cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cell prestress. II. Contribution of microtubules

The tensegrity model hypothesizes that cytoskeleton-based microtubules (MTs) carry compression as they balance a portion of cell contractile stress. To test this hypothesis, we used traction force microscopy to measure traction at the interface of adhering human airway smooth muscle cells and a flexible polyacrylamide gel substrate. The prediction is that if MTs balance a portion of contractile stress, then, upon their disruption, the portion of stress balanced by MTs would shift to the substrate, thereby causing an increase in traction. Measurements were done first in maximally activated cells (10 microM histamine) and then again after MTs had been disrupted (1 microM colchicine). We found that after disruption of MTs, traction increased on average by approximately 13%. Because in activated cells colchicine induced neither an increase in intracellular Ca(2+) nor an increase in myosin light chain phosphorylation as shown previously, we concluded that the observed increase in traction was a result of load shift from MTs to the substrate. In addition, energy stored in the flexible substrate was calculated as work done by traction on the deformation of the substrate. This result was then utilized in an energetic analysis. We assumed that cytoskeleton-based MTs are slender elastic rods supported laterally by intermediate filaments and that MTs buckle as the cell contracts. Using the post-buckling equilibrium theory of Euler struts, we found that energy stored during buckling of MTs was quantitatively consistent with the measured increase in substrate energy after disruption of MTs. This is further evidence supporting the idea that MTs are intracellular compression-bearing elements.
The design and performance of an ion trap storage—reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer

Abstract The design and performance of an ion trap storage—reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer (IT—RETOF MS) combination have been explored for detection of ions generated from both internal and external ionization sources. Ions were generated inside the trap using laser-induced resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization at 266 nm, while ions were generated external to the trap using eighter an atmospheric pressure or low pressure d.c. plasma souce or an electrospray ionization source. It is demonstrated herein that the ion trap provides an effective means of storing ions from 10 μs up to 10 s prior to mass analysis via pulsed d.c. extraction into the RETOF MS device. In addition, it is shown that the storage capabilities of the device provide enhanced resolution and sensitivity as the storage time is increased. A resolution of nearly 2100 at m/z 93 is demonstrated using external injection from the atmospheric pressure d.c. plasma source when a storage time of 9 s is used before ejection. Further, a resolution of ≈3300 at m/z 1000 is demonstrated using external injection from an electrospray ionization source into the trap with a storage time of 931 ms. The IT—RETOF storage capabilities are shown to provide the potential for nearly 100% duty cycle in converting a continuous ion beam into a pulsed source of TOF. The detection limit of the device is demonstrated with liquid injection techniques for a typical sample and found to be in the low femtomole range. In addition, the r.f. voltage was shown to be an effective means of eliminating low mass background ions from the trap and, thus, from the TOF mass spectra obtained.
GRATIFICATIONS SOUGHT AND OBTAINED IN PROGRAM DEPENDENCY A Study of Network Evening News Programs and 60 Minutes

This study examined the role of gratifications sought (GS) and gratifications obtained (GO) in predicting dependency on network evening news programs and 60 Minutes. Correlational analyses for both network news programs and 60 Minutes showed GS to be most strongly correlated to corresponding GO and less strongly correlated to noncorresponding GO. For both network news programs and 60 Minutes, paired group t-tests showed that mean GS levels were lower than the mean GO levels for all corresponding gratification items except for two surveillance items. Considerable promise for an additive transactional model was seen in the hierarchical multiple regression analyses which showed the added influence of GO in predicting dependency on network news programs and 60 Minutes after the ordered effects of demographic variables, habitual media use, and GS had been controlled for.
Defining the value framework for prostate brachytherapy using patient-centered outcome metrics and time-driven activity-based costing.

Abstract Purpose Value, defined as outcomes over costs, has been proposed as a measure to evaluate prostate cancer (PCa) treatments. We analyzed standardized outcomes and time-driven activity-based costing (TDABC) for prostate brachytherapy (PBT) to define a value framework. Methods and materials Patients with low-risk PCa treated with low-dose-rate PBT between 1998 and 2009 were included. Outcomes were recorded according to the International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement standard set, which includes acute toxicity, patient-reported outcomes, and recurrence and survival outcomes. Patient-level costs to 1 year after PBT were collected using TDABC. Process mapping and radar chart analyses were conducted to visualize this value framework. Results A total of 238 men were eligible for analysis. Median age was 64 (range, 46–81). Median followup was 5 years (0.5–12.1). There were no acute Grade 3–5 complications. Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite 50 scores were favorable, with no clinically significant changes from baseline to last followup at 48 months for urinary incontinence/bother, bowel bother, sexual function, and vitality. Ten-year outcomes were favorable, including biochemical failure-free survival of 84.1%, metastasis-free survival 99.6%, PCa-specific survival 100%, and overall survival 88.6%. TDABC analysis demonstrated low resource utilization for PBT, with 41% and 10% of costs occurring in the operating room and with the MRI scan, respectively. The radar chart allowed direct visualization of outcomes and costs. Conclusions We successfully created a visual framework to define the value of PBT using the International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement standard set and TDABC costs. PBT is associated with excellent outcomes and low costs. Widespread adoption of this methodology will enable value comparisons across providers, institutions, and treatment modalities.
Numeric dispersion analysis of 3D envelope-finite element (EVFE) method

The numeric dispersion error of the 3D envelope-finite element (EVFE) method is analyzed with several examples. The results show that the EVFE method has a much lower dispersion error compared to the unconditionally stable finite element time domain (FETD) method. Furthermore, in the analysis of high Q structures, such as resonators or filters, the EVFE technique can obtain the resonator frequency or frequency response, not only efficiently, but also accurately.
A Comparison Study: The New Extended Shelf Life Isopropyl Ester Pmr Technology Versus the Traditional Methyl Ester Pmr Approach

Polymerization of Monomeric Reactants (PMR) monomer solutions and carbon cloth prepregs of PMR II-50 and VCAP-75 were prepared using both the traditional limited shelf life methanol based PMR approach and a novel extended shelf life isopropanol based PMR approach. The methyl ester and isopropyl ester based PMR monomer solutions and PMR prepregs were aged for up to four years at freezer and room temperatures. The aging products formed were monitored using high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). The composite processing flow characteristics and volatile contents of the aged prepregs were also correlated versus room temperature storage time. Composite processing cycles were developed and six ply cloth laminates were fabricated with prepregs after various extended room temperature storage times. The composites were then evaluated for glass transition temperature (Tg), thermal decomposition temperature (Td), initial flexural strength (FS) and modulus (FM), long term (1000 hours at 316 C) thermal oxidative stability (TOS), and retention of FS and FM after 1000 hours aging at 316 C. The results for each ester system were comparable. Freezer storage was found to prevent the formation of aging products for both ester systems. Room temperature storage of the novel isopropyl ester system increased PMR monomer solution and PMR prepreg shelf life by at least an order of magnitude while maintaining composite properties.
Thermally Forced Stationary Waves in a Quasigeostrophic System

Abstract Analytical solutions of thermally forced stationary waves in a linear quasigeostrophic model are obtained. It is found that the zonal flow has a profound impact on the structure of the responses. The inviscid solutions on a resting basic state are the Sverdrup solutions that are confined to the heating region. The solutions on a westerly zonal flow are composed of a local and a vertically propagating part. The local response exists only in the heating region. The vertically propagating response exists in the far field as well as in the heating region. The thermally forced vertically propagating response can be conceptualized as a response to an “equivalent topography,” the height of which is proportional to the intensity and zonal scale of the heating, and inversely proportional to the strength of the zonal flow. Particular solutions forced by realistic summer heating fields reveal that, for weak westerlies, the height of the equivalent topography is much larger than that of the real topography, ...
Cloning and characterization of Pros45, the Drosophila SUG1 proteasome subunit homolog

The proteasome plays essential roles in a variety of cellular processes, including degradation of the bulk of cellular proteins, degradation of short-lived proteins such as cell cycle regulators, generation of antigenic peptides, and mediating programmed cell death. One of the best characterized subunits of the 26S proteasome is encoded by the yeast gene SUG1. We report here the cloning and characterization of the Drosophila homolog of this gene, Pros45. At the protein level, Pros45 is highly conserved with respect to its homologs in a variety of taxa: it shows 74% identity to yeast Sug1; 86% to mouse m56/mSug1/FZA-B; 87% to human Trip1; and 97% to moth 18-56. Using a genomic clone as a probe for in situ hyridization to polytene chromesomes, we demonstrated that Pros45 maps to 19F, near the base of the X chromosome. Use of a pros45 cDNA clone as a probe revealed a second site of hybridization at 99CD. Pros45 mRNA is found in the unfertilized egg and in all cells of the early embryo. By the end of embryogenesis, Pros45 is expressed predominantly in the central nervous system. Targeted expression of Pros45 in a variety of different cells using the Gal4 UAS P-element system failed to generate an overt phenotype. This study provides the foundation for further examination of the role of the 26S proteasome in homeostasis and development in Drosophila.
Changes in bone biomarker concentrations and musculoskeletal symptoms among breast cancer patients initiating aromatase inhibitor therapy and women without a history of cancer.

The objectives of this study were to examine: (1) changes in bone formation (osteocalcin) and bone resorption (cross-linked N-telopeptides of bone type I collagen [NTXs]) markers, as well as calcium, phosphorus, and intact parathyroid hormone, over the first 6 months of aromatase inhibitor (AI) therapy among a cohort of breast cancer patients compared with a group of unexposed women without a history of cancer; and (2) whether bone marker changes were associated with musculoskeletal pain. Eligible breast cancer patients (n = 49) and postmenopausal women without a history of cancer (n = 117) were recruited and followed for 6 months. At baseline, 3 months, and 6 months, a questionnaire was administered to assess pain and medication use, and a blood sample was drawn. Results showed that, among the breast cancer patients, calcium concentrations decreased significantly (−7.8% change; p = 0.013) and concentrations of NTXs increased significantly from baseline to 6 months (9.6% change; p = 0.012). Changes were not observed for women in the comparison group. Statistically significant differences in percent change between the breast cancer patients and the women in the comparison group were observed for calcium at 6 months (−7.8% versus 0.0%; p = 0.025), phosphorus at 6 months (−5.1% versus 16.7%; p = 0.003), NTXs at 6 months (9.6% versus −0.7%; p = 0.017), and osteocalcin at 6 months (11.5% versus −3.6%; p = 0.016). No statistically significant associations were observed between bone turnover marker changes and musculoskeletal pain among the breast cancer patients, although baseline NTXs were higher among women with onset or increase in pain compared with those reporting no pain (p = 0.08). Findings from this study suggest that AIs cause changes in bone turnover during the first 6 months of treatment; however, these changes are not associated with musculoskeletal pain. Breast cancer patients initiating AI therapy should be assessed and monitored for fracture risk using known clinical risk factors, including bone density, and managed appropriately. © 2012 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Anthropogenic nutrient enrichment of seagrass and coral reef communities in the Lower Florida Keys: discrimination of local versus regional nitrogen sources

Land-based nutrient pollution represents a significant human threat to coral reefs globally. We examined this phenomenon in shallow seagrass and coral reef communities between the Content Keys (southern Florida Bay) and Looe Key (south of Big Pine Key) in the Lower Florida Keys by quantifying the role of physical forcing (rainfall, wind, tides) and water management on mainland South Florida to nutrient enrichment and blooms of phytoplankton, macroalgae, and seagrass epiphytes. Initial studies (Phase I) in 1996 involved daily water quality sampling (prior to, during, and following physical forcing events) at three stations (AJ, an inshore area directly impacted by sewage discharges; PR, a nearshore patch reef located inshore of Hawk Channel; and LK, an offshore bank reef at Looe Key) to assess the spatial and temporal patterns in advection of land-based nutrients to the offshore reefs. Concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN=NH4 + +NO3 +NO2 ), soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), and chlorophyll a increased at PR and LK following a wind event (f15 knots, northeast) in mid-February. The highest DIN (mostly NH4 ) and SRP concentrations of the entire study occurred at the inshore AJ during an extreme low tide in March. Following the onset of the wet season in May, mean NH4 and chlorophyll a concentrations increased significantly to maximum seasonal values at PR and LK during summer; relatively low concentrations of NO3 and a low f-ratio (NO3 /NH4 + +NO3 ) at all stations during summer do not support the hypothesis that the
Dimensions of cognition measured by the tower of London and other cognitive tasks in head‐injured children and adolescents

To determine the factor structure of executive functioning in head‐injured (n = 81) and normal children (n = 102), we administered tests of concept formation and problem solving, plus planning, verbal fluency, design fluency, memory (to evaluate semantic organization), and response modulation using a Go/No‐Go task. The children who sustained closed head injury (CHI) were divided into subgroups who sustained severe (n = 39) and mild/moderate (n = 42) injury. The CHI groups and normal controls were also grouped according to age at the time of testing (6–8, 9–12, and 13–16). The principal components analysis disclosed a five‐factor solution that accounted for 79% of the variance: Conceptual‐Productivity (Factor 1), Planning (Factor 2), Schema (Factor 3), Cluster (Factor 4), and Inhibition (Factor 5). Age had a significant effect on Factors 1, 2, and 5, whereas severity of CHI affected Factors 1,2,4, and 5. Using hierarchial regression in which the Glasgow Coma Scale score, age, and their interaction were ent...
Free recall as a function of type of encoding and word frequency

The manipulation of strategies provided subjects learning a list of high-frequency and rare words was expected to result in an interaction between word frequency and type of presentation. If the hypothesis was correct, then an associative strategy (e.g., linking or associating list words in a sentence, phrase, etc.) would maximize recall for high-frequency words, whereas a repetitive procedure (e.g., repetition of each individual list word) would be best for the recall of rare words. Experimental findings examining these two types of presentation (i.e., repetitive and associative) and three levels of word frequency (i.e., high frequency, low frequency, and rare) supported the hypothesis.
Effects of awareness on coordination in collaborative information seeking

Communication and coordination are considered essential components of successful collaborations, and provision of awareness is a highly valuable feature of a collaborative information seeking (CIS) system. In this article, we investigate how providing different kinds of awareness support affects people's coordination behavior in a CIS task, as reflected by the communication that took place between them. We describe a laboratory study with 84 participants in 42 pairs with an experimental CIS system. These participants were brought to the laboratory for two separate sessions and given two exploratory search tasks. They were randomly assigned to one of the three systems, defined by the kind of awareness support provided. We analyzed the messages exchanged between the participants of each team by coding them for their coordination attributes. With this coding, we show how the participants employed different kinds of coordination during the study. Using qualitative and quantitative analyses, we demonstrate that the teams with no awareness, or with only personal awareness support, needed to spend more time and effort doing coordination than those with proper group awareness support. We argue that appropriate and adequate awareness support is essential for a CIS system for reducing coordination costs and keeping the collaborators well coordinated for a productive collaboration. The findings have implications for system designers as well as cognitive scientists and CIS researchers in general.
Proportion of non‐zero normal means: universal oracle equivalences and uniformly consistent estimators

D0}. We propose a general approach to construct the universal oracle equivalence of the proportion. The construction is based on the underlying characteristic function. The oracle equivalence reduces the problem of estimating the proportion to the problem of estimating the oracle, which is relatively easier to handle. In fact, the oracle equivalence naturally yields a family of estimators for the proportion, which are consistent under mild conditions, uniformly across a wide class of parameters. The approach compares favourably with recent works by Meinshausen and Rice, and Genovese and Wasserman. In particular, the consistency is proved for an unprecedentedly broad class of situations; the class is almost the largest that can be hoped for without further constraints on the model. We also discuss various extensions of the approach, report results on simulation experiments and make connections between the approach and several recent procedures in large-scale multiple testing, including the false discovery rate approach and the local false discovery rate approach.
The mechanistic action of carbon dioxide on a neural circuit and NMJ communication.

Previous studies examining behavioral responses to CO2 revealed that high (CO2) acts as a natural repellent in a concentration dependent manner for crayfish. Physiologically, CO2 can rapidly block the autonomic responses in heart rate, as well as, inhibit an escape tail flip reflex in crayfish. Here, wedemonstrate that thebehavioral observations can be mechanistically explained by CO2blocking glutamate receptors at the neuromuscular junction and through inhibition of recruiting motor neuronswithintheCNS.TheeffectsarenotmimickedwithalowerpHinthebathingsolution.Since spontaneous and sensory-evoked activities in the sensory root and motor neurons are reduced by CO2,thisisananestheticeffect.Weproposethisisduetoblockageofelectricalsynapses,aswellas, some of the central glutamatergic-drive. We used agonists and antagonists (glutamate, nicotine, domoic acid, cadmium, heptanol) to various synaptic inputs, which are possibly present in the ventral nerve cord (VNC). Results from these chemicals supported the idea that there is electrical as well as chemical drive within the circuit that can modulate intrinsic as well as sensory evoked activity inthe motor neurons. Wehave documented that CO2has actions in the periphery as well as in the CNS, to account for the behavioral responses previously shown. Furthermore, we document thatgapjunctionsaswellasglutamatergicsynapsesarepotentialtargets.Thisstudyalsoaidsinthe dissection of a neural circuitry within the VNC that drives spontaneous and sensory evoked activity ofthesuperficial flexormotorneurons.J.Exp.Zool.319A:340-354,2013. © 2013WileyPeriodicals, Inc. How to cite this article: Bierbower SM, Cooper RL. 2013. The mechanistic action of carbon dioxide on a neural circuit and NMJ communication. J. Exp. Zool. 319A:340-354.
BODY SIZE AT DIFFERENT PERIODS OF LIFE AND BREAST CANCER RISK

The inconclusive findings of past analytic epidemiologic studies on diet and breast cancer may have resulted from the inability of these studies to assess early dietary exposures. The role of macronutrient intake during early life can be indirectly studied, however, by examining past and present body size. The authors identified by computer linkage a population-based historical cohort of 38,084 women born between 1918 and 1943, on whom information about weight and height had been recorded in Hawaii in both 1942-1943 and 1972. Linkage of this cohort to the Hawaii Tumor Registry resulted in the identification of 607 incident cases of breast cancer for 1972-1983. An average of 4.4 cancer-free controls were matched to each case on year and month of birth and race of the parents. A matched case-control analysis, conducted in each five-year birth cohort, revealed a negative association of adolescent body mass to premenopausal breast cancer. This negative association was statistically significant in girls aged 10-14 years in 1942 (p for trend, 0.004), was present in all ethnic groups, and was strongest among overweight young women who remained overweight in adulthood. Early-age weight, height, and body surface area were not associated with either pre- or postmenopausal breast cancer. Adult weight and gain in body mass since 1942 were positively associated with postmenopausal breast cancer risk. Adjustment for age at first birth, parity and socioeconomic indicators for 1942 and 1972 did not modify the results. This study provides evidence for a protective role of adolescent obesity against premenopausal breast cancer, and for an enhancing role of a positive energy balance during adult life on postmenopausal breast cancer.
Growth of group A rotaviruses in a human liver cell line

Recent observations in children with rotavirus gastroenteritis and in infant mice given rotavirus vaccine by oral administration suggest that this well-known gastrointestinal pathogen may infect the liver. To examine this possibility, the susceptibility of Hep G2 cells to infection with a variety of rotavirus strains was tested. These cells were used because they are considered to be well differentiated and exhibit many liver-specific functions. The Hep G2 cells supported the growth of the simian strain rhesus rotavirus (MMU 18006), a strain currently being used in vaccine trials, but did not support the growth of any human strain (D, DS1, Price or ST3). The rhesus rotavirus infection was cytopathic and resulted in release of lactate dehydrogenase. Rhesus rotavirus growth in Hep G2 cells displayed trypsin-enhanced infectivity and was inhibited by pretreatment of cells with Arthrobacter ureafaciens neuraminidase but not with neuraminidase from Clostridium perfringens. Hep G2 cells were also permissive for another simian strain (SA11), a bovine strain (UK) and single gene substitution reassortants containing VP7 (the major outer capsid neutralization protein) from a human rotavirus strain and the remaining 10 genes from either rhesus rotavirus or UK. In general, UK and its reassortants produced lower levels of antigen than did rhesus rotavirus and its reassortants. Hep G2 cells and other hepatic cell lines may prove to be useful tools to explore the hepatotropic potential of wild-type rotaviruses and candidate vaccine strains. (HEPATOLOGY 1990;12:638–643).
Giant cell lichenoid dermatitis

A case of drug-induced lichenoid dermatitis with an unusual epidermotropic multinucleated giant cell inflammatory response is reported. The patient is a 52-year-old white woman who is steroid-dependent because of longstanding systemic lupus erythematosus. At the time of presentation of her generalized papulosquamous pruritic eruption, she was taking oral antihypertensive medications (methyldopa and chlorothiazide). After discontinuation of these medications and local treatment with topical corticosteroids, the skin eruption dramatically improved. Microscopically, the skin lesions had a lichenoid inflammatory pattern, with multiple cytoid bodies, multinucleated giant cells, and a mixed chronic inflammatory infiltrate that included lymphocytes, histiocytes, and eosinophils. (J Am Acad Dermatol 15:87-92, 1986.)
Domestic preparedness: the grand illusion.

The problems posed by terrorism to not only the emergency response community, but to national security at large can be overwhelming. Adoption of what would be considered prudent and effective business practices by implementing a disciplined and effectively structured central strategy cannot be overencouraged. The emerging strategy must take into account the existing emergency response infrastructures and build upon existing capacity in an effort to achieve greater readiness. This technique is no different than the training and issuance of radiological response equipment to emergency responders in the 1950s by the then Civil Defense Agency. The training that is offered, especially to EMS providers, needs to be institutionalized to ensure that our peers, on a regular basis, revisit curriculum content. Incorporating a training module within the existing DOT NHTSA initial and refresher EMT and paramedic educational curricula could easily achieve this goal. Implementing fiscal support to the local emergency response agencies in a sustainable manner is a must. The costs associated with training, equipping and servicing the equipment and medication stores are budget-busters. This is a threat to national security and, as such, the federal government needs to rise to the challenge of supporting the local response organizations that will meet this threat head-on during the aftermath of an attack. As previously mentioned, when the U.S. faced its last large national security threat (Soviet nuclear missiles), we witnessed the materialization of a comprehensive agenda that provided most of the attributes we desire with the contemporary problem of terrorism. There is no single solution to the problem of terrorism. In fact, it will take many individuals and functional areas to come together and stop viewing the threat as a "cash cow." The improved response capacity for acts of terrorism will have an inevitable "spillover benefit" of better trained and equipped emergency responders for everyday emergencies; which will inevitably be our "payday." Language: en
Zinc accumulation in lettuce cultivars grown with organic or chemical based nutritional regimes

ABSTRACTThis study determined the potential to increase Zn density of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) through cultivar selection and nutrient management. Organic fertilizer and Hoagland and Arnon no.1 solution factored with three zinc (Zn) levels provided as zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) were the fertilizer regimes in a greenhouse experiment. Modern cultivars had a 32% higher fresh head weight than heritage cultivars, but each accumulated the same Zn concentration (65 mg kg−1 dry wt). Butterhead phenotypes had a 38% lower yield than loose-leaf and had the highest Zn concentration (78 mg kg−1 dry wt) followed by romaine (66 mg kg−1 dry wt) and loose-leaf (53 mg kg−1 dry wt). Concentration of Zn did not differ between fertility regimes, being about 66 mg kg−1 dry wt with each regime. Differences in Zn concentrations were significant among individual cultivars with ranges from 42 mg g−1 dry wt to 91 mg kg−1 dry wt. ‘Tom Thumb’, ‘Adriana’, ‘Claremont’, and ‘Focea’ were the top in cultivar ranking, with mean Zn concentrati...
The concepts of beauty and creativity: Earth science thinking

The concepts of creativity and beauty have been intertwined for centuries and on the nature of creativity, its manifestations in artists and scientists, and the chal
Application of Workflow Engine in Knowledge Management System

According to the application of the knowledge management system in Jiangsu Electric Power Company, this paper extends the open source workflow engine Java business process engine (JBPM), designs a J2EE-based workflow engine, and focuses on its system architecture, execution process, database design and interface design. The application results show that the proposed workflow engine can not only make the customized business process convenient, but also improve the work efficiency, and has the better application value in the enterprise information system.
Interstitial and Restrictive Pulmonary Disorders

The interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) comprise a heterogeneous group of lung disorders in which inflammation and/or fibrosis in the interstitial space between alveoli, the gas exchanging area of the lung, leads to restrictive pulmonary physiology, hypoxemia, and respiratory failure. ILD may be due to systemic disorders or environmental exposures or may be a manifestation of an underlying genetic syndrome. However, a significant percentage of cases of ILD do not have a readily identifiable cause, with this group of disorders referred to as the idiopathic interstitial pneumonias (IIPs). Familial interstitial pneumonia (FIP) is defined when two or more individuals in a given family have an IIP. Analysis of FIP kindreds has led to the identification of genetic causes of IIP in adults, with mutations in the genes encoding surfactant protein C, surfactant protein A2, telomerase reverse transcriptase, and telomerase RNA component found. Furthermore, pediatric cases of ILD have been linked to mutations in the genes encoding surfactant protein C and ATP-binding cassette transporter A3. In addition to the IIPs, systemic diseases such as systemic sclerosis and sarcoidosis likely have strong genetic associations. Finally, multiple genetic syndromes have been described that can have prominent ILD manifestations, including dyskeratosis congenita and Hermansky–Pudlak syndrome.
Physiology in Perspective: We Learn From Evolutionary/Comparative Physiology

Following publication of the Origin of the Species in 1859, Charles Darwin published the Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex in 1871. In this second book, Darwin introduced the idea that evolutionary theory and its underlying principles could be applied to human physiology to provide a
Influence of speed and resolution on OCT angiography and Doppler OCT imaging in human retinal and choroidal capillary systems

We experimentally investigate the influence of speed and resolution on OCT imaging of the capillary networks of the human retina and choroid. The experiments were performed with OCT systems operating at 1.7MHz and 100kHz imaging speeds and with an adaptive optics OCT setup.
Mapping spectrally similar urban materials at sub-pixel scales

Abstract Future space-borne imaging spectrometers could enable global comparative analyses of urban composition. In particular, the high spectral resolution of imaging spectrometry could improve the discrimination of materials that have similar spectral signatures but are functionally dissimilar, such as turfgrass and trees. However, the amount of reflected energy needed to measure narrow-band reflectance with acceptable signal-to-noise ratios means that space-borne imaging spectrometry data will be collected at relatively coarse spatial resolutions, potentially limiting its usefulness for mapping urban composition. In this study, we use Airborne Visible Infra-Red Imaging Spectrometer-Classic and -Next Generation imaging spectrometry acquired in the summer of 2014 over the Santa Barbara, California area to quantify sub-pixel urban composition at fine (4 m) and coarse (18 m) spatial resolutions. We develop and compare spectral libraries of single- and multiple-resolution endmembers, and use Multiple Endmember Spectral Mixture Analysis to estimate sub-pixel fractions of spectrally dissimilar materials (vegetation, impervious, pervious) as well as pairs of spectrally similar materials (turfgrass and tree, paved and roof, non-photosynthetic vegetation and soil) at both resolutions. Fractions were validated using 1 m orthophotography. Overall, fractional accuracy was affected by the spatial resolution of the spectral library and image, and the (dis)similarity of the measured classes. Spectral libraries of multiple-resolution endmembers performed better than single-resolution libraries, likely because they increase within-class variance by capturing multiple levels of material variability that occur across spatial scales. A positive relationship was observed between pixel size and the number of sub-pixel materials, however significant pixel mixing occurred at 4 m resolution, with an average of 48% of all pixels modeled by more than one endmember. Fractional estimates produced by the best performing libraries at 4 m and 18 m resolution correlated with validation fractions, with mean R 2 > 0.89 for spectrally dissimilar classes and mean R 2 > 0.76 for spectrally similar classes. These results demonstrate the scalability of fractional estimates of urban materials using imaging spectrometry, suggesting its potential for future global urban analyses.
Towards flexible lithium-sulfur battery from natural cotton textile

Abstract The future wearable/portable electronics need flexible power sources with higher storage capability. Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery is very promising for the development of next-generation high-energy battery due to its ultra-high theoretical capacity. However, the development of flexible Li-S battery has been plagued by its fast capacity decay and lack of suitable flexible substrates. Herein, a conductive activated cotton textile (ACT) with porous tubular structure was first derived from natural cotton textile to load sulfur, which was further wrapped with partially reduced graphene oxide (ACT/S-rGO) to immobilize lithium polysulfides. Meanwhile, the partially reduced graphene oxide nanosheets could be served as a conductive coating, which further mitigated the poor conductivity of sulfur and enabled fast electron transportation along ACT fibers. Furthermore, a KOH-activated ACT with micropore size distribution was inserted between cathode and separator to mitigate the “shuttle effect” of polysulfides. Finally, the assembled ACT/S-rGO cathode with porous ACT interlayer exhibited an exceptional rate capability and durable cyclic performance (with a well-retained capacity of ∼1016 mAh g −1 even after 200 cycles). A flexible Li-S cell with ACT/S-rGO as a cathode was also assembled to demonstrate its superior potential as flexible power sources for future wearable electronic devices.
High levels of endocrine pollutants in US streams during low flow due to insufficient wastewater dilution

Wastewater discharges from publicly owned treatment works are a significant source of endocrine disruptors and other contaminants to the aquatic environment in the US. Although remaining pollutants in wastewater pose environmental risks, treated wastewater is also a primary source of stream flow, which in turn is critical in maintaining many aquatic and riparian wildlife habitats. Here we calculate the dilution factor—the ratio of flow in the stream receiving discharge to the flow of wastewater discharge—for over 14,000 receiving streams in the continental US using streamflow observations and a spatially explicit watershed-scale hydraulic model. We found that wastewater discharges make up more than 50% of in-stream flow for over 900 streams. However, in 1,049 streams that experienced exceptional low-flow conditions, the dilution factors in 635 of those streams fell so low during those conditions that the safety threshold for concentrations of one endocrine disrupting compound was exceeded, and in roughly a third of those streams, the threshold was exceeded for two compounds. We suggest that streams are vulnerable to public wastewater discharge of contaminants under low-flow conditions, at a time when wastewater discharges are likely to be most important for maintaining stream flow for smaller sized river systems. Wastewater can make up a large fraction of stream flow. An analysis of over 14,000 US streams shows that under severe low-flow conditions, wastewater containing endocrine disruptors is poorly diluted, and many streams exceed safety thresholds.
Die militärische Nutzung des Weltraums

Der Weltraum ist kein Gebiet, das als ‚militarisiert‘ im herkommlichen Sinne bezeichnet werden kann. Es gibt gegenwartig keine Waffen, die die Erde umkreisen oder militarische Streitkrafte, die permanent im Weltraum stationiert sind. Auch die Satelliten, die von beiden Supermachten regelmassig gestartet werden, scheinen einen harmlosen Charakter zu besitzen. Militarische Satelliten, vor allem jene fur Fruhwarnung, Aufklarung und Kommunikation, verfugen uber keine Mittel, andere Objekte im Weltraum anzugreifen und werden im allgemeinen als Starkung des Friedens und der internationalen Sicherheit empfunden. Die Satelliten liefern den Supermachten genaue Informationen uber die gegenseitigen militarischen Aktivitaten, warnen fruhzeitig vor einem Angriff und stellen einen zuverlassigen Kanal fur das Krisenmanagement dar, womit sie die Abschreckung, Verifikation von Rustungskontrollabkommen und die strategische Stabilitat im allgemeinen unterstutzen.
CRISPEE: A Tangible Gene Editing Platform for Early Childhood

We present CRISPEE, a novel tangible user interface designed to engage young elementary school children in bioengineering concepts. Using CRISPEE, children assume the role of a bioengineer to create a genetic program that codes for a firefly's bioluminescent light. This is accomplished through sequencing tangible representations of BioBricks, which code for the primary colors of light (red, green, and blue) to be turned on or off. The interface and curricular supplement expose children in early elementary school to concepts traditionally taught much later in school curricula through playful interaction and exploration. We discuss CRISPEE's concept and design, and share findings from its preliminary evaluation with children and adults.
A Numerical Study on the Extreme Intensification of Hurricane Patricia (2015)

AbstractIn October 2015 Hurricane Patricia stormed through the eastern Pacific, taking its place as the strongest hurricane in recorded history when its intensity reached a record breaking 185 kt (...
Business Groups and Contract Enforcement

This paper analyses the impact of business group membership on a firm’s economic performance when operating in a suboptimal legal environment. The data set includes firm level information for over 10,000 of the largest domestic companies in India from 1998 to 2008. The specific null hypothesis is that Indian firms in business groups have a larger market share compared to stand-alone firms in industries where relationship-specific inputs are used extensively, especially in Indian states with poorly functioning legal institution, which is measured by slowing processing of legal cases at the state level. Business groups, a collection of semi-independent firms acting in concert, are very prevalent in developing countries. This paper sheds light on how these firms perform relative to stand-alone firms in industries that require relationship-specific contracts, in a poor legal environment. The identification strategy takes advantage of the extensive legal reforms undertaken by the Government of India in the 2002 Amendment Act. Some states previously passed reforms that were similar to those contained in the subsequent national law. State legislation was superseded by the national law, after the passage of the 2002 reforms. A difference-in-difference approach is used to isolate the impact of group membership in Indian states that did not pass reforms prior to the 2002 Amendment Act. The empirical results suggest that membership in a business group helped firm performance in industries that require intensive contract enforcement. Business groups may help firms overcome market imperfections associated with a poor legal environment.
The Biosynthesis of Nicotine and Related Alkaloids in Intact Plants, Isolated Plant Parts, Tissue Cultures, and Cell-Free Systems

Nicotine (1) (Figure 1) is the most common alkaloid found in the Nicotiana species (Solanaceae family) and is, of course, the main compound in tobacco (mostly made from Nicotiana tabacum species) which is apparently pleasurable to users of cigarettes, cigars, and smoking tobacco in pipes. A vast literature exists on tobacco and the Nicotiana species are certainly the ones which have been most thoroughly investigated by chemists, pharmacologists, pharmacognosists, agronomists, and botanists. In recent years tobacco has become a favorite plant species used for the introduction of genetic information derived from other species by the techniques of molecular biology.
Mandatory Pro Bono Redux

This short article, which appears as the Guest Correspondent's Report from the United States in the journal Legal Ethics, argues that New York's new requirement that bar applicants perform 50 hours of pro bono service in order to gain admission is flawed but nevertheless worth supporting because of the dire need for such services. Other solutions, such as increased funding for legal services, are clearly better, but this is a step that the New York Court of Appeals could take on its own. Although the detailed implementing regulations have not been issued, this plan appears to impose far less of a burden on applicants, law schools, and the legal profession than critics suggest. Further, the new requirement fosters practical training of law students. Finally, the overwhelmingly negative reaction to this new requirement demonstrates once again that the legal community is remarkably resistant to change.
Thermal and Photothermal Energy Harvesting

In this chapter we focus on the problem of energy harvesting using hot sources. The phenomenon known as thermoelectric power harvesting rests on the fact that current can be generated by using hot sources linked to cold sources, and vice versa, currents can transport heat from cold sources to hot sinks making coolers. The mechanism is reviewed and explained. The efficiency involves electrical and thermal transport properties of materials. In this short chapter, the emphasis is on harvesting not cooling. The theory of electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficients, Peltier coefficients, and thermal conductivity is considered, and because a low thermal conductivity raises the thermo-harvesting efficiency, disorder can actually play a very useful role in this context. Another question examined here is as to the role of many body interactions. It will be shown that the so-called Kondo insulators, where localized spins bind conduction electrons, exhibit very high Seebeck coefficients (energy transported per carrier), but this exciting phenomenon can at present only be exploited at low temperatures. Photovoltaic cells constitute well-established ways of harvesting solar power, so we also consider the problem of how to efficiently harvest the solar heat, i.e., the energy in the wavelength region not normally addressed by conventional solar technology. This is called “thermophotonic energy harvesting,” and it turns out that some interesting new science has been developed in recent years which has helped to address this question and to raise the efficiency. Thermophotonics is beyond the scope of this book and we refer the reader to the original literature. But one of the basic ideas in this technology is to make devices which strongly absorb radiation in a broadband, the body heats up, and the hot body then emits black body radiation. The short-wavelength components of the reemitted radiation are filtered out by conventional devices leaving the long-wavelength part of the hot body spectrum. The long-wavelength part of the radiation is reflected back into the absorber and recycled back again into the heat using “photonic crystal” mirror technology. If little radiation is allowed to leak out, then the heat absorbed and reabsorbed raises the temperature of the body. In this way the radiation reflected will eventually be radiated out in the allowed higher energy photonic window where photovoltaic cells collect it.
A case example and literature review of catastrophic wear before catastrophic failure: identification of trunnionosis and metallosis in metal-on-polyethylene hip arthroplasty prior to frank failure or fracture.

Though rare, there are documented failures of femoral prosthesis due to corrosion of the head–neck interface in total hip arthroplasty (THA), a phenomenon known as trunnionosis. This wear can result in metallosis, whereby metal debris scatters the surrounding soft tissues. We present on a 58-year-old female who presented with increase in hip and back pain 10 years following right THA using a metal-on-polyethylene construct with a large femoral head (44 mm). Aspiration withdrew metallic fluid, and intraoperative findings showed corrosion of the head–neck taper with surrounding metallosis and pseudocapsule formation. Despite advances in THA design, corrosion and wear between components still exists and may be cause for failure. We present on both the subtle clinical findings and the recommended workup when suspicion is high for trunnionosis, metallosis, or wear, ideally with identification prior to catastrophic failure such as component dislocation or fracture as previously reported.
Development of a novel l-histidine assay method using histamine dehydrogenase and a stable mutant of histidine decarboxylase.

Abstract l -Histidine analysis is essential in physiological research and clinical applications because l -histidine concentrations in biofluids are associated with various diseases. However, an enzymatic method for l -histidine quantitation has not yet been established. Here, we describe a novel l -histidine quantitation assay using a combination of histidine decarboxylase (HDC) and histamine dehydrogenase (HDH) enzymes. Wild-type HDC is unstable and completely lost its activity within 50 days of storage at 4 °C in solution. We rationally designed a HDC C57S mutant with markedly improved stability (storage at 4 °C for over 200 days) without altering the enzyme's substrate specificity. Together with HDH, the HDC C57S mutant was applied to quantify l -histidine concentrations in human plasma. The assay showed high precision (