cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Craniosynostosis caused by Axin2 deficiency is mediated through distinct functions of β-catenin in proliferation and differentiation

Targeted disruption of Axin2 in mice induces skeletal defects, a phenotype resembling craniosynostosis in humans. Premature fusion of cranial sutures, caused by deficiency in intramembranous ossification, occurs at early postnatal stages. Axin2 negatively regulates both expansion of osteoprogenitors and maturation of osteoblasts through its modulation on Wnt/β-catenin signaling. We investigate the dual role of β-catenin to gain further insights into the skull morphogenetic circuitry. We show that as a transcriptional co-activator, β-catenin promotes cell division by stimulating its target cyclin D1 in osteoprogenitors. Upon differentiation of osteoprogenitors, BMP signaling is elevated to accelerate the process in a positive feedback mechanism. This Wnt-dependent BMP signal dictates cellular distribution of β-catenin. As an adhesion molecule, β-catenin promotes cell–cell interaction mediated by adherens junctions in mature osteoblasts. Finally, haploid deficiency of β-catenin alleviates the Axin2-null skeletal phenotypes. These findings support a model for disparate roles of β-catenin in osteoblast proliferation and differentiation.
The Utilization of Corn Oil, Lard and Tallow by Chickens of Various Ages

Abstract QUANTITATIVE data on the utilization of fats and fatty acids by poultry are quite limited. Whitson et al. (1943) described an index method for determination of digestibility using barium sulfate, and showed that soybean oil is highly digested and absorbed by growing chickens. Duckworth et al. (1950) found that linseed oil is well utilized by chicks, but mutton tallow is much less well absorbed. Their data indicated that the absorbability of mutton fat increased with age. Carver et al. (1955) found that beef tallow was well utilized when added at a level of 3% to a practical broiler ration. Hydrogenated tallow and the fatty acids of hydrogenated tallow were less well absorbed, while oleic acid showed high absorbability. Sunde (1956) obtained evidence that the hard fats, tallow and hydrogenated tallow, when fed at a level of 5% in a practical chick ration were less well utilized than softer inedible fats …
Bio-Medical Applications of Non-Thermal Atmospheric Pressure Plasma

Non-Thermal Floating Electrode Dielectric Barrier Discharge (FE-DBD) Plasma in Direct Contact with Living Tissue The focus of this work is direct application of non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma to human tissue, where this tissue serves as a second active electrode. Such use has significant advantages over the existing technologies. Ultra Violet (UV) radiation, especially high energy Vacuum UV (VUV), does not have good penetration depth in air and VUV exists only in the discharge area. Short-lived active species and radicals (like OH, NO, O2( + Δ g 1 ) and other electronically excited species, atomic Oxygen, etc.) do not,
A cost-effective discards-proportional at-sea monitoring allocation scheme for the groundfish fishery in New England

Abstract Discards can account for a large proportion of a fishery’s total catch and have a significant impact on the condition of stocks, so many fisheries implement management measures to estimate discards, including at-sea monitors. Currently, at-sea monitors for the United States Northeast multispecies (groundfish) fishery, located in the northwest Atlantic Ocean, are allocated to meet a 30% coefficient of variation (CV30) standard to estimate the discards of 22 groundfish stocks by sector, gear type, and broad stock area on a trip basis. CV30 is a relative standard deviation precision measurement that deploys observers at an equal coverage rate across strata, regardless of their volume of landings or discards. As a result, at-sea monitors have not been cost-effectively allocated to observe the majority of the catches and discards or the catches and discards of highly utilized stocks to ensure accurate accounting of annual catch entitlement (ACE) utilization. Although some sectors and gear types are responsible for a relatively large percentage of landings and discards, they are allocated observers at the same coverage level as those that discard less. This has resulted in a disparity between monitoring effort and groundfish landings and discards, and the incentive to reduce discards is now misaligned with the utilization of ACE. Given that at-sea monitoring funding is limited and that the industry will soon have to bear this cost, this analysis proposes a discards-proportional observer allocation scheme that weights stocks with high ACE utilization rates more heavily. Results show that, in FY 2013, this allocation method could have reduced observer sea days by 1892 days, resulting in a $1.3 million total cost savings for the industry, while still observing the same amount of weighted discards as under current monitoring standards. This proposed approach could also provide an incentive to reduce discards for sectors faced with disproportionate and daunting at-sea monitoring costs.
The Hydrodynamic Tail Vein Assay as a Tool for the Study of Liver Promoters and Enhancers

The hydrodynamic tail vein injection is a technique that is used to deliver nucleic acids into live mice. Delivery through this method results in the in vivo transfection of foreign DNA primarily in the liver. Here, we describe the use of this technique to test for regulatory activity of liver promoters and enhancers, using a dual luciferase reporter system as the readable/measureable output and how this application can be used for pharmacogenomic studies.
Demonstrator system for the Phase-I upgrade of the trigger readout electronics of the ATLAS Liquid Argon Calorimeters

The trigger readout electronics of the ATLAS Liquid Argon (LAr) Calorimeters will be improved for the Phase-I luminosity upgrade of the LHC, to enhance the trigger feature extraction. Signals with higher spatial granularity will be digitized and processed by newly developed front-end and back-end electronics. In order to evaluate the technical and performance aspects, a demonstrator system has been set up, and many off-detector tests have been done. Analog signal parameters including the noise and cross-talk have been measured. Digital signal treatment, and high-speed data transmission have been tested and verified. After a series of tests, the demonstrator system has been installed on the ATLAS detector for the LHC Run 2.
The Hurst phenomenon and the rescaled range statistic

Abstract In his 1951 study of Nile River data, H.E. Hurst introduced the rescaled range statistic-the R / S statistic. He argued via a small simulation study that if X i , i = 1 , … , n , are i.i.d. normal then the R / S statistic should grow in the order of n . However, Hurst found that for the Nile River data, the R / S statistic increased not in the order of n , but in the order n H , where H ranged between 0.75 and 0.80 . He discovered that the effect also appeared in other sets of data. This is now called the Hurst phenomenon. We shall establish some unexpected universal asymptotic properties of the R / S statistic, which show conclusively that the Hurst phenomenon can never appear for i.i.d. data.
Food adulteration detection: 100 years of progress in AOAC methodology.

Rappel historique du role de l'AOAC et son role actuel dans la methodologie relative a l'analyse des produits alimentaires et a la detection de leurs adulterations : produits laitiers, jus de fruit, produits sucres, boissons alcoolisees
Present status of therapy with liver extract for injection.

Liver extracts have been employed, with and without scientific rationale, to treat many disturbances. The development of liver extracts and their many applications are reviewed. Use of a new crude liver extract prepared from pregnant mammalian liver to treat patients with diabetic neuropathy is discussed. The early encouraging results suggest that this course of treatment should be studied more intensively.
HIV/AIDS Adherence: Teaching About Treatment and Stigma

ABSTRACT Advances in HIV/AIDS treatment have dramatically changed the nature of HIV/AIDS education and prevention, creating new opportunities and challenges. This activity is designed to help participants reflect on the impact that HIV treatment can have on a person's life. It also enables trainers to engage participants in a dialogue about the impact of AIDS stigma on treatment efforts.
SU-F-T-286: Calculation-Based Patient Specific IMRT QA Detects Potential Errors That Measurement-Based QA Does Not

Purpose: Calculation-based patient-specific IMRT/VMAT QA, as a DICOM-RT-based plan verification system, has been commissioned and is currently being used at our institution. We report our investigation of IMRT/VMAT plan verification failures/warnings out of more than 1,000 plans verified over an 18-month period. Methods: Seven patients with QA failures/warnings from our calculation-based IMRT/VMAT QA were selected. Dose to 95% of PTV volume (D95%) and mean PTV dose with a difference of greater than 3%, a global gamma passing rate of less than 95%, and a mean dose difference to organ at risk (OAR) larger than 5% were set as the failure/warning criteria. The treatment sites of the selected patients included pelvis, leg, head and neck, brain, and breast. Measurement-based IMRT/VMAT QA was done on each patient using MapCHECK2. Root cause analysis (RCA) was performed on all patients to investigate the IMRT/VMAT failures/warnings. Results: All seven patients’ plans passed measurement-based IMRT/VMAT QA with a gamma passing rate of more than 95%. Our RCA of patients showed the IMRT/VMAT QA failures detected by the calculation-based method were mainly due to inclusion of the skin in PTV, and tissue heterogeneity effects particularly at tissue-air and tissue-bone interfaces. Conclusion: Calculation-based IMRT/VMAT QA can detect potential failures which cannot be detected by standard measurement-based QA.
Microscopic organizing pneumonia and cellular non-specific interstitial pneumonia are widespread in macroscopically normal-appearing lung tissue in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

coagulation and possibly improve patients’ outcomes. As we have shown that hemolysis does not falsely elevate aPTT values, both tests should be used to characterize anti-coagulation intensity in patients with suspected pump thrombosis. In conclusion, aPTT and anti-Xa levels may be discordant in many CF-LVADs patients. In our experience, hemolysis does not falsely raise aPTT values. More studies are needed to prove the superiority of one assay over the other. For now, the decision to titrate UFH based on aPTT or anti-Xa should be carefully weighed in appropriate clinical contexts.
Librational Modes of Molecules on Metals

The hindered rotational motion of a molecule bound to a metal surface by its image potential is studied. The potential is anharmonic in the tilt angle and leads to low frequency modes with frequencies less than 20 cm−1.
On the macroscopic modelling of dilute emulsions under flow

A new macroscopic model describing the rheology and microstructure of dilute emulsions with droplet morphology is developed based on an internal contravariant conformation tensor variable which is physically identified with the deformed ellipsoidal geometry of the dispersed phase. The model is consistent with existing first-order capillary number, , theory describing the microstructure as well as theory describing the emulsion-contributed extra stress. These asymptotic solutions are also used to determine all of the model parameters, making it the only macroscopic emulsion model that is consistent with all available asymptotic theories in the limit of small . The governing equations are obtained from the Poisson and dissipation brackets, as developed for an incompressible fluid system endowed with an internal contravariant second-order tensor, subject to the imposition of the constraint of a unit determinant. First proposed by Maffettone & Minale (J. Non-Newtonian Fluid Mech., vol. 78, 1998, pp. 227–241), this constraint physically corresponds to conservation of the volume of the dispersed phase in the emulsion. The Hamiltonian of the emulsion is expressed through the surface energy of the dispersed phase, in addition to the kinetic energy, following previous work by Grmela et al. (J. Non-Newtonian Fluid Mech., vol. 212, 2014, pp. 1–12), but employing a more accurate evaluation of the surface area in terms of the internal contravariant conformation tensor. Structural predictions of the ellipsoid droplet morphology obtained with the new model are compared with classic experiments by Torza et al. (J. Colloid Interface Sci., vol. 38, 1972, pp. 395–411), showing good agreement.
Interface tissue engineering and the formulation of multiple-tissue systems.

Interface tissue engineering is an exciting field which focuses on the development of tissue engineered grafts capable of promoting integration between different types of tissue and between the implant and surrounding tissue. Focusing on interface tissue engineering, and using the insertion site between the anterior cruciate ligament and bone as an example, this chapter discusses strategies in soft tissue to bone integration as well as current tissue engineering efforts in this area. This review begins with the clinical significance of this problem, followed by a review of existing fixation methods, and tissue engineering efforts aimed at addressing this critical issue. The development of multi-phased scaffolds designed for the replacement of more than one type of tissue, as well as novel in vitro co-culture systems will be introduced. Future directions in the field of interface tissue engineering will also be discussed.
Comparison of Highway Capacity Estimation Methods

The capacity of a freeway segment is a critical factor for planning, design, and operational analysis of freeway facilities. This research aimed to perform a comparison among well-known freeway cap...
Comparison of Empiric Antibiotics for Acute Osteomyelitis in Children

OBJECTIVES: Broad-spectrum antibiotics are commonly used for the empiric treatment of acute hematogenous osteomyelitis and often target methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) with medication-associated risk and unknown treatment benefit. We aimed to compare clinical outcomes among patients with osteomyelitis who did and did not receive initial antibiotics used to target MRSA. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of 974 hospitalized children 2 to 18 years old using the Pediatric Health Information System database, augmented with clinical data. Rates of hospital readmission, repeat MRI and 72-hour improvement in inflammatory markers were compared between treatment groups. RESULTS: Repeat MRI within 7 and 180 days was more frequent among patients who received initial MRSA coverage versus methicillin-sensitive S aureus (MSSA)–only coverage (8.6% vs 4.1% within 7 days [P = .02] and 12% vs 5.8% within 180 days [P CONCLUSIONS: In this study of children hospitalized with acute hematogenous osteomyelitis, early antibiotic treatment used to target MRSA was associated with a higher rate of repeat MRI compared with early antibiotic treatment used to target MSSA but not MRSA. Hospital readmission rates were similar for both treatment groups.
The Friesian Hercules

As Bekker moved to the second part of his argument about spirits and their temporal activities, he left behind the realm of metaphysical speculation and entered perhaps the most dangerous mine field of late seventeenth-century intellectual discussion: biblical exegesis. To successfully bring home his overall argument about spirits, he had to deal with scriptural accounts of spirit activity. And deal with them he did.
A Stable Marching Scheme for an Ill-Posed Initial Value Problem

We develop and analyze a marching procedure for the numerical computation of backwards parabolic equations with variable coefficients and noisy initial data. The scheme is stable (but inconsistent) and leads to error bounds of logarithmic convexity type for t bounded away from the line t = T, where the solution is only of class L2. The scheme is a two step procedure where the solution is appropriately filtered in the frequency domain, at every alternate step. The procedure assumes a constraint on the class of solutions which is stronger than the usual L2 bound at t = T. This stronger constraint is equivalent to the usual constraint in the constant coefficient case.
A Review of Therapeutics in Clinical Development for Respiratory Syncytial Virus and Influenza in Children.

Abstract Purpose Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza are important viral pathogens worldwide. Children, in particular, bear considerable burdens of morbidity and mortality associated with these viruses. There are limited therapeutic options for children infected with RSV or influenza. This review focuses on therapeutics for RSV and influenza that are currently under clinical investigation. Methods This study used a systematic approach to identify prospective therapeutics in clinical trials and briefly reviewed those that are currently available for use in adults and children. Findings Overall, we found 14 investigational drugs currently in clinical trials for RSV and 20 investigation drugs currently in clinical trials for influenza. These candidates range in development from Phase I to Phase III clinical trials. Implications Both RSV and influenza are targets for active therapeutic research, and promising candidates for both viruses are currently in clinical development.
AKR1C3 (type 5 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/prostaglandin F synthase): Roles in malignancy and endocrine disorders

Aldo-Keto-Reductase 1C3 (type 5 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD)/prostaglandin (PG) F2α synthase) is the only 17β-HSD that is not a short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase. By acting as a 17-ketosteroid reductase, AKR1C3 produces potent androgens in peripheral tissues which activate the androgen receptor (AR) or act as substrates for aromatase. AKR1C3 is implicated in the production of androgens in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) and polycystic ovarian syndrome; and is implicated in the production of aromatase substrates in breast cancer. By acting as an 11-ketoprostaglandin reductase, AKR1C3 generates 11β-PGF2α to activate the FP receptor and deprives peroxisome proliferator activator receptorγ of its putative PGJ2 ligands. These growth stimulatory signals implicate AKR1C3 in non-hormonal dependent malignancies e.g. acute myeloid leukemia (AML). AKR1C3 moonlights by acting as a co-activator of the AR and stabilizes ubiquitin ligases. AKR1C3 inhibitors have been used clinically for CRPC and AML and can be used to probe its pluripotency.
Muscle membrane integrity in Duchenne muscular dystrophy: recent advances in copolymer-based muscle membrane stabilizers

The scientific premise, design, and structure-function analysis of chemical-based muscle membrane stabilizing block copolymers are reviewed here for applications in striated muscle membrane injury. Synthetic block copolymers have a rich history and wide array of applications from industry to biology. Potential for discovery is enabled by a large chemical space for block copolymers, including modifications in block copolymer mass, composition, and molecular architecture. Collectively, this presents an impressive chemical landscape to leverage distinct structure-function outcomes. Of particular relevance to biology and medicine, stabilization of damaged phospholipid membranes using amphiphilic block copolymers, classified as poloxamers or pluronics, has been the subject of increasing scientific inquiry. This review focuses on implementing block copolymers to protect fragile muscle membranes against mechanical stress. The review highlights interventions in Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a fatal disease of progressive muscle deterioration owing to marked instability of the striated muscle membrane. Biophysical and chemical engineering advances are presented that delineate and expand upon current understanding of copolymer-lipid membrane interactions and the mechanism of stabilization. The studies presented here serve to underscore the utility of copolymer discovery leading toward the therapeutic application of block copolymers in Duchenne muscular dystrophy and potentially other biomedical applications in which membrane integrity is compromised.
What Do Parents Regret About Having Children? Communicating Regrets Online:

Drawing on user-generated threads from Reddit as a data source, symbolic interactionism and qualitative thematic analysis were used to investigate how, specifically, parents communicate regret in r...
Silica aerogel membranes fabricated using removable nitrocellulose scaffolds

Abstract Two different methods were developed to generate silica-based aerogel membranes using nitrocellulose scaffolds. The first method involved incorporating fibers of nitrocellulose (NC) into the sol prior to gelation. NC fibers were either removed using a solvent during aging or calcining after aerogel formation to produce reticulated micron-sized channels in the aerogels. In the second method, an NC lacquer was mixed with the sol, and the mixture separated into a NC-rich phase and a sol-rich phase. The NC phase was subsequently removed from the aerogel using a solvent, creating aerogels with interconnected porosity. Aerogels were prepared from tetraethyloxysilane (TEOS) as a precursor and methyltriethoxysilane (MTES) as a co-precursor. Replacing TEOS with 25 vol% MTES increased the mechanical stability, allowing for greater ease of handling. Additionally, the more open network of the MTES gels led to higher helium gas permeability than that for the pure TEOS gels.
Plasma Agouti-Related Protein and Cortisol Levels in Cushing Disease: Evidence for the Regulation of Agouti-Related Protein by Glucocorticoids in Humans.

Context Glucocorticoids regulate energy balance, in part by stimulating the orexigenic neuropeptide agouti-related protein (AgRP). AgRP neurons express glucocorticoid receptors, and glucocorticoids have been shown to stimulate AgRP gene expression in rodents. Objective We sought to determine whether there is a relationship between plasma AgRP and hypothalamic AgRP in rats and to evaluate the relationship between cortisol and plasma AgRP in humans. Methods We retrospectively evaluated plasma AgRP levels prior to transsphenoidal surgery in 31 patients with Cushing disease (CD) vs 31 sex- and body mass index-matched controls from a separate study. We then prospectively measured plasma AgRP, before and 6 to 12 months after surgery, in a subgroup of 13 patients with CD. Plasma and hypothalamic AgRP were measured in adrenalectomized rats with and without corticosterone replacement. Results Plasma AgRP was stimulated by corticosterone in rats and correlated with hypothalamic AgRP expression. Plasma AgRP levels were higher in patients with CD than in controls (139 ± 12.3 vs 54.2 ± 3.1 pg/mL; P < 0.0001). Among patients with CD, mean 24-hour urine free cortisol (UFC) levels were 257 ± 39 μg/24 hours. Strong positive correlations were observed between plasma AgRP and UFC (r = 0.76; P < 0.0001). In 11 of 13 patients demonstrating surgical cure, AgRP decreased from 126 ± 20.6 to 62.5 ± 8.0 pg/mL (P < 0.05) postoperatively, in parallel with a decline in UFC. Conclusions Plasma AgRP levels are elevated in CD, are tightly correlated with cortisol concentrations, and decline with surgical cure. These data support the regulation of AgRP by glucocorticoids in humans. AgRP's role as a potential biomarker and as a mediator of the adverse metabolic consequences of CD deserves further study.
Cultural Determinants of Power for Women Within the Family: A Neglected Aspect of Family Research

Sources of power family for the United within the States and India are compared based on empirical studies from Blood and Wolfe for the United States and a replication carried out by the author in ...
Sea Turtle Population Genomic Discovery: Global and Locus-Specific Signatures of Polymorphism, Selection, and Adaptive Potential

In the era of genomics, single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have become a preferred molecular marker to study signatures of selection and population structure and to enable improved population monitoring and conservation of vulnerable populations. We apply a SNP calling pipeline to assess population differentiation, visualize linkage disequilibrium, and identify loci with sex-specific genotypes of 45 loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) sampled from the southeastern coast of the United States, including 42 individuals experimentally confirmed for gonadal sex. By performing reference-based SNP calling in independent runs of Stacks, 3,901-6,998 SNPs and up to 30 potentially sex-specific genotypes were identified. Up to 68 pairs of loci were found to be in complete linkage disequilibrium, potentially indicating regions of natural selection and adaptive evolution. This study provides a valuable SNP diagnostic workflow and a large body of new biomarkers for guiding targeted studies of sea turtle genome evolution and for managing legally protected nonmodel iconic species that have high economic and ecological importance but limited genomic resources.
Characterizing the degradation of [(UO2F2)(H2O)]7 4H2O under humid conditions

Abstract Under humid conditions, uranyl fluoride ([(UO2F2)(H2O)]7·4H2O) undergoes a loss of fluorine to form a uranyl hydroxide species, which can be further hydrated to form a uranyl peroxide species. X-ray diffraction data of the uranyl peroxide product is presented for the first time. In addition, the temperature and humidity conditions under which these reactions occur have been clarified by a 220-day experiment using microRaman spectroscopy to track chemical changes in individual particles of uranyl fluoride. At 25 and 35∘C, uranyl fluoride is found to be stable at 32% relative humidity but not stable at and above 59% relative humidity. We show that water vapor pressure is the driving factor in formation of both the hydroxide and peroxide products. The kinetics of the transformation from uranyl fluoride into uranyl hydroxide is consistent with a denucleation reaction following the absorption of water molecules.
Electron Microburst Size Distribution Derived with AeroCube-6

Microbursts are an impulsive increase of electrons from the radiation belts into the atmosphere and have been directly observed in low Earth orbit and the upper atmosphere. Prior work has estimated that microbursts are capable of rapidly depleting the radiation belt electrons on the order of a day; hence, their role to radiation belt electron losses must be considered. Losses due to microbursts are not well constrained, and more work is necessary to accurately quantify their contribution as a loss process. To address this question, we present a statistical study of > 35 keV microburst sizes using the pair of AeroCube-6 CubeSats. The microburst size distribution in low Earth orbit and the magnetic equator was derived using both spacecraft. In low Earth orbit, the majority of microbursts were observed, while the AeroCube-6 separation was less than a few tens of kilometers, mostly in latitude. To account for the statistical effects of random microburst locations and sizes, Monte Carlo and analytic models were developed to test hypothesized microburst size distributions. A family of microburst size distributions were tested, and a Markov chain Monte Carlo sampler was used to estimate the optimal distribution of model parameters. Finally, a majority of observed microbursts map to sizes less than 200 km at the magnetic equator. Since microbursts are widely believed to be generated by scattering of radiation belt electrons by whistler mode waves, the observed microburst size distribution was compared to whistler mode chorus size distributions derived in prior literature.
Prospective growth and developmental outcomes in infants born to mothers with multiple sclerosis.

Background:The importance of supporting pregnancy-related decisions in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients has increasingly been recognized and hence the need for prospective data on pregnancy and ped...
Forty New Country Records for Twenty-Two New World Coreidae and Two Alydidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera)

Forty new country records are presented for Camptischium clavipes (Fabricius 1803) [Costa Rica and Peru], Elachisme mundula (Stal 1859) [Paraguay], Machtima mexicanaStal 1870 [Costa Rica], Zoreva ornamentosaBrailovsky and Barrera 1982 [Peru], Chariesterus armatus (Thunberg 1825) [Bolivia and Ecuador], C. cuspidatus Distant 1892 [Trinidad, Colombia and French Guiana], Plapigus circumcinctus Stal 1859 [Belize, Costa Rica and Panama], P. foliaceatus (Blanchard 1843) [Peru], P. patellatus (Stal 1860) [Trinidad], Staluptus marginalis (Burmeister 1835) [Nicaragua and Costa Rica], Paryphes blandusHorvath 1913 [Nicaragua], P. p. pectoralisHorvath 1913 [Ecuador], P. validusHorvath 1913 [Colombia], Sethenira testacea Spinola 1837 [Bolivia], Melucha acutispina Breddin 1903 [Brazil], M. chapadana Brailovsky 1993 [Bolivia and Paraguay], M. lineatella (Fabricius 1803) [Ecuador, Venezuela and Suriname], M. quinquelineata Stal 1865 [Costa Rica, Guyana, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru and Bolivia], Molchina hopei (Perty 1830) [Ecuador], Merocoris elevatus (Spinola 1837) [French Guiana], M. tristis Perty 1830 [Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru], Bactrophya peruvianaBreddin 1901 [Bolivia] and Eudarmistus bicolor Breddin 1903 [Peru]. Distributions are updated and corrected.
4 – Permanganate Probing

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the uses of potassium permanganate as a probe for structural changes within DNA. Although the potential uses of permanganate have by no means been exhausted, the chapter focuses on those applications that have been most revealing. The usefulness of permanganate derives from the conjunction of two unrelated phenomena. First, many of the critical events in gene regulation involve the transient conversion of DNA from the double-stranded to the single-stranded form. Second, permanganate is a highly reactive reagent. An important component of the success of permanganate as a probe is its low reactivity with double-stranded DNA. The most common use of permanganate has been in studying transcription complexes. Permanganate is a reactive oxidant and undoubtedly reacts with many biological molecules, including proteins. In terms of molecular biology and biochemistry applications, detecting the sites of permanganate attack requires assaying each individual base along a gene sequence.
Evaluation of a genetic risk score for severity of COVID-19 using human chromosomal-scale length variation

The course of COVID-19 varies from asymptomatic to severe in patients. The basis for this range in symptoms is unknown. One possibility is that genetic variation is partly responsible for the highly variable response. We evaluated how well a genetic risk score based on chromosomal-scale length variation and machine learning classification algorithms could predict severity of response to SARS-CoV-2 infection. We compared 981 patients from the UK Biobank dataset who had a severe reaction to SARS-CoV-2 infection before 27 April 2020 to a similar number of age-matched patients drawn for the general UK Biobank population. For each patient, we built a profile of 88 numbers characterizing the chromosomal-scale length variability of their germ line DNA. Each number represented one quarter of the 22 autosomes. We used the machine learning algorithm XGBoost to build a classifier that could predict whether a person would have a severe reaction to COVID-19 based only on their 88-number classification. We found that the XGBoost classifier could differentiate between the two classes at a significant level (p = 2 · 10−11) as measured against a randomized control and (p = 3 · 10−14) as measured against the expected value of a random guessing algorithm (AUC = 0.5). However, we found that the AUC of the classifier was only 0.51, too low for a clinically useful test. Genetics play a role in the severity of COVID-19, but we cannot yet develop a useful genetic test to predict severity.
Heart up! RCT protocol to increase physical activity in cardiac patients who report hopelessness: Amended for the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hopelessness is associated with decreased physical activity (PA) and increased adverse events and death in patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD). Rates of PA in patients with IHD continue to be low in both hospital-based cardiac rehabilitation and home settings. While researchers have investigated strategies to increase PA among patients with IHD, interventions to promote PA specifically in IHD patients who report hopelessness are lacking. We describe the protocol for a NIH-funded randomized controlled trial designed to establish the effectiveness of a 6-week intervention (Heart Up!) to promote increased PA in IHD patients who report hopelessness. Participants (n = 225) are randomized to one of three groups: (1) motivational social support (MSS) from a nurse, (2) MSS from a nurse plus significant other support (SOS), or (3) attention control. Aims are to: (1) test the effectiveness of 6 weeks of MSS and MSS with SOS on increasing mean minutes per day of moderate to vigorous PA; (2) determine the effects of change in moderate to vigorous PA on hopelessness; and (3) determine if perceived social support and motivation (exercise self-regulation) mediate the effects of the intervention on PA. A total of 69 participants have been enrolled to date. The protocol has been consistently and accurately used by research personnel. We address the protocol challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic and steps taken to maintain fidelity to the intervention. Findings from this study could transform care for IHD patients who report hopelessness by promoting self-management of important PA goals that can contribute to better health outcomes.
ADAD2 regulates heterochromatin in meiotic and post-meiotic male germ cells via translation of MDC1

Male germ cells establish a unique heterochromatin domain, the XY-body, early in meiosis. How this domain is maintained through the end of meiosis and into post-meiotic germ cell differentiation is poorly understood. ADAD2 is a late meiotic male germ cell specific RNA binding protein, loss of which leads to post-meiotic germ cell defects. Analysis of ribosome association in Adad2 mutants revealed defective translation of Mdc1, a key regulator of XY-body formation, late in meiosis. As a result, Adad2 mutants show normal establishment but failed maintenance of the XY-body. XY-body defects are concurrent with abnormal autosomal heterochromatin and ultimately lead to severely perturbed post-meiotic germ cell heterochromatin and cell death. These findings highlight the requirement of ADAD2 for Mdc1 translation, the role of MDC1 in maintaining meiotic male germ cell heterochromatin, and the importance of late meiotic heterochromatin for normal post-meiotic germ cell differentiation. SummaryChukrallah et al. demonstrate ADAD2 is required for normal meiotic heterochromatin in male germ cells and loss leads to post-meiotic cell death defining ADAD2 as a heterochromatin maintenance factor.
Disruption, Discovery, and Field Courses: A Case Study of Student Engagement during a Global Pandemic

This article examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the teaching of a geography field course. What was discovered from the teaching of a geography field course using a remote learning stru...
The psychology of exclusivity

Friendship and romantic love are, by their very nature, exclusive relationships. This paper suggests that we can better understand the nature of the exclusivity in question by understanding what is wrong with the view of practical reasoning I call the Comprehensive Surveyor View. The CSV claims that practical reasoning, in order to be rational, must be a process of choosing the best available alternative from a perspective that is as detached and objective as possible. But this view, while it means to be neutral between various value-bearers, in fact incorporates a bias against those value-bearers that can only be appreciated from a perspective that is not detached—that can only be appreciated, for instance, by agents who bear long-term commitments to the values in question. In the realm of personal relationships, such commitments tend to give rise to the sort of exclusivity that characterizes friendship and romantic love; they prevent the agent from being impartial between her beloved’s needs, interests, etc., and those of other persons. In such contexts, I suggest, needs and claims of other persons may be silenced in much the way that, as John McDowell has suggested, the temptations of immorality are silenced for the virtuous agent.
Phased subarray processing for underwater 3D acoustic imaging

3D sonar imaging using a fully-populated rectangular 2D array has many promising applications for underwater imaging. A primary limitation of such systems is the large number of parallel front-end hardware channels needed to process the signals in transmit and receive when using conventional full phased array imaging. A subaperture beam acquisition and image formation process is presented that significantly reduces the number of front-end hardware channels while achieving image quality approaching that of full phased array imaging. Rather than transmitting and receiving on all N/spl times/N transducer elements to form each beam, an M/spl times/M subset of elements - called a subarray - is used for each firing. The limited number of front-end processing channels are used to acquire data from each subarray. Switching hardware allows the subarray to be multiplexed across the full array. Due to the Nyquist sampling criteria in beamspace, the number of beams acquired by each subarray can be significantly reduced compared to the number required for the full array. The phased subarray processing includes beam upsampling, lateral interpolation with a subarray-dependent filter, and coherent weighting and summation of all subarray images to form a high resolution image. The phased array method achieves an image quality nearing that of full phased array imaging with significantly fewer processing channels, slightly reduced SNR, and roughly three times the number of firings for reasonable configurations.
Nontraditional Applications of Automata Theory

Finite automata have two traditional applications in computer science: modeling of finite-state systems and description of regular set of finite words. In the last few years, several new applications for finite-state automata have emerged, e.g., optimization of logic programs and specification and verification of protocols. These applications use finite-state automata to describe regular sets of infinite words and trees. I will describe such applications and will argue that we need change the way we teach automata theory.
Enhanced killing of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in human macrophages by liposome-entrapped vancomycin and teicoplanin.

The antibacterial effects of liposomal vancomycin and teicoplanin against intracellular methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were evaluated using a macrophage infection model. Human blood-derived monocytes were cultured for 7 days to obtain adherent macrophages. Uptake of each drug by macrophages was markedly enhanced by liposomal encapsulation. Following phagocytosis and removal of residual extracellular MRSA, the infected macrophages were exposed to clinically achievable concentrations of teicoplanin and vancomycin. The free (untrapped) and liposome-entrapped forms of each drug were used at the same concentration. The number of intracellular surviving bacteria was determined by colony counts after lysis of the macrophages at different time intervals following drug treatment. Intracellular antimicrobial effect of each drug was significantly (p 0.05). It is, therefore, concluded that liposomal encapsulation of vancomycin and teicoplanin results in an increased availability of the antibiotics for efficient elimination of intracellular MRSA infection.
The Independent Filmmaker's Law and Business Guide: Financing, Shooting, and Distributing Independent and Digital Films

Today's explosion of independent and digital filmmaking demands a brass-tacks guide to the business and legal aspects of the process. What fundraising options are available to a filmmaker? When should a filmmaker establish a corporation or limited liability company? How do screenwriters protect their work? What are a director's legal obligations to the producer, cast, and crew -- and what are their obligations in return? This indispensable guide answers the legal, financial, and organisational questions that an independent or guerrilla filmmaker must face, problems that will doom a project if left unanswered. It chronologically demystifies issues such as founding a film company, securing locations, casting, shooting, granting screen credits, distributing, exhibiting, and marketing a film. It even anticipates the 'problems' generated by a blockbuster hit: sound tracks, merchandising, and licensing.
Rapid Solution Application Methods

Solution changes to deliver solutes of different compositions are required in virtually every cellular electrophysiological experiment. Also, in many neurobiology experiments, it is necessary to make rapid step changes in the concentration of a test compound in order to outpace receptor desensitization or to mimic the brief lifetime of a fast synaptic response. The goal of this unit is to aid the investigator in choosing the rapid solution application method that is most appropriate for the experimental situation and to describe the methods for fabricating two relatively simple devices for making rapid changes between different solutions.
Microstructural Characterization of Nuclear Waste Ceramics

Characterization of nuclear waste ceramics requires techniques possessing high spatial and x-ray resolution. XRD, SEM, EMPA, TEM and AEM techniques are applied to ceramic formulations designed to immobilize both commercial and defense-related reactor wastes. These materials are used to address the strengths and limitations of the techniques above. An iterative approach combining all these techniques is suggested.
On confinement resonances in A@C60 photoionization: easy to observe?

Possible reasons that confinement resonances are not observed in a recent photoionization experiment on the endohedral fullerene Ce@C82+ are explored. The effect of the polarization of the fullerene shell in response to the ionization of the endohedrally encaged atom A@Cn, termed the "shielding" effect, has been investigated and found to be relatively small; no more than a 20% effect near threshold, and much less at higher energies. It is argued that most likely, the absence of confinement resonances in Ce@C82+ is due primarily to the finite thickness of the carbon cage; the off-the-center position and thermal vibration of the encaged atom, discussed elsewhere, further weaken the resonances rendering them beyond the sensitivity of the experiment to detect, in this case. For other situations/endohedrals, the confinement resonances should well be observable, and Ne@C60 is suggested as an excellent candidate.
1‐Amino‐1‐Methylcyclohexane

1-Amino-1-methylcyclohexane product: 1-amino-1-methylcyclohexane Keywords: amination, direct; assay methods, for “positive” chlorine; assay methods, for trichloramine; trichloramine, preparation of
Clear Writing Means Clear Thinking: Two Narratives of the Collaborative Teaching of James Madison's Federalist 10 & 51

Anyone who has ever graded a term paper knows that students seem to forget most everything they learned in freshman composition class when it comes time to write an analytical essay in another course. “Writing across the curriculum” has become almost a mantra that schools have adopted to counter this problem. Yet it is unclear exactly what “writing across the curriculum” means, and it is more uncertain how to implement the concept. This paper grows out of an effort to put “writing across the curriculum” into practice through collaborative teaching at Hampden-Sydney College.
Head pose estimation using multilinear subspace analysis for robot human awareness

Mobile robots, operating in unconstrained indoor and outdoor environments, would benefit in many ways from perception of the human awareness around them. Knowledge of people's head pose and gaze directions would enable the robot to deduce which people are aware of the its presence, and to predict future motions of the people for better path planning. To make such inferences, requires estimating head pose on facial images that are combination of multiple varying factors, such as identity, appearance, head pose, and illumination. By applying multilinear algebra, the algebra of higher-order tensors, we can separate these factors and estimate head pose regardless of subject's identity or image conditions. Furthermore, we can automatically handle uncertainty in the size of the face and its location. We demonstrate a pipeline of on-the-move detection of pedestrians with a robot stereo vision system, segmentation of the head, and head pose estimation in cluttered urban street scenes.
Chemical Vapor Sensing with Monolayer MoS2

Two-dimensional materials such as graphene show great potential for future nanoscale electronic devices. The high surface-to-volume ratio is a natural asset for applications such as chemical sensing, where perturbations to the surface resulting in charge redistribution are readily manifested in the transport characteristics. Here we show that single monolayer MoS2 functions effectively as a chemical sensor, exhibiting highly selective reactivity to a range of analytes and providing sensitive transduction of transient surface physisorption events to the conductance of the monolayer channel. We find strong response upon exposure to triethylamine, a decomposition product of the V-series nerve gas agents. We discuss these results in the context of analyte/sensor interaction in which the analyte serves as either an electron donor or acceptor, producing a temporary charge perturbation of the sensor material. We find highly selective response to electron donors and little response to electron acceptors, consiste...
Food intake and body weight following jejunoileal bypass in obese and lean rats

Abstract The effects of jejunoileal bypass (JIB) surgery on food intake and body weight were investigated in obese and lean rats. Obese rats lost considerably more weight after bypass surgery than did lean animals, and reduced food intake was the primary cause of their weight loss. Both the degree and type of obesity influenced the anorexia and weight reduction produced by JIB. Hypothalamic obesity was completely reversed by JIB, but genetic obesity (fatty rat) and spontaneous obesity were only partially blocked. However, JIB performed prior to hypothalamic surgery attenuated, but did not prevent the development of hyperphagia and obesity. The weight loss produced by JIB was fully recovered following reconnection of the intestinal tract. The feeding and weight reducing effects of JIB appear to result, at least in part, from the visceral malaise produced by the surgery, and from feeding inhibitory signals produced by overstimulation of the lower ileum.
Fragility of red blood cells from newborn infants and children with cyanotic congenital heart disease.

Summary 1. Observations on the fragility of fetal and cyanotic heart disease blood using the spectrophotometric method are reported. 2. A slight increase in the fragility of the cyanotic heart disease blood was observed. Oxygenating the blood had little or no effect on the fragility. 3. An occasional fetal blood sample exhibited a slight increase in the fragility but this was not as marked as reported by others. 4. We were unable to demonstrate a marked spontaneous hemolysis of oxalated fetal blood.
The first stimulators-reviewing the history of electrical stimulation and the devices crucial to its development

The following topics are discussed: the capacitor-discharge stimulator; empirical strength-duration curve; theoretical strength-duration curve; basis for stimulation; galvanic (direct-current) stimulation; Daniell cell; Grove (Bunsen) cell; Leclanche cell; interrupted direct-current stimulators; the inductorium; Galvanic-Faradic stimuli to diagnose nerve injury; modern stimulators. >