cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of N-1 and N-2 residues on peptide deamidation rate in solution and solid state.

The deamidation kinetics of 7 model peptides (VYPNGA, VYGNGA, VFGNGA, VIGNGA, VGGNGA, VGPNGA, and VGYNGA) were studied at 70°C in pH 10 buffer solutions and at 70°C and 50% relative humidity in lyophilized solid formulations containing polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP). The disappearance of the model peptides from solution and solid-state formulations followed apparent first-order kinetics, proceeding to completion in solution. In the solid state, the reactions showed plateaus with ≈10% to 30% of the model peptides remaining; this was thought to be due to reversible complexation of the peptides and the PVP followed by slow dissociation of the complexes. The residues immediately N-terminal to asparagine (N-1, N-2) influenced the rate of deamidation significantly in the solid state but had minimal effect in solution. Increases in the volume and hydrophobicity of the N-1 and N-2 residues decreased the rate of deamidation in the solid state, but neither parameter alone adequately accounted for the observed effects. An empirical model using a linear combination of volume and hydrophobicity was developed; it showed that the influences of the volume and the hydrophobicity of the residues in the N-1 and N-2 positions are approximately equally important for the N-1 and N-2 residues.
On the asymptotic stability of boundary trajectories

For a class of dynamical systems, it is shown that trajectories which remain on the boundary of a non-empty, connected subset of a reachable set must be asymptotically stable. Using this result and a reachability maximum principle, we obtain a control law which will drive the system from the origin to the boundary of the reachable set for a class of two-dimensional linear control systems. Using this control law, the reachable set is easily constructed.
Charles Abrams and the Problem of a “Business Welfare State”

During the past two decades, sociologists, political scientists, and historians have been increasingly interested in the development of modern states and their administrative structures. By focusing on specific policies and government agencies, these scholars have provided various frameworks for understanding the growth of the American state in the twentieth century, especially during the New Deal and the 1940s. One issue that has received scant attention, though, is housing policies. Public housing, federally insured home mortgages, and tax policies that privileged home owners were significant state interventions that profoundly affected economic relationships and the formation of social policy. Housing policies therefore need to be seen as part of larger economic and political developments.
Oxygen Incorporation during Low Temperature Chemical Vapor Deposition Growth of Epitaxial Silicon Films

We have studied the incorporation kinetics of oxygen during the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) growth of epitaxial silicon and silicon-germanium layers at temperatures between 700 and 750 o C. In this temperature range, the incorporation of oxygen into the growing film is a kinetically driven process and is not governed by equilibrium conditions. Oxygen concentrations exceeding the solid solubility for interstitial oxygen in silicon can be incorporated into the epitaxial layers. We determine an effective sticking probability for oxygen on the surface of silicon under CVD growth conditions and find it to be 100 times lower than that found in ultrahigh vacuum experiments
Probing the structure of the core light-harvesting complex (LH1) of Rhodopseudomonas viridis by dissociation and reconstitution methodology.

A subunit complex was formed from the core light-harvesting complex (LH1) of bacteriochlorophyll(BChl)-b-containing Rhodopseudomonas viridis. The addition of octyl glucoside to a carotenoid-depleted Rps. viridis membrane preparation resulted in a subunit complex absorbing at 895 nm, which could be quantitatively dissociated to free BChl b and then reassociated to the subunit. When carotenoid was added back, the subunit could be reassociated to LH1 with a 25% yield. Additionally, the Rps. viridis α- and β-polypeptides were isolated, purified, and then reconstituted with BChl b. They formed a subunit absorbing near 895 nm, similar to the subunit formed by titration of the carotenoid depleted membrane, but did not form an LH1-type complex at 1015 nm. The same results were obtained with the β-polypeptide alone and BChl b. Isolated polypeptides were also tested for their interaction with BChl a. They formed subunit and LH1-type complexes similar to those formed using polypeptides isolated from BChl-a-containing bacteria but displayed 6–10 nm smaller red shifts in their long-wavelength absorption maxima. Thus, the larger red shift of BChl-b-containing Rps. viridis is not attributable solely to the protein structure. The β-polypeptide of Rps. viridis differed from the other β-polypeptides tested in that it could form an LH1-type complex with BChl a in the absence of the α- and γ-polypeptides. It apparently contains the necessary information required to assemble into an LH1-type complex. When the γ-polypeptide was tested in reconstitution with BChl a and BChl b with the α- and β-polypeptides, it had no effect; its role remains undetermined.
HOW SCIENCE CAN HELP RELIGION BENEFIT SOCIETY

Abstract. Modern science has given us a revolutionary new understanding of the close interrelationship and interdependence of humans not only with all other humans but with all other living species and with the nonliving elements of the geosphere and the rest of the universe. This new understanding can provide a basis for new understandings of (1) the basic nature of religion, (2) the basic principles of major world religious traditions, and (3) the basic principles of religious ethics. The new understanding of religious ethics will involve a better understanding of our rights and responsibilities, as individuals and groups, with respect to other individuals and groups of humans, other living species, and the nonliving universe. This improved understanding will benefit not only human individuals and human societies, local and global, but also local and global ecosystems.
Solute Transport in Sediments by a Large Freshwater Oligochaete,Branchiura sowerbyi

Laboratory experiments using the radionuclide 22Na as a solute tracer were conducted in microcosms containing the freshwater tubificid oligochaete, Branchiura sowerbyi, to determine the exchange of...
Differences in prevalence and severity of coronary artery calcification between two non-Hispanic white populations with diverse lifestyles.

Background Comparison of atherosclerosis and its risk factors among diverse populations may provide insights into the pathogenesis of the disease. We investigated differences in traditional coronary artery disease (CAD) risk factors and presence and quantity of coronary artery calcification (CAC), a marker of subclinical coronary atherosclerosis, between two diverse non-Hispanic white populations living in the US.
A finite-patch model of a flexible plate via Kane's dynamics

Military hardware must undergo extensive shock-response analysis to predict survivability to mechanical shock. Although finite element modeling is commonly used to model such hardware, alternative methods which offer the possibility of shorter modeling, modification, or simulation times continue to be desirable. This research effort applies Kane's dynamics to the problem of plate modeling, toward shock-response analysis of homogeneous plates having various geometries and boundary conditions. Analytical equations of motion are found for a continuous flexible plate that is discretised in checkerboard fashion as a patchwork of rigid rectangular patches connected by flexible springs and damped modally. A MATLAB implementation is used to validate the model against pertinent analytical and numerical benchmark analyses, for a variety of boundary conditions. The model is then reduced by applying non-holonomic constraints directly using Kane's method, and revalidated via MATLAB for a rectangular plate in simple support.
Seroconversion to Human Herpesvirus 6 following Liver Transplantation Is a Marker of Cytomegalovirus Disease

Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) infection is common after transplantation; HHV-6 is known to interact with other viruses and induce immunosuppression. Whether HHV-6 plays a role in the occurrence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection after transplantation was investigated. In a cohort of 247 liver transplant recipients, HHV-6 seroconversion was identified as a significant risk factor for development of symptomatic CMV infection (P < .001), including CMV organ involvement (P < .001), even in the presence of the other significant risk factors: D+/R- CMV serologic status (P < .001) or use of OKT3 after transplantation (P = .002). Subgroup analysis indicated that HHV-6 seroconversion was significantly associated with symptomatic CMV infection in the D+/R+ but not in the D+/R- CMV serologic group (P < .001 and P = .11, respectively). These results indicate that HHV-6 seroconversion is a marker for CMV disease after transplantation and suggest that additional studies using more sensitive diagnostic techniques are warranted to determine the relationship between HHV-6 and CMV infection after transplantation.
Nonlinear stability criteria for tree-like structures composed of branched elastic rods

New necessary conditions for the nonlinear stability of branched tree-like structures composed of elastic rods are presented. The conditions, which are found by examining the second variation of an energy functional, are established by extending Legendre9s classical work on this topic. For the branched tree-like structures of interest in this paper, one of the new necessary conditions is the existence of a bounded solution to a set of Riccati equations, which are coupled at branching points. In addition, a set of new necessary conditions are established in the event that the abscissa of the branching point is not fixed. The results are illustrated using a range of examples featuring planar configurations of branched elastic rods where each of the individual rods is modelled using Euler9s theory of the elastica.
Contact-aware nonlinear control of dynamic characters

Dynamically simulated characters are difficult to control because they are underactuated---they have no direct control over their global position and orientation. In order to succeed, control policies must look ahead to determine stabilizing actions, but such planning is complicated by frequent ground contacts that produce a discontinuous search space. This paper introduces a locomotion system that generates high-quality animation of agile movements using nonlinear controllers that plan through such contact changes. We demonstrate the general applicability of this approach by emulating walking and running motions in rigid-body simulations. Then we consolidate these controllers under a higher-level planner that interactively controls the character's direction.
A Dirac algebraic approach to supersymmetry

The power of the Dirac algebra is illustrated through the Kahler correspondence between a pair of Dirac spinors and a 16-component bosonic field. The SO(5, 1) group acts on both the fermion and boson fields, leading to a supersymmetric equation of the Dirac type involving all these fields.
How do the new WHO discharge criteria for the treatment of severe acute malnutrition affect the performance of therapeutic feeding programmes? New evidence from India

To assesses how the introduction of new WHO discharge criteria for the treatment of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) may affect the performance of therapeutic feeding programmes in India. The analysis concerns 6041 children admitted to Nutrition Rehabilitation Centers (NRCs) in Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh between 1 July 2009 and 31 December 2011. A total of 217 children (3.6%) had bilateral pitting oedema, 1803 (29.8%) had severe wasting with medical complications, 4021 (66.6%) had uncomplicated severe wasting and 4810 (79.7%) were in the age group 6–23 months old. The programme has high survival (>99%), default (⩾15%) and discharge (>75%) rates. The use of weight gain ⩾15% as recovery criteria (old criteria) translates into recovery rates in NRCs that range from 33.6% for children admitted with weight-for-height z-score (WHZ) ⩽−3 to 35.2% for children admitted with mid-upper-arm circumference (MUAC) <115 mm. The use of WHZ ⩾−2 as recovery criteria reduces recovery rates by ~2-fold (17.5%) while the use of MUAC ⩾125 mm as recovery criteria reduces recovery rates by 3.5-fold (10%). The new criteria tends to keep longer in the programme children who are younger and/or have poorer anthropometry at admission (that is, more vulnerable). The new WHO discharge criteria reduce the recovery rates currently reported by programmes for the treatment of children with SAM in India. However, their introduction in the programme practice will increase programme impact—particularly if accompanied by a general improvement in the strategy and protocols currently used—as they prioritize the most vulnerable children.
Longitudinal control of Jovian magnetopause motion

The magnetopause crossings of the Pioneer 10 and 11 spacecraft in Jovian magnetic coordinates (system III) are largely restricted in longitude to one hemisphere of Jupiter. This hemisphere is the one that has been identified by Vasyliunas (1975) as the 'active hemisphere'. This finding is interpreted as indicating that the magnetopause of the active hemisphere moves inward and outward with a radial speed that is typically faster than that of the inactive hemisphere.
The predictive power of narrative data in occupational therapy evaluation.

OBJECTIVE This study examined whether adding the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) to existing occupational therapy evaluation measures used in a subacute skilled nursing facility unit enhanced the accuracy of therapists' predictions of the functional status of clients at discharge. METHOD This study utilized a prospective comparison design. Two independent predictive variables were developed using the standard Functional Independent Measure (FIM), and an enhanced FIM that included narrative information from the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (FIM/COPM). These variables were subsequently compared with the actual FIM discharge (DFIM) scores for 31 clients. The primary author (D.S.) gathered data from chart review and conducted the statistical analysis. The data were analyzed using descriptive correlations (Pearson r) and comparison statistics (Wilcoxon signed rank test). RESULTS Comparison statistics (Wilcoxon signed rank test) revealed a statistically significant difference between the standard FIM predictive score and the discharge FIM score. No statistically significant difference was found between the FIM/COPM predictive score and the discharge FIM score. These findings suggest that predictive scores based solely on information attained from the standard FIM resulted in less accuracy in outcome predictions. Correlational analyses further supported these conclusions. CONCLUSION The findings support the study hypothesis that use of the COPM in combination with the FIM enhances accuracy in prediction of outcomes for rehabilitative services for persons in adult physical disabilities settings.
Forest carbon management in the United States: 1600-2100

This paper reviews the effects of past forest management on carbon stocks in the United States, and the challenges for managing forest carbon resources in the 21st century. Forests in the United States were in approximate carbon balance with the atmosphere from 1600-1800. Utilization and land clearing caused a large pulse of forest carbon emissions during the 19th century, followed by regrowth and net forest carbon sequestration in the 20th century. Recent data and knowledge of the general behavior of forests after disturbance suggest that the rate of forest carbon sequestration is declining. A goal of an additional 100 to 200 Tg C/yr of forest carbon sequestration is achievable, but would require investment in inventory and monitoring, development of technology and practices, and assistance for land managers.
Optodynamic simulation of β-adrenergic receptor signalling

Optogenetics has provided a revolutionary approach to dissecting biological phenomena. However, the generation and use of optically active GPCRs in these contexts is limited and it is unclear how well an opsin-chimera GPCR might mimic endogenous receptor activity. Here we show that a chimeric rhodopsin/β2 adrenergic receptor (opto-β2AR) is similar in dynamics to endogenous β2AR in terms of: cAMP generation, MAP kinase activation and receptor internalization. In addition, we develop and characterize a novel toolset of optically active, functionally selective GPCRs that can bias intracellular signalling cascades towards either G-protein or arrestin-mediated cAMP and MAP kinase pathways. Finally, we show how photoactivation of opto-β2AR in vivo modulates neuronal activity and induces anxiety-like behavioural states in both fiber-tethered and wireless, freely moving animals when expressed in brain regions known to contain β2ARs. These new GPCR approaches enhance the utility of optogenetics and allow for discrete spatiotemporal control of GPCR signalling in vitro and in vivo.
Preservation of fine-needle aspiration specimens for future use in RNA-based molecular testing.

BACKGROUND: The application of ancillary molecular testing is becoming more important for the diagnosis and classification of disease. The use of fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy as the means of sampling tumors in conjunction with molecular testing could be a powerful combination. FNA is minimally invasive, cost effective, and usually demonstrates accuracy comparable to diagnoses based on excisional biopsies. Quality control (QC) and test validation requirements for development of molecular tests impose a need for access to pre-existing clinical samples. Tissue banking of excisional biopsy specimens is frequently performed at large research institutions, but few have developed protocols for preservation of cytologic specimens. This study aimed to evaluate cryopreservation of FNA specimens as a method of maintaining cellular morphology and ribonucleic acid (RNA) integrity in banked tissues. METHODS: FNA specimens were obtained from fresh tumor resections, processed by using a cryopreservation protocol, and stored for up to 27 weeks. Upon retrieval, samples were made into slides for morphological evaluation, and RNA was extracted and assessed for integrity by using the Agilent Bioanalyzer (Agilent Technologies, Santa Clara, Calif). RESULTS: Cryopreserved specimens showed good cell morphology and, in many cases, yielded intact RNA. Cases showing moderate or severe RNA degradation could generally be associated with prolonged specimen handling or sampling of necrotic areas. CONCLUSIONS: FNA specimens can be stored in a manner that maintains cellular morphology and RNA integrity necessary for studies of gene expression. In addition to addressing quality control (QC) and test validation needs, cytology banks will be an invaluable resource for future molecular morphologic and diagnostic research studies. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2011;000:000–000. V C 2011 American Cancer Society.
Community Psychology, Political Efficacy, and Trust

Much attention has been paid to the effects of political efficacy and trust on political participation. Most studies tend to use efficacy or trust as an independent variable to explain political actions such as voting, campaign involvement, and the like. Despite their importance in explanations of political behavior, relatively little is known regarding mecha nisms through which social involvement may influence trust and efficacy. If efficacy and trust are of value, then it is important that we determine how their development can be fostered, and especially whether their development can be promoted through social interaction?such as a sense of community. Borrowing from the field of community psy chology, I employ the Sense of Community Index to provide a more nuanced measure of community based on individual perceptions of their community that previous studies were unable to capture. Analyzing original survey data, this paper examines to what extent, if any, a sense of community matters for trust and efficacy. The results demonstrate that social forces, such as community, exert positive and significant effects on internal and external efficacy and personal and political trust, independently of individual traits such as income, age, gender, and education.
Nonaudit service fees and auditor independence: Empirical evidence from the oil and gas industry

This study examines the empirical relationship between nonaudit service fees and auditor independence for firms operating in the oil and gas industry. Oil and gas firms are chosen because of their unique operating characteristics and complexities that distinguish them from firms in other industries. This study is undertaken based on the notion that analyzing a single industry by implicitly factoring industry-specific effects provides a better understanding of the relationship between nonaudit service fees and auditor objectivity. This study is useful because conflicting prior evidence exists as to whether auditors compromise their independence in an effort to retain clients who pay high nonaudit fees. Abnormal accrual adjustment of the sample oil and gas firms is used as a measure of clients' accounting discretion exercised to opportunistically manage reported financial numbers. The results show that the magnitude of the abnormal accrual adjustment is not related to any nonaudit fee constructs employed in...
INTERPENETRATING PROCESSES: HUMAN AGENCY AND THE BECOMING OF REGIONAL SPATIAL AND SOCIAL STRUCTURES

Three critical questions are addressed through the juxtaposition of aphorisms, propositions, and empirical fragments pertaining to early nineteenth century enclosures in Skane and the industrial restructuring Ciudad Juarez. What about the role of human agency in the production and day-to-day perpetuation of economic landscapes, places and regions? What about structuring processes and history in regional science? How is the unbroken flow of concrete, fine-grained human activity within the region related to more macrolevel processes?
Measuring Late Quaternary Ursid Diminution in the Midwest

Paleobiologists generally agree that within the past 10,000 yr North American black bears (Ursus americanus) have decreased in body and tooth size. Some researchers infer that diminution was gradual and continuous; thus, one might infer that a specimen is old if it is larger than an average-size modern bear. Ursid remains recovered in the 1950s from Lawson Cave, Missouri, that are larger than some modern bears have been reported to date to the late Pleistocene, but association with modern taxa, taphonomic considerations, and a radiocarbon date of 200 yr B.P. indicate that they are modern. Modern specimens from Lawson Cave and other parts of the American Midwest are relatively large compared to modern North American black bears from other areas, suggesting that many supposed late Pleistocene bears from the area might be modern also.
Autologous bone marrow transplantation for Hodgkin's disease

Autologous bone marrow and/or peripheral blood stem cell transplantation is being performed increasingly frequently as a treatment for Hodgkin's disease. While patients with refractory disease can sometimes be cured, the results are better in patients who are still chemotherapy sensitive. The use of high dose therapy as part of the primary treatment for high risk patients is now being studied.
Estimation of pseudo-periodic signals

Many phenomena exhibit cyclical patterns without being periodic. This can be modeled using "pseudo-periodic" functions which enable cyclical patterns to be decomposed into a periodic signal along with a set of parameters that define the deviations of the pattern from true periodicity. This paper describes algorithms that estimate the parameters and the template function using the p-norm cost function. Implementation issues such as varying amplitude between pseudoperiods and problems using finite data records are also discussed. Applications to sunspot data explore practical uses and limitations of the method.
Prospect theoretic user satisfaction in wireless communications networks

User satisfaction is a critical design metric of wireless communications systems and networks. In this paper, we consider user satisfaction of wireless communications networks from a human psychological point of view through the prospect theory. Due to the asymmetrical s-shaped value function and the dependence of reference point described by the prospect theory, user satisfaction is degraded significantly under dynamic reference point and dynamic value function. We show that the user satisfaction can be maximized by properly allocating resources, but the overall resource utilization will be extremely low. To combat this issue, we propose an efficient and effective reference-point aware (REPA) resource allocation scheme to maximize the weighted user satisfaction in wireless communications networks, finding a good balance between user satisfaction and resource utilization. The proposed REPA scheme is shown to achieve good performance when the prospect theory with dynamic reference point and dynamic value function is applied to the regime of user satisfaction in wireless communications networks.
Should We Continue To Explore in the North Sea

This paper attempts to pull together many of the recently published information items on the North Sea in order to get an overall perspective that will address some of the pros and cons of exploring with these uncertainties. Operating environment, costs, oil reserve potential, contract and tax issues for the North Sea are presented and compared against other proven, producing areas such as Indonesia and Egypt. Project economic issues and trends for the North Sea are discussed for existing as well as new, yet-to-be-made discoveries, with emphasis on the category of ''marginal fields''. Some trends also are examined in the UK, Norway and world energy markets; and extrapolations are made as to how these might affect the national economies of the UK and Norway -- and especially how these factors might influence their perspectives toward economic incentives within the private oil industry sector. Conclusions are drawn concerning the many positive aspects of the North Sea areas and some of the not-so-positive features -- such as the onerous taxation structures and disincentives companies face today in those areas.
Computerized Pulmonary Function Testing

Pulmonary function testing at LDS Hospital is part of the integrated HELP computer system. Spirometrie measurements are captured directly by the Tandem computer. Single-breath carbon monoxide diffusing capacity and body plethysmography data are entered into the computer by hand for further calculations and inclusion in reports. Interpretation of the data is done by the HELP system’s knowledge base and decision logic. The results of pulmonary function tests may be reviewed on HELP system terminals or on printed reports. A copy of the printed pulmonary function test report is included in the patient’s permanent medical record.
Seismic Performance of Stick-Built Four-Side Structural Sealant Glazing Systems and Comparison With Two-Side Structural Sealant Glazing and Dry-Glazed Systems

A research project was undertaken to study the simulated seismic performance of mock-ups of a full-scale, four-side structural sealant glazing (SSG) system. “Stick-built” mock-ups were subjected to cyclic racking displacements in accordance with the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) 501.6 test method. Although the test method focuses on glass fallout, drifts associated with serviceability damage states, such as sealant adhesive or cohesive failure, and glass cracking were also identified during the conduct of the tests. Damage to sealant joints was tracked as a function of drift level using visual and video inspections of weather-seals and structural-seals and air-leakage tests. Data from this study are compared with data collected from similar studies on comparable two-side SSG and dry-glazed mock-ups. Contact with panels diagonally above and below a given glass panel at panel corners was found to be the likely cause of initial sealant damage, glass cracking, and glass fallout as opposed to glass-to-frame interactions for two-side SSG and dry-glazed curtain-wall constructions. Thus, modified corner geometries and/or joint dimensions can be used to delay (i.e., shift limit states to higher drift levels) or avoid these damaging panel interactions. Mock-up specimens were also instrumented extensively so that real-time glass-panel translation and rotation, and weather-seal deformation measurements could be recorded. A summary of these measurements is presented and discussed in the context of their follow-up use for informing the development of damage prediction models for SSG curtain walls during seismic loadings. The study shows that stick-built curtain walls with four-side SSG configuration are expected to have higher drift capacity compared to two-side SSG and both are expected to have higher drift capacity compared to dry-glazed configurations.
Optimal Steiner Points

Given three points P, Q, and R in the plane, the shortest path connecting the points using only straight lines between the points is equal to the sum of the shorter two sides of APQR. By introducing a fourth point interior to APQR when all its angles are less than 120?, a shorter network is obtained. There is a point S in APQR such that the sum of the Euclidean distances of S from the three vertices is minimized. This point is called the Steiner point of the triangle, after the mid-19th-century Swiss geometer Jacob Steiner, an early investigator of the question of minimal networks among a finite number of points [2]. For example, in an equilateral triangle of side 1, a minimal path that connects the vertices and stays on the perimeter has length 2, whereas a network of vertices and Steiner point S has length 3 = 1.732, still more than half the perimeter. By introducing a well-known Minkowski metric and constructing the Steiner point with respect to that metric, the length of the minimal network can be improved for any three vertices to half the length of the perimeter. Such a Steiner point is optimal in the sense that the lengths in the network could not be shortened and still satisfy the triangle inequality required in a metric space. A point S in the metric space (d, X) is said to be an optimal Steiner point of A PQR if the d-length of the network connecting P, Q, R, and S is half the d-length of the perimeter of A PQR. We shall see that, if the metric is Minkowski, all triangles have optimal Steiner points if and only if the defining unit ball is a parallelogram. We start by noting some familiar facts. Given any three positive real numbers [a, b,c], some or all of which may be the same, the triple can be the distances between three points in the Euclidean plane, denoted by E2, as long as the sum of any two is greater than or equal to the third. [1, 1, 1] can be realized in E2 as the distances between the vertices P1, P2, P3 of any equilateral triangle of side length 1. [3,4,5] and [1, 1, 2] will do, but [1, 1, 2.001] will not. These are particular examples of the more general concept of a metric set. A set F of n abstract points together with a distance function d: F X F -> [0, oo) satisfying the axioms for a metric space is called a metric set of n points. Any metric set of three points can be embedded in the plane with the Euclidean distance function as a triangle or as collinear points. When a fourth point is introduced, there are six distances. Denoting d(Pi, Pj) by dij for i, j = 1,2,3,4, we always keep the order [dI2, d23, d3l, dI4, d24, d34]I Going back to an equilateral triangle of side 1 and vertices P1, P2, and P3 in E2, let us look for a fourth point P4 that has distance 1 from each vertex. The metric set {P1, P2, P3, P4} will have associated with it the list of six distances [1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1]. There is no such point in the plane. If we are willing to go to Euclidean 3-space, the four points can be realized as vertices of a tetrahedron with all sides length 1.
Taurine and hypotaurine dynamics in activated C6 glioma: the effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and taurine administration on intracellular hypotaurine and taurine dynamics in C6 glioma.

Our lab has previously shown that there is a significant decrease in taurine content with ageing. Relative to their younger conspecifics, aged rats show appreciable declines in the taurine levels of serum1 and peripheral tissues2. The brain would also appear to be affected by this trend as lower taurine concentrations have been noted in areas as diverse as the cortex, cerebellum, hippocampus, hypothalamic nuclei, and striatum3,4,5.
Impact of the Madden–Julian Oscillation on the Indonesian Throughflow in the Makassar Strait during the CINDY/DYNAMO Field Campaign

AbstractPrevious studies indicate that equatorial zonal winds in the Indian Ocean can significantly influence the Indonesian Throughflow (ITF). During the Cooperative Indian Ocean Experiment on Intraseasonal Variability (CINDY)/Dynamics of the Madden–Julian Oscillation (DYNAMO) field campaign, two strong MJO events were observed within a month without a clear suppressed phase between them, and these events generated exceptionally strong ocean responses. Strong eastward currents along the equator in the Indian Ocean lasted more than one month from late November 2011 to early January 2012. The influence of these unique MJO events during the field campaign on ITF variability is investigated using a high-resolution (1/25°) global ocean general circulation model, the Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM). The strong westerlies associated with these MJO events, which exceed 10 m s−1, generate strong equatorial eastward jets and downwelling near the eastern boundary. The equatorial jets are realistically simulat...
Lymphedema self-care in patients with head and neck cancer: a qualitative study.

Lymphedema is a frequent side effect from head and neck cancer and/or its treatment. As a chronic and progressive condition, it requires an individual’s long-term involvement in self-care for management of lymphedema. This study aimed to report head and neck cancer patients’ perceived lymphedema education, self-care practices, and suggestions related to self-care of head and neck lymphedema. Twenty head and neck cancer patients who completed lymphedema therapy participated in semi-structured face-to-face interviews. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. Content analysis was used to analyze the interview data. All participants reported that they were educated about self-care activities for lymphedema management by their lymphedema therapists. Although most participants (n = 16, 80 %) expressed positive comments about lymphedema self-care education, some participants (n = 7, 35 %) described issues related to lymphedema self-care education. A majority of the participants (n = 17, 85 %) reported that they were conducting some lymphedema self-care activities; nonetheless, more than half of the participants (n = 11, 55 %) delineated barriers for diminished lymphedema self-care activities over time. Participants further indicated suggestions for improving and ensuring consistency of lymphedema self-care. Opportunities exist to improve lymphedema self-care in head and neck cancer patients. Healthcare professionals should focus on delivering high quality and targeted information about self-care for management of head and neck lymphedema. Interventional research is warranted to address gaps in long-term self-care of head and neck lymphedema.
Value Added: the Case for Point-of-View Camera use in Orthopedic Surgical Education.

Background Orthopedic surgical education is evolving as educators search for new ways to enhance surgical skills training. Orthopedic educators should seek new methods and technologies to augment and add value to real-time orthopedic surgical experience. This paper describes a protocol whereby we have started to capture and evaluate specific orthopedic milestone procedures with a GoPro® point-of-view video camera and a dedicated video reviewing website as a way of supplementing the current paradigm in surgical skills training. We report our experience regarding the details and feasibility of this protocol. Methods Upon identification of a patient undergoing surgical fixation of a hip or ankle fracture, an orthopedic resident places a GoPro® point-of-view camera on his or her forehead. All fluoroscopic images acquired during the case are saved and later incorporated into a video on the reviewing website. Surgical videos are uploaded to a secure server and are accessible for later review and assessment via a custom-built website. An electronic survey of resident participants was performed utilizing Qualtrics software. Results are reported using descriptive statistics. Results A total of 51 surgical videos involving 23 different residents have been captured to date. This includes 20 intertrochanteric hip fracture cases and 31 ankle fracture cases. The average duration of each surgical video was 1 hour and 16 minutes (range 40 minutes to 2 hours and 19 minutes). Of 24 orthopedic resident surgeons surveyed, 88% thought capturing a video portfolio of orthopedic milestones would benefit their education. Conclusions There is a growing demand in orthopedic surgical education to extract more value from each surgical experience. While further work in development and refinement of such assessments is necessary, we feel that intraoperative video, particularly when captured and presented in a non-threatening, user friendly manner, can add significant value to the present and future paradigm of orthopedic surgical skill training.
Genetic drift, selection and the evolution of the mutation rate

Mutation is the source of genetic diversity on which natural selection acts, therefore understanding the rates of mutations is crucial for understanding evolutionary trajectories. In this Opinion article, the authors discuss how emerging experimental mutation-rate data from genome-wide sequencing studies, combined with population-genetic theory, can provide unifying explanations for the diversity in mutation rates between species and across genomic locations.
Modeling Biphasic Environmental Decay of Pathogens and Implications for Risk Analysis.

As the appreciation for the importance of the environment in infectious disease transmission has grown, so too has interest in pathogen fate and transport. Fate has been traditionally described by simple exponential decay, but there is increasing recognition that some pathogens demonstrate a biphasic pattern of decay—fast followed by slow. While many have attributed this behavior to population heterogeneity, we demonstrate that biphasic dynamics can arise through a number of plausible mechanisms. We examine the identifiability of a general model encompassing three such mechanisms: population heterogeneity, hardening off, and the existence of viable-but-not-culturable states. Although the models are not fully identifiable from longitudinal sampling studies of pathogen concentrations, we use a differential algebra approach to determine identifiable parameter combinations. Through case studies using Cryptosporidium and Escherichia coli, we show that failure to consider biphasic pathogen dynamics can lead to ...
Calcium Sensor, NCS-1, Promotes Tumor Aggressiveness and Predicts Patient Survival

Neuronal Calcium Sensor 1 (NCS-1) is a multi-functional Ca2+-binding protein that affects a range of cellular processes beyond those related to neurons. Functional characterization of NCS-1 in neuronal model systems suggests that NCS-1 may influence oncogenic processes. To this end, the biological role of NCS-1 was investigated by altering its endogenous expression in MCF-7 and MB-231 breast cancer cells. Overexpression of NCS-1 resulted in a more aggressive tumor phenotype demonstrated by a marked increase in invasion and motility, and a decrease in cell-matrix adhesion to collagen IV. Overexpression of NCS-1 was also shown to increase the efficacy of paclitaxel-induced cell death in a manner that was independent of cellular proliferation. To determine the association between NCS-1 and clinical outcome, NCS-1 expression was measured in two independent breast cancer cohorts by the Automated Quantitative Analysis method of quantitative immunofluorescence. Elevated levels of NCS-1 were significantly correlated with shorter survival rates. Furthermore, multivariate analysis demonstrated that NCS-1 status was prognostic, independent of estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, HER2, and lymph node status. These findings indicate that NCS-1 plays a role in the aggressive behavior of a subset of breast cancers and has therapeutic or biomarker potential.Implications: NCS-1, a calcium-binding protein, is associated with clinicopathologic features of aggressiveness in breast cancer cells and worse outcome in two breast cancer patient cohorts. Mol Cancer Res; 15(7); 942-52. ©2017 AACR.
Tweet for the cure: A snapshot of Twitter usage by 3 U.S. oncologic professional societies.

Abstract Purpose Medical societies are incorporating Twitter to communicate with their members and connect with patients. This study compares the online presence of 3 major oncologic societies. Methods and materials All available tweets in 2014 by the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), and Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO) were collected. We analyzed whether posts were original content or retweets. The monthly tweet rate was followed to assess trends. We created 2 new metrics, supporter ratio and tweet density, to correlate online presence and engagement with offline membership breadth. The supporter ratio is the number of people following the organization divided by the number of registered members of each society. The tweet density is the total number of posts divided by the number of registered members of each society. Results In February 2015, ASCO, ASTRO, and SSO had 36,385; 10,899; and 2721 members, respectively. ASCO's Twitter handle had 33,974 followers, with a supporter ratio of 0.93. A total of 2563 original tweets and 1416 retweets were estimated, which represents a tweet density of 0.11. @ASTRO_org had 5445 followers and a supporter ratio of 0.50. In 2014, ASTRO posted 415 original content tweets and 9 retweets, with a tweet density of 0.039. SSO had a supporter ratio of 0.91 on the basis of 2481 followers. In 2014, SSO posted 207 original tweets and 190 retweets, with a tweet density of 0.15. An increase in tweets and retweets was seen during the month of each society's annual meeting. ASTRO's 61% increase in September 2014 was smaller than SSO's 462% and ASCO's 84%. Conclusion ASTRO's use of Twitter lags behind ASCO and SSO. Although all 3 societies show increased Twitter use during their annual meetings, they should work toward more meaningful engagement throughout the year. The new metrics of tweet density and supporter ratio will serve as benchmarks for member engagement in future studies.
Harnessing tissue resident memory T cells to combat solid tumors

The immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment is barrier to successful cancer therapies. Newly discovered tissue resident memory CD8+ T cells (T RM ) function to create a potent immunostimulatory environment to protect against local reinfection. As T RM are present in abundance in nearly every tissue and can be triggered by cognate peptide alone, without adjuvant, we tested whether we could hijack infection-specific T RM in tumors to reverse the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and enhance existing immunotherapies. Mice with established vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV)-specific skin T RM were challenged with the transplantable B16 melanoma cell line. We find VSV-specific CD8+ T cells within established tumors and by 12 hours of cognate peptide delivery, these cells upregulate IFNγ, CD25, and granzyme B. This led to 1) a 10-fold increase in intratumoral NK cells, 2) bystander memory CD8+ T cell recruitment to the tumor, 3) tumor NK cell and CD8+ T cell activation through granzyme B upregulation and 4) DC activation in tumor draining lymph nodes through CCR7 and CD86 upregulation. Ongoing studies using transplantable and autochthonous melanoma models are testing whether T RM immunotherapy synergizes with CAR T cell and checkpoint blockade immunotherapies for eradication of recalcitrant tumors. These results demonstrate proof of principal efficacy for exploiting infection-specific T RM as a tumor immunotherapy.
Visualizing and understanding large-scale Bayesian networks

Bayesian networks are a theoretically well-founded approach to represent large multi-variate probability distributions, and have proven useful in a broad range of applications. While several software tools for visualizing and editing Bayesian networks exist, they have important weaknesses when it comes to enabling users to clearly understand and compare conditional probability tables in the context of network topology, especially in large-scale networks. This paper describes a system for improving the ability for computers to work with people to develop intelligent systems through the construction of high-performing Bayesian networks. We describe NetEx, a tool developed as a Cytoscape plugin, which allows a user to visually inspect and compare details concerning multiple nodes in a Bayesian network while maintaining awareness of their network context. It uses a "thought bubble line" to connect nodes in a graph representation and their internal information at the side of the graph. The tool seeks to improve the ability of experts to analyze and debug large Bayesian network models, and to help people to understand how alternative algorithms and Bayesian networks operate, providing insights into how to improve them.
Experimental study on off-axis scattering of flat top partially coherent laser beams when propagating under water in the presence of moving scatterers

AbstractOff-axis underwater scattering of spatially partially coherent Multi-Gaussian Schell-Model (MGSM) beams are compared with fully coherent Gaussian beams in both a stationary setting and in the presence of mechanically agitated scatterers in underwater environments. The analysis is carried out by comparing the mean intensities of scattered light, the normalized variance, and the scintillation index in various scenarios. Results indicate that fully coherent beams have increased off-axis scattered light variations in the presence of moving scatterers as compared with a spatially partially coherent MGSM beam. Additionally, in a stationary environment the coherent beam has less overall variations as expected due to the nature of constructing partially coherent MGSM beams. Metrics of normalized variance, scintillation index, and overall average intensity are discussed in the context of potential beam localization, reduced scattering, and off-axis detection.
Editorial: CALL Continues to Evolve

Language is a foundational aspect of educational technology. Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL), has coalesced educational technology trends with advancing theories in language pedagogy; to this day, CALL remains a vital interdisciplinary field, looking at general trends in technology and communication, language learning, and language teaching. Exactly how digital learning affects cultural meaning making processes is still up for debate. We invite you to contribute to that debate through new research and your writing and reviewing for ITET. DOI:10.2458/azu_itet_v5i2_schmidt