cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mesenchymal Tumorigenesis Driven by TSC2 Haploinsufficiency Requires HMGA2 and Is Independent of mTOR Pathway Activation

Tuberous sclerosis (TSC) is a tumor suppressor gene syndrome that is associated with the widespread development of mesenchymal tumor types. Genetically, TSC is said to occur through a classical biallelic inactivation of either TSC genes (TSC1, hamartin or TSC2, tuberin), an event that is implicated in the induction of the mTOR pathway and subsequent tumorigenesis. High Mobility Group A2 (HMGA2), an architectural transcription factor, is known to regulate mesenchymal differentiation and drive mesenchymal tumorigenesis in vivo. Here, we investigated the role of HMGA2 in the pathogenesis of TSC using the TSC2(+/-) mouse model that similarly mirrors human disease and human tumor samples. We show that HMGA2 expression was detected in 100% of human and mouse TSC tumors and that HMGA2 activation was required for TSC mesenchymal tumorigenesis in genetically engineered mouse models. In contrast to the current dogma, the mTOR pathway was not activated in all TSC2(+/-) tumors and was elevated in only 50% of human mesenchymal tumors. Moreover, except for a subset of kidney tumors, tuberin was expressed in both human and mouse tumors. Therefore, haploinsufficiency of one TSC tumor suppressor gene was required for tumor initiation, but further tumorigenesis did not require the second hit, as previously postulated. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that tissue-specific genetic mechanisms are employed to promote tumor pathogenesis in TSC and identify a novel, critical pathway for potential therapeutic targeting.
A VHDL Based Controller Design for Photoplethysmography-Based Heart Rate Monitoring System

Continuous monitoring of heat rate using wearable technology has the potential of improving healthcare and fitness and reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. A Photoplthysmography (PPG) based optical sensors are becoming popular to detect heart rate from human body. However, interfacing different sensors, acquiring and processing data in real time is a challenging task and requires dedicated hardware. Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) has become most widely used technology for real-time application. In this research, the necessary drivers and interfacing hardware for the PPG sensor are implemented on a FPGA platform using hardware description language (HDL). With the help of simulation and experimental results the accuracy and functionality of the proposed system are verified.
TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE MUTANTS OF A CHINESE HAMSTER CELL LINE. I. SELECTION OF CLONES WITH DEFECTIVE MACROMOLECULAR BIOSYNTHESIS

Temperature-sensitive clones have been selected from a mutagenized culture of Chinese hamster lung cells by a procedure involving bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation and irradiation with black light. The selection procedure used in these studies was adapted from methods developed by others to yield mutants that cease DNA replication within a short time after they are transferred to nonpermissive temperature. After mutagenesis with ethyl methanosulfonate ten clones survived the selection procedure. Three of the clones (mutants) were temperature-sensitive as measured by growth properties. Two mutants ceased DNA synthesis within six hours of being shifted to 39degrees and the third mutant continued to synthesize DNA at nonpermissive temperature at a reduced rate for at least 24 hours. Thus, all three mutants survived the selection procedure for understandable reasons, since each was unable to incorporate sufficient BrdU at 39degrees to lethally protosensitize its DNA during the standard exposure period. The two mutants that cease DNA synthesis at high temperature (clones 115-47 and 115-53) also stop incorporating radioactive amino acids and uridine within six hours at 39degrees. Their complex phenotype, i.e. defective DNA, RNA and protein biosynthesis, is reversible. When these mutants were returned to 33 degrees after 8 hours at 39 degrees, both resumed DNA synthesis immediately (less than 1 hour). Reversal of defective DNA synthesis in both mutants were sensitive to drugs that inhibit protein biosynthesis specifically. Those same drugs, as well as toxic amino acids analogs, also effected a striking mutant phenocopy in wild-type cells. The phenocopy produced by amino acid analogs that are incorporated into mammalian proteins suggested that one or more proteins must be synthesized continuously to support mammalian cells engaged in programmed DNA replication.
Development and Validation of a Pilot Scale Enhanced Biosafety Level Two Containment for Performance Evaluation of Produce Disinfection Technologies

The development and validation of the Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2) enhanced containment system located at the produce pilot plant facility of the U.S. Department of Agriculture—Eastern Regional Research Center is presented here. This multi-purpose containment is used to enclose pilot and pilot scale washing and sanitizing equipment for fruits and vegetables, or other decontamination equipment where aerosol generation is likely, and complete protection is required for researchers. This containment is operated under a negative pressure with all exhausted air (approximately eight containment air exchanges per hour) being passed in parallel through two hydrophobic HEPA filters. During operation, personnel are excluded from the containment, materials are introduced into and removed from the containment via pass-throughs, and equipment is operated via computer control and glove ports.At the completion of any series of processing trials, vegetative bacterial cells remaining within the containment, and in the proces...
Troublesome shaft fractures of the proximal phalanx. Early treatment to avoid late problems at the metacarpophalangeal and proximal phalangeal joints.

SUMMARY Although any fracture of the proximal phalanx can potentially disrupt finger MCP and/or PIP motion, appropriate consideration based on sound principles of biomechanics and biology of healing will delineate the options available. Applying the risk/benefit associated with any particular mode of treatment is more challenging. Perhaps the most difficult thing is to anticipate and recognize failure of a treatment mode sufficiently early and then to act concisely to rectify the situation. The physician and patient must recognize what goal is realistic for each patient's injury. This encompasses the patient factors as outlined, as well as a clear awareness in the surgeon's mind of his or her technical limitations and expertise. Final function and range of motion of the MCP and PIP joints will depend not only on bony union in good position, but on restoration of the gliding function of the flexor and extensor tendons that are contiguous to the fracture site.
Variables Associated With Communicative Participation After Head and Neck Cancer.

Importance For patients with head and neck cancer (HNC), communication difficulties often create substantial barriers in daily life, affecting a person’s ability to return to work, establish or maintain relationships, or participate in everyday activities. Objective To examine variables significantly associated with communication in everyday activities, or communicative participation, in adult survivors of HNC. Design, Setting, and Participants In a cross-sectional study, from November 1, 2008, through March 18, 2011, participants completed questionnaires about specific experiences and symptoms associated with their health and communication. Seventeen variables were considered in association with communicative participation. Data were collected from adult survivors of HNC residing in a community. Participants completed questionnaires, in English, either online or using paper forms according to their preference. Participants were recruited through support groups, professional email lists, and professional contacts. Main Outcomes and Measures Communicative participation and predictor variables were measured using a variety of validated patient-report scales and demographic information. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted with variables entered using a backward stepwise regression procedure. Variables with significant regression coefficients were retained in the model and reported as change in R 2 . Results One hundred ninety-seven adults (121 males and 76 females; mean age, 61.5 years) participated, all at least 6 months posttreatment of HNC with no additional medical conditions affecting speech. The final model contained 4 significant variables ( R 2 = 0.462): self-rated speech severity, cognitive function, laryngectomy status, and time since diagnosis. Better communicative participation was associated with less severe speech and cognitive problems; together, these 2 variables explained 42% of the variance in the model (self-rated speech severity, R 2 = 0.227, and cognitive function, R 2 = 0.193 [0.227 + 0.193 = 0.420 = 42%]). To a lesser extent, better communicative participation also was associated with not having undergone a total laryngectomy surgical procedure ( R 2 = 0.035) and longer time since diagnosis ( R 2 = 0.007); full model: R 2 = 0.462, P P R 2 = 0.227; cognitive function 0.063 [0.011], P R 2 = 0.193; laryngectomy status 0.285 [0.117], P = .02; and time since diagnosis 0.015 [0.006], P = .02. Conclusions and Relevance These results suggest that communicative participation in adults with HNC is associated with self-rated speech severity, cognitive function, whether or not a person has undergone total laryngectomy, and time since diagnosis. Clinicians can use these results to inform their practice in pretreatment counseling, patient education, and rehabilitation for survivors of HNC.
Increasing Rates of Surgical Management of Multilevel Spinal Curvature in Elderly Patients.

Abstract Study Design Retrospective analysis of Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database. Objective To analyze trends in utilization and hospital charges for multilevel spinal curvature surgery in patients over 60 from 2004 to 2011. Summary of Background Data Multilevel spinal curvature has been increasingly recognized as a major source of morbidity in patients over sixty years of age. The economic burden of non-operative management for spinal curvature is elusive and likely underestimated. Though patient reported outcomes suggest that surgical treatment of spinal curvature may be superior to non-operative treatment in selected patients, surgical utilization trends remain unclear. Methods Data were obtained from the NIS between 2004 and 2011. The NIS is the largest all-payer inpatient care database with approximately eight million annual patient discharges throughout the United States. Analysis included patients over age 60 with a spinal curvature diagnosis treated with a multi-level spinal fusion (≥3 levels fused) determined by ICD-9-CM diagnosis and procedure codes. Population-based utilization rates were calculated from US census data. Results A total of 84,302 adult patients underwent multilevel spinal curvature surgery from 2004 to 2011. The annual number of ≥3 level spinal curvature fusions in patients over age 60 increased from 6,571 to 16,526, representing a 107.8% increase from 13.4 cases per 100,000 people in 2004 to 27.9 in 2011 (p Conclusions Rates of surgical management of multilevel spinal curvature increased from 2004 to 2011, exceeding growth of the 60+ age demographic during the same period. Growth was observed in all age demographics, and hospital charges consistently increased from 2004 to 2011 reflecting a per-user increase in expenditure. Level of Evidence III.
The Power of Policy: Reinforcing the Paris Trajectory

The Paris Agreement is a critical global response that enables a transition toward human and planetary wellbeing. It articulates a new trajectory toward a low-carbon economic system. It encompasses all countries, in the global North and South, and engages public and private sectors at local and global levels. Every country has stepped up to contribute to addressing the challenge of climate change. Governments, civil society, businesses, investors, academics expressed commitment to tackling climate change not as an end in itself, but as a means to a resilient society, to sustainable development and to more fulfilling and enriching lifestyles and livelihoods.
Breastmilk with a high omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio induced cellular events similar to insulin resistance and obesity in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

SummaryBackground An imbalance of omega (n)-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) during critical periods of development may have adverse effects on the health of the newborn in later life. Objectives We hypothesized that breastmilk with higher n-6 to n-3 PUFA ratio will have higher inflammatory cytokines and initiate cellular events similar to insulin resistance and obesity. Methods Breastmilk was collected from healthy women who gave natural birth at full term. Breastmilk fatty acids were measured using gas chromatography; samples were pooled based on the n-6 to n-3 PUFA ratio (high, medium and low), and soluble cytokines were measured. Pooled samples were used to treat 3T3-L1 cells; mRNA expression of diacylglycerol acyltransferase2, stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1, leptin and RPLPO was measured. Results Breastmilk with a higher ratio of n-6 to n-3 PUFA showed higher pro-inflammatory cytokines; there was a direct correlation between n-6 PUFA and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Breastmilk with a higher ratio of n-6 to n-3 PUFA increased the expression of genes involved in lipogenesis. Conclusions Pro-inflammatory cytokines in breastmilk are associated with higher levels of n-6 PUFA in breastmilk and has the capacity to alter adipose tissue metabolism to likely predispose the newborn to a higher risk of obesity in later life.
Management Quality and X-Inefficiency in National Banks

This paper uses bank exam (CAMEL) ratings and an ordered logit model to separate national banks into well-managed and poorly managed samples, then estimates a thick cost frontier model for these two samples of banks. The well-managed banks had significantly lower estimated unit costs but significantly higher raw (accounting-based) unit costs than the poorly managed banks. This result challenges the fundamental premise of the thick cost frontier approach—that raw unit costs can be used to separate cost-efficient from cost-inefficient banks—and reenforces the notion that simple accounting benchmarks can misrepresent cost efficiency.
Adverse Impact of Delayed Electrical Activation of the Heart and Benefits of Cardiac Resynchronization

Delayed electrical conduction, represented as a wide QRS native conduction, occurs often in patients with heart failure (HF), and this activation delay causes adverse hemodynamics leading to decrease of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Biventricular pacing is utilized to provide cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) and to help alleviate HF symptoms in patients with decreased LVEF and wide QRS complex. This article provides an overview of the adverse hemodynamics of a prolonged QRS complex, reverse remodeling by CRT, evolution in lead placement, and a detailed review of clinical trials and outcomes over the past two decades. Additionally, the most recent patient selection criteria are reviewed and how evidence-based medicine has transpired into current guideline recommendations for CRT. Finally, there is a discussion regarding management of nonresponse to CRT and new device technology.
BTLA+ dendritic cells govern induction of extrathymic regulatory T cells and tolerance.

Dendritic cells (DCs) initiate immunity and also antigen-specific tolerance mediated by extrathymic regulatory T (Treg) cells that prevent subsequent T cell priming. It remains unclear how DCs regulate induction of such tolerance. Here we report that T cell activation by CD11c + DCs in steady state had no lasting impact on subsequent immune responses and resulted in neither induction of Treg cells, nor priming of autoimmune T cells. Our studies further revealed that efficient induction of Treg cells required BTLA expressed specifically in DEC205 + CD8 + CD11c + DCs. Ligation of HVEM, a receptor of BTLA, in Foxp3 neg T cells promoted Foxp3 expression through upregulation of CD5. In contrast, T cells activated in the absence of BTLA and HVEM-mediated functions, remained CD5 lo and therefore failed to resist the inhibition of Foxp3 expression in response to effector-differentiating cytokines. Thus only T cells specifically stimulated by BTLA + DCs efficiently converted into Treg cells that mediated antigen-specific tolerance.
Transcriptomic changes in Echinochloa colona in response to treatment with the herbicide imazamox.

Presented here is the first Echinochloa colona leaf transcriptome. Analysis of gene expression before and after herbicide treatment reveals that E. colona mounts a stress response upon exposure to herbicide. Herbicides are the most frequently used means of controlling weeds. For many herbicides, the target site is known; however, it is considerably less clear how plant gene expression changes in response to herbicide exposure. In this study, changes in gene expression in response to herbicide exposure in imazamox-sensitive (S) and- resistant (R) junglerice (Echinochloa colona L.) biotypes was examined. As no reference genome is available for this weed, a reference leaf transcriptome was generated. Messenger RNA was isolated from imazamox-treated- and untreated R and S plants and the resulting cDNA libraries were sequenced on an Illumina HiSeq2000. The transcriptome was assembled, annotated, and differential gene expression analysis was performed to identify transcripts that were upregulated or downregulated in response to herbicide exposure for both biotypes. Differentially expressed transcripts included transcription factors, protein-modifying enzymes, and enzymes involved in metabolism and signaling. A literature search revealed that members of the families represented in this analysis were known to be involved in abiotic stress response in other plants, suggesting that imazamox exposure induced a stress response. A time course study examining a subset of transcripts showed that expression peaked within 4–12 h and then returned to untreated levels within 48 h of exposure. Testing of plants from two additional biotypes showed a similar change in gene expression 4 h after herbicide exposure compared to the resistant and sensitive biotypes. This study shows that within 48 h junglerice mounts a stress response to imazamox exposure.
Enhanced communication through quantum hyper-entanglement

Theory and related designs for enhancing communications and more generally information transfer by using quantum hyper-entanglement are discussed. Quantum hyper-entanglement refers to entanglement in more than one quantum mechanical degree of freedom, e.g. polarization, energy-time, orbital angular momentum, radial quantum number and frequency. Each extra degree of freedom increases the dimensionality d of the underlying Hilbert space. The hyperentangled signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) are d times the related classical quantity due to the enhancement born of hyper-entanglement. Communication time can be reduced by a factor d or d ⋅ M, where M is the number of message photons used. Errors in parameter estimation related to information stored in the signal experience a factor of d ⋅ M reduction. This paper considers the use of generalized Bell states and discusses circuitry for their transmission, analysis and detection. Holevo bounds and Von-Neumann entropies are calculated for both the hyper-entangled case and non-entangled case. It is shown that hyper-entanglement can increase the maximum information transferrable by more than log2 (d) bits. The Holevo bound results are discussed in the context of the types of generalized Bell states. Generalized measures of effectiveness (MOEs) are introduced that hold for linear combinations of generalized Bell states. Different sets of complete orthogonal projection operators and their applications are discussed. Loss mechanisms due to transmission hardware such as orbital angular moment polarization rotation, and polarizing beam splitter cross-talk are calculated. Propagation and detection loss as well as noise are considered.
An efficient multi-scale data representation method for lung nodule false positive reduction using convolutional neural networks

In the last few years, convolutional neural networks (CNN) have been widely used to address very different image analysis problems. In medical imaging, they are becoming standard for aid in diagnosis in many imaging modalities at the cost of great computational load and huge amounts of annotated training data. When it comes to 3D image exams, the computational cost can easily became prohibitive demanding methods that promote efficiency in data representation. In this context, this paper presents a novel sampling method based on trigonometric functions that delivers comprehensive bidimensional data representation out of 3D volumetric patches for an efficient CNN-based classification. We used the publicly available LUNA challenge dataset and demonstrate that our representation allows 2D CNNs to achieve very good results, superior to the ones delivered using regular 2D cross-sections and similar to the ones delivered by 3D CNNs using 16 times less data and running 4 times faster.
Flexibility Considerations for the Design of Cryogenic Transfer Lines

In conventional piping systems, sufficient uniform thermal cool-down flexibility is obtainable by the use of expansion loops. Uniform thermal cool-down occurs when the pipe is full of liquid and the entire pipeline has cooled to liquid temperature. In the case of missile systems employing cryogenic transfer lines, space and cool-down weight limitations may preclude the use of expansion loops for achieving flexibility. In addition, this uninsulated thin-walled transfer piping is subject to temperature gradients of a scale not usually encountered in process piping systems, and as a consequence of these temperature gradients the phenomenon of pipeline bowing occurs. Bowing is the tendency of the centerline of the pipe to be deformed into an arc.
Effect of Antioxidant-rich Foods and Supplements on Cancer Risk

Diet and health have been linked throughout the centuries. Which components of the diet are responsible for health is not clear. Using epidemiological studies, case control, and cohort studies, potential nutrients have been identified which may act to promote health. Early studies identified yellow green vegetables and fruits associated with less cancer in populations which consumed more of these foods. Antioxidants are a class of nutrients that have been identified through these types of studies and theoretically their ability to scavenge reactive oxygen species caused by cellular stress may lead to less DNA damage, mutagenesis, and cancer. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) stringently test the hypothesis that adding antioxidants to a well nourished or over-nourished populace do not demonstrate the desired reduction in cancer or mortality in most studies. To illustrate the difficulty in translating epidemiological associations to successful RCTs, one of the first nutrients identified with fewer cancers, β-carotene, will be reviewed as the compound that initially identified as a potential anticancer agent and subsequently shown in RCTs to increase the risk of cancer. In addition, attempts to prevent prostate cancer with supplements will be evaluated. Review of the laboratory evidence and human studies will be performed and the discrepancies in results in RCTs are discussed. These discrepancies may be due to the baseline nutritional status of the populace, lifestyle factors such as smoking, as well as the status of the organ of interest in addition to the type and amount of agent.
Behavioural weight loss treatment preferences of college students with overweight and obesity.

The college environment increases risk of weight gain in young adults with overweight/obesity. Behavioural weight loss interventions are proven effective, however, young adults' adherence to such programs is poor. The purpose of the study was to determine weight loss treatment preferences of 2- and 4-year college students for the development of population-specific interventions. Students with a BMI ≥25, between 18 and 24 years of age, and enrolled in one of four institutions were recruited. A questionnaire was developed to assess students' preferences and was administered via Qualtrics. BMI was calculated from objectively assessed height and weight measurements. Descriptive analyses, chi-square, Fisher's Exact Test, Mann-Whitney U test and Cramer's V were performed. Participants (n = 133, age = 20.2 ± 1.8) predominately identified as female (70%), non-Hispanic (68%) and Black/African American (32%) or White (32%). Fifty-five percent met criteria for obesity. Most students preferred session length of ≤1 hour (78%), for meetings to be held on a weekday (70%) and for both a peer and a professional to co-facilitate meetings (61%). Preferences for health outcomes and physical activity monitoring, type of physical activity, frequency of dietary monitoring, physical activity tracking method and interest in financial incentives to promote core treatment components differed between institutions. Heterogeneity in program preferences by college environment should be considered when designing weight loss interventions.
Utilization of Diagnostic Testing for Renal Anomalies and Congenital Heart Disease in Patients with Microtia.

ObjectiveCongenital ear anomalies are associated with congenital cardiac and renal defects. Renal ultrasounds, electrocardiogram, and echocardiogram can be utilized for diagnosis of these concurren...
Is it too heavy of a constitutional cross to bear? Making sense of the decision in American Legion v. American Humanist Association

This essay examines the case American Legion v. American Humanist Association in which the Supreme Court decided (in a 7–2 decision) that a monument in Bladensburg, Maryland, known as the Peace Cro...
Thrifty Query Execution via Incrementability

Many applications schedule queries before all data is ready. To return fast query results, database systems can eagerly process existing data and incrementally incorporate new data into prior intermediate results, which often relies on incremental view maintenance (IVM) techniques. However, incrementally maintaining a query result can increase the total amount of work mainly as some early work is not useful for computing the final query result. In this paper, we propose a new metric incrementability to quantify the cost-effectiveness of IVM to decide how eagerly or lazily databases should incrementally execute a query. We further observe that different parts of a query have different levels of incrementability and the query execution should have a decomposed control flow based on the difference. Therefore, to address these needs, we propose a new query processing method Incrementability-aware Query Processing (InQP). We build a prototype InQP system based on Spark and show that InQP significantly reduces resource consumption with a similar latency compared with incrementability-oblivious approaches.
Patellar Rebar Augmentation in Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Abstract Background In revision total knee arthroplasty, osteolysis, mechanical abrasion, and infection may leave patellar bone stock severely attenuated with cavitary and/or segmental rim deficiencies that compromise fixation of patellar implant pegs. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively review the use of cortical “rebar” screws to augment cement fixation in revision patelloplasty. Methods From 2006 to 2018, dorsal patellar rebar technique was used for patellar reconstruction in 128 of 1037 revision total knee arthroplasty cases (12.3%). Follow-up was achieved with serial radiographs and prospective comparison of Knee Society Scores (KSSs) for clinical outcome. Complications and implant failures requiring reoperation or modified rehabilitation were also assessed. Results Of the 128 patellar revisions performed using the rebar technique, 69 patients were women and 59 patients were men. The average age of the group was 69.5 years (range, 32-83 years). The mean follow-up of the cohort was 37 months (range, 13-109 months). The most common causes for revision were kinematic conflict, periprosthetic joint infection, and aseptic loosening. The median number of rebar screws used was 5 (range, 1-13). Preoperative KSSs for the study cohort averaged 50 (range, 0-90) At latest follow-up, mean KSS was 85 (range, 54-100). There were 4 patellar-related complications (3.1%) with no implant failures at study conclusion. Retrieval analysis revealed rigid fixation of the reconstructed patellar component in all cases. Conclusions Patellar rebar screw augmentation is a useful technique when there are significant cavitary deficiencies and limited segmental rim deficiencies. This technique allows the surgeon to extend indications for patellar revision arthroplasty.
Fluorescence and Metal-Binding Properties of the Highly Preorganized Tetradentate Ligand 2,2'-Bi-1,10-phenanthroline and Its Remarkable Affinity for Cadmium(II).

The metal-ion-complexing properties of the tetradentate ligand 2,2'-bi-1,10-phenanthroline (BIPHEN) in 50% CH3OH/H2O are reported for a variety of metal ions. BIPHEN (with two reinforcing benzo groups in the backbone) was compared to other tetrapyridyls, 2,9-di(pyrid-2-yl)-1,10-phenanthroline (DPP; with one benzo group) and 2,2':6',2″:6″,2‴- quaterpyridine (QPY; with no benzo groups), with levels of preorganization BIPHEN > DPP > QPY. Formation constants were determined by following the variation of the intense π → π* transitions in the absorbance spectra of BIPHEN in the presence of metal ion as a function of the pH. The log K1 values show that the increased level of preorganization produced by the two benzo groups, reinforcing the backbone of the BIPHEN ligand, leads to increased complex stability with large metal ions (an ionic radius greater than 0.9 A) compared to the less preorganized tetrapyridines DPP and QPY. In particular, the large CdII ion [log K1(BIPHEN) = 12.7] shows unusual selectivity over the small ZnII ion [log K1(BIPHEN) = 7.78]. The order of levels of preorganization BIPHEN > DPP > QPY leads to enhanced selectivity for SmIII over GdIII with increased preorganization, which is of interest in relation to separating AmIII from GdIII in the treatment of radioactive waste. AmIII is very close in ionic radius to SmIII, so that the size-based selectivity produced by the enhanced preorganization of BIPHEN should translate into enhanced AmIII/GdIII selectivity. The chelation-enhanced fluorescence (CHEF) effect in BIPHEN complexes is discussed. The CHEF effect in the ZnII complex is somewhat smaller than that for CdII, which is discussed in terms of decreased overlap in the Zn-N bonds formed by the too small ZnII, leading to a partial photoinduced-electron-transfer quenching of fluorescence. The structure of the complex [Cd(BIPHEN)2](ClO4)2 is reported and shows that the Cd-N bonds are largely normal for the unusual 8-coordination observed, except that steric clashes between the terminal pyridyl groups of each of the BIPHEN ligands, and the rest of the orthogonal BIPHEN ligand, lead to some stretching of the outer Cd-N bonds.
Workup of Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic kidney disease is commonly encountered in the clinical setting. The differential diagnosis is broad but can be easily conceptualized using an anatomical framework. This teaching script provides a basic approach to CKD and appropriate workup for the most common causes.
Seven Tips for the Brief Writer

An appellate advocate’s job is to answer the judges’ questions, whether the judge asks them from the bench during oral argument or from her easy chair while reading the brief. This article offers seven tips to help appellate advocates write more persuasive briefs — to answer those questions that come to the judges’ minds while they read the brief.
The Relationship between Toxic Leadership Behavior and Employee Silence: A Quantitative Study

This study examined the relationship between toxic leadership and employee silence among the Department of Defense civil service employees located in the southeastern region of the United States. Hobfoll’s (1989) conservation of resources theory provided the theoretical foundation for this study. The researcher used a non-experimental correlational research design. The researcher collected 130 completed surveys via an online survey platform (Survey Monkey©). The results from this study showed there was a significant positive relationship between toxic leadership and employee silence. This study suggests that employees who experience or witness toxic behaviors by leaders tend to withhold valuable information that may impact the performance or productivity of an organization.
Microscopic and data-driven modeling and operation of thermal atomic layer etching of aluminum oxide thin films

Abstract With increasing demands for microchips and increasing needs in the nano-scale semiconductor manufacturing industry, atomic layer etching (ALE) has been developing into a critical etching process. Unlike its counterpart in the film deposition domain, atomic layer deposition (ALD), which has been extensively studied, ALE has not been fully studied yet from a modeling and operation point of view. Therefore, this work develops microscopic models to characterize the thermal ALE process of aluminum oxide thin films with two precursors (hydrogen fluoride and trimethylaluminum). First, the reaction mechanisms for the two half-cycles for the thermal ALE process are established. Electronically predicted geometries of the Al2O3 structure with two precursors are optimized. Along with the optimized geometries, possible reaction pathways are proposed and calculated by density functional theory (DFT)-based electronic structure calculations. The proposed reaction paths and their kinetic parameters are used in a kinetic Monte Carlo (kMC) algorithm, which is capable of capturing the features of the thermal ALE of aluminum oxide. The kMC simulation provides an etch time for the given steady-state operating conditions, which are validated via comparison with available experimental results. Finally, data sets collected from the kMC simulation are used to train a feed-forward artificial neural network (FNN) model. The trained FNN model accurately predicts an etch time and dramatically reduces the computation time compared to the kMC simulation, thereby making it possible to carry out real-time, model-based operational parameter calculations. In addition, the trained FNN model can be used to establish a feasible range of operating conditions without demanding experimental work.
Transfer of Learning: Cognition, Instruction, and Reasoning

Transfer of learning refers to how previous learning influences current and future learning, and how past or current learning is applied or adapted to similar or novel situations. It is the neurocognitive mechanism underlying many phenomena and it acts as the basis of mental abstraction, analogical relations, classification, generalization, generic thinking, induction, invariance, isomorphic relations, logical inference, metaphor, and constructing mental models. The research on teaching for transfer clearly shows that for transfer to occur, the original learning must be repeatedly reinforced with multiple examples or similar concepts in multiple contexts, and on different levels and orders of magnitude. The history of science, invention, technology transfer, and everyday life is replete with people who are good at transfer. Many advances in science are made on the basis of a simple type of transfer. Transfer of learning creates creativity and learning itself and it helps to efficiently store, remember, integrate, process, and retrieve information.
Development and validation of an ELISA kit (YF MAC-HD) to detect IgM to yellow fever virus

Yellow fever virus (YFV) is endemic in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world, with around 180,000 human infections a year occurring in Africa. Serologic testing is the chief laboratory diagnostic means of identifying an outbreak and to inform the decision to commence a vaccination campaign. The World Health Organization disseminates the reagents for YFV testing to African reference laboratories, and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is charged with producing and providing these reagents. The CDC M-antibody capture ELISA is a 2-day test, requiring titration of reagents when new lots are received, which leads to inconsistency in testing and wastage of material. Here we describe the development of a kit-based assay (YF MAC-HD) based upon the CDC method, that is completed in approximately 3.5h, with equivocal samples being reflexed to an overnight protocol. The kit exhibits >90% accuracy when compared to the 2-day test. The kits were designed for use with a minimum of equipment and are stored at 4°C, removing the need for freezing capacity. This kit is capable of tolerating temporary sub-optimal storage conditions which will ease shipping or power outage concerns, and a shelf life of >6 months was demonstrated with no deterioration in accuracy. All reagents necessary to run the YF MAC-HD are included in the kit and are single-use, with 8 or 24 sample options per kit. Field trials are envisioned for the near future, which will enable refinement of the method. The use of the YF MAC-HD is anticipated to reduce materials wastage, and improve the quality and consistency of YFV serologic testing in endemic areas.
Managed Care Organizations' Assessment of Reimbursement for New Technology, Procedures, and Drugs

Managed care organizations must establish formal processes for the evaluation of new technology, procedures, and drugs to enhance the quality of health care delivered and to support coverage and utilization decision making. Evidence-based research and the results of controlled clinical trials are the preferred sources of outcomes data to support the safety and effectiveness of the technology, procedure, or drug under review. In addition to extensive literature review, the opinion of experts in the field and acceptance by the medical community are considered. Assessments of new technology and drugs are available for purchase from several vendors, and managed care organizations can adopt or modify such evaluations to develop medical coverage policies. The research community can assist third-party payers by conducting studies on practices that might lead to substantial, rather than marginal, improvement in health, pay particular attention to study design when randomized controlled studies are not possible, and include functional and behavioral measures in analysis of outcomes.
Solving problems with GCMs: General circulation models and their role in the climate modeling hierarchy

This chapter describes the general circulation models (GCMs) and their role in the climate modeling hierarchy. By considering a few climate problems on different time scales, it is illustrated that the general theory can be combined with powerful numerical tools to study successive bifurcations across the hierarchy of climate models, all the way from 0-D global or box models to 2- and 3-D models: atmospheric, oceanic, and coupled. The tools of analytical and numerical bifurcation theory can be applied only to 0-D thermohaline circulation (THC) models or 0- and 1-D climate models. Each bifurcation is associated with a specific linear instability of a relatively simple climate state—oscillatory in the case of Hopf bifurcations and purely exponential in the case of saddle-node or pitchfork bifurcations—where nonlinear saturation leads to more complicated climate behavior. GCMs—atmospheric, oceanic, and coupled—provide climate problem solutions that have the greatest spatiotemporal detail and the greatest degree of realism. Statistical tools, such as singular-spectrum analysis and other advanced spectral methods, have to be applied in parallel to the GCM simulations and to the relevant data sets.
Cytotoxicity of platelet activating factor and related alkyl- phospholipid analogs in human leukemia cells, polymorphonuclear neutrophils, and skin fibroblasts

A series of 11 alkyl-phospholipid analogs, structurally related to platelet activating factor (L-PAF), were analyzed for cytotoxic activity in human leukemic (HL-60) cells, human polymorphonuclear neutrophils, and Detroit 551 human skin fibroblasts. The order of selectiveness of the analogs in their cytotoxic response toward HL-60 cells in comparison to neutrophils is 1-alkyl-2-acetamide-GPC greater than 1-alkyl-2-methoxy-GPC greater than D-PAF greater than 1-acyl-2- lyso-GPC greater than 1-alkyl-2-lyso-GPC greater than L-PAF. A time- sequenced progression of events caused by the most potent cytotoxic alkyl-phospholipid analogs was characterized by (a) a rapid decrease in the cellular uptake and incorporation of 3H-thymidine into DNA that was detectable 4 hr after exposure to the analog, (b) a release of lactate dehydrogenase activity into the media at 8 hr after exposure, and (c) a decrease in cell number due to cell death that begins at 12 hr after exposure. Treatment of HL-60 cells with 1-alkyl-2-methoxy-GPC for 1 hr destroyed 40% of the cells after a subsequent 24-hr incubation period. The varied biologic activities of L-PAF, including how it affects serotonin release from platelets, blood pressure in rats, and cytotoxic responses in normal and leukemic cells, are discussed in relation to its D-enantiomer, 3-alkyl-2-acetyl-GPC, and the 2-acetamide analog. This report characterizes the kinetic events of the cellular responses in both normal and HL-60 cells in relation to the antineoplastic activities of unnatural ether-linked phospholipid analogs that are structurally related to L-PAF.
Fracture Methods in Cement Composites

Contoured double cantilever beams 24 in. (610 mm) long were tested to evaluate the fracture properties of asbestos cement, plain mortar and steel fiber reinforced mortar. The crack extension, the crack opening displacement (COD) and the crack opening of the cantilever’s arms at the loading points were experimentally recorded in function of applied loads. Several analytic and experimental techniques were used to determine the fracture properties of the materials including three different analytic approaches to determine the stress intensity factor, the compliance measured strain energy technique, the quasi-static energy measuring technique, and an energy measuring technique defined as the offset fracture energy that takes into consideration the permanent deformation at unloading. It is observed that all techniques give about the same result for asbestos cements. In applying the fracture energy techniques to mortar and fiber reinforced mortar it was found that the compliance measured energy and the quasi-static energy underestimate the true fracture energy of the materials while the offset energy technique gives more realistic results.
Cloning, expression, and characterization of the Escherichia coli K-12 rfaD gene.

Abstract The rfaD gene encodes ADP-L-glycero-D-mannoheptose-6-epimerase, an enzyme required for the biosynthesis of the lipopolysaccharide precursor ADP-L-glycerol-D-mannoheptose. The precise localization of the rfaD gene on a 1.3-kilobase SspI-HpaI fragment is reported. The rfaD gene and the flanking regions were completely sequenced. The location of the rfaD gene on the physical map of the Escherichia coli chromosome was determined. Primer extension studies were used to define the regulatory region of the rfaD gene. The cloned rfaD gene directed the synthesis of a 37,000-dalton polypeptide in several in vivo and in vitro expression systems. N-terminal analysis of purified ADP-L-glycero-D-mannoheptose-6-epimerase confirmed the first 34-amino-acid sequence deduced from the nucleotide sequence of the rfaD gene coding region. The primary structure of the rfaD protein contains the sequence fingerprint for the ADP-binding beta alpha beta fold at the N terminus.
Testing for Independence of Observations

The problem addressed in this chapter is one of testing whether a sequence of random variables x 1,…,x n are independent based on a set of observations x 1, …, x n of these random variables. One approach to this problem is to make an assumption about the distribution of the x i , both when they are independent and under the alternative that they are not independent, and test one hypothesis against the other. The simplest such pair of assumptions is that the x i are identically distributed as N(0, σ2) random variables and, in the case of dependence, that the dependence can be modeled as a first-order auto-regressive series wherein $$\begin{gathered} {{x}_{1}} = {{u}_{1}}, \hfill \\ {{x}_{i}} = \rho {{x}_{{i - 1}}} + {{u}_{i}},i = 2, \ldots ,n, \hfill \\ \end{gathered}$$ and the u i are independent N(0, σ2) random variables. The case ρ = 0 corresponds to the case in which the x i are independent N(0, σ2) random variables. Under the alternative hypothesis, C(x i , x i ) = ρ |i − j| and V x i = σ2(1 + ρ + … + ρ i − 1)= σ2(1 – ρ i )/(1 – ρ), so that the x i are not even identically distributed. Section 1 studies tests of this and more complex autoregressive models as alternatives to independence, both for a sequence of observations and for regression residuals.
Viscoelastic and engineering properties of poly(vinyl chloride) plasticized with polycaprolactone‐based polyurethanes

The plasticization of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) by polyurethanes made from polycaprolactone (PCL) diol and p.p′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) was investigated. By varying the PCL chain length and substituting with polyether chains such as poly(tetramethylene ether) (PTME) or poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), also of various chain lengths, the efficiency of plasticization was changed. High urethane content, such as obtained with PCL-530/MDI, decreased the miscibility of the polyurethane and PVC. Plasticizing efficiency of the polyurethanes, as indicated by transparency, flexibility, and engineering properties of the blend, increased on increasing the initial PCL chain length. However, polyurethanes containing very high-molecular-weight PCL (e.g., PCL-3000) slowly crystallized from a 50:50 blend with PVC. PVC/polyurethane ratio also had a significant effect on crystallization, as indicated by the rapid crystallization of PCL-2000/MDI polyurethane when it exceeded 50 wt % in the blend. The transparency and flexiblity of 50:50 blends were lowered by systematically replacing PVC-miscible PCL-2000 segments in the polyurethane with PTME-2000, PEO-200, and PEO-1500 segments. The polyurethanes became highly immiscible in PVC beyond the limiting mole fraction replacements of 0.6 for PTME-2000, 0.8 for PEO-200, and 0.4 for PEO-1500. Such chemical modification gave controlled and temperature-dependent miscibility in PVC and consequently blends with broadened glass transitions and high damping properties over a wide temperature range. Decreased miscibility in the blend gradually decreased elongation at break and tensile strength, but increased the modulus. A general correlation of the viscoelastic and tensile properties of the 50:50 blends with the weight fraction, rather than mole fraction, of the PCL content in the polyurethane composition was found; replacement of PCL beyond a limiting weight fraction by polyethers and MDI produced PVC-immiscible polyurethane. These limiting weight fractions are 0.6, 0.5, and 0.4 with PTME-2000, PEO-200, and PEO-1500, respectively, which denotes the order of decreasing miscibility of these polyurethanes in PVC. Viscoelastic and engineering properties of the blend with a particular polyurethane could also be controlled by varying the PVC/polyurethane ratio. Many of these semimiscible blends showed evidence by lower critical solution temperature (LCST) behavior at about −30°C, but complete cloud and point curves were not constructed.