cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Innate Immune Response Induced in Gnotobiotic Piglets by a Mixed Culture of Commensal Bacteria

Our laboratory has developed a recombined porcine-derived mixed bacterial culture (RPCF) isolated from the ceca of a healthy, pathogen-free pig and have maintained it at steady state in a continuous-flow chemostat. The culture has been shown to protect neonatal and weaned pigs from infection and disease caused by Salmonella and E. coli. However, the mechanism of action of the protection from pathogens observed with the RPCF culture remains unclear. In the present study, 40 piglets were delivered by caesarian section and reared under gnotobiotic conditions. Piglets were either given RPCF within 1 hr after birth or were given sterile media. At times 0, 8, 24, 48, and 72 hr post-birth, piglets were euthanized and samples of spleen taken. Splenic cells from individual piglets were isolated and cultured with or without concanavalin A (conA). Splenic cells from RPCF-treated piglets had increased levels of IL-1β, IFN-γ, IL-18, and IL-10 at 8 hr after birth compared to control piglets as measured by porcine cytokine ELISA. The increased levels of cytokines produced by RPCF-treated piglet splenocytes then declined over time, returning to levels observed in control pigs, or in some instances, below control levels. These results suggest that RPCF may act as a modulator for certain aspects of innate immune development.
Living and Learning with HIV/AIDS: Transformational Tales Continued:

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the nature of learning during the incorporation of HIV/AIDS into identity over time. It sought to understand participants’continued meaningmaking of their chronic illness. Interviews conducted with the same 11 participants in 1995, 1998, and 1999 composed the data set. Data were analyzed using psychological, biographical, and linguistic approaches to narrative analysis. Fourmajor findings emerged: First, the nature of learning was transformational, and the perspective transformation remained stable. Second, meaning scheme changes evident in 1998 were acted on. Third, new meaning schemes included (a) an increased appreciation for the human condition and (b) an expanded view of intimacy. Fourth, social interaction was integral to the learning process. The stability of the perspective transformation, the additional changes in meaning schemes, and the importance of social interaction in the learning process have implications for adult education.
Focal necrotizing panniculitis and vascular necrosis in rats given subcutaneous injections of cocaine hydrochloride

Subcutaneous injections of cocaine hydrochloride in sterile physiological saline were administered to rats at a dosage of 20 or 40 mg. kg -1 . Resultant skin lesions included focal areas of alopecia (within 1 to 2 days) which progressed to necrosis (within 2 to 7 days). Histologically, the skin lesions were characterized by necrotizing panniculitis and vascular necrosis, with only small numbers of inflammatory cells. The lesions may be ischemic in nature, and associated with cytotoxic properties of cocaine.
Intraarticular iliotibial band reconstruction for anterior cruciate ligament insufficiency

Intraarticular reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament by transferring the distal aspect and insertion of the iliotibial band has been clinically successful. Our surgical technique theoretically retains normal neurovascular supply, and thus, the potential for dynamic repair exists. Thirty-five patients, 28 men and 7 women, underwent this reconstruction. The average age was 24 years, with a range from 18 to 46. There were 27 chronic and 8 acute injuries. Pathological findings included an absent anterior cruciate (14 knees), severe stretching (13), failed reconstruction or repair (4), midportion tears (3), and avulsion (1). Postoperative patients were evaluated according to the Kennedy criteria. An anterior drawer of 2+ was not observed in any patient. There were no cases of 2+ rotary instability, and no pivot shifts. The possibility of a dynamic or proprioceptive repair was assessed by electromyography. While no evidence of electrical activity was recorded on the gluteus maximus on 60 normal knee examinations, all 10 tested postoperative iliotibial band patients had electrical activity. The failed results of the series showed no evidence of activity.
Critical evaluation of micrometeorological methods for measuring ecosystem-atmosphere isotopic exchange of CO2

Isotopic net ecosystem exchange (isofluxes, or flux densities of 13 CO2) can be combined with standard eddy covariance methods to partition net ecosystem exchange of carbon dioxide (F) into its component one-way fluxes, photosynthesis and respiration. At present, the approaches used to estimate isotopic fluxes are labor-intensive and dependent on several assumptions. To assess the relative utility of the available methods, we studied an ecosystem associated with large CO 2 fluxes and maximal isotopic exchange. Three independent techniques were used to measure isotopic flux densities over an irrigated alfalfa field: (1) a combination of standard eddy covariance and flask sampling; (2) the flux-gradient method; and (3) hyperbolic relaxed eddy accumulation (HREA). Consistent isotopic flux results were obtained via the three methods, with similar diurnal patterns and peak midday isotopic flux densities of 600–700 mol m −2 s −1 ‰. Air samples were collected over a wide range of CO2 mole fractions (325.3–597.5mol mol −1 ) and isotopic composition (−5.9 to −15.4‰). The relationship between isotopic composition (δ 13 C) and CO2 mole fraction was consistent among types of samples, except for HREA samples during the morning boundary layer transition. Total ecosystem respiration was estimated based on a regression against soil temperature, and the flux and isotopic flux measurements were used to examine whole-canopy photosynthetic discrimination (∆canopy) and the isotopic composition of the photosynthetic flux. ∆canopy weighted by net ecosystem exchange was 17.9‰. The isotopic content of total ecosystem respiration, soil respiration, and foliar respiration, and δ 13 C of various organic components (leaves, roots, soil organic matter) were examined and evaluated relative to ∆canopy. The δ 13 C of organic components does not appear to be a good predictor of δ 13 C of ecosystem CO2 fluxes.
Floodwater exposure and the related health symptoms among firefighters in New Orleans, Louisiana 2005.

BACKGROUND: Concerns over increased reports of physical health symptoms thought to be related to floodwater exposure among New Orleans firefighters prompted a health hazard evaluation of firefighters following Hurricane Katrina. METHODS: A questionnaire assessing health symptoms possibly related to the response to Hurricane Katrina was administered to all New Orleans Fire Department (NOFD) personnel within 3 months of the disaster. Descriptive statistics were compiled and prevalence ratios (PR) were estimated for covariates using generalized linear models with Log link and Poisson distribution. RESULTS: Of the 525 firefighters who completed the questionnaire (77% participation), 201 (38%) reported one or more new-onset respiratory symptoms, such as sinus congestion (145 [28%]), throat irritation (92 [17%]), and cough (124 [24%]). Skin rash was reported by 258 (49%) of respondents, 414 (79%) reported skin contact with floodwater, and 165 (32%) reported contact with floodwater on multiple days. In multivariate analyses adjusting for age, gender, and smoking, firefighters who had floodwater contact with skin and either nose/mouth or eyes (224, 44%) had an increased rate of new-onset upper respiratory symptoms (PR = 1.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1, 3.1), and skin rash (PR = 2.1; 95% CI, 1.4, 3.2) compared to those not exposed to the floodwater. CONCLUSIONS: Response workers involved with floodwater should minimize direct skin and mucosal contact with floodwater if possible through the use of appropriate personal protective equipment, such as goggles, safety glasses with side shields, or full-face shields. Language: en
Interference of Carbamazepine and Carbamazepine 10,11-Epoxide in the Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay for Tricyclic Antidepressants

We evaluated effects of carbamazepine and its metabolite, carbamazepine 10,11-epoxide, on the measurement of tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) concentrations in serum using the fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA). We determined apparent TCA concentrations in 30 patients who were receiving carbamazepine but no TCAs. Carbamazepine concentrations ranged from 1.4 to 20.9 μg/mL (5.9–88.4 μmol/L); the observed apparent TCA concentrations ranged from 31.8 to 130.1 ng/mL (113.4–463.9 μmol/L). When aliquots of the drug-free serum pool were supplemented with known concentrations of carbamazepine or its metabolite, we observed significant apparent TCA concentrations using the FPIA; however, interference of carbamazepine was more than 3-fold more than its metabolite. When serum pools prepared from patients receiving TCA but no anticonvulsant medications were supplemented with known amounts of carbamazepine or its metabolite, we observed falsely elevated TCA concentrations. We formulated an equation to calculate the apparent TCA concentration from known carbamazepine concentrations. If carbamazepine and TCAs are present in a specimen, the true TCA concentration can be estimated by subtracting the calculated TCA concentration (due to carbamazepine) from the observed TCA concentration as measured by the TCA FPIA. This mathematical modeling is feasible because TCAs, even at very high concentrations, showed no interference with the carbamazepine FPIA.
Synthesis of photoactive ZnSnP2 semiconductor nanowires

Single-phase crystalline ZnSnP2 nanowires have been prepared via simple chemical vapor deposition method using powdered Zn and SnP3 as the precursors in a custom-built tube furnace reactor. The sublimed precursors were allowed to react with thermally evaporated Sn nanoparticles to yield ZnSnP2 nanowire films over areas of 40 mm2. The cumulative observations suggest that the Sn nanoparticles served both as the growth seed and main contributor of Sn. Prolonged growth time favored formation of Zn3P2 nanowires when the Sn supply was exhausted. For optimal growth conditions, surface and bulk elemental analyses showed homogenous elemental distribution of Zn, Sn, and P, with chemical composition close to 1:1:2 stoichiometry. Powder x-ray diffraction data and Raman scattering of the nanowire films along with single-nanowire analysis using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy indicated that the as-prepared ZnSnP2 nanowires possessed a sphalerite crystal structure, as opposed to the antisite defect-free chalcopyrite structure. Photoelectrochemical measurements in aqueous electrolyte showed that the as-prepared ZnSnP2 nanowires are capable of sustaining stable cathodic photoresponse under white light illumination. Overall, this study presented a benign and straightforward approach to prepare single-phase Zn-based phosphide nanowires suitable for energy conversion applications.
Inflammation induced by concanavalin A and other lectins.

SummaryHighly purified concanavalin A and other lectins injected in small amounts into the footpads of mice and rats induce an an intense and reproducible edema. Con A is eliminated from the site of injection at a slow rate, which may explain the prolonged nature of the inflammatory response it induces. Some advantages of the use of concanavalin A for the induction of experimental inflammation are discussed.
Inverse Masking for Scene-specific Beam Projection

Inverse masking allows for scene-specific beam shaping based on discriminators within the initial image. Experimental work to detect an image, encode phase on a spatial modulator, and illuminate specific regions in a scene are performed.
Biochemical Identification with API and Analysis of 16s-23S rDNA IGS of 1 Strain of pathogenicbacteria

[Objective]To establish the method of identification of pathogenic bacteria using molecular biology methods under the situation of that the result of biochemical identification is not accurate.[Methods]After the morphological observation and the oxidase test,the bacteria isolated was identified with API20E,then 16s-23S rDNA intergenic spacer(IGS) with the bacteria-specific primers was PCR-amplified and sequenced. The properties of fragment were checked by BLAST online software system for homology check.[Results]The result of API20E biochemical identification showed that the pathogenic bacteria might be Vibrio fluvialis. While the analysis result by BLAST indicated it was Aeromonas hydrophila(GenBank accession No:FJ013143).[Conclusion]The traditional phenotypic classification of bacteria has gradually combined with various genotype classification and identification of pathogens. It's an effective way to combine these 2 methods for practical work.
Dynamics of nonlinear scattering in carbon black suspensions

Passive optical limiting can be illustrated in a variety of architectures where one can efficiently exploit self-induced nonlinearities in different materials. Some of the well-known self-induced effects that provide passive optical limiting are self-focusing,1 self-defocusing,2 and two-photon absorption.2 Here, we analyze the fluence dependent nonlinear scattering process in carbon black suspensions in liquids (CBS), which we previously showed is the dominant mechanism leading to optical limiting in CBS.4
Forgetting, Learning, and Living: How Education Makes a Difference Even Though We Forget Most of What We Learn

Teaching is an ancient activity so thickly encrusted with multiple layers of history and conventions and narratives that it is difficult to see it with fresh eyes. American culture is awash in stories and stereotypes about schooling that range across personal anecdotes, TV programs, movies, and common stereotypes. References to these stories and stereotypes can and do pop up in nearly any venue or conversation. All of us are familiar with such images as the absent-minded humanities professor who mismatches his socks and never combs his hair, the nerdy science professor who burns acid holes in his neckties, the mean teachers, the prudes, the cool guys, the scary smart aristocratic types with a talent for humiliating students, or, finally, the sensitive teachers who (especially when played by glamorous, attractive actors) inspire their students to overcome unwanted pregnancies, abusive families, dirt-floor poverty, and school systems that have already counted them out. Our culture is so saturated with such myths, narratives, images, and stereotypes that it is difficult for real life teachers and real life students to see and own their own educational experiences.
Rousseau’s Rejuvenation of Political Philosophy: A New Introduction

This post includes the table of contents and introductory chapter of a new book on the political philosophy of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. The book reads Rousseau with a view toward deepening our understanding of many political issues alive today, including the place of women in society, the viability of traditional family structures, the role of religion and religious freedom in nations that are becoming ever more secular, and the proper conduct of American constitutional government.Rousseau has been among the most influential modern philosophers, and among the most misunderstood. The first great philosophic critic of the Enlightenment, he sought to revive political philosophy as it was practiced by Plato, and to make it useful in the modern world. His understanding of politics rests on deep and often prescient reflections about the nature of the human soul and the relationship between our animal origins and the achievements of civilization. This book demonstrates that the implications Rousseau drew from those reflections continue to deserve serious attention.
Redox reactivity predicts metastatic potential of human breast cells via protein kinase Cα

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 45, 2004 5021 BP1 is a member of the homeobox gene superfamily of transcription factors that are essential for early development. Our recent studies, however, have revealed that the BP1 gene is activated in the tumor cells of 80% of breast infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC), whereas it is silent in the adjacent normal cells and in a vast majority of normal matched controls (Fu et al. Breast Cancer Research 5:82-87, 2003). This study attempted to confirm those results using an immunohistochemical approach. BP1 levels were examined during tumor progression to determine whether the expression of the BP1 protein increases with the advance of hypothesized stages of tumor progression (normal→hyperplasia→in situ→invasive and metastasis), and whether cells among cancer subtypes share a similar pattern of BP1 expression. Paraffin sections of reduction mammoplasties (n=34), regular intraductal hyperplasia (IDH, n=40), and multiple histological varieties of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and IDC (n=200) were immunostained with a BP1 polyclonal antibody utilizing the ABC method. The frequency and pattern of BP1 immunostaining among cases and among cells were semi-quantitatively compared. Greater than 95% of the cells in normal reduction mammoplasty controls were devoid of distinct BP1 immunostaining, whereas BP1 immunostaining was detected in approximately 33% of IDH, 50% of DCIS, and 80% of IDC cases. The number of BP1 immunoreactive cells per sample varied substantially between IDH and DCIS. In IDH and DCIS, about 5% to 30% of the cells were immunoreactive, respectively, whereas a vast majority of the IDC cells showed distinct BP1 immunostaining. In tissues containing simultaneous normal, IDH, DCIS, and IDC, the invasive cells consistently displayed the highest intensity of BP1 staining, followed by in situ tumor cells. The overall pattern of BP1 expression among the different breast cancer subtypes was similar, except that distinct BP1 immunostaining was preferentially detected in a subset of myoepithelial cells in pregnancy-associated cancers. Together, these findings suggest that BP1 expression is closely associated with tumor progression.
Transport processes by localized corrosion in steam generator crevices

Steam generator (SG) corrosion is one of the major problems associated with operating Pressurized Water Nuclear Reactors. Among other factors, corrosion is due to the degradation and concentration of impurities in the tube/support plate and tube/tube sheet crevices. The conditions under which it is possible to neglect the change of the saturation of the liquid in SG crevices were obtained. It has been shown that in the entry region of the SG crevices the liquid velocity can be described by a linear function. The calculations show that the species concentrations and the potential reach quasi-asymptotic limits throughout the cavity; the limits are determined by the available superheat. After the attainment of these limits, a constant crevice corrosion rate is predicted. The condition was determined whereby the transport processes in the external environment determine the corrosion current density in the crevice. Due to the low value of conductivity and a relatively large crevice width assumed in the calculations, this condition can actually be fulfilled, if the cathodic processes in the crevice do not essentially reduce the current, which flows out of the crevice.
A Ka-band (26 GHz) circularly polarized 2×2 microstrip patch sub-array with compact feed

A Ka-Band (26 GHz) 2×2 sub-array with square-shaped microstrip patch antenna elements having two truncated corners for circular polarization (CP) is presented. In addition, the layout for a new compact microstrip feed network for the sub-array is also presented The compact feed network offers a footprint size reduction of near 60% over traditional sub-array at 26 GHz. Experimental data indicates that a truncation amount a = 0.741 mm for an isolated patch element results in a return loss (S11) of −35 dB at 26.3 GHz Furthermore, the measured S11 for the proof-of-concept sub-array with the above elements is better than −10.0 dB at 27.7 GHz. However, the impedance match and the operating frequency can be fine-tuned to 26 GHz by adjusting the feed network dimensions. Lastly, good agreement is observed between the measured and simulated S11 for the sub-array for both right hand and left hand CP. The goal of this effort is utilize the above sub-array as a building block for a larger NxN element array, which would serve as a feed for a reflector antenna for satellite communications.
Precedence Pattern Permutations Creating Criticality Constellations: Exploring a Conjecture on Non-linear Activities with Continuous Links

Abstract The inaugural challenge of the 2016 Creative Construction Conference has posed two related questions on how many possible criticality constellations with different behavior for delays and acceleration exist and how said constellations can occur for non-linearly and monotonously progressing activities that have continuous relations. This paper systematically solves these questions by performing a thorough literature review, assembling theoretical foundations for link constellations, performing a computer simulation of all possible permutations, and providing a mathematical proof by contradiction. It is found that (for the initially assumed self-contained activities in a network schedule that exhibit only a linearly growing production) the three newly hypothesized criticality constellations cannot exist. Non-linear activity constellations with diverging or converging relative productivities are examined next. Lags in networks become buffers in linear schedules. It is found that a non-linear curvature of the progress may induce middle-to-middle relations besides those between starts and finishes. If multiple curvatures are allowed, then partial segments can form relations, which increases the number of criticality constellations.
Imaging for Thyroid Nodules

This chapter focuses on the use of imaging in thyroid nodules, particularly focusing on the use of ultrasound in thyroid nodule imaging. Sonographic patterns of thyroid nodules as well as a newly published lexicon for thyroid ultrasound will be reviewed. The increasing use of various Thyroid Imaging Reporting And Data System (TI-RADS) classification and stratification structures will also be explored.
Environmental cues influence parental brood structure decisions in the burying beetle Nicrophorus marginatus

Parents evaluate multiple extrinsic and intrinsic cues when making decisions associated with reproduction. These decisions often reflect classic trade-offs between the cost of a strategy and its perceived fitness payoff. Life history theory predicts that when parents experience austere conditions, reproductive success is increased by producing fewer but larger offspring with a competitive advantage in this environment. Conversely, parents experiencing favorable conditions are expected to increase current reproductive success by favoring quantity over quality of offspring. We tested the predictions of life history theory using Nicrophorus marginatus (Coleoptera: Silphidae), a burying beetle species that exhibits infanticide during biparental care and hypervariable adult size across populations, by employing a factorial design that manipulated density and nutritional quality of food. We measured (1) the average number of offspring produced, (2) the average individual size of offspring, and (3) the sex ratio of the offspring. We found no effect of density or food quality on offspring sex ratio, but mean offspring size and number differed between low and high-density treatments. Nutritional environment interacted with density effects such that parents with access to high quality diets were able to modulate offspring size and number to match the perceived competitive environment, whereas those in poor nutritional condition appeared to exhibit physiological constraints to producing optimal brood structures.
The use of OH* and CH* as heat release markers in combustion dynamics:

The study examines chemiluminescence measurements and computations as a method of validation. Because chemiluminescent radicals are present in small concentrations and associated timescales are als...
Rationale and Overview

Cancer survival has been steadily improving over the last few decades [1]. This improvement correlates with earlier cancer detection, improved diagnosis and staging, better surgical and medical options for treatment, and better supportive care [2]. The advances in cancer treatment and survival have led to more patients requiring intensive care to manage critical illnesses that are either directly or indirectly related cancer. Acute respiratory failure (ARF) requiring mechanical ventilation (MV) is one of the most common causes of intensive care unit (ICU) admission in this patient population. Previous studies have reported mortality exceeding 80–90% and most clinicians and some professional societies recommended against initiating MV in critically ill cancer patients [3]. However, with improvement in ICU care, better diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, and improved ventilatory strategies, the prognosis of these patients has improved in the last two decades. This report provides the rationale of MV in critically ill patients with cancer providing an overview of epidemiology and indications and goals of MV. Also, the main modes of ventilations, complications, and supportive measures during this therapy are presented. Since a significant percentage of critically ill patients with cancer who require MV continue to have high mortality, the predictors of outcome are discussed. We also provide an overview of the role of noninvasive ventilation in this patient population.
Circadian clock activity of cryptochrome relies on tryptophan-mediated photoreduction

Cryptochromes (CRYs) entrain the circadian clocks of plants and animals to light. Irradiation of the Drosophila cryptochrome (dCRY) causes reduction of an oxidized flavin cofactor by a chain of conserved tryptophan (Trp) residues. However, it is unclear how redox chemistry within the Trp chain couples to dCRY-mediated signaling. Here, we show that substitutions of four key Trp residues to redox-active tyrosine and redox-inactive phenylalanine tune the light sensitivity of dCRY photoreduction, conformational activation, cellular stability, and targeted degradation of the clock protein timeless (TIM). An essential surface Trp gates electron flow into the flavin cofactor, but can be relocated for enhanced photoactivation. Differential effects of Trp-mediated flavin photoreduction on cellular turnover of TIM and dCRY indicate that these activities are separated in time and space. Overall, the dCRY Trp chain has evolutionary importance for light sensing, and its manipulation has implications for optogenetic applications of CRYs.
Scalable Mining and Analysis of Protein-Protein Interaction Networks

Protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks are the networks of protein complexes formed by biochemical events and electrostatic forces. PPI networks can be used to study diseases and discover drugs. The causes of diseases are evident on a protein interaction level. For instance, an elevation of interaction edge weights of oncogenes is manifested in cancers. Further, the majority of approved drugs target a particular PPI, and thus studying PPI networks is vital to drug discovery. The availability of large datasets and need for efficient analysis necessitate the design of scalable methods leveraging modern high-performance computing (HPC) platforms. In this paper, we design a lightweight framework on a distributed-memory parallel system, which includes scalable algorithmic and analytic techniques to study PPI networks and visualize them. Our study of PPIs is based on network-centric mining and analysis approaches. Since PPI networks are signed (labeled) and weighted, many existing network mining methods working on simple unweighted networks are unsuitable to study PPIs. Further, the large volume and variety of such data limit the use of sequential tools or methods. Many existing tools also do not support a convenient workflow starting from automated data preprocessing to visualizing results and reports for efficient extraction of intelligence from large-scale PPI networks. Our framework supports automated analytics based on a large range of extensible methods for extracting signed motifs, computing centrality, and finding functional units. We design MPI (Message Passing Interface) based parallel methods and workflow, which scale to large networks. The framework is also extensible and sufficiently generic.
Improving Automation Transparency: Addressing Some of Machine Learning’s Unique Challenges

A variety of factors can affect one’s reliance on an automated aid. Some of these factors include one’s perception of the system’s trustworthiness, such as perceived reliability of the system or one’s ability to understand the system’s underlying reasoning. A mismatch between the operator’s perception and the true capabilities and characteristics of the system can lead to inappropriate reliance on the tool. This improper use of the system can manifest as either underutilization of the technology or complacency resulting from over-trusting the system. Increasing an automated tool’s transparency is one approach that enables the operator to more appropriately rely on the technology. Transparent automated systems provide additional information that allows the user to see the system’s intent and understand its underlying processes and capabilities. Several researchers have developed frameworks to support the design of more transparent automation. However, these frameworks may not fully consider the particular challenges to transparency design introduced by automation that leverages machine learning. Like all automation, these systems can benefit from transparency. However, artificial intelligence poses new challenges that must be considered when designing for transparency. Unique considerations must be made in terms of the type, and amount or level of transparency information conveyed to the user.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Cardiovascular Diseases: A Cohort Study of Men and Women Involved in Cleaning the Debris of the World Trade Center Complex.

Background: We sought to determine whether post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a risk factor for myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke, beyond the expected effects from recognized cardiovascul...
The insect chorion: programmed expression of specific genes during differentiation.

The essence of differentiation is differential gene expression. Different cell types in a multicellular organism are different in that they express different sets of genes—muscle cells the battery of genes coding for muscle proteins, pancreatic cells the battery of genes coding for digestive enzymes, etc. Gene expression is usually monitored by the rate of synthesis of the corresponding protein, although other indices may also be used (e.g., rate of specific mRNA synthesis, accumulation of specific mRNA or protein, etc.). The differential gene expression which marks development has the following distinctive features.
Forecasting and Assessing the Large-Scale and Long-Term Impacts of Global Environmental Change on Terrestrial Ecosystems in the United States and China

The Earth’s terrestrial ecosystems have experienced a complex set of global changes, occurring on large spatial-temporal scales and interactively affecting individual organisms and ecological systems, most of which are not amenable to direct experimentation. To understand, predict, and assess the large-scale and long-term impacts of global changes on the Earth’s terrestrial ecosystems, we need such a new approach for extrapolating the growth of plants, animals, or ecosystems into the future when climate, CO2, and other factors may be different, and extrapolating individual plant or site studies onto a regional or global scale. In this chapter, we present such a newly developed approach called the Regional Integration System for Earth’s ecosystem (RISE), which builds upon improved knowledge of the fundamental mechanisms of ecological systems, and supported by rapidly developing technology from high-speed computer systems to high-resolution remote sensing sources with global coverage. Then we apply the RISE to address our common understanding of perhaps the most important issue facing humankind in the twenty-first century, our disruption of the global carbon cycle. We use two case studies to illustrate the overall merits and applications of the RISE in terrestrial ecosystem research. In the first case study, the RISE has been used to predict and assess the impacts of global change on net primary productivity and ecosystem carbon storage in southeastern U.S. under current climatic conditions and future climate scenarios. In the second case study, we have used the RISE to assess changes in ecosystem carbon storage and fluxes induced by multiple environmental stresses including climate variability/change, land-use and land-cover change, elevated carbon dioxide, and air pollution in China.
Streaming in Lattices

Pioneering work on the diffusion of neutrons through heterogeneous media was published by Behrens (1) in 1949, and thus, some of the methods that are used today to deal with neutron streaming processes already have been evolving for 30 years. In those 30 years, streaming computational techniques, jointly with a body of underlying theory, have been developed with great vigor. As one might expect, perhaps, this vigorous development has been somewhat chaotic. In the literature on neutron streaming, many authors have formulated many definitions of homogenized diffusion coefficients and interrelations among these coefficients so far have not been thoroughly explored. Not infrequently, in fact, definitions that seem to be totally different have turned out to be equivalent. Under such conditions, a coherent and complete review of streaming computational techniques of streaming computational techniques seems not yet feasible; and it is by no means our intention here to attempt such a review. Instead, we shall focus our attention on just a few areas in which current research has been particularly active. For the sake of coherence, many methods and some important problems will be passed over without comment. Since we shall be forced to omit so much, it seems appropriate, at this point, to tell the reader just how we have limited the scope of our discussions.
Ten Reasons to Start Contracts with 'Hairy Hand'

Most teachers of Contracts begin with Offer & Acceptance. This brief opinion piece advocates starting with Remedies, instead, and specifically with Hawkins v. McGee (1929), the classic "case of the hairy hand."
Introduction: The Statement of Loewner’s Theorem

Most of this monograph will consider finite matrices, but since we will be interested in positivity defined in terms of a (Euclidean) inner product, we make definitions in a general context.
Valorizing Trump’s Masculine Self: Constructing Political Allegiance during the 2016 Presidential Election:

Presidential candidates’ gendered self-presentations may help secure political support, but a ‘gendered self’ is a construct grounded in an audience’s interpretation as much as it is in a politicia...
A Cautionary Note on Microcredentialing in Entrepreneurship Education

A recent trend in entrepreneurship education has been the emergence of microcredentials. This note provides some cautionary thoughts on the current state of microcredentials in entrepreneurship and...
Occlusal Splints and Periodontal/Implant Therapy.

Background Occlusal trauma, defined as an injury to the tooth or implant supporting tissues, is a resultant of parafunctional habits such as bruxism. It has been shown to accelerate periodontal breakdown and also contribute to implant complications, thereby adversely affecting the long-term success of periodontal and implant therapy. This review aims to discuss the effects of bruxism on periodontal and implant treatment. In addition, the effectiveness of occlusal splints to manage bruxism will be examined. Methods An electronic literature search using PubMed and Scopus databases and a manual search for relevant papers published in English from January 1965 up to August 2017 was performed.. Results An occlusal splint appears to be effective in reducing symptoms related to temporomandibular disorder and bruxism. However, high quality evidence is severely lacking to support its use. Therefore, as it is a non-invasive and reversible therapy, its use in patients with bruxism is proposed. Conclusions Therefore, as it is a non-invasive and reversible therapy, occlusal splint use in patients with bruxism is proposed.
Five-Year Glycemic Trajectories Among Healthy African-American and European-American Offspring of Parents With Type 2 Diabetes.

ABSTRACT Background Cross-sectional surveys report a higher prevalence of diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in African Americans (AA) than European Americans (EA). We studied 5-year glycemic excursions among AA and EA in the Pathobiology of Prediabetes in A Biracial Cohort study, to assess ethnic disparities. Materials and Methods Pathobiology of Prediabetes in A Biracial Cohort followed normoglycemic offspring of parents with T2DM for 5 years, with serial assessments of oral glucose tolerance test , anthropometry, body fat, insulin sensitivity and beta-cell function. The primary outcome was progression to prediabetes (impaired fasting glucose and/or impaired glucose tolerance). We further analyzed 5-year changes in fasting (FPG) and 2-hour plasma glucose (2hrPG). Results One hundred and one (52 AA, 49 EA) out of 343 subjects developed prediabetes during follow-up. The change in FPG ranged from −24 mg/dl to +38 mg/dl. The FPG remained stable (± 5 mg/dl from baseline) in 50% of EA and 46.8% of AA and the 2hrPG remained stable (± 25 mg/dl from baseline) in 73.7% of EA and 71.0 % of AA during follow-up. The proportions with change in FPG of 5mg/dl to >25 mg/dl and 2hrPG of 25 mg/dl to >50 mg/dl were similar in EA and AA offspring, as were the 10th - 90th percentiles of the distribution of 5-year changes in FPG and 2hrPG. Conclusions During 5 years of follow-up, black and white offspring of parents with T2DM exhibited remarkable phenotypic concordance of glycemic trajectories. Thus, parental history of T2DM may be a stronger factor than race/ethnicity in the prediction of longitudinal glycemic trends.
How Much of Corporate-Treasury Yield Spread Is Due to Credit Risk?: A New Calibration Approach

No consensus has yet emerged from the existing credit risk literature on how much of the observed corporate-Treasury yield spreads can be explained by credit risk. In this paper, we propose a new calibration approach based on historical default data and show that one can indeed obtain consistent estimate of the credit spread across many different economic considerations within the structural framework of credit risk valuation. We find that credit risk accounts for only a small fraction of the observed corporate-Treasury yield spreads for investment grade bonds of all maturities, with the fraction smaller for bonds of shorter maturities; and that it accounts for a much higher fraction of yield spreads for junk bonds. We obtain these results by calibrating each of the models - both existing and new ones - to be consistent with data on historical default loss experience. Different structural models, which in theory can still generate a very large range of credit spreads, are shown to predict fairly similar credit spreads under empirically reasonable parameter choices, resulting in the robustness of our conclusion.
Heterogeneity of Antiviral Responses in the Upper Respiratory Tract Mediates Differential Non-lytic Clearance of Influenza Viruses

Influenza viruses initiate infection in the upper respiratory tract (URT), but early viral tropism and the importance of cell-type-specific antiviral responses in this tissue remain incompletely understood. By infecting transgenic lox-stop-lox reporter mice with a Cre-recombinase-expressing influenza B virus, we identify olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) as a major viral cell target in the URT. These cells become infected, then eliminate the virus and survive in the host post-resolution of infection. OSN responses to infection are characterized by a strong induction of interferon-stimulated genes and more rapid clearance of viral protein relative to other cells in the epithelium. We speculate that this cell-type-specific response likely serves to protect the central nervous system from infection. More broadly, these results highlight the importance of evaluating antiviral responses across different cell types, even those within the same tissue, to more fully understand the mechanisms of viral disease.
Inner Terror and Outward Hate: The Effects of Mortality Salience on Bias Motivated Attacks

In 2008, a year that an African American man was elected President of the United States, and same sex unions were temporarily legalized in California and recognized in New York, reminders of intolerance and prejudice remained strong. Immediately following the election of Barack Obama, there was a surge in bias motivated attacks across the country, with derogating and intimidating remarks delivered by adults and even children as young as second-graders (Associated Press 2008). Further, shortly after the same sex unions were legalized in California, a majority of California voters supported “Proposition 8,” restricting the definition of marriage to that of a union between a man and a woman. In addition, during the previous year, nooses were displayed in various locations throughout the country such as on school grounds in Jena, Louisiana and on college campuses including the University of Maryland and Columbia University (Associated Press 2007). In addition, on February 12, 2008, in Oxnard California, an eighth-grader, 15-year old Lawrence King, was shot in the head and killed by a fellow student, 14-year old, Brandon McInerney. Apparently King, who often dressed in a feminine manner, had asked McInerney to be his valentine the day earlier (Newsweek 2008). These types of bias motivated attacks as well as others that have previously captured the nation’s attention reveal the darker side of humanity. Although basic cognitive processes that cause individuals to classify others as either ingroup or outgroup members are likely relevant in such attacks, basic categorization on its own may not be sufficient to unleash the anger that is sometimes apparent in hate crimes, such as that of the King murder. As a result, these crimes require additional psychological explanations to help us more clearly understand the underlying motivations that produce such behaviors. This chapter will explore a variety of social psychological theories that have been used to explain prejudicial attitudes and behavior that foster bias motivated crimes, with a particular focus on Terror Management Theory.
Characterization of the reflectivity of various black and white materials

We report on an expanded catalog of total reflectance measurements of various common (and uncommon) materials used in the construction and/or baffling of optical systems. Total reflectance is measured over a broad wavelength range (250 nm < λ <2500 nm) that is applicable to ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared instrumentation.
Differences in quality of movements made with body-powered and myoelectric prostheses during activities of daily living.

Abstract Background Upper limb prostheses likely do not enable movements having the same kinematic characteristics as anatomical limbs. The quality of movements made using body-powered and myoelectric prostheses may further differ based on the availability of sensory feedback and method of terminal device actuation. The purpose of this work was to compare the quality of movements made with body-powered and myoelectric prostheses during activities of daily living. Methods Nine transradial body-powered and/or myoelectric prosthesis users and nine controls without limb loss performed six activities of daily living. Movement quality, defined as duration, straightness, and smoothness, for the reaching and manipulation phases was compared between prostheses, as well as prostheses and anatomical limbs. Findings The quality of reaching movements were generally similar between prostheses. However, movements with body-powered prostheses were slower (P = 0.007) and less smooth (P Interpretation Differences in the quality of movements made with body-powered and myoelectric prostheses primarily occur during object manipulation, rather than reaching. These differences do not exist for all tasks, suggesting that neither prosthesis type offers an absolute advantage in terms of movement quality.
Compressed Sensing Σ-Δ Modulators and Recovery Algorithm for Multi-Channel Bio-Signal Acquisition

Compressed sensing (CS) is a sampling scheme that exploits signal sparsity to reduce the digitizing rate and thus improve analog-to-digital converter (ADC) power efficiency. By decoupling the analog signal frequency and digitizing rate, the ADC sampling rate is determined by the information rate rather than the maximum signal frequency. Herein we propose a compressed sensing scheme for multi-channel bio-signal recording based on sigma-delta modulation (SDM). The dot products between the signal and measuring vectors are realized by the inherent integration of the SDM with relieved saturation concern. Compared to other CS scheme, front-end based on CS SDM scales better with continuing advances in CMOS technology. A sparse sensing matrix and modified recovery algorithm that exploits similar sparse signatures across multiple channels improve both chip area efficiency and signal recovery accuracy. Detailed analyses are validated by extensive simulation results.