients failed at a median of 6.1 months after aSCT. Posttreatment scans were available for 16 patients who failed in a combined 43 different sites, 11 of which were extranodal. Patients failed at multiple sites, mostly within radiation fields. The 5-, 10-, and 15-year OS rates were 72.8%, 68.0%, and 58.3%; PFS rates were 73.3%, 68.5%, and 58.7%; event-free survival rates were 72.3%, 67.5%, and 57.8% respectively. The 5- and 10- year actuarial local control rates were both 77.6%. Complete response (CR) to salvage chemotherapy was associated with statistically significant improvements in OS and PFS. Eight patients developed secondary malignancies; 5 were hematologic and 3 were solid tumors. Conclusions Most failures were within the irradiated volume, which reflects the treatment-resistant disease biology. As part of a conditioning regimen, TLI yields good survival outcomes, particularly in patients achieving CR before transplant. However, need for RT in this setting should be assessed and new strategies should be developed to combat the treatment-resistant biology, especially in patients with less than CR after salvage chemotherapy.
If You’re an Egalitarian, Why Do You Want to Be the Boss of the Poor? Independence and Liberal-Egalitarian Theories of Justice

By far the largest school of thought in contemporary political theory is liberal-egalitarianism. Recently, many egalitarians have been very concerned with improving the living standards of people at the bottom but often in the context of a mandatory-participation economy. This section examines three egalitarian theorists, Elizabeth Anderson, Stuart White, and John Rawls.3 Anderson and White both specifically endorse mandatory participation. Rawls is less clear. Although some of his writings provide good arguments for voluntary participation, he seems to come down on the side of mandatory participation all things considered. This chapter examines arguments for and against voluntary participation in these three authors, and argues that a mandatory-participation economy does not live up to liberal-egalitarian ideals.
Trajectories of functional performance and muscle strength recovery differ after total knee and total hip replacement: a performance-based, longitudinal study.

Total joint replacement is indicated to alleviate pain and disability associated with hip and knee osteoarthritis. Arthroplasty outcomes are typically reported together, or anecdotal comparisons are made between total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA) recovery. Limited data qu
Analytical solution for the three-dimensional motion of a circumbinary planet around a binary star

Abstract By using the method of separating rapid and slow subsystem, we obtain an analytical solution for a stable three-dimensional motion of a circumbinary planet around a binary star. We show that the motion of the planet is more complicated than it was obtained for this situation analytically by Farago and Laskar (2010). Namely, in addition to the precession of the orbital plane of the planet around the angular momentum of the binary (found by Farago and Laskar (2010)), there is simultaneously the precession of the orbital plane of the planet within the orbital plane. We show that the frequency of this additional precession is different from the frequency of the precession of the orbital plane around the angular momentum of the binary. We demonstrate that this problem is mathematically equivalent both to the problem of the motion of a satellite around an oblate planet and to the problem of a hydrogen Rydberg atom in the field of a high-frequency linearly-polarized laser radiation, thus discovering yet another connection between astrophysics and atomic physics. We point out that all of the above physical systems have a higher than geometrical symmetry, which is a counterintuitive result. In particular, it is manifested by the fact that, while the elliptical orbit of the circumbinary planet (around a binary star) or of the satellite (around an oblate planet) or of the Rydberg electron (in the laser field) undergoes simultaneously two types of the precession, the shape of the orbit does not change. The fact that a system, consisting of a circumbinary planet around a binary star, possesses the hidden symmetry should be of a general physical interest. Our analytical results could be used for benchmarking future simulations.