cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Elevated baseline plasma IL-8 levels are an independent predictor of long-term all-cause mortality in patients with acute coronary syndrome

Abstract Objectives To investigate the long-term prognostic significance of baseline plasma IL-8 levels in a group of well-characterized male patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome. Background IL-8 is a cytokine that has been implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and acute coronary syndrome. Elevated plasma levels have been reported in patients with acute coronary syndrome. Methods Baseline plasma IL-8 levels were measured in 180 male patients with acute coronary syndrome who were referred for coronary angiography and followed prospectively for the development of all-cause mortality for 5 years. Results In a multivariate model that included a wide variety of baseline clinical, laboratory and angiographic parameters in the selection process, baseline plasma IL-8 levels (analyzed as a continuous variable) emerged as a significant predictor of all-cause mortality at 5 years (HR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.08–1.88; p = 0.0123). Furthermore, in 3 additional multivariate models that also included in the selection process a number of contemporary biomarkers with established prognostic efficacy in ACS (i.e., NT-proBNP, hs-CRP, hemoglobin and RDW), IL-8 remained an independent predictor of all-cause mortality at 5 years. Conclusion Elevated baseline plasma levels of IL-8 are associated with an increased risk of long-term all-cause mortality in patients with acute coronary syndrome. Furthermore, this association is independent of a variety of clinical, laboratory and angiographic variables, including contemporary biomarkers with established prognostic efficacy in acute coronary syndrome.
Combined Magnetohydrodynamic and Geometric Optimization of a Hypersonic Inlet

This paper considers the numerical optimization of a double ramp scramjet inlet using magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) effects together with inlet ramp angle changes. The parameter being optimized is the mass capture at the throat of the inlet, such that spillage effects for less than design Mach numbers are reduced. The control parameters for the optimization include the MHD effects in conjunction with ramp angle changes. To enhance the MHD effects different ionization scenarios depending upon the alignment of the magnetic field are considered. The flow solution is based on the Advection Upstream Splitting Method (AUSM) that accounts for the MHD source terms as well. A numerical Broyden-Flecher-Goldfarb-Shanno- (BFGS-) based procedure is utilized to optimize the inlet mass capture. Numerical validation results compared to published results in the literature as well as the outcome of the optimization procedure are summarized to illustrate the efficacy of the approach.
USER INTERFACE BIOMECHANICS: Does the Interaction Design of the User Interface Impact Ergonomic Risk Factors?

Understanding the biomechanical impact of user interfaces (UI) is a necessary first step to developing UI design heuristics capable of controlling biomechanical risks related to computer work. The goal of the study reported here is to create a self-report measure sensitive enough for use when evaluating the ergonomic risks of UI interaction. The measure will be based on measures already validated for use on other jobs. Participants completed two different computer-based tasks (clicking and typing) using a higher load input method (direct - touch screen) and a lower load input method (indirect - keyboard and mouse). After each task participants completed modified versions of existing ergonomic risk assessment measures. Overall, the self-report measures used were sensitive enough for participants to identify higher discomfort, effort and exertion with the direct input method. Interestingly, interactions between task, input method, and body region were found for discomfort with the discomfort of the direct input being higher for clicking than typing and this effect was more distinct on the shoulder and upper arms than the lower arms and wrist.
Psychosocial functioning and its impact on implementing behavioral interventions for childhood obesity

Abstract Obesity is dramatically increasing among children and adolescents; therefore, it is essential to identify and understand barriers to treatment and develop interventions that are effective for youth and their families. In the field of pediatrics, psychosocial functioning of children and their families has consistently been identified as a potential barrier to implementing treatment recommendations. The psychosocial functioning of overweight and obese youth is reviewed and the extent to which different factors (e.g., depression, peer difficulties) can be barriers to obesity treatment is discussed. Behavioral group-based and individual/family-based (i.e., motivational interviewing) interventions strategies are presented, and implementation of these strategies within a pediatric care visit are described.
Convergence of Laplacian Eigenmaps

Geometrically based methods for various tasks of machine learning have attracted considerable attention over the last few years. In this paper we show convergence of eigenvectors of the point cloud Laplacian to the eigenfunctions of the Laplace-Beltrami operator on the underlying manifold, thus establishing the first convergence results for a spectral dimensionality reduction algorithm in the manifold setting.
Alignment and structure prediction of divergent protein families: periplasmic and outer membrane proteins of bacterial efflux pumps.

Broad-specificity efflux pumps have been implicated in multidrug-resistant strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other Gram-negative bacteria. Most Gram-negative pumps of clinical relevance have three components, an inner membrane transporter, an outer membrane channel protein, and a periplasmic protein, which together coordinate efflux from the cytoplasmic membrane across the outer membrane through an unknown mechanism. The periplasmic efflux proteins (PEPs) and outer membrane efflux proteins (OEPs) are not obviously related to proteins of known structure, and understanding the structure and function of these proteins has been hindered by the difficulty of obtaining reasonable multiple alignments. We present a general strategy for the alignment and structure prediction of protein families with low mutual sequence similarity using the PEP and OEP families as detailed examples. Gibbs sampling, hidden Markov models, and other analysis techniques were used to locate motifs, generate multiple alignments, and assign PEP or OEP function to hypothetical proteins in several species. We also developed an automated procedure which combines multiple alignments with structure prediction algorithms in order to identify conserved structural features in protein families. This process was used to identify a probable a-helical hairpin in the PEP family and was applied to the detection of transmembrane b-strands in OEPs. We also show that all OEPs contain a large tandem duplication, and demonstrate that the OEP family is unlikely to adopt a porin fold, in contrast to previous predictions. # 1999 Academic Press
On time-varying bit-allocation maintaining input-output stability: a convex parameterization

In the work of Sarma et al. (2004), we constructed a parameterization of general time-varying quantizers. The construction is general in that it can have infinite memory and be time-varying in that the strategy it follows in allocating a total of R bits to its inputs, is a function of time. We derived sufficient conditions for input-output stability as functions of the quantizer's time-dependent bit-allocation strategy for bounded reference inputs. Our generalized construction of the quantizer also led to the result that the set of allocation strategies that maintains stability for bounded inputs is convex, allowing the search for the most efficient strategy to ensure stability to be formulated as a convex optimization problem. In this paper, we extend our stability analysis and derive sufficient conditions for decaying reference signals. We further show that the set of allocation strategies that maintains stability remains convex, as in the case for bounded inputs. We then compute optimal bit-allocation strategies for a class of finite-memory quantizers for various plant and controller pairs, and observe that the most efficient strategies are non-trivial and time-varying. Throughout, we consider a system in which the plant and feedback controller are separated by a noiseless finite-rate communication channel.
Technical publications and the user

The low cost of technical publications relative to hardware costs is asserted to be no reason for minimizing the important role of publications in equipment functioning and system performance. The mechanistic orientation in psychology and elsewhere is challenged and reasons are given for added human factors contributions to make technical information more usable. Studies are cited which reveal numerous inadequacies in technical handbooks at the point of use. Conventional studies of technical message variables are suggested to be of only slight relevance to military publications design due to different populations, environments, and conditions of stress. A concept of technical handbooks as devices to control behavior is explained. The need is put forth for a more empirical rather than subjective orientation to technical writing. Recommendations include a proposal for investigation of “user-designed” handbooks, integration of publications development within system development, and study to determine new cri...
Germ-Line Effects of a Mutator, mu2, in Drosophila melanogaster

A mutator, mu2a , in Drosophila melanogaster potentiates terminal deficiencies. In the female germ line the y mutant frequency induced by irradiation of mature oocytes with 5 Gy increases approximately twofold in heterozygotes and 20-fold in homozygotes compared with wild type. The recovery of terminal deficiencies is not limited to breaks close to chromosome ends; high frequencies of deficiencies can be recovered with breakpoints located in centric heterochromatin or near the middle of a chromosome arm. Lesions induced by γ-rays are repaired slowly in mu2a oocytes, but become “fixed” as terminal deficiencies upon fertilization. A few lesions induced in wild-type females also produce terminal deficiencies. Mutator males do not exhibit an increase in terminal deletions, regardless of the germ cell stage irradiated. In addition, there is no increase in the mutant frequency when mature sperm are irradiated and fertilize eggs produced by mu2a females. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that lesions induced in sperm chromosomes are repaired after fertilization, while lesions induced in oocyte chromosomes are shunted instead to a mechanism that stabilizes broken chromosome ends. We propose that mu2 affects chromosomal structure during oogenesis, thereby modulating DNA repair.
Transfer of Flexibility between Ankyrin Repeats in IκBα upon Formation of the NF-κB Complex

Abstract The mechanism of inhibition of the transcriptional activator nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) by the inhibitor IκBα is central to the understanding of the control of transcriptional activity via this widely employed pathway. Previous studies suggested that IκBα, a modular protein with an NF-κB binding domain consisting of six ankyrin repeat domains (ANKs), shows differential flexibility, with ANK 1–4 apparently more rigid in solution in the absence of NF-κB than ANK 5 and 6. Here we report NMR studies that confirm the enhanced flexibility of ANK 5 and 6 in free IκBα. Upon binding of NF-κB, ANK 5 and 6 become well structured and rigid, but, somewhat surprisingly, other domains of the IκBα, which were relatively rigid in the free protein, become significantly more flexible. Due to the high molecular masses of the component proteins and the complexes, we employ a hierarchical experimental plan to maximize the available information on local flexibility in the ankyrin repeat domains. Backbone resonances of the 221-residue IκBα protein were assigned firstly in a smaller construct consisting of ankyrin repeats 1–4. These assignments could be readily transferred to the spectra of the construct containing six repeats, both free and complexed with various combinations of the NF-κB p50 and p65 domains. Transverse relaxation optimized spectroscopy-type NMR experiments on differentially labeled proteins enabled information on backbone structure and dynamics to be obtained, even in complexes with molecular masses approaching 100 kDa. Changes in the flexibility and stability of the various ankyrin repeat domains of IκBα complex formation take a variety of forms depending on the position of the domain in the complex, providing a variety of examples of the structural and functional utility of intrinsically unstructured or partly folded protein domains.
MORPHOLOGY OF THE SIXTH LIMB OF THE CYPRIDINIDAE (OSTRACODA: MYODOCOPINA)

Abstract Based on a comparison of the internal musculature of the fifth and sixth limbs of the cypridinid ostracode Isocypridina quatuorsetae, it is tentatively concluded that the sixth limbs of members of the Cypridinidae are biramous, each bearing an exopod represented by a cluster of small bristles (setae) and an endopod with two podomeres. The protopod contains a coxa with two endites and a basis with one endite.
Feeding and Life History of Spodoptera exigua (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on Different Host Plants

Consumption rates, development times, and life table parameters of the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Hubner), were determined on five host plants: cabbage, Brassica oleracea capitata L; cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L.; bell pepper, Capsicum annuum L.; pigweed, Amaranthus retroflexus L.; and sunflower, Helianthus annuus L. Mean total leaf weight consumed by larvae was highest in cabbage (2.7 g) and lowest in pigweed (1.6 g). The feeding index (pupal weight divided by total weight of leaf tissue consumed) was highest on pigweed, followed by cotton, pepper, sunflower, and cabbage. On all host plants, significant relationships were found between amount of leaf tissue consumed and resulting pupal weight. Likewise, significant relationships were found between pupal weight and subsequent adult fecundity on all host plants. The highest percentage of female progeny was recorded in S. exigua reared on pigweed (62.2%) and the lowest for larvae reared on cabbage (43.6%). Duration of the larval stage was shortest on pigweed (12.4 d) and longest on pepper (18.0 d). Larval survival was highest on pigweed (94.4%) and lowest on cabbage (67.1%). Three key statistics were used to assess performance of S. exigua on the different host plants: 1) feeding index, 2) intrinsic rate of increase, r; and 3) growth index (percentage immature survival divided by immature development time). Using these measures, S. exigua performance was best on pigweed, worst on cabbage, and intermediate on cotton, pepper, and sunflower. We discuss the implications of these findings for control of S. exigua.
Mathematics Curriculum Policies and Practices in the U.S.: The Common Core State Standards Initiative

In the U.S. three curriculum strategies are being used to improve school mathematics programs and student learning outcomes: (a) the movement to common standards; (b) advances in technology-based instructional resources; and (c) the pressure of accountability measured by end-of-year assessments. Together, these strategies are creating a “perfect storm” for significant changes in mathematics curriculum. Elements of the reform strategy are reviewed and discussed. In addition, an argument is made for systematic monitoring of the initiative in order to learn about its impact and inform future policy decisions.
Familial Chemosignals Interfere with Reproductive Activation in Female Pine Voles, Microtus Pinetorum

Why do many populations of small mammals periodically build up to high numbers and then suddenly crash? Though the question seems straight-forward, humans have been unable to provide a straight-forward answer for centuries (Elton, 1942). The correct answer is probably neither straight-forward nor simple, because many factors influence reproduction in rodents, including food, weather, disease, predation, and social factors. Food availablity is probably the most important regulator of female reproduction due to the energetic constraints of gestation and lactation (Bronson, 1985), but social factors can fine-tune the timing of reproductive effort to insure that reproduction is attempted only in social environments that provide a high probability of success. This report focuses on a single social factor that appears to influence reproduction of female pine voles, Microtus pinetorum.
Gender, Migration, and Labor Share

While globalization is viewed by existing literature as aiding to inequality by allowing greater capital mobility, the question I ask in this paper is: what is the relationship between inequality and labor mobility, also a globalization process. To investigate the relationship I employ a panel of data for up to 93 countries in 3 time periods: 1980, 1990, and 2000. I study immigration and emigration female and male stock separately as women make up about half of the cross-country migration flows and are commonly viewed as having less bargaining power than men. I find that higher female and lower male emigration and immigration stock are associated with higher labor share for OECD countries, while for non-OECD countries, it is higher female emigration and immigration stock and lower male immigration stock that are associated with higher labor share.
Neurotropic Viruses in Extraneural Tissues. III. MM Virus in Human and Murine Testicular Tissues.

ConclusionsMM virus multiplied extensively in 9 serial passages in mouse testicular tissue in vitro and in 4 serial passages in human testicular tissue in vitro. Fluid from the last tissue of each series represented a 10-13 dilution of original inoculum. These experiments do not exclude the possibility that the virus may have multiplied in the very minute amounts of muscle tissue present in the cultures. The virus multiplied more slowly and persisted longer in human tissue than in mouse tissue.
Catalytic sites ofEscherichia coli F1-ATPase

The catalytic site ofEscherichia coli F1-ATPase is reviewed in terms of structure and function. Structural prediction, biochemical analyses, and mutagenesis experiments suggest that the catalytic site is formed primarily by residues 137–335 of β-subunit. Subdomains of the site involved in phosphate-bond cleavage/synthesis and adenine-ring binding are discussed. Ambiguities inherent in steady-state catalytic measurements due to catalytic site cooperativity are discussed, and the advantages of pre-steady-state (“unisite”) techniques are emphasized. The emergence of a single high-affinity catalytic site occurs as a result of F1-oligomer assembly. Measurements of unisite catalysis rate and equilibrium constants, and their modulation by varied pH, dimethylsulfoxide, and mutations, are described and conclusions regarding the nature of the high-affinity catalytic site and mechanism of catalysis are presented.
Some General Characteristics of Nonpartisan Elections

Out of the middle-class businessman's “Efficiency and Economy Movement” that reached full strength in the second decade of the twentieth century came a series of innovations designed to place government “on a business basis” and to weaken the power of the political parties. The movement was inspired both by the example of the success of the corporate structure in trade and industry and by revulsion against the low standards of morality to be found in many sectors of political party activity around the turn of the century. The contemporary brand of politician had recently been exposed by the “muck-rakers” and the prestige of the parties had reached a very low level.Of the numerous ideas and mechanisms adopted as a result of the reform movement, one of the most unusual was that of election without party designation. Early in the twentieth century, under the theory that judges are neutral referees, not political officers, and that political activities should therefore be discouraged in the choosing of them, many communities initiated “nonpartisan” elections (the term that is usually applied) in the balloting for judicial posts.
Review Essay: Internment and the Rules of War

(1991). Review Essay: Internment and the Rules of War. The Oral History Review: Vol. 19, No. 1, pp. 115-120.
A Probabilistic Postbuckling Analysis of Composite Shells

A probabilistic finite element analysis procedure for postbuckling analysis of laminated composite shells is developed. The total Lagrangian formulation, employing a degenerated 3-D laminated composite shell finite element with the full Green-Lagrange strains and first-order shear deformable kinematics is used. The first-order second-moment technique for probabilistic finite element analysis of random fields is employed and results are presented in the form of mean and variance of the structural response. Reliability calculations are made by using the first-order reliability method combined with sensitivity derivatives from the finite element analysis. Two examples are solved to illustrate the variability of shell and panel postbuckling problems. In general, the procedure is quite effective in determining the response statistics and reliability for postbuckling behavior of laminated composite shells.
Protease inhibitor and long-term cocaine use are associated with coronary stenoses in HIV-infected individuals with no detectable coronary calcium

AIM To investigate whether a coronary calcium score(CCS) of zero by computed tomography(CT) is associated with a low risk of a significant coronary arterial luminal narrowing.METHODS We performed contrast-enhanced coronary CT angiography(CTA) with a 64-sliced multidetector CT scanner in 109 Baltimore inner-city black adults aged 25 to 54 years who had a history of HIV infection,cocaine use,both,or neither,in order to determine the prevalence of noncalcified coronary plaques and stenoses.The subjects had no cardiovascular symptoms and were free of traditional risk factors for coronary artery disease(CAD).Thirty five subjects had coronary calcification.The remaining 74 participants without detectable coronary calcium were included in the analysis.RESULTS The mean age of the study population was(42.8±5.0) years and 39(35.8%) were females.The mean cholesterol level was(4.01±0.88) mmol/L.11% of individuals without coronary calcification had coronary arterial luminal narrowing of 20%,and 7% had a stenosis ≥50%.Of the 74 participants,59% were cocaine users,and 28% had used the drug for more than 15 years.36.7% of the participants had taken PI.Among the variables examined,only serum HDL concentration,cocaine use,patient age,and protease inhibitors(PIs) use were significantly different between patients with and without coronary arterial stenoses.Logistic regression analyses revealed that the duration of PI use(OR=1.10) and prolonged(≥15 years) cocaine use(OR=29.6) were independently associated with the presence of coronary arterial stenoses.CONCLUSION In HIV infected patients,long-term use of cocaine and duration of combination antiretroviral therapy containing PIs may be independently associated with the presence of noncalcified coronary arterial plaques.
The expression of histone deacetylases and the regenerative abilities of spinal-projecting neurons after injury

Epigenetic control of regeneration after spinal cord injury: Complete spinal cord injury (SCI) in humans and other mammals leads to irreversible paralysis below the level of injury, due to failure of axonal regeneration in the central nervous system (CNS). Previous work has shown that successful axon regeneration is dependent upon transcription of a large number of regeneration-associated genes (RAGs) and transcription factors (TFs) (Van Kesteren et al., 2011). A prominent theory in the field of axon regeneration is that the large differences in regenerative potential between peripheral nervous system (PNS) neurons, which regenerate well, and CNS neurons, which do not, reflect differences in intrinsic transcriptional networks, rather than individual genes (Van Kesteren et al., 2011). These injury-inducible TFs are presumed to control hundreds of transcriptional targets of multiple regeneration-associated signaling pathways (Van Kesteren et al., 2011). Thus the seeming intractability of CNS axon regeneration might be due to the need to simultaneously turn on or off multiple regeneration-associated signaling pathways. One strategy to promote axon regeneration after SCI is to activate this TF “master switch” and enhance the axon growth capacity in adult neurons. Thus far, no such TF “master switch” has been found and it is possible that epigenetic modifications function as “master switches” that regulate transcription of RAGs after SCI, and thus activate or suppress entire regeneration-promoting pathways.
Practical considerations when designing and conducting clinical pharmacokinetic herb–drug interaction studies

Pharmacokinetic herb–drug interaction (HDI) research has been ongoing for almost two decades and a significant body of information has been published on the subject, yet much of it is contradictory. Some of this disparity stems from the botanical dosage form itself, as product quality and dosage form performance can vary significantly among brands. Unless products are adequately characterized, HDI study results can be misleading. The purpose of this report is to identify several common weaknesses inherent in many prospective clinical HDI studies and to provide guidance in addressing these shortcomings. Topics such as study design, pharmacokinetic end points, product quality, dosage form performance, gauging clinical relevance, and efforts to minimize dietary influences while improving compliance are discussed.
Elastic and Dielectric Properties of Active Ag/BaTiO 3 Composites

This study examines the elastic and dielectric properties of active composites consisting of barium titanate (BaTiO3) and silver (Ag) constituents using experimental and numerical approaches. The elastic constants including Young’s modulus, shear modulus and Poisson’s ratio were measured by resonant ultrasound spectroscopy (RUS), a nondestructive dynamic technique, while a dielectric (impedance) spectroscopy was used to measure the relative permittivity and dielectric loss at different frequencies. The dielectric tests were also conducted at temperature ranges from −50 to 200 °C where the two phase transformations of barium titanate at around 0 °C and 120 °C were examined. The experimental results in this study were compared to data available in the literature. In addition to the experimental work, a numerical method is also considered in order to study the effects of blending silver into barium titanate on the effective elastic and dielectric properties of the composite and the local field fluctuations. For this purpose, two micromechanics models describing the detailed composite microstructures were constructed. The first model is based on two dimensional (2D) images of realistic microstructures obtained by the scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), while the second model is based on randomly generated three-dimensional (3D) microstructures with spherical particles. The effects of loading direction, porosity, particle shape and dispersion were examined using the micromechanics models. Numerical predictions of the effective elastic and dielectric constants were compared to the experiment results.
An Assessment of the Legality of Arms Sales to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the Context of the Conflict in Yemen

This White Paper analyzes U.S. statutory obligations regarding arms sales and military assistance to Saudi Arabia in the context of the ongoing conflict in Yemen. The United States has provided significant support for Saudi Arabia, including over $115 billion in arms sales over the last eight years. During the course of hostilities conducted by a Saudi-led coalition in Yemen over the last two years, the United States has provided billions of dollars of equipment for use in Yemen and provided in-flight re-fueling to support bombing operations. In light of credible allegations of widespread violations of international humanitarian law by all parties to the conflict resulting in significant civilian casualties over the last two years, concerns have been raised about the legality of further arms sales under U.S. law. In the face of persistent reports of wrongdoing, Saudi Arabia has failed to rebut allegations or provide detailed evidence of compliance with binding obligations arising from international humanitarian law. In the context of multiple credible reports of recurring and highly questionable strikes, even after Saudi units received training and equipment to reduce civilian casualties, the United States cannot continue to rely on Saudi assurances that it will comply with international law and agreements concerning the use of U.S.-origin equipment. Under these circumstances, further sales under both the Arms Export Control Act and the Foreign Assistance Act are prohibited until the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia takes effective measures to ensure compliance with international law and the President submits relevant certifications to the Congress. Congress should utilize the expedited review procedures of both Acts to ensure compliance with the law.
Havana's Transportation System: Future Scenarios

Abstract This paper develops four alternative, plausible scenarios for Havana's future transportation system, once the U.S. embargo is lifted. It uses a scenario planning methodology that identifies social, technological, economic, environmental and political drivers (STEEP) and their implications to isolate the two most uncertain and important drivers of what might happen in the future: political will and availability of funds for major transportation improvements. These two drivers serve as axes to generate the narrative scenarios: Havana Gridlock—brought about by the rapid increase of private vehicles; Urban Removal—with the availability of funds, Havana struggles to accommodate the increasing private vehicle fleet by road building, widening roads and resulting housing demolition; IT-Empowered Mobility—where lack of funds but strong planning, regulation of private vehicles, and widespread IT adoption result in high levels of mobility; Leapfrog Scenario, where planning, regulation and availability of funds for transportation infrastructure result in a high mobility scenario powered by renewables. The discussion section focuses on several issues underlying the scenarios: the importance of transportation choices for tourism; the distinction between automobility and personal mobility, and alternative forms of mobility. The paper concludes with reflections on the sequencing of the scenarios and the plausibility of the leapfrog scenario.
Innate Immune Responses to Cryptococcus

Cryptococcus species are encapsulated fungi found in the environment that predominantly cause disease in immunocompromised hosts after inhalation into the lungs. Even with contemporary antifungal regimens, patients with cryptococcosis continue to have high morbidity and mortality rates. The development of more effective therapies may depend on our understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which the host promotes sterilizing immunity against the fungus. This review will highlight our current knowledge of how Cryptococcus, primarily the species C. neoformans, is sensed by the mammalian host and how subsequent signaling pathways direct the anti-cryptococcal response by effector cells of the innate immune system.
Performance of eCall Modem with Turbo Codes in AWGN and AMR

One benefit of data communication over the voice channel of the cellular network is to reliably transmit real-time high priority data in case of life critical situations. An important implementation of this use-case is the pan-European eCall automotive standard, which is scheduled for deployment in 2018. The eCall in-band modem transmits emergency information from the in-vehicle system (IVS) over the global system for mobile communication (GSM) voice channel to the public safety answering point (PSAP) in case of a collision. The GSM voice channel is characterized by the non-linear vocoder which is designed to compress speech waveforms. The in-band modem encodes the emergency data using Turbo codes and then modulates the data into waveforms to securely and reliably transmit the information over the GSM vocoder. Thus, this paper evaluates the performance of the eCall in-band modem by simulating the coded bit error rate (BER) through the additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) and the GSM adaptive multi-rate (AMR) vocoder using Turbo codes. Performance results are presented using different AMR bit rates.
Light assisted drying (LAD) for protein stabilization: optical characterization of samples

Light-Assisted Drying (LAD) is a novel biopreservation technique which allows proteins to be immobilized in a dry, amorphous solid at room temperature. Indicator proteins are used in a variety of diagnostic assays ranging from highthroughput 96-well plates to new microfluidic devices. A challenge in the development of protein-based assays is preserving the structure of the protein during production and storage of the assay, as the structure of the protein is responsible for its functional activity. Freeze-drying or freezing are currently the standard for the preservation of proteins, but these methods are expensive and can be challenging in some environments due to a lack of available infrastructure. An inexpensive, simple processing method that enables supra-zero temperature storage of proteins used in assays is needed. Light-assisted drying offers a relatively inexpensive method for drying samples. Proteins suspended in a trehalose solution are dehydrated using near-infrared laser light. The laser radiation speeds drying and as water is removed the sugar forms a protective matrix. The goal of this study is optically characterize samples processed with LAD. We use polarized light imaging (PLI) to look at crystallization kinetics of samples and determine optimal humidity. PLI shows a 62.5% chance of crystallization during LAD processing and negligible crystallization during low RH storage.
Psychodynamic Phenomena, Cognitive Science, and Neuroscience

I met Nelson Butters waiting for the elevator on the 14th floor of the Boston VA Hospital. At the time, I was a research assistant for a couple of neurologists, taking psychology courses at night and applying to graduate programs in clinical psychology. I had taken but a single psychology course as an undergraduate, not being very interested in the reigning behaviorism, but had caught fire studying abnormal psychology. Subsequently, a year as a research assistant at Oxford’s Department of Experimental Psychology (while my husband, a classmate of Bill Clinton’s, finished a scholarship) had had the unexpected result of sparking my interest in the brain. So by the time I met Nelson, I already had my unorthodox dual interest in psychopathology and cognitive processes. Nelson encouraged me to apply to the Boston University clinical program and offered to supervise my master’s and doctoral research if I wanted to specialize in neuropsychology. I did, and he did, and we published several papers on my work on olfactory deficits in Korsakoff syndrome patients and chronic alcoholics. This work evoked mostly skepticism and bemusement at the time but was replicated and helped to open up a whole new area of research within neuropsychology. Then and always Nelson was a superb teacher and supported and encouraged me even when I did not undertake a traditional career in academic neuropsychology.
Multivariate Unbalanced Designs

The power and flexibility of multivariate generalizability are purchased at the price of complex conceptual and statistical issues that become even more challenging in unbalanced situations. Recall that a covariance components design is called unbalanced in this book if either of the corresponding variance components designs is unbalanced. Many real-data applications of multivariate generalizability theory involve unbalanced situations.1
Stable Isotope-Resolved Metabolomics Shows Metabolic Resistance to Anti-Cancer Selenite in 3D Spheroids versus 2D Cell Cultures.

Conventional two-dimensional (2D) cell cultures are grown on rigid plastic substrates with unrealistic concentration gradients of O2, nutrients, and treatment agents. More importantly, 2D cultures lack cell–cell and cell–extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions, which are critical for regulating cell behavior and functions. There are several three-dimensional (3D) cell culture systems such as Matrigel, hydrogels, micropatterned plates, and hanging drop that overcome these drawbacks but they suffer from technical challenges including long spheroid formation times, difficult handling for high throughput assays, and/or matrix contamination for metabolic studies. Magnetic 3D bioprinting (M3DB) can circumvent these issues by utilizing nanoparticles that enable spheroid formation and growth via magnetizing cells. M3DB spheroids have been shown to emulate tissue and tumor microenvironments while exhibiting higher resistance to toxic agents than their 2D counterparts. It is, however, unclear if and how such 3D systems impact cellular metabolic networks, which may determine altered toxic responses in cells. We employed a Stable Isotope-Resolved Metabolomics (SIRM) approach with 13C6-glucose as tracer to map central metabolic networks both in 2D cells and M3DB spheroids formed from lung (A549) and pancreatic (PANC1) adenocarcinoma cells without or with an anti-cancer agent (sodium selenite). We found that the extent of 13C-label incorporation into metabolites of glycolysis, the Krebs cycle, the pentose phosphate pathway, and purine/pyrimidine nucleotide synthesis was largely comparable between 2D and M3DB culture systems for both cell lines. The exceptions were the reduced capacity for de novo synthesis of pyrimidine and sugar nucleotides in M3DB than 2D cultures of A549 and PANC1 cells as well as the presence of gluconeogenic activity in M3DB spheroids of PANC1 cells but not in the 2D counterpart. More strikingly, selenite induced much less perturbation of these pathways in the spheroids relative to the 2D counterparts in both cell lines, which is consistent with the corresponding lesser effects on morphology and growth. Thus, the increased resistance of cancer cell spheroids to selenite may be linked to the reduced capacity of selenite to perturb these metabolic pathways necessary for growth and survival.
Mechanisms and Dynamics of Solvent Relaxation

In Chapter 7 we discussed the mechanisms by which solvents interact with fluorophores, and the effects of these interactions on emission spectra. These emission spectra can be shifted to lower energy either as a result of the general solvent effects, or by specific effects based on chemical interactions between the fluorophore and the solvent. Throughout this discussion we assumed that the fluorophore was in a fluid solvent, and that the relaxation time of the solvent (τ s ) was much smaller than the fluorescence lifetime (τ). As a result, emission occurred from the relaxed state where the solvent was in equilibrium with the new electron distribution of the excited fluorophore. The reorganization of the solvent around the excited state dipole is an excited state reaction. In Chapter 12 we will describe the effects of a simple two-state reaction on the spectral properties of fluorophores. In this instance, the time-resolved decays of fluorescence, and the phase-modulation data, display a number of general and useful characteristics. Once understood, these characteristics can be used to prove that an excited state reaction is occurring, and to derive the kinetic constants for the system. The two-state model is relatively simple in that there are only two emitting species, and the lifetimes of these species are independent of emission wavelength. In many respects, the two-state model provides a useful conceptual framework within which to consider any excited state process.
Concerning the condition of additivity in quantum field theory

The condition of additivity for local von Neumann algebras is discussed within the framework of local quantum field theory. It is shown that this condition holds for algebras of observables associated with wedge-shaped regions in Minkowski space-time if the system of local algebras is associated with a local quantum field in a weak sense. And under somewhat stronger conditions additivity is shown to hold for arbitrary regions for the algebras of a certain minimal net generated by the quantum field On considere la condition d'additivite pour les algebres de Von Neumann locales dans le cadre de la theorie quantique locale des champs. On montre que cette condition est satisfaite pour les algebres d'observables associees aux regions de l'espace-temps minkowskien en forme de coin si le reseau d'algebres locales est associe dans un sens faible a un champ quantique local. Sous des conditions un peu plus fortes, on demontre l'additivite pour des regions arbitraires pour les algebres d'un certain reseau minimal qui est engendre par les champs quantiques
Glycolytic Switch Is Required for Transdifferentiation to Endothelial Lineage.

Background: We have previously shown that activation of cell-autonomous innate immune signaling facilitates the transdifferentiation of fibroblasts into induced endothelial cells, and is required t...
Who needs to carry an epinephrine autoinjector

Patients who have had anaphylaxis or who are at risk of it (eg, due to food allergy or Hymenoptera hypersensitivity) should carry an epinephrine autoinjector at all times. However, the risks and benefits must be considered on an individual basis, especially in patients with atherosclerotic heart disease, elderly patients on polypharmacy, patients receiving allergen immunotherapy, those with large local reactions to insect stings, and individuals with oral allergy syndrome.
The End of the World, Hollywood, and the Endurance of Military Violence: Elysium and World War Z

Bloodsworth-Lugo and Lugo-Lugo explore how the militarization of the United States is depicted in two films released over a decade after 9/11—Elysium and World War Z—and how this militarization reflects racialized anxieties in this country. Following the events of 9/11, the administrations of G.W. Bush, Obama, and Trump have promoted an increasing militarization of US society, which has included the handling and surveillance of minoritized bodies, including undocumented, black, brown, and Muslim bodies, and have fostered fear and anxiety of racialized others.
Production of galactitol from galactose by the oleaginous yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides IFO0880.

Sugar alcohols are commonly used as low-calorie sweeteners and can serve as potential building blocks for bio-based chemicals. Previous work has shown that the oleaginous yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides IFO0880 can natively produce arabitol from xylose at relatively high titers, suggesting that it may be a useful host for sugar alcohol production. In this work, we explored whether R. toruloides can produce additional sugar alcohols. Rhodosporidium toruloides is able to produce galactitol from galactose. During growth in nitrogen-rich medium, R. toruloides produced 3.2 ± 0.6 g/L, and 8.4 ± 0.8 g/L galactitol from 20 to 40 g/L galactose, respectively. In addition, R. toruloides was able to produce galactitol from galactose at reduced titers during growth in nitrogen-poor medium, which also induces lipid production. These results suggest that R. toruloides can potentially be used for the co-production of lipids and galactitol from galactose. We further characterized the mechanism for galactitol production, including identifying and biochemically characterizing the critical aldose reductase. Intracellular metabolite analysis was also performed to further understand galactose metabolism. Rhodosporidium toruloides has traditionally been used for the production of lipids and lipid-based chemicals. Our work demonstrates that R. toruloides can also produce galactitol, which can be used to produce polymers with applications in medicine and as a precursor for anti-cancer drugs. Collectively, our results further establish that R. toruloides can produce multiple value-added chemicals from a wide range of sugars.
The inflammatory response from stereotactic body proton therapy versus stereotactic body radiation therapy: implications from early stage non-small cell lung cancer.

Lung cancer is the second most common noncutaneous cancer and the deadliest cancer in the United States (US) with 228,150 estimated new cases in 2019 (1). About 87% of lung cancers diagnosed in the US are non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which currently has a 5-year overall survival (OS) rate of 23% across all stages, ranging from 57% for stage I to 4% for stage IV diseases (2).
Experience with Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy for Achalasia and Spastic Esophageal Motility Disorders at a Tertiary U.S. Center

Background/Aims: Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is a novel procedure for the treatment of achalasia and spastic esophageal disorders. Experience with POEM is limited, but its reported outcomes are excellent. It is deemed safe even for patients with prior interventions. Methods: This retrospective review included patients who underwent POEM at a tertiary US center. POEM was performed in a multidisciplinary approach by advanced endoscopists and foregut surgeons. Clinical success was defined as a post-POEM Eckardt score ≤3. Results: A total of 125 patients were included. Median follow-up period was 18 months (interquartile range, 10-22 months). Clinical success was achieved in 92% of patients and persisted at 12 months in 88% of patients. Mucosal barrier failure (MBF) occurred in 7 patients, 2 of whom required surgical intervention. MBF was more common in patients with prior laparoscopic Heller myotomy (19% vs. 3%, p=0.015). MBF requiring surgical intervention occurred early in the learning curve. Conclusions: POEM is safe and effective in the treatment of achalasia and spastic esophageal disorders even after failed prior interventions. Clin Endosc 2020;53:321-327
Combined effects of drought stress and psyllid herbivory on the invasive weed Scotch broom, Cytisus scoparius

Increases in the frequency and duration of droughts under global climate change could have implications for plant–insect interactions, and could either increase or decrease the effects of weed biological control agents. In this study, we used greenhouse and field experiments to examine the impacts of drought stress on the abundance and impacts of the adventive psyllid Arytainilla spartiophila Forster (Hemiptera: Psyllidae, Arytaininae) on its target weed Scotch broom, Cytisus scoparius (L.) Link (Fabaceae), in California, USA. The psyllid impacted plant growth in both field and greenhouse experiments, whereas drought stress affected plant growth in the greenhouse only, suggesting that other factors besides water availability may be more limiting for plants in the field. Effects on psyllid survival were consistent with the plant vigor hypothesis, which predicts that herbivores will perform better on vigorously growing plants; psyllid numbers were lower on drought‐stressed plants in the greenhouse and were correlated with plant growth in both the greenhouse and the field. In the greenhouse, the combined effects of the psyllid and drought stress were additive, indicating that the effects of the psyllid were consistent across unstressed and drought‐stressed plants. Although the psyllid is unlikely to control Scotch broom on its own, results suggest that it may work in conjunction with drought stress to suppress Scotch broom.