cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SCALE-DEPENDENT RECRUITMENT AND DIVERGENCE OF INTERTIDAL COMMUNITIES

Sheltered rocky bays in the Gulf of Maine support communities usually dominated either by the fucoid rockweed Ascophyllum nodosum or the mussel Mytilus edulis. In order to test whether clearing size determines the subsequent pattern of recruitment by intertidal organisms, we examined four common species in clearings in stands of A. nodosum. Circular experimental clearings of 1, 2, 4, and 8 m in diameter, which mimicked severe ice scour, and uncleared controls were established at 12 sites spread across four bays. Recruitment of A. nodosum and of three species not common in A. nodosum stands (mussels, barnacles, and the rockweed Fucus vesiculosus) varied with clearing size and the patterns did not vary among bays. Recruitment of A. nodosum declined exponentially with clearing size. Fucus and barnacles recruited in greater densities to large clearings (≥4 m) compared to small clearings (<4 m). Recruitment of F. vesiculosus was also site specific, reflecting patterns of local abundance, but that of A. nodosum was not. Mussels recruited onto artificial substrates in fewer numbers in large clearings, but in marginally greater numbers to rock underneath these substrates in large clearings. Recruitment densities of mussels and barnacles were strongly site specific. These results suggest that (1) the rate of succession varies site specifically, and (2) the trajectory of succession, either convergence toward or divergence from the surrounding community, is contingent upon the interplay between species interactions and the size of the clearing.
Did the perils of abdominal obesity affect depiction of feminine beauty in the sixteenth to eighteenth century British literature? Exploring the health and beauty link.

‘Good gene’ mate selection theory proposes that all individuals share evolved mental mechanisms that identify specific parts of a woman's body as indicators of fertility and health. Depiction of feminine beauty, across time and culture, should therefore emphasize the physical traits indicative of health and fertility. Abdominal obesity, as measured by waist size, is reliably linked to decreased oestrogen, reduced fecundity and increased risk for major diseases. Systematic searches of British literature across the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries reveal that a narrow waist is consistently described as beautiful. Works in ancient Indian and Chinese literature similarly associate feminine attractiveness with a narrow waist. Even without the benefit of modern medical knowledge, both British and Asian writers knew intuitively the biological link between health and beauty.
A correction to the proof of a lemma in "The capacity of wireless networks"

For original paper see "The capacity of wireless networks", Gupta and Kumar, ibid., vol. 46, p. 388-404 (2000). The proof of lemma 4.8 is corrected.
Microwave cavity‐perturbation equations in the skin‐depth regime

The frequency shift and loss of a microwave cavity for ellipsoidal samples in the skin‐depth regime are calculated using the surface impedance concept. Equations qualitatively different from the widely used quasistatic equations are obtained when the skin depth is much smaller than the sample dimensions. These results agree with more rigorous calculations on spherical samples in the skin‐depth regime. A geometrical representation based on the Smith Chart is developed as an aid to the analysis of experimental data for low‐loss samples.
Coherence effects in L-band active and passive remote sensing of quasi-periodic corn canopies

Due to their highly random nature, vegetation canopies can be modeled using the incoherent transport theory for active and passive remote sensing applications. Agricultural vegetation canopies however are generally more structured than natural vegetation. The inherent row structure in agricultural canopies induces coherence effects disregarded by the transport theory. The objective of this study is to demonstrate, via Monte-Carlo simulations, these coherence effects on L-band scattering and thermal emission from corn canopies consisting of only stalks.
Sleep as a window into early neural development: Shifts in sleep-dependent learning effects across early childhood

Sleep is an important physiological state for the consolidation and generalization of new learning in children and adults. We review the literature on sleep-dependent memory consolidation and generalization in infants and preschool children and place the findings in the context of the development of the neural systems underlying memory (hippocampus and its connections to cortex). Based on the extended trajectory of hippocampal development, transitions in the nature of sleep-dependent learning are expected. The studies reviewed here show shifts in the nature of sleep-dependent learning across early childhood, with sleep facilitating generalization in infants but enhancing precise memory after 18-24 months of age. Future studies on sleep-dependent learning in infants and young children must take these transitions in early brain development into account.
The effects of walking poles on shoulder function in breast cancer survivors.

Breast cancer treatment often results in impaired shoulder function, in particular, decrements in muscular endurance and range of motion, which may lead to decreased quality of life. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of walking pole use on shoulder function in female breast cancer survivors. Participants had previously been treated with 1 or a combination of the following: mastectomy, breast conservation therapy, axillary lymph node dissection, chemotherapy, or radiation. Participants were randomly placed in experimental (n = 6) and control (n = 6) groups and met with a cancer exercise specialist 2 times each week for 8 weeks. The experimental group used walking poles during the 20-minute aerobic portion of their workout, whereas the control group did not use walking poles but performed 20 minutes of aerobic exercise per workout session. Both groups participated in similar resistance training programs. Testing was done pre- and postexercise intervention to de- termine upper body muscular endurance and active range of motion at the glenohumeral joint. Repeated-measures analy- sis of variance (ANOVA) revealed significant improvements in muscular endurance as measured by the bench press (P = .046) and lat pull down (P = .013) in the walking pole group. No within-group improvements were found in the group that did not use walking poles. The data suggest that using a walk- ing pole exercise routine for 8 weeks significantly improved muscular endurance of the upper body, which would clearly be beneficial in helping breast cancer survivors perform ac- tivities of daily living and regain an independent lifestyle.
Polarization-modulated smectic liquid crystal phases.

Any polar-ordered material with a spatially uniform polarization field is internally frustrated: The symmetry-required local preference for polarization is to be nonuniform, i.e., to be locally bouquet-like or “splayed.” However, it is impossible to achieve splay of a preferred sign everywhere in space unless appropriate defects are introduced into the field. Typically, in materials like ferroelectric crystals or liquid crystals, such defects are not thermally stable, so that the local preference is globally frustrated and the polarization field remains uniform. Here, we report a class of fluid polar smectic liquid crystals in which local splay prevails in the form of periodic supermolecular-scale polarization modulation stripes coupled to layer undulation waves. The polar domains are locally chiral, and organized into patterns of alternating handedness and polarity. The fluid-layer undulations enable an extraordinary menagerie of filament and planar structures that identify such phases.
STIM2 enhances receptor-stimulated Ca2+ signaling by promoting recruitment of STIM1 to the endoplasmic reticulum–plasma membrane junctions

A central component of receptor-evoked Ca(2+) signaling is store-operated Ca(2+) entry (SOCE), which is activated by the assembly of STIM1-Orai1 channels in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and plasma membrane (PM) (ER-PM) junctions in response to depletion of ER Ca(2+). We report that STIM2 enhances agonist-mediated activation of SOCE by promoting STIM1 clustering in ER-PM junctions at low stimulus intensities. Targeted deletion of STIM2 in mouse salivary glands diminished fluid secretion in vivo and SOCE activation in dispersed salivary acinar cells stimulated with low concentrations of muscarinic receptor agonists. STIM2 knockdown in human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells diminished agonist-induced Ca(2+) signaling and nuclear translocation of NFAT (nuclear factor of activated T cells). STIM2 lacking five carboxyl-terminal amino acid residues did not promote formation of STIM1 puncta at low concentrations of agonist, whereas coexpression of STIM2 with STIM1 mutant lacking the polybasic region STIM1ΔK resulted in co-clustering of both proteins. Together, our findings suggest that STIM2 recruits STIM1 to ER-PM junctions at low stimulus intensities when ER Ca(2+) stores are mildly depleted, thus increasing the sensitivity of Ca(2+) signaling to agonists.
Retention treatment after periprosthetic total hip arthroplasty infection

Purpose The purpose of this study was to compare infection control rates between implant retention and two-stage revision and assess the effectiveness of retention treatment in THA.
Routes to short term memory indexing: Lessons from deaf native users of American Sign Language

Models of working memory (WM) have been instrumental in understanding foundational cognitive processes and sources of individual differences. However, current models cannot conclusively explain the consistent group differences between deaf signers and hearing speakers on a number of short-term memory (STM) tasks. Here we take the perspective that these results are not due to a temporal order-processing deficit in deaf individuals, but rather reflect different biases in how different types of memory cues are used to do a given task. We further argue that the main driving force behind the shifts in relative biasing is a consequence of language modality (sign vs. speech) and the processing they afford, and not deafness, per se.
Medical School Training for the Surgeon

This review outlines the current state of undergraduate medical education for the surgeon in training, and highlights ongoing efforts to improve the preparation of graduating students entering surgical residency. Possible models for improved integration of specialty specific training in medical school are explored, and future directions in undergraduate surgical education are considered in the context of ongoing curricular initiatives in medical schools within North America.
Exploring mixed-initiative interaction for learning with situated instruction in cognitive agents

Human-agent interaction for learning with instruction canbe viewed on a continuum of instructor/agent control. At one extreme are systems that learn by instructor-driveninteractions, such as learning by demonstration, examples,or imitation. The other extreme of the continuum isoccupied by systems where instructor interaction is limited to responding to the questions posed by the agent or toproviding feedback on agent’s performance. There are advantages to an approach that explores a mixed-initiative instructional dialog. We describe an approach to mixed-initiative interaction based on collaborative discourse theory that allows Soar agents to learn from situated instruction.
Albert Memmi: The Syndrome of Self-exile

Among the native writers of the Maghreb, Albert Memmi seems to best represent the general trend in the evolution of North-African literature of French expression: from ethnocentrism to universalism. Born in 1920 in a poor family in the extremely poor Jewish ghetto of Tunis, he became one of the most eminent Maghrebian writers of the generation of 1950. Like his Moslem counterparts, he described with vivid realism his own social milieu. However, what distinguishes him from the other Maghrebian writers is that remarkable depth of self-analysis, sometimes so cruel that it has been compared to a surgical operation, to some kind of pathetic auto-dissection. Memmi constantly scrutinizes his own ego; his literary creation is a long and neverending pursuit of truth, an introspective search in the darkest corners of his inner self, a desperate attempt to discover his' fugitive identity, constantly changing, never fixed. Memmi seems to find some pleasure in cutting himself into pieces and vehemendy criticizing his own ethnic group and the society at large. In his painful "know thyself search, one might detect a touch of morose delectation. His sharp scalpel cuts deep into the wounds of his soul and his eagerness to understand who he is, where he comes from and what he is becoming, makes him forget and even enjoy his pains. Masochism? Certainly, to some extent, and Memmi himself candidly admitted die existence of "that strange devil of objectivity which is another aspect of my masochism."
A Review of “Strategic Planning for Social Media in Libraries”

The term social media covers a range of tools, including social networking websites, blogs, video/photo sharing, and location sharing. These tools are now an accepted and increasingly central set o...
A Multi-method Examination of the Links Between ADHD and Personality Disorder

An existing relationship between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and personality disorder (PD) has been well documented, yet research has been limited by possible selection and self-report biases as well as PD models of questionable validity. This study examined the relationship of ADHD with adult personality traits and disorders in a sample that included individuals prescreened for elevated childhood ADHD symptoms. Four hundred thirty-nine undergraduates completed retrospective reports of childhood ADHD symptoms as well as current ratings of ADHD symptoms, traditional PD categories, and the DSM-5 alternative PD trait model. To overcome potential biases in self-report, 161 parents of the participants provided ratings of childhood and current functioning. Results suggest that while self-report of ADHD was significantly correlated with several PDs, parent reports obtained somewhat more specific links with adult dependent, borderline, and paranoid PDs. Most importantly, the DSM-5 Section III dimensional trait model provided greater specificity, as the trait of distractibility consistently emerged as a unique predictor, and thus appeared more useful for understanding the developmental pathways of ADHD.
BLOOD CALCIUM AND PHOSPHORUS IN PERTHES' DISEASE; A NEW CONCEPTION OF THE ETIOLOGY

1. Perthes' disease is characterized by a diminution of the serum calcium or phosphorus or both. 2. The pathology is very similar to that of rickets and osteomalacia. 3. These three conditions may be related etiologically.
Neuronal Differentiation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells on Surfactant Templated Chitosan Hydrogels

The development of effective tissue engineering materials requires careful consideration of several properties beyond biocompatibility, including permeability and mechanical stiffness. While surfactant templating has been used for over a decade to control the physical properties of photopolymer materials, the potential benefit of this technique with regard to biomaterials has yet to be fully explored. Herein we demonstrate that surfactant templating can be used to tune the water uptake and compressive modulus of photo-cross-linked chitosan hydrogels. Interestingly, templating with quaternary ammonium surfactants also hedges against property fluctuations that occur with changing pH. Further, we demonstrate that, after adequate surfactant removal, these materials are nontoxic, support the attachment of induced pluripotent stem cells and facilitate stem cell differentiation to neuronal phenotypes. These results demonstrate the utility of surfactant templating for optimizing the properties of biomaterials intended for a variety of applications, including retinal regeneration.
Webliography: The Process of Building Internet Subject Access

The author argues that librarians must take an active role in providing subject access to information on the Internet, but in assuming these new duties, we must also keep in mind that many of the principles that have proved useful for describing traditional library materials will still be of value in the online environment. Bibliography is one of the most valuable skills we have developed. Aspects of bibliography which are relevant to online information resources are discussed, and "webliography" is proposed as an important responsibility for librarians. In taking up this task, librarians will not only be creating useful products for the user, but they will also be developing knowledge of the particular online literatures that are available, knowledge that will prove useful in providing reference and instructional services to their constituencies.
The Noradrenergic Basis of Early Olfactory Plasticity

A variety of stimuli can facilitate the acquisition of early olfactory preferences, including milk or sucrose ingestion, warmth, high humidity, tail pressure, and medial forebrain bundle stimulation [1–6]. In addition, a strong or prolonged odor exposure will induce such an olfactory preference in young rats [7]. The relatively nonspecific nature of the stimuli that can facilitate early olfactory preference acquisition suggests that there may be a common mechanism underlying these responses.
Abstract 737: Transcriptome of glioma growing in the brain is simulated by tumor cells cultured under low oxygen pressure

Introduction Studies using cultured tumor cells are frequently used to generate large scale data. However, the discrepancy between culture media conditions and host microenvironment factors prevent adequate translation to the clinical reality. Since culturing tumor cells in atmospheric oxygen pressure (20% O2) significantly differs from oxygen pressure within different organs (5-7% O2). We investigated whether the transcriptome of glioma cells cultured under oxygen concentration that is similar to the lesion in the brain (0.5-2% O2) can simulate the transcriptome of tumors growing in vivo. Materials and Methods Human glioma, LN229, cells were cultured in MEM supplemented with 10% FBS under 20%, 6% and 1% oxygen pressure. Glioma growing in the brain was established by stereotactic injection of 1×105 LN229 cells into the brain of nude mice, subcutaneous tumors were established by injection of 1×105 cells. Gene microarray was performed using Illumina Human HT-12_v4_BeadChip microarray and data were collected by using an Illumina bead Array Reader confocal scanner (BeadStation 500GXDW; Illumina). Array data processing and analysis were performed using Illumina BeadStudio software. All statistical analysis was performed using BRB Arraytools Version 4.4.1 under the R language environment. Cluster analysis was performed and Heat Map was generated by Tree view. Results Brain and subcutaneous tumors were harvested 3 weeks post injection. RNA was extracted and processed for gene microarray that identified 2187 genes as brain specific transcriptome. Determination of common genes (same direction) between the transcriptome of glioma growing in the brain and cells growing in culture under 20%, 6%, and 1% O2 identified 23, 5, and 174 specific genes, respectively. Ingenuity pathway analysis and gene set enrichment analysis of the 174 common genes (from cells growing in 1% O2) revealed cluster of genes related to cancer and neurologic diseases, cell death/survival, cell-to-cell signaling. Up-regulation of genes associated with survival and resistance such as AKT, MAPK, NFeB1A, VEGF, and GSTA5 were also commonly identified in glioma growing in the brain and LN229 cells cultured under 1% oxygen. Conclusion Culturing glioma cells under different oxygen pressures induces different transcriptomes and cells cultured under 1% O2 express transcriptome most similar to cells growing in the brain. These data demonstrate that, to simulate clinical relevance, the oxygen tension of cultures should approximate those found in organs. Citation Format: Ho Jeong Lee, Hyun Kyung Yu, Seung Wook Kim, Sung Il Choi, Junqin He, Isaiah J. Fidler, Sun Jin Kim. Transcriptome of glioma growing in the brain is simulated by tumor cells cultured under low oxygen pressure. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 737.
Energy-Efficient Internet Infrastructure

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction SRAM-Based Pipelined IP Lookup Architectures: Alternative to TCAMs Data Structure Optimization for Power Efficiency Architectural Optimization to Reduce Dynamic Power Dissipation Related Work Summary References
Piloting an “Opt-Out” Option for Wildlife Surveys of the General Public

ABSTRACTRandom sample surveys may provide the best way to collect data that accurately represent public attitudes on wildlife issues, but survey response rates have declined in recent years. Often, little information is collected on why people choose not to participate. In a recent survey of public attitudes toward wolves in Wisconsin, we tested a method that allowed recipients to “opt-out” of participating, as well as indicate their reasons for doing so. Including this option increased our survey responses, and data showed significant differences in demographics between full survey respondents and opt-outs. The most frequently cited reasons for opting-out were lack of knowledge of the topic (63%) and trust in the state to manage wolves without their input (31%). Results suggest that providing a means for survey recipients to indicate why they are not participating can yield multiple benefits, although further testing of this method is needed.
Chiari Malformation and Syringomyelia

Chiari malformation is a developmental anomaly that is often accompanied with syringomyelia. This chapter discusses the pathophysiology, etiology, presenting symptoms, radiodiagnostic imaging, surgical management, and nursing care of children with Chiari malformation and/or syringomyelia. The different types of Chiari malformations are explained, radiographs are presented, and sample inpatient progress notes are shown. A story from a parent of a child with a Chiari is included to give a perspective on how this disorder can affect families.
Effects of Maternal Depression Symptoms and Alcohol Use Problems on Child Internalizing and Externalizing Behavior Problems

Empirical evidence suggests maternal behavioral health problems are significant predictors of child behavioral health difficulties, but it is unclear of the specific relation of maternal alcohol use problems and depression symptoms with child internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. The purpose of the study is to examine the impact of maternal depression symptoms and alcohol use problems on children’s internalizing and externalizing behavior problems over a period of 5 years. Implications for intervention may differ depending on which type of maternal behavioral health concerns predicts which child behavior problem. A total of 1874 families eligible for Early Head Start participated. Maternal depression symptoms and alcohol use problems were assessed when children were in preschool, and internalizing and externalizing behavior problems were assessed when children were in fifth grade. Clinical internalizing behavior problems was best predicted by maternal depression symptoms, whereas clinical externalizing behavior problems was best predicted by maternal alcohol use problems. Children were almost twice as likely to have clinical internalizing behavior problems when mothers exhibited very elevated depression symptoms compared to when mothers displayed minimal symptoms. A similar relation was found with maternal alcohol use problems and clinical externalizing behavior problems. Our findings highlight the importance of understanding and treating various kinds of behavioral health concerns in mothers of young children.
Methodology of reliability and power density analysis of SST topologies

This paper proposes a reliability analysis model and a power density analysis to evaluate the Solid-State Transformer(SST) topologies for different applications. The solid-state device rating and the redundancy number are considered as two major factors affecting the reliability. In each topology, the optimized selections of these two factors will be determined to reach sufficient reliability. The power density is influenced by the device volume, the transformer volume and the capacitor volume. In terms of these three aspects, the topology which has the highest power density is selected for the certain application. The effectiveness of the model is validated by the comparison between evaluation results and the actual industry products.
Light trapping in photonic crystals

We consider light trapping in photonic crystals in the weak material absorption limit. Using a rigorous electromagnetic approach, we show that the upper bound on the angle-integrated absorption enhancement by light trapping is proportional to the photonic density of states. The tight bound can be reached if all the states supported by the structure are coupled to external radiation. Numerical simulations are used to illustrate the theory and the design of both two- and three-dimensional photonic crystals for the purpose of light trapping. Using the van Hove singularities, the angle-integrated absorption enhancement in two-dimensional photonic crystals could surpass the conventional limit over substantial bandwidths.
CYP2C19-guided antiplatelet therapy: a cost–effectiveness analysis of 30-day and 1-year outcomes following percutaneous coronary intervention

Aim Determine whether using CYP2C19 genotype to optimize antiplatelet therapy selection is cost effective over the initial 30 days and 1-year following percutaneous coronary intervention. Materials & methods A cost-effectiveness analysis compared 30-day and 1-year outcomes and cost across three treatment strategies (universal clopidogrel, universal prasugrel, genotype-guided) in a hypothetical cohort. Results Base-case scenario results at 30 days indicated that the incremental cost per major cardiovascular or bleeding event avoided for genotype-guided treatment was US$8525 and US$42,198 compared with universal clopidogrel and prasugrel, respectively. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis demonstrated that genotype-guided treatment was cost effective over 30 days and 1 year in 62 and 70% of simulations, respectively. Conclusion Implementing a CYP2C19 genotype-guided approach to antiplatelet therapy could have a positive economic impact by preventing readmissions following percutaneous coronary intervention.
Impact of security awareness training on phishing click-through rates

In this paper we study the impact that security awareness training has on the people who click on malicious links contained in phishing emails. Phishing is a criminal activity in which social engineering techniques and technology are used to obtain personal information without one's consent. Currently, anti-phishing techniques have little academic backing, usually only statistics and testimonials from security organizations. This paper aims to provide an educational standard by which the usefulness of internet security awareness and anti-phishing techniques can be compared in the future.
Optimization: The Big Idea

Optimization, no matter how it is applied, is built around a small number of basic ideas. The tools of optimization maximize or minimize some quantity called an objective function. The things that can be changed to make this happen are the design variables. Restrictions on values of the design variables are constraints. With these three ideas in mind, it is easy to notice examples of optimization all around you. Modern optimization usually requires mathematical calculations, but people began optimizing products and processes long before computers and modern analytical methods were available.
Accurately Inferring Compliance to Five Major Food Guidelines Through Simplified Surveys: Applying Data Mining to the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey

Background: National surveys in public health nutrition commonly record the weight of every food consumed by an individual. However, if the goal is to identify whether individuals are in compliance with the 5 main national nutritional guidelines (sodium, saturated fats, sugars, fruit and vegetables, and fats), much less information may be needed. A previous study showed that tracking only 2.89% of all foods (113/3911) was sufficient to accurately identify compliance. Further reducing the data needs could lower participation burden, thus decreasing the costs for monitoring national compliance with key guidelines. Objective: This study aimed to assess whether national public health nutrition surveys can be further simplified by only recording whether a food was consumed, rather than having to weigh it. Methods: Our dataset came from a generalized sample of inhabitants in the United Kingdom, more specifically from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey 2008-2012. After simplifying food consumptions to a binary value (1 if an individual consumed a food and 0 otherwise), we built and optimized decision trees to find whether the foods could accurately predict compliance with the major 5 nutritional guidelines. Results: When using decision trees of a similar size to previous studies (ie, involving as many foods), we were able to correctly infer compliance for the 5 guidelines with an average accuracy of 80.1%. This is an average increase of 2.5 percentage points over a previous study, showing that further simplifying the surveys can actually yield more robust estimates. When we allowed the new decision trees to use slightly more foods than in previous studies, we were able to optimize the performance with an average increase of 3.1 percentage points. Conclusions: Although one may expect a further simplification of surveys to decrease accuracy, our study found that public health dietary surveys can be simplified (from accurately weighing items to simply checking whether they were consumed) while improving accuracy. One possibility is that the simplification reduced noise and made it easier for patterns to emerge. Using simplified surveys will allow to monitor public health nutrition in a more cost-effective manner and possibly decrease the number of errors as participation burden is reduced.
The Mutual Influence of Family Support and Youth Adaptation

Research on the family environment has demonstrated that levels of family support bear strong relationships to the adaptation of children and adolescents. The purpose of this chapter is to examine the mutual influence of family support and youth adaptation and to suggest mechanisms that may explain why these reciprocal relations occur. We begin the chapter by describing the concept and measurement of the family environment. Next, we present a conceptual model of the mutual influence of the family environment and family members’ adaptation and review studies of family support and youth functioning. We then focus on possible mechanisms by which family support and youth adaptation exert their mutual influence. We conclude by suggesting directions for future research.
Crystal structure of methyl-3, 4-O-ethylidene-β-L- arabinopyranoside

The acid-catalyzed ethylidenation of several methyl pentopyranosides has been studied and syntheses of many cyclic alkyl orthoacetates from pentopyranosides have been reported. In a study of the scope and limitation of the reduction of sugar epoxides with diborane/sodium borohydride, methyl-4-O-acetyl-2,3-anhydro-β-L-lyxopyranoside was reduced, yielding two products: methyl-2,3-anhydro-β-L-lyxopyranoside and methyl-3,4-O-ethylidene-β-L-arabinopyranoside. The latter product was characterized by X-ray diffraction and its structure indicates that the epoxide was not reduced as expected; rather, the epoxide was opened by the hydroxyl group of the reduced acetyl. Crystals of the title compound are monoclinic, space group P21 with the following cell dimensions: a = 5.818(l) A, b = 10.842(2) A, c =7.251(1) A, β = 91.47(1)°, Z = 2. Complete three-dimensional data (2θmax = 150° for Cu Kα) were collected on a CAD-4 diffractometer by the ω−2θ scan method. The structure was solved by the application of direct methods and refined by full-matrix least-square methods to a final reliability index of 0.04 for the observed 1031 reflections (I ≥ 3σ). The ethylidene ring has a twist conformation with a torsion angle of −42.8° about the C4–O bond. The pyranose ring is in a flattened chair conformation with the C2–C3–C4–C5 torsion angle of 33.5°. Of the acetal bond lengths, the C5–O5 length, (1.423 A) is shorter than the values found in other methyl pyranosides. O2–H is involved in a bifurcated hydrogen bond intramolecularly to O1 and intermolecularly to O4.
The effects of temperature and strain rate on the strength of beryllium sheet

The stress-strain behavior and the deformation dynamics of compression rolled and hot upset beryllium sheet prepared from SR powder were investigated in tension over the range 25° to 355°C. The true stress-true strain curves were approximated by the relationσ =σ(0) +he1/2. Both σ(0) andh decreased with temperature. σ(0) was higher at all temperatures for the compression rolled sheet, whereash was the same for the two materials. The difference in σ(0) was in the athermal component of the stress. The effects of temperature and strain rate on the flow-stress of the polycrystalline sheet agreed with those for prism slip in single crystals. Thermal activation analysis of the deformation dynamics yielded values of 123 to 158 b3 for the activation volume, 1.5×107 sec−1 for the preexponential factor and 1.8 ev (0.18 μb3) for the activation energy,Ho.
Oxidative Stress Regulation by DJ-1 in the Retinal Pigment Epithelium

DJ-1 is a protein expressed in many tissues including the brain where it has been extensively studied due to its association with Parkinson’s Disease (PD). DJ-1 was reported to function as an antioxidant, redox-sensitive molecular chaperone, and transcription regulator, which protected cells from oxidative stress by modifying signaling pathways that regulate cell survival. Here we discuss our progress toward characterization of the DJ-1 function in the protection of RPE to oxidative stress.
Ball Detection and Tracking Through Image Processing Using Embedded Systems

This paper describes an algorithm for ball detection and tracking by a robot using image processing. Complex scenes lead to false detection of various objects other than a tennis ball resulting in false data and robot imprecision. We evaluated our approach for ball detection by a robot through use of contour method and centroid of the ball as a distance measure and colour intensity level as detection of the ball itself. Rotation of camera for ball detection and tracking is controlled through a laptop via wireless fidelity.
Functionalization of Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles to Influence Hydrophobic Properties.

Electroless functionalization of cerium oxide nanoparticles (NPs) based on the grafting of aryl groups from the reduction of diazonium salts is presented as a useful and facile method for enhancing...
Influence of survivors' entrapment factors and traffickers' characteristics on perceptions of interpersonal social power while being recruited to be trafficked

Although scholarship about human trafficking has grown in the last two decades, not much is understood about interpersonal dynamics in human trafficking experiences. This article explores human trafficking victims' (n = 31, female, international) perceptions of traffickers' interpersonal social power during the recruitment phase of the trafficking experience. Findings from this study revealed that entrapment factors and shared common characteristics between victim and trafficker prior to trafficking did little to influence perceptions of interpersonal social power among victims. Understanding victims' perceptions of interpersonal social power is critical to developing targeted prevention and intervention services for women at risk for becoming trafficked.
Analysis and Validation of Serpentine Locomotion Dynamics of a Wheeled Snake Robot Moving on Varied Sloped Environments

This paper investigates the problem of a multi-segmented and passively wheeled snake-like robot moving on varied sloped environments. The varied sloped environments indicate three-typical scenarios for the robot to move up, down and perpendicular to an incline in this investigation. The mathematical analysis of the motion dynamics for the snake robot moving in serpentine mode on the different sloped conditions is performed respectively, with a focus on how the motion dynamics change when the robot is on one of sloped environments as opposed to flat ground. The simulations based on these mathematical descriptions predict the effect of varying control parameters on the robot’s motion on flat ground as well as motion up, down, and perpendicular to an inclined slope. Experiments confirm and validate results from the simulations. We found that an incline in the sloped environments affects not only the speed but also the direction of robot motion and degree of slipping at the friction points as well. These findings will help promote the design of task-oriented control strategies for steering the snake robot to move on a complex sloped environment.
Accurate description of molecular dipole surface with charge flux implemented for molecular mechanics

The molecular dipole moment is strongly coupled to molecular geometry among different phases, conformational states, intermolecular interaction energy, and vibrational spectroscopy. Our previous inclusion of geometry dependent charge flux into the atomic multipole-based polarizable AMOEBA+ force field has shown significant improvement of water properties from gaseous to condensed phases [C. Liu et al., J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 11(2), 419–426 (2020)]. In this work, the parameterization of the CF model for a broad range of organic and biomolecular fragments is presented. Atom types are automatically assigned by matching the predefined SMARTS patterns. Comparing to the current AMOEBA+ model without the CF component, it is shown that the AMOEBA+ (CF) model improves the description of molecular dipole moments for the molecules we studied over both equilibrium and distorted geometries. For the equilibrium-geometry structures, AMOEBA+ (CF) reduces the mean square error (MSE) from 6.806 × 10−1 (without CF) to 4.249 × 10−4 D2. For non-equilibrium structures, the MSE is reduced from 5.766 × 10−1 (without CF) to 2.237 × 10−3 D2. Finally, the transferability of the CF model and parameters were validated on two sets of molecules: one includes molecules in the training set but with different geometries, and the other one involves new molecules outside of the training set. A similar improvement on dipole surfaces was obtained on the validation sets. The CF algorithms and parameters derived in this work are general and can be implemented into any existing molecular mechanical force fields.
Evaluation of Glycemic Control and Cost Savings Associated With Liraglutide Dose Reduction at a Veterans Affairs Hospital.

Purpose As a result of a cost savings initiative, the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Houston, Texas, selected liraglutide as its preferred glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist for the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus with a preferred maximum daily dose of 1.2 mg. With this change, several veterans were converted from liraglutide 1.8 mg daily to 1.2 mg daily; however, the benefit of this change remains unknown. The objective of this study was to assess sustained glycemic control and cost savings that resulted from the liraglutide dose reduction. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted to include veterans on liraglutide 1.8 mg daily and insulin and/or other antihyperglycemic agents who were converted to liraglutide 1.2 mg daily between May 2018 and August 2018. Demographic data, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), serum glucose levels, body weight, prescriber type, and medication history were obtained using the Computerized Patient Record System. Veterans' charts were evaluated over a 6-month evaluation period, and descriptive statistics and paired t tests were used to analyze results as appropriate. Results A total of 97 veterans were included. At the time of conversion, the average (SD) HbA1c was 8.2% (1.4), and body average (SD) weight was 116.2 kg (23.2). Six months after the dose conversion, average (SD) HbA1c increased to 8.7% (1.8) (95% CI, -0.76 to -0.22; P = .0005), and average (SD) body weight increased to 116.5 kg (24.6) (95% CI, -2.11 to 1.64; P = .8). To account for the HbA1c increase, 41.2% of veterans underwent an insulin dose increase, whereas 40.2% of veterans had no medication dose changes. An estimated annual cost savings of $230,922.72 resulted from the liraglutide dose reduction. Conclusions Dose reduction of daily liraglutide treatment from 1.8 mg to 1.2 mg was associated with HbA1c increase, increased insulin requirements, and cost savings. A cost effectiveness analysis is needed to assess overall benefit of the liraglutide dose reduction initiative.
CD73 Maintains Hepatocyte Metabolic Integrity and Mouse Liver Homeostasis in a Sex-Dependent Manner.

Background & Aims Metabolic imbalance and inflammation are common features of chronic liver diseases. Molecular factors controlling these mechanisms represent potential therapeutic targets. CD73 is the major enzyme that dephosphorylates extracellular adenosine monophosphate (AMP) to form the anti-inflammatory adenosine. CD73 is expressed on pericentral hepatocytes, which are important for long-term liver homeostasis. We aimed to determine if CD73 has nonredundant hepatoprotective functions. Methods Liver-specific CD73 knockout (CD73-LKO) mice were generated by targeting the Nt5e gene in hepatocytes. The CD73-LKO mice and hepatocytes were characterized using multiple approaches. Results Deletion of hepatocyte Nt5e resulted in an approximately 70% reduction in total liver CD73 protein (P Conclusions Hepatocyte CD73 supports long-term metabolic liver homeostasis through AMPK in a sex-dependent manner. These findings have implications for human liver diseases marked by CD73 dysregulation.
Biocide-Induced Emergence of Antibiotic Resistance in Escherichia coli.

Author(s): Merchel Piovesan Pereira, Beatriz; Wang, Xiaokang; Tagkopoulos, Ilias | Abstract: Biocide use is essential and ubiquitous, exposing microbes to sub-inhibitory concentrations of antiseptics, disinfectants, and preservatives. This can lead to the emergence of biocide resistance, and more importantly, potential cross-resistance to antibiotics, although the degree, frequency, and mechanisms that give rise to this phenomenon are still unclear. Here, we systematically performed adaptive laboratory evolution of the gut bacteria Escherichia coli in the presence of sub-inhibitory, constant concentrations of ten widespread biocides. Our results show that 17 out of 40 evolved strains (43%) also decreased the susceptibility to medically relevant antibiotics. Through whole-genome sequencing, we identified mutations related to multidrug efflux proteins (mdfA and acrR), porins (envZ and ompR), and RNA polymerase (rpoA and rpoBC), as mechanisms behind the resulting (cross)resistance. We also report an association of several genes (yeaW, pyrE, yqhC, aes, pgpA, and yeeP-isrC) and specific mutations that induce cross-resistance, verified through mutation repairs. A greater capacity for biofilm formation with respect to the parent strain was also a common feature in 11 out of 17 (65%) cross-resistant strains. Evolution in the biocides chlorophene, benzalkonium chloride, glutaraldehyde, and chlorhexidine had the most impact in antibiotic susceptibility, while hydrogen peroxide and povidone-iodine the least. No cross-resistance to antibiotics was observed for isopropanol, ethanol, sodium hypochlorite, and peracetic acid. This work reinforces the link between exposure to biocides and the potential for cross-resistance to antibiotics, presents evidence on the underlying mechanisms of action, and provides a prioritized list of biocides that are of greater concern for public safety from the perspective of antibiotic resistance.Significance statementBacterial resistance and decreased susceptibility to antimicrobials is of utmost concern. There is evidence that improper biocide (antiseptic and disinfectant) use and discard may select for bacteria cross-resistant to antibiotics. Understanding the cross-resistance emergence and the risks associated with each of those chemicals is relevant for proper applications and recommendations. Our work establishes that not all biocides are equal when it comes to their risk of inducing antibiotic resistance; it provides evidence on the mechanisms of cross-resistance and a risk assessment of the biocides concerning antibiotic resistance under residual sub-inhibitory concentrations.
Improvement on cost-performance ratio of fiberglass/carbon fiber hybrid composite

Fiberglass composite (FG) is widely used as a metal substitute in general applications due to its corrosion and chemical resistance, relatively high strength, and low cost. Still, the FG is deficient in performance and relatively heavy for airframes. Carbon fiber composite (CF) is utilized instead as it has greater performance and lower weight. However, the CF is brittle and expensive. Thus, in this work, we combine FG and CF into two types of hybrid composites to achieve a cost-effective solution with greater or comparable mechanical properties to those of CF. The first one uses FG as core and CF as skins (SWFG). The second one uses CF as core and FG as skins (SWCF). Their mechanical properties and cost-performance ratios (CPR) are compared. The results show that the mechanical properties of the SWFG composite, especially the modulus of elasticity, are considerably improved over the FG and nearly match those of the CF. Also, the SWFG has better CPR regarding tensile properties and flexural modulus than the SWCF and the CF. The SWFG shows promising potential as an alternative to the CF due to its comparable performance and almost 40% lower cost than the CF.
Assessing the Clonal Nature of Running Glade Clover (Trifolium calcaricum J.L. Collins & T.F. Wieboldt; Fabaceae)

Limestone cedar glades, one of the rarest ecosystems in the world, are home to several uncommon species, including Trifolium calcaricum (Fabaceae), the running glade clover. Due to habitat destruction and fragmentation, the states of Tennessee and Virginia have listed T. calcaricum as an endangered species. To preserve T. calcaricum and increase its numbers, a reintroduction effort was initiated in 2016 in which individual plants were transplanted from a source site to secondary locations at Cedars of Lebanon State Park and Vesta Cedar Glade State Natural Area in Tennessee. In the current project, the extent of clonality among transplanted individuals was assessed using fluorescently tagged inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. Sampled individuals were determined to be moderately clonal, with 46 sampled ramets representing 14 unique genets, with the estimated size of the largest genet being approximately 100 meters across. We provide baseline data for this understudied species and provide context for future work.