cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Low Dose Leishmania major Promotes a Transient T Helper Cell Type 2 Response That Is Down-regulated by Interferon γ–producing CD8+ T Cells

An unresolved issue in the field of T helper (Th) cell development relates to the findings that low doses of antigen promote Th2 cell development in vitro, whereas several classic in vivo studies suggest the opposite. Here we resolve this paradox by studying the early immune response in mice after infection with different doses of Leishmania major. We found that low parasite doses induced a Th2 response in C57BL/6 (B6) mice, whereas high doses induced a Th1 response. However, the Th2 response in low dose-infected mice was transient and the animals healed. The appearance of a Th1 response after low dose infection was dependent upon the concomitant activation of interferon gamma-producing CD8+ T cells. In the absence of CD8+ T cells, the Th2 response was maintained. However, either neutralization of interleukin (IL)-4 or administration of IL-12 promoted a Th1 response after low dose infection of CD8-deficient mice, indicating that the required role for CD8+ T cells was limited to modulation of CD4+ T cell responses. Thus, the discrepant results seen between in vivo and in vitro studies on the effects of antigen dose on Th cell differentiation may depend upon whether CD8+ T cells participate in the immune response.
Black carbon and organic carbon in aerosol particles from crown fires in the Canadian boreal forest

[1] In the boreal forest, high-intensity crown fires account for an overwhelming proportion of the area burned yearly. Quantifying the amount of black carbon (BC) from boreal crown fires in Canada is essential for assessing the effect on regional climate from natural wildfire aerosol emissions versus that from anthropogenic activities. This is particularly relevant because climate change will likely lead to increased wildfire activity in northern Canada. During 4–5 July 1998, two controlled fires in Northwest Territories, Canada, were conducted as part of the International Crown Fire Modeling Experiment. We report here the BC and organic carbon (OC) compositions of aerosols produced during the flaming and smoldering stages of burning. Particles were collected on back-to-back quartz-fiber filters by helicopter with a hi-vol sampler and at ground level with a dichotomous sampler to separate the fine (≤2.5 μm diameter) and coarse (2.5–10 μm diameter) particle fractions. An analysis of the back filter in relation to the front filter from the dichot sampler for both the fine and coarse fractions provided a means to correct for the adsorption of gas-phase organic compounds on filters (positive artifact) and for the loss of particulate carbon from filters by volatilization (negative artifact). BC and OC masses, which combine here to give total carbon (TC), were determined by the thermal-optical method. The BC to TC ratio for the flaming stage was 0.085 ± 0.032 ( ± ksn−1/2, k = 2, n = 2), based on aerial sampling of the dark plume 300–500 m above the flame front. BC/TC for the smoldering stage was 0.0087 ± 0.0046 from ground-based sampling. Uncertainties consist of the combined variances in measurement and sampling and in emissions from different fires. These averages and uncertainties serve as important aerosol data input for predictions of climate change on both global and regional scales.
Shape recovery from equal thickness contours

A unique imaging modality based on equal thickness contours (ETC) has introduced a new opportunity for 3D shape reconstruction from multiple views. These ETC can be generated through an interference between transmitted and diffracted beams. We present a computational framework for representing each view of an object in terms of its object thickness and then integrating these representations into a 3D surface by algebraic reconstruction. In this framework, the object thickness is first derived from ideal contours and then extended to real data. For real data, the object thickness is inferred by grouping curve segments that correspond to points of second derivative maxima. At each step of the process, we use some form of regularization to ensure closeness to the original features as well as neighborhood continuity. We apply our approach to images of a submicron crystal structure obtained through a holographic process.
Fusion for the detection of dependent signals using multivariate copulas

The use of multimodal or heterogeneous sensors for surveillance greatly increases the diversity of information available from a given region of interest. Since the underlying scene is the same for all the sensors, the data across the sensors are inherently dependent. The nature of this dependence can be quite complex and quantifying it is a challenging task, especially in the case of heterogeneous sensing. We consider the problem of fusion for the detection of dependent, heterogeneous signals and design a detector using a copula-based framework. Past applications using the copula based approach have mostly been limited to the bivariate (2 sensor) case. We will address copula construction and model selection issues for the multivariate case.
Data Transmission Performance of Few-Layer Graphene Ribbons

We investigated the electrical characteristics and digital data transmission performance few-layer graphene ribbons grown by chemical vapor deposition. Graphene ribbons having a mobility of 2,180 cm2V−1s−1 can sustain data rates up to 50 megabits per second at 1.5 µm length, thus the bandwidth is inversely proportional to resistance caused by defects in the graphene layers. Improving the graphene mobility to highest measured values (~200,000 cm2V−1s−1) and using structures with multiple coplanar transmission lines in parallel could carry the bandwidth beyond the gigabits per second level.
Gene expression by mRNA analysis

Publisher Summary Gene expression studies are very important in the study of marine heterotrophic bacteria, particularly the extremophiles, in terms of understanding the response to pressure and low and high temperature. The capability to detect gene expression by mRNA analysis has enabled the real-time detection of expression of genes involved in bioremediation as well. Gene expression encompasses transcription, translation, post-translational modification, and production of a functional gene product. This chapter describes three related methods for mRNA isolation and compares some results obtained by each. Two RNA extraction methods; Guanidinium isothiocyanate phenol sarcosyl (GIPS) method and Boom methods are discussed. Dotting, probing, quantitating mRNA levels, and application of assay are also described. Extraction of natural populations of phytoplankton from Ft. Desoto, St Petersburg, FL and probed with the Form ID probe indicated that the Boom protocol resulted in hybridization that was at least as great as that with the GIPS reagent.
Phylogeny and Taxonomic Revision of Nuchequula Whitley 1932 (Teleostei: Leiognathidae), with the Description of a New Species

Nuchequula Whitley 1932, previously considered a subgenus of Leiognathus Lacepede 1802, is elevated to generic rank. Nuchequula is diagnosed by the presence of a distinct saddle-shaped nuchal marking and by the presence of a pigment-free, mitten-shaped region posteroventral to the pectoral-fin base. The genus comprises five species, N. blochii, N. pan, N. nuchalis, N. decora, and a new species described herein. Nuchequula mannusella, new species, is distinguished from its congeners by a unique pigmentation pattern on the dorsal fin and morphology of the lower jaw. Redescriptions are provided for the other species. A phylogenetic analysis based on morphological characters, including features of the light-organ system, indicates that Nuchequula is monophyletic.
Programmable diffraction gratings and their uses in displays, spectroscopy, and communications

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and optics are a natural match. There are several reasons: MEMS devices have dimensions and achievable actuation distances comparable to the wavelength of light; smooth-surfaced dielectrics, semiconductors, and metals can be used in various combinations; and, since redirection of photons does not require large forces, the relatively feeble MEMS actuators can easily manipulate them. Micro-optical-electromechanical systems (MOEMS) are those where optics merge with MEMS. Many MOEMS devices are based on mirror arrays that can be tilted using electrostatic actuation. This work, however, focuses on programmable diffraction gratings and their uses for projection displays, spectroscopy, and wavelength management in modern optical telecommunication systems.
Considerations for Disrupting Malaria Transmission in Africa Using Genetically Modified Mosquitoes, Ecology of Anopheline Disease Vectors, and Current Methods of Control

Abstract In 2013, the estimated number of malaria cases for the African region was 163 million with 528,000 deaths. Progress is being made in controlling the disease however the challenge is still huge. An effective vaccine is yet to be commercialized; the parasites and the mosquitoes are developing resistance to drugs and insecticide, respectively. Existing vector control methods (ITNs/LLINs and IRS) are effective but are showing their limits. Control with existing methods is becoming complicated with vectors biting outdoor hence probably maintaining outdoor transmission. It is, therefore, crucial to develop new approaches for vector control. Genetically modified mosquito technologies offer the opportunity for a novel, area-wide, inexpensive, safe, egalitarian, and complementary vector control approach. However to be successful, such approaches should consider biological, environmental, social, ethical, and legal operational dimensions. Capacity building in disease endemic countries will be essential.
Users joining multiple sites

We conduct the first study on the variation of friendship and popularity across sites.As users join sites, their average number of friends converges to a value near 400.User popularity converges to a mean and it cannot be increased by joining new sites.Popularity patterns on previous sites can help determine user popularity on new sites. Our social media experience is no longer limited to a single site. We use different social media sites for different purposes and our information on each site is often partial. By collecting complementary information for the same individual across sites, one can better profile users. These profiles can help improve online services such as advertising or recommendation across sites. To combine complementary information across sites, it is critical to understand how information for the same individual varies across sites. In this study, we aim to understand how two fundamental properties of users vary across social media sites. First, we study how user friendship behavior varies across sites. Our findings show how friend distributions for individuals change as they join new sites. Next, we analyze how user popularity changes across sites as individuals join different sites. We evaluate our findings and demonstrate how our findings can be employed to predict how popular users are likely to be on new sites they join.
CHARACTERIZATION OF SPARKJET ACTUATORS FOR FLOW CONTROL

Practical application of active flow control is dependent upon the development of robust actuators that are reliable, low cost, and responsive, and that consume little power. Development continues on a system for high-speed flow control called the SparkJet. The SparkJet, which produces a synthetic jet with high exhaust velocities, holds the promise of manipulating high-speed flows without moving structures. JHU/APL is investigating the operational aspects of the SparkJet with the envisioned long-term payoff of a micro- actuated flow control system for enhanced aerodynamic performance of small, highly maneuverable, high-speed vehicles. Combined computational and experimental techniques are being applied to investigate the effects of device geometry and power deposition levels on the operation of a cavity SparkJet device. This paper focuses on experimental and computational parametric studies of a second-generation SparkJet device. A sparse matrix of experiments was completed and the results were compared with an analytical model. Computations were conducted to quantify the sensitivities of single-pulse device performance on orifice diameter, chamber volume, and energy deposited. Investigation of axisymmetric and 2- dimensional operation suggests that more than one operating domain is possible. OBJECTIVE Effective manipulation of a flow field can lead to a number of significant benefits to aerospace vehicle systems, including enhanced performance, maneuverability, payload, and range, as well as lowered overall cost. These macro benefits are directly achievable through the application of flow-control technology to impact fluid phenomena such as transition, turbulence, and flow separation on the
Competition Between Plasmodial-Incompatibility Phenotypes of the Myxomycete Didymium Iridis. I. Paired Plasmodia

Joint culture of two incompatible plasmodia end in the loss of one phenotype. The survivor can be predicted by comparing the cytotoxic potential of the two phenotypes because the survivor should have a greater total toxicity potential. Also, the reliability of the predictions should increase with increasingly higher differences in toxicity potential. The elimination of one (or more) plasmodial-incompatibility phenotypes from culture is viewed as one more manifestation of a self-nonself recognition system.
Synthesis and Melt Self-Assembly of PS–PMMA–PLA Triblock Bottlebrush Copolymers

Polystyrene–poly(methyl methacrylate)–polylactide (PS–PMMA–PLA) triblock bottlebrush copolymer with nearly symmetric volume fractions was synthesized by grafting from a symmetrical triblock backbone and the resulting melt was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and small-angle X-ray scattering. The copolymer backbone was prepared by sequential reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of solketal methacrylate (SM), 2-(bromoisobutyryl)ethyl methacrylate (BIEM), and 5-(trimethylsilyl)-4-pentyn-1-ol methacrylate (TPYM). PMMA branches were grafted by atom transfer radical polymerization from the poly(BIEM) segment, PS branches were grafted by RAFT polymerization from the poly(TPYM) block after installment of the RAFT agents, while PLA side chains were grafted from the deprotected poly(SM) block. The resulting copolymer was found to exhibit a lamellae morphology with a domain spacing of 79 nm. Differential scanning calorimetry analysis indicated that PMMA was preferential...
The need for black specialists in preventive medicine.

The disparity in health status between black and white Americans exists chiefly because of an excess of preventable disease in blacks. This situation calls for an increase in preventive services for blacks, services which might best be implemented or directed by black specialists in preventive medicine. However, there exists both an absolute shortage of preventive medicine specialists (of all races) and a relative shortage of black preventive medicine specialists. The immediate need for additional black specialists exceeds the total U.S. preventive medicine residency corps.
The effectiveness of lead aprons in reducing radiation exposures from specific radionuclides

2205 Objectives: The use of lead aprons in a clinical nuclear medicine setting may be an important component in the overall ALARA program. Our department evaluated the effectiveness of lead aprons in reducing radiation levels for various beta and gamma emitting radionuclides utilized in nuclear medicine. Methods: The following radionuclides were evaluated: Y-90, a pure high energy beta emitter; I-131, a mixed gamma and beta emitter; F-18, a high energy gamma emitter; Tc-99m, a low energy gamma emitter. Four thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD) (3x3 mm) were utilized for each specific radionuclide; two located on the anterior and two located on the posterior of a lead apron (0.5mm Pb equivalent). TLD chips were exposed for 49 to 57 minutes at an approximate distance of 2 cm from the specific radionuclide. After exposure, TLD chips were collected and sent for radiation readouts (Landauer Inc, Glenwood, IL). Results: The mean radiation levels for Y-90, anterior and posterior to a lead apron, were 212764 mrads and 379 mrads, respectively, resulting in a 99.8% attenuation of the initial radiation levels. For I-131, the mean radiation levels anterior and posterior to a lead apron were 26770 mrads and 12684 mrads, respectively, resulting in a 52.6% attenuation of the initial radiation dose. The mean radiation levels for F-18 were 13786 mrads and 11279 mrads on the anterior and posterior surface of a lead apron, respectively, resulting in an 18.2% attenuation. The mean radiation levels for Tc-99m, anterior and posterior to a lead apron, were 19663 mrads and 3404 mrads, respectively, resulting in an 82.7% attenuation of the initial radiation. Conclusions: Lead aprons were effective in reducing radiation exposure levels from a low energy gamma emitter (Tc-99m, 82.7% attenuation) and a pure beta emitter (Y-90, 99.8%), less effective in reducing radiation levels from a mixed beta and gamma emitter (I-131, 52.6%) and not very effective in reducing radiation exposures from a high energy gamma emitter (F-18, 18.2%).
Response of barrows to space allocation and ractopamine.

An experiment using 264 crossbred barrows was conducted to examine the interaction between space allocation and dietary ractopamine addition on pig performance and carcass characteristics using a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Treatments were 0.55 (19 pigs per pen) or 0.74 (14 pigs per pen) m 2 /pig from start (29.7 ± 0.1 kg BW) to slaughter (108 kg BW) in a fully slatted facility and 0 or 10 ppm (as-fed basis) ractopamine for 28 d before slaughter. There were few treatment interactions. Pigs given 0.55 m 2 / pig had a lower ADG (P = 0.010), ADFI (P = 0.088), 10th-rib backfat depth on d 86 (P = 0.010), and carcass loin muscle depth (P = 0.011) than pigs given 0.74 m 2 / pig. There was no difference in feed conversion (P = 0.210) as a result of space allocation. Pigs fed diets containing 10 ppm ractopamine had decreased (P = 0.004) ADFI and improved (P = 0.001) feed conversion efficiencies for the 28-d feeding period, along with greater loin depth (P = 0.005) and carcass lean percent (P = 0.001). The improvements in 28-d carcass lean growth associated with feeding 10 ppm ractopamine resulted in an improvement in overall daily fat-free lean gain (P = 0.046). Under these experimental conditions, the response to dietary ractopamine was similar for crowded and uncrowded pigs.
Determinations of a university reclassification effect after changes in athletic affiliation

Since 1973, former members of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) left the association for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Many of these reclassified schools based their move on several tangible and intangible benefits. While past studies have shown social mobility can be predicted, limited research exists to measure potential benefits a reclassifying school may achieve. The purpose of the study is to determine if a change in athletic affiliation provides a benefit for universities in terms of undergraduate applications. This research examines all current and former NAIA members leaving for the NCAA from 2003 through 2012. The results show schools reclassifying from the NAIA to the NCAA will see on average a 20% increase in applications during the first two years of NCAA membership. This increase is sustained through the initial years of movement for schools moving to Division II (D-II) compared to Division III (D-III).
Political Language in Economics

Does political ideology influence economic research? We rely upon purely inductive methods in natural language processing and machine learning to examine patterns of implicit political ideology in economic articles. Using observed political behavior of economists and the phrases from their academic articles, we construct a high-dimensional predictor of political ideology by article, economist, school, and journal. In addition to field, journal, and editor ideology, we look at the correlation of author ideology with magnitudes of reported policy relevant elasticities. Overall our results suggest that there is substantial sorting by ideology into fields, departments, and methodologies, and that political ideology influences the results of economic research.
Effects of Water Quality on Microporous Filter Methods for Enteric Virus Concentration

Model enteric viruses were concentrated from seeded samples of raw, finished and granular activated carbon (GAC)-treated waters and from GAC-treated waters supplemented with humic or fulvic acid or bentonite clay particles by adsorption to electropositive (Virosorb 1MDS) filters at pH 7.5 or electronegative (Filterite) filters at pH 3.5 with and without 5 mM added MgCl 2 , followed by elution with 0.3% beef extract in 50 mM glycine at pH 9.5. Natural particulates in raw and finished waters had little effect on virus concentration efficiencies. Soluble organic compounds reduced virus adsorption efficiencies from both raw and finished waters compared to GAC-treated water, but the extent of interference varied with virus type and adsorption conditions. Humic and fulvic acids caused appreciable reductions in poliovirus adsorption and recovery efficiencies with both types of filters. Fulvic acid caused greater reductions in virus recovery with Virosorb 1MDS filters than with Filterite filters. Fulvic acid interference with virus recovery by Filterite filters was overcome by the presence of 5 mM MgCl 2 . Although humic acid reduced virus recoveries by both types of filters, its greatest effect was on virus elution and recovery from Filterite filters. Bentonite clay enhanced poliovirus retention by both filter types as much as 8-fold. However, the presence of clay often interfered with elution of retained viruses from both filter types. Under some conditions, overall virus recoveries were considerably lower from water with clay than from clay-free control water. The results of this study suggest that high concentrations of soluble organic matter such as humic and fulvic acids and suspended solids such as bentonite clay may interfere somewhat with virus recovery by filter adsorption-elution methods.
The permanent income hypothesis, transitional dynamics, and excess sensitivity of consumption

Abstract This paper studies the transitional dynamics of the linear-quadratic consumption model and reexamines existing analyses of the permanent income hypothesis (PIH). The model accounts for the life-cycle consumption behavior, with the short-run and long-run consumption functions linking consumption to wealth. We show that the random walk model of consumption violates the relevant stability condition and delivers predictions that are inconsistent with the PIH. We find that while excess sensitivity may be due to liquidity constraints, it can also arise in accordance with the PIH in perfect capital markets − contrary to the prevailing view. Simulation experiments prove useful to explain the observed consumption behavior.
Family Rupture among Conversos and the Inquisition Tribunal in 1640s New Spain

This article examines the lives of two Portuguese conversos, Gaspar Robles and Francisco Home, a nephew and his uncle, both tried by the Inquisition tribunal in seventeenth-century colonial Mexico during the decade leading up to the Gran auto de fe of 1649. However, their trajectories were vastly different. Gaspar Robles voluntarily approached the Inquisition tribunal confessing his own and his family's secret Jewish practices. He incriminated his father, his three uncles, and many other acquaintances who formed part of the converso community in New Spain precipitating the mass prosecutions of many in the converso community. In contrast, his uncle Francisco Home was also arrested soon after Gaspar's confession. He was tried and tortured, and he eventually confessed to his own crypto-Judaism. However, he protected some in the converso community in sharp contrast with his nephew's voluntary confession. Through close examination, this article explores the role of individual and community identity among conversos in New Spain to explain why the nephew confessed to the tribunal sealing the fate of his immediate family and that of a whole community. It argues that in cases such as that of Gaspar Robles familial ties proved more a liability than a protection and the final outcome was contingent on a combination of religious and ethnic identity, the process of migration, and individual circumstances.
Biological characteristics of the aflatoxin-induced hepatic tumor.

Human diseases resulting from the contamination of food by fungal products have been recorded since the Middle Ages. The terrifying convulsions, dancing mania and, finally, the gangrene of “St. Anthony’s fire” a common epidemic disease of the tenth and eleventh centuries, came from eating rye infected with the ergot fungus, Claviceps purpurea. Under suitable conditions of high humidity, fungi can grow on almost any plant and plant product. It is not surprising, therefore, that epidemics of mycotoxicosls have been recorded from many parts of the world; early this century, “yellow rice disease” in Japan and alimentary toxic aleukia in Russia killed large numbers of people (18).
Cholestatic jaundice: a unique presentation leading to the diagnosis of HLH with Hodgkin lymphoma, HIV and EBV.

Haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a syndrome of dysregulated immune activity with macrophage activation that can manifest as pancytopenia, coagulopathy and other laboratory abnormalities, usually progressing to multiorgan failure and death. This report documents the rarely reported association between HLH and Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL) with simultaneous HIV and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and complete resolution with chemotherapy. The patient initially presented with cholestatic jaundice. He was then found to have HL associated with HLH with coexistent HIV and EBV viraemia. A-Brentuximab-VD regimen for the lymphoma was initiated, resulting in rapid resolution of HLH and ultimately remission of HL. HLH is a syndrome known to have high mortality; thus, early diagnosis and prompt treatment are crucial. Usual presentation includes non-specific symptoms and can easily be overlooked. This case highlights the importance of diagnosing the condition in unusual settings and attempting treatment by targeting the cause of HLH, HL in our case.
Thermal noise limits — ΔΣ vs. pipeline ADCs

High-dynamic-range ADCs such as ΔΣ ADCs consist of cascaded gain stages. Each gain stage is impedance scaled to minimize the power consumption for a given input referred noise requirement. In sub-optimal systems, first-stage generally occupy a major portion of the power consumption as a result of the scaling. In this talk, a framework to compare high-dynamic range ADC architectures with regards to the power consumption and the noise contribution is proposed. ADC architectures including feedback, feedforward, MASH ΔΣ ADCs and pipeline ADCs both in discrete-time and continuous-time implementations are compared using the framework.
The Effects of Laminate Thickness on the Fracture Behavior of Composite Laminates

The relationship between both fracture toughness and the development of crack-tip damage as a function of specimen thickness was investigated. Fracture toughness was determined experimentally using center-cracked tension specimens for [0/±45/90]ns, and [0/90]ns laminates, where ns means multiple layers with the same repeated sequence and symmetric about the midplane. Laminate thicknesses ranged from 8 plies to 96 plies. As with isotropic metals, fracture toughness was found to decrease with increasing specimen thickness and asymptotically approached a lower bound. The crack tip damage in the [0/±45/90]ns laminate does not appear to be a function of thickness. However, there are differences in the damage of the [0/90]2sand [0/90]8s laminates and associated differences in fracture toughness.
Gentry Gallery, Inc. v. Berkline Corp.

Patents are worth less today than they were last year. In particular, poorly drafted patents are limited by patent scope. Patent scope, which is affected by the disclosure doctrine and infringement analysis, largely gov erns the economic worth of a patent.1 35 U.S.C. § 112 is increasingly in voked to define patent scope through the specification, rather than through the claims.2 In Gentry Gallery, Inc. v. Berkline Corp.,3 the Federal Circuit narrowed the scope of patents through the written description requirement of section 112 by announcing an omitted element test.4 This test mandates that an "essential" element be included in every claim of a patent.5 The Federal Circuit confined patent scope by proclaiming that "claims may be no broader than the supporting disclosure, and therefore that a narrow dis closure will limit claim breadth."6
Transduction Based on Changes in the Energy Dissipated

In the preceding chapters of this book we have discussed transduction mechanisms associated with energy storage, capacitive or inductive, and energy transformation (linear magnetic transduction). In all of these cases the transduction mechanism is fundamentally reciprocal in that it can be used either to produce an electrical signal in response to a mechanical input, or to produce a mechanical signal in response to an electrical input. In this chapter we discuss the broad class of transduction which is based on changes in the resistance of the device. Given that resistance causes the irreversible transformation of energy from a form that could be used to perform work into that which cannot perform work, these transducers are not reciprocal. In other words, the process has only one way it can work: typically to produce an electrical signal in response to a mechanical input.
Functional divergence and genome evolution of vertebrate protein kinases (kinome)

Cellular signaling is the core of many biological processes including growth, differentiation, adhesion, motility and apoptosis. The protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) supergene family is the key mediator in cellular signaling in metazoans, directly associated with a variety of human diseases. All PTKs contain a highly conserved catalytic kinase domain, in spite of variable multi-domain structures. Within each PTK gene family, members exhibit functional divergence in substrate-specificity or temporal/tissue-specific expression, although their primary function is conserved. After conducting phylogenetic analysis on major PTK gene families, we found that the expanding of each PTK family was likely caused by gene or genome duplication event(s) that occurred before the emergence of teleosts but after the vertebrate-amphioxus split. We further investigated the evolutionary pattern of functional divergence after gene duplication in those gene families. Our results show that site-specific shifted evolutionary rate (altered functional constraint) is a common pattern in PTK gene family evolution.
Lithium-Ammonia Reduction of Ephedrine to Methamphetamine: An Unusual Clandestine Synthesis

A suspected clandestine methamphetamine laboratory was seized in Vacaville, California. Ephedrine, a precursor for the manufacture of methamphetamine, was discovered at the site. However, the chemicals normally expected to be found at an ephedrine conversion laboratory were not recovered. Other chemicals found at the scene included tetrahydrofuran, ammonium chloride, lithium metal, and ammonia gas. Examination of the suspect's notes showed several different common synthesis routes to methamphetamine and a novel route utilizing a lithium/ammonia/ammonium chloride reduction. The reduction of ephedrine to methamphetamine using this dissolving metal procedure has not been reported in the literature. The authors reproduced the suspect's reaction scheme and found the lithium/ammonia/ammonium chloride reduction of ephedrine to be a viable synthesis for methamphetamine.
Constructing A Sense of Taste

Designing for multisensory experiences has the potential to activate the intelligence of the body and allow us to explore and understand the world in new and unique ways. Often time’s architecture and building interiors are only designed for the visual, but when the visual is mingled with touch, taste and smell, a more complex and personal experience can be crafted through interactions with the user. This paper will discuss how taste can literally be applied to the built environment through digital modeling, 3D printing and the use of novel, edible materials that have the potential to season and flavor buildings and interiors to enrich and improve daily life regardless of ones visual abilities. Taste, which is the distinctive or essential flavor of something, can create new sensations and experiences because with taste and smell we are able to contemplate not only the object itself but also without exception the experience of it [1]. We can use our sense of taste to perceive and distinguish between the sweet, sour, bitter, or salty quality of a substance or a space. Taste can also evoke strong emotions, it can satisfy us and it can bring us great pleasure or displeasure and it can also evoke memories and associations, it’s sensual but it also has aesthetic potential. Different tastes can alter or enhance, what was once plain can be created again with seasoning or spiced up to be different, stronger, better. Taste is something that we acquire through personal experience, we learn about preferences and how to perceive differences.
Early-life exposure to high-fat diet influences brain health in aging mice.

Epidemiological studies have suggested a link between exposure to environmental factors early in life and susceptibility to neurodegenerative diseases in adulthood. In the short term, maternal diet is important for the growth and development of the fetus; however, it may also have long-term effects on the health status of the offspring. Here, we investigate the effect that maternal high-fat diet during gestation has on brain health of the offspring later in life. B6129SF2/J dams were fed a high-fat diet during the 3 weeks' gestation, then switched to standard chow diet after delivery. Offspring were always fed regular diet for the entire study and assessed in learning, memory, and brain pathology when 18 months old. Compared with offspring from control mothers, the ones from mothers exposed to high-fat diet had significant better performance in learning and memory tests, which associated with an amelioration of synaptic integrity. Additionally, they had a significant reduction in total tau, a decrease in its pathological conformational changes and lower levels of caspase-3-cleaved isoforms. Our findings demonstrate that in utero exposure to high-fat diet plays a protective role for offspring brain health later in life. They support the novel hypothesis that targeted dietary intervention specifically restricted to the gestation period could be implemented as preventative strategy for the age-dependent decline in brain health.
Physical Metallurgy and Mechanical Properties of Materials: Metallurgical Advances and Civil Engineering

At Symposium on Physical Metallurgy and Mechanical Properties of Materials, held by Eng Mechanics Div for summarizing current state of knowledge and some most recent developments in understanding of materials behavior, following paper covers "Metallurgical Advances and Civil Engineering".
Costly Inspection and Money Burning in Internal Capital Markets

Bureaucracy and influence activities consume a great deal of managers’ time and effort in an organization. These activities are surplus destroying in the sense that they produce no direct output or information. This paper suggests a positive role for these activities. We develop a model for allocation in internal capital markets that takes a mechanism design perspective and incorporates both costly inspection and money burning (e.g. bureaucracy, influence activities) as tools for the headquarters to pursue optimal allocations. We find that the optimal mechanism deploys both the instruments of costly inspection and money burning, often at the same time on an agent.
Use of Commercial and Free Software for Teaching Statistics.

This study investigates the effectiveness of two statistical software packages, the commercial software, SPSS, and the free software, R Version 3.5.0, in teaching statistics, by comparing grades earned by students in an introductory statistics course. Students taught using R earned slightly higher grades overall than those in the SPSS class, although the difference between the two groups of students was found to be not significantly different. The responses given by students on the end of semester survey for the use of technology indicated that students felt comfortable with both software packages, and the software R was recommended more strongly for future use in a statistics course than the software SPSS. These findings provided some insights on the use of different software packages in statistics education, which might support the use of free software in teaching statistics at college level. First published November 2019 at Statistics Education Research Journal Archives
The potential of socially assistive robots during infectious disease outbreaks

Robots have a role in addressing the secondary impacts of infectious disease outbreaks by helping us sustain social distancing, monitoring and improving mental health, supporting education, and aiding in economic recovery.
Scandinavian-American English over time: Stereotypes and regionalization

Abstract This paper is a historical sociolinguistic study of spoken Scandinavian-American English, its representation over time, and its relationship with contemporary regional speech. We look at four features: 1) ‘stopping’ of interdental fricatives, [t, d] for/θ, ð/, 2) /dʒ/ realized as [j] in popular representations, 3) features borrowed from other immigrant communities to demonstrate ‘foreignness’, and 4) [s] for /z/ in certain environments. From attested observations to performative representations, we trace the very different paths that each feature took. By considering the contact situation of Scandinavian languages in America, we illustrate the complexity with which individual features evolve and give rise to changes in form and social meaning.
Motherscholaring: a collective poetic autoethnographic inquiry

Motherscholaring is an essential mode of intellectual and spiritual travel, a type of soulwork, epistemologically rooted in love, occuring at the intersections of personal and professional theories...
Mutational activation of antibiotic-resistant mechanisms in the absence of major drug efflux systems of escherichia coli

Mutations are one of the common means by which bacteria acquire resistance to antibiotics. In an Escherichia coli mutant lacking major antibiotic efflux pumps AcrAB and AcrEF, mutations can activate alternative pathways that lead to increased antibiotic resistance. In this work, we isolated and characterized compensatory mutations of this nature mapping in four different regulatory genes, baeS, crp, hns, and rpoB. The gain-of-function mutations in baeS constitutively activated the BaeSR two-component regulatory system to increase the expression of the MdtABC efflux pump. Missense or insertion mutations in crp and hns caused derepression of an operon coding for the MdtEF efflux pump. Interestingly, despite the dependence of rpoB missense mutations on MdtABC for their antibiotic resistance phenotype, neither the expression of the mdtABCD-baeSR operon nor that of other known antibiotic efflux pumps went up. Instead, the transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) data revealed a gene expression profile resembling that of a "stringent" RNA polymerase where protein and DNA biosynthesis pathways were downregulated but pathways to combat various stresses were upregulated. Some of these activated stress pathways are also controlled by the general stress sigma factor RpoS. The data presented here also show that compensatory mutations can act synergistically to further increase antibiotic resistance to a level similar to the efflux pump-proficient parental strain. Together, the findings highlight a remarkable genetic ability of bacteria to circumvent antibiotic assault, even in the absence of a major intrinsic antibiotic resistance mechanism. IMPORTANCE Antibiotic resistance among bacterial pathogens is a chronic health concern. Bacteria possess or acquire various mechanisms of antibiotic resistance, and chief among them is the ability to accumulate beneficial mutations that often alter antibiotic targets. Here, we explored E. coli's ability to amass mutations in a background devoid of a major constitutively expressed efflux pump and identified mutations in several regulatory genes that confer resistance by activating specific or pleiotropic mechanisms.
A study of self-disclosure during the Coronavirus pandemic

We study observed incidence of self-disclosure in a large set of tweets representing user-led English-language conversation about the Coronavirus pandemic. Using an unsupervised approach to detect voluntary disclosure of personal information, we provide early evidence that situational factors surrounding the Coronavirus pandemic may impact individuals’ privacy calculus. Text analyses reveal topical shift toward supportiveness and support-seeking in self-disclosing conversation on Twitter. We run a comparable analysis of tweets from Hurricane Harvey to provide context for observed effects and suggest opportunities for further study.
Novel graph theoretic biological pathway network analytics methods for analyzing and discovering Alzheimer's disease related genes

Background: Alzheimer9s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia among older people. It is a complex disease and the genetics and environmental factors behind it are not conclusive yet. Traditional statistical analyses are inadequate to identify variants, genes, or pathways capable of explaining AD as a unit. In this context, pathway network analysis based on a set of curated AD-specific genes identified in the literature can elucidate biological mechanisms underneath AD. Through the network, we can infer influential pathways that can together explain AD. Consequently, we can target those pathways and corresponding genes for further analysis to develop new drugs, discover novel AD-related genes, combine multiple hypotheses, and so forth. Methods: We have developed a novel graph theoretic algorithm that can elucidate complex biology from a given set of disease-related genes. It constructs a weighted network of enriched pathways where similarity score between a pair of pathways is defined in a context-specific manner. To make the network robust, we employ topological overlap techniques on top of the raw similarity measure. We then provide the importance of each pathway with respect to the entire network, functional modules and importance of each pathway in a specific module, gene clusters, and so forth. We also provide a method to identify a set of novel genes that can further explain the disease-related genes and the disease itself. Results: We have employed our algorithms onto a set of AD-specific genes. It identified three distinct functional modules that are related to metabolism, cancer, and infectious disease related pathways. These findings are matched with three recognized hypotheses in Alzheimer9s disease, e.g. ``metabolism hypothesis," ``cell cycle hypothesis," and ``infectious disease hypothesis." By analyzing the curated genes common among those functional modules, we can attain more understanding about this fateful disease. We have also identified 24 novel AD-related genes of which at least 14 genes are known to be involved in AD. Conclusions: We developed a computational framework for analyzing biological pathways in a context-specific manner. It can be used in any sets of disease-related genes. We manifest its efficacy, reliability, and accuracy by employing a set of AD-specific genes.
Near-Infrared Keck Interferometer and IOTA Closure Phase Observations of Wolf-Rayet stars

We present first results from observations of a small sample of IR-bright Wolf-Rayet stars with the Keck Interferometer in the near-infrared, and with the IONIC beam three-telescope beam combiner at the Infrared and Optical Telescope Array (IOTA) observatory. The former results were obtained as part of shared-risk observations in commissioning the Keck Interferometer and form a subset of a high-resolution study of dust around Wolf-Rayet stars using multiple interferometers in progress in our group. The latter results are the first closure phase observations of these stars in the near-infrared in a separated telescope interferometer. Earlier aperture-masking observations with the Keck-I telescope provide strong evidence that dust-formation in late-type WC stars are a result of wind-wind collision in short-period binaries.Our program with the Keck interferometer seeks to further examine this paradigm at much higher resolution. We have spatially resolved the binary in the prototypical dusty WC type star WR 140. WR 137, another episodic dust-producing star, has been partially resolved for the first time, providing the first direct clue to its possible binary nature.We also include WN stars in our sample to investigate circumstellar dust in this other main sub-type of WRs. We have been unable to resolve any of these, indicating a lack of extended dust.Complementary observations using the MIDI instrument on the VLTI in the mid-infrared are presented in another contribution to this workshop.
Metabolomic profiling of hormone-dependent cancers: a bird's eye view

Hormone-dependent cancers present a significant public health challenge, because they are among the most common cancers in the world. One factor associated with cancer development and progression is metabolic reprogramming. By understanding these alterations, we can identify potential markers and novel biochemical therapeutic targets. Metabolic profiling is an advanced technology that allows investigators to assess low-molecular-weight compounds that reflect physiological alterations. Current research in metabolomics on prostate (PCa) and breast cancer (BCa) have made great strides in uncovering specific metabolic pathways that are associated with cancer development, progression, and resistance. In this review, we highlight some of the major findings and potential therapeutic advances that have been reported utilizing this technology.
Principal Component Analysis of Infraspecific Bacteria

In certain types of ecological investigations it may be desirable to investigate infraspecific variation in bacteria. Principal component analysis is demonstrated to be satisfactory for this purpose. Hypothetical bacterial populations were used to show that such analysis can be used to compare collections of bacterial isolates taken at different times or from different sources. Alternatively, given n isolates, whether they represent a single bacterial population can be determined. The method is applied to authentic collections of bacteria in three separate analyses. The results are compatible with current taxonomic tenets.
Tragic optimism vs learning on the verge of more change and great advances : Presidential address, American Head and Neck Society

During the past year, I have given a great deal of thought to the choice of topic for this address. Having served as the chairman of the Finance Committee of the University of Oklahoma Physicians Medical Group, which oversees more than 200 contracts with about 320 physicians, and having educated residents and fellows for many years, I decided that it would be appropriate to share some thoughts about the remarkable changes we are experiencing in the business and education aspects of head and neck oncologic surgery. Some of them are relevant to everyone practicing head and neck surgery; others apply primarily to the United States. However, I believe our colleagues from abroad may find it interesting, if not informative, to find out how seriously the education of fellows is taken by the American Head and Neck Society.