cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Magnetoresistive Heat Switches and Compact Superconducting Magnets for a Miniature Adiabatic Demagnetization Refrigerator

In order to provide continuous cooling at 50 mK for space or laboratory applications, we are designing a miniature adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator (MADR) anchored at a reservoir at 5 K. Continuous cooling is obtained by the use of several paramagnetic pills placed in series with heat switches. We are aiming for a fast cycling process (≈ 500 s) in order to reduce the size of the pills. For that purpose, we developed and tested magnetoresistive heat switches based on single crystals of tungsten. They provide good thermal performance for a very short switching time, depending only on the ramping speed of the magnet used. Measurements of heat conductivity between 150 mK and 10 K with fields ranging from 0 T to 3 T are presented for different tungsten crystals. Small superconducting magnets have been designed and manufactured from high current density NbTi wires. The shielding is achieved using ferromagnetic material, and a holmium core is used as a flux concentrator. Superconducting shielding is envisioned. Results of numerical simulations and measurements of magnetic field are compared. A prototype continuous MADR, using magnetoresistive heat switches, small paramagnetic pills, and compact magnets has been tested. A design of a MADR that would provide continuous cooling below 100 mK is described.
Introductory Note to the International Court of Justice: Obligation to Prosecute or Extradite (Belg. v. Sen.)

This Introductory Note briefly describes the decision of the International Court of Justice in a case involving the obligation of Senegal under the UN Convention Against Torture to either prosecute or extradite Hissene Habre to Belgium for prosecution. Habre, the former president of Chad, is accused of engaging in torture, war crimes and crimes against humanity during his almost 20-year rule in Chad.
Tearing of Vulcanized Rubber

Abstract This short review summarizes some results of studies of rubber fracture carried out in the author's laboratory over the past several years. Particular attention has been focused on the det...
Abstract LB-273: Transcriptional regulation by androgen receptor in prostate cancer

Transcriptional regulation by the androgen receptor (AR) is critical to prostate cancer development and progression. Through integrative analysis of genome-wide AR occupancy and androgen-regulated gene expression, we have recently reported AR as a globally acting transcriptional repressor. This repression is mediated by androgen responsive elements (ARE) and dictated by Polycomb group protein EZH2 and repressive chromatin remodeling. In addition, AR-repressed genes are enriched for developmental regulators controlling cell differentiation. They tend to get down-regulated in advanced prostate cancer probably accountable for stem cell-like de-differentiation and thus tumor progression. However, critical AR-repressed genes of functional relevance are yet to be identified and their roles to be carefully characterized. Through meta-analysis of several expression microarray data, we nominate one top candidate AR-repressed gene. Using this gene as a model, we present further evidence that AR directly inhibits gene expression through physically binding to the enhancer, establishing promoter-enhancer DNA looping, and inducing repressive chromatin remodeling. Further, overexpression of this gene inhibits prostate cancer cell growth, migration, and invasion in vitro and xenograft tumor growth in mice, thus exhibiting a tumor suppressive role. In addition, the loss of this gene drives castration-resistant prostate cancer. Therefore, our findings support that AR-mediated inhibition of tumor suppressors plays important roles during prostate cancer progression. Our study provides an innovative mechanism for AR in castration resistance, which may eventually lead to novel therapeutic targets for treatment of advanced prostate cancer. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-273. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-LB-273
Filter-Embedded UAV Task Assignment Algorithms for Dynamic Environments

This paper presents a modified formulation of the classical task assignment problem that has recently been used to coordinate teams of UAVs. The main contribution is a version of the task assignment problem that can be used to tailor the control system to mitigate the eect of noise in the situational awareness on the solution. The net eect will be to limit the rate of change in the reassignment in a well-defined manner. The approach here is to perform reassignment at the rate that information is updated, which enables immediate reaction to any significant changes in the environment. We demonstrate that the modified formulation can be interpreted as a noise rejection algorithm that can be tuned to reduce the eect of variation in the uncertain parameters in the problem. Simulations are presented to demonstrate the eectiveness of this algorithm.
The Development of the Improving Participation after Stroke Self-Management Program (IPASS): An Exploratory Randomized Clinical Study.

Introduction: There is a heavy emphasis in rehabilitation on restoration of function post-stroke at the expense of addressing how to manage the impact of stroke and the environment long term. Management of chronic health conditions is often and effectively addressed using self-management education; however, self-management is mostly focused on managing symptoms and health behaviors, not additional participation and community reintegration issues experienced following stroke. This study evaluated the Improving Participation after Stroke Self-Management Program (IPASS) to improve self-efficacy and participation in everyday life activities for individuals living with the long-term consequences of stroke.Methods: A multisite, single-blind, exploratory randomized clinical study was conducted with participants with mild-to-moderate chronic stroke (n = 185). Participants were randomized either to receive the IPASS intervention immediately or to a wait list control group. The assessment was completed pre- and pos...
Infection Situation of HBV of 1040 Cases in Each age Group

[Objective] To investigate infection situation of HBV in each group.[Methods] A cross-sectional study was conducted to survey HBV in different age groups(4~62 year old).HBV infection markers were detected by SPIRA0.[Results] the positive rate of HbsAg,anti-HBc,HbeAg/anti-Hbe was 6.25%,30.8%,6.6%[Conclusion]Prevalence rate of HbsAg increases with age,The immunization coverage rate of hepatitis B vaccine should be improved continuously.
Neural Progenitor-Like Cells Induced from Human Gingiva-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Regulate Myelination of Schwann Cells in Rat Sciatic Nerve Regeneration

Regeneration of peripheral nerve injury remains a major clinical challenge. Recently, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been considered as potential candidates for peripheral nerve regeneration; however, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we show that human gingiva-derived MSCs (GMSCs) could be directly induced into multipotent NPCs (iNPCs) under minimally manipulated conditions without the introduction of exogenous genes. Using a crush-injury model of rat sciatic nerve, we demonstrate that GMSCs transplanted to the injury site could differentiate into neuronal cells, whereas iNPCs could differentiate into both neuronal and Schwann cells. After crush injury, iNPCs, compared with GMSCs, displayed superior therapeutic effects on axonal regeneration at both the injury site and the distal segment of the injured sciatic nerve. Mechanistically, transplantation of GMSCs, especially iNPCs, significantly attenuated injury-triggered increase in the expression of c-Jun, a transcription factor that functions as a major negative regulator of myelination and plays a central role in dedifferentiation/reprogramming of Schwann cells into a progenitor-like state. Meanwhile, our results also demonstrate that transplantation of GMSCs and iNPCs consistently increased the expression of Krox-20/EGR2, a transcription factor that governs the expression of myelin proteins and facilitates myelination. Altogether, our findings suggest that transplantation of GMSCs and iNPCs promotes peripheral nerve repair/regeneration, possibly by promoting remyelination of Schwann cells mediated via the regulation of the antagonistic myelination regulators, c-Jun and Krox-20/EGR2. Stem Cells Translational Medicine 2017;6:458-470.
Standardizing Power Monitoring and Control at Exascale

Power API--the result of collaboration among national laboratories, universities, and major vendors--provides a range of standardized power management functions, from application-level control and measurement to facility-level accounting, including real-time and historical statistics gathering. Support is already available for Intel and AMD CPUs and standalone measurement devices.
Autonomous robot for mapping using ultrasonic sensors

Robot mapping consists of using a robotic system to create a cartographic representation, or map, of an environment. The mapped environment may have different shapes, sizes, inclination, obstacles, it may be static or dynamic, and it might be previously known or not by the robot. This heterogeneity makes the mapping task a challenging one, but its outcomes are particularly useful. With a map, actions such as rescue, security, cleaning, and construction can be meticulously planned and executed, boosting the overall efficiency and accuracy of the task. The autonomous robot described in this paper is capable of autonomously gathering data of a previously unknown environment. Since it is autonomous, the robot does not need human input in its operation and uses wireless technology (Bluetooth) to communicate with a computing core while moving freely. The computer core uses this data to create a 2-D graphical map of the environment. The external state of the robot is perceived using ultrasonic sensors. Additionally, to accurately keep track of its position, the mapping robot uses a gyroscope sensor and a rotary encoder.
Environmental Protection Encouragement Agency

This note documents the transition of Michael Braungart from Greenpeace activist to international consultant in industrial ecology. In the process of forming a consulting company, the Environmental Protection Encouragement Agency, Braungart poses a challenge to SETAC, an international scientific organization, on the methodologies of assessing product and process life cycles. Excerpt UVA-E-0146 Rev. May 9, 2013 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ENCOURAGEMENT AGENCY Michael Braungart, a chemical engineer and professor, had good reason to feel a sense of accomplishment. He and his consulting company, the Environmental Protection Encouragement Agency (EPEA), had earned a ringing endorsement at the Economy and Environment Conference in June 1997. This major environmental conference had been hosted in Mainau, Germany, by the high-profile, nonprofit German Environmental Aid Association (Deutsche Umwelthilfe) and attended by some of the world's largest companies, such as Lufthansa and Unilever. Braungart had been present in two official capacities at the conference. First, he presented one of the key consulting tools that he and the EPEA had developed over several years. The tool was called a “Sustainability Index.” It was one part of a challenging methodology that Braungart was putting into practice at companies that hired the EPEA. Second, he was mentioned by Albin Kalin, managing director of Rohner Textil, a company that had developed and was selling a compostable furniture fabric constructed from a nearly emission-free production process. Kalin had worked with the EPEA in order to make sure the fabric and his dye and weaving facility were in compliance with environmental sustainability criteria. Kalin had presented some of the main results of this endeavor. The endorsement had come at the end of the conference from the commentator, the Right Honorable John Gummer, England's secretary of state for the environment in former Prime Minister John Major's government. Gummer had labeled the compostable fabric, Rohner Textil, and praised the EPEA as “the only existing example I have seen that embodies the spirit of Agenda 21.” Gummer was referring to the international document developed at the 1992 Earth Summit at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Agenda 21 was on Gummer's mind, as the next week he was headed to New York for Earth Summit II, on the five-year anniversary of the Rio conference. Gummer undoubtedly wanted to carry a strong message of European progress to the conference. . . .
Fabrication-Time and Run-Time Fault-Tolerant Array Processors Using Single-Track Switches

This paper addresses the important fault-tolerance issue for arrays of large number of processors. An array grid model based on single-track switches is adopted. Single track requires less hardware overhead and suffers less from possible faults on switches. More significantly, we are able to establish a very useful necessary and sufficient condition for the reconfigurability of the array. This is indeed the theoretical footing for two reconfiguration algorithms: one adopts global control for the (fabrication-time) yield enhancement and the other is a distributed scheme for the (run-time) reliability improvement. For the fabrication time reconfiguration algorithm, the task can be reformulated as a maximum independent set problem. An existing algorithm in graph theory is adopted to effectively solve this problem. The simulations conducted indicate that the algorithm is computationally very efficient; therefore, it is also very suitable for the compile-time fault-tolerance. In contrast, for the real time reconfiguration algorithm, it is more suitable to adopt a distributive method for (asynchronous) array processors. The algorithm has several important features: (1) it is distributively executed by the processor elements (PEs); (2) no global information is required by the individual PEs; (3) the time overhead for reconfiguration is independent of the array size; (4) transient faults are handled by retries or by deactivating/reactivating the temporarily failed PE. Based on simulations, the performance of the algorithms and the tradeoffs between fault-tolerance capability and hardware complexity for various kinds of spare PE distributions are evaluated.
Time to Stop Telling Biophysics Students that Light Is Primarily a Wave

Standard pedagogy introduces optics as though it were a consequence of Maxwell's equations and only grudgingly admits, usually in a rushed aside, that light has a particulate character that can somehow be reconciled with the wave picture. Recent revolutionary advances in optical imaging, however, make this approach more and more unhelpful: How are we to describe two-photon imaging, FRET, localization microscopy, and a host of related techniques to students who think of light primarily as a wave? I was surprised to find that everything I wanted my biophysics students to know about light, including image formation, x-ray diffraction, and even Bessel beams, could be expressed as well (or better) from the quantum viewpoint pioneered by Richard Feynman. Even my undergraduate students grasp this viewpoint as well as (or better than) the traditional one, and by mid-semester they are already well positioned to integrate the latest advances into their understanding. Moreover, I have found that this approach clarifies my own understanding of new techniques.
Using Hand Signs to Teach HIV Medications.

Objective. To describe an innovative active learning strategy that uses students’ hands to facilitate learning and retention of major concepts related to nucleotide/nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs).Methods. Students wrote the names of the NRTIs on their fingers, then an interactive activity used a variety of hand signs to teach the drugs. Focus groups were conducted with a total of 20 students one year after being exposed to the new teaching strategy. Students were asked five knowledge-based questions related to the subject matter to assess retention of the material.Results. On average, students answered 64% of the questions correctly. Most students (95%) used their hands to answer the knowledge-based questions. There was a statistically significant association between using hands to answer the question and answering the question correctly. When asked which active learning method was most effective, 14 (70%) participants reported “hands.”Conclusion. Using students’ hands was well receiv...
Myeloid-specific deletion of Zfp36 protects against insulin resistance and fatty liver in diet-induced obese mice

Obesity is associated with adipose tissue inflammation that contributes to insulin resistance. Zinc finger protein 36 (Zfp36) is an mRNA-binding protein that reduces inflammation by binding to cyto...
Tra sangue e corpo: Modernità “solida” e “liquida” nella Napoli industriale di Tre operai e in quella criminale di Gomorra:

Il primo romanzo di Carlo Bernari, Tre operai (1934), presenta numerosi punti di contatto con Gomorra (2006), il primo libro di Roberto Saviano. Entrambi i testi restituiscono al lettore due rappre...
Visible Light Driven Bromide Oxidation and Ligand Substitution Photochemistry of a Ru Diimine Complex.

The complex [Ru(deeb)(bpz)2]2+ (RuBPZ2+, deeb = 4,4′-diethylester-2,2′-bipyridine, bpz = 2,2′-bipyrazine) forms a single ion pair with bromide, [RuBPZ2+, Br–]+, with Keq = 8400 ± 200 M–1 in acetone. The RuBPZ2+ displayed photoluminescence (PL) at room temperature with a lifetime of 1.75 μs. The addition of bromide to a RuBPZ2+ acetone solution led to significant PL quenching and Stern–Volmer plots showed upward curvature. Time-resolved PL measurements identified two excited state quenching pathways, static and dynamic, which were operative toward [RuBPZ2+, Br–]+ and free RuBPZ2+, respectively. The single ion-pair [RuBPZ2+, Br–]+* had a lifetime of 45 ± 5 ns, consistent with an electron transfer rate constant, ket = (2.2 ± 0.3) × 107 s–1. In contrast, RuBPZ2+* was dynamically quenched by bromide with a quenching rate constant, kq = (8.1 ± 0.1) × 1010 M–1 s–1. Nanosecond transient absorption revealed that both the static and dynamic pathways yielded RuBPZ+ and Br2•– products that underwent recombination to ...
Evaluation of adjuvant postoperative radiotherapy lung cancer

One hundred eighteen patients with lung cancer were retrospectively analyzed to determine whether postoperative radiotherapy (RT) improves survival. Patterns of treatment failure and three year NED (no evidence of disease) survival rates were assessed according to extent of tumor spread, histology, and treatment method. Patients with hilar or mediastinal node metastases were at higher risk of local failure compared to those with negative nodes. Postoperative RT reduced local recurrence and improved 3 year survival among patients with positive nodes. However, postoperative RT did not improve survival among those with negative nodes. Our data indicated that patients with positive hilar or mediastinal nodes may require postoperative RT to improve survival.
Medical laboratory practice—possibilities for mass spectrometry

Publisher Summary Modern medical laboratories employ, depending on their analytical repertoire, an array of analytical techniques including gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), high-pressure liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS), liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS), or electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (ESI–MS/MS). In this context, MS is typically used for the analysis of small molecules for the diagnosis of inborn errors of metabolism (IEM), endocrine disorders, in toxicology, and pharmacology. The application of ESI–MS/MS allows the identification and quantification of individual oligosaccharides for the diagnosis of glycoproteinoses (oligosaccharidurias) such as GM1 gangliosidosis, GM2 gangliosidosis, sialic acid storage disorder, sialidase/neuraminidase deficiency, galactosialidosis, I-cell disease, fucosidosis, and Pompe and Gaucher diseases. This method is adapted to high-throughput use allowing the application to management follow-up and eventually newborn screening for this group of disorders. A direct multiplex assay of lysosomal enzymes in dried blood spots is developed for newborn screening. This approach is based on the incubation of dried blood spots at 37°C overnight with the appropriate substrates and stable isotopically labeled internal standards.
Modeling and Experiments of Compressible Gas Flow Through Microcapillary Fill Tubes on NIF Targets

AbstractFor the various tuning as well as ignition campaigns, targets on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) need to be filled with gases, typically with the different isotopes of H2 and He. Fill tubes that supply the two small chambers in the target, the capsule and the hohlraum, are microcapillaries that are only tens of microns in diameter and present significant impedance to flow. Knowledge of the exact pressures and gas compositions in the capsule and the hohlraum is critical for fielding targets on NIF. This requires modeling of the gas flow through the capillary tubes, at both room temperature and cryogenic temperatures. We present results from a comprehensive model and its experimental verification for a range of conditions such as temperature and pressure.
Identifying Needs to Ensure a Humanistic Academic Dental Environment: A Multi-Site Survey of Dental Students' Perspectives

Dental school academic environments, whether the overall environment or the smaller environments of the classroom, lab, clinic, or community, are critical to student learning and professional development. The aims of this study were to assess dental students' experiences in the overall academic environment related to discrimination, destructive communication, belittlement, and isolation and to explore the relationships between students' emotional health and such experiences. Dental students in all four years at five U.S. dental schools were invited to participate in an electronic survey in April 2017. A total of 358 students responded for a 19.4% response rate. These students reported a total of five cases of discrimination that had been formally reported to their schools. Among these respondents, 24% had experienced destructive communication, 33% had experienced belittlement, and 33% reported feeling a sense of isolation. Non-males and students with disabilities were more likely to experience belittlement and isolation. Both destructive communication and feeling belittled increased with program year (relative to year 1)-spiking in year 3. Destructive communication and isolation were associated with behavior changes such as weight change, increased alcohol or over-the-counter medication use, and consultation with a health professional. To improve overall academic environments, dental educators should create learning environments to foster development of professional relationships, and schools should continue to provide student support services. Identifying and acknowledging shared issues across dental education might stimulate a national discussion that could lead to concerted approaches to address these issues. Identifying the proportions of students with feelings of isolation or loneliness along with experiences of belittlement and destructive communication could provide schools with a useful picture of their academic environment.
IFNAR2 Is Required for Anti-influenza Immunity and Alters Susceptibility to Post-influenza Bacterial Superinfections.

Influenza virus infections particularly when followed by bacterial superinfections (BSI) result in significant morbidities and mortalities especially during influenza pandemics. Type I interferons (IFNs) regulate both anti-influenza immunity and host susceptibility to subsequent BSIs. These type I IFNs consisting of, among others, 14 IFN-α’s and a single IFN-β, are recognized by and signal through the heterodimeric type I IFN receptor (IFNAR) comprising of IFNAR1 and IFNAR2. However, the individual receptor subunits can bind IFN-β or IFN-α’s independently of each other and induce distinct signaling. The role of type I IFN signaling in regulating host susceptibility to both viral infections and BSI has been only examined with respect to IFNAR1 deficiency. Here, we demonstrate that despite some redundancies, IFNAR1 and IFNAR2 have distinct roles in regulating both anti-influenza A virus (IAV) immunity and in shaping host susceptibility to subsequent BSI caused by S. aureus. We found IFNAR2 to be critical for anti-viral immunity. In contrast to Ifnar1-/- mice, IAV-infected Ifnar2-/- mice displayed both increased and accelerated morbidity and mortality compared to WT mice. Furthermore, unlike IFNAR1, IFNAR2 was sufficient to generate protection from lethal IAV infection when stimulated with IFN-β. With regards to BSI, unlike what we found previously in Ifnar1-/- mice, Ifnar2-/- mice were not susceptible to BSI induced on day 3 post-IAV, even though absence of IFNAR2 resulted in increased viral burden and an increased inflammatory environment. The Ifnar2-/- mice similar to what we previously found in Ifnar1-/- mice were less susceptible than WT mice to BSI induced on day 7 post-IAV, indicating that signaling through a complete receptor increases BSI susceptibility late during clinical IAV infection. Thus, our results support a role for IFNAR2 in induction of anti-IAV immune responses that are involved in altering host susceptibility to BSI and are essential for decreasing the morbidity and mortality associated with IAV infection. These results begin to elucidate some of the mechanisms involved in how the individual IFNAR subunits shape the anti-viral immune response. Moreover, our results highlight the importance of examining the contributions of entire receptors, as individual subunits can induce distinct outcomes as shown here.
China Moves the G20 on International Investment and op ed. (中国推动 G20 国际投资议题)

English Abstract: Under China’s leadership, the G20 adopted “Guiding Principles for Global Investment Policymaking,” put investment facilitation on the international agenda and institutionalized an additional platform for investment discussions. The challenge is now to build on these accomplishments.Chinese Abstract: 在中国的领导下，G20通过了“全球投资便利化指导原则”，将投资便利化提上国际议程，并将开展投资讨论的附加平台制度化。现在的挑战是以在这些协定的基础上继续推进。
Legacy effects of tree mortality mediated by ectomycorrhizal fungal communities

Successive droughts have resulted in extensive tree mortality in the southwestern United States. Recovery of these areas is dependent on the survival and recruitment of young trees. For trees that rely on ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) for survival and growth, changes in soil fungal communities following tree mortality could negatively affect seedling establishment. We used tree-focused and stand-scale measurements to examine the impact of pinyon pine mortality on the performance of surviving juvenile trees and the potential for mutualism limitation of seedling establishment via altered EMF communities. Mature pinyon mortality did not affect the survival of juvenile pinyons, but increased their growth. At both tree and stand scales, high pinyon mortality had no effect on the abundance of EMF inocula, but led to altered EMF community composition including increased abundance of Geopora and reduced abundance of Tuber. Seedling biomass was strongly positively associated with Tuber abundance, suggesting that reductions in this genus with pinyon mortality could have negative consequences for establishing seedlings. These findings suggest that whereas mature pinyon mortality led to competitive release for established juvenile pinyons, changes in EMF community composition with mortality could limit successful seedling establishment and growth in high-mortality sites.
Covalent Bonding and Atomic-Level Plasticity Increase Adhesion in Silicon–Diamond Nanocontacts

Nanoindentation and sliding experiments using single-crystal silicon atomic force microscope probes in contact with diamond substrates in vacuum were carried out in situ with a transmission electron microscope (TEM). After sliding, the experimentally measured works of adhesion were significantly larger than values estimated for pure van der Waals (vdW) interactions. Furthermore, the works of adhesion increased with both the normal stress and speed during the sliding, indicating that applied stress played a central role in the reactivity of the interface. Complementary molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were used to lend insight into the atomic-level processes that occur during these experiments. Simulations using crystalline silicon tips with varying degrees of roughness and diamond substrates with different amounts of hydrogen termination demonstrated two relevant phenomena. First, covalent bonds formed across the interface, where the number of bonds formed was affected by the hydrogen termination of the substrate, the tip roughness, the applied stress, and the stochastic nature of bond formation. Second, for initially rough tips, the sliding motion and the associated application of shear stress produced an increase in irreversible atomic-scale plasticity that tended to smoothen the tips' surfaces, which resulted in a concomitant increase in adhesion. In contrast, for initially smooth tips, sliding roughened some of these tips. In the limit of low applied stress, the experimentally determined works of adhesion match the intrinsic (van der Waals) work of adhesion for an atomically smooth silicon-diamond interface obtained from MD simulations. The results provide mechanistic interpretations of sliding-induced changes and interfacial adhesion and may help inform applications involving adhesive interfaces that are subject to applied shear forces and displacements.
Mechanosensing tensile solid stresses.

Experiments and modeling over the past decade have concluded that cells use sophisticated molecular “clutches” at focal adhesions to determine the stiffness of their supporting substrate (1). This mechanism has been shown to modulate a variety of cell functions, including differentiation and migration. In PNAS, Panzetta et al. (2) propose a modification to the existing models, adding mechanical solid stress as an important signaling property. Ever since the discovery that stem cells differentiate into different lineages based on the material properties of their substrate (e.g., neurogenic markers are induced on soft substrates but osteogenic markers are activated on stiff substrates) (3), there have been intense efforts to understand the mechanisms by which cells probe their mechanical environment and respond appropriately. The physical microenvironment guides tissue organization during development but is also important in adult tissue, where cells need to constantly probe the mechanical environment and respond to physical insults or trauma. A familiar example is the response of fibroblasts and epithelium in the vicinity of a wound; these cells sense changes in the tissue mechanics and integrate this information with biochemical signals to migrate and produce tension, closing the wound and reestablishing mechanical homeostasis. Such mechanical sensing and adjustments of cell phenotype contribute to tumor progression, where there are chronic changes in forces and mechanical structure that cause normal cells in and around the growing mass to react to the changing mechanical environment. In most solid tumors, they produce fibrosis (stiffness) and additional forces (solid stresses) that can fuel protumor processes. This is highlighted by recent studies showing that abnormalities in the physical tumor microenvironment contribute to cancer progression and hinder treatment response (4, 5). A better understanding of the genesis of these physical abnormalities has uncovered novel therapeutic targets and enabled new strategies (6, … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence may be addressed: munn{at}steele.mgh.harvard.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
The development and validation of a ‘flux-corrected transport’ based solution methodology for the plasmasphere refilling problem following geomagnetic storms

The refilling of the plasmasphere following geomagnetic storms remains one of the longstanding and interesting problems in ionosphere–magnetosphere coupling research. The objective of this paper is the formulation and development of a one-dimensional (1D) refilling model using the flux-corrected transport method, a numerical method that is well-suited to handling problems with shocks and discontinuities. In this paper, the developed methodology has been validated against exact, analytical benchmarks, and good agreement has been obtained between these analytical benchmarks and numerical results. The objective of this research is the development of a three-dimensional (3D) multi-ion model for ionosphere–magnetosphere coupling problems in open and closed line geometries.
An H7 Current-Source Inverter using Wide Bandgap Bidirectional Switches to Achieve High Efficiency and Low Conducted Common-Mode EMI

Traditional current-source inverters (CSI) using silicon-based reverse-voltage-blocking (RB) switches typically have high conduction loss, low switching frequency, and bulky size. New bidirectional (BD) switches (also called four-quadrant switches) built from wide-bandgap semiconductor materials such as gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC) offer both RB capability and low conduction loss that make them appealing candidates for increasing the CSI’s efficiency. This paper proposes a new modulation scheme for an emerging three-phase CSI topology (H7-CSI) to make it compatible with BD switches to achieve higher efficiency compared to the conventional H6-CSI topology. In addition, the modulation strategy combined with the topology can noticeably reduce the conducted CM EMI. Analysis, simulation and experimental results confirm the advantages of the proposed BD switch-enabled H7-CSI over conventional H6-CSIs.
Measuring Belief in Genetic Determinism: A Psychometric Evaluation of the PUGGS Instrument

Belief in genetic determinism (BGD) has been associated with increased social stereotyping and prejudicial views and consequently is of significant concern to science educators. The Public Understanding and Attitudes towards Genetics and Genomics (PUGGS) instrument was developed to measure relationships among BGD, genetics knowledge, and demographic variables. PUGGS validity evidence has relied primarily on Classical Test Theory frameworks and Brazilian samples. Using a more advanced psychometric framework (Rasch analysis) and a large North American undergraduate sample (n > 800), we further evaluate validity claims by studying (1) dimensionality and function of PUGGS item sets; (2) magnitudes of item endorsement across human traits (social, biological) and taxonomic (animal, plant) categories; and (3) degree of trait-level genetic overattribution. Similar to Gericke et al. (Sci Educ 26:1223–1259, 2017), we identified a two-dimensional structure for the BGD scale (i.e., social, biological) and the genetics knowledge scale (i.e., gene-environment interactions [GEI], genetics and genomics knowledge [GGK]). However, there were several problems with the functioning of the item sets (e.g., low reliability for GEI, problematic rating scale for BGD biological). We report that the magnitudes of GEI and GGK did not differ by taxonomic context. Finally, genetic over- (and under-) attribution was identified for both biological and social traits, indicating that students harbored considerably diverse and frequently non-normative conceptions about genetic contributions to traits. Importantly, psychometric and theoretical concerns reported here raise questions about the operationalization of the PUGGS BGD construct. Recommendations for PUGGS revisions and educational implications are discussed.
Rosalie Kane: Always More than Expected.

Rosalie Kane was always more than expected. In my life, even what she wasn’t, she was. She was never my boss, but she was. Throughout my 44-year career in social work and aging. I never had a socia...
GERMINATION OF MULTI-YEAR COLLECTIONS OF CALIFORNIA GRASSLAND AND SCRUB SEEDS

Successful restoration of California terrestrial ecosystems requires knowledge of seed germination rates for a diversity of native species. We quantified greenhouse germination of 25 native perennial forbs, shrubs, and grasses collected coastally near Santa Cruz, CA for restoration at the Younger Lagoon Reserve and nine annual forb species from interior grasslands at Pinnacles National Park. Seeds of most species were collected in multiple years. Twenty-seven of our 34 study species had at least 25% germination without complicated germination triggers. All but two of the 13 species that were collected in ≥3 years and germinated showed significant interannual variation in germination; seven species had a trend of decreasing percent germination with increasing age. These species- and collection-year specific results indicate a necessity to test seed stock when possible prior to seeding to increase restoration success, and highlight the importance of following best practices for seed collection and storage.
Chapter 70 – Hypophosphatasia: Nature's Window on Alkaline Phosphatase Function in Man

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the role of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in hypophosphatasia. ALPs are found in nearly all plant and animal species and in humans, four ALP isoenzymes are encoded by four separate genes. Three of the isoenzymes are expressed in a tissue-specific distribution and are called intestinal, placental, and germ cell (placental-like) ALP. The fourth ALP isoenzyme is ubiquitous, but is especially abundant in hepatic, skeletal, and renal tissue (liver/bone/kidney ALP) and is known as tissue-nonspecific ALP (TNSALP). The TNSALP gene is located near the end of the short arm of chromosome 1 and is greater than 50 kb and contains 12 exons, 11 of which are translated to form the 507 amino acid nascent enzyme. Despite the presence of relatively high levels of TNSALP in bone, liver, kidney, and adrenal tissue in healthy individuals the effect of hypophosphatasia centers on the skeleton and dentition. The most pernicious form of hypophosphatasia is expressed in utero and can cause stillbirth. Profound skeletal hypomineralization results in caput membraneceum, and limbs that are shortened and deformed during gestation and at birth. Some affected neonates survive several days or weeks, but then suffer from increasing respiratory compromise because of rachitic disease of the chest and because of lungs that are hypoplastic. Infantile hypophosphatasia presents before the age of 6 months where the postnatal development often seems normal, until the onset of poor feeding and inadequate weight gain, and the clinical manifestations of rickets are recognized. The cranial sutures appear to be wide, but actually reflect hypomineralization of the skull and often there is a “functional” craniosynostosis. Childhood hypophosphatasia is especially variable in its clinical expression where premature loss of deciduous teeth results from aplasia, hypoplasia, or dysplasia of dental cementum.
Comparison of spatiotemporal contribution patterns among three crowd-sourcing drone platforms

Since the introduction of drones to the mass market for private users, drone pilots have started to share geo-tagged aerial photos and videos on a variety of drone platforms. This study compares th...
An experimental and numerical investigation of novel solution for energy management enhancement in data centers using underfloor plenum porous obstructions

Abstract This investigation focuses on improving the airflow distribution in data centers. In many data centers vortices form in the plenum during operations. These vortices cause spatial and temporal non-uniformities and may give rise to hot regions in the data center which in turn impacts performance and reliability of the IT equipment. The current study identifies a novel approach using porous partitions in the plenum and demonstrates a significant generalized approach that is easily adoptable in existing and future data centers. For improving the overall data center energy efficiency and the cooling system effectiveness by eliminating a critical source of inefficiency. The results of quantitative and qualitative analyses of the underfloor plenum pressure field, perforated tiles airflow rate, and air temperature at the rack intake side with and without partitions are presented. Different data center configurations are studied using physics-based experimentally validated Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model. The CFD model results showed that the partitions eliminated the presence of vortices in the underfloor plenum and thus enabled a more uniform pressure distribution and tile airflow delivery. Regarding rack inlet temperature, the results showed that the partitions significantly improved the air temperature at the rack inlet. Finally, a geometrical parametric study is performed. An ideal design is and demonstrated to improve the Supply Heat Index (SHI) by about 10%, while the amount of IT equipment that exceeded the ASHRAE recommended supply air temperature (SAT) was reduced by about 40%, and the floor leakage was cut in half.
Refinements to Eigenvalue Elasticity Analysis: Interpretation of Parameter Elasticities

The purpose of this article is to report on improvements on the interpretation and insights emerging from dynamic decomposition weight analysis (DDWA). These improvements emerged from efforts to further automate and expand the eigenvalue elasticity analysis methods and resolve inconsistencies on assumptions made in published reports of DDWA usage. In addition to making available to the broad SD community an improved toolset to perform eigenvalue elasticity analysis, in this paper we clarify the set of assumptions needed to obtain reliable results and develop a new framework to assess the impact of model parameters on the projections of behavior modes on stock behavior. We illustrate the use of these developments by updating a previously published model analysis. The paper concludes by summarizing our findings and their implications for the further development of structural dominance analysis.
3’ untranslated regions of Marburg and Ebola virus mRNAs possess negative regulators of translation that are modulated by ADAR1 editing

Abstract The filovirus family includes deadly pathogens such as Ebola virus (EBOV) and Marburg virus (MARV). A substantial portion of filovirus genomes encode 5’ and 3’ untranslated regions (UTRs) of viral mRNAs. Select viral genomic RNA sequences corresponding to 3’UTRs are prone to editing by ADAR1. A reporter mRNA approach, in which different 5’ or 3’UTRs were inserted into luciferase encoding mRNAs, demonstrates that MARV 3’UTRs yield different levels of reporter gene expression suggesting modulation of translation. The modulation occurs in cells unable to produce miRNAs and can be recapitulated in a minigenome assay. Deletion mutants identified negative regulatory regions at end of the MARV NP and L 3’UTRs. Apparent ADAR1 editing mutants were previously identified within the MARV NP 3’UTR. Introduction of these changes into the MARV nucleoprotein (NP) 3’UTR or deletion of the region targeted for editing enhances translation, as indicated by reporter assays and polysome analysis. In addition, the parental NP 3’UTR, but not the edited or deletion mutant NP 3’UTRs, induce a type I interferon (IFN) response upon transfection into cells. Because some EBOV isolates from the West Africa outbreak exhibited ADAR1 editing of the VP40 3’UTR, VP40 3’UTRs with parental and edited sequences were similarly assayed. The EBOV VP40 3’UTR edits also enhanced translation but neither the wildtype nor the edited 3’UTRs induced IFN. These findings implicate filoviral mRNA 3’UTRs as negative regulators of translation that can be inactivated by innate immune responses that induce ADAR1. Importance UTRs comprise a large percentage of filovirus genomes and are apparent targets of editing by ADAR1, an enzyme with pro- and antiviral activities. However, the functional significance of the UTRs and of ADAR1 editing have been uncertain. This study demonstrates that MARV and EBOV 3’UTRs can modulate translation, in some cases negatively. ADAR1 editing or deletion of select regions within the translation suppressing 3’UTRs, relieves the negative effects of the UTRs. These data indicate that filovirus 3’UTRs contain translation regulatory elements that are modulated by activation of ADAR1, suggesting a complex interplay between filovirus gene expression and innate immunity.
Improving Emergency Room Utilization During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Telemedicine Social Determinants of Health Outreach Approach

High-risk patients over the age of 65, who had chronic medical conditions, and had not yet had a primary care visit within 2020 were identified. A subgroup of patients participated in a survey to assess social determinants of health (SDOH) in the setting of a pandemic. Outcomes of those who participated in the survey, and those who did not participate were compared. Notably, those who were surveyed and lived within zip codes with low socioeconomic status had significantly decreased emergency department visits, which we defined as a discharge from the emergency department without hospitalization, as compared to those who did not receive outreach. Rates of inpatient hospitalization did not differ significantly. These findings suggest that patient outreach to evaluate SDOH during a pandemic leads to more appropriate emergency department and hospital resource utilization. This finding is particularly impactful given the current pandemic, which may place a strain on emergency department, and healthcare resources.
Merging Established Mechanisms with New Insights: Condensates, Hubs, and the Regulation of RNA Polymerase II Transcription

The regulation of RNA polymerase II (pol II) transcription requires a complex and context-specific array of proteins and protein complexes, as well as nucleic acids and metabolites. Every major physiological process requires coordinated transcription of specific sets of genes at the appropriate time, and a breakdown in this regulation is a hallmark of human disease. A proliferation of recent studies has revealed that many general transcription components, including sequence-specific, DNA-binding transcription factors, Mediator, and pol II itself, are capable of liquid-liquid phase separation, to form condensates that partition these factors away from the bulk aqueous phase. These findings hold great promise for next-level understanding of pol II transcription; however, many mechanistic aspects align with more conventional models, and whether phase separation per se regulates pol II activity in cells remains controversial. In this review, we describe the conventional and condensate-dependent models, and why their similarities and differences are important. We also compare and contrast these models in the context of genome organization and pol II transcription (initiation, elongation, and termination), and highlight the central role of RNA in these processes. Finally, we discuss mutations that disrupt normal partitioning of transcription factors, and how this may contribute to disease.