cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fully C1-conforming subdivision elements for finite deformation thin-shell analysis

We have extended the subdivision shell elements of Cirak et al. [18] to the finite-deformation range. The assumed finite-deformation kinematics allows for finite membrane and thickness stretching, as well as for large deflections and bending strains. The interpolation of the undeformed and deformed surfaces of the shell is accomplished through the use of subdivision surfaces. The resulting ‘subdivision elements’ are strictly C1-conforming, contain three nodes and one single quadrature point per element, and carry displacements at the nodes only. The versatility and good performance of the subdivision elements is demonstrated with the aid of a number of test cases, including the stretching of a tension strip; the inflation of a spherical shell under internal pressure; the bending and inflation of a circular plate under the action of uniform pressure; and the inflation of square and circular airbags. In particular, the airbag solutions, while exhibiting intricate folding patterns, appear to converge in certain salient features of the solution, which attests to the robustness of the method.
Review of Alternative Methods for Estimating Terrestrial Emittance and Geothermal Heat Flux for Yellowstone National Park Using Landsat Imagery

Yellowstone National Park (YNP) is legally mandated to monitor geothermal features for their future preservation, and remote sensing is a component of the current monitoring plan. Landsat imagery was explored as a tool for mapping terrestrial emittance and geothermal heat flux for this purpose. Several methods were compared to estimate terrestrial emittance and geothermal heat flux (GHF) using images from 2007 (Landsat Thematic Mapper) and 2002 (Landsat Thematic Mapper Plus). Accurate estimations were reasonable when compared to previously established values and known patterns but were likely limited due to inherent properties of Landsat data, the effects of solar radiation, and variation among geothermal areas. Landsat data can be valuable for calculation of GHF in YNP. The method suggested in this paper is not highly parameterized. Landsat data provide the means to calculate GHF for all of YNP and have the potential to enable scientists to identify locations for in-depth study.
Gene Expression, Bacteria Viability and Survivability Following Spray Drying of Mycobacterium smegmatis

We find that Mycobacterium smegmatis survives spray drying and retains cell viability in accelerated temperature stress (40 °C) conditions with a success rate that increases with increasing thermal, osmotic, and nutrient-restriction stresses applied to the mycobacterium prior to spray drying. M.smegmatis that are spray dried during log growth phase, where they suffer little or no nutrient-reduction stress, survive for less than 7 days in the dry powder state at accelerated temperature stress conditions, whereas M. smegmatis that are spray dried during stationary phase, where cells do suffer nutrient reduction, survive for up to 14 days. M. smegmatis that are spray dried from stationary phase, subjected to accelerated temperature stress conditions, regrown to stationary phase, spray dried again, and resubmitted to this same process four consecutive times, display, on the fourth spray drying iteration, an approximate ten-fold increase in stability during accelerated temperature stress testing, surviving up to 105 days. Microarray tests revealed significant differences in genetic expression of M. smegmatis between log phase and stationary phase conditions, between naive (non spray-dried) and multiply cycled dried M. smegmatis (in log and stationary phase), and between M. smegmatis in the dry powder state following a single spray drying operation and after four consecutive spray drying operations. These differences, and other phenotypical differences, point to the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway as a probable pathway contributing to bacteria survival in the spray-dried state and suggests strategies for spray drying that may lead to significantly greater room-temperature stability of mycobacteria, including mycobacterium bovis bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG), the current TB vaccine.
Intelligence in wikipedia

The Intelligence in Wikipedia project at the University of Washington is combining self-supervised information extraction (IE) techniques with a mixed initiative interface designed to encourage communal content creation (CCC). Since IE and CCC are each powerful ways to produce large amounts of structured information, they have been studied extensively — but only in isolation. By combining the two methods in a virtuous feedback cycle, we aim for substantial synergy. While previous papers have described the details of individual aspects of our endeavor [25, 26, 24, 13], this report provides an overview of the project’s progress and vision.
Quantitative Diagnostics of Mixing in a Shallow Water Model of the Stratosphere

Two different approaches are applied to quantify mixing in a shallow water model of the stratosphere. These are modified Lagrangian mean (MLM) theory and a technique referred to as ‘‘reverse domain filling with local gradient reversal’’ (RDF-LGR). The latter is similar to a previously existing technique using contour advection and contour surgery. It is first proved that in an inviscid shallow water atmosphere subject to mass sources and sinks, if the mass enclosed by a potential vorticity (PV) contour is steady in time, then the integral of the mass source over the area enclosed by the contour must be zero. Next, the MLM and RDF-LGR approaches are used to diagnose the time-averaged transport across PV contours in the model simulations. The model includes a sixth-order hyperdiffusion on the vorticity field. Except in a thin outer ‘‘entrainment zone,’’ the hyperdiffusion term has only a very weak effect on the MLM mass budget of the polar vortex. In the entrainment zone, the hyperdiffusion term has a significant effect. The RDF-LGR results capture this behavior, providing good quantitative estimates of the hyperdiffusion term, which is equivalent to the degree of radiative disequilibrium at a PV contour. This agreement shows that the main role of the hyperdiffusion is to ‘‘mop up’’ the filaments that are produced by the essentially inviscid large-scale dynamics. All calculations are repeated for two values of the hyperdiffusion coefficient that differ by a factor of 50, with little difference in the results. This suggests that the amount of material entrained from the vortex edge into the surf zone does not depend on the details of the small-scale dissipation, as long as it is sufficiently weak and has some degree of scale selectivity.
Analysis of HPV DNA Replication Using Transient Transfection and Cell-Free Assays

Abstract The genomes of human and animal papillomaviruses amplify in keratinocytes undergoing terminal squamous differentiation. Two approaches have been developed to facilitate the investigation into the requirement for viral DNA replication and its regulation outside the context of the host tissues. Under these conditions, the investigation can be conducted independently of viral genes required to re-establish the S-phase milieu in the differentiated keratinocytes to support viral DNA replication. The first method is transient replication in cell lines after transfection of a plasmid containing the viral origin of replication together with expression vectors of the necessary viral proteins that direct specific initiation from the origin. The second is cell-free replication in which purified viral replication proteins are complemented by cell extracts to initiate origin-specific replication. The two methods have identified the origin, the viral E1 and E2 proteins necessary for initiation, their functions, and the host factors that are required to support and regulate the viral DNA replication. These two methods are complementary in providing answers and insights that either one alone may not be able to achieve. This chapter provides a practical guide to these two replication assays.
Disappearing Pupae: A Source of Possible Error in Estimating Population Density

Predators removed a highly variable proportion of western spruce budworm pupae from several sites in north-central Washington, With standard methodology, these insects would have been classified as missing larvae. Subsequent analyses would necessarily have led to faulty and misleading conclusions.
Shoulder pain does not parallel rotator cuff tear size-what does that tell us?: Commentary on an article by Warren R. Dunn, MD, MPH, et al.: "symptoms of pain do not correlate with rotator cuff tear severity. A cross-sectional study of 393 patients with a symptomatic atraumatic full-thickness rotator cuff tear".

It is simultaneously critical and refreshing to read an article that keeps our focus on the patient. This is especially true in the very confusing world of rotator cuff tears, where recent articles have claimed, on the one hand, that rotator cuff repair “is cost-effective for all patients” and that “the estimated lifetime societal savings of the approximately 250,000 rotator cuff repairs performed in the U.S. each year was $3.44 billion”1 and, on the other hand, that “the clinical outcomes after the operation [cuff repair] did not differ significantly between the patients who had healing of the tear and those who did not (p = 0.438, p = 0.625, and p = 0.898 for the UCLA, ASES, and Constant-Murley scores, respectively).”2 Even the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Clinical Practice Guideline on Optimizing the Management of Rotator Cuff Problems is replete with recommendations of limited or inconclusive strength3. Taking a new tack, the authors of this paper conducted a multicenter study examining 393 subjects with an atraumatic symptomatic full-thickness rotator cuff tear with respect to their self-reported pain and the severity of their cuff disease …
Hemangiopericytoma of the spleen

A splenic tumor is reported with the light microscopic, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural features of a hemangiopericytoma. The findings in this case are compared with the only previously reported splenic hemangiopericytoma. Differences in the clinical presentation and the gross appearance of the two cases are described, and similarities in the microscopic features are discussed.
Prospects for Monolithic GaAs/Si Integration

The status of monolithic GaAs/Si (MGS) integration is reviewed and its future prospects are discussed. The MGS material now available is satisfactory for majority-carrier devices, but improvement in quality is needed for minority-carrier devices. By using a suitable sequence of processing steps, fabrication of GaAs MESFETs and Si MOSFETs on the same wafer and monolithic integration of GaAs/AlGaAs double-heterostructure LEDs and Si MOSFETs have been achieved. The GaAs and Si FETs show characteristics comparable to those for devices fabricated on separate GaAs and Si substrates. The LEDs have been modulated up to 27 Mb/s by applying a pattern of voltage pulses to the MOSFET gate. Two promising applications of MGS integration are optical interconnects between Si VLSI chips and monolithic microwave integrated circuits. Much better performance should be obtained by operating MGS ICs at liquid nitrogen temperature.
A Reinvestigation of the Alimentary Canal in the Leafhopper Agallia constricta (Homoptera: Cicadellidae)

The largest number of the vectors of plant viruses, next to aphids, is to be found among the leafhoppers. That certain plant viruses multiply in their vectors was first shown with those viruses transmitted by leafhoppers (Black 1959). Gil-Fernandez and Black (1965) studied the internal anatomy of the leafhopper, Agallia constricta (Van Duzee), a vector of the wound-tumor virus (WTV). Such an investigation was prerequisite to a study of the site or sites of multiplication of WTV in the vector. Gil-Fernandez and Black reported that there is no true filter chamber in A. constricta , but that the insect had a primitive type of filtering apparatus represented by a region where the anterior and posterior ends of the mid-intestine are apposed. They show the esophagus leading directly to the ventriculus (Gil-Fernandez and Black 1965, Fig. 1A). The main purpose of the present investigation was to study ventral surface. Inside the filter chamber the mid-intestine forms a simple loop, then, after emerging from the filter chamber, continues backward as the hind-intestine. The 2 pairs of malpighian tubules arise from the junction of mid- and hind-intestine inside the filter chamber and extend backward to their attachment to the anterior part of the rectum. Near its posterior end the hind-intestine forms a swollen rectum before opening to the exterior through the anus.
Survival of Declining Dendroctonus frontalis Populations During a Severe and Nonsevere Winter

Declining infestations of Dendroctonus frontalis were studied in terms of within-tree, within-spot, and within-area survival between a severe and mild winter. While brood survival differed dramatically between the 2 winters, the net effect on population trends was the same. Infestations in the study areas neither survived nor proliferated during the following spring and summer. During the severe winter of 1976–77 nearly 100% brood mortality occurred following a period of subfreezing temperatures and this was directly responsible for spot collapse. During the mild winter of 1975–76 survival was dependent on brood stage and location within the tree. Brood survival, which was comparable to that from the previous late summer and autumn, was not the cause of spot mortality. Periodic emergence during intermittent warm periods and a tendency to disperse combined with high dispersal losses were thought to be responsible.
The Foreign Policy of the Dependent State

This paper probes the process by which the foreign policy orientation of weak nations comes to reflect the preferences of more powerful nations. Two general conceptions of the nature of this process are identified. The most common view, that of the bargaining model, regards the policymaking process of weak states as relatively autonomous though influenced by reward/punishment actions of a more powerful nation which condition the weaker partner. By contrast, the dependency model stresses the long-term character of the influence and the indirect path by which it occurs. It regards the decisionmaking process as imbedded in a social/political structure which is itself distorted by the dependency relationship. Both a cross-sectional and a longitudinal analysis relying upon UN voting data and measures of the relations between the United States and 88 less-developed nations indicate that the explanatory power of the bargaining model is relatively limited and that the dependency model is a more appropriate conception. Though cross-sectionally, both reward behavior (various forms of aid) and dependency-indicating transactions (e.g. treaties, trade, arms sales, IGO memberships, consultations, etc.) exhibit correlations with voting behavior, those of the latter are generally considerably stronger. Further, longitudinal analysis exposes much greater stability in voting behavior over time—and much less correlation with aid-giving—than one would expect if bargaining were present. This stable pro-American behavior is precisely that which would be predicted by a theory resting upon long-term distortions implicit in an enduring and penetrating structural relationship.
Flight Testing of Stability Boundary and Dynamic Separation in a University Environment - Invited

This paper gives an overview of how flight testing is introduced in a research university setting using nontraditional methods and how it is made available to students at all levels ranging from freshman to doctorate. The recent explosive developments in hardware now allow the involvement of a larger group of students in flight tests affordably in an academic environment. This paper also details the current flight test research activities at graduate level in the areas of dynamic separation during air launching space vehicles, use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) as test beds to test new control algorithms, stability boundary determination of an inflight damaged aircraft, noise reduction via inflight deployable micro devices, and precision landing flight tests. Research tools include ground tests, carefully modeled vehicle flight simulations, and actual flight tests either using small scales or full scales as UAS using free flights or controlled (remote, autonomous, or hybrid) aerial systems. Learning outcomes from the student’s perspective is documented as well as 5 year follow up studies showing the success of these individuals in their professional paths being one of the indicators of the benefits of integrating flight tests into curriculum.
Strategy To Produce Microcellular Foamed Poly(lactic acid)/Wood-Flour Composites in a Continuous Extrusion Process

In microcellular foaming process of wood/plastic composites, the alterations in melt viscosity induced by the addition of wood-flour into the plastic matrix play an important role during the growth and stabilization of nucleated cells. This study examined the effects of wood-flour and low molecular weight rheology modifier addition levels on the melt flow index, shear viscosity, and extensional viscosity of PLA/wood-flour composites. From the results, an effective strategy is proposed to successfully and continuously produce microcellular foamed PLA/wood-flour composites with cellular structures similar to those achieved in neat PLA foams. It consists of matching the composites’ melt index value (or melt viscosity) to that of neat PLA by using a rheology modifier. Lowering the melt index of the composites from the matching value resulted in unprocessable foaming conditions owing to the increased melt viscosity, whereas cell structures slightly deteriorated by increasing the melt index of the composite abo...
Social Organization and Seasonal Migrations Among the Navajo

ABSTRACTPastoral transhumance patterns involve a complicated mix of social and environmental factors. The environmental factors influencing the seasonal movements of the Navajo during the apex of their pastoral economy have been broadly outlined in previous works. This paper, using data from two areas of the Navajo Reservation and pertaining mostly to the 1930s, stresses the importance of family differences in wealth and livestock holdings for determining the extent and nature of seasonal land use by Navajo livestock raisers.
State Variable Feedback Control of Multiregion Reactors

This paper presents an approach to reactor control that is a result of modern control theory, and is based on the control philosophy of feeding back all the state variables through constant gain el...
Intrusive and depositional constraints on the Cretaceous tectonic history of the southern Blue Mountains, eastern Oregon

We present an integrated study of the postcollisional (post–Late Jurassic) history of the Blue Mountains province (Oregon and Idaho, USA) using constraints from Cretaceous igneous and sedimentary rocks. The Blue Mountains province consists of the Wallowa and Olds Ferry arcs, separated by forearc accretionary material of the Baker terrane. Four plutons (Lookout Mountain, Pedro Mountain, Amelia, Tureman Ranch) intrude along or near the Connor Creek fault, which separates the Izee and Baker terranes. High-precision U-Pb zircon ages indicate 129.4–123.8 Ma crystallization ages and exhibit a north-northeast–younging trend of the magmatism. The 40Ar/39Ar analyses on biotite and hornblende indicate very rapid (<1 m.y.) cooling below biotite closure temperature (∼350 °C) for the plutons. The (U-Th)/He zircon analyses were done on a series of regional plutons, including the Lookout Mountain and Tureman Ranch plutons, and indicate a middle Cretaceous age of cooling through ∼200 °C. Sr, Nd, and Pb isotope geochemistry on the four studied plutons confirms that the Izee terrane is on Olds Ferry terrane basement. We also present data from detrital zircons from Late Cretaceous sedimentary rocks at Dixie Butte, Oregon. These detrital zircons record only Paleozoic–Mesozoic ages with only juvenile Hf isotopic compositions, indicating derivation from juvenile accreted terrane lithosphere. Although the Blue Mountains province is juxtaposed against cratonic North America along the western Idaho shear zone, it shows trends in magmatism, cooling, and sediment deposition that differ from the adjacent part of North America and are consistent with a more southern position for terranes of this province at the time of their accretion. We therefore propose a tectonic history involving moderate northward translation of the Blue Mountains province along the western Idaho shear zone in the middle Cretaceous.
Abstract P032: High Glucose Increases Prorenin Receptor (PRR) at the Cell Plasma Membrane in the Collecting Duct Which Promotes the Induction of Downstream Fibrotic Factors

In streptozotocin (STZ)-induced Type-1 diabetic (T1D) rats, the collecting duct is the main source of intrarenal prorenin. The fact that binding of prorenin to the PRR triggers intracellular signals linked to tissue fibrosis has raised the expectation that prorenin might be directly responsible for diabetic nephropathy (DN). We showed that STZ-induced T1D rats exhibit greater apical distribution of PRR in the collecting duct. Therefore, we hypothesize that high glucose increases PRR abundance at the cell plasma membrane (PM) of collecting duct cells, which contributes to the stimulation of downstream fibrotic factors. To test this, we used male Sprague-Dawley rats (14w of age) with STZ-induced hyperglycemia for 7d (ip, single injection; 60 ng/kg), and cultures of collecting duct M-1 cells treated for 0, 5 min, and 1, 6, 12 and 24h with normal glucose (NG; 5mM glucose + 20mM mannitol) and high glucose (HG; 25mM). After 7d, STZ-induced rats (N=9) showed plasma levels of glucose as 428±13 vs.138±9 gr/dL and insulin as 0.07±0.02 vs. 2.4±0.01 ng/mL; compared to controls (N=7). Although PRR mRNA levels did not differ between groups; PRR protein levels and its downstream target TGF-β mRNA levels were augmented in the renal medulla of STZ-induced rats (0.55±0.03 vs.0.44±0.02 PRR/β-actin protein ratio; P<0.01; 1.22±0.06 vs.0.97±0.03 TGF-β/β-actin mRNA ratio; P<0.01). Interestingly, PRR protein levels were maximum elevated at 1h in PM extracts from M-1 cells treated with HG (0.95±0.04 vs. 0.33±0.2 PRR/E-cadherin protein ratio) but not in NG-treated cells. HG also unregulated downstream fibrotic factor fibronectin (1.9±0.2 vs.0.46±0.05 fold change) compared with NG-treated cells. Immunofluorescence studies of M-1 cells treated with NG for 1h showed that PRR is mainly localized in the perinuclear areas, whereas in HG-treated cells it was predominantly localized toward the cell surface, as it was more clearly observed in de-convoluted images. These data indicate that hyperglycemia leads to PRR trafficking alterations by inducing PRR translocation towards PM in the collecting duct cells and suggest that the activation of PRR during hyperglycemia conditions might be a novel mechanism underlying the development of DN, particularly tubulointerstitial fibrosis in DM.
Racial/Ethnic Differences in the Association Between Energy Balance and Prostate Cancer

Population-based studies now generally support a positive association between correlates of energy imbalance and prostate cancer risk. However, despite the fact that prostate cancer shows notable racial/ethnic disparities, and the fact that modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors for prostate cancer show racial/ethnic variation, little work has been done to investigate whether the association between energy balance and prostate cancer differs by race/ethnicity. This chapter reviews the still evolving literature, including on lifestyle risk factors that are correlated with energy balance, with a focus on risk of advanced and fatal prostate cancer in different racial and ethnic groups. The majority of studies on energy balance and prostate cancer have been conducted in non-Hispanic white men, including from North America, Europe, and Australia. Very few studies on this topic have been conducted among minority populations, and of those studies that included minority populations, the sample sizes were so small that meaningful conclusions could not be derived. Some studies adjusted for race/ethnicity, but findings from these analyses do not inform whether the association between energy imbalance and prostate differs by race/ethnicity. Adequately powered studies seeking to document similarities and differences among racial/ethnic groups in energy-balance related risk factors for prostate cancer, especially lethal disease, are needed to be able to tailoring interventions to subpopulations. Standard definitions of race, ethnicity, and more generally ancestry, must be developed for such research in population-based studies, to make the comparison among study findings more valid and reliable. More work is also needed to understand the biological pathways that may underlie any racial/ethnic differences in the association between energy balance and prostate cancer: testosterone remains a possible explanatory mechanism.
Physics-guided Neural Networks (PGNN): An Application in Lake Temperature Modeling

This paper introduces a novel framework for combining scientific knowledge of physics-based models with neural networks to advance scientific discovery. This framework, termed as physics-guided neural network (PGNN), leverages the output of physics-based model simulations along with observational features to generate predictions using a neural network architecture. Further, this paper presents a novel framework for using physics-based loss functions in the learning objective of neural networks, to ensure that the model predictions not only show lower errors on the training set but are also scientifically consistent with the known physics on the unlabeled set. We illustrate the effectiveness of PGNN for the problem of lake temperature modeling, where physical relationships between the temperature, density, and depth of water are used to design a physics-based loss function. By using scientific knowledge to guide the construction and learning of neural networks, we are able to show that the proposed framework ensures better generalizability as well as scientific consistency of results.
The Visual Thalamus

The thalamus has largely been ignored as an interesting brain structure, seen as a simple, machine-like relay of information to the cortex. This is now dramatically changed, largely from work on the visual thalamic relays – the lateral geniculate nucleus and the pulvinar. Two recent observations helped to bring about this new appreciation. First, ∼95% of input to geniculate relay cells is nonretinal and modulates the relay dynamically related to behavioral state. Much of this is related to the control of response mode – relay or burst. Second, the lateral geniculate nucleus and pulvinar are examples of two different types of relays: the lateral geniculate nucleus is a first-order relay, transmitting information from a subcortical source (retina), while the pulvinar is mostly a higher-order relay, transmitting information from layer 5 of one cortical area to another. Higher-order relays seem to play a key role in cortical function via a corticothalamocortical route. This view challenges the conventional dogma that such communication is based solely on direct corticocortical connections. Other examples of first- and higher-order relays also exist, and higher-order relays represent the majority of thalamic volume. Thus, the thalamus not only provides a behaviorally relevant, dynamic control over the nature of information relayed but also plays a key role in basic corticocortical communication.
Efficient decoupling and filtering for multiple loads and voltage domains with composite capacitors

Placement of discrete capacitors per unit area is restricted by solder resist opening (SRO) spacing rule. In addition to processor die size and bump pitch reduction over generations, number of voltage rail increase due to power management requirements have led to insufficient independent capacitors allowed for each load for self and cross-noise mitigations [1-4]. This paper presents a new capacitor technology to eliminate need of SRO spacing for performance and/or area benefits. Up to 30% impedance reduction and 38% increase in total capacitance per unit area is shown to be feasible. In addition, integration of isolation filter for cross-noise mitigations is described. Design guidelines are derived to decide integrated negative coupling factor for optimized self and cross-noise reduction.
Whither the party vote bonus? Stand-down agreements in Ukraine's mixed-member system

Abstract Comparative research on mixed-member systems suggests that parties have an incentive to nominate nominal-tier candidates in as many districts as possible, as placing candidates in even marginal districts can increase parties’ list-tier vote. Yet studies have documented many instances where parties fail to field candidates. We examine stand-down agreements—where parties coordinate the withdrawal of candidates—to understand why parties forgo a party vote bonus. Our interviews document that Ukrainian politicians—while acting strategically—were not concerned over the loss of a party vote bonus when they negotiated the withdrawal of candidates from districts. Our theoretical discussion explains that the incentive for parties to field candidates to obtain a party vote bonus is often insufficient. Using district data from the 2012 Ukrainian elections, we measure the party vote bonus. We show that the bonus gained by parties was small, dependent upon the quality of the candidate, and varied by party.
Limits on magnetically induced Faraday rotation from polarized He3 atoms

Faraday rotation has become a powerful tool in a large variety of physics applications. Most prominently, Faraday rotation can be used in precision magnetometry. Here we report measurements of gyromagnetic Faraday rotation on a dense, hyperpolarized $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ gas target. Theoretical calculations predict the rotations of linearly polarized light due to the magnetization of spin-1/2 particles on the scale of ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}7}$ radians. To maximize the signal, a $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ target designed to use with a multipass cavity is combined with a sensitive apparatus for polarimetry that can detect optical rotations on the order of ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}8}$ radians. Although the expected results are well above the sensitivity for the given experimental conditions, no nuclear-spin-induced rotation was observed.
Role of Porphyromonas gingivalis outer membrane vesicles in oral mucosal transmission of HIV

The association between mucosal microbiota and HIV-1 infection has garnered great attention in the field of HIV-1 research. Previously, we reported a receptor-independent HIV-1 entry into epithelial cells mediated by a Gram-negative invasive bacterium, Porphyromonas gingivalis. Here, we present evidence showing that P. gingivalis outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) promote mucosal transmission of HIV-1. We demonstrated, using the Dynabeads technology, a specific interaction between HIV-1 and P. gingivalis OMVs which led to an OMV-dependent viral entry into oral epithelial cells. HIV-1 was detected in human oral keratinocytes (HOKs) after a 20 minute exposure to the HIV-vesicle complexes. After entry, most of the complexes appeared to dissociate, HIV-1 was reverse-transcribed, and viral DNA was integrated into the genome of HOKs. Meanwhile, some of the complexes exited the original host and re-entered neighboring HOKs and permissive cells of HIV-1. Moreover, P. gingivalis vesicles enhanced HIV-1 infection of MT4 cells at low infecting doses that are not able to establish an efficient infection alone. These findings suggest that invasive bacteria and their OMVs with ability to interact with HIV-1 may serve as a vehicle to translocate HIV through the mucosa, establish mucosal transmission of HIV-1, and enhance HIV-1 infectivity.
Theories of Protein Folding

It is generally recognized that one of the most important and most challenging unsolved problems of molecular biology is the protein folding problem. What is this problem and why is it so important?
Absolute Calibration of an Acoustic Emission Sensor

Calibrated sensors are essential for quantitative comparisons of acoustic emission source mechanics. We describe experimental techniques and mathematical models for implementation of an absolute sensor calibration scheme using glass capillary fracture and ball impact, two sources which can be easily implemented. Additionally, we describe the specific experimental procedures for absolute sensor calibration using the both the fracture of a glass capillary tube, and drop of a 0.4 mm ruby ball, as the calibration source. The mathematical formulation is based on a Green’s function formalism. The Glaser-type conical piezoelectric sensor, used as an example in this study, has a noise floor of approximately 1 picometer displacement when coupled to steel. The amplitude of the sensor response is flat within 3 dB from 50 kHz to 2 MHz at a level of 0 dB relative to 1 V/nm.
Multi-scale Modeling and Simulation of a Novel Membrane Reactor (MR)/Adsorptive Reactor (AR) Process

Abstract The objective of this study is the modeling and simulation of a novel process, consisting of a membrane reactor (MR)/adsorptive reactor (AR) sequence that intensifies equilibrium-limited reactions and associated separation processes. A comprehensive, multi-scale, multiphase, steady-state/dynamic, computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-based process model is developed, that quantifies the many underlying complex physicochemical phenomena occurring at the pellet, and reactor scales. Model simulations are then carried-out, to study the influence of the individual units’ operating and design parameters on overall system performance, and to better understand this simultaneous reaction/separation, steady-state/cyclic process. Simulation-based optimization studies are then carried out to identify acceptable ranges for both operating and design parameters, so as to meet pre-defined process performance specifications.
Using a journal club series to introduce paramedic students to research fundamentals and critical appraisal of medical literature

INTRODUCTION Despite United States national learning objectives referencing research fundamentals and the critical appraisal of medical literature, many paramedic programs are not meeting these objectives with substantive content. PROBLEM The objective was to develop and implement a journal club educational module for paramedic training programs, which is all-inclusive and could be distributed to Emergency Medical Services (EMS) educators and EMS medical directors to use as a framework to adapt to their program. METHODS Four two-hour long journal club sessions were designed. First, the educator provided students with four types of articles on a student-chosen topic and discussed differences in methodology and structures. Next, after a lecture about peer-review, students used search engines to verify references of a trade magazine article. Third, the educator gave a statistics lecture and critiqued the results section of several articles found by students on a topic. Finally, students found an article on a topic of personal interest and presented it to their classmates, as if telling their paramedic partner about it at work. Before and after the series, students from two cohorts (2017, 2018) completed a survey with questions about demographics and perceptions of research. Students from one cohort (2017) received a follow-up survey one year later. RESULTS For the 2016 cohort, 13 students participated and provided qualitative feedback. For the 2017 and 2018 cohorts, 33 students participated. After the series, there was an increased self-reported ability to find, evaluate, and apply medical research articles, as well as overall positive trending opinions of participating in and the importance of prehospital research. This ability was demonstrated by every student during the final journal club session. McNemar's and Related-Samples Cochran's Q testing of questionnaire responses suggested a statistically significant improvement in student approval of exceptions from informed consent. CONCLUSION The framework for this paramedic journal club series could be adapted by EMS educators and medical directors to enable paramedics to search for, critically appraise, and discuss the findings of medical literature.
Variational Extrapolation of Implicit Schemes for General Gradient Flows

We introduce a class of unconditionally energy stable, high order accurate schemes for gradient flows in a very general setting. The new schemes are a high order analogue of the minimizing movements approach for generating a time discrete approximation to a gradient flow by solving a sequence of optimization problems. In particular, each step entails minimizing the associated energy of the gradient flow plus a movement limiter term that is, in the classical context of steepest descent with respect to an inner product, simply quadratic. A variety of existing unconditionally stable numerical methods can be recognized as (typically just first order accurate in time) minimizing movement schemes for their associated evolution equations, already requiring the optimization of the energy plus a quadratic term at every time step. Therefore, our approach gives a painless way to extend these to high order accurate in time schemes while maintaining their unconditional stability. In this sense, it can be viewed as a variational analogue of Richardson extrapolation.
Teachers' Perspectives on Year Two Implementation of a Kindergarten Readiness Assessment.

In this study we examined teachers’ perspectives regarding the second year of implementing a Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA). Using a mixed-methods approach, we focused on the administratio...
The effect of diversion on readmission following ileal pouch-anal anastomosis in children.

Abstract Background Readmission rates as high as 20% have been reported after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) in children, with obstruction and dehydration as the most commonly listed reasons. We hypothesized that a diverting ileostomy contributes to unplanned readmission after IPAA creation. Methods Children (age Results Ninety-three patients (57% female) with a median age of 15 years (range: 18 months-17 years) underwent IPAA. Indications for IPAA included ulcerative colitis (n = 63; 68%), familial adenomatous polyposis (n = 24; 26%), indeterminate colitis (n = 5; 5%), and total colonic Hirschsprung's (n = 1; 1%). Sixty-one (66%) patients were diverted at the time of IPAA creation. Fourteen patients (15%) were readmitted, and reasons for readmission included bowel obstruction (n = 9; 64%), dehydration (n = 2; 14%), anastomotic leak (n = 2; 14%), and gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding (n = 1; 6%). Patients with a diverting ileostomy at the time of IPAA were more often readmittted than patients who were not diverted (21% vs 3%, p = 0.03). Further, 10 (71%) of the readmitted patients had complications attributable to their ileostomy. In patients readmitted for obstructive symptoms, six (67%) required red rubber catheter insertion for resolution, two (22%) patients required reoperation for obstructions at the level of the stoma, and one (11%) resolved with bowel rest alone. Conclusion Readmission following IPAA creation in children is often secondary to preventable issues related to diverting ileostomy. Surgeons should carefully consider the necessity of diversion. When it is necessary, particular attention to fascial aperture size and post-discharge initiatives to reduce dehydration may reduce readmission rates. Level of Evidence Level III.
Drug–target prediction utilizing heterogeneous bio-linked network embeddings

To enable modularization for network-based prediction, we conducted a review of known methods conducting the various subtasks corresponding to the creation of a drug-target prediction framework and associated benchmarking to determine the highest-performing approaches. Accordingly, our contributions are as follows: (i) from a network perspective, we benchmarked the association-mining performance of 32 distinct subnetwork permutations, arranging based on a comprehensive heterogeneous biomedical network derived from 12 repositories; (ii) from a methodological perspective, we identified the best prediction strategy based on a review of combinations of the components with off-the-shelf classification, inference methods and graph embedding methods. Our benchmarking strategy consisted of two series of experiments, totaling six distinct tasks from the two perspectives, to determine the best prediction. We demonstrated that the proposed method outperformed the existing network-based methods as well as how combinatorial networks and methodologies can influence the prediction. In addition, we conducted disease-specific prediction tasks for 20 distinct diseases and showed the reliability of the strategy in predicting 75 novel drug-target associations as shown by a validation utilizing DrugBank 5.1.0. In particular, we revealed a connection of the network topology with the biological explanations for predicting the diseases, 'Asthma' 'Hypertension', and 'Dementia'. The results of our benchmarking produced knowledge on a network-based prediction framework with the modularization of the feature selection and association prediction, which can be easily adapted and extended to other feature sources or machine learning algorithms as well as a performed baseline to comprehensively evaluate the utility of incorporating varying data sources.
Investors’ risk perceptions in the US and global stock market integration

Abstract Investors’ risk perceptions have significant implications for international stock markets. This paper estimates the time-varying impact of the VIX index – a widely used measure of investors risk perceptions – on the dynamic correlation across international stock markets. Results show that risk perceptions significantly impact the dynamic correlation between the U.S. market and the leading stock markets of the world. Further, in 17 out of 20 international stock markets, risk perceptions Granger cause dynamic correlations. The impact of VIX is positive on the correlation of the U.S. market with European and Latin American markets. In contrast, the relationship of the U.S. market with all the Asian markets weakens (strengthens) as the VIX index rises (falls). In all cases, the time-varying parameter model shows that the impact of VIX on these correlations varies significantly across time.
CORONARY CTA AND CT-DERIVED FRACTIONAL FLOW RESERVE: GATEKEEPERS TO INVASIVE ANGIOGRAPHY IN PATIENTS WITH HIGH PRE-TEST PROBABILITY OF CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE

Recently, some Radiology Benefit Managers have adopted the use of coronary CT angiography (CTA) and CT-derived fractional flow reserve (FFRCT) to determine appropriate referral for invasive coronary angiography (ICA). This study examined this approach in patients with high pre-test probability (PTP
Brief Report: Use of the Infant–Toddler Checklist in Infant Siblings of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Few studies have explored autism spectrum disorder (ASD) screening in the first year of life. The current investigation examines the psychometric properties of the Infant-Toddler Checklist starting in the first year of life in a sample at elevated and average risk for ASD based on family history. 283 participants were followed from 6 to 36 months, when diagnostic outcome was determined. The results indicated low to moderate sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value across ages for broadly distinguishing any delays from typical development, as well as for more narrowly discriminating children with ASD from those who were typically developing. Implications for utilizing ASD screening tools in the first year of life with high risk samples are discussed.
Chapter 12 – Moving on

Publisher Summary This chapter considers new paths of investigation that integrate motor as well as non-motor activities and provides a glimpse of new advances in theorizing about human motor control as well as relevant innovations in genetics and technology. One theoretical approach to human motor control has taken the form of dynamical systems theory. Here, the aim is to describe change in terms of underlying equations that typically are nonlinear and, as a result, can give rise to sudden changes and other “chaotic” phenomena. The dynamical system approach has been pursued in the analysis of bimanual coordination, the analysis of heart rate, the analysis of walking, and other arenas. The mathematical techniques in dynamical systems analyses sometimes enable investigators to identify subtle effects that might go unnoticed otherwise. Another influential theoretical approach is optimization. Here, one maximizes wanted values and minimizes unwanted values. Many models of human motor control have taken an optimization approach. A theory that relies on this approach uses principles akin to those used in computer animation, where movements are treated as transitions between goal postures.
Analysis of antigen phenotypic epitopes variation in HBV Pre-S/S region in HIV/HBV co-infected patients

Objective To analyze the characteristic mutations of epitopes in HBV Pre-S/S region in HIV/HBV co-infected patients’ peripheral blood to provide basic data for studying the pathogenesis of HIV/HBV co-infection. Methods The chronic hepatitis B infected patients admitted to the Infectious Disease Center of the Eighth People′s Hospital of Guangzhou from January 2009 to December 2011 were enrolled into HIV/HBV co-infected group and HBV mono-infected group according to the result of HIV antibody detection respectively before treatment. HBV DNA in serum was extracted and Pre-S/S region of HBV DNA was amplified by nested-PCR. After sequencing of the obtained PCR products (direct sequencing), ContigExpress software was used for sequence splicing and BioEdit software was used for sequence alignment. With reference to the standard sequence of the matched genotype HBV, mutants of HBV Pre-S/S region in HIV/HBV co-infected group and HBV mono-infected group were analyzed respectively. Statistical analysis was performed by chi-square test with SPSS19.0 statistical analysis software. Results HBV Pre-S/S fragments were successfully amplified from 150 patients, including 90 cases of HIV/HBV co-infected group and 60 cases of HBV mono-infected group, with matched gender, age, genotype, HBeAg status, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST). The result of analyzing mutants of HBV Pre-S/S region indicated that the incidence of mutation in all epitopes for cytotoxic T cells (CTL cells) was higher in the HIV/HBV co-infected group, and Pre-S2 aa1-15 epitope was significantly higher (χ2=6.964, P=0.008). The incidence of deletions in PreS2 aa1-15 epitope in HIV/HBV co-infected group (11.1%) was higher than HBV mono-infected group (3.3%) (χ2=2.959, P=0.085). In the B cell epitopes, the incidence of mutations in Pre-S2 aa1-26 in the HIV/HBV co-infected group was significantly higher than HBV mono-infected group (χ2=6.924, P=0.010), and there was no statistical significance between two groups in other B cell epitopes. No differences in helper T cell (Th cell) epitopes were found between the two groups. Conclusions Co-infection with HIV increased the CTL cell epitopes’ mutations in the HBV Pre-S/S region, especially the 5′ end epitope mutations in Pre-S2 region, which indicated that HBV mutation is related to the host immune status, and showed guiding information for further study on the pathogenesis of HIV/HBV co-infection Key words: Human immunodeficiency virus; Hepatitis B virus; Pre-S/S gene; Antigen epitopes; Mutation
The Veterans Treatment Court Movement: Striving to Serve Those Who Served

The Veterans Treatment Court Movement: Striving to Serve Those Who Served was written by Drs. Anne S. Douds and Eileen M. Ahlin. Routledge in New York first published the book in hardback and as an...