cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Malaria and ovalocytosis--molecular mimicry?

Abstract Two recently published reports have described findings which will have a profound impact on the understanding of molecular mechanisms of human resistance to malaria infection. In Melanesian ovalocytosis, a genetic polymorphism found in Papua New Guinea and parts of South East Asia, the red cells are highly resistant to invasion by various species of malaria parasite. The molecular nature of the defect in ovalocytic erythrocytes was not known. Recent reports by Liu et al., (Liu, S.-C., Zhai, S., Palek, J., Golan, D., Amato, D., Hassan, K., Nurse, G., Babona, D., Coetzer, T., Jarolim, P. Zaik, M. and Borwein, S. (1990) N. Engl. J. Med. 323, 1530–1538.) and Jones et al. (Jones, G.L., Edmundson, H.M., Wesche, D. and Saul, A. (1991) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1096, 33–40.) have now identified the abnormality in the band 3 protein of ovalocytic red cell membranes. A major discovery in the Jones et al, study is the presence of an extended peptide at the N-terminus of ovalocyte band 3 protein. This novel 13 amino acid extended sequence is not found in the primary structure of normal band 3 protein and was suggested to be the cause of band 3 defect in ovalocytes. We have analyzed this extended sequence through Genbank using SWISS-PROT database and found that an almost identical sequence exists in a malaria parasite protein called RESA.
Caustic Precipitation of Plutonium and Uranium with Gadolinium as a Neutron Poison

The caustic precipitation of plutonium (Pu) and uranium (U) from Pu and U-containing waste solutions has been investigated to determine whether gadolinium (Gd) could be used as a neutron poison for precipitation with greater than a fissile mass containing both Pu and enriched U. Precipitation experiments were performed using both process solution samples and simulant solutions with a range of 2.6-5.16 g/L U and 0-4.3:1 U:Pu. Analyses were performed on solutions at intermediate pH to determine the partitioning of elements for accident scenarios. When both Pu and U were present in the solution, precipitation began at pH 4.5 and by pH 7, 99% of Pu and U had precipitated. When complete neutralization was achieved at pH > 14 with 1.2 M excess OH{sup -}, greater than 99% of Pu, U, and Gd had precipitated. At pH > 14, the particles sizes were larger and the distribution was a single mode. The ratio of hydrogen:fissile atoms in the precipitate was determined after both settling and centrifuging and indicates that sufficient water was associated with the precipitates to provide the needed neutron moderation for Gd to prevent a criticality in solutions containing up to 4.3:1 U:Pu and up to 5.16 g/L U.
Recognizing and Transforming Madness, Citizenship, and Social Justice Toward the Revolution in Risk Management and the Overcoming of Captivity: A Response to Brown and Ward

Psychological Jurisprudence (PJ) is a philosophy about the self in society and it is a cultural critique of captivity and risk management. This article further clarifies or amplifies several of PJ’s central arguments relative to its rediagnosis of madness, deconstruction of citizenship, and reconstitution of social justice. These concerns draw attention to the theory, method, and praxis of PJ, including their relevancies for institutional and community-based reform within the mental health and criminal justice systems. These matters are provisionally addressed, mindful of the respective comments developed by Professors Brown and Ward.
THE TWO FUNDAMENTAL THEOREMS OF ASSET PRICING FOR A CLASS OF CONTINUOUS‐TIME FINANCIAL MARKETS

The paper is concerned with the first and the second fundamental theorems of asset pricing in the case of nonexploding financial markets, in which the excess-returns from risky securities represent continuous semimartingales with absolutely continuous predictable characteristics. For such markets, the notions of “arbitrage” and “completeness” are characterized as properties of the distribution law of the excess-returns. It is shown that any form of arbitrage is tantamount to guaranteed arbitrage, which leads to a somewhat stronger version of the first fundamental theorem. New proofs of the first and the second fundamental theorems, which rely exclusively on methods from stochastic analysis, are established.
Recognition and processing of cisplatin- and oxaliplatin-DNA adducts

Abstract The cytotoxicity of platinum compounds is thought to be determined primarily by their DNA adducts. Cisplatin and oxaliplatin are structurally distinct, but form the same types of adducts at the same sites on DNA. However, the DNA adducts are differentially recognized by a number of cellular proteins. For example, mismatch repair proteins and some damage-recognition proteins bind to cisplatin–GG adducts with higher affinity than to oxaliplatin–GG adducts, and this differential recognition of cisplatin- and oxaliplatin–GG adducts is thought to contribute to the differences in cytotoxicity and tumor range of cisplatin and oxaliplatin. A detailed kinetic analysis of the insertion and extension steps of dNTP incorporation in the vicinity of the adduct shows that both DNA polymerase β (pol β) and DNA polymerase η (pol η) catalyze translesion synthesis past oxaliplatin–GG adducts with greater efficiency than past cisplatin–GG adducts. In the case of pol η, the efficiency and fidelity of translesion synthesis in vitro is very similar to that previously observed with cyclobutane TT dimers, suggesting that pol η is likely to be involved in error-free bypass of Pt adducts in vivo. This has been confirmed for cisplatin by comparing the cisplatin-induced mutation frequency in human fibroblast cell lines with and without pol η. Thus, the greater efficiency of bypass of oxaliplatin–GG adducts by pol η may explain the lower mutagenicity of oxaliplatin compared to cisplatin. The ability of these cellular proteins to discriminate between cisplatin and oxaliplatin adducts suggest that there exist significant conformational differences between the adducts, yet the crystal structures of the cisplatin- and oxaliplatin–GG adducts were very similar. We have recently solved the solution structure of the oxaliplatin–GG adduct and have shown that it is significantly different from the previously published solution structures of the cisplatin–GG adducts. Furthermore, the observed differences in conformation provide a logical explanation for the differential recognition of cisplatin and oxaliplatin adducts by mismatch repair and damage-recognition proteins.
High performance instruction memory design for multiprocessors

Current large-scale multiple instruction, multiple data (MIMD) machines use the single program, multiple data (SPMD) execution mode, in which processors have the same code image but may follow distinct flow paths. The authors propose a simple scheme that exploits this fact and improves earlier work by providing additional, computer-driven control of the instruction memory system to support a scalable multiprocessor architecture with a single, global instruction memory. Compiler-generated tags, combined with straightforward, compiler flow analysis, allow additional control of the cache to prevent cache pollutions and to allow small caches to attain the same performance as much larger caches. >
Tables of Tolerance-Limit Factors for Normal Distributions

Tables of factors for use in computing two-sided tolerance limits are presented. In contrast to previous tabulations of the tolerance-limit factor K, we tabulate the factors r(N, P) and u(f, γ), whose product is equal to K. This results in greatly increased compactness and flexibility. The mathematical development is discussed, including methods used to compute the tabulated values and a study of the accuracy of the basic approximation. A number of possible applications are discussed and examples given.
Investigation of protoporphyrin IX standard materials used in acid-extraction methods, and a proposed correction for the millimolar absorptivity of protoporphyrin IX.

Erythrocyte protoporphyrin (EP) has been used for more than 30 years as an indicator of lead intoxication, iron deficiency, and porphyrias. Recently, numerous analytical problems associated with various EP methods have been reported, including a lack of consensus among investigators regarding the best calibration material or analytical procedure. We investigated commercially available protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) standard materials and measured the millimolar absorptivity (m epsilon) of these materials, focusing on variables affecting the determination of their absorptivities. Among the five forms of PPIX available, PPIX dimethyl ester, when hydrolyzed to PPIX free acid, gave the most consistent and reproducible results. This work confirmed our earlier observations, made on more than 600 separate occasions during 12 years, that the m epsilon of PPIX free acid in 1.5 mol/L HCl at the Soret maximum is 297 +/- 1.3 L.mmol-1.cm-1, 19% higher than the arbitrary value of 241 L.mmol-1.cm-1 generally accepted by most investigators but based on unpublished data. We propose that the m epsilon of 297 L.mmol-1.cm-1 for PPIX be adopted and that PPIX dimethyl ester be used for the calibration of acid-extraction methods. A detailed protocol for the preparation and verification of PPIX from the dimethyl ester is available upon request.
Use of momentum balance in calibrating orifices for flow of gases

A method of determining the absolute calibration of a gas-flow orifice without the use of gas holders or any comparative device is described. The method is based on the application of the momentum balance, as well as the energy balance, to the flow of the gas. The application requires the measurement of pressures on the face of the orifice in addition to the usual pressure-drop measurements along the axis of flow. Orifice coefficients determined by the force-momentum principle are shown to agree within an average deviation of 1.4% with those determined by other standard techniques. Also the application of the force-momentum principle demonstrates clearly why orifice coefficients are much less than unity.
Prospective cohort study of the circadian rhythm pattern in allogeneic sibling donors undergoing standard granulocyte colony-stimulating factor mobilization

Introduction Prior in vivo murine studies suggest circadian oscillations for hematopoietic stem cell release, which are maintained following administration of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) or plerixafor. Furthermore, retrospective data analysis of healthy donors who underwent G-CSF-induced mobilization demonstrated significantly increased CD34+ cell yields when collected in the afternoon compared with the morning.
Identification of Endometrial Genes Regulated by Early Pregnancy, Progesterone, and Interferon Tau in the Ovine Uterus

During early pregnancy in ruminants, progesterone (P4) from the corpus luteum and interferon tau (IFNT) from the conceptus act on the endometrium to regulate genes important for uterine receptivity and conceptus growth. The use of the uterine gland knockout (UGKO) ewe has demonstrated the critical role of epithelial secretions in regulation of conceptus survival and growth. A custom ovine cDNA array was used to identify alterations in gene expression of endometria from Day 14 cyclic, pregnant, and UGKO ewes (study 1) and from cyclic ewes treated with P4 or P4 with ZK 136,317 antiprogestin and control proteins or IFNT (study 2). In study 1, expression of 47 genes was more than 2-fold different between Day 14 pregnant and cyclic endometria, whereas 23 genes was different between Day 14 cyclic and UGKO endometria. In study 2, 70 genes were different due to P4 alone, 74 genes were affected by IFNT in a P4-dependent manner, and 180 genes were regulated by IFNT in a P4-independent manner. In each study, an approximately equal number of genes were found to be activated or repressed in each group. Endometrial genes increased by pregnancy and P4 and/or IFNT include B2M, CTSL, CXCL10, G1P3, GRP, IFI27, IFIT1, IFITM3, LGALS15, MX1, POSTN, RSAD2, and STAT5A. Transcripts decreased by pregnancy and P4 and/or IFNT include COL3A1, LUM, PTMA, PUM1, RPL9, SPARC, and VIM. Identification and analysis of these hormonally responsive genes will help define endometrial pathways critical for uterine support of peri-implantation conceptus survival, growth, and implantation.
Making Cycling Irresistible: Lessons from The Netherlands, Denmark and Germany

This paper shows how the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany have made bicycling a safe, convenient, and practical way to get around their cities. The analysis relies on national aggregate data as well as case studies of large and small cities in each country. The key to achieving high levels of cycling appears to be the provision of separate cycling facilities along heavily traveled roads and at intersections, combined with traffic calming of most residential neighborhoods. Extensive cycling rights of way in the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany are complemented by ample bike parking, full integration with public transport, comprehensive traffic education and training of both cyclists and motorists, and a wide range of promotional events intended to generate enthusiasm and wide public support for cycling. In addition to their many pro-bike policies and programs, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany make driving expensive as well as inconvenient in central cities through a host of taxes and restrictions on car ownership, use, and parking. Moreover, strict land use policies foster compact, mixed-use developments that generate shorter and thus more bikeable trips. It is the coordinated implementation of this multifaceted, mutually reinforcing set of policies that best explains the success of these three countries in promoting cycling. For comparison, the paper portrays the marginal status of cycling in the UK and USA, where only about one percent of trips are by bike.
Emotion and Strategy in the Korean War

What makes a diplomatic or military signal credible? In strategic settings where deception is possible, rational actors' interpretations rely on their beliefs, intuition, and imagination—they rely on emotion. Two properties of emotion—as an assimilation mechanism and its use as evidence—are key to addressing four strategic problems. First, emotion explains why actors worry needlessly about their reputations. Second, emotion is important to understanding costly signals. Third, emotion explains radical changes in preferences. Fourth, emotion sharpens understanding of strategic problems without being self-invalidating: common knowledge of emotion's effects do not always change those effects. Understanding how rational actors think requires turning to emotion. Evidence from the Korean War captures strengths and weaknesses of competing perspectives.
Redistribution of blood flow after thermal injury and hemorrhagic shock

Diminished mucosal mass and a diminished rate of DNA synthesis by the intestinal mucosa have been identified in the rat after thermal injury. Because these changes may be associated with ischemia, the distribution of intestinal blood flow was studied after a thermal injury and compared with the blood flow distribution after hemorrhagic shock. For the thermal injury, anesthetized animals received a standardized 20% body surface area, full-thickness injury and were given intraperitoneal saline resuscitation. By the use of 46Sc- or 141Ce-labeled microspheres, no changes in intestinal and hepatic blood flow occurred after thermal injury. In contrast, a marked redistribution of blood flow was identified after hemorrhagic shock in which a decrease in arterial blood flow was identified to the stomach and to the small and large intestine. Although clinical shock was not present, the cardiac output decreased to a comparable degree in the hemorrhagic shock and the thermal injury. These studies indicate that although physiological changes in intestinal mucosa can be demonstrated after burn injury, these changes are not due to decreases in mesenteric arterial blood flow.
Living the Good Life in a Lower EROI Future

We are sometimes labeled as pessimists, probably because we do believe that the future will have less oil and perhaps less energy than it does now, because we believe that the energy costs of getting whatever fuels we do use will become greater and greater, and because we think these issues will have serious energy impacts. But we do not see this automatically as a bad future, depending on how we deal with it. As boys we each had a wonderful childhood on opposite coasts in the 1950s and 1960s during a period when the U.S. energy use was only 10% or 20% of what it is now. We could go fishing and surfing (respectively) on our bicycles, and had no need for soccer moms driving us around in an SUV. We played sports all the time with neighborhood friends, and went camping and hiking to our heart’s content. There was little of today’s perspective that children must be driven everywhere for protection because we lived in neighborhoods and communities where everyone knew everyone else.
The More Things Change – Much Talk of Reform, but are Real Results Likely?

This article expresses skepticism that some of the proposals of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform (the so-called “debt commission”) are likely to go far as part of any tax reform associated with deficit reduction, and it describes one recent judicial decision that at least temporarily calls into question the codification of the economic substance doctrine.
The Columbia Social Essayists

Wallerstein came of age intellectually at Columbia University, where he was an undergraduate, graduate student and faculty member for a quarter of a century (1947-1971). While we often think of his work on African politics and his concern with third world development as precur-sors to world-system theory, a large part of his intellectual biography was shaped by those Columbia years. They mark the high point of a triple hegemony of university, city, and nation, as at this time Columbia was the leading university in the leading city of the hegemonic nation. It was a time before the 1960s when the New Left and Berkeley would challenge the centrality of New York and Columbia as undisputed centers of American social thought and it was before what would be called the policy intellectuals would emerge in Washington DC in the 1970s/80s. It was also a time before the great in?ux of federal money in the 1960s which spurred social research and lifted other universities to prominence. It was a time of what I will call The Columbia Social Essayists, referring to scholar/intellectuals such as C. Wright Mills, Daniel Bell, Lionel Trilling, Richard Hofstadter and Meyer Schapiro.
Intracavity difference frequency lasers

Compact and efficient sources of tunable radiation in the mid-IR region of the spectrum are required for applications in basic research, trace-gas detection, and industrial-process monitoring. Although Pb-salt diode lasers with suitable output wavelengths have been commercially available for many years, these sources can be operated only at cryogenic temperatures, making them poorly-suited for most real-world applications. Nonlinear difference-frequency generation has been used by a number of workers to generate mid-IR wavelengths at room temperature by using well-developed visible and near-IR laser sources.1-4
Workshops That Work: Physician Involvement in Service Training

Physician involvement in service training initiatives can have a significant impact on the patient experience. This paper highlights some of the key components of what makes physician involvement i...
THE EFFECT OF ADDING CLOPIDOGREL OR WARFARIN TO THE GOLD STANDARD, ASPIRIN, ON THE RATE OF REPEAT CORONARY ANGIOGRAPHY AND EARLY SAPHENOUS VEIN GRAFT FAILURE

CABG is known to improve patient’s survival and alleviate symptoms of angina. Early saphenous vein graft failure (ESVGF), from acute thrombosis, is seen in 15-45 % of implanted grafts within the first year, a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Current guidelines recommend the sole use of
FIDELITY OF COPYING NATURAL DNA TEMPLATES

ABSTRACT The fidelity with which E. coli DNA polymerase I (Pol 1) copies an amber mutation in ФX174 DNA has been determined. The frequency of mis-incorporation by the polymerase was calculated from the observed change in reversion frequency of progeny phage in a transfection assay of the copied DNA. The calculated error rate of Pol I in Mg 2+ -activated reactions in the presence of equi-molar concentrations of the four deoxynucleotide sub-strates is 1/680,000 for an A:C mis-pair and less than 1/6,100,000 for an A:A mis-pair at position 587 in ФX174 DNA. In initial experiments, an even greater accu-racy is exhibited by E. coli Pol III holoenzyme. Furthermore, E. coli single-stranded binding protein in-creases the accuracy of DNA polymerases by as much as 20-fold, by a mechanism that may involve immobilization of the template. From the observed reversion frequency of the phage, we have calculated that the mutation rate in vivo at the am3 codon is approximately 1 in 10 8 . Thus, fidelity observed in vitro with only purified DNA polymerases and single-stranded binding proteins approaches that observed in vivo .
The Nikodým and Vitali-Hahn-Saks Theorems for Algebras

(1975). The Nikodým and Vitali-Hahn-Saks Theorems for Algebras. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 82, No. 8, pp. 833-834.
Hemodynamic factors and vascular density as potential determinants of blood flow in hypertrophied rat heart.

SummaryLV pressure overload was created in adult male rats by abdominal aortic constriction. Three weeks following surgery, LV weight was increased by approximately 25% in aortic constricted animals. Aortic constriction produced a substantial pressure overload, as indicated by a 40 mmHg increase in peak LV pressure. Significant increases in heart rate and max dP/dt accompanied the pressure overload. The above hemodynamic factors would tend to reduce blood flow to the LV by (a) increasing vascular compression and (b) restricting the coronary inflow period. Alkaline phos-phatase specific activity was utilized as an index of vascular density in the EPI and ENDO portions of control and hypertro-phied LV. In control LV, the specific activity of the ENDO portion was significantly greater than the EPI portion, indicating a greater ENDO vascular density. The preferential ENDO vascular density gradient was eliminated in the LV which had enlarged in response to a pressure overload stimulus.Both hemodynamic factors ...
Glancing Incidence X-Ray Diffraction of Polycrystalline Thin Films

Glancing incidence x-ray diffraction (GIXRD) is a powerful diagnostic tool for nondestructive analysis of thin film materials and structures. GIXRD fundamentals and experimental techniques and results are presented with respect to polycrystalline thin-films. The refraction index and critical incident beam angle are calculated for selected elemental and inorganic compounds. Quantitative GIXRD analysis with Cu Kα radiation is applied to several problems: recrystallization of ultra-thin chemical surface deposited CdS films; compositional grading in CuIn1-xGaxSe2 films; formation of native oxides on CdTe films; interdiffusion between CdTe and CdS; Te film thickness determination on etched CdTe; and correlation of inplane residual stress with deposition conditions for sputtered Mo films.
Relationship between paternal somatic health and assisted reproductive technology outcomes

Objective To study the association between paternal medical comorbidities and the outcomes of assisted reproductive technology (ART). Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Academic reproductive medicine center. Patient(s) We analyzed fresh ART cycles uszing freshly ejaculated sperm from the male partner of couples undergoing ART cycles from 2004 until 2014. We recorded patient and partner demographic characteristics. The cohort was linked to hospital billing data to obtain information on selected male partners' comorbidities identified using ICD-9-CM codes. Intervention(s) None. Main Outcome Measure(s) Fertilization, clinical pregnancy, miscarriage, implantation, and live-birth rates as well as birth weights and gestational ages. Result(s) In all, we identified 2,690 men who underwent 5,037 fresh ART cycles. Twenty-seven percent of men had at least one medical diagnosis. Men with nervous system diseases had on average lower pregnancy rates (23% vs. 30%) and live-birth rates (15% vs. 23%) than men without nervous system diseases. Lower fertilization rates were also observed among men with respiratory diseases (61% vs. 64%) and musculoskeletal diseases (61% vs. 64%) relative to those without these diseases. In addition, men with diseases of the endocrine system had smaller children (2,970 vs. 3,210 g) than men without such diseases. Finally, men with mental disorders had children born at an earlier gestational age (36.5 vs. 38.0 weeks). Conclusion(s) The current report identified a possible relationship between a man's health history and IVF outcomes. As these are potentially modifiable factors, further research should determine whether treatment for men's health conditions may improve or impair IVF outcomes.
Improvement of the method for determination of Lead in blood by GFAAS

Objective:To establish a rapid and effective method for determination of lead in blood by GFAAS.Methods:The samples were diluted with chemical modifier mixture of 0.1% Triton X100 +0.1% Pd +0.1% Mg(No3) 2 and then directly determined by GFAAS with standard addition-calibration curve method.Results:The correlation coefficient of standard curve within 0 μg/L～100 μg/L was 0.999,with detection limit of 1.7 μg/L,RSDs were 1.80%～2.93% and recoveries were 96.2%～104.2%.The results of quality control sample met the requirements.Conclusion:The method is simple,sensitive,precisive and accurate.It's suitable for routine application with large numbers of samples.
Assessing the Relationship Between Religious Involvement and Health Behaviors

A growing body of research suggests that people who are more deeply involved in religion may be more likely to adopt beneficial health behaviors. However, religion is a complex phenomenon, and as a result, religion may affect health behaviors in a number of ways. The purpose of the current study was to see whether a sacred view of the body (i.e., belief that the body is the temple of God) is associated with better health behavior. It was proposed that the relationship between a sacred body view and health behavior will emerge only among study participants who have a stronger sense of religiously oriented control (i.e., stronger God-mediated control beliefs). Five positive health behaviors were evaluated: more frequent strenuous exercise, more frequent moderate exercise, more frequent consumption of fruits and vegetables, higher quality sleep, and the adoption of healthy lifestyles. Data from a recent nationwide sample reveal that a sacred body view is associated with each health behavior, but only among study participants who have a strong religiously oriented sense of control.
Structural basis for regiospecific midazolam oxidation by human cytochrome P450 3A4.

Human cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) is a major hepatic and intestinal enzyme that oxidizes more than 60% of administered therapeutics. Knowledge of how CYP3A4 adjusts and reshapes the active site to regioselectively oxidize chemically diverse compounds is critical for better understanding structure–function relations in this important enzyme, improving the outcomes for drug metabolism predictions, and developing pharmaceuticals that have a decreased ability to undergo metabolism and cause detrimental drug–drug interactions. However, there is very limited structural information on CYP3A4–substrate interactions available to date. Despite the vast variety of drugs undergoing metabolism, only the sedative midazolam (MDZ) serves as a marker substrate for the in vivo activity assessment because it is preferentially and regioselectively oxidized by CYP3A4. We solved the 2.7 A crystal structure of the CYP3A4–MDZ complex, where the drug is well defined and oriented suitably for hydroxylation of the C1 atom, the major site of metabolism. This binding mode requires H-bonding to Ser119 and a dramatic conformational switch in the F–G fragment, which transmits to the adjacent D, E, H, and I helices, resulting in a collapse of the active site cavity and MDZ immobilization. In addition to providing insights on the substrate-triggered active site reshaping (an induced fit), the crystal structure explains the accumulated experimental results, identifies possible effector binding sites, and suggests why MDZ is predominantly metabolized by the CYP3A enzyme subfamily.
Tolerance for Homosexuality and Interest in Sexuality Education

This study investigated the extent to which self-selection could account for the finding that students who take courses in human sexuality become more tolerant of homosexuality. Consistent with pas...
Primary Decompositions in Varieties of Commutative Diassociative Loops

The decomposition theorem for torsion abelian groups holds analogously for torsion commutative diassociative loops. With this theorem in mind, we investigate commutative diassociative loops satisfying the additional condition (trivially satisfied in the abelian group case) that all nth powers are central, for a fixed n. For n = 2, we get precisely commutative C loops. For n = 3, a prominent variety is that of commutative Moufang loops. Many analogies between commutative C and Moufang loops have been noted in the literature, often obtained by interchanging the role of the primes 2 and 3. We show that the correct encompassing variety for these two classes of loops is the variety of commutative RIF loops. In particular, when Q is a commutative RIF loop: all squares in Q are Moufang elements, all cubes are C elements, Moufang elements of Q form a normal subloop M 0(Q) such that Q/M 0(Q) is a C loop of exponent 2 (a Steiner loop), C elements of L form a normal subloop C 0(Q) such that Q/C 0(Q) is a Moufang loo...
Eye Plaque Brachytherapy

Episcleral plaque brachytherapy for appropriately selected patients (medium-sized tumors with an apical height of 2.5–10 mm and maximum basal diameter of <16 mm) is a common treatment option for uveal (choroidal) melanoma. The goals of treatment are preservation of function (vision) with a good cosmetic outcome (retention of the eye) as well as control of disease and prevention of dissemination (local or metastatic). COMS guidelines recommend prescribing 85 Gy to 5 mm from the inner sclera for tumors <5 mm in apical height and to the tumor apex for tumors ≥5 mm in apical height, but a recent publication from our group has shown that dosing to the tumor apex even for tumors <5 mm in apical height results in similar tumor control probability but with improved toxicity profile (better preservation of vision). Precise localization of the tumor is the key to allow accurate placement of the radioactive plaque and thus to ensure complete coverage of all borders of the tumor. Failure to do so may result in tumor recurrence. A widely dilated pupil is paramount for adequate visualization of the posterior segment of the globe. After the conjunctiva is open at 360° and the rectus muscles are isolated with a 2-0 silk suture allowing rotation of the globe during the visualization process, a surgical pen is used to mark the borders of the tumor on the sclera utilizing transpupillary illumination. The plaque is left in place for approximately 5–7 days.
Comparison of Broad vs Narrow Focal Width Lithotripter Fields.

Abstract Objective: To investigate the impact of lithotripter focal width on stone fragmentation. Materials and Methods: A modified reflector was used to reduce −6 dB beam size of the HM3 lithotripter, while increasing concomitantly peak pressure. Fragmentation in vitro was assessed with modified and original reflectors using BegoStone phantoms. A membrane holder was used to mimic lithotripsy in vivo, and a matrix holder was used to assess variations of fragmentation power in the focal plane of the lithotripter field. Stone fragmentation in vivo produced by the two reflectors was further compared in a swine model. Results: Stone fragmentation in vitro after 500 (or 2000) shocks was ∼60% (or ∼82%) vs ∼40% (or ∼75%) with original and modified reflector, respectively (p ≤ 0.0016). Fragmentation power with the modified reflector was the highest on the lithotripter axis, but dropped rapidly in the lateral direction and became insignificant at radial distances >6.0 mm. Stone fragmentation with the original refl...
Differences in Trabecular Microarchitecture and Simplified Boundary Conditions Limit the Accuracy of QCT-based Finite Element Models of Vertebral Failure

Vertebral fractures are common in the elderly, but efforts to reduce their incidence have been hampered by incomplete understanding of the failure processes that are involved. This study's goal was to elucidate failure processes in the lumbar vertebra and to assess the accuracy of quantitative computed tomography (QCT)-based finite element (FE) simulations of these processes. Following QCT scanning, spine segments (n = 27) consisting of L1 with adjacent intervertebral disks and neighboring endplates of T12 and L2 were compressed axially in a stepwise manner. A microcomputed tomography scan was performed at each loading step. The resulting time-lapse series of images was analyzed using digital volume correlation (DVC) to quantify deformations throughout the vertebral body. While some diversity among vertebrae was observed on how these deformations progressed, common features were large strains that developed progressively in the superior third and, concomitantly, in the midtransverse plane, in a manner that was associated with spatial variations in microstructural parameters such as connectivity density. Results of FE simulations corresponded qualitatively to the measured failure patterns when boundary conditions were derived from DVC displacements at the endplate. However, quantitative correspondence was often poor, particularly when boundary conditions were simplified to uniform compressive loading. These findings suggest that variations in trabecular microstructure are one cause of the differences in failure patterns among vertebrae and that both the lack of incorporation of these variations into QCT-based FE models and the oversimplification of boundary conditions limit the accuracy of these models in simulating vertebral failure.
R-spondin(g) to syndecan-1 in myeloma

In this issue of Blood , Ren et al investigate mechanisms underlying a novel strategy to block multiple myeloma (MM) cell proliferation by targeting the heparin sulfate (HS) proteoglycan syndecan-1 and identify the Wnt/β-catenin pathway as a critical mediator of this approach. If validated, these findings could lead to new therapeutic strategies in MM that may be particularly effective in circumventing microenvironmental forms of resistance in this disorder. 1
Industry–University Partnerships: Engineering Education and Corporate Social Responsibility

AbstractIndustry-university collaborations have been promoted as a way to introduce students to the day-to-day activities and internal workings of industry and enhance student understandings of the...
Comparative performance evaluation of common mode voltage reduction three-phase inverter topologies

Common-mode (CM) voltage related issues such as ground current and EMI are widely known in the three-phase PWM inverter based systems. With the adoption of better semiconductor switching devices, especially silicon carbide and gallium nitride devices, the increased dv/dt and switching frequency further aggravate the situation. As a result, a number of novel inverter topologies have recently been proposed by the researchers to achieve CM voltage reduction or cancellation. In this paper, three CM reduced topologies-floated, balanced, and four-leg inverter topologies have been studied with their performance compared. Based on the analytical, simulation, and experimental results, pros and cons of each topology are summarized and discussed.
Developmental variation in regional brain iron and its relation to cognitive functions in childhood.

Abstract Non-heme iron is a vital metabolic cofactor for many core processes of brain development including myelination, dendritogenesis, and neurotransmitter synthesis, and accumulates in the brain with age. However, little is known about development-related differences in brain iron and its association with emerging cognitive abilities during formative years. In this study, we estimated brain iron via R2* relaxometry in children ages 7–16 (N = 57; 38 females) and examined its relation to age-related differences in cognitive ability. As we hypothesized, age correlated positively with iron content in the hippocampus and across subregions of the basal ganglia. The magnitude of age differences in iron content differed between regions such that the largest effects were observed in basal ganglia subregions: globus pallidus, substantia nigra, caudate nucleus, and putamen, as compared to values obtained for the hippocampus and red nucleus. We did not observe sex or hemispheric differences in iron content. Notably, greater brain iron content was associated with both faster processing speed and higher general intelligence, and shared 21.4% of the age-related improvement in processing speed and 12.5% of the improvement in general intelligence. These results suggest that non-heme iron plays a central neurobiological role in the development of critical cognitive abilities during childhood.
The Homology Suspension

The homology groups of the space Ω(B) of loops in a space B are related to those of B by homomorphism σ * : H q (ΩB) → H q+1 (B), called the homology suspension. Let P’(B) be the space of paths in B which end at the base point; then the map p: P’(B) → B defined by p(u) = u(0) is a fibration with ΩB as fibre. The total space P’(B) being acyclic, the boundary operator $$\partial _* :H_{q + 1} (P'(B),\Omega B) \to H_q (\Omega B)$$ is an isomorphism, and the map p induces $$p_* :H_{q + 1} (P'(B),\Omega B) \to H_{q + 1} (B);$$ the homomorphism \(p_* \circ \partial _*^{ - 1}\)
Bethanechol: Is it still being prescribed for bladder dysfunction in women?

Purpose Few medical treatment options exist for detrusor underactivity or urinary retention in women. Bethanechol, a cholinergic agonist, may improve detrusor contractility in these conditions; however, its clinical efficacy is limited. We sought to examine the patterns of Bethanechol use by physicians in an ambulatory care setting using a national database to determine if it is still prescribed for patients with bladder dysfunction. Materials and methods The National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) database was queried for a sample of patient visits to office-based physicians from 2003-2013. Visits were included for women aged 18 years or older with diagnosed lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), neurogenic bladder, or urinary retention based on ICD-9-CM codes. Visits in which Bethanechol was prescribed were analysed with descriptive statistics. Sampling weights were adjusted for nonresponders to yield an unbiased national estimate of ambulatory care visits. Results Out of a weighted sample of 17 321 630 included patient visits, 132 281 (0.8%) visits included a prescription for Bethanechol. Patients prescribed Bethanechol had a mean age of 62.3 ± 2.1 and were predominantly Caucasian (67%) followed by African American (18%). The primary diagnosis associated with Bethanechol was atony of bladder (35%), urinary retention (20%), neurogenic bladder (18%), urinary incontinence (16%), and incomplete bladder emptying (10%). Visits were primarily for chronic conditions (63%). It was typically prescribed as a continued medication (79%) most often by urologists (92%) followed by internal medicine clinicians (8%). Conclusions Bethanechol continues to be prescribed in elderly women primarily for detrusor atony, urinary retention, or incomplete bladder emptying.
Weakly interacting solvation spheres surrounding a calixarene-protected tetrairidium carbonyl cluster: contrasting effects on reactivity of alkane solvent and silica support

The tetrairidium carbonyl cluster Ir4L3(CO)9 (L = tert-butyl-calix[4]arene(OPr)3(OCH2PPh2) (Ph = phenyl; Pr = propyl)) on a partially dehydroxylated silica support undergoes hydrogen activation at a rate and with a mechanism different from those pertaining to the cluster in alkane solution. These results are unobvious in view of the sterically bulky ligands protecting the cluster and the nearly identical CO band frequencies in the infrared spectra characterizing the supported and dissolved Ir4L3(CO)9, both before reaction and during reaction involving decarbonylation in the presence of either helium or H2 (and H2 reacted with the clusters to form hydrides with the same Ir–H band frequencies for clusters in alkane solvent and supported on silica). The initial rates of CO loss from the supported clusters in the presence of helium were the same as those in the presence of H2. The comparison demonstrates that the rate-determining step for hydride formation on the silica-supported cluster is CO dissociation. In contrast, the comparable dissociation of CO from the cluster in n-decane solution requires a higher temperature, 343 K, and is at least an order of magnitude slower than when the clusters were supported on silica. CO dissociation is not the rate-determining step for hydrogen activation on the cluster in n-decane, as the rate is influenced by reactant H2 as well.
Imiquimod, an immune response modifier and a toll-like receptor-7 ligand, is a potent adjuvant for transcutaneous immunization that efficiently induces antitumor immunity

722 Introduction: Transcutaneous immunization (TCI) is a novel way of vaccination that targets antigens to Langerhans cells (LCs), which are specialized antigen-presenting cells residing in the skin. We examined the use of imiquimod (an immune response modifier that functions as a ligand for TLR-7) for its adjuvant effect in TCI to elicit cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses in mice. Experimental Design: C57BL/6 mice were immunized with a topical application of a synthetic peptide corresponding to a CTL epitope mixed with 35μl of the cream formation of 5 % imiquimod (ALDARA™). 6 days after vaccination, peptide-specific CTL responses were determined both by in vitro as well as in vivo assays. The peptide vaccine protocol via TCI using imiquimod was also evaluated for its therapeutic effect in tumor-bearing mice. Results: TCI using 150μmol of Kb-restricted SIINFEKL peptide mixed with imiquimod produced an antigen specific CTL response comparable to that obtained by conventional (injection) immunization. Moreover, the resulting CTL were capable of eradicating in vivo those target cells expressing the corresponding CTL epitope. The CTL response induced by TCI could be further enhanced by booster immunizations and the concomitant use of a tape-stripping method that disrupts the epidermal skin barrier. Skin derived LCs were appear to play an important role in the generation of CTL response since they trafficked to the draining lymph nodes. Lastly, the growth of melanoma cells expressing the CTL epitope was efficiently inhibited in those mice that underwent TCI as well as with conventional vaccination method. More significantly, anti-tumor effect was also confirmed in the therapeutic model with respect to the amelioration of the number of lung metastases established by i.v. injection of melanoma cells four days before treatment leading to the prolonged survival. Conclusions: These results indicate that TCI is a non-invasive and effective strategy for anti-tumor immunotherapy and imiquimod is a potent adjuvant for TCI.
Comprehensive systems of support: Where do we go from here?

Abstract The articles in this special issue demonstrate that early childhood educator psychological distress is a growing problem and shed light on the causes of this distress. Further, they illuminate the negative impacts early childhood educator distress can have on young children. However, there is still much to learn about how best to support teachers in order to reduce psychological distress, promote social and emotional skills and promote positive impacts on young children. Addressing these complex challenges will require long-term systemic change and the urgent nature of the problem will require strategic prioritization to address the immediate needs as well as long-term goals. In this concluding article, promising approaches designed to address the problem at the individual- and systems-level are presented.
Nonlinear Bedload Transport Trajectory Angle Expressed in a Traditional Form: Derivation and Application

AbstractThe most common bedload transport calculation methods use an equation for the vector direction that is a linear function of the transverse slope. Existing theoretical formulations that acco...
Development of a Wearable fNIRS System Using Modular Electronic Optodes for Scalability

We have developed a low-cost, wearable, and scalable fNIRS system, based on chains of compact and fiber-less electronic optodes, each containing a dual-color LED, photodiode, amplifier, analog to digital converter, and FPGA for demodulation.
Finding the Good in the Challenge: Benefit Finding Among Adults Who Stutter

Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether persons who stutter (PWS) reported benefits related to their stuttering and to describe the nature of those benefits. Method A mixed-method...
Sensegiving for moral authenticity at New Clairvaux Vineyard

Abstract Authenticity is a formidable tool for entrepreneurs seeking differentiation by managing consumer perceptions. While the literature provides evidence for authenticity motivating consumers, an opportunity exists to deepen our understanding of mechanisms that create a sense of authenticity in entrepreneurial ventures. We report on a qualitative study of the creation of a vineyard in the crowded California wine market. The founders of New Clairvaux Vineyard engaged in sensegiving activities to illustrate their espoused values and create an organizational identity. As vineyard patrons interacted with New Clairvaux stakeholders (e.g. Trappist monks) they compared the values in action they witnessed with the vineyard’s espoused values, which led to a perceived sense of moral authenticity, which then led to a heightened perception of quality in New Clairvaux’s wines.
TRANSAXILLARY INTRA-AORTIC BALLOON PUMP MIGRATION MINIMIZED WITH A LONG INTRODUCER SHEATH

Intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) is a treatment for cardiogenic shock and bridge to advanced therapies. Femoral IABP limits mobility and results in pre-transplant debility. Due to the anatomy of aortic arch branch vessels and patient ambulation, transaxillary IABPs may migrate. This can cause
Clonal expansion of innate and adaptive lymphocytes

One of the hallmarks of the vertebrate adaptive immune system is the prolific expansion of individual cell clones that encounter their cognate antigen. More recently, however, there is growing evidence for the clonal expansion of innate lymphocytes, particularly in the context of pathogen challenge. Clonal expansion not only serves to amplify the number of specific lymphocytes to mount a robust protective response to the pathogen at hand but also results in selection and differentiation of the responding lymphocytes to generate a multitude of cell fates. Here, we summarize the evidence for clonal expansion in innate lymphocytes, which has primarily been observed in natural killer (NK) cells responding to cytomegalovirus infection, and consider the requirements for such a response in NK cells in light of those for T cells. Furthermore, we discuss multiple aspects of heterogeneity that both contribute to and result from the fundamental immunological process of clonal expansion, highlighting the parallels between innate and adaptive lymphocytes, with a particular focus on NK cells and CD8+ T cells.
Training Faculty in Entrepreneurship and Innovation: An Evaluation of the National Science Foundation Innovation-Corps™ Program:

Evaluating the impact of entrepreneurship education is difficult given the heterogeneity of programming which presents challenges related to the generalizability of findings. The National Science F...