cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Widowhood in an American city

Widowhood in an American City focuses on the roles and lifestyles of urban American widows fifty years of age or older. These women form a segment of two generations of one society; they present a historical instance of people born and brought up under conditions that are not likely to be duplicated. Not only the U.S., but many other countries are undergoing modifications in the degrees and forms of urbanization, industrialization, and social complexity.Helena Znaniecki Lopata argues that the way women re-engage society following the death of a husband is different due to their location in the modern social system. She notes that the trends in social structure are toward increasingly voluntaristic engagement in achieved, functionally oriented social roles that are performed in large groups and contain secondary social relations. The cultural background of many societal members prevents the utilization of most resources of the complex urban world, restricting them to a small social life space, with almost automatically prescribed social relations.Those who argue that the elderly are socially isolated contend that this is a result of the natural process of withdrawal of the person and the society from each other. These arguments focus on those who are isolated or lonely and those who lack the skills, money, health, and transportation for engaging or re-engaging society. Lopata's study indicates that this assumption is false for many widows. If such people are to be helped, a fresh view of the relation between the urban, industrial, and complex modern world and its residents is required, and new action programs must be creatively developed. This is a timely, ground-breaking work that addresses and shatters common myths associated with growing old alone in an urban society.
Development of an antibody specific to major histocompatibility antigens detectable by flow cytometry after lung transplant is associated with bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome.

Background. Chronic allograft rejection manifested as bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) is the leading cause of late death after lung transplantation. Although increasing evidence suggests an association between anti-human leukocyte antigens (HLA) antibodies and chronic rejection of kidney or heart allografts, the clinical significance of anti-HLA antibodies in lung recipients is less clear, especially in previously unsensitized recipients. The use of flow cytometry based panel reactive antibody (flow-PRA) provides a highly sensitive means to identify the development of de novo anti-HLA antibodies in lung recipients. Methods. Flow-PRA testing was used to analyze the pre- and posttransplant sera in stable BOS free lung recipients who survived at least 6 months. Patients without prior sensitization as defined by a negative pretransplant flow-PRA were analyzed posttransplant for the presence of anti-HLA antibodies by flow-PRA. A proportional hazards model was used to determine the impact of anti-HLA antibody on BOS risk. Results. Sera from 90 recipients at Duke University with negative pretransplant flow-PRA were tested by flow-PRA at various time points after transplant. Sera from 11% (10/90) of recipients were found to contain anti-HLA antibodies detectable by flow-PRA. Nine patients (90%) developed anti-HLA antibodies specific for donor antigens, and one patient developed antiHLA class II antibodies, not specific to donor antigens. Among the nine patients with donor antigen specific antibodies, flow-PRA specificity analysis demonstrated eight were specific for class II antigens and one for class I antigens. In a multivariate model that controls for other BOS risk factors, a positive posttransplant flow-PRA was significantly associated with BOS grades 1,2, or 3 (hazard ratios [HR] 3.19; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.41–7.12, P0.005) and BOS grade 2 or 3 (HR 4.08; 95% CI: 1.66 –10.04, P0.002). Four patients with de novo anti-HLA antibodies died during follow-up; all four had BOS. Among BOS patients, the presence of anti-HLA antibodies was associated with a significantly worse survival (P0.05, logrank test). Conclusions. Although uncommon, previously unsensitized lung transplant recipients can develop antiHLA antibodies to donor class II antigens. The development of de novo anti-HLA antibodies significantly increases the risk for BOS, independent of other posttransplant events. Furthermore, de novo anti-HLA antibodies identify BOS patients with significantly worse survival. Additional studies are needed to determine if class II– directed anti-HLA antibodies contribute mechanistically to the chronic rejection process in lung recipients.
Differential Risk of Tuberculosis Reactivation among Anti-TNF Therapies Is Due to Drug Binding Kinetics and Permeability

Increased rates of tuberculosis (TB) reactivation have been reported in humans treated with TNF-α (TNF)-neutralizing drugs, and higher rates are observed with anti-TNF Abs (e.g., infliximab) as compared with TNF receptor fusion protein (etanercept). Mechanisms driving differential reactivation rates and differences in drug action are not known. We use a computational model of a TB granuloma formation that includes TNF/TNF receptor dynamics to elucidate these mechanisms. Our analyses yield three important insights. First, drug binding to membrane-bound TNF critically impairs granuloma function. Second, a higher risk of reactivation induced from Ab-type treatments is primarily due to differences in TNF/drug binding kinetics and permeability. Apoptotic and cytolytic activities of Abs and pharmacokinetic fluctuations in blood concentration of drug are not essential to inducing TB reactivation. Third, we predict specific host factors that, if augmented, would improve granuloma function during anti-TNF therapy. Our findings have implications for the development of safer anti-TNF drugs to treat inflammatory diseases.
Multicloud Convergence Acceleration for Complex Applications on Arbitrary Grids

A method is presented which dramatically enhances convergence of discrete systems for a wide variety of discretizations, including finite difference, finite volume, and mixed element approaches. The method, termed ldquomulticloud,rdquo was first introduced in a previous work by Katz and Jameson.[5] This work concerns two major enhancements to multicloud: 1) The integration of multicloud procedures for arbitrary and mixed meshes, and 2) the development of automatic coarsening procedures to obtain coarse levels for the multicloud procedure. The first enhancement involves the use of meshless scheme to damp out unresolvable high frequency modes present on a conventional mesh. Because the meshless scheme is only used on coarse levels, the final solution retains any and all conservative properties of the parent mesh. The second enhancement allows for the automatic creation of coarse point distributions given a conventional mesh. Thus, the multicloud procedure may be used with no extra mesh generation tools needed. These two enhancements create a powerful convergence acceleration technique which is entirely mesh transparent, lending itself well to complex configurations in which mixed grid types are used and for which efficiency is of the utmost importance.
Real-time model checking is really simple

It is easy to write and verify real-time specifications with existing languages and methods; one just represents time as an ordinary variable and expresses timing requirements with special timer variables. The resulting specifications can be verified with an ordinary model checker. This basic idea and some less obvious details are explained, and results are presented for two examples.
Male stimulation of luteinizing hormone surge, progesterone secretion and ovulation in spontaneously persistent-estrous, aging rats.

In aging, persistently estrous (PE) female rats, there are no estrous cycles or cyclic increases in luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion, but the sexual receptivity to the male is consistently maintained. We recently reported that caging and mating with fertile males elicits an LH surge followed by ovulation in aging PE rats. The present study examined the relationship between the LH surge, the increase in progesterone (P) secretion and ovulation in PE females exposed to males, and assessed whether intromission was essential for the male-induced preovulatory LH surge. PE rats were implanted with intra-atrial cannulae. Six to eight days later, these females were individually caged with a fertile male and repeatedly sampled (once every 30 or 60 mm) between 1400 and 1900 b for assays of plasma LH and P. Sexual behavior of the female was recorded and correlated with the changes in plasma LH and P values. Similar experiments were also performed on cannulated PE rats with their vaginal orifice blocked with adhesive tape during the caging and sampling session. In both experiments, over 90% of the PE females displayed a high degree of lordosis response to mounting by the male, and over 60% of those sexually receptive PE females exhibited an LH surge followed by ovulation. The male-induced preovulatory LH surge occurred in PE females without actual intromission. Caging with fertile males also elicited a marked increase in plasma P concentrations in PE rats and in PE females prevented from experiencing intromission. A prompt increase in P secretion occurred in all PE females exposed to males, although a significantly larger and sustained rise in plasma P was observed in those females that exhibited an LH surge followed by ovulation. These findings suggested that a specific male factor(s) can activate a neuroendocrine reflex in the PE female, promptly causing the adrenal gland to release P in large quantity. In PE rats that exhibit a preovulatory LH surge in response to the male, high concentrations of plasma LH presumably stimulate the ovaries to further increase P release from the preovulatory follicles. While increased plasma P levels may potentiate the LH surge and/or the ovulatory process, the initiation of the preovulatory LH surge in PE female rats is likely due to stimulation by a specific male factor(s).
Beam Loading in Linear Accelerators

The interaction of the bunched particle beam in a linear accelerator with the waveguide structure produces several effects which go under the general name of beam-loading. These effects include reduction, redistribution, and phase shift of the rf field in the waveguide, changes in the tuning of the waveguide structure, excitation of other waveguide modes, and various transient phenomena. A discussion of these various effects and methods for their calculation will be presented.
Timing ultra-wideband signals with dirty templates

Ultra-wideband (UWB) technology for indoor wireless communications promises high data rates with low-complexity transceivers. Rapid timing synchronization constitutes a major challenge in realizing these promises. In this paper, we establish a novel synchronization criterion that we term "timing with dirty templates" (TDT), based on which we develop and test timing algorithms in both data-aided (DA) and nondata-aided modes. For the DA mode, we design a training pattern, which turns out to not only speed up synchronization, but also enable timing in a multiuser environment. Based on simple integrate-and-dump operations over the symbol duration, our TDT algorithms remain operational in practical UWB settings. They are also readily applicable to narrowband systems when intersymbol interference is avoided. Simulations confirm performance improvement of TDT relative to existing alternatives in terms of mean square error and bit-error rate.
Drop size ambiguities in the retrieval of precipitation profiles from dual-frequency radar measurements

Abstract The threat of flooding from landfalling tropical cyclones is a function of the local variation in rain rate and rain accumulation. To date, these have been inferred from single-frequency radar reflectivity measurements. However, the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission experience has confirmed that one of the main difficulties in retrieving rain profiles using a single-frequency radar is the unknown raindrop size distribution (DSD). A dual-frequency radar such as the one planned for the upcoming Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) core satellite is expected to help sort out at least part of this DSD-induced ambiguity. However, the signature of precipitation at 14 GHz does not differ greatly from its signature at 35 GHz (the GPM radar frequencies). To determine the extent of the vertical variability of the DSD in tropical systems and to quantify the effectiveness of a dual-frequency radar in resolving this ambiguity, several different models of DSD shape are considered and used to estimate the r...
Microbiologic Approaches for Studying Campylobacter Species in Patients with Guillain-Barré Syndrome

Campylobacter jejuni is now considered to be the most common cause of bacterial diarrheal disease in the United States. Sufficient evidence exists to support the hypothesis that C. jejuni induces Guillain-Barr syndrome (GBS); however, many questions about the biology of the organism and host factors need to be answered. In order to study the role of C.jejuni and other Campylobacter species as a cause of GBS, isolates from patients with different forms of GBS and appropriate control populations must be obtained. To continue to study this association, research teams must have laboratory support for isolating and characterizing Campylobacter strains. This review summarizes current knowledge about the laboratory aspects of Campylobacter infection that may be pertinent to studies on GBS.
Monocyte enhancement of mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation in a human co-culture system.

Abstract Monocytes cultured from approximately 30% of normal subjects augmented and accelerated the mitogen-induced proliferation of autologous or allogeneic lymphocytes in a co-culture system. Cells depleted of monocytes by passage over a degalan bead column did not enhance the proliferative response of co-cultured cells. Addition of monocytes to purified lymphocyte populations increased and advanced the proliferation in the co-culture. The augmentative effect of monocytes from normal subjects could not be attributed to an increased percentage of monocytes in these individuals. If mitogen was added after a pre-culture interval rather than at the initiation of a culture, monocytes also enhanced the lymphocyte proliferative response.
Anesthetic Comparisons of 4% Concentrations of Articaine, Lidocaine, and Prilocaine as Primary Buccal Infiltrations of the Mandibular First Molar: A Prospective Randomized, Double-blind Study

Abstract Introduction Studies have shown the superiority of 4% articaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine over 2% lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine when used as a primary buccal infiltration of the mandibular first molar. A study using other 4% anesthetic formulations may help determine the role of concentration in the increased efficacy of 4% articaine. The authors conducted a prospective randomized, double-blind, crossover study comparing the pulpal anesthesia obtained with 4% concentrations of articaine, lidocaine, and prilocaine formulations as primary buccal infiltrations of the mandibular first molar. Methods Sixty asymptomatic adult subjects randomly received a primary mandibular buccal first molar infiltration of 1.8 mL 4% articaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine, 4% lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine, and 4% prilocaine with 1:200,000 epinephrine in 3 separate appointments. An electric pulp tester was used to test the first molar for anesthesia in 3-minute cycles for 60 minutes after the infiltrations. Successful anesthesia was defined as 2 consecutive 80/80 readings. Results The success rate for the 4% articaine formulation was 55%, 33% for the 4% lidocaine formulation, and 32% for the 4% prilocaine formulation. There was a significant difference between articaine and both lidocaine (P = .0071) and prilocaine (P = .0187) formulations. Conclusions A 4% articaine formulation was statistically better than both 4% lidocaine and 4% prilocaine formulations for buccal infiltration of the mandibular first molar in asymptomatic mandibular first molars. However, the success rate of 55% is not high enough to support its use as a primary buccal infiltration technique in the mandibular first molar.
On the Quality of a Semidefinite Programming Bound for Sparse Principal Component Analysis

We examine the problem of approximating a positive, semidefinite matrix § by a dyad xx T , with a penalty on the cardinality of the vector x. This problem arises in sparse principal component analysis, where a decomposition of § involving sparse factors is sought. We express this hard, combinatorial problem as a maximum eigenvalue problem, in which we seek to maximize, over a box, the largest eigenvalue of a symmetric matrix that is linear in the variables. This representation allows to use the techniques of robust optimization, to derive a bound based on semidefinite programming. The quality of the bound is investigated using a technique inspired by Nemirovski and Ben-Tal (2002).
Red pine harvest debris as a potential source of inoculum of Diplodia shoot blight pathogens

Abstract A high incidence of Diplodia shoot blight (site means ranging 85–100%) was observed on recently planted red pine (Pinus resinosa) seedlings where mature red pine stands previously had been clearcut. An investigation of the potential of harvest debris as a source of inoculum of Diplodia pathogens then was conducted. Cones, bark, needles, stems from shoots bearing needles, and stems from shoots not bearing needles (both suspended above the soil and in soil contact) were collected from harvest debris left at sites where clearcutting occurred. Conidia were quantified, and their germination rate was assessed, and Diplodia species were identified using PCR. Conidia of Diplodia species were found at all study sites and conidia counts increased from samples collected from 6 to 18 months after harvest. Germinable conidia were obtained from debris collected 6 months to 5 years after harvest. Fewer conidia were obtained from debris collected at intervals of up to 4–5 years after harvest and the percentage of germinable conidia was lower after longer intervals following harvest. More conidia were obtained and a greater percentage germinated from debris collected above the soil than from debris in soil contact. The host substrate also influenced the number of conidia and the percentage that germinated. Planting red pine seedlings next to debris infested with Diplodia pathogens could provide a persistent source of inoculum. Results should prompt further consideration by land managers and researchers of the potential forest health risks, in addition to benefits, that may be associated with harvest debris.
Cancer of the breast in pregnancy and lactation

Cancer of the breast is the most common form of cancer in women. It does not appear to be uncommon during the cEild-bearing years, although it does appear to be so in pregnant or lactating women. Thus, this distressing situation is not frequently seen. The incidence of breast cancer during pregnancy and lactation has been reported to be about 2 to 3 per 1,000 pregnancies [I,2]. Montgomery [3] reported the disease in association with pregnancy or lactation in about one of nine patients under the age of forty years. Lewison [4] noted that pregnancy or lactation concomitant with breast cancer could be anticipated in about 2 per cent of all women with mammary carcinoma. Treves and Holleb [5] found 108 cases of breast cancer associated with pregnancy in 579 cases of carcinoma of the breast in women thirty-five years of age or younger. There has been much confusion concerning the proper treatment of cancer of the breast during pregnancy and lactation, probably because of the poor prognosis anticipated for these patients regardless of treatment. Because of their experience with the disease in pregnancy and lactation, Haagensen and Stout [6] in 1943 included it in their original criteria of operability for women with cancer of the breast. With further experience, Haagensen [7,8] has altered those criteria so that this coexistence is no longer included, and he has now reported his own material to substantiate the
A simplified thermal CFD approach to fins and tube heat exchanger: Application to maldistributed airflow on an open display cabinet

Abstract Airflow maldistribution in heat exchangers and air channels is a common problem in HVAC&R systems. Furthermore, in the refrigeration field, temperature and velocity maldistribution downstream the evaporator can reach the discharge air grille, negatively influencing the heat removal from the exposed goods. In the present paper, the effect of the flow maldistribution in the air channel of an open refrigerated display cabinet is studied by means of computational fluid dynamics simulations. An equivalent thermal approach is presented: in combination with the equivalent resistance approach, it allows a drastic reduction of computational effort. This thermal CFD model allows to evaluate the 3D effects of the maldistribution in terms of temperature, heat transfer coefficients, and cooling power in the full channel model. Discussion of the results is reported.
The synergistic effect of acute subdural hematoma combined with diffuse traumatic brain injury on brain edema.

It is well-documented that acute subdural hematoma (ASDH) following diffuse traumatic brain injury (dTBI) contributes to severe disability and high mortality. The objective of this study was to characterize edema formation in a model of ASDH and ASDH following dTBI.
Limited direct effects of a massive wildfire on its sagebrush steppe bee community

1. Fire can affect bees directly through exposure to heat and smoke. Direct effects include mortality, injury, and displacement affecting at most two generations – adults and any immature progeny present during the fire. To study the direct effects of fire on bees, two criteria must be met. First, bees must be sampled soon after the fire event, before colonists arrive from outside the burn. Second, sampling locations must be far enough into the burned habitat to ensure that bees observed are survivors, and not foragers nesting outside the burn. 2. Bees were systematically sampled far inside (>7 km) and outside the burn perimeter immediately following a massive wildfire that burned primarily at night in sagebrush steppe habitat. Because adult females sleep in their nests, it was hypothesised that females of species with nests >10 cm underground would be safe from lethal heat, whereas females with shallow or above-ground nests would be vulnerable. It was also hypothesised that fire would kill proportionately more males, as they typically sleep above ground. 3. Adult bees were present at all burned sample sites 14 and 21 days after the fire started. Many females were observed transporting pollen, indicative of active nest provisioning. Among the guild of bees surveyed at wild sunflowers (the only surviving flowering plant), fewer species were active within the burn. Guild composition was significantly altered, particularly by loss or depletion of several (but not all) sunflower specialists. Sex ratios did not shift, possibly due to surviving males aggregating in remaining patches of sunflowers.
Integrative Genomic Analyses Yield Cell-Cycle Regulatory Programs with Prognostic Value.

Liposarcoma is the second most common form of sarcoma, which has been categorized into four molecular subtypes, which are associated with differential prognosis of patients. However, the transcriptional regulatory programs associated with distinct histologic and molecular subtypes of liposarcoma have not been investigated. This study uses integrative analyses to systematically define the transcriptional regulatory programs associated with liposarcoma. Likewise, computational methods are used to identify regulatory programs associated with different liposarcoma subtypes, as well as programs that are predictive of prognosis. Further analysis of curated gene sets was used to identify prognostic gene signatures. The integration of data from a variety of sources, including gene expression profiles, transcription factor–binding data from ChIP-Seq experiments, curated gene sets, and clinical information of patients, indicated discrete regulatory programs (e.g., controlled by E2F1 and E2F4), with significantly different regulatory activity in one or multiple subtypes of liposarcoma with respect to normal adipose tissue. These programs were also shown to be prognostic, wherein liposarcoma patients with higher E2F4 or E2F1 activity associated with unfavorable prognosis. A total of 259 gene sets were significantly associated with patient survival in liposarcoma, among which >50% are involved in cell cycle and proliferation. Implications: These integrative analyses provide a general framework that can be applied to investigate the mechanism and predict prognosis of different cancer types. Mol Cancer Res; 14(4); 332–43. ©2016 AACR .
Toward Meaningful Connectivity: Using Multilevel Communication Research to Reframe Digital Inequality

Digital inequality, or unequal access to the Internet and technologies that connect to it, has preoccupied communication scholars since the Internet's introduction into popular culture. The relationships between digital and broader social inequalities suggest that meaningful digital connectivity—that is, having the technical skills necessary to engage technology and mobilize information resources to address everyday needs—can empower socially disenfranchised individuals, families, and communities to address challenges related to those disparities. In this essay, we overview the arc of communication research on technology engagement and its consequences. On this foundation, we argue why multilevel research that accounts for individual-, family-, and community-level influences on meaningful digital connectivity is the best path forward for research on digital inequality.
Design and Test of Long-Life Non-Contacting Bellows Face Seal

For a conventional face seal, its life span is depended on the wear rate of the two rubbing faces. With recent development of hydrodynamic lift-off technology, the face seal can be designed to run in a non- contacting mode at widely varied operating conditions, and therefore, the seal life is greatly extended.
Shake Table Test of MSE Wall With Tire Derived Aggregates (TDA) Backfill

This paper reports a shake table test on the seismic responses of geosynthetically reinforced wall with lightweight tire derived aggregates (TDA) as backfill. A section of reduced-scale MSE wall (1.5m high, 1.2m deep, and 1.5m long) was built in a box that was anchored on a onedimensional shake table. The scaled 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake excitations were replicated by the shake table. Dynamic similitude laws were followed in constructing the model test and in scaling the seismic excitations. Layers of geogrid were used as reinforcement, which was based on the static internal stability design of MSE walls. The MSE wall was tested with surcharge of 3.4 kN/m 2 . The wrap-around MSE wall was instrumented with accelerometers, linear variable differential transformers (LVDT), linear potentiometers, and dynamic soil stress gauges to respectively record the accelerations, wall vertical settlements, horizontal deflections of wall face, and transient effective stresses during the shaking. The results revealed satisfactory seismic performance of a geosynthetically reinforced wall with TDA backfill.
Effective stimuli for pattern discrimination in monkeys

Rhesus monkeys were trained and tested for pattern equivalence in an operant situation and in a Wisconsin General Test Apparatus (WGTA), In the operant situation, Ss’ utilization of specific stimulus features varied, while in the WGTA cue utilization was more consistent between Ss. These differences in cue utilization were attributed to stimulus-response relationships.
Scalable Parallel Screening of Catalyst Activity at the Single-Particle Level and Subdiffraction Resolution

High-throughput and quantitative screening of catalyst activity is crucial for guiding the work cycles of catalyst improvements and optimizations. For nanoparticle catalysts, their inherent heterogeneity makes it desirable to screen them at the single-particle level. Here, we report a single-molecule fluorescence microscopy approach that can screen the activity quantitatively of a large number of catalyst particles in parallel at the single-particle level and with subdiffraction spatial resolution. It can identify directly high activity catalyst particles and resolve subpopulations in mixtures of catalysts. It is readily scalable and broadly applicable to heterogeneous catalysts. Using ensemble measurements to establish activity correlations between different reactions, we further show that this approach can be extended to assess catalysts in reactions that do not involve fluorescent molecules. Coupled with high-throughput catalyst preparation and high-resolution structural/compositional analysis, this sc...
Research on Measurement Method of Wheel Instantaneous Power Based on AT89S52

A new method to measure the instantaneous power output by driving wheels of construction machinery was studied.The rotate speed,torque and angular acceleration of the roll were measured,so the influence of torque imbalance on the measurement aaccuracy was reduced.A AT89S52 SCM was used to measure and analyze the rotate speed and torque signals derived by the JC sensor,then the signals were sent to the computer through RS-232,so the power measure error caused by torque imbalance was decreased.The above work has special reference to the measurement of vehicle dynamical performance and the inspection of diesel vehicles in the load-deceleration states.
Understanding the Bethe approximation: when and how can it go wrong?

Belief propagation is a remarkably effective tool for inference, even when applied to networks with cycles. It may be viewed as a way to seek the minimum of the Bethe free energy, though with no convergence guarantee in general. A variational perspective shows that, compared to exact inference, this minimization employs two forms of approximation: (i) the true entropy is approximated by the Bethe entropy, and (ii) the minimization is performed over a relaxation of the marginal polytope termed the local polytope. Here we explore when and how the Bethe approximation can fail for binary pairwise models by examining each aspect of the approximation, deriving results both analytically and with new experimental methods.
Membrane microdomains and the cytoskeleton constrain AtHIR1 dynamics and facilitate the formation of an AtHIR1-associated immune complex.

Summary Arabidopsis hypersensitive-induced reaction (AtHIR) proteins function in plant innate immunity. However, the underlying mechanisms by which AtHIRs participate in plant immunity remain elusive. Here, using VA-TIRFM and FLIM-FRET, we revealed that AtHIR1 is present in membrane microdomains and co-localizes with the membrane microdomain marker REM1.3. Single-particle tracking analysis revealed that membrane microdomains and the cytoskeleton, especially microtubules, restrict the lateral mobility of AtHIR1 at the plasma membrane and facilitate its oligomerization. Furthermore, protein proximity index measurements, fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy, and biochemical experiments demonstrated that the formation of the AtHIR1 complex upon pathogen perception requires intact microdomains and cytoskeleton. Taken together, these findings suggest that microdomains and the cytoskeleton constrain AtHIR1 dynamics, promote AtHIR1 oligomerization, and increase the efficiency of the interactions of AtHIR1 with components of the AtHIR1 complex in response to pathogens, thus providing valuable insight into the mechanisms of defense-related responses in plants.
Critical bandwidth speech: Arrays of subcritical band speech maintain near-ceiling intelligibility at high amplitudes

Removal of transition bands from narrow speech passbands through very steep filtering has made it possible to isolate and determine (for the first time) intelligibility of critical bandwidth as well as subcritical bandwidth speech. These rectangular bands have unique intelligibilities when heard singly, paired, or in various multiband arrays spanning the speech spectrum. Thus, a particular sparse spectral array of unfamiliar everyday sentences in this study has demonstrated 98% intelligibility up to 100 dB. Some theoretical and practical applications are suggested.
Plunging Ranula: A Case Report:

A plunging or diving ranula is a rare mucous fluid collection in the submandibular or parapharyngeal space resulting from damage or rupture of one or more ducts of the sublingual gland. The most co...
Association between Oklahoma earthquakes and anxiety-related Google search episodes.

Background Oklahoma has experienced a rise in seismicity since 2010, with many earthquakes induced by wastewater injection. While large single earthquakes have documented mental health repercussions, health implications of these new, frequent earthquakes remain unknown. We aimed to examine associations between Oklahoma earthquakes and statewide anxiety measured by Google queries. Methods The U.S. Geologic Survey's Advanced National Seismic System Comprehensive Catalog supplied earthquake dates and magnitudes. We used the Google Health application programming interface to compile the proportion of weekly Oklahoma-based health-related search episodes for anxiety. A quasi-experimental time-series analysis from January 2010 to May 2017 evaluated monthly counts of earthquakes ≥ magnitude 4 (a level felt by most people) in relation to anxiety, controlling for US-wide anxiety search episodes and Oklahoma-specific health-related queries. Results Oklahoma experienced an average of two (SD = 2) earthquakes ≥ magnitude 4 per month during the study period. For each additional earthquake ≥ magnitude 4, the proportion of Google search episodes for anxiety increased by 1.3% (95% confidence interval = 0.1%, 2.4%); 60% of this increase persisted for the following month. In months with 2 or more ≥ magnitude 4 earthquakes, the proportion of Google search episodes focused on anxiety increased by 5.8% (95% confidence interval = 2.3%, 9.3%). In a sub-analysis, Google search episodes for anxiety peaked about 3 weeks after ≥ magnitude 4 quakes. Conclusions These findings suggest that the recent increase in Oklahoma earthquakes has elicited a psychological response that may have implications for public health and regulatory policy.
Graded forward and backward walking at a matched intensity on cardiorespiratory responses and postural control

Abstract Background While several studies compare backward walking (BW) and forward walking (FW) in terms of heart rate (HR) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE), workload (VO2) was not matched to control for intensity levels (Hooper et al. [1]). Moreover, acute effects of inclined BW on postural control and ankle musculature has not been investigated. This study was designed to compare cardiovascular, metabolic and perceptual responses, changes in center of pressure (COP) motion, and muscle activation of tibialis anterior (TA) and gastrocnemius (GM) to control quiet stance posture immediately following inclined BW and FW at a matched intensity. Methods Seventeen healthy young adults completed three lab sessions 7–14 days apart. Session one, maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) was measured using open-circuit spirometry for each participant. Session two, participants performed BW for 15-min. Session three, participants performed FW for 15-min at matched intensity of BW. Surface electromyography (SEMG) measured the muscular activity of the TA and GM during bilateral stance on a force plate for 30 s prior to and immediately following BW and FW under both eyes open (EO), and eyes closed (EC) conditions. Results HR, VCO2, RER and RPE were significantly greater during BW compared to FW. Increased muscle activation and COP motion was elicited immediately following BW compared to FW under EO and EC. Conclusion Results of this study indicate BW requires greater cardiovascular, metabolic, perceptual and neuromuscular demands than FW, which may cause postural instability particularly to those with compromised balance. While there are benefits to BW in rehabilitation settings, these factors should be considered when prescribing BW for training and/or rehabilitation exercise program (Duffell et al. [2], Warnica et al. [ 3 ]).
A Study of Prednisone Therapy in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

A study of prednisone therapy in 18 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia is reported. 1. Antileukemic effects consisting of subjective improvement, decrease in organ infiltration, improvement in hemoglobulin and absolute neutrophil count occurred. 2. These effects were transient. 3. An increase, often marked, in the number of circulating lymphocytes occurred in 16 of the 18 patients. 4. The administration of prednisone was attended by an increase in the severity of infections. Some increase in the frequency of infections was also observed, but this was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). It is concluded that corticosteroids should not be used electively in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia except in the presence of hemolytic anemia, significant thrombocytopenia or in the presence of advanced disease associated with bone marrow failure.
Differential Fault Analysis Attack Resistant Architectures for the Advanced Encryption Standard

We present two architectures for protecting a hardware implementation of AES against side-channel attacks known as Differential Fault Analysis attacks. The first architecture, which is efficient for faults of higher multiplicity, partitions the design into linear (XOR gates only) and nonlinear blocks and uses different protection schemes for these blocks. We protect the linear blocks with linear codes and the nonlinear with a complimentary nonlinear operation resulting in robust protection. The second architecture uses systematic nonlinear (cubic) robust error detecting codes and provides for high fault detection for faults of low and high multiplicities but has higher hardware overhead.
Summary of Motor Deficits

Muscle strength is decreased with disorders of muscle, the myoneural junction and lower motor neurons. The degree ranges from mild weakness to paresis (more pronounced weakness) or paralysis, depending upon the extent and stage of the particular disorder.
Laser enrichment: a new path to proliferation

The use of lasers to obtain enriched uranium is an easier and cheaper method than methods currently in use. The immediate concern is that it could promote easy access to nuclear weapons by countries that do not presently have them. Mr. Casper feels that the U.S. government is working against itself; while the State Department is seeking to block one path to proliferation, ERDA laboratories are developing new technology that could open another. The proliferation implications have not been factored in a serious way into the decisions to proceed with this research. It is also clear that the United States does not now have a comprehensive policy that deals with all potentially important paths to proliferation, including laser enrichment. Mr. Casper states that there is still time to stop and consider whether laser enrichment should be developed, in light of its broader consequences. But this will not happen if the decisions are left exclusively in the hands of those promoting the technology, the author says. It is just this sort of situation that prompted the creation of several government institutions to provide independent assessments of new technologies. The Office of Technology Assessment, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the Arms Controlmore » and Disarmament Agency all have the authority to intervene. Laser enrichment provides a good test of these institutions and of the viability of the concept of technology assessment. The status, benefits and risks, and the policy needed on laser research are discussed. (MCW)« less
Clinicopathologic analysis of renal epithelioid angiomyolipoma: Consecutively excised 23 cases.

Renal epithelioid angiomyolipoma (eAML) is considered a malignant variant of angiomyolipoma (AML). From 2001 to 2016, a total of 570 patients were diagnosed with renal AML in Linko Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan, including 23 cases of renal eAML. All 23 eAML cases were made up of at least 10% of epithelioid cells histologically. Three of these cases were found with multiple tumors. Two cases developed distant metastasis: one had mediastinal lymph nodes and bilateral lung metastasis; the other one had tumor recurrence over liver and retroperitoneum 1 year after radical nephrectomy. They were then divided into invasive (n = 5) and noninvasive (n = 18) groups according to their clinical behavior. The invasive group showed more severe nuclear atypia and higher rates in tumor necrosis. There was statistically no significance in relation to a patient's age, tumor size, and mitotic count between two groups. After conducting a series of studies, we suggest treating eAML with the guideline of renal cell carcinoma.
Splicing dysregulation contributes to the pathogenicity of several F9 exonic point variants.

Background Pre-mRNA splicing is a complex process requiring the identification of donor site, acceptor site, and branch point site with an adjacent polypyrimidine tract sequence. Splicing is regulated by splicing regulatory elements (SREs) with both enhancer and suppressor functions. Variants located in exonic regions can impact splicing through dysregulation of native splice sites, SREs, and cryptic splice site activation. While splicing dysregulation is considered primary disease-inducing mechanism of synonymous variants, its contribution toward disease phenotype of non-synonymous variants is underappreciated. Methods In this study, we analyzed 415 disease-causing and 120 neutral F9 exonic point variants including both synonymous and non-synonymous for their effect on splicing using a series of in silico splice site prediction tools, SRE prediction tools, and in vitro minigene assays. Results The use of splice site and SRE prediction tools in tandem provided better prediction but were not always in agreement with the minigene assays. The net effect of splicing dysregulation caused by variants was context dependent. Minigene assays revealed that perturbed splicing can be found. Conclusion Synonymous variants primarily cause disease phenotype via splicing dysregulation while additional mechanisms such as translation rate also play an important role. Splicing dysregulation is likely to contribute to the disease phenotype of several non-synonymous variants.
The challenge of effectively translating transcranial near-infrared laser therapy to treat acute ischemic stroke

Abstract Transcranial near-infrared laser therapy originally referred to as transcranial laser therapy (TLT) or near-infrared laser therapy in translational stroke studies remains a potentially important method to promote acute neuroprotection, or cytoprotection and repair following a stroke. However, translational research has shown that the human skull can be an obstacle to the use of TLT to treat stroke. TLT has been studied in the ultimate translational model, the human in three clinical trials, NeuroThera effectiveness and safety trial (NEST)-1, NEST-2, and NEST-3 with ambiguous mixed efficacy-lack of efficacy results that are difficult to explain. Before mounting the NEST trials, there was a large amount of proof of concept efficacy data in animal models, in particular the rabbit embolic stroke model that was central to the development of acute ischemic stroke standard-of-care reperfusion therapy, tissue plasminogen activator. This brief chapter will review the NEST trial design and data, the translational embolic stroke data used to mount the NEST trials, and discuss significant differences in skull thickness and penetration data in rabbit and human in an attempt to explain the disappointing NEST results; and provide a basis for the next phase of TLT studies in humans.
Deep Sequencing of Cardiac MicroRNA-mRNA Interactomes in Clinical and Experimental Cardiomyopathy

MicroRNAs are a family of short (~21 nucleotide) noncoding RNAs that serve key roles in cellular growth and differentiation and the response of the heart to stress stimuli. As the sequence-specific recognition element of RNA-induced silencing complexes (RISCs), microRNAs bind mRNAs and prevent their translation via mechanisms that may include transcript degradation and/or prevention of ribosome binding. Short microRNA sequences and the ability of microRNAs to bind to mRNA sites having only partial/imperfect sequence complementarity complicate purely computational analyses of microRNA-mRNA interactomes. Furthermore, computational microRNA target prediction programs typically ignore biological context, and therefore the principal determinants of microRNA-mRNA binding: the presence and quantity of each. To address these deficiencies we describe an empirical method, developed via studies of stressed and failing hearts, to determine disease-induced changes in microRNAs, mRNAs, and the mRNAs targeted to the RISC, without cross-linking mRNAs to RISC proteins. Deep sequencing methods are used to determine RNA abundances, delivering unbiased, quantitative RNA data limited only by their annotation in the genome of interest. We describe the laboratory bench steps required to perform these experiments, experimental design strategies to achieve an appropriate number of sequencing reads per biological replicate, and computer-based processing tools and procedures to convert large raw sequencing data files into gene expression measures useful for differential expression analyses.
A statistical method for identifying consistently important features across samples

In many applications, features with consistently high measurements across many samples are particularly meaningful and useful for quality control or biological interpretation. Identification of these features among many others can be challenging especially when the samples cannot be expected to have the same distribution or range of values. We present a general method called conserved feature discovery (CFD) for identifying features with consistently strong signals across multiple conditions or samples. Given real-valued data, CFD requires no parameters, makes no assumptions on the underlying sample distributions, and is robust to differences across these distributions. We show that with high probability CFD identifies all true positives and no false positives under certain assumptions on the median and variance distributions of the feature measurements. Using simulated data, we show that CFD is tolerant to a small percentage of poor quality samples and robust to false positives. Applying CFD to RNA sequencing data from the Human Body Map project and GTEx, we identify lists of housekeeping genes as highly expressed genes across tissue types and compare to previous results in this domain. CFD is consistent between the two data sets, and identifies lists of genes enriched for basic cellular processes as expected. The framework can be easily adapted for many data types and desired feature properties.