cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Low-Temperature Branching Ratios for the Reaction of State-Prepared N2+ with Acetonitrile

In this work, the primary product branching ratio (BR) for the reaction of state-prepared nitrogen cation (N2+) with acetonitrile (CH3CN), a possible minor constituent of Titan’s upper atmosphere, is reported. The ion–molecule reaction occurs in the collision region of the supersonic nozzle expansion that is characterized by a rotational temperature of 45 ± 5 K. A BR of 0.86 ± 0.01/0.14 ± 0.01 is obtained for the formation CH2CN+ and the CH3CN+ product ions, respectively. The reported BR overwhelmingly favors the formation of CH2CN+ product channel and is consistent with a simple capture process that is accompanied by a nonresonant dissociative charge transfer reaction. The BRs are independent of the N2 rotational levels excited. Apart from providing insights onto the dynamics of the title ion–molecule reaction, the reported BR represents the most accurate available low-temperature experimental measurement for the reaction useful to aid in the accurate modeling of Titan’s nitrile chemistry.
Study on Contour Force Rendering Technology Oriented to Image Perception

With the development of the haptic interaction technology,the force perception will play an important role in more fields,such as in entertainment,blind help,and science popularity.Force rendering is a key problem to realize the realistic force perception.The image-based 2D contour force rendering method was investigated.The user interacted with the planar images by operating the 2D force feedback mouse.With the force feedback,the user could perceive the contour shape of the image.The target image boundary was firstly extracted and the discrete pixel points were fitted to a polygonal contour curve.Then the collision detection was done according to the relationship between the positions of the virtual tool and the contour as well as the minimum distance from the virtual tool point to the contour.Based on the continuity of the contour force,the contour force rendering algorithm was proposed which ensured the system stable.An experiment was conducted to identify the animal sign by the fedback contour force.The performance,including real time response,stability and recognition rate was analyzed which verified the feasibility and the effectiveness of the presented method.
Research on Localization Method of Partial Discharge Source in GIS Based on Time Difference

Taking the way of artificially simulating defects,where a discharge model is placed into GIS device, the time delay calculation methods in the time difference based localization technology for partial discharge source in GIS are researched experimentally. The time delay calculation methods include the signal waveform characteristic point method and the LMS based adaptive time delay calculation method. Experimental results show that the LMS based adaptive time delay calculation method is more satisfactory with higher accuracy.
Epidemiological Analysis on Public Health Emergencies at Schools in Shanghai during 2005-2013

[Objective] To investigate the epidemiological characteristics and trends of public health emergencies at schools in Shanghai, aiming to provide scientific evidence and related strategies for efficient prevention and control.[Methods] Descriptive epidemiological method was utilized to analyze the data of public health emergencies at schools in Shanghai retrieved from the Emergency Public Reporting System during 2005-2013.[Results] It reported 215 public health emergencies at schools in Shanghai during 2005-2013, including 182 infectious disease events, 18 mass vaccination response events, and 15 food-poisoning events, accounting for 84.7%, 9.1%, and 7.0%, respectively.The peaks of infectious disease events at schools occurred in May, November, and December, while mass vaccination response events only occurred in September and October.There was a significant difference in monthly distribution of emergency events(P 0.001).The public health emergencies were most common in primary schools and mainly composed of such respiratory diseases as varicelle and epidemic parotitis mumps.[Conclusion] The number of public health emergencies at schools first increased and then decreased in Shanghai during 2005-2013.Respiratory diseases take a large part of emergencies at schools.The public health emergencies occur frequently in primary schools.
Etiological factors of the Stevens-Johnson syndrome

Etiologic factors of the Stevens-Johnson syndrome, both drug-related and nondrug-related, are discussed. A description of the Stevens-Johnson syndrome as a symptom complex is presented. Available literature is reviewed and critiqued as to its contribution in helping to define the role of drugs as specific etiologic factors in the syndrome. A patient case history is presented to demonstrate the difficulty of determining the causative agent for the syndrome, and to emphasize the need for a complete drug history before specific agents are implicated. The need for caution and discretion in reporting and implicating agents without the availability of a complete patient history is discussed.
Information Processing of Services: Implications for New Services and Relationship Marketing

This paper examines consumer information processing under two conditions: 1) under initial service evaluations and 2) over the course of long-term service relationships. Marketing researchers have examined consumers’ information search and choice decisions for services (cf. Zeithaml 1981; Murray 1991). However, consumer information processing over the course of services marketing relationships have not yet been addressed. First, two modes of information processing — piecemeal-based and category-based processing — are discussed. Next, the two modes of information processing are discussed in the context of evaluation of new services and in the context of services marketing relationships over time.
Female-Bias in a Long-Term Study of a Species with Temperature-Dependent Sex Determination: Monitoring Sex Ratios for Climate Change Research.

Alterations have occurred and continue to manifest in the Earth’s biota as a result of climate change. Animals exhibiting temperature dependent sex determination (TSD), including sea turtles, are perhaps most vulnerable to a warming of the Earth as highly skewed sex ratios can result, potentially leading to population extinction resulting from decreased male recruitment. Recent studies have begun to quantify climate change impacts to sea turtle populations, especially in terms of predicting effects on hatchling sex ratios. However, given the inherent difficulty in studying sex ratios at this life stage, a more accurate assessment of changes in population sex ratios might be derived by evaluating the juvenile portion of foraging aggregations. We investigated the long-term trend in sex ratio of a juvenile loggerhead (Caretta caretta) sea turtle population inhabiting Pamlico and Core Sounds, North Carolina, USA. We used plasma testosterone reference ranges measured using radioimmunoassay (RIA) to assign sex for 959 turtles and confirmed sex assignment of a subset (N = 58) of the sampled turtles through laparoscopic examination of their gonads. Our results demonstrate that for this particular population of loggerheads, sex ratios (3Females:1Male) had not significantly changed over a 10 year period (1998–2007), nor showed any significant difference among 5-cm straight carapace length (SCL) size classes. Ultimately, these findings provide a basis for comparison with future sex ratios, and highlight the importance of establishing similar long-term studies monitoring secondary, rather than primary, sex ratios, so that needed mitigation measures to climate change impacts can be implemented.
Teaching Vocabulary through Movement: What Are the Outcomes for Children?.

ABSTRACTAlthough past literature regarding the use of dance and creative movement to teach content has been supportive, it has been primarily anecdotal in nature. This study provided a systematic approach to evaluating the relationship between the use of dance and creative movement to teach character-trait vocabulary and students’ understanding of those traits. Four teachers and 79 students in Grades 2 through 4 participated in this study over an 8-week period. Statistically significant results support the use of dance and movement in intermediate level classrooms.
Model Based Design (MBD) and Hardware In the Loop (HIL) validation: Curriculum development

Model Based Design (MBD) and systems engineering topics have been separately included in the engineering undergraduate curriculum for many years. Dynamical systems, modeling, optimization, and control, and statistical methods for Validation and Verification (V&V) are typically separate courses, but when it comes to industrial applications, all of these topics need to be considered together using systems engineering principles. Hardware-In-the-Loop (HIL) is a commonly followed practice for V&V, but it was not a part of engineering curriculum at the Ohio State University (OSU). In order to better prepare future engineers for industry requirements, it is necessary to bridge the gaps between the knowledge students gain in different courses. Hence, a pilot course was developed and taught at The OSU, which includes MBD and V&V from a systems engineering perspective. A laboratory project and assignments were designed which used virtual HIL allowing the students hands on experience. The small size pilot class allowed each student access to the virtual HIL setup.
Scalability of Composite Indices: Complexity Complications and Findings from 15 Years of Monitoring Child and Youth Well-Being in the United States

This chapter commences with a review of the theory of models as cognitive tools/linguistic devices by which we order and organize experiences and observations. Within the context of the theory of models, we then turn to the question of scalability of composite indices, that is: Can properties of a society, such as composite indices, be scaled across time periods and levels of analysis – from the whole system to subunits thereof? Because societies are considered complex systems, indeed among the most complex, we address this question within the context of two general sets of equations of state for complex systems. The first complexity model is a nonlinear deterministic dynamics model defined by difference or differential equations. A second complexity model incorporates stochastic (uncertainty) elements into the model specifications, leading to the various classes of statistical models that we use in our daily research. As a case study of the use of composite social indicators, the U.S. Child and Youth Well-Being Index (CWI) and various empirical findings for the years 1975–2014 are reviewed. Using the CWI as an example, the question of whether the scalability of composite social indicators is more likely due to one of the complexity models or the other is addressed. We conclude that both complexity models appear to be applicable and useful for studying, interpreting, and scaling composite indicators.
CASAnova: A multiclass support vector machine model for the classification of human sperm motility patterns

The ability to accurately monitor alterations in sperm motility is paramount to understanding multiple genetic and biochemical perturbations impacting normal fertilization. Computer-aided sperm analysis (CASA) of human sperm typically reports motile percentage and kinematic parameters at the population level, and uses kinematic gating methods to identify subpopulations such as progressive or hyperactivated sperm. The goal of this study was to develop an automated method that classifies all patterns of human sperm motility during in vitro capacitation following the removal of seminal plasma. We visually classified CASA tracks of 2817 sperm from 18 individuals and used a support vector machine-based decision tree to compute four hyperplanes that separate five classes based on their kinematic parameters. We then developed a web-based program, CASAnova, which applies these equations sequentially to assign a single classification to each motile sperm. Vigorous sperm are classified as progressive, intermediate, or hyperactivated, and nonvigorous sperm as slow or weakly motile. This program correctly classifies sperm motility into one of five classes with an overall accuracy of 89.9%. Application of CASAnova to capacitating sperm populations showed a shift from predominantly linear patterns of motility at initial time points to more vigorous patterns, including hyperactivated motility, as capacitation proceeds. Both intermediate and hyperactivated motility patterns were largely eliminated when sperm were incubated in noncapacitating medium, demonstrating the sensitivity of this method. The five CASAnova classifications are distinctive and reflect kinetic parameters of washed human sperm, providing an accurate, quantitative, and high-throughput method for monitoring alterations in motility.
The Search and Seizure of Privileged Attorney-Client Communications

A customs agent seizes a notepad out of an individual's briefcase over his objection that its contents are privileged; the notepad is later used to create a "roadmap" for the government's case against him.' An agent conducting electronic surveillance continues listening to a phone call between a suspect and his attorney after it becomes clear that the conversation is privileged; the suspect argues that the agent failed to comply with the minimization provision of the federal wiretap statute.2 Government agents seize more than a hundred file cabinets and close to a thousand boxes of documents from a suspect's warehouse and search them for evidence of embezzlement and money laundering; the suspect moves to suppress the fruits of the search on the grounds that privileged documents were illegally searched and seized.3 A prison warden authorizes monitoring of an inmate's conversations with his attorney because the attorney general concluded that there was reasonable suspicion that they would use the occasion to further acts of terrorism;4 the inmate argues that this violates his constitutional rights. Each of these scenarios presents a question that the federal courts have yet to resolve in a consistent, principled way: what is the relationship between the attorney-client privilege and the Fourth Amendment's protection against unreasonable searches and seizures?'
The Epidemiologic Background

Epidemiologic studies of mental illness and treatment programs in populations supply a scientific data base for social psychiatry. Morris2 defines epidemiology as “the study of the frequency, distribution, and determinants of disease in groups.” Psychiatric epidemiology, therefore, seeks to ascertain who, where, when, and, eventually, why some become mentally ill. Such data, relating demographic and socioenvironmental factors on one hand and mental illness on the other, make up the bits and pieces of information that we hope can be assembled into a skeleton upon which a theory of mental health and illness can be built.
City of Architectural Fiction

The drawing blends unbuilt but highly significant urban proposals into an alternative city of architectural fictions. It revisits earlier schemes such as Ebenezer Howard's Garden City, Le Corbusier...
The Postindustrial Society and Mental Retardation

This chapter consists of two parts, a general discussion of the postindustrial society and potential impacts on the mentally retarded (Part I) and a description of a structural modeling effort undertaken to illuminate certain cross-impacts (Part II).
Modeling and Control of Epidemics

One of the early attempts at mathematical modeling of the dynamics involved in the spread of disease was reported in [157], The work of Sir Ronald Ross (1908–1911) on the spread of malaria is by now well known and, in fact, much of the practical work carried out later stemmed from Ross’ investigations. In deriving his model consisting of two nonlinear ordinary differential equations of the form $$ \begin{array}{*{20}{c}} {\dot{x}\left( t \right) = ay\left( t \right)\left\{ {\frac{{b - x\left( t \right)}}{b}} \right\} - rx\left( t \right)} \hfill \\ {\dot{y}\left( t \right) = cx\left( t \right)\left\{ {\frac{{d - y\left( t \right)}}{d}} \right\} - ey\left( t \right),} \hfill \\ \end{array} $$ (4.1) Ross ignored latency periods but subsequently pointed out that the model equations would become differential-difference equations if the latent periods were considered.
Low-κ Interlevel Dielectrics

Considerable research and development is underway to obtain low dielectric constant (low-κ) alternatives to silicon dioxide as an interlevel dielectric (ILD). Materials with low-κ values to be used in the near term, such as polymer materials and organic/inorganic hybrids, target the 2.5 – 3.0 dielectric constant range. Subsequent low-κ technology nodes approach the κ ≤ 2.2 range, implying the incorporation of porosity into one of the currently investigated low-κ dielectrics. Porous materials have many additional challenges for successful processing and integration, requiring extensive experimental evaluation. Such an evaluation examines the effective dielectric constant, water absorption, chemical reactivity, temperature stability, and compatibility of each material with copper metal and barrier materials. More generally, the acceptability of a material, whether dense or nanoporous, is determined by the chemical, mechanical, thermal and electric properties exhibited, as well as integration issues with IC processing requirements.
Classical Semisimple Lie Algebras

Let F be a field of characteristic p ≠ 0; let L be a finite-dimensional Lie algebra over F, and let ϱ be a representation of L in a finite-dimensional vector space V over F such that the form (x, y) = Tr(xϱ yϱ) is non-singular on L. We further assume that L has a Cartan subalgebra ℌ such that for all h ∈ ℌ, all characteristic roots of hϱ are in F, an assumption which is satisfied trivially if F is algebraically closed.
Theory of Subtractive Color PhotographyIII. Four-Color Processes and the Black Printer*

Two main types of black printer are described—(a) those in which the black printer is only used to increase maximum density; (b) those in which the total gray component of the reproduction is supplied by the black. For practical purposes, the black printer density should be a function of the lowest of the equivalent densities of the three image components when the latter are color-corrected to give an accurate three-color reproduction. Several theoretically possible but somewhat complicated methods of selecting the lowest of three densities are described. The use of infra-red radiation, which is the only previously known method of making a good black printer, is limited in its application, since it depends on accidental or artificially introduced relationships between visual and infra-red brightness. For accurate brightness rendering, the color-corrected three-color separations require further correction by means of a black printer mask.
Estimation of the Domain of Attraction under Saturated Linear Feedback

The problem of estimating the domain of attraction of an equilibrium of a nonlinear dynamical system has been extensively studied for several decades (see, e.g,[16,17,25,32,40,50,55,58,75,81,84,104,105] and the references therein). In Section 4.2, we presented a simple method for determining the domain of attraction for a second order linear system under a saturated linear feedback. For general higher order systems, exact description of the domain of attraction seems impossible. Our objective in this chapter is to obtain an estimate of the domain of attraction, with the least conservatism, for general linear systems under saturated linear feedback. Our presentation draws on materials from our recent work [40]
Combining psychosocial data to improve prediction of cardiovascular disease risk factors and events: The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute-sponsored women's ischemia syndrome evaluation study

Background There is overlap among psychosocial variables associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD), and utility of combining psychosocial variables as risk markers for understanding CVD is largely unknown.
MIF family proteins in genitourinary cancer: tumorigenic roles and therapeutic potential.

Genitourinary cancers encompass some of the most common solid tumours and have high rates of morbidity and mortality. Inflammation is associated with enhanced tumorigenesis, and a number of pro-inflammatory mediators, such as macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), also promote tumorigenesis. Studies of the role of MIF (which largely functions via the type II transmembrane receptor CD74) in prostate, bladder and kidney cancers suggest that it is a pro-tumorigenic factor in genitourinary malignancy. Inhibiting MIF activity in cell culture and in preclinical animal models of genitourinary cancers reduces the phenotypic hallmarks of cancer, such as proliferation, angiogenesis and tumour aggressiveness, by downregulating signalling pathways such as those regulated by extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), protein kinase B and p53, and MIF may also reverse immunosuppression. Progress has been made in our understanding of the role of MIF (and its family member d-dopachrome tautomerase (DDT)) in genitourinary cancers and how it can be therapeutically targeted. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) can promote tumorigenesis by acting directly on cancer cells and by reversing immunosuppression. Advances have been made in our understanding of the role of MIF in the promotion of, and as a treatment target for, genitourinary cancers.
Female Juvenile Violent Behavior: Bonding Systems and Other Mediating Constructs

The purpose of this research was to examine a conceptual/theoretical model with negative (substance use) and positive (extracurricular activities) mediating factors between several bonding systems and violent behavior among female youth. Since much of the prior researches have focused on both males and females therefore this study is focusing on females only. Data from the 2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health was used for this study. For the purpose of this study female research participants between the age of 12–17 were selected (N = 9383). At the stage of bivariate analysis, parental bonding system was omitted from a model before moving onto a structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis as most of the correlations between indicators of parental bonding systems and dependent variables were not significant. Revised model with two bonding systems on violent behavior through two mediating constructs, extracurricular activities and substance use were tested through the SEM and Sobel test analyses. This structural model specifies a satisfactory fit with the sample. Several mediating effects within this model, which help lower the occurrence of violent behavior, were also validated.
Ratiometric SERS detection of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons assisted by β-cyclodextrin-modified gold nanoparticles

A surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) method is described for the determination of trace polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the environment efficiently and economically. Detection sensitivity is improved by modifying gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with 4-mercaptophenylboronic acid (4-MPBA) conjugated to β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) as a new method for ratiometric determination of PAHs in solution. Pyrene (with a Raman band at 580 cm−1) and anthracene (750 cm−1) were used as the model analytes, while 4-MPBA (1570 cm−1) was used as the internal reference to normalize the SERS signals. The intensity ratios of pyrene/4-MPBA increase linearly in the 2 to 10 nM pyrene concentration range, and the intensity ratios of anthracene/4-MPBA increase linearly in the 10 to 100 nM anthracene concentration range. The detection limits are 0.4 nM for pyrene and 4.4 nM for anthracene. This method was applied to the determination of the two analytes in soil sample extracts and the recoveries of pyrene (at levels of 236 ng∙g−1 and 170 ng∙g−1) and anthracene (334 ng∙g−1 and 510 ng∙g−1) agreed well with the results from GC-MS analyses. The good recovery rates (101.8% and 102.5% for pyrene and 106.4% and 101.7% for anthracene) confirmed the reliability of the method.
The diverse niches of megajournals: Specialism within generalism

Over the past decade, megajournals have expanded in popularity and established a legitimate niche in academic publishing. Leveraging advantages of digital publishing, megajournals are characterized by large publication volume, broad interdisciplinary scope, and peer‐review filters that select primarily for scientific soundness as opposed to novelty or originality. These publishing innovations are complementary and competitive vis‐a‐vis traditional journals. We analyze how megajournals (PLOS One, Scientific Reports) are represented in different fields relative to prominent generalist journals (Nature, PNAS, Science) and “quasi‐megajournals” (Nature Communications, PeerJ). Our results show that both megajournals and prominent traditional journals have distinctive niches, despite the similar interdisciplinary scopes of such journals. These niches—defined by publishing volume and disciplinary diversity—are dynamic and varied over the relatively brief histories of the analyzed megajournals. Although the life sciences are the predominant contributor to megajournals, there is variation in the disciplinary composition of different megajournals. The growth trajectories and disciplinary composition of generalist journals—including megajournals—reflect changing knowledge dissemination and reward structures in science.
Correction of Iron Deficiency with Intravenous Iron Replacement Immediately after Left Ventricular Assist Device Implant

Purpose Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) persists after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) placement and is associated with increased hospitalizations and mortality. Correction of IDA with IV iron replacement in patients with heart failure improves quality of life (QoL), functional capacity, and reduces hospitalizations. Minimal data for IV iron replacement in patients with LVAD exists. We sought to assess the safety and efficacy of protocolized iron deficiency diagnosis and IV iron replacement in newly implanted LVAD recipients. Methods A prospective, observational study of all patients undergoing LVAD implant from 1/1/2019-9/30/2019 was conducted. Iron studies were obtained in all patients prior to index discharge; iron deficiency was defined as ferritin Results Of the 16 patients who received an LVAD in the study period, 12 (75%) were found to have IDA and received IV FG. Patients were 62±10 years old, 81% were male, and 50% were Caucasian. No infusion-related adverse effects occurred. At a median follow-up of 9.9 weeks, 87.5% were no longer iron deficient. Hemoglobin (HgB), hematocrit (HCT) and Tsat increased significantly; there was no difference in ferritin levels. For the 8 patients with a 3 month post-implant clinic visit, a significant increase in MLHFQ, but not 6MWT, was observed. Conclusion IV FG infusions immediately after LVAD are well-tolerated and associated with increased HgB/HCT and correction of IDA. Future studies are needed to confirm improvement in clinical outcomes.
Design screening and analysis of gas-fired ammonia-based chemisorption heat pumps for space heating in cold climate

Abstract Thermally-driven ammonia-based chemisorption heat pumps (CSHP) have the potential to provide high-efficiency space heating in cold climates. Using the reversible chemical bond between sorbent salt and ammonia, CSHP thermochemically pumps heat from the cold ambient to the end-uses of space heating at 50 °C. The heating coefficient of performance (COP) of a CSHP is largely dependent on the selection of the sorbent salts, cycle configuration, and the system operation. This study uses a thermodynamic model to investigate the performance of six CSHP system configurations, including four single-effect and two double-effect cycles. The feasibility and performance of 121 available NH3/salt reactions are studied for each configuration. The thermal COP of the cycles and the primary energy COP of the gas-fired CSHP systems are evaluated assuming 50 °C supply temperature for building space heating and the optimal system designs are identified. The highest thermal COP for single-effect and double-effect cycles under −25 °C ambient temperatures are predicted to be 1.22 and 1.57, respectively. The corresponding primary energy COPs are above 1.0 and 1.15, which are 30% higher than condensing furnaces and is sustained into the same cold temperatures.
Impact of hepatitis C virus treatment on the risk of non-hepatic cancers among hepatitis C virus-infected patients in the US

Background Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with with an increased risk of non-hepatic cancers, but the impact of HCV treatment on non-hepatic cancer is unclear. Aims To assess if HCV treatment reduced the incidence of non-hepatic cancers among patients with chronic HCV infection in the US. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study in MarketScan Databases from January 2005 to December 2016. Multivariable, time-varying Cox proportional-hazards models were used to determine hazard ratios (HRs) of incident non-hepatic cancers in treated and untreated patients with HCV infection. We conduscted subgroup analyses for sex, age, and presence of cirrhosis or diabetes. Results Among 62 078 patients with newly diagnosed HCV infection, 17 302 (28%) initiated HCV treatment, among whom 15 322 completed 8-16 weeks treatment (minimally effective treatment). Patients who initiated HCV treatment had an 11% decreased risk of developing an incident non-hepatic cancer compared to untreated patients (HR = 0.89, 95% confidence interval (Cl) = 0.82-0.96). The reduction was slightly higher when patients completed a minimally effective treatment (HR = 0.87; 95% Cl = 0.80 - 0.95). This was observed in most subgroup analyses for those who had a minimally effective treatment including patients with cirrhosis. When we stratified cancer or therapy subtypes, the association remained consistent for pancreatic and lung cancers, and dual HCV therapy. Conclusions HCV treatment led to a significantly reduced incidence of non-hepatic cancers among patients with HCV infection. Despite discrepancies between cancer or HCV therapy subtypes, our findings suggest that treating HCV infection can decrease the extrahepatic cancer burden associated with chronic HCV infection.
Understanding Covalent versus Spin–Orbit Coupling Contributions to Temperature-Dependent Electron Spin Relaxation in Cupric and Vanadyl Phthalocyanines

Recent interest in transition-metal complexes as potential quantum bits (qubits) has reinvigorated the investigation of fundamental contributions to electron spin relaxation in various ligand scaff...
Pollen tube-triggered accumulation of NORTIA at the filiform apparatus facilitates fertilization in Arabidopsis thaliana

During gamete delivery in Arabidopsis thaliana, intercellular communication between the attracted pollen tube and the receptive synergid cell leads to subcellular events in both cells culminating in the rupture of the tip-growing pollen tube and release of the sperm cells to achieve double fertilization. Live imaging of pollen tube reception revealed dynamic subcellular changes that occur in the female synergid cells. Pollen tube arrival triggers the trafficking of NORTIA (NTA) MLO protein from Golgi-associated compartments and the accumulation of endosomes at or near the synergid filiform apparatus, a membrane-rich region that acts as the site of communication between the pollen tube and synergids. Domain swaps and site-directed mutagenesis reveal that NTAs C-terminal cytoplasmic tail with its calmodulin-binding domain influences the subcellular localization and function of NTA in pollen tube reception and that accumulation of NTA at the filiform apparatus is necessary and sufficient for MLO function in pollen tube reception.During gamete delivery in Arabidopsis thaliana, intercellular communication between the attracted pollen tube and the receptive synergid cell leads to subcellular events in both cells culminating in the rupture of the tip-growing pollen tube and release of the sperm cells to achieve double fertilization. Live imaging of pollen tube reception revealed dynamic subcellular changes that occur in the female synergid cells. Pollen tube arrival triggers the trafficking of NORTIA (NTA) MLO protein from Golgi-associated compartments and the accumulation of endosomes at or near the synergid filiform apparatus, a membrane-rich region that acts as the site of communication between the pollen tube and synergids. Domain swaps and site-directed mutagenesis reveal that the NTA C-terminal cytoplasmic tail with its calmodulin-binding domain influences the subcellular localization and function of NTA in pollen tube reception and that accumulation of NTA at the filiform apparatus is necessary and sufficient for MLO function in pollen tube reception.
Implementation of a Quality Improvement Project to Increase Access to Dietitian Services for Patients With Gastrointestinal Cancer in a Safety-Net Hospital System.

PURPOSE:Rates of malnutrition are high in patients with GI cancer, leading to poor outcomes. The aim of our project was to increase the rate of documented dietitian assessment in patients with GI c...
State of birth and cardiovascular disease mortality: Multilevel analyses of the National Longitudinal Mortality Study.

Abstract Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading contributor to mortality in the United States. Previous studies have linked early life individual and family factors, along with various contemporaneous place-based exposures to differential individual CVD mortality risk. However, the impacts of early life place exposures and how they compare to the effects of an individual's current place of residence on CVD mortality risk is not well understood. Using the National Longitudinal Mortality Study, this research examined the effects of both state of birth and state of residence on individual's risk of CVD mortality. We estimated individual mortality risk by estimating multi-level logistic regression models. We found that during a follow-up period of 11 years, 18,292 (4.2%) out of 433,345 participants died from CVD. The impact of state of birth on subsequent CVD mortality risk are greater than state of residence, even after adjusting for socio-demographic factors. Individuals who were born in certain states such as Tennessee, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania on average had higher CVD mortality risk. Conversely, those born in California, North Dakota, and Montana were found to have lower risk, no matter where they presently live. This study implies that early life state-level environments may be more prominent to individual's CVD mortality risk, compared to the state in which one lives. Future research should address specific mechanisms through which state of birth may affect people's risk of CVD mortality.
Revascularization Outcome Prediction for A Direct Aspiration-First Pass Technique (ADAPT) from Pre-Treatment Imaging and Machine Learning

A direct aspiration-first pass technique (ADAPT) has recently gained popularity for the treatment of large vessel ischemic stroke. Here, we sought to create a machine learning-based model that uses pre-treatment imaging metrics to predict successful outcomes for ADAPT in middle cerebral artery (MCA) stroke cases. In 119 MCA strokes treated by ADAPT, we calculated four imaging parameters—clot length, perviousness, distance from the internal carotid artery (ICA) and angle of interaction (AOI) between clot/catheter. We determined treatment success by first pass effect (FPE), and performed univariate analyses. We further built and validated multivariate machine learning models in a random train-test split (75%:25%) of our data. To test model stability, we repeated the machine learning procedure over 100 randomizations, and reported the average performances. Our results show that perviousness (p = 0.002) and AOI (p = 0.031) were significantly higher and clot length (p = 0.007) was significantly lower in ADAPT cases with FPE. A logistic regression model achieved the highest accuracy (74.2%) in the testing cohort, with an AUC = 0.769. The models had similar performance over the 100 train-test randomizations (average testing AUC = 0.768 ± 0.026). This study provides feasibility of multivariate imaging-based predictors for stroke treatment outcome. Such models may help operators select the most adequate thrombectomy approach.
Cell Proteins Bind to A 67 Nucleotide Sequence within the 3’ Noncoding Region (NCR) of Simian Hemorrhagic Fever Virus (SFV) Negative-Strand RNA

The 3’NCR of the SHFV negative-strand RNA [SHFV 3’(-)NCR RNA] is thought to be the initiation site of full-length and possibly also subgenomic positive-strand RNA and so is likely to contain cis-acting signals for viral RNA replication. Cellular and viral proteins may specifically interact with this region to form replication complexes. When in vitro transcribed SHFV 3’(-)NCR RNA was used as a probe in gel mobility shift assays, two RNA-protein complexes were detected with MA 104 S100 cytoplasmic extracts. The specificity of these RNA-protein interactions was demonstrated by competition gel mobil-ity shift assays. Four MA104 proteins (103, 86, 55, and 36 kDa) were detected by UV-in-duced cross-linking assays and three proteins (103, 55, and 36 kDa) were detected by northwestern blotting assays. The binding sites for these proteins were mapped to the re-gion between nucleotides 117 to 184 on the SHFV 3’(-)NCR RNA. Four cellular proteins with identical molecular masses to those of the proteins that bind to the SHFV 3’(-)NCR RNA were detected by the 3’(-) NCR of another arterivirus, LDV-C, suggesting that diver-gent arteriviruses utilize the same set of conserved cell protein domains.
Bicornuate uterus and partial atresia of the fallopian tube.

Partial atresia of the fallopian tube was discovered in two patients with double uteri of the bicornuate variety. The abnormal tube in each case was ipsilateral to a noncommunicating, nonfunctioning, rudimentary uterine horn. A normal fimbriated end led to a short, patent ampullary portion that ended blindly in the mesosalpinx. Realization of the potential for the coexistence of congenital malformation of the fallopian tubes with various uterine malformations suggests that extreme caution be exercised during adnexal surgery in patients with anomalous development of the mullerian ducts.
Mucosal protection by sucralfate and its components in acid-exposed rabbit esophagus

Abstract Sucralfate has been reported to protect the esophageal epithelium of the rabbit and cat against acid injury. To determine the contribution of its components, aluminum hydroxide and sucrose octasulfate (SOS), rabbit esophageal epithelia were mounted in Ussing chambers to monitor changes in electrical resistance (R) upon exposure to HCl (pH 1.4–1.6). In untreated tissues, acidification of the luminal bath produced a progressive decline in R, indicating increased epithelial permeability. Sucralfate added to the luminal bath 45 min after acidification increased R to preexposure levels—an effect accompanied by increased luminal pH. Similar to sucralfate, aluminum hydroxide added to the acidified bath increased R and luminal pH. However, the effect of aluminum hydroxide could be abolished by titration with HCl to maintain pH similar to acid-treated control tissues. Tissues treated with sucralfate and whose luminal solutions were titrated with HCl to maintain pH similar to controls no longer exhibited an increase in R but, in contrast to aluminum hydroxide treatment, the acid-induced decline in R was prevented. This action of sucralfate was shown to be a property of its other component, SOS. Sucrose octasulfate, like acid-titrated sucralfate solutions, did not increase luminal bath pH, yet prevented the acid-induced decline in R. Confirmation of protection by SOS was shown by additional morphologic and flux studies. Thus 1 h after luminal bath acidification in the Ussing chamber, SOS-treated tissues demonstrated less damage (injury score 0.6 ± 0.4 vs. 1.6 ± 0.3, p 2 , p + efflux from the lumen in SOS-treated than untreated tissues. These results indicate that sucralfate can protect against acid injury in esophagus and that this protection is mediated by (a) intraluminal pH buffering through its content of aluminum hydroxide and (b) enhancing mucosal defense against H + entry and injury through its content of SOS.
The Restless City: A Short History of New York from Colonial Times to the Present

The Restless City: A Short History of New York from Colonial Times to the Present is a short, lively history of the world’s most exciting and diverse metropolis. It shows how New York’s perpetual struggles for power, wealth, and status exemplify the vigor, creativity, resilience, and influence of the nation’s premier urban center. The updated second edition includes nineteen images and brings the story right up through the mayoral election of 2009. In these pages are the stories of a broad cross-section of people and events that shaped the city, including mayors and moguls, women and workers, and policemen and poets. Joanne Reitano shows how New York has invigorated the American dream by confronting the fundamental economic, political, and social challenges that face every city. Energized by change, enriched by immigrants, and enlivened by provocative leaders, New York City’s restlessness has always been its greatest asset.
Phenylarsine oxide induces mitochondrial permeability transition, hypercontracture, and cardiac cell death.

The mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) is implicated in cardiac reperfusion/reoxygenation injury. In isolated ventricular myocytes, the sulfhydryl (SH) group modifier and MPT inducer pheny...
Stromal mesenchyme cell genes of the human prostate and bladder

Stromal mesenchyme cells play an important role in epithelial differentiation and likely in cancer as well. Induction of epithelial differentiation is organ-specific, and the genes responsible could be identified through a comparative genomic analysis of the stromal cells from two different organs. These genes might be aberrantly expressed in cancer since cancer could be viewed as due to a defect in stromal signaling. We propose to identify the prostate stromal genes by analysis of differentially expressed genes between prostate and bladder stromal cells, and to examine their expression in prostate cancer. Immunohistochemistry using antibodies to cluster designation (CD) cell surface antigens was first used to characterize the stromas of the prostate and bladder. Stromal cells were prepared from either prostate or bladder tissue for cell culture. RNA was isolated from the cultured cells and analyzed by DNA microarrays. Expression of candidate genes in normal prostate and prostate cancer was examined by RT-PCR. The bladder stroma was phenotypically different from that of the prostate. Most notable was the presence of a layer of CD13+ cells adjacent to the urothelium. This structural feature was also seen in the mouse bladder. The prostate stroma was uniformly CD13-. A number of differentially expressed genes between prostate and bladder stromal cells were identified. One prostate gene, proenkephalin (PENK), was of interest because it encodes a hormone. Secreted proteins such as hormones and bioactive peptides are known to mediate cell-cell signaling. Prostate stromal expression of PENK was verified by an antibody raised against a PENK peptide, by RT-PCR analysis of laser-capture microdissected stromal cells, and by database analysis. Gene expression analysis showed that PENK expression was down-regulated in prostate cancer. Our findings show that the histologically similar stromas of the prostate and bladder are phenotypically different, and express organ-specific genes. The importance of these genes in epithelial development is suggested by their abnormal expression in cancer. Among the candidates is the hormone PENK and the down-regulation of PENK expression in cancer suggests a possible association with cancer development.
Age-related changes in monocytes exacerbate neointimal hyperplasia after vascular injury.

// Laisel Martinez 1 , Camilo Gomez 1 and Roberto I. Vazquez-Padron 1* 1 Department of Surgery and Vascular Biology Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA Correspondence to: Roberto I. Vazquez-Padron, email: // Keywords : age, monocytes, gene expression, balloon injury, neointimal hyperplasia Received : March 21, 2015 Accepted : March 31, 2015 Published : April 19, 2015 Abstract Neointimal hyperplasia is the leading cause of restenosis after endovascular interventions. It is characterized by the accumulation of myofibroblast-like cells and extracellular matrix in the innermost layer of the wall and is exacerbated by inflammation. Monocytes from either young or aged rats were applied perivascularly to injured vascular walls of young recipient animals. Monocytes from aged rats, but not young donors, increased neointima thickness. Accordingly, the gene expression profiles of CD11b + monocytes from aged rats showed significant up-regulation of genes involved in cellular adhesion, lipid degradation, cytotoxicity, differentiation, and inflammation. These included cadherin 13 ( Cdh13 ), colony stimulating factor 1 ( Csf1 ), chemokine C-X-C motif ligand 1 ( Cxcl1 ), endothelial cell-selective adhesion molecule ( Esam ), and interferon gamma ( Ifng ). In conclusion, our results suggest that the increased inflammatory and adhesive profile of monocytes contributes to pathological wall remodeling in aged-related vascular diseases.
Comparison of PTEN protein loss and PI3K gene mutation status in breast cancer

Background: The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) family of enzymes plays key roles in the transduction of cell signals, and several inhibitors of this pathway are currently in clinical development for the treatment of breast and other cancers. PI3K signaling is activated by growth factor receptors and regulated and terminated by multiple factors including dephosphorylation of the 3′ phosphate of PIP3 by the phosphatase PTEN. Reduced PTEN expression in breast cancer confers susceptibility to inhibitors of the PI3 kinase/Akt pathway. In a subset of breast cancer cases, PTEN protein has been found to be expressed at lower levels (e.g., as compared with normal breast epithelium), however, human breast cancer cells rarely have PTEN mutations. On the other hand PI3K gene mutations have been found in a majority of breast tumors. Methods: To examine the relationship between PTEN protein loss and PI3K gene mutation, PTEN immunoreactivity was assessed semi-quantitatively using histoscores in freshly-cut sections of paraffin blocks from 26 anonymized breast cancer specimens. Sections from the same tumor blocks were used for PI3K mutation detection. One H&E-stained section was used to mark the area of tumor and 2-4 additional unstained sections were macrodissected to enrich for tumor cells, which then underwent DNA extraction. The DNA was analyzed with a commercial PI3K mutation test kit (DxS PI3K Mutation Test Kit, Manchester, UK) that detects 4 somatic mutations in exons 9 and 20 of PIK3CA in three discrete mutation groups or “buckets.” Results: Of the 26 breast cancer specimens examined, 7 (27%) had absence of PTEN protein expression (histoscore=0) and an additional 4 (15%) had a reduction in PTEN expression (histoscore>0 to PI3K mutations were detected in 8 (31%) of the 26 breast cancer specimens examined. Of the mutations detected, there were 4 (15%) mutations of H1047R (3140 A>G), 1 (4%) of E542K (1624 G>A), and 3 (12%) of E545D (1635 G>T) or E545K (1633 G>A). Conclusions: There was a statistically significant correlation between PTEN loss (histoscore PI3K mutations (Fisher9s exact test, 2-tail P =0.003). The percentage of cases with overall PTEN loss in this specimen set was similar to previous reports of PTEN loss in breast tumors. In contrast, another report did not find concomitant PTEN loss and PI3K mutations. However, the investigators evaluated fewer samples, studied HER2 amplified breast cancer specifically, and used a different method (sequencing) to detect mutations. A three-way study that includes HER2 amplification or overexpression may be necessary to explain the discrepancy.