cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A univariate approximation at most probable point for higher-order reliability analysis

This paper presents a new univariate method employing the most probable point as the reference point for predicting failure probability of structural and mechanical systems subject to random loads, material properties, and geometry. The method involves novel decomposition at the most probable point that facilitates a univariate approximation of a general multivariate function, response surface generation of the univariate function, and Monte Carlo simulation. In addition to the effort of identifying the most probable point, the method requires a small number of exact or numerical evaluations of the performance function at selected input. Results of four numerical examples involving elementary mathematical functions and structural/solid-mechanics problems indicate that the proposed method provides accurate and computationally efficient estimates of probability of failure. Finally, the fatigue failure of lever arm in a wheel loader has been evaluated, demonstrating the ability of the new method in solving industrial-scale fatigue reliability problems.
Measurements on scaled models of urban environments and comparisons with ray-tracing propagation simulation

Scaled models of simple two-dimensional (2-D) urban environments are considered in order to investigate propagation along a vertical plane. Specifically, path loss measurements are taken for different positions of the transmitting and receiving antennas at 25 GHz. Then measurement results are compared with theoretical predictions computed by a ray-tracing polygonal line simulator. The measurements indicate a very good agreement between the ray-tracing model and the experiments.
Off-label does not mean off-base.

rst no d ex, d eThe off-label use of approved medi devices and drugs in a responsib manner is integral to the practice medicine and interventional radiolog in particular. The prerogative of ph sicians to utilize U.S. Food and Dr Administration (FDA)–approved prod ucts for unlabeled indications that a supported by substantive clinical ev dence has been asserted and co firmed on numerous occasions ( 1–3). As stated by Yustein et al ( 4) in thi issue of JVIR, the FDA does not pute this practice. The FDA’s conce is specific to expandable metal sten and the less rigorous testing requi ments for biliary compared to vascu devices. Biliary stents are class II, intermediate-risk devices, wherea vascular stents are class III, or hi risk devices. Class III devices u dergo more extensive benchtop an clinical testing before final approv than do class II devices. During past several years, the FDA has ceived increasing numbers of repor of adverse events involving the vasc lar use of expandable metallic sten that only have biliary approval. The events are publicly listing in the M ufacturer and User Facility Device E perience (MAUDE) database at www. accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/ cfMAUDE/search.cfm. The authors, a have others, strongly suggest that the adverse events are directly related to off-label use of devices that have
Controlled formation and disappearance of creases

Soft, elastic materials are capable of large and reversible deformation, readily leading to various modes of instability that are often undesirable, but sometimes useful. For example, when a soft elastic material is compressed, its initially flat surface will suddenly form creases. While creases are commonly observed, and have been exploited to control chemical patterning, enzymatic activity, and adhesion of surfaces, the conditions for the formation and disappearance of creases have so far been poorly controlled. Here we show that a soft elastic bilayer can snap between the flat and creased states repeatedly, with hysteresis. The strains at which the creases form and disappear are highly reproducible, and are tunable over a large range, through variations in the level of pre-compression applied to the substrate and the relative thickness of the film. The introduction of bistable flat and creased states and hysteretic switching is an important step to enable applications of this type of instability.
The effects of sialoadenectomy and exogenous EGF on taste bud morphology and maintenance.

Taste buds on the dorsal tongue surface are continually bathed in saliva rich in epidermal growth factor (EGF). In the following experiment, taste bud number and morphology were monitored following submandibular and sublingual salivary gland removal (sialoadenectomy), to determine if EGF plays a role in the maintenance and formation of taste buds. Adult male rats were divided into four groups: sialoadenectomized (SX, n = 4); sialoadenectomized with EGF replacement (SX + EGF, n = 5); sham-operated (SH, n = 4); and sham-operated with exogenous EGF (SH + EGF, n = 5). After a 3 week recovery, SX + EGF and SH + EGF animals were given 50 μg/day EGF in their drinking water for 14 days. At day 14, saliva was collected, the animals were killed and the presence of EGF determined by radioligand-binding assay. Tongues were removed and histologically examined for the presence and morphology of taste buds on fungiform and circumvallate papillae, or immunostained for the presence of EGF, TGFα (transforming growth factor α) and EGFR (EGF receptor). The removal of submandibular and sublingual salivary glands resulted in the loss of fungiform taste buds and normal fungiform papillae morphology. These effects were reversed by EGF supplementation, indicating a role for EGF in fungiform taste bud maintenance. In addition, supplementation of EGF to sham-operated animals increased the size of fungiform taste buds. In contrast, removal of salivary glands had no effect on the size, numbers, or morphology of circumvallate taste buds, suggesting that the formation and maintenance of taste buds in fungiform and circumvallate papillae may involve different and distinct processes. EGF, TGFα and EGFR were localized to distinct layers of the dorsal epithelium and to within both fungiform and circumvallate taste buds. Their expression within the epithelium or taste buds was not altered with sialoadenectomy, indicating that the actions of endogenous EGF and TGFα are distinct and not regulated by exogenous EGF and TGFα supplied in saliva.
Relationship of Hemoglobin To Occupational Exposure To Motor Vehicle Exhaust

OBJECTIVE To study the relationship of hemoglobin to exposure to motor vehicle exhaust. DESIGN Survey. PARTICIPANTS Traffic police, bus drivers, and auto-shop workers (all exposed to auto exhaust in Madras, India) and unexposed office workers. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES We measured levels of blood lead (by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry), and hemoglobin. Information also was collected on age, employment duration, smoking status, alcohol ingestion, and diet type (vegetarian or nonvegetarian). RESULTS Increasing exposure to motor vehicle exhaust, as reflected by job category, was significantly associated with lower levels of hemoglobin (p < 0.01). A final multivariate regression model was constructed that began with indicator variables for each job (with office workers as the reference category) and included age, duration of employment, blood lead level, alcohol ingestion, dietary type, and smoking status. After a backward-elimination procedure, employment duration as an auto-shop worker or bus driver remained as significant correlates of lower hemoglobin level and current smoking and long employment duration as significant correlates of higher hemoglobin level. CONCLUSIONS Occupational exposure to automobile exhaust may be a risk factor for decreased hemoglobin level in Madras. This effect appears to be independent of blood lead level and may represent hematopoietic suppression incurred by benzene or accumulated lead burden (which is not well reflected by blood lead levels). Smoking probably increased hemoglobin level through the chronic effects of exposure to carbon monoxide. In this study, a long employment duration may have served as a proxy for better socioeconomic, and therefore, better nutritional status.
Free vibration of axisymmetric solids by BEM using particular integrals

The free vibration of solids of revolution had never been solved by the Boundary Element Method (BEM) until a previous paper10 by the authors, in which the BEM was combined with the method of particular integrals to solve axisymmetric free vibration problems. In this paper the previously developed analysis is extended to study the non-axisymmetric free vibration of axisymmetric solids. The developed analysis has been implemented in a general purpose BEM system. Free vibrations of solid and hollow cylinders, a hyperbolic cooling tower and a gas turbine shell are used as examples, and their results are compared with those given by other methods. Except for low modes of very thin shells, good agreement can be seen.
Striving for Meaningful Policies to Reduce Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Intake Among Young Children

* Abbreviations: CACFP — : Child and Adult Care Food Program SSB — : sugar-sweetened beverage A strong evidence base links sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake to obesity in older children and adults.1–8 In this issue of Pediatrics , DeBoer et al add to the evidence using data from a nationally representative US cohort study to show a relationship between SSB intake and obesity among preschool-age children.9 The authors conclude that “strong consideration should be made toward policy changes leading to decreases in SSB consumption among children.”9 The questions we are now hoping to answer are the following: what policy solutions can curb SSB consumption among our youngest children? Equally important, how can these policies be meaningfully implemented in real-world settings? DeBoer et al’s study draws attention to a population of preschool-aged children who are often neglected by current SSB policies. Instituting soda taxes and limiting SSB serving sizes in restaurants have been proposed and attempted.10 Healthy beverage policies have been instituted in workplaces,11,12 and >80% of US school districts have policies prohibiting or restricting student access to SSBs.13 However, policies targeting preschool-aged children remain largely absent. There are clear federal policymaking opportunities to reduce SSB consumption among young children. The Child and Adult Food … Address correspondence to Anisha I. Patel, MD, MSPH, MSHS, Department of Pediatrics, and Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California at San Francisco, 3333 California St, Suite 245, Mailbox 0503, San Francisco, CA 94118. E-mail: patela{at}peds.ucsf.edu
L-Type Calcium Channels Mediate Calcium Oscillations in Early Postnatal Purkinje Neurons

Ca 2+ signaling is important in many fundamental neuronal processes including neurotransmission, synaptic plasticity, neuronal development, and gene expression. In cerebellar Purkinje neurons, Ca 2+ signaling has been studied primarily in the dendritic region where increases in local Ca 2+ have been shown to occur with both synaptic events and spontaneous electrical activity involving P-type voltage-gated Ca 2+ channels (VGCCs), the predominant VGCC expressed by Purkinje neurons. Here we show that Ca 2+ signaling is also a prominent feature of immature Purkinje neurons at developmental stages that precede expression of dendritic structure and involves L-type rather than P-type VGCCs. Immature Purkinje neurons acutely dissociated from postnatal day 4–7 rat pups exhibit spontaneous cytoplasmic Ca 2+ oscillations. The Ca 2+ oscillations require entry of extracellular Ca 2+ , are blocked by tetrodotoxin, are communicated to the nucleus, and correlate closely with patterns of endogenously generated spontaneous and evoked electrical activity recorded in the neurons. Immunocytochemistry showed that L-, N-, and P/Q-types of VGCCs are present on the somata of the Purkinje neurons at this age. However, only the L-type VGCC antagonist nimodipine effectively antagonized the Ca 2+ oscillations; inhibitors of P/Q and N-type VGCCs were relatively ineffective. Release of Ca 2+ from intracellular Ca 2+ stores significantly amplified the Ca 2+ signals of external origin. These results show that a somatic signaling pathway that generates intracellular Ca 2+ oscillations and involves L-type VGCCs and intracellular Ca 2+ stores plays a prominent role in the Ca 2+ dynamics of early developing Purkinje neurons and may play an important role in communicating developmental cues to the nucleus.
The History of the Law in Massachusetts: The Supreme Judicial Court 1692-1992

What conclusions can we draw from this brief survey of the interplay of the Supreme Judicial Court and the Massachusetts Constitution in the eras of the centennial and bicentennial of the Court? The first, and both most obvious and most important, is surely that generalizations are difficult, if not impossible.
Radiologic Assessment of Esophageal Cancer

Esophageal cancer represents the third most common gastrointestinal tract malignancy and sixth most common cause of cancer death worldwide. The majority of esophageal cancers are either squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) or adenocarcinomas. SCC is the most common pathological subtype with a higher incidence in developing countries. Esophageal adenocarcinomas comprise 15 % of all esophageal cancers. Other malignant tumors such as sarcomas, lymphoma, and small cell carcinoma (neuroendocrine tumor) are uncommon. Accurate initial staging of esophageal cancer is required to guide treatment protocols and to estimate prognosis.
Reversal of post-thymectomy wasting syndrome with multiple thymus grafts in diffusion chambers.

SummaryWasting syndrome in neonatally thymectomized mice is reversed by multiple newborn syngeneic or allogeneic thymus grafts in diffusion chambers. Recovery from the syndrome is associated with incomplete lymphoid tissue development but restoration of normal immune capacity in affected mice. Thymic humoral factor apparently responsible for these results does not appear to be strainspecinc.The authors are indebted to Mrs. Marjory Kyte for technical assistance.
Unfolded Protein Response in Cancer: IRE1α Inhibition by Selective Kinase Ligands Does Not Impair Tumor Cell Viability.

The kinase/endonuclease inositol requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1α), one of the sensors of unfolded protein accumulation in the endoplasmic reticulum that triggers the unfolded protein response (UPR), has been investigated as an anticancer target. We identified potent allosteric inhibitors of IRE1α endonuclease activity that bound to the kinase site on the enzyme. Structure–activity relationship (SAR) studies led to 16 and 18, which were selective in kinase screens and were potent against recombinant IRE1α endonuclease as well as cellular IRE1α. The first X-ray crystal structure of a kinase inhibitor (16) bound to hIRE1α was obtained. Screening of native tumor cell lines (>300) against selective IRE1α inhibitors failed to demonstrate any effect on cellular viability. These results suggest that IRE1α activity is not essential for viability in most tumor cell lines, in vitro, and that interfering with the survival functions of the UPR may not be an effective strategy to block tumorigenesis.
NT-10IDENTIFICATION OF AURINTRICARBOXYLIC ACID (ATA) AS AN INHIBITOR OF TWEAK-Fn14 SIGNALING IN GLIOBLASTOMA CELLS

The long-term survival of patients with glioblastoma (GB) is compromised by the proclivity for local invasion into the surrounding normal brain, escaping surgical resection and contributing to therapeutic resistance. Tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK), a member of the tumor necrosis factor superfamily, can stimulate glioma cell invasion via binding to fibroblast growth factor-inducible 14 (Fn14) and subsequent activation of the transcription factor NF-κB. In order to discover a small molecule inhibitors that disrupt Fn14-TWEAK signaling axis and subsequently glioma cell invasion, we developed a cell-based drug screening assay using HEK293 cells that overexpresses Fn14 and harbors NF-κB driven Firefly luciferase protein expression. In preliminary drug screening assay using LOPAC1280 library of 1280 pharmacologically active compound, Aurintricarboxylic Acid (ATA) showed suppression of NF-κB driven Firefly Luciferase activity downstreatm of TWEAK-Fn14 signaling. Conversely, ATA did not show any suppression in NF-κB driven Firefly Luciferase activity downstream of TNFα-TNFR1 signaling, suggesting that ATA is a specific inhibitor of TWEAK-Fn14-NFκB signaling. In vitro, we demonstrated that ATA suppresses TWEAK induced chemotactic migration of glioma cells (T98G and A172) by inhibiting Rac1 and Akt activation. In addition, glioma cells treated with ATA showed increased susceptibility to standard treatment including temozolomide and radiation. In summary, this work reports a new small molecule inhibitor of TWEAK-Fn14 signaling that could be useful in enhancing the therapeutic targeting of this deadly disease.
Escaping the iron cage: Liabilities of origin and CSR reporting of emerging market multinational enterprises

This article examines the link between the condition of institutional voids in emerging markets and the use of the practice of corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting by emerging market multinational enterprises (EM-MNEs). Based on neo-institutional theory and in light of the specificity of emerging markets, we propose a positive relationship between institutional voids and CSR reporting. Home-country institutional voids push companies to internationalize as a way to escape the institutional constraints and inefficiencies in their own markets, but at the same time create legitimacy challenges for these companies abroad. In particular, EM-MNEs from less institutionally developed countries are likely to face liabilities of origin – negative perceptions in host countries about these firms’ willingness and ability to conduct legitimate business. CSR reporting is an effective strategy to overcome such liabilities and barriers to legitimation as it conveys to host countries and global stakeholders alignment with global meta-norms and expectations. Internationalization, listing on developed country stock exchanges, and time, further magnify EM-MNEs’ legitimacy challenges and thus the use of CSR reporting to mitigate them. Our hypotheses are supported in a longitudinal study of 157 of the largest EM-MNEs ranked by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) between 2004 and 2011.
INCARCERATION AND POPULATION HEALTH IN WEALTHY DEMOCRACIES

Everywhere you look, incarceration seems to be doing harm. Research has implicated incarceration not only in worse outcomes for individuals, their families, and their communities but also in growing inequality. Yet incarceration may not always harm society—even if it does harm those who experience it. To consider this possibility, I build an argument demonstrating how the macro-level consequences of incarceration may be distinctively harmful in the United States, focusing on the incarceration–health relationship as one indicator of a broader phenomenon. I then test my hypothesis by using an unbalanced panel data set including 21 developed democracies (N = 414) and a series of ordinary least-squares models predicting three measures of population health as a function of incarceration. Models including only a main effect of incarceration demonstrate an inverse association between changes in incarceration and changes in population health. Models including an incarceration by U.S. interaction, however, indicate that the population health consequences of changes in incarceration are far worse in the United States than elsewhere. Taken together, the results indicate that the United States is exceptional for both its rate of incarceration and its effects of incarceration, although it is unclear what drives this exceptionalism in effects.
Modulation of ara-C induced apoptosis in leukemia by the PKC activator bryostatin 1.

Modulation of ara-C-induced apoptosis in human leukemia cells by the macrocyclic lactone PKC activator bryostatin 1 occurs at multiple levels, and involves a variety of oncogenes and signalling pathways. Under some circumstances, bryostatin 1 may lead to enhanced conversion of ara-C to its lethal metabolite, ara-CTP. However, bryostatin 1 is able to potentiate ara-C-mediated cytotoxicity in the absence of metabolic perturbations, presumably by modulating the cell death pathway itself. For example, chronic exposure of cells to bryostatin 1 leads to PKC down-regulation, which may alter the balance between survival (e.g., ERK) versus stress (e.g., SAPK/JNK)-related pathways. The ability of bryostatin 1 to enhance ara-C-mediated apoptosis is inversely related to its capacity to induce leukemic cell maturation and may involve the failure to down-regulate expression of the cell cycle progression-related proto-oncogene, c-myc. Finally, recent evidence suggests that bryostatin 1 may act, through modification of Bcl-2 phosphorylation status, at a distal site in the cell death pathway. These studies could provide a paradigm important for understanding the mechanism(s) by which agents acting through signal transduction pathways modulate cytotoxic drug-induced cell death
Analysis of Related Risk Factors of Ectopic Pregnancy

Objective:To analyze the potential risk factors for ectopic pregnancy through the retrospective analysis of case-control study.Method:80 women who diagnosed as ectopic pregnancy in our center from July 2009 to July 2013 were selected as the case group.300 cases for normal production were collected in the same period as the control group.The related factors were recorded,the risk factors of ectopic pregnancy were screened by Logistic regression analysis.Result:The findings revealed that the following factors were associated with increased risk of ectopic pregnancy,including:the history of chronic pelvic inflammatory disease,infertility history,abortion history,past history of ectopic pregnancy.Conclusion:By identifying risk factors is helpful to the early intervention of the modifiable factors,can reduce the incidence of ectopic pregnancy.
Impact of Oncoplastic Surgery on Adjuvant Radiation Therapy

Oncoplastic surgery allows wide local excision and excellent cosmesis for many patients who would otherwise have a poor cosmetic result with conservation surgery alone. Incorporating oncoplastic surgery into a successful treatment plan requires the cooperation and coordination of surgical oncology, plastic surgery, radiology, and radiation oncology. Not only is it important that the radiation oncologist be able to effectively give targeted radiation to as small a volume as possible while treating the entire tumor bed, it is also critical that the tumor bed be marked properly so it that can be visualized in the simulation CT scan. This will lead to effective local control with minimum late toxicity whether delivering a tumor bed boost or accelerated partial-breast irradiation (APBI).
Palliative repair of transposition of the great arteries with criss-cross heart: ventricular septal defect and hypoplastic right (systemic) ventricle.

Four cases of palliative Mustard or Senning repair for transposition of the great arteries (VGA) with ventricular septal defect (VSD), hypoplastic right ventricle, and superior-inferior ventricular configuration are presented. The palliative Mustard procedure—a Mustard repair without VSD closure—is usually reserved for patients with pulmonary vascular obstructive disease (PVOD). In such cases, VSD closure would result in left ventricular failure. Each of our four patients had normal or only slightly elevated pulmonary resistance (1.0 to 5.2 Wood units). However, in each case a hypoplastic right ventricle precluded VSD closure. All four patients had transposition-like hemodynamics with unfavorable streaming to the great arteries, despite the fact that two patients had a levo arterial configuration. In each case, the ventricular relationship included a hypoplastic, superior right ventricle with a horizontal ventricular septum—the so-called “upstairs-downstairs” or “superior-inferior” heart. All patients had previous balloon atrial septostomy or open septectomy to improve atrial mixing. Two patients had previous pulmonary artery banding because of increased pulmonary flow. All four patients remain survivors of the palliative Mustard or Senning repair, which was performed at 10 months, 5 1/2, 12, and 16 years. In each case, there was a marked improvement of symptomatology with a decrease of hemoglobin (mean 21.1 gm/dl preoperatively to 15.3 gm/dl postoperatively) and an increase of arterial oxygen saturation (mean 78 vol % preoperatively to 93 vol % postoperatively). This is the first report of palliative Mustard or Senning repairs in patients with TGA, VSD, and hypoplastic right ventricle without PVOD. The procedure produces gratifying palliation for these patients.
The Latency Location-Routing Problem

Abstract This paper introduces the Latency Location-Routing Problem (LLRP) whose goal is to minimize waiting time of recipients by optimally determining both the locations of depots and the routes of vehicles. The LLRP is customer oriented by pursuing minimization of the latency instead of minimization of the length of routes. One of the main applications of this problem is the distribution of supplies to affected areas in post-disaster relief activities. It is also relevant in customer-oriented supply chain where latency at demand locations plays a significant role in the satisfaction of the customers. The problem is formulated mathematically and two heuristics, the Memetic Algorithm (MA) and the Recursive Granular Algorithm (RGA), are proposed. An extensive experimental study shows that both algorithms are able to produce promising results in reasonable time.
Secondary Biology Textbooks and National Standards for English Learners

Given secondary teachers’ dependence on textbooks for curricular and instructional guidance, the challenges introduced by increasingly diverse classrooms in the United States, and national efforts to provide equitable access to science for all students, this study examined the alignment between three popular high school biology textbooks and the tenets of four national standards. The standards, Benchmarks for Science Literacy (the national science content standards when the textbooks were published), The CREDE Five Standards for Effective Pedagogy and Learning, World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) English Language Proficiency Standards, and Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study Standards (TIMSS), were chosen as representative of nationally accepted ways of meeting the discipline-specific content, pedagogical, linguistic, and cognitive needs of English learners (ELs). Descriptive content analysis revealed that the instructional helps (textual tools) found in all three textbooks had some level of alignment with all four standards. However, not all chapters or instructional units included explicit recommendations for teaching ELs, and the overall alignment ranged from low to moderate across textbooks. Equally concerning was that many important instructional recommendations from the standards, particularly those designed to develop and challenge student thinking, were implicit or completely absent. Implications for textbook publishers, textbook adoption committees, teachers, and teacher educators are discussed.
Dooly County Doughnuts

Dooly County Doughnuts (DCD), a south Georgia based doughnut shop, faces capacity issues as its sales continue to grow. As its doughnuts continue to increase in popularity, DCD must gain a better understanding of its current operational capacity. The DCD case captures three key concepts: capacity analysis, batches/setup times, and Little's Law. In particular, the case works well as a first time introduction to Little's Law. This case is suitable for an undergraduate or MBA introductory operations course, and works well as exam case. The material fits particularly well in a course module on process analysis. An example sequence could include: Pancho's Burrito (OM-1555), NoBull Burger (OM-1479), Dooly County Doughnuts, Czech-Mate (OM-1390), and Stonehaven (HBS 696-048). The material could be complimented with activities such as the face game and a teaching note on process analysis (e.g., OM-1556). Excerpt UVA-OM-1572 Rev. Dec. 13, 2017 Dooly County Doughnuts Dewey Johnson sat in his office contemplating the past year of operation of his Dooly County Doughnuts (DCD) shop located in Vienna, Georgia. DCD served walk-in customers, and also made doughnuts to be stocked at local grocery stores and coffee shops. Over the past year, Johnson had spent considerable time trying to increase sales but had not spent much time focused on the operations of the shop. Through his window, he could see the line for doughnuts extending well into the parking lot. While he was pleased with the results of his sales push, he realized he needed to assess his capacity and maybe consider expansion. Product Sales Doughnut production at DCD was currently limited to a single 8-hr. shift per day, 7 days per week. During peak hours, Johnson maintained a staff of 3 to 4 employees that was more than capable of running the highly automated process without any additional slowdowns. Currently Johnson sold, on average, 1,100 dozen doughnuts per day of all varieties. . . .
Immobilization of Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b for methanol production.

Due to the natural gas boom in North America, there is renewed interest in the production of other chemical products from methane. We investigated the feasibility of immobilizing the obligate methanotrophic bacterium Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b in alginate beads, and selectively inactivating methanol dehydrogenase (MDH) with cyclopropane to produce methanol. In batch cultures and in semi-continuous flow columns, the exposure of alginate-immobilized cells to cyclopropane or cyclopropanol resulted in the loss of the majority of MDH activity (> 80%), allowing methanol to accumulate to significant concentrations while retaining all of M. trichosporium OB3b’s methane monooxygenase capacity. Thereafter, the efficiency of methanol production fell due to recovery of most of the MDH activity; however, subsequent inhibition periods resulted in renewed methanol production efficiency, and immobilized cells retained methane-oxidizing activity for at least 14 days.
Tuberculous Pyomyositis Masquerading as Pyogenic Infection: A Case Report.

Tuberculous pyomyositis is a rare entity, with nonspecific presentation that often leads to a delay in diagnosis. It is caused by a small aerophilic bacillus organism and spreads by exhaled respiratory droplets from affected individuals. When tuberculous pyomyositis presents as the initial and only manifestation of the disease, there is a diagnostic dilemma. Even with readily available advanced imaging studies, there are no pathognomonic findings indicative of the disease. Early and accurate recognition is essential to avoid additional morbidity, mortality, and public health risk. Tuberculous pyomyositis has been reported as an opportunistic infection in patients with immunosuppression. Modern manifestations have been unmasked following medical therapy for respiratory infections treated with quinolone antibiotics1. It may present as painful soft-tissue swelling with conditions such as ankylosing spondylitis2, rheumatoid arthritis3, and polymyositis4. There is an increased incidence in individuals who are being treated with corticosteroids and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDS)5, and, paradoxically, in individuals with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)6 that is being brought into remission with medication therapy7. There is an increased incidence in people who may be immunocompromised or who have a number of medical comorbidities, including diabetes mellitus, congestive heart failure, renal failure, drug addiction, systemic lupus erythematosis, nephrotic syndrome, and renal transplant. To the best of our knowledge, much of the literature pertaining to these conditions has been published from areas where tuberculosis (TB) is endemic. However, the defined patient population at risk is not necessarily defined by the pulmonary TB population, but rather by a population that is common in most hospitals in the United States. The reported outcomes of tuberculous pyomyositis have varied widely, from complete disease remission to death. Early accurate diagnostic consideration is important in optimizing outcomes. With this report, …
Fictive orders and feminine religious identities, 1200–1600

What are the distinctions between a pious Christian laywoman and one who is a vowed religious? What does it mean for a woman to be a member of a religious order? What, in fact, defines a religious ...
Assembly, Continuity, and Exchanges in Certain Cytoplasmic Membrane Systems

Basic to the definition of a cell is a membrane separating the activities within it from the surrounding environment. In even the simplest organisms, the plasma membrane, or plasmalemma, bounding the cellular mass is characterized by definable structure and distinctive physiological properties. The structure, composition, and properties of membranes have all been subjects of extensive, interrelated studies. This work will de al with questions about their assembly, continuity, and exchange. Only brief consideration will be given to structure, composition, and properties to provide a basic understanding that will lend coherence to the other questions.
The Potential For Nutrigenomics in Prevention of Metabolic Syndrome

The relationship between diet and health has been recognized for millennia, but precisely “how” diet interacts with human physiology to elicit health or disease is only now beginning to be understood. The sequencing of the human genome as well as the development of new and innovative technologies in systems biology has allowed scientists to ask more probing questions into the relationship between diet
Polyanionic Gold–Tin Bonding and Crystal Structure Preference in REAu1.5Sn0.5 (RE = La, Ce, Pr, Nd)

During a systematic search of the RE-Au-Sn (RE = La, Ce, Pr, Nd) ternary phase space, a series of compounds with the general formula REAu1.5Sn0.5 have been identified. These phases can be synthesized by arc melting the elemental metals, followed by annealing. The crystal structures were solved using single-crystal X-ray diffraction, with the composition confirmed by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. All four compounds crystallize in orthorhombic space group Imma with the CeCu2-type structure. Most notable in these compounds is the polyanionic backbone composed of a single statistically mixed Au/Sn position, which creates a puckered hexagonal bonding network separated by the rare-earth atoms. Electronic structure calculations indicate that the Au 5d bands are dominant in the density of states, while the crystal orbital Hamilton population (-COHP) curves demonstrate Au-Au and Au-Sn interactions, which stabilize the crystal structure. Likewise, a qualitative electron localization function analysis supports the existence of a polyanionic network, and a Bader charge analysis implies anionic character on Au and Sn. The preference for these compounds to adopt the simple CeCu2-type structure is also determined using density functional theory calculations and compared to related compounds to establish a better picture of the unusual behavior of Au in polar intermetallic compounds.
Does margin status affect oncologic outcomes and survival in patients with papillary thyroid cancer

6097Background: It is widely known that gross extrathyroidal extension (GEE) portends poor prognosis in patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). There is controversy regarding the prognostic v...
Virus concentration and purification by a microfluidic filtering system with an integrated PEGylated antifouling membrane

We present the integration of a nanoporous membrane functionalized with hydrophilic polymer brushes, poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (PEGMA), into a microfluidic device. In order to prevent damage to functional groups on the membrane surfaces, the PEGMA-modified membrane was directly bonded using an intermediate UV-curable adhesive layer by employing the modified “Stamp-and-Stick (SAS)” method and operated at high pressures. We demonstrated that the degree of flux recovery (RFR) of the functionalized membrane during testing with bovine serum albumin, that reached 93% after a cleaning process while unmodified membranes showed only 63% of RFR. The viral particle recovery efficiency and concentration factor were 60.41% and 6.04, respectively.
U.S. Consumers’ Perception of Asian Brands’ Cultural Authenticity and Its Impact on Perceived Quality, Trust, and Patronage Intention

AbstractThis study investigated the effectiveness of a brand marketing strategy that can be used by Asian brands originating from particularly emerging Asian countries to introduce themselves to th...
Comparison of Amiodarone and Beta Blockers to Suppress Tachyarrhythmias in Patients with Left Ventricular Assist Devices

Purpose We evaluated the role of amiodarone (AMI) and beta blockers (BB) in reducing the number of tachyarrhythmia events or related readmissions in patients with left ventricular assist devices (LVAD). Methods All patients that received a continuous-flow LVAD at a single center between 2011-2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were separated into 4 groups including AMI only, BB only, both, or neither at time of LVAD implantation and 1 month, 6 months, or 12 months post-LVAD. Primary outcomes included number of tachyarrhythmia events (greater than 30 seconds or requiring cardioversion) between intervals 0-1 month, 1-6 months, and 6-12 months and readmissions due to arrhythmia at 12 months. Analysis involved ANOVA to compare the mean number of arrhythmia events between these time intervals with the 4 groups being determined by type of therapy at the beginning of each interval. Results A total of 111 patients were included in this study, including 27 (24.3%) females. The mean age was 60.5 (SD ± 12.3) years and mean BMI was 30.4 (SD ± 7.4) kg/m2. The BB only group included 0 (0%) patients at time of LVAD, 18 (16.3%) at 1 month, 31 (37.5%) at 6 months, and 27 (38.2%) at 12 months. The AMI only group included 53 (47.7%) at time of LVAD, 33 (33.6%) at 1 month, 10 (12.5%) at 6 months, and 8 (11.8%) at 12 months. The BB + AMI group included 1 (0.9%) at time of LVAD, 33 (33.7%) at 1 month, 33 (41.3%) at 6 months, and 27 (39.7%) at 12 months. Neither BB or AMI was used in 57 (51.3%) at time of LVAD, 14 (14.3%) at 1 month, 6 (7.5%) at 6 months, and 6 (8.8%) at 12 months. At 1 month, mean number of arrhythmia events was 1.7 with AMI only, 6.0 with BB + AMI, and 1.0 with neither (P = 0.02). Between 1 - 6 months post-LVAD, mean number of events was 7.7 with BB only, 0.5 with AMI only, 0.7 in BB + AMI, and 0.4 with neither (P = 0.27). Between 6 - 12 months, mean number of events was 0.1 with BB only, 0 with AMI only, 1.4 AMI + BB, and 0 with neither (P = 0.60). Mean number of readmissions at 12 months was greatest in group with BB + AMI at 6 months (BB only, 0.03; AMI only, 0; BB + AMI, 0.36; neither, 0; P = 0.04). Conclusion In this retrospective analysis, the use of AMI and/or BB did not appear to reduce the burden of tachyarrhythmias in patients with LVAD, and the use of both was associated with the highest number of readmissions. Prospective studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy of anti-arrhythmic therapies in these patients.
Role of Stochastic Atmospheric Forcing from the South and North Pacific in Tropical Pacific Decadal Variability

AbstractStochastic variability of internal atmospheric modes, known as teleconnection patterns, drives large-scale patterns of low-frequency SST variability in the extratropics. To investigate how ...
Assignments to Engage Students in Economics Study Abroad Programs

Economic educators are continually searching for new ways for students to apply economics. In this paper, the author presents a writing assignment where students are to replicate the Humans of New York photojournalism project with an emphasis on concepts learned in class. The author shares guidelines and resources for instructors to implement into their economics study abroad curriculum.
QASMBench: A Low-level QASM Benchmark Suite for NISQ Evaluation and Simulation

The rapid development of quantum computing (QC) in the NISQ era urgently demands a low-level benchmark suite and insightful evaluation metrics for characterizing the properties of prototype NISQ devices, the efficiency of QC programming compilers, schedulers and assemblers, and the capability of quantum simulators in a classical computer. In this work, we fill this gap by proposing a low-level, easy-to-use benchmark suite called QASMBench based on the OpenQASM assembly representation. It consolidates commonly used quantum routines and kernels from a variety of domains including chemistry, simulation, linear algebra, searching, optimization, arithmetic, machine learning, fault tolerance, cryptography, etc., trading-off between generality and usability. To analyze these kernels in terms of NISQ device execution, in addition to circuit width and depth, we propose four circuit metrics including gate density, retention lifespan, measurement density, and entanglement variance, to extract more insights about the execution efficiency, the susceptibility to NISQ error, and the potential gain from machine-specific optimizations. Most of the QASMBench application code can be launched and verified in IBM-Q directly. With the help from q-convert, QASMBench can be evaluated on various platforms and simulation environments. QASMBench is released at: this http URL.
A derivative of the D5 monoclonal antibody that targets the gp41 N-heptad repeat of HIV-1 with broad tier-2 neutralizing activity

HIV-1 infection is initiated by the viral glycoprotein Env, which, after interaction with cellular coreceptors, adopts a transient conformation known as the pre-hairpin intermediate (PHI). The N-heptad repeat (NHR) is a highly conserved region of gp41 exposed in the PHI; it is the target of the FDA-approved drug enfuvirtide and of neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). However, to date these mAbs have only been weakly effective against tier-1 HIV-1 strains, which are most sensitive to neutralizing antibodies. Here, we engineered and tested 11 IgG variants of D5, an anti-NHR mAb, by recombining previously described mutations in four of D5s six antibody complementarity-determining regions. One variant, D5_AR, demonstrated 6-fold enhancement in ID50 against lentivirus pseudotyped with HXB2 Env. Importantly, D5_AR exhibited weak cross-clade neutralizing activity against a diverse set of tier-2 HIV-1 viruses, which are less sensitive to neutralizing antibodies than tier-1 viruses and are the target of current antibody-based vaccine efforts. In addition, the neutralization potency of D5_AR IgG was greatly enhanced in target cells expressing Fc{gamma}RI with ID50 values below 0.1 g/mL; this immunoglobulin receptor is expressed on macrophages and dendritic cells, which are implicated in the early stages of HIV-1 infection of mucosal surfaces. D5 and D5_AR have equivalent neutralization potency in IgG, Fab, and scFv formats, indicating that neutralization is not impacted by steric hindrance. Taken together, these results provide support for vaccine strategies that target the PHI by eliciting antibodies against the gp41 NHR. ImportanceDespite advances in anti-retroviral therapy, HIV remains a global epidemic and has claimed more than 32 million lives. Accordingly, developing an effective vaccine remains an urgent public health need. The gp41 N-heptad repeat (NHR) of the HIV-1 pre-hairpin intermediate (PHI) is highly conserved (>90%) and is inhibited by the FDA-approved drug enfuvirtide, making it an attractive vaccine target. However, to date NHR antibodies have not been potent. Here, we engineered D5_AR, a more potent variant of the anti-NHR antibody D5, and established its ability to inhibit HIV-1 strains that are more difficult to neutralize and are more representative of circulating strains (tier-2 strains). The neutralizing activity of D5_AR was greatly potentiated in cells expressing Fc{gamma}RI; Fc{gamma}RI is expressed on cells that are implicated at the earliest stages of sexual HIV-1 transmission. Taken together, these results bolster efforts to target the gp41 NHR and the PHI for vaccine development.
Using workers' compensation claims to investigate occupational injuries among residential day laborers and domestic workers.

BACKGROUND While many states have legal provisions to extend workers' compensation eligibility to day laborers or domestic workers hired directly by homeowners or families, little is known about the nature or frequency of injury claims submitted on behalf of these "residential employees." METHODS We examined California workers' compensation claims records for injuries that appear to have occurred in residential settings between 2008 and 2018 and where the employer of record was an individual or family. We examined the demographic, occupational, and injury characteristics of our sample and analyzed factors that contribute to the likelihood of a claim resulting in some sort of payment. RESULTS We identified 5,463 workers' compensation claims that were likely submitted on behalf of residential employees. Claims most commonly reflected injuries to workers performing housekeeping tasks, followed by construction/maintenance and caregiving. Workers performing construction/maintenance or gardening/landscaping tasks were more likely to be injured on the same day of hire and were more likely to require hospitalization or emergency treatment for their injuries; however, these workers also had a smaller proportion of claims that resulted in payment. We found that employment tenure had the biggest impact on the likelihood of payment, with the odds increasing sharply after the first day of work. CONCLUSIONS Although the claims in our data set likely represent only a small fraction of all injuries to residential day laborers and domestic workers during this period, we suggest that workers' compensation claims can provide valuable clues for better understanding occupational injuries among workers in this largely informal sector.
Transcript responses to drought in Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) germplasm varying in their tolerance to drought stress

Abstract For the cool-season turfgrass Kentucky bluegrass, improving germplasm for drought tolerance is an increasingly important priority. Although genetic mechanisms behind drought tolerance have been characterized for model and agronomic plant species, the critical genes, gene families, and transcript isoforms important in Kentucky bluegrass are unclear. Using an RNAseq approach across three germplasm sources that differ in their regrowth, relative water content, and turf quality under drought stress, we have identified transcript isoforms exhibiting a shared response of all three germplasm sources to drought stress and transcript isoforms exhibiting a tolerance response where the more drought-tolerant germplasm sources exhibited higher transcript differences compared to the drought-susceptible cultivar Midnight. Annotation and transcript profile groupings both identified abundant chaperone gene families with protein folding and protective functions, such as heat shock proteins, DNAj, and late embryogenesis abundant genes. Transcript isoforms within these gene families were tolerance related and known to respond to abscisic acid. Two dehydrin genes, RAB15 and HVA1, were induced in several more drought-tolerant germplasm sources and show promise as candidate genes for selection.
Not All High-Growth Firms Are Alike: Capturing and Tagging Ohio’s Gazelles

In this study, the authors present a statistically valid typology of high-growth firms (HGFs), also known as gazelles, to determine if payroll and job growth patterns differ between groups or clust...