cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The relative roles of vision and chemosensation in mate recognition of Drosophila melanogaster

Animals rely on sensory cues to classify objects in their environment and respond appropriately. However, the spatial structure of those sensory cues can greatly impact when, where, and how they are perceived. In this study, we examined the relative roles of visual and chemosensory cues in the mate recognition behavior of fruit flies ( Drosophila melanogaster ) by using a robotic fly dummy that was programmed to interact with individual males. By pairing male flies with dummies of various shapes, sizes, and speeds, or coated with different pheromones, we determined that visual and chemical cues play specific roles at different points in the courtship sequence. Vision is essential for determining whether to approach a moving object and initiate courtship, and males were more likely to begin chasing objects with the same approximate dimensions as another fly. However, whereas males were less likely to begin chasing larger dummies, once started, they would continue chasing for a similar length of time regardless of the dummy's shape. The presence of female pheromones on the moving dummy did not affect the probability that males would initiate a chase, but it did influence how long they would continue chasing. Male pheromone both inhibits chase initiation and shortens chase duration. Collectively, these results suggest that male Drosophila use different sensory cues to progress through the courtship sequence: visual cues are dominant when deciding whether to approach an object whereas chemosensory cues determine how long the male pursues its target.
The role of alternate hosts in the ecology and life history of Hematodinium sp., a parasitic dinoflagellate of the blue crab (Callinectes sapidus).

abstract: Hematodinium sp. infections are relatively common in some American blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) populations in estuaries of the western Atlantic Ocean. Outbreaks of disease caused by Hematodinium sp. can be extensive and can cause substantial mortalities in blue crab populations in high salinities. We examined several species of crustaceans to determine if the same species of Hematodinium that infects C. sapidus is found in other crustaceans from the same localities. Over a 2-yr period, 1,829 crustaceans were collected from the Delmarva Peninsula, Virginia, examined for the presence of infections. A portion of the first internal transcribed spacer (ITS1) region of the ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene complex from Hematodinium sp. was amplified and sequences were compared among 35 individual crustaceans putatively infected with the parasite, as determined by microscopic examination, and 4 crustaceans putatively infected based only on PCR analysis. Of the 18 crustacean species examined, 5 were infect...
Using Distraction-Conflict Theory to Measure the Effects of Distractions on Individual Task Performance in a Wireless Mobile Environment

Mobile wireless computing is changing the way in which people work. It is believed that mobile environments contain various distractions that can affect the performance of knowledge workers. This paper draws on distraction-conflict theory to propose a model that explains the effects of distraction on individual performance in a wireless mobile environment. Initial findings indicated that even a low-level distraction can lead to a reduction in performance. Our findings have important implications for organizations proposing wireless initiatives.
Farming without a recipe: Wisconsin graziers and new directions for agricultural science

Abstract From 2005 through 2008, we undertook a participatory research project involving graziers from 8 farms in Southern Wisconsin, all of whom practice management intensive grazing. We used semi-structured interviews and participant observation during research and field days to investigate graziers’ engagement with university research. Grazing farms demonstrate rich variability and individuality as a result of their position within a number of biophysical and social contexts. Graziers emphasized the importance of finding ways to work with the variables of their specific context, rather than trying to control that variability. This effort entails the development and use of local knowledge, as graziers respond to the idiosyncrasies of their farms. It also leads graziers to reject mainstream agricultural research that has produced formulas for agricultural uniformity. The picture of grazing that emerged from our interviews leads us to propose the search for agroecological principles and agroecological tools, embedded in context, as an alternative to conventional research. We argue that this proposal speaks to the greater conundrum of how to relate the general knowledge of science to the place-specific, experience-based knowledge of grass-based farmers.
A Major Human Oral Lysophosphatidic Acid Species, LPA 18:1, Regulates Novel Genes in Human Gingival Fibroblasts.

Background: The small bioactive lipid lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) plays critical roles in both normal physiology and inflammation in many systems. However, its actions are just beginning to be defined in oral biology and pathophysiology.Methods: Microarray analysis was used to test the hypothesis that human gingival fibroblasts (GFs) would show significant changes in wound-healing and inflammation-related gene transcripts in response to a major human salivary and gingival crevicular fluid LPA species, 18:1, and that they would express transcript for the major LPA-producing enzyme autotaxin. The microarray results were validated for three highly relevant upregulated inflammatory transcripts using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR). Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to assay time-dependent LPA species production by GFs.Results: LPA 18:1 significantly regulated 20 GF novel and 27 known genes linked to the control of inflammation (P ≤0.01). QRT-PCR val...
16.1: Invited Paper: Measurement Methods for Quality Control of Coating Uniformity in Solution-Processed OLED Displays

This paper will describe techniques and metrics for measuring and quantifying the uniformity of organic films used in solution-based OLED fabrication. Measurements of the uniformity in the physical parameters (such as thickness and topographic profile etc.) are described, as well as the uniformity in the final luminance of the display.
Hyperfine-structure and isotope-shift measurements on Dy i λ5988. 562 using high-resolution laser spectroscopy and an atomic beam*

The fluorescence pattern of λ5988 in Dy i has been examined using a sweepable, single-frequency dye laser incident on an atomic beam. The 23 resolved components are interpreted, and the hfs constants and J value of the upper level are assigned. The isotope shifts for the line, including those involving the odd isotopes, are evaluated.
Steady two-dimensional groundwater flow through many elliptical inhomogeneities

[1] A new analytic element solution has been derived for steady two-dimensional groundwater flow through an aquifer that contains an arbitrary number of elliptical inhomogeneities. The hydraulic conductivity of each inhomogeneity is homogeneous and differs from the conductivity of the homogeneous background. In addition to elliptical inhomogeneities, other elements (such as wells and line sinks) may be present. The method is based on a separable form of the solution for Laplace's differential equation in elliptical coordinates. The piezometric head and the stream function, expressed as continuous spatial functions (as components of the complex potential), may be obtained up to machine accuracy regardless of the shape, size, orientation, and conductivity of the elliptical inhomogeneities. Components of the discharge vector are expressed in a similar manner, using a complex discharge function. Problems with 10,000 or more inhomogeneities can be solved using parallel computing on distributed memory supercomputer clusters. Two examples are included to demonstrate the precision and capabilities of the method. The second example is used to perform a preliminary study of contaminant transport in a highly heterogeneous formation of lognormal conductivity distribution. The results of the transport study are compared with recent theoretical and numerical results that are based on circular inhomogeneities. The new results with elliptical inhomogeneities confirm the findings based on circular inhomogeneities, including a long dispersion setting time and a zero value of the asymptotic transverse dispersivity.
Programming fault-tolerant distributed applications in HOPS

The authors describe Honeywell Object-oriented Programming System (HOPS), which provides an environment for the development, execution and evaluation of fault-tolerant distributed software. HOPS provides an object-oriented programming language by extending Modula-2 with the language constructs required to support fault tolerance and distribution. Distribution is supported through a user-transparent remote-procedure-call facility. Fault tolerance is supported by allowing the specification of fault-tolerance mechanisms and policies on a per-object basis. >
Development of a Plasma Railgun for Affordable and Rapid Access to Space

Summary form only given. Research in the area of plasma armature railguns is currently underway at the Institute for Advanced Technology (IAT) as part of an Air Force MURI. The program is aimed at investigating the possible use of an electromagnetic launcher for the rapid and affordable launch of microsatellites (~1 to 10 kg) into low-earth orbit. In the experiment, the IAT is developing a plasma-driven railgun to launch low-mass projectiles of roughly 7 g to a velocity in excess of 7 km/s. To accomplish this goal requires overcoming the problem of bore ablation, which has been linked to an observed velocity ceiling of about 6 km/s in plasma armature launchers. Bore ablation is a direct consequence of the intense heat radiated by plasma armatures. Controlling bore ablation requires a coordinated approach that includes: 1. using magnetic augmentation to reduce power dissipation in the plasma, 2. using high-purity alumina insulators to raise the ablation resistance of the bore, 3. using pre-acceleration to prevent ablation of the bore materials at low velocity, and 4. using a synchronously driven, distributed power supply to electrically isolate stages. This paper describes the consequences of excessive bore ablation, the rationale for the IAT experiment, and results obtained from the hardware that has been designed and tested so far.
Nectar Sources for Larra bicolor (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae), a Parasitoid of Scapteriscus Mole Crickets (Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae), in Northern Florida

Larra bicolor (F.) (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) is an introduced biological control agent of pest Scapteriscus mole crickets (Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae) in northern Florida. The pests are of southern South American origin. Larra bicolor is widespread in South America; the imported stock is from Bolivia. Its adults seem to require nectar sources. In South America, Puerto Rico (where it was also introduced from Brazil), and southern Florida (a separate introduction from Puerto Rico), the neotropical wildflower Spermacoce verticillata L. (Rubiaceae) has been observed to be a favored nectar source. In northern Florida (29°N) this wildflower is uncommon, freezes to the ground at first winter frost, and does not flower again until April-May. Nevertheless, where it has been planted in northern Florida, the wasps feed on it throughout the warmer months. Wasps were observed to feed at nectaries of 10 other plant species in northern Florida. Four of these other plants were compared experimentally with S. verticillata, but all received fewer visits from the wasps. Known disadvantages to the use of S. verticillata to augment L. bicolor are that it is not native to Florida, and that it grows vigorously in full sun when its roots are not immersed in water. It has been reported as a minor weed in southern Florida. However, it is the best alternative to attract L. bicolor to places where mole cricket control is needed.
Abstract PL03-02: Inflammation-driven myeloid-derived suppressor cells: co-opting anti-tumor immunity to promote tumor progression

PL03-02 Inflammation facilitates tumor onset and promotes tumor progression through a variety of mechanisms. One of these mechanisms is by activating myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC), a population of cells that block anti-tumor immunity. MDSC are present in most patients and experimental animals with primary and/or metastatic cancer. They inhibit adaptive anti-tumor immunity by preventing the activation of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and by blocking innate immunity by inhibiting natural killer cell cytotoxicity and polarizing immunity towards a tumor-promoting type 2 phenotype. Because of their extreme immune suppressive activity, MDSC will be a significant impediment to active immunotherapy in patients with established malignancies. The accumulation and retention of MDSC are driven by multiple pro-inflammatory factors that arise from chronic inflammation and that are produced by malignant cells and by the tumor microenvironment. Multiple pro-inflammatory mediators, including IL-1β, IL-6, prostaglandin E2 (PGE-2), and the S100A8/A9 proteins, accentuate the accumulation and retention of MDSC in tumor-bearing individuals. IL-1β mediates its effects indirectly, while IL-6, PGE-2, and S100A8/A9 proteins appear to directly interact with MDSC through their respective receptors. In addition to increasing the T cell suppressive activity of MDSC, IL-1β increases the cross-talk between MDSC and macrophages. This cross-talk enhances a type 2 immune response that favors tumor progression by increasing MDSC production of IL-10 and decreasing macrophage production of IL-12. MDSC not only respond to these pro-inflammatory molecules, but they also exacerbate an inflammatory tumor microenvironment by synthesizing and secreting proinflammatory mediators, including the S100A8/A9 proteins. As a result, once induced and activated, MDSC maintain an autocrine feedback loop that sustains their levels in the blood, lymph nodes, and at tumor sites. Multiple approaches are being developed to block the induction/activation of MDSC. Since both IL-1β and S100A8/A9 activate MDSC through the NF-κB signaling pathway, drugs that target this pathway may reduce MDSC levels and be useful therapeutic agents in conjunction with active immunotherapy in cancer patients. (Supported by NIH R01CA84232, RO1CA115880) Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2008;1(7 Suppl):PL03-02.
Ab initio study of oxygen interstitial diffusion near Si : Hf O 2 interfaces

The tendency of oxygen interstitials to diffuse and segregate to the $\mathrm{Si}:\mathrm{Hf}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ interface is evaluated by performing first principles interstitial formation and migration energy calculations at various distances from the interface. A coherent $\mathrm{Si}:\mathrm{Hf}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ heterostructure based on monoclinic $\mathrm{Hf}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ was used in this study. These computations indicate that strong thermodynamic and kinetic driving forces exist for the segregation of oxygen interstitials to the interface, providing for a mechanism for the subsequent formation of $\mathrm{Si}{\mathrm{O}}_{x}$ interfacial phases.
PRIMARY GROUP INFLUENCE ON PARTY LOYALTY

Political science, like other fields of social inquiry, has had an enduring interest in questions of stability and change. This interest-until now principally expressed in studies of the rise and fall of institutions-has lately been focused increasingly upon individual and group behavior, in a search for the influences that hold men to their political beliefs and affiliations or cause them to shift about. Such influences are important not only for the study of voting and party membership, but for haute politique as well-for the great and dramatic questions surrounding political loyalty, conformity, deviation, apostasy, and other states of membership or disaffiliation. Although the research reported below concentrates on the former, it is our hope that it may also cast light upon the latter. It is concerned specifically with primary groups-those small, faceto-face, solidary, informal and enduring coteries that we commonly experience as family, friendship and occupational peer groups.
General strategy for the synthesis of rigid weak-link approach platinum(II) complexes: tweezers, triple-layer complexes, and macrocycles.

Air-stable, heteroligated platinum(II) weak-link approach (WLA) tweezer and triple-layer complexes that possess P,X–Aryl hemilabile ligands (P^ = Ph2PCH2CH2–, X = chalcoethers or amines) have been synthesized via the halide-induced ligand rearrangement (HILR) reaction, using a one-pot, partial chloride-abstraction method. The approach is general and works with a variety of phosphine-based hemilabile ligands; when a P,S–Ph ligand is used as the relatively strongly chelating ligand, heteroligated complexes are formed cleanly when an ether- (P,O–Ph), amine- (P,N–Ph2), or fluorinated thioether-based (P,S–C6F4H) hemilabile ligand is used as the weakly chelating counterpart. The HILR reaction has also been used to synthesize bisplatinum(II) macrocycles free of oligomeric material without having to resort to the high-dilution conditions typical for macrocycle synthesis. This approach is complementary to the traditional WLA to the synthesis of macrocyclic complexes which typically proceeds via fully closed, chlor...
Managing the Frontal Sinus in the Endoscopic Age: Has the Endoscope Changed the Algorithm?:

Management of fractures involving the frontal sinus seems to be more complex than merely obtaining an ideal reduction of the bony injuries. Multiple articles on the management of these fractures suggest that a great deal of controversy persists despite many years of surgical experience. The question posed in this article is whether or not the advent of endoscopic approaches has changed or should change the approaches/algorithms used in the management of these challenging fractures. It is the conclusion of these authors that endoscopic techniques can indeed allow us to change the algorithm for management of frontal sinus trauma. New algorithms are proposed that should provide guidance to craniomaxillofacial surgeons treating these injuries in the endoscopic age.
Correction to “Compositional Transient Stability Analysis of Multimachine Power Networks”

Claudio De Persis and Nima Monshizadeh have recently brought to our attention a mistake in the proof of [1, Theor. 2]. The purpose of this note is to explain this mistake and to correct the statement of [1, Theor. 2]. We refer the reader to [1] for notation and all of the symbols employed in this paper.
Social Anxiety and Cannabis-Related Impairment: The Synergistic Influences of Peer and Parent Descriptive and Injunctive Normative Perceptions

ABSTRACTObjectives: Cannabis users, especially socially anxious cannabis users, are influenced by perceptions of other's use. The present study tested whether social anxiety interacted with perceptions about peer and parent beliefs to predict cannabis-related problems. Methods: Participants were 148 (36.5% female, 60.1% non-Hispanic Caucasian) current cannabis users aged 18–36 (M = 21.01, SD = 3.09) who completed measures of perceived descriptive and injunctive norms, social anxiety, and cannabis use behaviors. Hierarchical multiple regressions were employed to investigate the predictive value of the social anxiety X parent injunctive norms X peer norms interaction terms on cannabis use behaviors. Results: Higher social anxiety was associated with more cannabis problems. A three-way interaction emerged between social anxiety, parent injunctive norms, and peer descriptive norms, with respect to cannabis problems. Social anxiety was positively related to more cannabis problems when parent injunctive norms w...
tRNAscan-SE On-line: integrating search and context for analysis of transfer RNA genes

High-throughput genome sequencing continues to grow the need for rapid, accurate genome annotation and tRNA genes constitute the largest family of essential, ever-present non-coding RNA genes. Newly developed tRNAscan-SE 2.0 has advanced the state-of-the-art methodology in tRNA gene detection and functional prediction, captured by rich new content of the companion Genomic tRNA Database. Previously, web-server tRNA detection was isolated from knowledge of existing tRNAs and their annotation. In this update of the tRNAscan-SE On-line resource, we tie together improvements in tRNA classification with greatly enhanced biological context via dynamically generated links between web server search results, the most relevant genes in the GtRNAdb and interactive, rich genome context provided by UCSC genome browsers. The tRNAscan-SE On-line web server can be accessed at http://trna.ucsc.edu/tRNAscan-SE/.
Do bacteria mutate to erythromycin resistance

The properties of erythromycin resistant staphylococcal strains obtained from clinical material and those so created in the laboratory are quite different. Thus, whilst clinical strains resistant to erythromycin have sometimes been obtained in large numbers after the lavish use of erythromycin (e.g. Forfar et al., 1966), the explanation for this cannot be based on laboratory experiments such as those described here. We must, therefore, consider other mechanisms. Resistance to most antibiotics, both in Staph, aureus and in Enterobacteriaceae, is thought to have arisen by the freak occurrence of resistant strains that contain genetic information enabling the cell to resist specific antibiotics.With the use of such antibiotics, there has been selection of these resistant isolates at the expense of sensitive organisms. There has also been a certain amount of ‘infection’ of sensitive bacteria with those genes (see Lacey, 1975a, b J. Such an explanation probably applies to erythromycin resistance in Staph, aure...
Regulation of AE2 mRNA expression in the cortical collecting duct by acid/base balance.

AE2 mRNA and protein is expressed in several nephron segments, one of which is the cortical collecting duct (CCD). However, the distribution of AE2 among the different cell types of the CCD and the...
Mechanical Genomics Identifies Diverse Modulators of Bacterial Cell Stiffness

Bacteria must maintain mechanical integrity to withstand the large osmotic pressure differential across the cell membrane and wall. Although maintaining mechanical integrity is critical for proper cellular function, a fact exploited by prominent cell-wall-targeting antibiotics, the proteins that contribute to cellular mechanics remain unidentified. Here, we describe a high-throughput optical method for quantifying cell stiffness and apply this technique to a genome-wide collection of ∼4,000 Escherichia coli mutants. We identify genes with roles in diverse functional processes spanning cell-wall synthesis, energy production, and DNA replication and repair that significantly change cell stiffness when deleted. We observe that proteins with biochemically redundant roles in cell-wall synthesis exhibit different stiffness defects when deleted. Correlating our data with chemical screens reveals that reducing membrane potential generally increases cell stiffness. In total, our work demonstrates that bacterial cell stiffness is a property of both the cell wall and broader cell physiology and lays the groundwork for future systematic studies of mechanoregulation.
Quantification of maxillary sinus accessibility via a middle meatal antrostomy.

OBJECTIVE To quantify maxillary sinus volume and mucosal surface area (SA) that is accessible endoscopically via a middle meatal antrostomy and to explore the financial implications of using multiple disposable instruments for this procedure. METHODS Eight cadaver maxillary sinuses configured with image guidance software were evaluated. In each sinus, a standard middle meatal antrostomy was created, through which curved microdebriders of 15, 40, 70, and 120° were placed. The SA and volume of the region accessible by each microdebrider tip was calculated. RESULTS Mean maxillary sinus volume was 16.5 ± 2.5 cm(3) and mean SA was 31.0 ± 2.3 cm(2). The 15, 40, 70 and 120° microdebriders accessed an average of 10, 25, 41, and 66%, respectively, of the SA, and of 2, 9, 17, and 36%, respectively, of the volume. There was a trend toward improved accessibility of the superior half versus the inferior half of the maxillary sinus. When instruments of different degrees were combined to maximize accessibility, 81% of the SA of the sinus could be accessed. CONCLUSIONS Microdebriders with increasing curvatures allowed for greater access of the maxillary sinus mucosa through an middle meatal antrostomy. No single microdebrider curvature or combination of curvatures reached the entirety of the maxillary sinus wall. Knowledge about the area of reach for these blades can lead to lower per procedure costs.
Reducing regional drought vulnerabilities and multi-city robustness conflicts using many-objective optimization under deep uncertainty

Abstract Emerging water scarcity concerns in many urban regions are associated with several deeply uncertain factors, including rapid population growth, limited coordination across adjacent municipalities and the increasing risks for sustained regional droughts. Managing these uncertainties will require that regional water utilities identify coordinated, scarcity-mitigating strategies that trigger the appropriate actions needed to avoid water shortages and financial instabilities. This research focuses on the Research Triangle area of North Carolina, seeking to engage the water utilities within Raleigh, Durham, Cary and Chapel Hill in cooperative and robust regional water portfolio planning. Prior analysis of this region through the year 2025 has identified significant regional vulnerabilities to volumetric shortfalls and financial losses. Moreover, efforts to maximize the individual robustness of any of the mentioned utilities also have the potential to strongly degrade the robustness of the others. This research advances a multi-stakeholder Many-Objective Robust Decision Making (MORDM) framework to better account for deeply uncertain factors when identifying cooperative drought management strategies. Our results show that appropriately designing adaptive risk-of-failure action triggers required stressing them with a comprehensive sample of deeply uncertain factors in the computational search phase of MORDM. Search under the new ensemble of states-of-the-world is shown to fundamentally change perceived performance tradeoffs and substantially improve the robustness of individual utilities as well as the overall region to water scarcity. Search under deep uncertainty enhanced the discovery of how cooperative water transfers, financial risk mitigation tools, and coordinated regional demand management must be employed jointly to improve regional robustness and decrease robustness conflicts between the utilities. Insights from this work have general merit for regions where adjacent municipalities can benefit from cooperative regional water portfolio planning.
The Implications of Variation for Testing in a Software Product Line.

Software product lines exhibit variation in various sizes and degrees, everything from changing the scope of the product line to assigning values to specific variables in code. A software product line exhibits this variation in both space and time. In fact there are two dimensions of time that are interesting: product creation time and variation resolution time. The variability model is a significant artifact in a software product line. The information in this model makes a significant contribution to how the software products are tested. Using recent advances in model-driven transformations, it is possible to automatically generate specialized tools for development and testing from product line-specific meta-models using feature models as the product specification mechanism. In this paper we present our initial ideas and identify some issues about developing effective test tools for a product line related to the variations in the product line.
Complement Activation in a Murine Model of Sickle Cell Disease: Inhibition of Vaso-Occlusion By Blocking C5 Activation

Introduction Innate immune complement activation may contribute to sickle cell disease (SCD) pathogenesis. The alternative complement pathway is abnormally activated in SCD and is additionally activated by phosphatidylserine (PS) on the outer leaflet of SS-red blood cells (SS-RBC). PS on the surface of SS-RBC and activated platelets accelerates the assembly of prothrombinase complexes leading to generation of thrombin, which can cleave circulating C5 protein into two biologically active fragments, C5a and C5b. C5a is an anaphylatoxin, a potent pro-inflammatory mediator, that can activate leukocytes, platelets, and endothelial cells, all of which play a role in vaso-occlusion (VO). Active C5b fragments stimulate the formation of membrane attack complexes (MAC) on SS-RBC that increases their susceptibility to lysis. We hypothesize that complement activation on the surface of SS-RBC may stimulate VO and RBC turnover in SCD . Methods and Results Whole blood from Townes-AA, -AS, and -SS mice (n=4) was collected in EDTA and RBC were immunostained with erythroid specific anti-Ter119 (Ly-76) IgG conjugated to PE-Cy7, anti-C5b-9 (MAC) IgG conjugated to Alexa Fluor 647, and anti-C3 (also specific for activation fragments C3b, iC3b, C3d and C3dg) IgG conjugated to PE. The percentages of Ter119-positive RBC that were positive for MAC were 6.3%, 6.5%, and 26.0% for AA-, AS-, and SS-RBCs, respectively (p 2 , followed by reoxygenation for 4 hours in room air). Percent microvascular stasis (% non-flowing venules) in the subcutaneous venules in the dorsal skin fold chamber window was measured using intravital microscopy at 1 and 4 hours post-hypoxia. Percent stasis was significantly lower in the Townes-SS mice receiving anti-C5 IgG or annexin V than the mice receiving the isotype control IgG at 1 and 4 hours post-hypoxia (Figure 1, means ± SD, *p Conclusions These results demonstrate an increased percentage of SS-RBC expressing MAC on their surface and inhibition of H/R-induced stasis with anti-C5 IgG. However, circulating C5a levels were not different between untreated Townes-AA, -AS, or -SS mice suggesting that C5a is not chronically elevated in SCD. Rather, the generation of C5a may occur locally and in the acute setting. Current studies underway are examining the effects of anti-C5 IgG on MAC deposition and RBC half-lives; the mechanism(s) of complement activation in SCD mice (classical, alternative, tic-over, etc); the ability of recombinant murine C5a to induce stasis; and complement activation markers on RBC and in plasma from SCD patients and controls. Disclosures Chen: Imara: Research Funding. Belcher: Imara: Research Funding; CSL-Behring: Research Funding. Vercellotti: Imara: Research Funding; CSL-Behring: Research Funding.
Forward osmosis promoted in-situ formation of struvite with simultaneous water recovery from digested swine wastewater

Abstract Livestock wastewater contains a large amount of nutrients that are available for recovery. In this study, a proof of concept process based on forward osmosis (FO) was proposed and investigated for in situ formation of struvite from digested swine wastewater. This FO system took advantage of a drawback – reverse solute flux (RSF) and used the reverse-fluxed Mg2+ for struvite precipitation, thereby accomplishing recovery of both water and nutrient. With 0.5 M MgCl2 as a draw solution, high-purity struvite formed spontaneously in the feed solution and the water flux through the FO membrane reached 3.12 LMH. The precipitated struvite was characterized and exhibited a similar composition to that of commercial struvite. The FO system achieve >50% water recovery and >93% ammonium nitrogen removal from the digested swine wastewater; in particular, it obtained >99% phosphate recovery, much higher than 60.7% removal via direct MgCl2 addition (without FO treatment). The recovered products (both struvite and water) could potentially generate a value of 1.35 $ m−3. The results of this study have demonstrated the feasibility of nutrient recovery from livestock wastewater promoted by FO treatment.
Regulation of Luteinizing Hormone Receptor mRNA Expression in the Ovary: The Role of miR-122

The expression of luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR) in the mammalian ovary is regulated in response to changes in the secretion of follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone by the anterior pituitary, at least in part, through posttranscriptional mechanisms. The steady-state levels of LHR mRNA are maintained by controlling its rate of degradation by an RNA-binding protein designated as LHR mRNA-binding protein (LRBP). LRBP forms a complex with LHR mRNA and targets it for degradation in the p bodies. miR-122, an 18 nucleotide noncoding RNA, regulates the expression of LRBP. Thus, the levels of miR-122 determine the cellular levels of LHR mRNA expression. This phenomenon has been examined during the induction of LHR mRNA expression that occurs during follicle maturation in response to rising levels of FSH. In this situation, miR-122 and LRBP levels decrease as LHR mRNA expression undergoes downregulation in response to preovulatory LH surge. miR-122 expression as well as LRBP levels show robust increases. The mechanism of induction of LRBP by miR-122 has also been discussed.
Drawing the krtań: Laryngeal alternations in Polish

Polish exhibits the cross-linguistically common processes of final devoicing and voice assimilation. Notably, these target not only obstruents and obstruent clusters, but also certain obstruent-sonorant clusters. This paper argues for an analysis in Harmonic Serialism where sonorants acquire laryngeal nodes, thereby becoming susceptible to the same constraints that act on obstruents. There is an asymmetry between OS#O clusters, which show assimilation, and O#SO clusters, which do not. The analysis captures this asymmetry with positional faithfulness constraints on word-initial sonorants. The analysis also straightforwardly models other patterns in Polish and neatly captures a dialectal difference between Warsaw and Cracow Polish with a single constraint reranking.
Does Marijuana Contribute to Intimate Partner Aggression? Temporal Effects in a Community Sample of Marijuana-Using Couples

Objective:Although patterns of marijuana use are positively associated with intimate partner aggression, there is little evidence that episodes of marijuana use contribute to the occurrence of epis...
Survival after Aortic Valve Replacement for Aortic Regurgitation: Prediction from Preoperative Contractility Measurement.

Background: Noninvasive measurement of myocardial contractility (end-systolic wall stress-adjusted change in left ventricular ejection fraction from rest to exercise [ΔLVEF – ΔESS]) predicts heart failure, subnormal LVEFrest, and sudden death in asymptomatic patients with chronic severe aortic regurgitation (AR). Here we assess the relation of preoperative ΔLVEF – ΔESS to survival after aortic valve replacement (AVR). Methods: Patients who underwent AVR for chronic, isolated, pure severe AR (n = 66) were followed for 13.0 ± 6.4 event-free years. Preoperative ΔLVEF – ΔESS (from combined echocardiographic and radionuclide cineangiographic data) enabled cohort stratification into 3 terciles (–1 to –11% [normal or mild] contractility deficit, –12 to –16% [moderate], and ≤–17% [severe], identical with segregation in our earlier study) to relate preoperative contractility to postoperative survival and to age- and gender-matched US census data. Results: Since AVR, 22 patients died (average annual risk [AAR] for all-cause mortality for the entire co hort = 3.15%). Preoperative ΔLVEF – ΔESS predicted postoperative survival (p = 0.009, log rank test). By contractility terciles, all-cause AARs were 1.44, 2.58, and 6.40%. Survival was lower than among US census comparators (p < 0.02), but the “mild” tercile was indistinguishable from census data (p = ns). By multivariable Cox regression, survival prediction by pre-AVR ΔLVEF – ΔESS was independent of, and superior to, prediction by age at surgery, gender, preoperative functional class, LVEFrest, LVEFexercise, change in LVEFrest to exercise, and LV diastolic or systolic dimensions (p ≤ 0.01, pre-AVR ΔLVEF – ΔESS vs. other covariates). Conclusion: In severe AR, preoperative contractility predicts post-AVR survival and may be prognostically superior to clinical, geometric and performance descriptors, potentially impacting on patient selection for surgery.
Collective Behaviors in Mobile Internet Access: An Exchange-Based Approach

To identify impact evaluations on the effectiveness of ICTD interventions, we conducted a systematic search and screening that identiaed 253 studies. We present our results in an evidence map that shows the amount of evidence for each of 11 intervention categories across nine development sectors. We and large amounts of evidence for some intervention categories and little to no evidence in others. Roughly 80% of the ICTD impact evaluations use randomized assignment, suggesting a relatively low risk of bias across the evidence base. At the same time, roughly 80% evaluate pilot implementations instead of programs, raising questions about how useful the evidence is for informing programs at scale. Less than 20% of studies report costs, limiting our ability to assess cost effectiveness. We make four recommendations to improve the evidence base.
Fixed-Point Implementation of Discrete Hirschman Transform

Digital Signal Processing (DSP) performs a very important role in various engineering applications, e.g. communications, control, imaging, audio, and radar. In many situations it is necessary to perform DSP with high accuracy using the least amount of hardware resources on fixed-point processors. This work looks into an approach to calculate the two-dimensional Discrete Hirschman Transform (DHT) and the inverse DHT using fixed-point processing hardware. The complex coefficients required for the transform are pre-calculated and stored as vectors. Special attention is given to minimizing errors due to scaling. The Mean Square Error (MSE) for $256\times 256$ images is-37 dB when the number of sampling points is 128. This compares to an MSE of $-34 \mathrm{d}\mathrm{B}$ for the DFT under the same constraints. The error gets proportionally lower when the number of sampling points chosen is less than 128.
Morphological image processing for multiscale analysis of super-resolution ultrasound images of tissue microvascular networks

Diabetes is a major disease and known to impair microvascular recruitment due to insulin resistance. Previous quantifications of the changes in microvascular networks at the capillary level were being performed with either full or manually selected region-of-interests (ROIs) from super-resolution ultrasound (SR-US) images. However, these approaches were imprecise, time-consuming, and unsuitable for automated processes. Here we provided a custom software solution for automated multiscale analysis of SR-US images of tissue microvascularity patterns. An Acuson Sequoia 512 ultrasound (US) scanner equipped with a 15L8-S linear array transducer was used in a nonlinear imaging mode to collect all data. C57BL/6J male mice fed standard chow and studied at age 13-16 wk comprised the lean group (N = 14), and 24-31 wk-old mice who received a high-fat diet provided the obese group (N = 8). After administration of a microbubble (MB) contrast agent, the proximal hindlimb adductor muscle of each animal was imaged (dynamic contrast-enhanced US, DCE-US) for 10 min at baseline and again at 1 h and towards the end of a 2 h hyperinsulinemiceuglycemic clamp. Vascular structures were enhanced with a multiscale vessel enhancement filter and binary vessel segments were delineated using Otsu’s global threshold method. We then computed vessel diameters by employing morphological image processing methods for quantitative analysis. Our custom software enabled automated multiscale image examination by defining a diameter threshold to limit the analysis at the capillary level. Longitudinal changes in AUC, IPK, and MVD were significant for lean group (p < 0.02 using Full-ROI and p < 0.01 using 150 μm-ROI) and for obese group (p < 0.02 using Full-ROI, p < 0.03 using 150 μm-ROI). By eliminating large vessels from the ROI (above 150 μm in diameter), perfusion parameters were more sensitive to changes exhibited by the smaller vessels, that are known to be more impacted by disease and treatment.
Perceived Firm-specific versus Task-specific Human Capital and Turnover Intention

This paper examines how employee perceptions of firm-specific human capital and task-specific human capital differ in association with turnover intention, especially depending upon the distinctive ...
The “tribal spirit” in modern Britain: evolution, nationality, and race in the anthropology of Sir Arthur Keith

This article re-examines the anthropological scholarship of Sir Arthur Keith (1866–1955), who served as the president of the Royal Anthropological Institute (1914–1917), the Royal Anatomical Societ...
High Precision On-Line Impedance Measurement for a Li-Ion battery

This paper presents a highly precise battery impedance measurement algorithm. The proposed algorithm consists of fast Fourier transformations, peak, and phase difference estimations. Additional offset clipping and amplifying circuits expand the range of the signal measurement. An opamp based offset clipping circuit increases the ac ripple to DC voltage ratio without phase delay. Amplifying circuit gives more resolution to the ripple voltage. These proposed instrumentation ensure the precise measurement of ripple voltage and current. The proposed algorithm determines the peak magnitude of ripple voltage with tolerance of 0.12mV, and the phase difference tolerance is 0.2%. To validate the proposed approach, a 40Ah 13.6V Li-Ion battery charger was built using a Opal-RT controller, a synchronous buck converter, and offset clipping and amplifying circuits.
Urology Residents' Experience With Simulation: Initial Evaluation of MRI/US Fusion Biopsy Workshop.

ABSTRACT Objective To evaluate our initial experience with a multi-institutional workshop model of MRI/US fusion biopsy simulation for resident education. Methods Residents from 6 Chicago area urology programs participated in a MRI/US fusion biopsy workshop, which incorporated a 30 minute didactic session followed by hands-on simulation. The workshop was facilitated by fellowship-trained university faculty members and company representatives of MRI/US fusion technologies who provided teaching assistance and verbal feedback. Participants completed pre- and post-test nonvalidated 4-item questionnaires graded on a Likert scale. Information on resident prior experience with TRUS and MRI/US fusion biopsies was also collected. Pre-and postquestionnaires were compared with paired t tests for each survey domain (P Results Thirty-three residents (PGY 1-6, median PGY 3) participated in the workshop. 13 (40.6%) residents reported performing between 51 and 100 TRUS biopsies previously. Twenty-one (65.6%) reported being familiar with PIRADS v2 interpretation of prostate MR imaging, however 17 (53.1%) had never previously performed a MRI/US fusion biopsy. Analysis of pre- and post-test questionnaires showed significant increases in all 4 survey domains (P Conclusion This workshop model which combines didactics followed by hands-on simulation training is an effective method for increasing the knowledge and familiarity with MRI/US fusion biopsy of trainees.
Elevated Synovial Fluid Concentration of Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 and Interleukin-8 in Dogs with Osteoarthritis of the Stifle

Chemokines such as monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) have been shown to cause monocyte and natural killer cell chemotaxis and polymorphonuclear cell chemotaxis, respectively. Additionally, MCP-1 signalling has been implicated in modulating pain. Elevated synovial fluid concentrations of MCP-1 and IL-8 have been demonstrated in humans with osteoarthritis, but currently there are no studies evaluating synovial MCP-1 or IL-8 concentrations in dogs. Additionally, there are no canine studies evaluating the correlation between these chemokines and caregiver perceived pain and mobility, as measured by the clinical metrology instrument, Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs. This study documented elevated synovial fluid concentrations of IL-8 and MCP-1 in the stifle of dogs with secondary osteoarthritis compared with normal stifles. However, this study found no correlation between MCP-1 or IL-8 and Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs or radiographic severity of osteoarthritis.
Black hole memory

The memory effect at null infinity, I+, can be defined in terms of the permanent relative displacement of test particles (at leading order in 1/r) resulting from the passage of a burst of gravitational radiation. In D=4 spacetime dimensions, the memory effect can be characterized by the supertranslation relating the “good cuts” of I+ in the stationary eras at early and late retarded times. It also can be characterized in terms of charges and fluxes associated with supertranslations. Black hole event horizons are in many ways analogous to I+. We consider here analogous definitions of memory for a black hole, assuming that the black hole is approximately stationary at early and late advanced times, so that its event horizon is described by a Killing horizon (assumed nonextremal) at early and late times. We give prescriptions for defining preferred foliations of nonextremal Killing horizons. We give a definition of the memory tensor for a black hole in terms of the “permanent relative displacement” of the null geodesic generators of the event horizon between the early and late time stationary eras. We show that preferred foliations of the event horizon in the early and late time eras are related by a Chandrasekaran-Flanagan-Prabhu (CFP) supertranslation. However, we find that the memory tensor for a black hole horizon does not appear to be related to the CFP symmetries or their charges and fluxes in a manner similar to that occurring at I+.
Study on Hardware-in-the-loop Model and Low Voltage Ride-through Characteristics of Photovoltaic Power Station

In order to prevent large-scale disconnection accidents of photovoltaic power stations caused by voltage fluctuations and faults in power grids, low voltage ride-through characteristics and other detection tests are needed when photovoltaic power stations are connected to power grids. At present, field test and type test are the main methods of detection, but due to the limitation of detection devices and test conditions, the evaluation of low voltage ride-through characteristics of photovoltaic power stations still remains in the single-machine detection mode, which ignores the interaction between photovoltaic inverters and inverters, inverters and static var generator(SVG) devices. The test results cannot truly reflect the low voltage traversing characteristics of the photovoltaic power stations. Using RT-LAB hardware-in-the-loop simulation platform, real photovoltaic inverters and SVG controllers are introduced to build simulation models of photovoltaic power stations. The differences between single-machine detection of photovoltaic inverters and reactive power compensation devices and low-voltage ride-through characteristics detection of the whole station are compared and studied. The simulation results show that, compared with the stand-alone test, the whole station simulation modeling test method can reflect the voltage rise caused by the reactive power characteristics of photovoltaic inverters and SVG devices after the drop, and more truly reflect the low voltage traversing characteristics of photovoltaic power stations.