cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hydroporphyrins in Fluorescence In Vivo Imaging

Over the last several years significant progress has been made on the development of near infrared (near-IR) organic, inorganic, and nanomaterial fluorophores for diagnostic and therapeutic applications (Ptaszek M, Prog Mol Biol Transl Sci 113:59–108, 2013; Chernov KG, Redchuk TA, Omelina ES, Verkusha VV, Chem Rev 117:6423–6446, 2017; Chen G, Qiu H, Prasad PN, Chen X, Chem Rev 114:5161–5214, 2014; Dong H, Du S-R, Zheng X-Y, Lyu G-M, Sun L-D, Li L-D, Zhang P-Z, Zhang C, Yan C-H, Chem Rev 115:10725–10815, 2015; Smith BR, Gambhir SS, Chem Rev 117:901–986, 2017; Xu G, Zeng S, Zzhang B, Swihart MT, Yong K-T, Prasad P, Chem Rev 117:901–986, 2017; Zhou J, Yang Y, Zhang C-y, Chem Rev 115:11669–11717, 2015; Hong G, Diao S, Antaris AL, Dai H, Chem Rev 117:6423–6446, 2017) .Among them, hydroporphyrins have emerged as a class of photonic agents, with a set of unique properties, which may expand the frontiers of fluorescence medicinal imaging. This article discusses basic optical and photochemical properties of hydroporphyrins, reviews their applications as contrast agents for in vivo fluorescence imaging, and highlights recent advances in the development of hydroporphyrin energy transfer arrays with potential applications in fluorescence imaging.
Molecular Pathology of Hematological Malignancies

Hematological malignancies are a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by malignant expansion of hematopoietic cells. Our knowledge of the molecular etiology of these diseases has advanced significantly in recent years, and our understanding of the genetics of these disorders is among the most comprehensive of all tumors. Increasingly, this understanding of the molecular underpinnings of hematological malignancies is leading to development of classification systems that are based on demonstration of cytogenetic or molecular abnormalities, or on the pattern of genes expressed in these tumors. This represents a significant departure from older classification schemes.
Thinking About Criminal Justice

The term criminal justice refers to state-imposed punishment for violation of its laws. It has a distant connection to lex talionis, the eye for eye framework of grievance-redress endorsed in the Torah. Lex talionis is a code of retaliation, however. Criminal justice differs from it in two respects. First, under a just system of state-imposed punishment, sanctions may be imposed only for culpable conduct: proof that an injury occurred is neither a necessary nor a sufficient condition for imposing punishment. Second, just punishment may be imposed only by an impartial judge; lex talionis doesn’t require this. Given these preconditions, impartial deliberators would call on government to serve as a surrogate on behalf of its citizens. Government’s role is to vindicate rights by imposing punishment only on those who have maliciously interfered with the security rights of others.
Determinants of structural segregation and patterning in the human cortex

Abstract This study aimed at uncovering mechanisms that govern the spatio-temporal patterning of the human cortex and its structural variability, and drawing links between fetal brain development and variability in adult brains. A data-driven analytic approach based on structural MR images revealed the following findings: (1) The cortical surface can be subdivided into 13 independent regions (“communities”) based on macroscopic features. (2) Thirty centers of low inter-subject variability were found in major sulci on the cortical surface. Their variability showed a strong positive correlation with the known time points at which they appear in fetal development. Centers forming early induce a higher inter-subject regularity in a larger local vicinity, while those forming later result in smaller regions of higher variability. (3) The layout of sulcal and gyral patterns within a community is governed typically by two centers. Depending on the relative variability of each center, communities can be classified into structural sub-types. (4) Sub-types across ipsi-lateral communities are independent, but associated with the sub-type of the same community on the contra-lateral side. Results shown here integrate well with current knowledge about macroscopic, microscopic, and genetic determinants of brain development.
Landscape Architects as Related to the Landscape/Nursery Industry: II. Selection of the Production Nursery and Plant Availability

Abstract Information concerning the role of the landscape architect in verifying plant availability and selection of the production nursery where landscape contractors obtain plants can help growers develop effective marketing plans. A survey of Georgia landscape architects indicates that about 84% of the respondents confirm availability of plant material specified. A higher percentage of large firms (about 92%) confirm availability compared to medium (85.7%) and small (79.3%) firms. The three most frequently used sources of information for landscape architects to confirm plant availability are favorite local grower, nursery catalogs, and landscape contractor likely to install plants. The top three choices are the same regardless of firm size. Survey results demonstrate that landscape architects not only confirm availability of plants but also play an important role in selecting the production nursery where landscape contractors obtain plants. Approximately 61% of all respondents indicate they determine/r...
Whither growth? International development, social indicators, and the politics of measurement, 1920s–1970s

Few concepts in the history of twentieth-century history proved as important as economic growth. Scholars such as Charles Maier, Robert Collins, and Timothy Mitchell have analysed how the notion that an entity called ‘the economy’ (defined by metrics such as Gross National Product, or GNP) could be made to grow came to define economic thought and policy worldwide. Yet there has been far less attention paid to the fact that neither growth nor GNP went without challenge during their emergence and global diffusion. This article focuses on one set of growth critics: those who advocated for ‘social indicators’ in international development policy during the 1960s and 1970s. It advances three overlapping arguments: that advocates for social indicators harkened back to early twentieth-century transnational efforts to make workers’ ‘standard of living’ the primary statistical framework for policy-makers; that, while supporters of social indicators expressed frustration with technocratic governance, their reform efforts nevertheless represented technocratic critiques of modernity; and finally, that one of the major reform efforts, Morris David Morris’s advocacy on behalf of the ‘Physical Quality of Life Index’ (PQLI), as an alternative measure of national wellbeing, ultimately struggled to challenge the GNP growth paradigm, and yet proved influential in spawning subsequent research into new measures and approaches to development.
Tribal Technology Assessment: The State of Internet Service on Tribal Lands

Access to high-speed Internet service has become an essential component to the nation’s economy, education, and healthcare. However, federal data continues to show tribal lands are the least connected areas of the country. AIPI launched a survey to collect information from residents of tribal reservations to determine what levels of Internet access they had and what types of devices they using to access it. The study also identified potential barriers to access, such as the lack of availability or its unaffordability for residents to purchase. Our survey found that residents on tribal lands are predominantly using smart phones to access the internet, while many are also accessing it through public Wi-Fi or at a friend/relative’s house. However, the data should not be interpreted or used to defend “mobile only” as the singular solution to providing internet service. In this study 50% of respondents stated that their internet use was limited because they did not have enough data in their cell phone plan. Further research is needed to ascertain if there are specific limitations of mobile use in certain situations, such as the reliability or preference of using mobile over hardline connections for certain activities.
How STEM Academy Teachers Conceptualize and Implement STEM Education

STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education has been gaining increasing nationwide attention. While the STEM movement has ambitious goals for k-12 education, a lack of shared understanding exists of what STEM is as well as how to implement STEM in the elementary classroom. This study investigates how seven elementary teachers in three STEM academy schools conceptualize and implement STEM in their classrooms. Teacher interviews were conducted. The findings reveal that the majority of teachers believe that STEM education involves integrating STEM subject areas. STEM activities consisted of student-led research and reading activities on STEM topics. Two teachers described STEM as involving “hands-on” science activities. Teachers at each STEM academy school conceptualized and implemented STEM differently. How STEM was implemented at each school was based on how teachers interpreted STEM and the resources they had access to. The STEM coaches played a central role in supporting the elementary teachers to plan and implement lessons. Teachers relied on them for ideas to plan and teach STEM lessons. The results of this study indicate that as more schools embrace the STEM movement, a unified understanding and resources are needed to support teachers.
When is epidemiological research a helpful response to industrial contamination

Epidemiologic research is intended to advance scientific understanding and is one of the possible actions in responding to an episode of industrial contamination. However, it is important to recognize that such studies are not a substitute for public health measures to identify the source of exposure, reduce or eliminate it, and take measures to prevent future events. The merits of initiating an epidemiological study that directly examines the relationship between exposure and disease in the affected population need to be carefully considered. There may be benefits in responding directly to the community's concerns, providing information to help generate resources to address the problem, and offering an opportunity to learn more about the pollutant health effects. However, there are also costs in the form of financial burdens of the research and prolonged period required to conduct studies, raising unrealistic expectations about what a study will provide, and not utilizing quantitative risk assessment as a more rapid and potentially more informative alternative to a new study. Where data systems are in place, risk assessment combined with health surveillance may often be the most efficient, informative response to the exposure event. New epidemiological studies are most likely to be valuable: - when there is little prior knowledge about the pollutant; - when exposure and health outcome can be accurately measured; - when there is not strong confounding; - when the size of the exposed population is adequate; - when the health consequences of the exposure are observable soon after the exposure occurs. The balance between costs and benefits of research may vary across settings, depending in part on the economic resources available to pursue new knowledge versus managing a threat to public health and in part on the nature of available environmental health surveillance data collection systems. Before initiating an epidemiological study, it is important to be certain that the goals are attainable for the research and that the research itself will support - rather than interfere with - pursuit of needed public health actions.
Site-specific acetyl-mimetic modification of cardiac troponin I modulates myofilament relaxation and calcium sensitivity.

Abstract Objective Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is an essential physiological and pathological regulator of cardiac relaxation. Significant to this regulation, the post-translational modification of cTnI through phosphorylation functions as a key mechanism to accelerate myofibril relaxation. Similar to phosphorylation, post-translational modification by acetylation alters amino acid charge and protein function. Recent studies have demonstrated that the acetylation of cardiac myofibril proteins accelerates relaxation and that cTnI is acetylated in the heart. These findings highlight the potential significance of myofilament acetylation; however, it is not known if site-specific acetylation of cTnI can lead to changes in myofilament, myofibril, and/or cellular mechanics. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of mimicking acetylation at a single site of cTnI (lysine-132; K132) on myofilament, myofibril, and cellular mechanics and elucidate its influence on molecular function. Methods To determine if pseudo-acetylation of cTnI at 132 modulates thin filament regulation of the acto-myosin interaction, we reconstituted thin filaments containing WT or K132Q (to mimic acetylation) cTnI and assessed in vitro motility. To test if mimicking acetylation at K132 alters cellular relaxation, adult rat ventricular cardiomyocytes were infected with adenoviral constructs expressing either cTnI K132Q or K132 replaced with arginine (K132R; to prevent acetylation) and cell shortening and isolated myofibril mechanics were measured. Finally, to confirm that changes in cell shortening and myofibril mechanics were directly due to pseudo-acetylation of cTnI at K132, we exchanged troponin containing WT or K132Q cTnI into isolated myofibrils and measured myofibril mechanical properties. Results Reconstituted thin filaments containing K132Q cTnI exhibited decreased calcium sensitivity compared to thin filaments reconstituted with WT cTnI. Cardiomyocytes expressing K132Q cTnI had faster relengthening and myofibrils isolated from these cells had faster relaxation along with decreased calcium sensitivity compared to cardiomyocytes expressing WT or K132R cTnI. Myofibrils exchanged with K132Q cTnI ex vivo demonstrated faster relaxation and decreased calcium sensitivity. Conclusions Our results indicate for the first time that mimicking acetylation of a specific cTnI lysine accelerates myofilament, myofibril, and myocyte relaxation. This work underscores the importance of understanding how acetylation of specific sarcomeric proteins affects cardiac homeostasis and disease and suggests that modulation of myofilament lysine acetylation may represent a novel therapeutic target to alter cardiac relaxation.
Clinical feasibility and utility of a dual-task tandem gait protocol for pediatric concussion management.

Context Clinical management of sport-related concussion requires the assessment of various factors, including motor performance. The tandem gait test, a measure of post-injury motor performance, has demonstrated clinical utility, but is limited by time availability and test uniformity. Objective To assess intrasession reliability between tandem gait test trials and determine the number trials necessary for optimal utility and feasibility in clinical decision-making following concussion. Design Cross-Sectional Study Setting: Pediatric Sport Medicine Clinic Participants: Adolescent athletes who recently sustained a concussion (n=44; age=15.4±1.8 years; 39% female) and were seen for care within 14 days (7.3±3.2 days) of their injury, as well as uninjured control participants (n=73; age=15.8±1.3 years; 41% female). All participants completed three single-task and three dual-task tandem gait trials. Outcome measures We collected test completion time and cognitive performance for each trial and calculated Pearson correlation coefficients between trials and Intraclass Correlation Coefficients to determine intrasession reliability. We also compared performance between groups, and calculated area under the curve (AUC) values to identify the ability of each trial to distinguish between groups. Results Both the concussion and control group demonstrated high intrasession reliability between tandem gait trials under single (R ≥ 0.82; ICC≥ 0.93) and dual-task conditions (R ≥ 0.79; ICC≥ 0.92). The greatest group classification values were obtained from the second single-task trial (AUC = 0.89) and first dual-task trial (AUC = 0.83). Test completion time provided excellent between-group discrimination in single-task and dual-task conditions. However, cognitive performance during dual-task trials demonstrated only marginally significant clinical utility (AUC ≤ 0.67). Conclusion Tandem gait assessments may only require two trials under single-task and one trial under dual-task conditions to effectively discriminate between concussion and control groups. This approach may improve the feasibility (time requirement) of the test, while maintaining excellent discriminatory ability.
Impact of Teledermatology Program on Dermatology Resident Experience and Education

Background: Despite many dermatology residency programs establishing teledermatology programs, few studies have analyzed its impact on resident education. Introduction: We evaluated the University ...
Group Threat, Same-Sex Marriage, and Hate Crime Based on Sexual Orientation

Prior research has begun the task of assessing the applicability of group threat theory to explain sexual orientation hate crime. Drawing upon this perspective, researchers have hypothesized that r...
ALL-315: Outcome of Adults with Relapsed/Refractory T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia or Lymphoblastic Lymphoma

Context Limited data are available on the outcome of adults with relapsed-refractory (R/R) T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) or lymphoblastic lymphoma (LBL). Objective We aimed to identify factors predictive for long-term survival and to establish the benchmark for expected outcomes in this setting. Main outcomes measured We reviewed characteristics and outcome of adults with R/R T-cell ALL or LBL treated at our institution between 2009 and 2019. We assessed response to salvage therapy and overall survival. To determine prognostic factors for survival, we performed univariate and multivariate analyses using the following baseline characteristics: age, disease type (ALL versus LBL), immunophenotypic subtype (early T-cell precursor [ETP] versus non-ETP), complex cytogenetics, central nervous system involvement at salvage, first complete remission (CR1) duration Results We identified 82 patients, including 39% in S1, 27% in S2, and 34% in S3+. ETP subtype was present in 35% of cases, and 16% had complex cytogenetics. Salvage therapy included standard-of-care regimens in 48 patients (59%), including nelarabine-based therapy in 21 patients (26%), pediatric-inspired asparaginase-based therapy in 11 patients (13%), clofarabine-based therapy in 9 patients (11%), and investigational-based therapies in 34 patients (41%), mainly venetoclax-based (18 patients; 22%). The CR/complete remission with incomplete hematological recovery (CRi) rate was 46%, with a median duration of response of 4 months. With a median follow-up of 37 months, the median OS was 8 months, and the 2-year OS was 23%. Only 14 patients were alive in remission at their last follow-up. In multivariate analysis, earlier salvage therapy was the only predictor for better survival (hazard ratio 0.57 [95% confidence interval, 0.33-0.99], P=0.049). A 3-month landmark analysis showed a survival benefit for consolidative hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) after CR to salvage therapy (2-year OS rate of 56% versus 24%, P=0.002). Conclusions The current study highlights the continuous unmet need of patients with R/R T-cell ALL treated with contemporary standard regimens and provides a reference for future clinical trials in this population.
MODELING PAST AND PRESENT IN THE EASTERN HIGHLANDS OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA: SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL

Supplement 1: Contact history in the project area Supplement 2: Archaeological sequences in the study area Supplement 3: Methodology
Advances and required improvements in methods to diagnosing Clostridioides difficile infections in the healthcare setting.

Clostrididioides difficile is associated with adverse clinical outcomes and increased morbidity, mortality, length of hospital stay, and health-care costs.Areas Covered: We searched relevant papers...
Product recall with symmetric uncertainty and multiunit purchases

This paper considers product recall under a perfect regime of strict liability. We show that safety is under supplied given output due to an under internalization of infra-marginal units. If we add a mandatory refund with a possible penalty fee in the event that the product turns out to be unsafe, then while the price increases, there is no change in the allocation, utility, profit or total welfare. The recall procedure is then neutral. We then extend the model to examine optimal fines and minimum output taxes, endogenous proclivity to return a product, endogenous decision to sue in the event of damage and the effects of having the consumer under estimate expected damages.
Substance use homophily among geosocial networking application using gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men.

Geosocial networking applications (GSN apps) represent important virtual contexts in which gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) seek affiliation. These apps allow users to create and view public profiles, send photos, and text messages, and connect with other users based on shared interests and geographic proximity. The present study examined substance use homophily among a sample of 295 MSM recruited via a popular GSN app. Comparisons of social network members met via GSN app versus elsewhere and associations between both individual and network characteristics and recent binge drinking, marijuana use, and illicit substance use were explored using bivariate tests of association and multivariate logistic regression analyses. High rates of recent binge drinking (59 %), marijuana use (37 %), and illicit substance use (27 %) were observed among participants. GSN app use greater than 1 year and showing naked chest or abs in a profile picture were positively associated with recent illicit substance use. In multivariate analyses, the strongest predictors of binge drinking (AOR 3.81; 95 % CI 1.86–7.80), marijuana use (AOR 4.12; 95 % CI 2.22–7.64), and illicit substance use (AOR 6.45; 95 % CI 3.26–12.79) were the presence of a social network member who also engaged in these behaviors. Social network interventions that target binge drinking, marijuana use, and illicit substance use may be delivered via GSN apps to reduce the prevalence of substance use and related risks among MSM in these virtual contexts.
Our Vanishing Government of Laws

LAWYERS hardly need to be told that some long-honored American traditions are rapidly passing into eclipse. One of them is the belief in "a government of laws, not of men". That belief was cherished by our people through four generations, although sometimes with only a vague notion of what it meant. But in a general way it was taken to mean that the American system of government, being a government of laws, was in some mysterious fashion safeguarded against the uncertainties which are associated with a government of men. A Gallup poll would probably disclose that ninety per cent of our people still think that way. They continue to believe that the laws which govern them are being made by their elected representatives and that the function of the administration is merely to administer these laws. But no careful observer of governmental trends has any such idea. Surveying the political scene of today he feels as though he were sitting on the rear platform of a train gazing at a rapidly receding landscape. "One of the ablest administrators that it was my good fortune to know," says a recent writer, "I believe, never read, at least more than casually, the statutes that he translated into reality. He assumed that they gave him power to deal with the broad problems of industry and, upon that understanding, he sought his own solutions."' These are the words of one whose distinction in both legal and administrative circles gives him the right to speak with some authority. But when administrators disdain even to read the statutes from which
Transformation of Mycoplasma pulmonis: demonstration of homologous recombination, introduction of cloned genes, and preliminary description of an integrating shuttle system.

The transposons Tn916 and Tn4001 and a series of integrating plasmids derived from their antibiotic resistance genes were used to examine polyethylene glycol-mediated transformation of Mycoplasma pulmonis. Under optimal conditions, Tn916 and Tn4001 could be introduced into M. pulmonis at frequencies of 1 x 10(-6) and 5 x 10(-5) per CFU, respectively. Integrating plasmids were constructed with the cloned antibiotic resistance determinants of Tn916 and Tn4001, a pMB1-derived plasmid replicon, and mycoplasmal chromosomal DNA and were used to examine recombinational events after transformation into M. pulmonis. Under optimal conditions, chromosomal integrations could be recovered at a frequency of 1 x 10(-4) to 1 x 10(-6) per CFU, depending on the size and nature of the chromosomal insert and the parental plasmid. Integrated plasmids were stable in the absence of selection and could be rescued in Escherichia coli along with adjacent mycoplasma DNA. These studies provide the first direct evidence of a recombination system in the Mollicutes and describe the first E. coli-M. pulmonis shuttle vectors. Images
Identification and Time Dependence of Quantitative Trait Loci for Basal Locomotor Activity in the BXD Recombinant Inbred Series and a B6D2 F2 Intercross

A complimentary two-phase strategy was used to detect and map quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with the basal locomotor response to a saline challenge (10 ml/kg). In phase 1, putative QTLs, significant at p < 0.01 or better, were identified by analysis of the strain means for 25 strains of the B × D recombinant inbred series. QTLs were identified on chromosomes 1, 3, 5, 9, 10, 16, and 18. Some of these QTLs were detected across the entire experimental period (0–20 min), while others were associated with specific 5-min blocks. Eighteen hundred C57BL/6J (B6) × DBA/2J (D2) F2 intercross animals were phenotyped for the basal locomotor response, and of this group, 500 to 700 individuals, psuedo-randomly selected, were used for a genomewide scan to confirm the RI-generated QTLs and to detect new QTLs. No new QTLs were detected but the QTLs on chromosome 1 were confirmed at p < 10−5 to p < 10−9, depending on the time interval. In addition, the QTLs on chromosomes 5 and 9 were confirmed at p < 0.001, providing a combined probability (RI + F2) which exceeds the threshold for a significant association. Two additional phenotypes which showed significant RI strain differences were examined—adaptation and thigmotaxis. Adaptation mapped to the same region of chromosome 9 and thigmotaxis to the same region of chromosome 1 as the distance-traveled QTL. Overall, the data presented here and elsewhere (Flint et al., 1995; Gershenfeld et al., 1997) illustrate that QTLs for basal activity are both robust and reliable.
Acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of glycosides.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the reaction that predominates in the dilute solutions of both glycoside and acid at temperatures of 100° or below––that is, hydrolysis. The method used for kinetic measurements is indicated in the chapter. Rate constants are obtained for the acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of salicin, starch, maltose, lactose, methyl α- and β-D-glucopyranoside, methyl α- and β-D-galactopyranoside, sucrose, and raffinose. The acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of polysaccharides is also reviewed in the chapter. Many factors seem to influence the rate of hydrolysis, including the ring size, configuration, conformation, and polarity of the sugar and the size and polarity of the aglycon. The hypotheses for which there is the most support are indicated in the chapter.
Self-configuration protocols for P2P networks

This paper proposes and evaluates different protocols for individual peers to self-configure the P2P overlay networks in various network environments. For small-scale homogeneous networks, an optimizer peer selection protocol is proposed and found to be superior to other peer selection protocols, including random, egoist, altruist and greedy protocols, in terms of network diameter and node eccentricity. For large-scale heterogeneous P2P systems, peer-power based peer selection protocols are proposed to self-configure semi-structured overlay networks for heterogeneous P2P systems. An index-based query mechanism is also proposed for peers to search documents in the P2P network. Performance studies demonstrate that the proposed self-configuration protocols and search scheme are efficient and viable, and the self-configured P2P network has a significantly lower query cost than traditional Gnutella-like P2P systems. In addition, a caching-assisted query mechanism is proposed to exploit the surplus storage power of the peers, improving further the query efficiency. Caching-assisted query permits a quicker response to subsequent queries for popular data without incurring the excessive overhead of globally replicated directory information.
Validation of a new procedure to determine plasma fatty acid concentration and isotopic enrichment.

Assessment of free fatty acid (FFA) concentration and isotopic enrichment is useful for studies of FFA kinetics in vivo. A new procedure to recover the major FFA from plasma for concentration and isotopic enrichment measure- ments is described and validated. The procedure involves ex- traction of plasma lipids with hexane, methylation with iodomethane (CH 3 I) to form fatty acid methyl esters (FAME), and subsequent purification of FAME by solid phase extraction (SPE) chromatography. The new method was compared with a traditional method using thin-layer chromatography (TLC) to recover plasma FFA, with subse- quent methylation by BF 3 /methanol. The TLC method was found to be less reliable than the new CH 3 I method because of contamination with extraneous fatty acids, chemical frac- tionation of FFA species, and incomplete recovery of FFA as- sociated with TLC. In contrast, the CH 3 I/SPE method was free of contamination, did not exhibit chemical fraction- ation, and had higher recovery. The iodomethane reaction was specific for free fatty acids; no FAME were formed when esterified fatty acids (triglycerides, cholesteryl esters, phos- pholipids) were subjected to the methylation reaction. We conclude that the CH 3 I/SPE method provides rapid and convenient recovery of plasma fatty acids for quantification or GC/MS analysis as methyl esters, and is not subject to the problems of contamination, reduced recovery, and chemical fractionation associated with recovery of FFA by TLC. —Patterson, B. W., G. Zhao, N. Elias, D. L. Hachey, and S. Klein. Validation of a new procedure to determine plasma fatty acid concentration and isotopic enrichment. J. Lipid Res. 1999. 40: 2118-2124.
Work-in-Progress: SUTD Winter Abroad Program at MIT: Collaborative learning as a pathway towards intitutional transplantation

This Work in Progress paper discusses the development and implementation of the first Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) Winter Abroad Program (SWAP) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). This is a student abroad program where SUTD students travel to MIT for three weeks during the MIT Independent Activities Period (IAP) to attend courses alongside MIT students, experience the MIT academic culture, and learn lifelong skills for improved collaboration in teams. During the first year, the MIT-SUTD Collaboration office conducted a pilot evaluation of the program to understand the level of interaction and collaboration between MIT and SUTD participants. In 2015 SWAP 17 out of the 23 classes comprised by the program employed group work and various digital or physical collaborative learning pedagogies. The program developers are currently working on adjustments to the program and on a new evaluation plan regarding the 2016 SWAP.
Assessing the Library’s Influence on Freshman and Senior Level Outcomes with User Surveys

Abstract Objectives – This study seeks to identify areas where relationships exist between a student’s library usage and student outcomes at Bellarmine University, a private master’s level institution. The study has two primary aims. The first is to see if an operationally oriented user survey can be used to provide evidence of the library’s support for institutionally important student outcomes. The second is to develop a regression model that provides a big picture with multiple variables to determine if library factors are still significant in student outcomes when controlling for significant demographic factors. Methods – The library regularly conducts student user surveys, and this study examines the results of the first three surveys, from 2007, 2008 and 2010. These surveys include individually identifiable data on why students come to the library and how often they use it in person and online. Researchers aggregated student responses into class-based cohorts and used regression analysis to analyze the extent and significance of the relationships, if any, that exist between student use of the library and student outcomes such as retention, graduation and cumulative GPA. The study takes into consideration known significant student demographic factors such as American Collect Testing (ACT) composite score, full- or part-time status, and their session GPA. Results – The study identifies specific library services and resources that have significant correlations with the selected student learning measures and outcomes. For freshman students, the ability to access the library online influences both retention and graduation. In looking at freshman learning outcomes represented by GPA, the results again indicate that the library has a positive influence on a student’s GPA. The library’s influence appears through two factors that highlight the library as a place: providing a place to study alone and as a place that has specialized equipment available to students. The library influences seniors’ cumulative GPA differently than for freshmen, primarily through the library’s role as an information resource. The variable check out books had a positive impact on senior’s GPA. Conclusions – This study indicates that the library does have an influence on student outcomes, whether learning outcomes, represented by cumulative GPA, or more typical student success outcomes, represented by second-year retention and graduation. This is true even when controlling for certain demographics, including the student’s ACT score, whether the student is part-time or full-time, and their session GPA. The factors that influence an individual student’s outcome change depending on the point in time in the undergraduate experience. These statistical analyses provide significant evidence for the value the library provides in support of institutionally important student outcome goals.
Expression of Poliovirus Receptor in Human Spinal Cord and Muscle

Because a prerequisite for infection of a cell with the poliovirus is the presence of poliovirus receptor (PVR), we examined its tissue localization in the human muscle, spinal cord, and muscle cultures using a specific monoclonal antibody against PVR in immunocytochemical studies on serial sections. We found weak expression of PVR in the motor neurons but not the axons. In normal muscle, PVR was expressed at the end plate as confirmed by immunolocalization in serial sections with alpha-bungarotoxin. In neurogenic conditions and in myopathies, PVR was found in occasional denervated muscle fibers and in several regenerating ones. Human myotubes expressed PVR and were susceptible to the poliovirus infection. We conclude that PVR is present at the motor end-plate that can serve as one of the routes of entry of the virus to the motor neurons. The presence of PVR in the regenerating muscle fibers is in accord with clinical observations that muscle injuries can predispose patients to paralytic poliomyelitis.
The scaphoid shift test

The scaphoid test described by Watson has generally been accepted as the definitive test for scaphoid instability and uses pressure against the scaphoid tubercle as the wrist moves from ulnar to radial deviation for the evaluation. This article describes a stress test done with the wrist in neutral position, which actively provokes scaphoid instability. Variations in stability can be used to grade scaphoid laxity.
The Gleason Cover of a Flow

We prove the existence and uniqueness of projective covers in the category of flows with perfect flow maps. The main point is that Gleason's classical results on the existence and uniqueness of the projective cover of a compact Hausdorff space hold when all spaces are equipped with (a fixed monoid of continuous) actions and all maps are required to respect them.
A previously uncharacterized role for estrogen receptor β: Defeminization of male brain and behavior

Sex differences in brain and behavior are ubiquitous in sexually reproducing species. One cause of sexual dimorphisms is developmental differences in circulating concentrations of gonadal steroids. Neonatal testes produce androgens; thus, males are exposed to both testosterone and estradiol, whereas females are not exposed to high concentrations of either hormone until puberty. Classically, the development of neural sex differences is initiated by estradiol, which activates two processes in male neonates; masculinization, the development of male-type behaviors, and defeminization, the loss of the ability to display female-type behaviors. Here, we test the hypothesis that defeminization is regulated by estrogen receptor β (ERβ). Adult male ERβ knockout and WT mice were gonadectomized, treated with female priming hormones, and tested for receptive behavior. Indicative of incomplete defeminization, male ERβ knockout mice showed significantly higher levels of female receptivity as compared with WT littermates. Testes-intact males did not differ in any aspects of their male sexual behavior, regardless of genotype. In olfactory preference tests, males of both genotypes showed equivalent preferences for female-soiled bedding. Based on these results, we hypothesize that ERβ is involved in defeminization of brain and behavior. This aspect of ERβ function may lead to developments in our understanding of neural-based sexually dimorphic human behaviors.
Structural evolution of sulfur overlayers on Pd(1 1 1)

Abstract Low energy ion scattering spectroscopy (LEISS) has been used to characterize the evolution of ordered structures of S on the Pd(1 1 1) surface during annealing. During exposure of the Pd(1 1 1) surface to 0.7 L H2S at 300 K—conditions that produce the S(√3 × √3)R30 overlayer—the intensity of the Pd LEIS signal decreases and a feature assigned to adsorbed S appears as the adsorbed layer forms. When the surface is held at 300 K after exposure to H2S is stopped, the LEIS Pd intensity partially recovers and the S signal weakens, presumably as surface S atoms assume their equilibrium positions in the S(√3 × √3)R30 overlayer. Subsequent annealing of the S(√3 × √3)R30 structure at 700 K causes it to convert into a S(√7 × √7)R19 overlayer, whose LEIS spectrum is identical to that of clean Pd(1 1 1). The absence of LEIS evidence for S atoms at the exposed surface of the S(√7 × √7)R19 overlayer is at odds with published models of a mixed Pd–S top layer. Despite the similarity of the LEIS spectra of Pd(1 1 1) and Pd(1 1 1)–S(√7 × √7)R19, their activities for dissociative hydrogen adsorption are very different—the former readily adsorbs hydrogen at 100 K, while the latter does not—suggesting that S exerts its influence on surface chemistry from subsurface locations.
Breaking paragraphs into lines

This paper discusses a new approach to the problem of dividing the text of a paragraph into lines of approximately equal length. Instead of simply making decisions one line at a time, the method considers the paragraph as a whole, so that the final appearance of a given line might be influenced by the text on succeeding lines. A system based on three simple primitive concepts called ‘boxes’, ‘glue’, and ‘penalties’ provides the ability to deal satisfactorily with a wide variety of typesetting problems in a unified framework, using a single algorithm that determines optimum breakpoints. The algorithm avoids backtracking by a judicious use of the techniques of dynamic programming. Extensive computational experience confirms that the approach is both efficient and effective in producing high-quality output. The paper concludes with a brief history of line-breaking methods, and an appendix presents a simplified algorithm that requires comparatively few resources.
A note on tight extensive game forms

Associated with each extensive game form are the α- and β-effectivity functions,E α andE β. These functions characterize the effective capabilities which coalitions command under pessimistic and optimistic cooperative behavior respectively. A game form is said to be tight whenE α ≡E β, in which case pessimistic, optimistic, and intermediate types of behavior all support the same effective power. Dalkey's condition for Nash consistency, essentially perfect information, is found to be a necessary and sufficient condition for a game form to be tight.
Energy Transfer from High-Shear, Low-Frequency Internal Waves to High-Frequency Waves near Kaena Ridge, Hawaii

AbstractEvidence is presented for the transfer of energy from low-frequency inertial–diurnal internal waves to high-frequency waves in the band between 6 cpd and the buoyancy frequency. This transfer links the most energetic waves in the spectrum, those receiving energy directly from the winds, barotropic tides, and parametric subharmonic instability, with those most directly involved in the breaking process. Transfer estimates are based on month-long records of ocean velocity and temperature obtained continuously over 80–800 m from the research platform (R/P) Floating Instrument Platform (FLIP) in the Hawaii Ocean Mixing Experiment (HOME) Nearfield (2002) and Farfield (2001) experiments, in Hawaiian waters. Triple correlations between low-frequency vertical shears and high-frequency Reynolds stresses, 〈uiw∂Ui/∂z〉, are used to estimate energy transfers. These are supported by bispectral analysis, which show significant energy transfers to pairs of waves with nearly identical frequency. Wavenumber bispectr...
Isovector spin responses and tensor correlations in nuclei

Abstract The isovector spin responses of deuterium, and integral properties of these responses of 4 He, 16 O and nuclear matter, have been calculated from realistic models of nuclear forces. The results of these calculations suggest that measurement of these responses of 2 He and 4 He, with the ( p , p ) polarization transfer technique, could give interesting information.
Ethnic conflict, state terror and suicide bombing in Sri Lanka

What accounts for the absence of extremism surrounding the current peace talks between the Tamil Tigers and the Sri Lankan state? In similar cases of ethnic conflict, the strategies employed by the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have exacerbated extremism on both sides and led to ever increasing degrees of violence. In the Palestinian case, for example, suicide bombings mobilized and radicalized the Palestinian community, decimated the Israeli Left and hardened Israeli right‐wing attitudes regarding prospects for peace. This research seeks to examine the Sri Lankan case, provide a detailed background to the Tamil‐Sinhalese conflict that is relatively unfamiliar to some Western audiences and draw comparisons between the Sri Lanka and Palestinian cases.1
High Resolution Detection of Mechanical Forces Exerted by Locomoting Fibroblasts on the Substrate

We have developed a new approach to detect mechanical forces exerted by locomoting fibroblasts on the substrate. Cells were cultured on elastic, collagen-coated polyacrylamide sheets embedded with 0. 2-micrometer fluorescent beads. Forces exerted by the cell cause deformation of the substrate and displacement of the beads. By recording the position of beads during cell locomotion and after cell removal, we discovered that most forces were radially distributed, switching direction in the anterior region. Deformations near the leading edge were strong, transient, and variable in magnitude, consistent with active local contractions, whereas those in the posterior region were weaker, more stable, and more uniform, consistent with passive resistance. Treatment of cells with cytochalasin D or myosin II inhibitors caused relaxation of the forces, suggesting that they are generated primarily via actin-myosin II interactions; treatment with nocodazole caused no immediate effect on forces. Immunofluorescence indicated that the frontal region of strong deformation contained many vinculin plaques but no apparent concentration of actin or myosin II filaments. Strong mechanical forces in the anterior region, generated by locally activated myosin II and transmitted through vinculin-rich structures, likely play a major role in cell locomotion and in mechanical signaling with the surrounding environment.
Gastric Bypass in Chronic Renal Failure and Renal Transplant

Background: Morbid obesity has reached epidemic proportions in developed nations worldwide, causing considerable mortality and increased healthcare expenditures. The use of gastric bypass surgery to achieve weight loss in morbidly obese patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) and postrenal transplant patients has not been studied adequately. Methods: Forty-one patients with different stages of CRF (25 already receiving dialysis) underwent a gastric bypass (GBP), and an additional 10 patients underwent a GBP after becoming morbidly obese after transplantation. Results: Of the 41 patients with CRF, 5 stabilized or resolved their kidney disease and 9 underwent successful transplantation. These patients had a loss of 68% excess body mass index (BMI) by 12 months after GBP. Of the 10 patients with GBP after transplant, the mean loss of excess BMI was 70.5%. There were no in-hospital or 30-day mortalities, but 8 of the 51 patients died from 112 to 2869 days postoperatively, 7 from cardiac or vascular events a...
Total laryngectomy and autogenous reconstruction observations in an experimental series in canines.

Twenty-six dogs underwent total laryngectomy and autogenous reconstruction of the pharynx for the purpose of construction of a pseudolarynx. This simplified larynx demonstrated that it subserved the three major functions of the larynx; respiration, deglutition, and phonation in six of our 26 dogs which survived long enough for meaningful evaluation. Our surgical endeavors involve one of the most critical of areas in the body “the crossroads for air and food.” Despite some aspiration which we are still encountering with our present technique, the innervated tongue flap holds promise as a possible solution to this problem, and a detailed report will be submitted in due course.