cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Brain trauma elicits non-canonical macrophage activation states.

Macrophage polarization programs, commonly referred to as “classical” and “alternative” activation, are widely considered as distinct states that are exclusive of one another and are associated with different functions such as inflammation and wound healing, respectively. In a number of disease contexts, such as traumatic brain injury (TBI), macrophage polarization influences the extent of pathogenesis, and efforts are underway to eliminate pathogenic subsets. However, previous studies have not distinguished whether the simultaneous presence of both classical and alternative activation signatures represents the admixture of differentially polarized macrophages or if they have adopted a unique state characterized by components of both classical and alternative activation. We analyzed the gene expression profiles of individual monocyte-derived brain macrophages responding to TBI using single-cell RNA sequencing. RNA flow cytometry was used as another single-cell analysis technique to validate the single-cell RNA sequencing results. The analysis of signature polarization genes by single-cell RNA sequencing revealed the presence of diverse activation states, including M(IL4), M(IL10), and M(LPS, IFNγ). However, the expression of a given polarization marker was no more likely than at random to predict simultaneous expression or repression of markers of another polarization program within the same cell, suggesting a lack of exclusivity in macrophage polarization states in vivo in TBI. Also unexpectedly, individual TBI macrophages simultaneously expressed high levels of signature polarization genes across two or three different polarization states and in several distinct and seemingly incompatible combinations. Single-cell gene expression profiling demonstrated that monocytic macrophages in TBI are not comprised of distinctly polarized subsets but are uniquely and broadly activated. TBI macrophage activation in vivo is deeply complex, with individual cells concurrently adopting both inflammatory and reparative features with a lack of exclusivity. These data provide physiologically relevant evidence that the early macrophage response to TBI is comprised of novel activation states that are discordant with the current paradigm of macrophage polarization—a key consideration for therapeutic modulation.
Dependability of the non-occlusive base line of the interrupted resonance electromagnetic blood flow meter system.

Summary This paper demonstrates the successful elimination of the base line error in electromagnetic measurement of blood flow by means of the "Interrupted Resonance System." Non-occlusive base lines obtained by switching off the magnet are compared with base lines obtained by flow arrest achieved by mechanical occlusion of the vessel, by cardiac arrest or by pharmacological blockage of the arterial flow attained by intra-arterial administration of a massive dose of a vaso-constrictor. The illustration of correspondence between non-occlusive " magnetic base lines " with " flow-arrest base lines " is provided with conventional self-contained perivascular flow probes, perivascular probes relying on an extracorporeal magnet to provide the magnetic field and intravascular flow probes introduced into arteries via an angiegraphic catheter and relying on an extracorporeal magnet to induce the flow signal. The adequacy of the "magnetic base line" is demonstrated in the aorta, iliac, carotid, femoral, renal and superior mesenteric arteries.
Shear-induced ATP release by cultured rabbit corneal epithelial cells.

The corneal epithelium is a barrier against the influx of fluid, solutes and pathogens from tear film into stroma. When this barrier is breached, corneal hydration control is compromised and susceptibility to pathogens increases significantly.1–3 Recent clinical investigations have shown the barrier property, expressed as permeability to fluorescein, is altered upon extended wear of contact lenses4,5 and in patients having dry eye disorder.6–8 Although the mechanism responsible for the alteration is unclear, it is well accepted that certain characteristics of the pre-corneal tear film such as thickness and rate of replenishment are affected in dry eye9,10 and contact lens wear situations.11,12 This observation may suggest a common mechanism involving the tear film plays a role in contact lens- and dry eye-induced loss of barrier property in the corneal epithelium. Given the principal role of the tear film as a lubricant for eyelids and contact lens motion relative to ocular surface epithelia, it is important to investigate how corneal and conjunctival epithelia respond to physical forces.
International Corporate Alliances: How Strategic are they?

Most of the time international corporate alliances are referred to as strategic alliances. This paper attempts to distinguish convenience versus strategic alliances. It maintains that although all international corporate alliances provide learning, this learning does not necessarily always lead to strategic learning. This is the preliminary version of a forthcoming paper. It emphasizes the need for exploring strategic aspects of international corporate alliances.
Precise optical constants of Ge and GeO 2 from 0.5 to 6.6 eV

Germanium-based photonics or photovoltaics applications require precise knowledge of the optical constants (refractive index, absorption coefficient, dielectric function) for Ge and GeO 2 over a broad spectral range. Unfortunately, we don't know as much about these as for Si and SiO 2 . We therefore apply the same technique to Ge (spectroscopic ellipsometry with multi-sample analysis), which was used to determine the so-called “Woollam Silicon” optical constants.
Entanglement from topology in Chern-Simons theory

The way in which geometry encodes entanglement is a topic of much recent interest in quantum many-body physics and the AdS/CFT duality. This relation is particularly pronounced in the case of topological quantum field theories, where topology alone determines the quantum states of the theory. In this work, we study the set of quantum states that can be prepared by the Euclidean path integral in three-dimensional Chern-Simons theory. Specifically, we consider arbitrary three-manifolds with a fixed number of torus boundaries in both Abelian $U(1)$ and non-Abelian $SO(3)$ Chern-Simons theory. For the Abelian theory, we find that the states that can be prepared coincide precisely with the set of stabilizer states from quantum information theory. This constrains the multipartite entanglement present in this theory, but it also reveals that stabilizer states can be described by topology. In particular, we find an explicit expression for the entanglement entropy of a many-torus subsystem using only a single replica, as well as a concrete formula for the number of GHZ states that can be distilled from a tripartite state prepared through path integration. For the non-Abelian theory, we find a notion of ``state universality,'' namely that any state can be prepared to an arbitrarily good approximation. The manifolds we consider can also be viewed as toy models of multiboundary wormholes in AdS/CFT.
Effects of non-ideal solar simulator spectrum on multi-junction solar cell measurement

Laboratory measurement of the IV parameters of multi-junction (MJ) solar cells is performed using solar simulators designed to match the desired illumination environment as closely as possible. This paper examines the impact of non-idealities in solar simulator spectrum on the measurement of MJ solar cell IV parameter through the use of a multi-zone solar simulator capable of varying light output on each MJ subcell independently. It is shown through offsets in solar simulator spectrum that standard characterization methodology may result in significant error in IV parameter measurement resulting in over or underestimation of cell performance, largely as a result of luminescent coupling.
Efficacy of 5% Albumin and Fresh Frozen Plasma (AFFP) Versus Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP) only as Replacement fluid in Plasma Exchange for Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP)

Abstract Abstract 272 The treatment of Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP) with therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) with Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP) and/or Cryopoor Plasma (CPP) replacement is well established. This process adds plasma ADAMTS-13 activity and removes plasma ADAMTS-13 inhibitor. Limited data has indicated combination of 5% albumin in the first half of the procedure followed by FFP in the second half of the procedure is effective in treating TTP. Theoretical calculation of addition of exogenous ADAMTS-13 is still substantial because ADAMTS-13 infused initially is removed as the plasma exchange procedure progresses. A 50% reduction of FFP would decrease the number of donor exposures and transfusion reactions associated with human plasma. Further, plasma of limited supply, such as AB plasma, can be more effectively used. We report a retrospective comparison of TPE for TTP using all FFP versus 5% Albumin/FFP (AFFP) replacement fluid. One health system with two closely connected tertiary campuses with common Hematology/Oncology services and Transfusion Medicine services treated 17 idiopathic TTP patients (March/2009 – June/2012) with documented very low ADAMTS-13 levels ( Table 1 shows that the FFP versus the AFFP groups at presentations are comparable. Table 2 indicated FFP versus AFFP treatment is comparable. For the FFP and AFFP groups respectively, mean number of total procedures: 16 vs. 14, length of time from first TPE to last TPE 19 vs. 22 days, Relapses 2 vs. 2, and deaths 1 vs. 0. Conclusion: The use of AFFP as replacement fluid for idiopathic TTP does not appear to be inferior to 100% FFP replacement. Length of treatment, rate of recovery, and relapse rate are comparable. There were more deaths in the FFP cohort but the low number of observations limits the significance. AFFP fluid replacement should be considered for TPE in idiopathic TTP. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
High-power 1.9-3.3-μm type-I quantum-well cascade diode lasers

Cascade pumping of type-I quantum well gain sections was utilized to increase output power and efficiency of GaSb-based diode lasers operating in spectral region from 1.9 to 3.3 μm. Two-step ridge waveguide design with shallow 5-μm-wide and deep 15-μm-wide etched sections yielded λ ~ 2 μm lasers generating 250 mW of continuous wave output power in nearly diffraction limited beam when mounted epi-down. The same device mounted epi-up demonstrated output power of about 180 mW. Lasers operating in the wavelength range above 3.2 μm with variable deep etched ridge width and two-step ridge design were fabricated and characterized. Two-step ridge waveguide design yielded the lowest threshold current and the highest slope efficiency. Tens of mW of continuous wave output power was obtained in nearly diffraction limited beams in the wavelength range from 3.2 to 3.3 μm near and above 20 °C in both epi-up and epi-down mounting configurations. Laterally-coupled 2-nd-order distributed feedback lasers operated near 3.22 μm in continuous wave regime at room temperatures with more than 10 mW of output power at room temperature in epi-up mounted configuration.
Low Vitamin D is Associated With Infections and Proinflammatory Cytokines During Pregnancy

Vitamin D is known to regulate innate and adaptive immune processes at the cellular level, but the role of vitamin D status on associated inflammatory processes across pregnancy is unclear. Our primary objective was to evaluate the relationships between serum biomarkers of inflammation (interleukin [IL]-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α), acute-phase proteins (C-reactive protein and hepcidin) and vitamin D status, 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D), measured across pregnancy and in the neonate at birth. A second objective was to identify associations between vitamin D status and clinically diagnosed infections. In this study, 158 racially and ethnically diverse pregnant adolescents were recruited from the Rochester Adolescent Maternity Program (RAMP) in Rochester, NY. Serum 1,25(OH)2D was significantly lower in adolescents and neonates with IL-6 concentrations above the 75th percentile at delivery ( P = .04) and at birth ( P = .004), respectively. After adjusting for other potential covariates of inflammation, maternal serum 1,25(OH)2D was significantly positively associated with TNF-α during pregnancy ( P = .02), but at delivery 1,25(OH)2D and TNF-α were inversely associated with one another ( P = .02). Teens with 25(OH)D concentrations <30 ng/mL were more likely to test positive for candida ( P = .002) and bacterial vaginosis ( P = .02) during pregnancy. African Americans exhibited significantly lower TNF-α concentrations at both mid-gestation ( P = .009) and delivery ( P = .001) compared to the Caucasian adolescents. These results suggest that lower maternal vitamin D status may increase risk of infection across gestation.
Abstract 226: Importance of Measuring the Time Course of Flow Mediated Dilation When Assessing Endothelial Function in Obese African Americans

Flow mediated dilation (FMD) is a noninvasive technique to assess endothelial function in humans. In most studies FMD is reported as the percent change in brachial artery diameter at 60 seconds after cuff deflation relative to baseline (%FMD at 60 seconds). Recently the availability of automated computer-based edge detection allows measurement of peak dilation during the entire time course of brachial dilation post-hyperemia. Considering that changes in arterial diameter in response to shear stress is a continuous process and that peak dilation may differ in pathological states and occur at any arbitrary time point, we examined the time course of brachial artery FMD after a 5-min period of ischemia in 38 obese African American women (42±9.3 years old, BMI 39±6, % body fat 48.2±4.3, SBP 131±13, DBP 83±8 mm Hg, HR 77±12 bpm). Results were analyzed using brachial analyzer software (Medical Imaging Applications LLC). Baseline brachial artery diameter was 3.95±0.55 mm, the time to peak was 48.93 ±13.82 seconds. The percent change in FMD (%FMD) obtained at peak diameter was greater (4.7±3.19 mm) than %FMD at 60 seconds (3.23±4.33 mm); mean difference = 1.4 (95% CI, 0.54-2.4, P=0.003). A large proportion (79%) of true peak diameters fell outside the 60 seconds time frame typically used to assess FMD, Figure. Our results suggest that the peak vasodilator effect occurs before 60±5 seconds in the majority of our population. Therefore, the evaluation of FMD as a continuous measurement has greater accuracy and less variability for the evaluation of FMD compared with an arbitrary time point.
Monitoring of Vinyl Acetate–Ethylene Processes: An Industrial Perspective

Monitoring of vinyl acetate–ethylene (VAE) processes plays a crucial role in achieving high process efficiency in industry while ensuring process safety and the needed product quality. Different methods are applied along the process chain, which includes production of the VAE polymer dispersion in high pressure reactors, degassing of the product back to atmospheric pressure, storage and shipping, and spray drying of the polymer to create a dispersible polymer powder. Properties of interest to monitor on a routine basis can be process related, such as heat output and conversion, or product related, such as total solids, viscosity, pH, particle size distribution, moisture content, and chemical composition. Other techniques can also be used to gain further knowledge of the process (e.g., mixing behavior) and of the product (e.g., polymer structure, volatile organic compounds, and biostability). Different monitoring techniques are discussed, focusing on their applicability in the industrial process under consideration.
Fine-Tuning Neural Patient Question Retrieval Model with Generative Adversarial Networks

The online patient question and answering (Q&A) system attracts an increasing amount of users in China. Patient will post their questions and wait for doctors' response. To avoid the lag time involved with the waiting and to reduce the workload on the doctors, a better method is to automatically retrieve the semantically equivalent question from the archive. We present a Generative Adversarial Networks (GAN) based approach to automatically retrieve patient question. We apply supervised deep learning based approaches to determine the similarity between patient questions. Then a GAN framework is used to fine-tune the pre-trained deep learning models. The experiment results show that fine-tuning by GAN can improve the performance.
Quantifying and reducing powder shear sensitivity when manufacturing capsules with lubricants

The purpose of this work was to develop a methodology that quantifies the extent of shear induced during an encapsulation process and show how formulation composition and manufacturing process designs can be changed to reduce the negative impact on drug product quality attributes. The powder feed system used in a dosing disc type pharmaceutical capsule filling machine induced additional shear of the powder prior to slug formation. The shear occurred both in the hopper portion, via the rotation of the feed auger and impeller, and in the powder bowl via the tamping pin agitation and/or shear against the stationary surfaces such as the powder level scraper. The extent of shear was quantified to assess the impact of further dispersing the hydrophobic lubricant, magnesium stearate, in both active and placebo formulations. Stratified samples over the course of the encapsulation run showed suppression in the drug dissolution profiles and decrease in the interparticulate tensile strength of the encapsulated product. The amount of shear (duration and rate) induced during the encapsulation unit operation can be much greater than that from typical bin blending operations and therefore requires consideration during product design and scale-up to ensure product robustness.
Evaluating Gaps in Care of Malnourished Patients on General Medicine Floors in an Acute Care Setting.

BACKGROUND As described in detail in the literature, patients identified with malnutrition are at increased risk for poor clinical outcomes. Despite this knowledge, malnourished patients do not always receive optimal nutrition management while admitted into a hospital because of what we describe as gaps in care throughout their admission. We hypothesized that the 3 main gaps in care were poor dietitian-doctor communication, excessive time spent nil per os (NPO) for procedures and testing, and/or inaccurate or incomplete dietary discharge instructions. The objectives of this study were to determine and to characterize gaps in nutrition care after a malnutrition diagnosis. METHODS This retrospective study involved postdischarge chart reviews of malnourished adult medicine patients admitted to an acute care facility from September 1, 2014, to November 30, 2014 (n = 242). RESULTS Of the malnourished patients, 76% had at least 1 gap in care. The most prevalent gap (68%) involved discharge diet instructions, most often because of the omission of the dietitian recommendation for oral supplementation. Thirty-five percent of malnourished patients had a gap in care because of procedures or testing extending the period held NPO, and 13% had a gap in care because of poor communication, thus delaying orders and/or interventions. CONCLUSIONS This is the first study to evaluate gaps in care of patients diagnosed with malnutrition. Identification of these gaps allows us the opportunity to develop strategies for this vulnerable population to improve areas such as discharge documentation and time spent NPO to provide the best and safest nutrition care.
Substance Abuse Prevention: Perspectives from India’s Addiction Treatment Professionals

This article is focused on substance abuse prevention from the perspective of India. Research participants were 112 substance addiction treatment professionals associated with government approved addiction treatment centres in India. They were called from 26 Indian states and 4 union territories in India. Data were collected through a survey instrument using a mixed-methods research design with a focus on concurrent strategies. Participants provided practical recommendations for creating public awareness systemically, concurrently and consistently through a prevention agenda focusing on important social sectors such as schools, employment settings, religious/spiritual settings, and at local, state and national domains of India. This study concludes that creating massive awareness campaigns simultaneously and consistently over long periods of time in all these sectors of the society will facilitate systemic change at the macro-level. Findings have practical implications for policymakers everywhere working towards preventing substance abuse.
The formation, metabolism and physiologic effects of melatonin.

Publisher Summary Melatonin is the prototype of a family of compounds, the methoxyindoles, which are produced in mammals only in the pineal gland. The pineal gland is capable of synthesizing melatonin because it, alone among mammalian tissues, contains the enzyme hydroxyindole-0-methyltransferase (HIOMT). In lower vertebrates, this enzyme is also present in the brain and the eye. Melatonin is released into the circulation and produces a variety of physiological effects, mostly inhibitory, on endocrine organs, the brain, smooth muscle, and epithelial structures. It depresses ovarian growth and the incidence of vaginal smears showing estrous phases in rats; it blocks the rise in pituitary LH levels, which follows castration; it interferes with the uptake of 131I by the thyroid, and the secretion of thyroid hormones. Its administration leads to a rapid decline in the levels of melanocyte stimulating hormone in the rat pituitary. Melatonin relaxes several types of smooth muscle, and antagonizes the contractile effects of 5-HT. The synthesis of melatonin in the pineal varies diurnally, with a rhythm that is generated by environmental lighting. Exposure to continuous illumination depresses the rate of melatonin formation; darkness has an opposite effect.
Representing identities: legal treatment of pregnancy and homosexuality

This article explores some of the ways in which judges treat pregnancy and homosexuality in discrimination cases. In examining some of these cases, I map some of the doctrinal maneuvers and political strategies which courts employ in representing these traits, and explicate some of the images of gender or sexual identity which the judicial opinions contain. My sense is that looking critically and systematically at the complex and multiple modes in which judges represent pregnancy and homosexuality may improve our capacity for understanding for legal doctrine's potential to embody richer and more satisfying conceptions of selves or identities.
School Health: Pediatric Primary Care Curriculum

Introduction Pediatric residents encounter issues related to school health (SH) throughout their training, particularly in their continuity clinics, and often serve as liaisons between a patient's ...
Convergence Rate of Distributed Random Projections

Abstract Stochastic gradient descent is a common algorithm used in machine learning, especially when the loss function is in a separable form. Here, we consider SGD for constrained convex optimization problems, where the constraint is expressed as an intersection of a large number of convex sets. It is expensive to project the result of the gradient descent algorithm on each of these convex sets at each iteration; thus, there is a growing body of work which considers projections onto a random subset of the convex sets. In this paper, we consider a distributed version (parameter-server model) of the random projections since a centralized approach is too slow for very large-scale problems. Our main result is as follows: under a mild regularity condition on the convex sets, we show that the rate of convergence of distributed SGD with distributed random projections is the same as that of distributed SGD applied to a problem with no constraints, except for a factor which captures the regularity assumption.
The Infuence of Grade Span on Student Achievement in Florida: A Quantitative Investigation

The creation–-through both new construction and reconfiguration of enrollments in existing facilities–-of schools with broader grade spans is increasing in Florida and elsewhere in the United State...
The Importance of Utilizing the Current's Physical Components Power Theory in Nonsinusoidal Power Systems

The current's physical components (CPC) theory establishes the fundamentals of decomposing the current into its physical components. The current in the single-phase circuits with linear time-invariant (LTI) load is decomposed into the active current, reactive current, and scattered current. The well-known active current is associated with permanent energy delivery, and the reactive current is due to the phase shift between the load current and voltage. However, there is another component in the current associated with the change of the load conductance around its nominal value for each order of harmonics, which is called scattered current. In this paper, we first revisit the complex form of Fourier series, a powerful tool for analyzing the nonsinusoidal system, to emphasize its importance in simplifying the nonsinusoidal network analysis. A step-by-step illustrative example then utilizes the complex root mean square (CRMS) values to decompose the current into its physical components. The results show how vital the scattered current is and how neglecting this component results in incorrect apparent power calculations.
Quantifying Model Error in P-technique Factor Analysis.

P-technique factor analysis is an exploratory factor model for multivariate time series data. Assessing model fit of P-technique factor models is non-trivial because time series data are correlated...
Abstract IA08: Understanding resistance to develop next-generation CART for lymphoid malignancies

Adoptive T-cell therapies, and in particular chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CART), are leading to significant responses in cancer patients, particularly in B-cell leukemias and lymphomas. However, a significant subset of patients still do not respond or eventually relapse after anti-CD19 CART therapy. In his talk, Dr. Ruella will highlight recent finding in the pathogenesis of relapse after CART19 and discuss novel therapeutic approaches aimed at increasing CART feasibility and efficacy. Citation Format: Marco Ruella. Understanding resistance to develop next-generation CART for lymphoid malignancies [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy; 2019 Nov 17-20; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2020;8(3 Suppl):Abstract nr IA08.
VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL (VITAL): Effects of Vitamin D Supplements on Risk of Falls in the US Population.

Context It is unclear whether vitamin D supplementation reduces risk of falls, and results from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are conflicting. Objective The objective of this work is to determine whether 2000 IU/day of supplemental vitamin D3 decreases fall risk. Design VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL (VITAL) is a double-blind, placebo-controlled RCT including 25 871 adults, randomly assigned November 2011 to March 2014 and treated for 5.3 years (median). Setting This is a nationwide study. Participants Men 50 years or older and women 55 years or older (mean age, 67.1 years) without cancer or cardiovascular disease at baseline participated in this study. Interventions Interventions included vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol; 2000 IU/day) and/or omega-3 fatty acids (1 g/day) or respective placebos in a 2 × 2 factorial design. Main outcome measures Main outcome measures include 2 or more falls and falls resulting in a doctor or hospital visit. Results Baseline serum total 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) level was 77 nmol/L; characteristics were well-balanced between groups. Numbers of participants with 2 or more falls were similar between active and placebo groups (9.8% vs 9.4%). Over 5 years, there were no differences in the proportion having 2 or more falls (odds ratio [OR] = 0.97; 95% CI, 0.90-1.05, P = .50), falls resulting in a doctor visit (OR = 1.03; 95% CI, 0.94-1.13, P = .46), or resulting in a hospital visit (OR = 1.04; 95% CI, 0.90-1.19, P = .61) between groups. Results did not differ between those with baseline 25(OH)D less than 50 vs 50 nmol/L or greater or other cut points. Conclusion Daily supplemental vitamin D3 vs placebo did not decrease fall risk in generally healthy adults not selected for vitamin D insufficiency. This large RCT does not indicate that supplemental vitamin D should be used for primary prevention of falls in the US population.
Abstract A26: mTOR inhibition promotes differentiation of human regulatory T cells via privileged mRNA translation

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) maintain immune system homeostasis in the organism. In the tumor microenvironment, however, Tregs can hinder the antitumor immune response. Treg maturation in peripheral sites (pTregs) requires inhibition of protein kinase mTORC1, which paradoxically blocks mRNA translation. mTORC1 phosphorylates (inactivates) 4E-BP1, a negative regulator of the translation initiation factor eIF4E. When mTORC1 is active, 4E-BP1 is hyperphosphorylated and releases eIF4E, which can then bind the mRNA cap structure and promote eIF4F complex assembly and ribosome recruitment. Inhibition of mTORC1 results in hypo-phosphorylation (activation) of 4E-BP1, which then binds and sequesters eIF4E, preventing its interaction with the cap and ribosome association to the mRNA. Using human CD4+ T cells differentiated in vitro, we show that mTORC1 inhibition strongly impairs protein synthesis, yet with exposure to TGFbeta is essential to mediate iTreg differentiation and immune suppression activity. We found that TGFbeta reprograms the T-cell transcriptome, while mTORC1 inhibition reprograms the translatome (genome-wide translation signature), mediating Treg differentiation. Genome-wide transcription and translation profiling identified TGFbeta-upregulated mRNAs resistant to mTORC1 inhibition, in part due to their 59-untranslated regions, that induce Treg differentiation and immune-suppression activity. These include canonical pTreg fate-determining mRNAs FOXP3, CTLA-4, CD101 and CD103, among others. Inhibition of mTORC1 alone, or TGFbeta alone, induces iTregs with poor immune-suppression activity. Treg differentiation is therefore mediated by an mTORC1-independent privileged mRNA translation mechanism that converts activated CD4+ T cells to Tregs. These findings are quite relevant in the tumor microenvironment, where mTORC1-inhibiting conditions such as hypoxia and deprivation of nutrients and energy are present. Investigation of molecular targets acting in this mTORC1/eIF4E-independent translation of Treg mRNAs is ongoing. These targets could be drugged to selectively inhibit Treg differentiation in the tumor microenvironment, thus allowing effector cells to mount the response against cancer cells. Citation Format: Viviana Volta, Amanda Ernlund, Abhilash Gadi, Amanda Valeta-Magara, Columba de la Parra, Preeyam Patel, Robert J. Schneider. mTOR inhibition promotes differentiation of human regulatory T cells via privileged mRNA translation [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Targeting PI3K/mTOR Signaling; 2018 Nov 30-Dec 8; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2020;18(10_Suppl):Abstract nr A26.
Reconsidering the user in IoT: the subjectivity of things

This essay develops an interdisciplinary framework for understanding the relationship between “the person” and “the user” in the Internet of Things (IoT) by exploring a similarly troubled dyadic discourse: the thing. The goal is twofold: first, to provide a critical framework for scholars studying the humanistic and social implications of IoT; second, to broaden the scholarly discussion of IoT beyond an increasingly standard set of topics that includes usability, security, and privacy. I focus on the role of the subject in comprising things and things’ social role in constructing the placeness of the home. By considering “smart” and “unsmart” objects through the lens of an advertisement for Sony’s smart home ecology, I demonstrate that “unsmart” objects frame smart devices in a historical materiality that, paradoxically, allows for an overly technical approach to IoT devices. Such an approach risks effacement of the social, subjectival makeup of things in which the human is primarily framed within the ontology of the object rather than that of the agential subject. Where things are ubiquitously understood as objects, we are primed to understand people as users rather than humans.
Host cell volume explains differences in the size of DsDNA viruses.

Abstract The nearly 3 orders of magnitude variation in size observed among double-stranded DNA viruses (dsDNA) has important ecological consequences, but the factors responsible for this variation remain poorly understood. Here we first evaluate if a relationship exists between the genome size of diverse dsDNA viruses and their hosts in single-celled organisms (prokaryotes and eukaryotes). We find that dsDNA genome size increases systematically, though less than proportionally, with host genome size. We next evaluate possible relationships between virus size, host size and burst size in an analysis that includes both single-celled and multicellular hosts where genome size and cell volume are not as highly correlated. Here we find that virus volume increases sublinearly with host cell volume (but not genome size) across species, and that virus burst volume (burst size * virus volume) increases with host cell volume. These findings suggest that the size and number of dsDNA viruses produced by a particular host may be constrained by the volume of the infected host cell. This may be useful for better understanding virus-host population dynamics, and ultimately, a better understanding of which viruses may infect which hosts (i.e., host specificity) and the likelihood of cross-species transmission events (i.e., host jumping).
In praise of dystopias: a Hobbesian approach to collective action

Long before Prospect Theory and Loss Aversion Theory, Thomas Hobbes’s account of self-interest and risk assessment formed the basis of a powerful argument for the benefits of negative appeals. Dism...
Money mining and price dynamics: The case of divisible currencies

Abstract We develop a random-matching model to study the price dynamics of divisible monies produced privately through mining. The equilibrium set is composed of a unique equilibrium where the value of money increases until it reaches a steady state and, if money has no intrinsic value, a continuum of perfect-foresight equilibria where the price of money inflates and bursts over time. Early on private money is held for a speculative motive and it acquires a transactional role when money supply becomes sufficiently abundant. We study different mining and matching technologies, fiat and commodity monies, single and competing currencies.
Essentials of Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology

All Earth Science students need to understand the origins, environments, and basic processes that produce igneous and metamorphic rocks. This concise introductory textbook provides students with the essential knowledge needed to understand how petrology relates to other topics in the geologic sciences, and has been written specifically for one-semester courses. Throughout, the emphasis is on interpreting the mineralogy and petrology of rock suites in terms of origin and environment, with the first half of the book concentrating on igneous rocks, and the second half on metamorphic rocks. This Second Edition has been thoroughly revised and brought completely up-to-date. It now includes a new chapter on the application of stable and radiogenic isotopes in petrology, introducing students to the concept of isotopic fractionation and describing the process of radioactive decay. The discussions of phase diagrams, connections between igneous and metamorphic rock suites, and convergent margin magmatism have also been expanded. There is a new glossary of terms, updated end-of-chapter exercises, and updated further readings.
Studies of muscle development. I. Changes in cell proliferation.

Abstract The number of proliferating cells and the duration of the phases of the replication cycle have been determined autoradiographically in the cell population of the developing chick leg muscle and pectoralis during the transition from a high proliferative level (7 days of incubation) to a low proliferative level (8 days posthatching). In the leg muscle the percentage of cells in the DNA synthetic phase was found to decline from 40% to about 5% and 0.8% for days 7 and 18 of incubation and day 8 posthatching, respectively. The corresponding figures for cells in mitosis was 1.7%, 0.2%, and less than 0.02% (5 days posthatching) for the leg musculature and 69%, 15%, and 3% for the total number of proliferating cells. In the pectoralis the decline in all indices of proliferation was much smaller during the posthatching period. The duration of the DNA synthetic phase on both days 9 and 16 of incubation was found to be 5.9 hours. For both days the duration of the sum of postsynthetic and mitotic ( G 2 + 1 2 M ) phases was 1.8 hours. The presynthetic-postmitotic (G1) phase increased from 4 hours to 9 hours during development from day 9 to 16. A further increase in the duration of both the DNA synthetic phase and the postmitotic-presynthetic phase was also indicated during development after hatching. The observed data provide a basis for future interpretation of synthetic processes occurring during differentiation of muscle cells.
On exchange, monetary credit transactions, barter, time preference, interest rates, and productivity

We attempt in this paper to tie together several basic insights of praxeology, and several that are not at all that basic. These include the following: that gains from exchange are subjective; that this applies to profits and interest; that credit transactions can occur under barter; that interest arises from time preference even under a pure time preference theory of interest; and that productivity can, under disequilibrium conditions, affect the various rates of interest.
Mechanism of Thyroid-stimulating Hormone Action STUDIES WITH DIBUTYRYL 3',5'-ADENOSINE MONOPHOSPHATE AND LECITHINASE C

Dibutyryl 3',5'-AMP, an analogue of 3',5'-AMP, mimics some of the actions of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) on the thyroid. Both substances increase glucose-1-14C oxidation to 14CO2 in the dog. Dibutyryl 3',5'-AMP is active over the range of 10 to 250 µg per ml. Dibutyryl 3',5'-AMP, like low concentrations of TSH, decreases glucose-1-14C oxidation in bovine thyroid, and both substances increase 32Pi incorporation into phospholipid in bovine thyroid, although the dibutyryl 3',5'-AMP effect can only be detected in 50% of the experiments. However, unlike TSH, dibutyryl 3',5'-AMP fails to increase the incorporation of 32Pi or inositol-3H into phospholipid in dog thyroid slices. It also fails to increase glucose-1-14C oxidation to 14CO2 in rat thyroids. The significance of these findings in relation to the proposed role of 3',5'-AMP as the intracellular mediator of TSH action is discussed. The increase in glucose oxidation produced by TSH and dibutyryl 3',5'-AMP in normal dog thyroid slices fails to occur in lecithinase C-treated slices. Thus the site of lecithinase C action is probably distal to the site of action of TSH and dibutyryl 3',5'-AMP. TSH also fails to increase phospholipid turnover in lecithinase C-treated slices.
2016 Home Demonstration Garden

The 2016 Home Demonstration Gardens were planted as two interconnected themes: pantry garden and pollinator garden. Three-quarters of the garden was planted to the pantry garden, which focused on cultivar trials and donation of produce to local food pantries. The pollinator garden consisted mainly of annual flowers to encourage pollinators to visit as a nectar and food source.
3D set partitioning coding methods in hyperspectral image compression

Hyperspectral images are generated by collecting hundreds of narrow and contiguously spaced spectral bands of data producing a highly correlated long sequence of images. Some application specific data compression techniques may be applied advantageously before we process, store or transmit hyperspectral images. This paper applies asymmetric tree 3DSPIHT (AT-3DSPIHT) for hyperspectral image compression; it also investigates and compares the performance of the AT-3DSPIHT, 3DSPIHT and 3DSPECK on hyperspectral image compression. Results show that the AT-3DSPIHT outperforms the other two by the approximate range of 0.2 to 0.9 dB PSNR. It guarantees over 4 dB PSNR improvement at all rates or rate savings at least a factor of 2.5 over 2D coding of separate spectral bands without axial transformation.
Non-equilibrium thermodynamics of interfacial systems: II. Boundary conditions for fluids with spin

Abstract The theory of non-equilibrium thermodynamics is applied to a system of two immiscible fluids whose molecules possess internal angular momentum (spin) which are separated by an interface. The conservation laws and the Gibbs relation are used to derive the entropy production at the interface. The resulting linear laws relating the fluxes and forces represent boundary conditions on the hydrodynamic equations for the bulk phases. A limiting case is considered and boundary conditions derived by previous authors are obtained.
The Weighted Syndrome Sums Approach to VLSI Testing

With the advent of VLSI, testing has become one of the most costly, complicated, and time consuming problems. The method of syndrome- testing is applicable toward VLSI testing since it does not require test generation and fault simulation. It can also be considered as a vehicle for self-testing. In order to employ syndrome-testing in VLSI, we electronically partition the chip into macros in test mode. The macros are then syndrome tested in sequence.
Recovery of DNA Replication in UV-Irradiated Escherichia coli Requires both Excision Repair and RecF Protein Function

After UV doses that disrupt DNA replication, the recovery of replication at replication forks in Escherichia coli requires a functional copy of the recF gene. In recF mutants, replication fails to recover and extensive degradation of the nascent DNA occurs, suggesting that recF function is needed to stabilize the disrupted replication forks and facilitate the process of recovery. We show here that the ability of recF to promote the recovery of replication requires that the disrupting lesions be removed. In the absence of excision repair, recF+ cells protect the nascent DNA at replication forks, but replication does not resume. The classical view is that recombination proteins operate in pathways that are independent from DNA repair, and therefore the functions of Rec proteins have been studied in repair-deficient cells. However, mutations in either uvr or recF result in failure to recover replication at UV doses from which wild-type cells recover efficiently, suggesting that recF and excision repair contribute to a common pathway in the recovery of replication.
Mathematical Structural Descriptors of Molecules and Biomolecules: Background and Applications

Abstract Mathematical chemistry or more accurately discrete mathematical chemistry had a tremendous growth spurt in the second half of the twentieth century and the same trend is continuing now. This growth was fueled primarily by two major factors: 1) Novel applications of discrete mathematical concepts to chemical and biological systems, and 2) Availability of high speed computers and associated software whereby hypothesis driven as well as discovery oriented research on large data sets could be carried out in a timely manner. This led to the development of not only a plethora of new concepts, but also to various useful applications to such important areas as drug discovery, protection of human as well as ecological health, and chemoinformatics. Following the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003, discrete mathematical methods were applied to the “omics” data to develop descriptors relevant to bioinformatics, toxicoinformatics, and computational biology. This chapter will discuss the major milestones in the development of concepts of mathematical chemistry, mathematical proteomics as well as their important applications in chemobioinformatics with special reference to the contributions of Basak and coworkers.
MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF THE ASSIMILATORY NITRATE REDUCTASE GENE AND ITS EXPRESSION IN THE MARINE GREEN ALGA DUNALIELLA TERTIOLECTA (CHLOROPHYCEAE) 1

Nitrate is used as a nutrient for growth by many organisms through the nitrate assimilation pathway. The key enzyme involved in nitrate assimilation is nitrate reductase (NR). Transcriptional regulation of NR genes has been studied in various phototrophic eukaryotes from freshwater or terrestrial habitats. Here, we describe the first NR gene from a marine phytoplankton, the green alga Dunaliella tertiolecta Butcher. Its sequence is very similar to that of the other green algae, but its intron structure and transcriptional regulation differ significantly. A partial genomic NR gene fragment was cloned using direct PCR amplification with degenerate primers, and rapid amplification of cDNA ends was performed to obtain a complete NR gene from a cDNA of D. tertiolecta. The complete NR gene of D. tertiolecta is 2.7 kb in size and is similar at the amino acid level to the NRs from freshwater green algae Chlorella vulgaris (50.6%), Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (58.4%), and Volvox carteri (59.4%). Transcriptional regulation of D. tertiolecta NR was examined in response to different nitrogen sources and during the diel cycle. Dunaliella tertiolecta NR transcript was induced by nitrate and repressed by ammonium. In addition, transcription was not induced under nitrogen depletion. Induction of NR transcript responded to the diel cycle, and transcript levels were maximized within an hour after the beginning of the light period. The induction and repression of NR transcript were much slower than reported in freshwater green algae, which may be related to the size of internal nitrogen pools.
Variation in rDNA redundancy level and nucleolar organizer length in normal and variant lines of the Mexican axolotl.

The level of redundancy of ribosomal genes, and the relationship of this level to nucleolar formation at different stages of embryonic development, have been examined in the Mexican axolotl, Ambystoma mexicanum . Individuals from 4 inbred stocks were examined, as well as descendants from 2 nucleolar variants which, in the heterozygous condition, are distinguished by exceptionally small nucleoli. Ribosomal RNA-DNA hybridization assays show that one of the 4 wild type lines has only about one-third as much ribosomal DNA (rDNA) as the other three. One of the nucleolar variants has the same level of rDNA as the larger wild-type level; the other variant has the same amount as the smaller ribosomal genome line. Both original nucleolar variants arose as F 1 progeny of crosses between a large rDNA genome line and the small genome line. Cytological examination of pregastrula stage embryos from wild type and nucleolar variant lines show that the lengths of the nucleolar organizer regions (NOR) and the sizes of nucleoli formed, are directly correlated with the amount of rDNA present at the nucleolar locus. During gastrulation of the nucleolar variants, however, a transition appears to take place and the amount of rDNA ceases to be the determining factor in nucleolar size. After late gastrula, heterozygous progeny resulting from crosses of either large rDNA genome or small rDNA genome wild type individuals with either nucleolar variant line, have a small and a large nucleolus. The factor or factors associated with this apparent lack of competitive ability of the variant NOR, when opposed to a normal NOR, are unknown. It might be suggested that since the chromosomal alterations which produced the nucleolar variants in both cases eliminated the gene determining the dark colour pattern, they could at the same time have eliminated other genetic material.