cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Speaking like a Model Minority: “FOB” Styles, Gender, and Racial Meanings among Desi Teens in Silicon Valley

This article discusses what it means to be a “model minority” linguistically by examining how language ideologies, class, and gender shape language use for Desi (South Asian American) teenagers in a Silicon Valley high school. Upper middle-class Desi teens follow monolingual norms while middle-class Desi teens construct heteroglossic “FOB styles” that incorporate Punjabi, Desi Accented English, California slang, and hip-hop lexicon. Style construction is influenced by gendered community norms that also prevail at school, and boys and girls variably regard school spaces as public or private. Nonnormative, gendered ways of speaking are contrasted to “model” ones and analyzed for their racializing consequences. [race, gender, youth, style, South Asian American]
Long-term ethanol self-administration by cynomolgus macaques alters the pharmacology and expression of GABAA receptors in basolateral amygdala.

We have recently demonstrated that chronic ethanol ingestion alters the functional and pharmacological properties of GABA A receptors measured in acutely isolated rat lateral/basolateral amygdala neurons, a limbic forebrain region involved with fear-learning and innate anxiety. To understand relevance of these results in the context of primates, we have examined the effects of long-term ethanol self-administration on basolateral amygdala GABA A receptor pharmacology and expression in cynomolgus macaques ( Macaca fascicularis ). The impact of this 18-month-long exposure on GABA A receptor function was assessed in acutely isolated neurons from basolateral amygdala with whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology. Neurons from control animals expressed maximal current densities that were not significantly different from the maximal current densities of neurons from ethanol-treated animals. However, the GABA concentration-response relationships from ethanol-exposed neurons were significantly right-shifted compared with control neurons. These adaptations were associated with significant alterations in some characteristics of macroscopic current desensitization. To understand the mechanism governing these adaptations, we quantified GABA A α subunit mRNAs in basolateral amygdala from the same animals. mRNA levels of the α2 and α3 subunits were significantly decreased, whereas decreases in α1 expression only approached statistical significance. There were no changes in α4 mRNA levels. These findings indicate that ethanol-induced alterations in GABA A function may be regulated in part by selective changes in the expression of particular α subunits. We conclude that adaptations of basolateral amygdala GABA A receptors after long-term ethanol self-administration by the cynomolgus macaque are similar, but not identical, to those described in rodents after a brief forced ethanol exposure.
A fast integer algorithm for observability analysis using network topology

An integer algorithm for determining the observability of a power system network with its linearized state estimator model is presented. By using some properties of the allocation of the flow and injection measurements and the network topology, the algorithm manipulations only integer numbers in the measurement Jacobian matrix. Theorems that determine the rank of the special kinds of matrices are proposed to speed up the observability analysis. Neither manipulation of real numbers nor a complicated combinatorial problem is involved in the proposed algorithm. Therefore, it is much simpler and the speed for observability analysis is much faster compared to previous methods. Moreover, no numerical problems are encountered. A detailed example of the IEEE 14-bus test system following the steps in the algorithm is presented and test results on the algorithm are reported. >
Research Article: An in vitro Analysis of the Efficacy of Selected Bar Soaps as Antibacterial Agents

Abstract. The disturbing prevalence and increasing incidence of nosocomial infections and community-acquired infections, compounded with bacterial resistance to antimicrobial agents, dictates the need for effective and varied means with which to cleanse hands and work surfaces. Lye Soap, Dial Antibacterial, Cinthol and Dettol bar soaps were evaluated in vitro for their effectiveness as antimicrobial agents against eleven selected genera of bacteria that have been implicated in nosocomial infections and are part of the resident or transient flora of the skin. Trichlorocarban, the active ingredient in Dial Antibacterial, Cinthol and Dettol soaps, and Lye soap were assessed for their antibacterial activity. The null hypothesis was that there would not be a significant difference in antimicrobial efficacy when compared with the non-antibacterial soap Irish Spring used as a control based on zone of inhibition analysis. The alternative hypothesis, which was accepted for all of the soaps except Lye soap, stated ...
Steady-state diffusion-weighted imaging of in vivo knee cartilage.

Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) has strong potential as a diagnostic for early cartilage damage, with clinical impact for diseases such as osteoarthritis. However, in vivo DWI of cartilage has proven difficult with conventional methods due to the short T2. This work presents a 3D steady-state DWI sequence that is able to image short-T2 species with high SNR. When combined with 2D navigator correction of motion-induced phase artifacts, this method enables high resolution in vivo DWI of cartilage. In vivo knee images in healthy subjects are presented with high SNR (SNR 110) and submillimeter in-plane resolution (0.5 0.7 3.0 mm 3 ). A method for fitting the diffusion coefficient is presented which produces fits within 10% of literature values. This method should be applicable to other short-T2 tissues, such as muscle, which are difficult to image using traditional DWI methods. Magn Reson Med 51:394 –398, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Drug-induced liver injury: Mechanisms and test systems

Drug-induced liver injury is an unresolved problem, with an impact well beyond the number of actual cases that occur annually. It has emerged as the most frequent cause for aftermarketing withdrawal of medications, despite a rigorous preclinical and clinical review process. This points to serious limitations in current knowledge regarding mechanisms of hepatic toxicity, in methods for identifying susceptible individuals and in preclinical test systems. For compounds that cause predictable dose-related toxicity, such as acetaminophen, mechanisms are generally well understood. However, these constitute a small proportion of the total. For idiosyncratic reactions—recent examples include bromfenac and troglitazone—little is known regarding mechanism; specific kinds of individual susceptibility are involved, possibly related to environmental or genetic factors that remain to be identified. Although this type of reaction is infrequent, it can be fatal. Unfortunately, it cannot be excluded by current approaches to preclinical testing. A workshop sponsored by the National Institutes of Health entitled “New Directions in Drug-Induced Liver Injury: Mechanisms and Test Systems” brought together a group of experts in this area with the goal of reviewing the status of the field, defining areas in need of study, and proposing next steps.
Toxicology of Diethylene Glycol Butyl Ether 3. Genotoxicity Evaluation in an In Vitro Gene Mutation Assay and an In Vivo Cytogenetic Test

DGBE was evaluated in a forward gene mutation assay at the HGPRT locus of CHO cells in culture and in an in vivo mouse bone marrow micronucleus test for cytogenetic damage. DGBE did not elicit a positive response in the CHO/HGPRT assay when tested up to a maximum concentration of 5000 μg/ml with and without an external metabolic activation system (S-9). In the micronucleus test employing three post-treatment bone marrow sampling times (24, 48, and 72 hr), DGBE was ineffective in increasing the incidence of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MN-PCE) when tested in both sexes up to a maximum tolerated dose of 3300 mg/kg body weight. Thus, these data and those of others indicate a general lack of genotoxic potential for DGBE in short-term tests.
Measuring Energy Efficiency in Urban Water Systems Using a Mechanistic Approach

This paper presents an energy efficiency metric for the raw water extraction process at urban water systems. Raw water pumping is the second largest energy consumer at water treatment plants after finished water pumping. United States water utilities are using more benchmarking metrics to assess performance and to compare their energy efficiency with other utilities. This trend has become especially prevalent among water and wastewater utilities. This paper proposes a thermodynamic score to provide complementary information of a utility’s energy efficiency. The thermodynamic score arises from estimating the minimum energy required by the system in contrast to the benchmarking method in which the basis is an empirical approach. The thermodynamic score proved to be an effective additional tool for measuring energy efficiency in most cases may have significant limitations in others. However, the energy analysis developed for the thermodynamic score has further applications on proactive asset management of water utilities.
Development of Dose-Response Models of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Infection in Nonhuman Primates for Assessing the Risk of Transfusion-Transmitted variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease

Estimates for the risk of transmitting variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) via blood transfusion have relied largely on data from rodent experiments, but the relationship between dose (amount of infected blood) and response (vCJD infection) has never been well quantified. The goal of this study was to develop a dose-response model based on nonhuman primate data to better estimate the likelihood of transfusion-transmitted vCJD (TTvCJD) in humans. Our model used dose-response data from nonhuman primates inoculated intracerebrally (i.c.) with brain tissues of patients with sporadic and familial CJD. We analyzed the data statistically by using a beta-Poisson dose-response model. We further adjusted model parameters to account for the differences in infectivity between blood and brain tissue and in transmission efficiency between intravenous (i.v.) and i.c. routes to estimate dose-dependent TTvCJD infection. The model estimates a mean infection rate of 76% among recipients who receive one unit of whole blood collected from an infected donor near the end of the incubation period. The nonhuman primate model provides estimates that are more consistent with those derived from a risk analysis of transfused nonleukoreduced red blood cells in the United Kingdom than prior estimates based on rodent models. IMPORTANCE TTvCJD was recently identified as one of three emerging infectious diseases posing the greatest immediate threat to the safety of the blood supply. Cases of TTvCJD were reported in recipients of nonleukoreduced red blood cells and coagulation factor VIII manufactured from blood of United Kingdom donors. As the quantity of abnormal prions (the causative agent of TTvCJD) varies significantly in different blood components and products, it is necessary to quantify the dose-response relationship for a wide range of doses for the vCJD agent in transfused blood and plasma derivatives. In this paper, we suggest the first mechanistic dose-response model for TTvCJD infection based on data from experiments with nonhuman primates. This new model may improve estimates of the possible risk to humans.
Thermally annealed single-mode proton-exchanged channel-waveguide cutoff modulator.

We describe the first reported electro-optic cutoff modulator that utilizes a thermally annealed single-mode proton-exchanged channel waveguide in a X-cut Y-propagating LiNbO3 substrate. The large changes in extraordinary refractive index obtainable by the proton-exchange process enabled us readily to form single-mode waveguides with a channel width as small as 2 μm. As a result, the voltage required for electro-optically controlled propagation cutoff was significantly reduced. Thermal annealing was used to provide fine tuning on the refractive-index changes that was in turn used to bring the waveguide to the very edge of cutoff and thus permitted further reduction in the voltage requirement. Thermal annealing was also found greatly to improve the linearity of modulation. For example, we have measured a modulation depth of 97% at a total voltage swing of only 7 V and a high linearity. In addition, no optical damage has been observed after a 2-h continuous exposure of 632.8-nm He–Ne laser light at an intensity as high as 104 W/cm2.
Factors are fictions, and other comments on individuality theory

Three of the assumptions in Royce's (1983) theory of personality integration are examined more closely. Royce assumes that: (1) The results from factor analysis are something more than convenient ways to summarize complex covariance structures; (2) it is useful to separate cognitive, affective, sensory, motor, style, and value systems from each other; and (3) it is useful to think of normative “setpoints.” These assumptions are challenged and evidence for alternative assumptions is discussed.
Submicron InP-InGaAs single heterojunction bipolar transistors with f/sub T/ of 377 GHz

Submicron InP-InGaAs-based single heterojunction bipolar transistors (SHBTs) are fabricated to achieve record-breaking speed performance using an aggressively scaled epitaxial structure coupled with a submicron emitter process. SHBTs with dimensions of 0.35 /spl times/16 /spl mu/m have demonstrated a maximum current gain cutoff frequency f/sub T/ of 377 GHz with a simultaneous maximum power gain cutoff frequency f/sub MAX/ of 230 GHz at the current density Jc of 650 kA/cm/sup 2/. Typical BV/sub CEO/ values exceed 3.7 V.
The Resistance of Chickens to Ascarids as Affected by Protein Supplements of Soybean Oil Meal and Skim Milk

Abstract EXPERIMENTAL observations have shown that natural resistance of chickens to helminthic infections may be affected by genetic constitution, age and diet. Judging resistance on the basis of number and length of worms, Ackert and Wilmoth (1934) reported that a strain of heavy White Minorcas was more resistant to the nematode, Ascaridia galli, than a lighter strain of the same breed. Using the same parasite, Ackert et al. (1935) found that some lighter breeds of poultry were more susceptible than heavy breeds and varieties. Age resistance of chickens to A. galli was first reported by Herrick (1926). Later, it was found that this increase in age resistance in chickens correlated with an increase of intestinal goblet cell number (Ackert and Edgar, 1938) and that the goblet cells secreted a possible inhibitory growth factor (Ackert, Edgar and Frick, 1939; and Frick and Ackert, 1948). That diet is a possible factor in resistance . . .
Probability distributions of whisker–surface contact: quantifying elements of the rat vibrissotactile natural scene

Analysis of natural scene statistics has been a powerful approach for understanding neural coding in the auditory and visual systems. In the field of somatosensation, it has been more challenging to quantify the natural tactile scene, in part because somatosensory signals are so tightly linked to the animal's movements. The present work takes a step towards quantifying the natural tactile scene for the rat vibrissal system by simulating rat whisking motions to systematically investigate the probabilities of whisker-object contact in naturalistic environments. The simulations permit an exhaustive search through the complete space of possible contact patterns, thereby allowing for the characterization of the patterns that would most likely occur during long sequences of natural exploratory behavior. We specifically quantified the probabilities of 'concomitant contact', that is, given that a particular whisker makes contact with a surface during a whisk, what is the probability that each of the other whiskers will also make contact with the surface during that whisk? Probabilities of concomitant contact were quantified in simulations that assumed increasingly naturalistic conditions: first, the space of all possible head poses; second, the space of behaviorally preferred head poses as measured experimentally; and third, common head poses in environments such as cages and burrows. As environments became more naturalistic, the probability distributions shifted from exhibiting a 'row-wise' structure to a more diagonal structure. Results also reveal that the rat appears to use motor strategies (e.g. head pitches) that generate contact patterns that are particularly well suited to extract information in the presence of uncertainty.
Circadian Phase Variation in Bipolar I Disorder

Abnormalities in circadian rhythms are prominent features of bipolar I disorder (BD1). To investigate circadian variation in BD1, we evaluated morningness–eveningness (M/E), a stable trait reflecting circadian phase, using the composite scale (CS) among BD1 patients (DSM IV criteria; n=75), unscreened controls (n=349), and patients with schizophrenia (SZ) or schizoaffective disorder (SZA) (n=81). Our analyses showed that CS scores correlated significantly with age but did not differ by gender among the controls. BD1 patients differed significantly from controls and from SZ/SZA patients when age was considered. CS scores were distributed bi‐modally among BD1 cases. There are several possible reasons for the observed heterogeneity. Younger BD1 patients, and those with rapid mood swings, were significantly more likely to have lower CS scores (i.e., to score in the ‘evening’ range and to have later circadian phase). CS scores were also positively correlated with the age at onset and the duration of the most s...
The potential for increased risk of infection due to the reuse of convective air‐warming/cooling coverlets

Background: The use of convective air warming and/or cooling for the prevention of hypothermia or to induce hypothermia is growing rapidly. To date, there is no information available as to the potential risks for infection associated with either the postsurgical reuse or the repositioning of coverlets closer to the wound. We hypothesized that use of coverlets either intra- or postoperatively leads to increased contamination. Methods: The bacterial contamination of commercially available coverlets before (control group, n‰10) and after patient application (n‰18) was investigated. From 3 predetermined sites, 1 cm?2 cm pieces of coverlet were removed and analyzed for bacterial contamination. Results: Even prior to use, coverlet samplings provided identifiable contamination (3 out of 30 sites, 10%), but this could be within our study’s sampling error. Nevertheless, following clinical use the frequency of contamination was considerably inC ONVECTIVE air warming for the prevention of hypothermia in surgical patients has become quite common and its use continues to grow rapidly. There are numerous advantages for the prevention of hypothermia, e.g., it has been shown to reduce the incidence of postoperative wound infection and shorten periods of hospitalization (1). Furthermore, convective air cooling might be used to induce hypothermia in neurosurgical patients or in patients with stroke (2, 3). However, in spite of the continuing growth of the use of convective air coverlets in the operating room, postoperative recovery room and the intensive care unit, little is known about the potential risks of infection associated with the use of the coverlets them
Initiating and avoiding communication with mothers: young adult children's perceptions of hurtfulness and affirming styles

This study examined young adults' perceptions of their mothers' communication and their initiated and avoided communication with their mothers. Guided by Interaction Adaptation Theory (Burgoon, Stern, & Dillman, 1995), young adults (N = 206) reported on frequency of mothers' hurtful messages, mothers' affirming style, hurt feelings, desires for closeness, and communication and relational satisfaction. Results revealed that females who received hurtful messages less frequently were more satisfied, as were young adults who perceived their mothers as more affirming. Relational satisfaction was a positive predictor of communication initiation, and degree of hurtfulness was positively related to communication initiation for females only. Communication satisfaction was a negative predictor of communication avoidance, and attentive communicator style was a positive predictor of communication avoidance. The study's findings indicate support for contentions that mothers should be conscious not only of what they sa...
Compressed sensing MRI with multi-channel data using multi-core processors

Compressed sensing (CS) has emerged as a promising method in the field of magnetic resonance imaging. Taking advantage of the signal sparsity in certain domain via L 1 minimization, CS requires only reduced k-space data to reconstruct an image. Since most clinical MRI scanners are equipped with multi-channel receiver systems, integrating CS with multi-channel systems may not only shorten the scan time but provide a better image quality. However, significant computation time is required to perform CS reconstruction. Furthermore, this burden will be scaled by the number of channels. In this paper, we proposed a reconstruction procedure, which uses multi-core processors to accelerate CS reconstruction from multiple channel data. The performance was tested in terms of comparing to different image sizes and using different number cores of CPU. Experimentally, it shows that the maximum efficiency benefits from parallelizing the CS reconstructions, pipelining multi-channel data on multi-core processors and choosing the numbers of channels as multiple numbers of cores.
Double-Checking the Race Box: Examining Inconsistency between Survey Measures of Observed and Self-Reported Race

Social constructivist theories of race suggest no two measures of race will capture the same information, but the degree of "error" this creates for quantitative research on inequality is unclear. Using unique data from the General Social Survey, I find observed and self-reported measures of race yield substantively different results when used to explain income inequality in the United States. This occurs because inconsistent racial classification is correlated with other respondent characteristics such as immigrant generation, educational attainment and age.
Distinguishing Between Binomial, Hypergeometric and Negative Binomial Distributions

Recognizing the differences between three discrete distributions (Binomial, Hypergeometric and Negative Binomial) can be challenging for students. We present an activity designed to help students differentiate among these distributions. In addition, we present assessment results in the form of pre- and post-tests that were designed to assess the effectiveness of the activity. Pilot study results show promise that the activity may help students recognize the differences in these three distributions.
The flippase DnfB is cargo of fimbrin-associated endocytosis in Aspergillus nidulans, and likely recycles through the late Golgi

Filamentous fungi exhibit rapid, polarized growth governed by precise segregation of endocytosis and exocytosis at the site of cell expansion. Endocytosis, in particular, is concentrated at a zone ...
Characterizing a Family of Complex Polytopes Without Using Complex Coordinates

(1968). Characterizing a Family of Complex Polytopes Without Using Complex Coordinates. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 41, No. 5, pp. 273-276.
Histone deacetylase inhibitors in multiple myeloma: from bench to bedside

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) deacetylate the lysine residues of both histones and non-histone proteins. Histone acetylation results in a loose local chromatin structure that regulates gene-specific transcription. Non-histone proteins can also be acetylated, leading to dynamic changes in their activity and stability. For these reasons, HDAC inhibition has emerged as a potential approach for the treatment of MM. Specifically, combination treatment with HDAC inhibitors and proteasome inhibitors or immunomodulatory drugs shows remarkable anti-MM activity in both preclinical and clinical settings. However, the clinical studies using non-selective HDAC inhibitors also cause unfavorable side effects in patients, leading us to develop more isoform- and/or class-selective HDAC inhibitors to enhance tolerability without diminishing anti-MM activity, thereby improving patient outcome in MM.
Structure and Glycan Binding of a New Cyanovirin-N Homolog.

The HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein gp120 is heavily glycosylated and bears numerous high mannose sugars. These sugars can serve as targets for HIV-inactivating compounds, such as antibodies and lectins, which bind to the glycans and interfere with viral entry into the target cell. We determined the 1.6 A x-ray structure of Cyt-CVNH, a recently identified lectin from the cyanobacterium Cyanothece7424, and elucidated its glycan specificity by NMR. The Cyt-CVNH structure and glycan recognition profile are similar to those of other CVNH proteins, with each domain specifically binding to Manα(1–2)Manα units on the D1 and D3 arms of high mannose glycans. However, in contrast to CV-N, no cross-linking and precipitation of the cross-linked species in solution was observed upon Man-9 binding, allowing, for the first time, investigation of the interaction of Man-9 with a member of the CVNH family by NMR. HIV assays showed that Cyt-CVNH is able to inhibit HIV-1 with ∼4-fold higher potency than CV-NP51G, a stabilized version of wild type CV-N. Therefore, Cyt-CVNH may qualify as a valuable lectin for potential microbicidal use.
MEASUREMENT OF INTERFACIAL SHEAR STRENGTH IN GRAPHITE FIBER/ALUMINUM MATRIX COMPOSITES

ABSTRACT The first quantitative measures of the interfacial shear strength of the bond between an aluminum matrix and graphite fibers have been completed for composites fabricated from ion-plated composite precursor tapes.
A Framework for Developing and Using Shared Mental Models in Human-Agent Teams:

Converging evidence from psychology, human factors, management and organizational science, and other related fields suggests that humans working in teams employ shared mental models to represent an...
Balancing Exclusivity and Accessibility: Patterns of Brand and Product Line Extension Strategies in the Fashion Luxury Industry

AbstractThis article discusses the role of brand and product line extension strategies in balancing exclusivity and accessibility in the fashion luxury industry. Many luxury brands have long considered mass consumers as an important driver for their business growth, and their importance has kept increasing in the past two decades partly due to the emergence of e-commerce. However, many argue that going too mass could be a dangerous move because it may damage their luxury brand image in the long run. To manage the balance, it is essential that luxury brands maintain their perceptions of exclusivity and uniqueness by carefully designed marketing strategies. In this article, we discuss two common price-segmentation approaches that allow luxury brands to control the balance: brand and product line extensions. We first review conceptual theories on these extension strategies. We then examine the current industry practices using data on product prices and category membership from ten fashion luxury brands in 20...
The appeal of the primal leader: Human evolution and Donald J. Trump

Drawing on the distinction between dominance and prestige as two evolutionarily grounded strategies for attaining status in human groups, this essay examines an underappreciated feature of Donald Trump’s appeal to the millions of American voters who elected him president in 2016—his uncanny ability to channel primal dominance. Like the alpha male of a chimpanzee colony, Trump leads (and inspires) through intimidation, bluster, and threat, and through the establishment of short-term, opportunistic relationships with other high-status agents. Whereas domain-specific expertise confers status in the prestige paradigm, dominant leaders derogate expertise in order to establish a direct, authoritarian connection to their constituency. Trump’s leadership style derives readily from his personality makeup, which entails a combustible temperament mixture of high extraversion and low agreeableness, a motivational agenda centered on extreme narcissism, and an internalized life story that tracks the exploits of an intrepid warrior who must forever fight to win in a Hobbesian world of carnage. Keywords: Donald J. Trump, dominance psychology, prestige psychology, leadership, authoritarianism, personality, chimpanzees
Introduction: Comparing Globalizations—Historical and World-Systems Approaches

The goal of this collective monograph is to explore the backgrounds to and the underlying theoretical and substantive debates about globalization and world-systems analysis to facilitate comparisons among various historical instances of globalization. This chapter introduces these topics to readers not closely familiar with these various approaches to globalization. It also explains the contexts for each of the chapters within those theoretical and empirical debates. The chapters in this collective monograph are not a final word on these topics. Rather, they are an invitation to scholars in many disciplines to contribute to these debates and to enhance interconnections among the many discussions of globalization.
Radiomics to Identify High-Risk Atherosclerotic Plaque From Computed Tomography: The Power of Quantification

> Measure what is measurable, and make measurable what is not so . > > —Galileo Galilei (1564–1642) Coronary computed tomographic angiography (CTA) allows noninvasive assessment of the coronary anatomy and is increasingly used for the assessment of luminal stenosis. The time period during which CTA matured (starting in the early 1990s and continuing to this day) also coincides with dramatic increases in computational power by standard off-the-shelf computer workstations and novel methodological developments, which enable many applications in the field of medical imaging. Radiomics, which includes the extraction and mining of a large number of quantitative features from imaging, and is usually applied to quantify tumor phenotype characteristics,1 is one of these applications. See Article by Kolossvary et al Beyond stenosis, CTA also allows noninvasive assessment of atherosclerotic plaque, including plaque composition, distribution, and burden, as well as coronary artery remodeling. Several qualitative high-risk plaque characteristics, including positive or outward coronary artery remodeling and low-attenuation plaque, have been shown to independently predict future major adverse cardiovascular events. In a study of 1059 patients undergoing CTA with …
The yeast stands alone: the future of protein biologic production

Yeasts are promising alternative hosts for the manufacturing of recombinant protein therapeutics because they simply and efficiently meet needs for both platform and small-market drugs. Fast accumulation of biomass and low-cost media reduce the cost-of-goods when using yeast, which in turn can enable agile, small-volume manufacturing facilities. Small, tractable yeast genomes are amenable to rapid process development, facilitating strain and product quality by design. Specifically, Pichia pastoris is becoming a widely accepted yeast for biopharmaceutical manufacturing in much of the world owing to a clean secreted product and the rapidly expanding understanding of its cell biology as a host organism. We advocate for a near term partnership spanning industry and academia to promote open source, timely development of yeast hosts.
Proteobacteria phyl. nov.

Pro.te.o.bac.te' ri.a. Gr. n. Proteus ocean god able to change shape; Gr. n. bakterion a small rod; M.L. fem. pl. n. Proteobacteria the phylum of bacteria having 16S rRNA gene sequences related to those of the members of the order Pseudomonadales. Proteobacteria Keywords: Proteobacteria phyl. nov.; Pseudomonadales
Single crystal to polycrystal neutron transmission simulation.

A collection of routines for calculation of the total cross section that determines the attenuation of neutrons by crystalline solids is presented. The total cross section is calculated semi-empirically as a function of crystal structure, neutron energy, temperature, and crystal orientation. The semi-empirical formula includes the contribution of parasitic Bragg scattering to the total cross section using both the crystal’s mosaic spread value and its orientation with respect to the neutron beam direction as parameters. These routines allow users to enter a distribution of crystal orientations for calculation of total cross sections of user defined powder or pseudo powder distributions, which enables simulation of non-uniformities such as texture and strain. The spectra for neutron transmission simulations in the neutron thermal energy range (2 meV–100 meV) are presented for single crystal and polycrystal samples and compared to measurements.
The effect of strain and age on the mechanical properties of rat Achilles tendons.

Background Achilles tendon (AT) ruptures are common in the middle age population; however, the pathophysiology and influence of age on AT ruptures is not fully understood. This study evaluates the effect and interactions between, strain and age on the in vitro biomechanical properties of ATs. Methods Bilateral ATs were harvested from 17 young (8 months) and 14 middle-aged (24 months) rats and underwent stress-relaxation using Fung's quasilinear viscoelastic (QLV) modeling and load-to-failure testing. Results The initial viscoelastic response (parameter B) in middle-age animals was dependent on the amount of strain applied to the tendon and was significantly increased in middle-aged animals at higher strain. Higher strain in older animals led to a prolonged relaxation time (parameter tau 2). There was a trend toward an increased magnitude of the relaxation response (parameter C) at higher strain in the middle-aged animals. Middle-aged animals had a significantly lower mean stress at ultimate failure (p=0.01), while Young's modulus was similar in both groups (p=0.46). Conclusions The passive biomechanical properties of the rat AT change with age and the influence stress-relaxation response of the AT, thereby possibly predisposing the AT of older animals to fail at lower loads compared to younger animals. Level of evidence Not applicable, this is a basic science study.
Looking for a White Male Effect in Generation Z: Race, Gender, and Political Effects on Environmental Concern and Ambivalence

The “White male effect” has been presented in past literature as a way to explain the tendency for White males to have lower environmental concern and risk perceptions than female and non-White ind...
Benjamin Carroll Tharp (1885–1964) Remembering a Life Fashioned of Events and Circumstance

Abstract Benjamin Carroll Tharp was a legendary Texas botanist who made fundamental contributions to understanding the vegetation of the state and to developing the University of Texas Herbarium. His publications in the early and middle 1900s were used by numerous writers and artists in the southwest, and throughout his career he contributed generously to students and colleagues needing field collections for teaching and research. Later, however, he became caught up in the changing trends in botany that shifted staffing, administration, and departmental emphasis away from descriptive field studies and more toward laboratory and experimental research and newer methodologies. He was also concerned in later years with completing a lengthy treatise on soil-vegetation relationships and soil development in non-glaciated regions. The result of these many factors was a complex individual with deep feelings for his native state and great respect for those studying its natural history. He also harbored resentments ...
Photocatalytic Carbon Nitride Materials with Nanoscale Features Synthesized from the Rapid and Low-Temperature Decomposition of Trichloromelamine

Polymeric carbon nitride (C3N4) materials have attracted broad interest in many photocatalytic reactions. This work describes the structural and photocatalytic properties of carbon nitrides from th...
The First-Time Homebuyer Tax Incentives: Did They Work?

Abstract Following the Great Recession, two important recovery acts provided incentives for a qualified first-time homebuyer to purchase a home: the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA2008) and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA2009). Using the American Housing Survey and a difference-in-differences approach, I find that recent movers who qualified for HERA2008 were 8.2% more likely to choose homeownership, relative to movers who did not qualify for HERA2008. Recent movers who qualified for a tax credit under ARRA2009 were 9.3% more likely to purchase a home than movers who did not qualify for the credit.
Pin Access-Driven Design Rule Clean and DFM Optimized Routing of Standard Cells under Boolean Constraints

In this paper, we propose a routing flow for nets within a standard cell that generates layout of standard cells without any design rule violations. Design rules, density rules for metal fill, and pin-access requirements are modeled via Boolean formulas for discrete layout objects on grids. Formulas are translated into a single Boolean satisfiability problem (SAT). Having constraints on net connectivity and candidate routes, the SAT solver produces legal and complete routing concurrently for all nets satisfying mandatory pin-access and density requirements. A SAT-based optimization engine minimizes undesired layout patterns such as DFM (design-for-manufacturing) hot spots.
The Mediating Role of Impulsivity Between Psychological Distress and Alcohol Misuse Among College Students at a Historically Black University.

AbstractObjective: Alcohol misuse is prevalent and clinically significant among college students. Psychological distress is one factor that has been found to predict alcohol misuse in this populati...
Information Sharing in Cybersecurity: A Review

In this survey, we review the cybersecurity information-sharing literature, categorizing the identified papers based on their main focus and methodological approaches implemented to the cybersecuri...
Gravity flow test comparisons for mildly thick consistency

Simple measurement tools that provide objective information about the consistency of thickened liquids have received increasing attention given possible application to clinical practice for dysphagia. The International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative (IDDSI) advocates the use of the IDDSI Flow Test for measuring thickness and verifying a prescribed level of consistency. This study compares gravity flow test measurements taken with two 10-ml syringes of starch and gum-thickened samples prepared to a mildly thick consistency using product label information. One of the 10-ml syringes met IDDSI specification and the other 10-ml syringe did not. Thickened samples also were measured using the line spread apparatus. The results showed that two syringes yielded significantly different gravity flow test measurements, often resulting in changes to the classification level of thickness. There was no effect of thickening agent. Line spread measurements did not vary from one another. Study findings indicate the importance of continued testing with the IDDSI Flow Test and education/awareness about the use of the IDDSI reference syringe. An essential aspect about the use of thickened liquids in dysphagia management is that beverage preparations represent their prescribed level of modification. The findings of this study indicate the importance of following syringe specifications when conducting gravity flow testing using the IDDSI methodology. The implication is that the wrong 10-ml syringe could result in errant clinical decisions in determining the accuracy of texture modifications, resulting in care providers who are more likely to over or under thicken modifications to achieve a targeted level of thickness.
The Challenges of Divine Determinism: A Philosophical Analysis

In this volume, Peter Furlong delves into the question of divine determinism - the view that God has determined everything that has ever happened or will ever happen. This view, which has a long history among multiple religious and philosophical traditions, faces a host of counterarguments. It seems to rob humans of their free will, absolving them of all the wrongs they commit. It seems to make God the author of sin and thus blameworthy for all human wrongdoing. Additionally, it seems to undermine the popular 'Free Will Defense' of the problem of evil, to make a mockery of the claim that God loves us, and to make it inappropriate for God to blame and punish us. This work carefully formulates these and other objections to divine determinism and investigates possible responses to each of them, providing systematic and balanced discussion of this major philosophical and theological debate.
Repeatability of binarization thresholding methods for optical coherence tomography angiography image quantification.

Binarization is a critical step in analysis of retinal optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) images, but the repeatability of metrics produced from various binarization methods has not been fully assessed. This study set out to examine the repeatability of OCTA quantification metrics produced using different binarization thresholding methods, all of which have been applied in previous studies, across multiple devices and plexuses. Successive 3 × 3 mm foveal OCTA images of 13 healthy eyes were obtained on three different devices. For each image, contrast adjustments, 3 image processing techniques (linear registration, histogram normalization, and contrast-limited adaptive histogram equalization), and 11 binarization thresholding methods were independently applied. Vessel area density (VAD) and vessel length were calculated for retinal vascular images. Choriocapillaris (CC) images were quantified for VAD and flow deficit metrics. Repeatability, measured using the intra-class correlation coefficient, was inconsistent and generally not high (ICC < 0.8) across binarization thresholds, devices, and plexuses. In retinal vascular images, local thresholds tended to incorrectly binarize the foveal avascular zone as white (i.e., wrongly indicating flow). No image processing technique analyzed consistently resulted in highly repeatable metrics. Across contrast changes, retinal vascular images showed the lowest repeatability and CC images showed the highest.
Deriving Ranges of Optimal Estimated Transcript Expression Due to Non-identifiability

Current expression quantification methods suffer from a fundamental but under-characterized type of error: the most likely estimates for transcript abundances are not unique. This means multiple estimates of transcript abundances generate the observed RNA-seq reads with equal likelihood, and the underlying true expression cannot be determined. This problem is called non-identifiability for probabilistic models, and is further exacerbated by incomplete reference transcriptome. That is, reads may be sequenced from unannotated expressed transcripts. Graph quantification is a generalization to transcript quantification, accounting for the reference incompleteness by allowing exponentially many unannotated transcripts to express reads. We propose methods to calculate a confidence range of expression for each transcript, representing its possible abundance across equally optimal estimates for both quantification models. This range informs both whether a transcript has potential estimation error due to non-identifiability and the extent of the error. Applying our methods to the Human Body Map data, we observe 35%--50% of transcripts potentially suffer from inaccurate quantification caused by non-identifiability. When comparing the expression between isoforms in one sample, we find that the degree of inaccuracy of 20%--47% transcripts can be so large that the ranking of expression between the transcript and its sibling isoforms cannot be determined. When comparing the expression of a transcript between two groups of RNA-seq samples in differential expression analysis, we observe that the majority of detected differentially expressed transcripts are reliable with a few exceptions after considering the ranges of the optimal expression estimates. The code for computing the range of expression is available at https://github.com/Kingsford-Group/subgraphquant. The code for the involved analyses is available at https://github.com/Kingsford-Group/subgraphquantanalysis.
“A Praying Woman”: The Press Framing of Telephone Supervisor Lisa Jefferson and Her Conversation with United 93 Passenger Todd Beamer

On September 11, 2001, a GTE Airfone supervisor took a call from United Flight 93 passenger Todd Beamer, who said the airplane had been highjacked. Supervisor Lisa Jefferson, a Black woman, stayed ...
Non-invasive immunoPET imaging of PD-L1 using anti-PD-L1-B11 in breast cancer and melanoma tumor model.

Abstract Introduction Immunotherapy targeting PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) is efficacious in various solid and hematologic malignancies. However, the response rate to PD-1/PD-L1 therapy is only 15–35%. To obtain optimal clinical response to ICI therapies, a reliable assessment of tumor PD-L1 expression is needed to select appropriate patients, and a non-invasive imaging-based assessment of PD-L1 expression is critically needed. Although radiolabeled PET probes based on PD-L1 targeted therapeutic antibodies (e.g. atezolizumab) have shown encouraging results, there is concern that residual therapeutic antibody may compete for binding with the radiotracer thereby compromising imaging studies that follow treatment. Methods and results In this study, we used novel anti-PD-L1-B11 clone antibody known to bind to a different epitope of PD-L1 than the therapeutic antibodies to avoid potential saturation effects. The anti-PD-L1-B11 clone was radiolabeled with zirconium-89 and evaluated to detect PD-L1 expression in various in vitro and in vivo cancer model systems in comparison with [89Zr]Zr-DFO-NCS-atezolizumab. In vitro binding parameters of anti-PD-L1-B11 were like those of atezolizumab. [89Zr]Zr-DFO-NCS-anti-PD-L1-B11 clone showed favorable properties to [89Zr]Zr-DFO-NCS-atezolizumab in an in vivo breast cancer tumor model system with higher uptake in PD-L1 expressing tumors. Conclusion Our data demonstrates that [89Zr]Zr-DFO-NCS-anti-PD-L1-B11 exhibits excellent imaging properties for the assessment PD-L1 expression. The independent binding site of anti-PD-L1-B11 relative to therapeutic anti-PD-L1 antibodies may be advantageous for anti-PD-L1 therapy monitoring.
Mucopolysaccharidoses type I gene therapy.

Mucopolysaccharidoses type I (MPS I) is an inherited metabolic disease characterized by a malfunction of the α-l-iduronidase (IDUA) enzyme leading to the storage of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in the lysosomes. This disease has longtime been studied as a therapeutic target for those studying gene therapy and many studies have been done using various vectors to deliver the IDUA gene for corrective treatment. Many vectors have difficulties with efficacy and insertional mutagenesis concerns including adeno-associated viral vectors (AAV). Studies of AAVs treating MPS I have seemed promising, but recent deaths in gene therapy clinical trials for other inherited diseases using AAVs have left questions about their safety. Additionally, the recent modifications to adenoviral vectors leading them to target the vascular endothelium minimizing the risk of hepatotoxicity could lead to them being a viable option for MPS I gene therapy when coupled with gene editing technologies like CRISPR/Cas9. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.