cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of the physical forces that influence the shape of chick somites.

With experiments and measurements we support the hypothesis that chick somites are shaped by packing forces produced by increases in somite volumes. Volume measurements show that somites expand considerably during the period from initial segmentation to acquisition of the mature rectangular shape (as viewed from above). Anterior somites begin as roundish objects. Somite expansion flattens the intersomitic faces. Posterior somites emerge from a compressed segmental plate with the interface between somite and segmental plate already planar. In all somites, subsequent increase in volume causes expansion dorsally, ventrally and laterally. The dorso-ventral expansion accompanies the increase in height of the neural tube. When a single somite is excised, neighboring somites or segmental plate fill in the available space. The bulging of somites into vacated spaces suggests the presence of compression which could be the product of previous increase in somite volumes. The pliability of somites is demonstrated with experiments that bend the trunk of the embryo to the left and right reversibly changing the shapes of the somites. Carbon marks placed in pairs in somites and in adjacent neural tube stay together; this suggests that somites do not move relative to the neural tube in response to the compressive forces. Segmental plates isolated without neural tube or notochord form long oval somites. In order to be shaped properly, somites must be in intimate association with, and probably bound to, the neural tube and also most likely the notochord.
Making Progress in Schizophrenia Research

Psychiatry is a young, still developing science, that must, against sharp opposition, gradually achieve the position it deserves according to its scientific and practical importance. There is no doubt that it will achieve this position—for it has at its disposal the same weapons which have served the other branches of medicine so well: clinical observation, the microscope and experimentation. Emil Kraepelin (p. 8)
TWO SPACES OF MINIMAL PRIMES

This paper studies algebraic frames L and the set Min(L) of minimal prime elements of L. We will endow the set Min(L) with two well-known topologies, known as the Hull-kernel (or Zariski) topology and the inverse topology, and discuss several properties of these two spaces. It will be shown that Min(L) endowed with the Hull-kernel topology is a zero-dimensional, Hausdorff space; whereas, Min(L) endowed with the inverse topology is a T1, compact space. The main goal will be to find conditions on L for the spaces Min(L) and Min(L)-1 to have various topological properties; for example, compact, locally compact, Hausdorff, zero-dimensional, and extremally disconnected. We will also discuss when the two topological spaces are Boolean and Stone spaces.
Built-In Self-Test of programmable clock buffers in Virtex-4, Virtex-5 and Virtex-6 FPGAs

We present a modified Built-In Self-Test (BIST) approach for programmable clock buffers in Xilinx Virtex-4, Virtex-5, and Virtex-6 Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). While seemingly trivial, these critical clock buffer modules present interesting testing challenges as will be described in this paper. A timing problem was found in the previously reported BIST approach for the clock buffers [1], where the simultaneous switching of inputs to the clock buffers can produce different responses which result in a BIST failure indications in a fault-free device. In addition, the previous approach used normal signal routing resources to route the clock signal to BIST circuitry instead of dedicated clock routing resources, and this may have contributed to the timing problem. We present and discuss modifications that solve the timing problem as well as their impact on the maximum BIST clock frequency and total test time based on implementation and execution in actual Virtex-4 and Virtex-5 FPGAs.1
MICROBODIES IN EXPERIMENTALLY ALTERED CELLS II. The Relationship of Microbody Proliferation to Endocrine Glands

The liver cells of intact male rats given ethyl-α- p -chlorophenoxyisobutyrate (CPIB) characteristically show a marked increase in microbodies and in catalase activity, while those of intact female rats do not. In castrated males given estradiol benzoate and CPIB the increase in catalase activity and microbody proliferation is abolished, while in castrated females given testosterone propionate and CPIB the livers show a marked increase in microbodies and in catalase activity. No sex difference in microbody and catalase response is apparent in fetal and neonatal rats. Both sexes show a sharp rise in catalase activity on the day of birth, with a rapid decline at 5 days after birth. Thyroidectomy abolishes the hypolipidemic effect of CPIB in rats, but microbody proliferation and increase in catalase activity persists in thyroidectomized male rats, indicating that microbody proliferation can be independent of hypolipidemia. Adrenalectomy does not alter appreciably the microbody-catalase response to CPIB. These experiments demonstrate that ( 1 ) in adult rats, hepatic microbody proliferation is dependent to a significant degree upon male sex hormone but is largely independent of thyroid or adrenal gland hormones; ( 2 ) hepatic microbody proliferation is independent of the hypolipidemic effect of CPIB; ( 3 ) displacement of thyroxine from serum protein may not be sufficient cause for stimulation of microbody formation.
Vitamin D and African Americans

Vitamin D insufficiency is more prevalent among African Americans (blacks) than other Americans and, in North America, most young, healthy blacks do not achieve optimal 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations at any time of year. This is primarily due to the fact that pigmentation reduces vitamin D production in the skin. Also, from about puberty and onward, median vitamin D intakes of American blacks are below recommended intakes in every age group, with or without the inclusion of vitamin D from supplements. Despite their low 25(OH)D levels, blacks have lower rates of osteoporotic fractures. This may result in part from bone-protective adaptations that include an intestinal resistance to the actions of 1,25(OH)2D and a skeletal resistance to the actions of parathyroid hormone (PTH). However, these mechanisms may not fully mitigate the harmful skeletal effects of low 25(OH)D and elevated PTH in blacks, at least among older individuals. Furthermore, it is becoming increasingly apparent that vitamin D protects against other chronic conditions, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and some cancers, all of which are as prevalent or more prevalent among blacks than whites. Clinicians and educators should be encouraged to promote improved vitamin D status among blacks (and others) because of the low risk and low cost of vitamin D supplementation and its potentially broad health benefits.
A Novel Technique For Determining Microscopic Pore Size Distribution of Heterogeneous Reservoir Rocks

Abstract Fluid flow in porous media is affected by petrophysical properties and their distribution. Standard techniques of core analysis provide an average of varying petrophysical properties and pore size distribution (PSD) of porous rocks. However, these techniques have severe assumptions that may negatively influence the results obtained. The major objectives of this study are to develop a new technique capable of providing the microscopic PSD of heterogeneous reservoir rocks and to apply this technique to interpret the formation damage problem due to sulfur deposition. The current methods of calculating the pore size distribution were reviewed and evaluated. To achieve the objectives of this study, 10 reservoir rock samples extracted from an actual oil reservoir were photographed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and analyzed using computer software to provide the PSD. In order to investigate the application of the proposed technique, actual sulfuric crude oil was flooded through an actual co...
A novel approach to the design and implementation of a power electronics simulation software package

The novel approach is to interface Matlab and Simulink with a graphical user interface (GUI) developed in Visual C++. Object oriented programming is a new way of approaching the job of programming. Object oriented programming was used to create a separate class for each of the items and devices to be handled on the screen. This power electronics software can be used for designing, analyzing and simulating power electronics circuits using a modified nodal formulation. The graphical user interface has a screen to draw the circuit with drag and drop features for the power electronic network components. The simulation is performed by external software, namely, Matlab/Simulink. The modified nodal formulation is used on the backward Euler formula and results in an equation which governs the circuit simulation. The entire circuit connection information is passed on to the background simulation program in the form of a precisely formatted matrix.
Party Selection of Officials in Contemporary China

This study considers how, in the absence of elections for national office, authoritarian ruling parties create organizational channels for selecting officials. Through a case study of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), I examine the selection problem facing the ruling party. Within the CCP, special training academies, also known as party schools, serve as a pipeline to higher party and government posts. An examination of selection patterns for these schools reveals that there exists a mix of political and professional factors which determine invitation to a party school training program, suggesting the coexistence of patronage and meritocratic processes in promotion for higher office. Empirical analysis of these selection processes takes three parts. Individual-level characteristics, such as party membership, frequency of interaction with superiors, and educational background, are significant predictors of selection for a party school program. Second, to control for selection bias, I employ a matching procedure and find that the “treatment” of enrollment in a party school training program significantly increases the likelihood that an individual will be promoted to a higher rank in comparison to those without party school training experience. Third, additional tests indicate that these schools serve a screening function for the party, thus providing an organizational means for CCP leaders to manage who enters the highest ranks of political leadership. In this sense, the training process itself serves an informational function for party authorities, beyond the ritual these organizations are long thought to embody.
Design of optical coatings for three or more separated spectral regions.

A method was described previously that permits the systematic design of optical multilayer coatings with arbitrary spectral characteristics defined for two widely separated spectral regions. It is shown here that this method, based on the use of buffer layers, can be adapted to permit the specification of performance in more than two wavelength ranges. Examples are given of coatings designed for three and four spectral regions. The limitations of the method are discussed.
Decomposing Production Efficiency into Technical, Allocative and Structural Components

SUMMARY This paper derives a technique by which production efficiency can be decomposed into (a) allocative and (b) technical components that are within the control of the firm, and (c) a structural component that is determined by the economic environment. The methodology is implemented by estimating the restricted cost frontier, solving a cost minimization problem to infer the efficient cost frontier, and measuring all efficiencies along the same ray through the origin of the input quantity space.
Intraguild Predation on Congeners Affects Size, Aggression, and Survival among Ambystoma Salamander Larvae

I designed laboratory and mesocosm experiments to test the hypotheses that consumption of a congener as supplemental food can increase the size variance, size, aggression rates, and mortality of intraguild predator populations. Experimental populations of Marbled Salamander (Ambystoma opacum), Jefferson Salamander (Ambystoma jeffersonianum) and Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum) larvae that were initially fed a smaller congener Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) as a food supplement developed larger SVL and size variation after seven days than control larvae that were not fed a congener. Experimental treatment populations had greater initial size variation because some larvae ate a congener and others did not. Treatment larvae had increased SVL, aggression rates and mortality after 60 days compared to control populations. These results suggest that intraguild predation on a congener can affect fitness and population dynamics of predator populations. I hypothesize that intraguild predation on congeners results in size variation and then increased aggression and mortality caused by cannibalism.
p53 and WAF1 Are Induced and Rb Protein Is Hypophosphorylated during Cell Growth Inhibition by the Thymidylate Synthase Inhibitor ZD1694 (Tomudex)

In a previous study, we found that treatment of HCT-8 cells with ZD1694, a specific antifolate-based thymidylate synthase inhibitor, resulted in DNA fragmentation. In this study, we have demonstrated the dose- and time-dependent induction of DNA fragmentation accompanied by elevation of p53 and WAF1 protein expression by ZD1694. WAF1 mRNA showed a time-dependent increase, whereas p53 mRNA was not found to be significantly overexpressed. The initial increase in WAF1 mRNA was detected at 4 hr, but increased WAF1 protein expression was detected 8–24 hr after a 2-hr exposure. The amount of total and hypophosphorylated pRb seems to be rising greatly after ZD1694 exposure. The effects of ZD1694 on the expression of E2F1 and formation of the E2F1-Rb complex were investigated after a 2-hr drug exposure (IC90). The results showed a time-dependent decrease in E2F1 mRNA and protein expression; an increase in the abundance of the E2F-Rb complex could be demonstrated beginning 4 hr after drug exposure by a gel shift assay. Kinetic analysis showed increased availability of hypophosphorylated pRb for inhibition of E2F, which could indirectly result from WAF1-induced inhibition cyclin-dependent kinase activity. Whereas thymidylate synthase inhibition by ZD1694 was rapid in onset and maintained for at least 24 hr after drug treatment, drug-induced cellular growth inhibition was significant 24 hr after drug exposure. The increased abundance of hypophosphorylated pRb and binding to transcription factor E2F-1 is consistent with ZD1694-induced cell growth inhibition in HCT-8 cells. Therefore, the observed effect on downstream events after effective inhibition of thymidylate synthase may offer the critical determinants of response to ZD1694.
Neurodegenerative disease in 2015: Targeting tauopathies for therapeutic translation.

Tau protein abnormalities are key pathogenic features of Alzheimer disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. In 2015, new studies of the less common tauopathies, including progressive supranuclear palsy, chronic traumatic encephalopathy and frontotemporal lobar degeneration, have identified in vivo biomarkers and mechanisms that initiate tau pathology.
0.7–1.8 GHz multiband digital polar transmitter using watt-class current-mode class-D CMOS power amplifier and digital envelope modulation technique for reduced spurious emissions

A polar transmitter driven by digital input signals for envelope and phase is demonstrated, using a band-switching output resonator to achieve multiband operation. A new digital pulse width modulation algorithm is also shown to partially suppress spurious signals associated with the digital input envelope signal. The transmitter consists of a current-mode class-D (CMCD) CMOS power amplifier (PA), together with a buck converter with a dead-time generator for improved efficiency. The CMCD PA is tuned by band-switching capacitors that can handle up to 9 V, and is measured to have approximately 30 dBm output power with 31–35% drain efficiency under single-tone testing. The proposed spurious signal reduction technique works to partially suppress quantization noise without increasing power consumption. Overall efficiencies of 27.1/25.6% are obtained at 30.2/28.9 dBm continuous wave (CW) output powers and 0.85/1.75 GHz carrier frequencies, respectively. Spur suppression of 9–10 dB peak is achieved when the proposed algorithm is applied with wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) modulation.
Infrared and fluorescence assessment of the hydration status of the tryptophan gate in the influenza A M2 proton channel

The M2 proton channel of the influenza A virus has been the subject of extensive studies because of its critical role in viral replication. As such, we now know a great deal about its mechanism of action, especially how it selects and conducts protons in an asymmetric fashion. The conductance of this channel is tuned to conduct protons at a relatively low biologically useful rate, which allows acidification of the viral interior of a virus entrapped within an endosome, but not so great as to cause toxicity to the infected host cell prior to packaging of the virus. The dynamic, structural and chemical features that give rise to this tuning are not fully understood. Herein, we use a tryptophan (Trp) analog, 5-cyanotryptophan, and various methods, including linear and nonlinear infrared spectroscopies, static and time-resolved fluorescence techniques, and molecular dynamics simulations, to site-specifically interrogate the structure and hydration dynamics of the Trp41 gate in the transmembrane domain of the M2 proton channel. Our results suggest that the Trp41 sidechain adopts the t90 rotamer, the χ2 dihedral angle of which undergoes an increase of approximately 35° upon changing the pH from 7.4 to 5.0. Furthermore, we find that Trp41 is situated in an environment lacking bulk-like water, and somewhat surprisingly, the water density and dynamics do not show a measurable difference between the high (7.4) and low (5.0) pH states. Since previous studies have shown that upon channel opening water flows into the cavity above the histidine tetrad (His37), the present finding thus provides evidence indicating that the lack of sufficient water molecules near Trp41 needed to establish a continuous hydrogen bonding network poses an additional energetic bottleneck for proton conduction.
Contact Lenses for Keratoconus

For patients with keratoconus, visual acuity with contact lenses often surpasses the acuity achieved with spectacles. There are multiple contact lens modalities that can be used. These lenses include corneal rigid gas permeable, piggyback, hybrid, scleral, and soft toric lenses, as well as PROSE devices. Corneal rigid gas permeable lenses, the mainstay for the improvement of visual acuity in patients with keratoconus since the 1960s, remain the most popular choice for this patient population. However, hybrid and scleral lenses have grown tremendously in popularity over the past decade. Every patient that presents with keratoconus is a unique fitting situation and a lens must be chosen based on the particular needs of the patient. In this chapter, lens modalities along with advantages and disadvantages of each will be described.
Time Optimal Multi-Agent Path Planning on Graphs.

Significant progress has been made in the area of multiagent path finding/planning in the past decade (Silver 2005; van den Berg et al. 2009; Standley 2010; Luna and Bekris 2011; Wang and Botea 2011). In this work, we introduce a multi-agent path planning problem similar to that of (Standley 2010) and aim at maximizing parallelism among the agents. That is, we seek a feasible plan that minimizes the time it takes the last agent to reach its goal. To solve the problem, we convert it into an equivalent multiflow problem, from which an integer linear programming (ILP) problem is readily obtained. Our algorithm is complete.
Evaluation of Pre-marketing Factors to Predict Post-marketing Boxed Warnings and Safety Withdrawals.

An important goal in drug regulation is understanding serious safety issues with new drugs as soon as possible. Achieving this goal requires us to understand whether information provided during the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) drug review can predict serious safety issues that are usually identified after the product is approved. However, research on this topic remains understudied. In this paper, we examine whether any pre-marketing drug characteristics are associated with serious post-marketing safety actions. We study this question using an internal FDA database containing every new small molecule drug submitted to the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) on or after November 21, 1997, and approved and commercially launched before December 31, 2009. Serious post-marketing safety actions include whether these drugs ever experienced either a post-marketing boxed warning or a withdrawal from the market due to safety concerns. A random effects logistic regression model was used to test whether any pre-marketing characteristics were associated with either post-marketing safety action. A total of 219 new molecular entities were analyzed. Among these drugs, 11 experienced a safety withdrawal and 30 received boxed warnings by July 31, 2016. Contrary to prevailing hypotheses, we find that neither clinical trial sample sizes nor review time windows are associated with the addition of a post-marketing boxed warning or safety withdrawal. However, we do find that new drugs approved with either a boxed warning or priority review are more likely to experience post-marketing boxed warnings. Furthermore, drugs approved with boxed warnings tend to receive post-marketing boxed warnings resulting from new safety information that are unrelated to the original warning. Drugs approved with a boxed warning are 3.88 times more likely to receive a post-marketing boxed warning, while drugs approved with a priority review are 3.51 times more likely to receive a post-marketing boxed warning. Although drugs approved with a boxed warning or priority review are more likely to experience serious post-marketing safety events, other information provided during the FDA drug review that is easy to quantify is generally not associated with post-marketing safety events. It appears that these post-marketing events are not discernible during a pre-marketing review and therefore might not be avoidable using current review data.
Water conservation benefits of urban heat mitigation

Many cities globally are seeking strategies to counter the consequences of both a hotter and drier climate. While urban heat mitigation strategies have been shown to have beneficial effects on health, energy consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions, their implications for water conservation have not been widely examined. Here we use a suite of satellite-supported regional climate simulations in California to show that broad implementation of cool roofs, a heat mitigation strategy, not only results in significant cooling, but can also meaningfully decrease outdoor water consumption by reducing evaporative and irrigation water demands. Irrigation water consumption across the major metropolitan areas is reduced by up to 9% and irrigation water savings per capita range from 1.8 to 15.4 gallons per day across 18 counties examined. Total water savings are found to be the highest in Los Angeles county, reaching about 83 million gallons per day. Cool roofs are a valuable solution for addressing the adaptation and mitigation challenges faced by multiple sectors in California.
Global, regional, and subregional trends in unintended pregnancy and its outcomes from 1990 to 2014: estimates from a Bayesian hierarchical model

Summary Background Estimates of pregnancy incidence by intention status and outcome indicate how effectively women and couples are able to fulfil their childbearing aspirations, and can be used to monitor the impact of family-planning programmes. We estimate global, regional, and subregional pregnancy rates by intention status and outcome for 1990–2014. Methods We developed a Bayesian hierarchical time series model whereby the unintended pregnancy rate is a function of the distribution of women across subgroups defined by marital status and contraceptive need and use, and of the risk of unintended pregnancy in each subgroup. Data included numbers of births and of women estimated by the UN Population Division, recently published abortion incidence estimates, and findings from surveys of women on the percentage of births or pregnancies that were unintended. Some 298 datapoints on the intention status of births or pregnancies were obtained for 105 countries. Findings Worldwide, an estimated 44% (90% uncertainty interval [UI] 42–48) of pregnancies were unintended in 2010–14. The unintended pregnancy rate declined by 30% (90% UI 21–39) in developed regions, from 64 (59–81) per 1000 women aged 15–44 years in 1990–94 to 45 (42–56) in 2010–14. In developing regions, the unintended pregnancy rate fell 16% (90% UI 5–24), from 77 (74–88) per 1000 women aged 15–44 years to 65 (62–76). Whereas the decline in the unintended pregnancy rate in developed regions coincided with a declining abortion rate, the decline in developing regions coincided with a declining unintended birth rate. In 2010–14, 59% (90% UI 54–65) of unintended pregnancies ended in abortion in developed regions, as did 55% (52–60) of unintended pregnancies in developing regions. Interpretation The unintended pregnancy rate remains substantially higher in developing regions than in developed regions. Sexual and reproductive health services are needed to help women avoid unintended pregnancies, and to ensure healthy outcomes for those who do experience such pregnancies. Funding Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and UK Aid from the UK Government.
Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance

Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is a premalignant plasma cell disorder present in 2.4% of the general population over the age of 50 years. MGUS is defined as the presence of a monoclonal protein <3.0 g/dL, <10% clonal plasma cells in the bone marrow, and absence of plasma cell-related end-organ damage. Multiple myeloma is consistently preceded by MGUS but the majority of patients with MGUS will never develop malignant disease. There are three major types of MGUS: non-IgM MGUS, IgM MGUS, and light-chain MGUS which typically progress to multiple myeloma, Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia, and light-chain multiple myeloma, respectively. The etiology of MGUS is largely unknown but male gender, ethnicity, previous autoimmune disease, and exposure to certain pesticides have been associated with increased risk of developing MGUS. Patients with MGUS are in the majority of cases asymptomatic but increased risks of comorbidities such as thrombosis, infection, and skeletal fractures have been observed.
Trematodes: It Was Just a Fluke

I started my teaching career at the School of Biological Sciences, and later the Department of Zoology when the School was split into separate departments, at the University of Malaya (UM) in Kuala Lumpur in late 1971. I like teaching and interacting with young enquiring minds and immediately realized that I had somehow stumbled onto a dream job and that life in academia was the life I wanted. During those days, starting out as junior faculty member meant teaching large undergraduate classes of about a hundred, but I was fortunate also to teach the elite “Honors” class usually of just ten to twelve students who had been rigorously selected to complete their final year by doing research for an Honors Thesis. In a developing country like Malaysia in the 1970s, which had only two universities then, the other being the newly formed Penang University (since renamed Universiti Sains Malaysia or USM), it meant that the students in the Honors classes were indeed the creme de la creme of the entire country. It was therefore a privilege to mentor these very smart and eager students in their research projects.
Affinity chromatography of sequence-specific DNA-binding proteins

Recent advances in the purification of DNA-binding proteins have been due primarily to the use of the specific sequence of the binding site as a ligand for affinity chromatography. Different variations of this basic principle have been developed in several laboratories, and all have been found to function effectively.
Nature of the Responding Organism: Responders and Nonresponders

The role of T* cells in the immune response of a given individual will depend significantly on the nature of the specific antigen tested. Furthermore, the immune response to many antigens may vary markedly from individual to individual, immediately raising the questions—of to what degree might the functions of immunocompetent cells (including T cells) be host dependent and what mechanisms might control this host variation. The availability of antigens of restricted heterogeneity and highly inbred strains of animals has enabled investigators during the past decade to design studies to answer these questions. Emerging from these studies is a growing body of evidence documenting and clarifying the role of genetic factors in determining the variability and patterns of immune responses in different hosts.
Natural killer cell precursors in the CD44neg/dim T-cell receptor population of mouse bone marrow

Natural killer (NK) cells develop from the nonadherent cell component of NK long-term bone marrow (BM) cultures (NK-LTBMC). Because these nonadherent cells are depleted of mature NK cells and T cells, but appear to enriched for NK precursors, they were used as a starting population to begin to define the NK precursors that function in NK- LTBMC. As the stromal cell component of NK-LTBMC has been shown to support interleukin (IL)-2-induced, CD44 dependent, NK cell development from nonadherent NK precursors, NK-LTBMC stroma was used in a limiting dilution assay (LDA) to quantitate the precursors. NK-LTBMC in 96-well plates were irradiated (20 Gy) to kill hematopoietic cells (including the NK precursors), seeded with limiting dilutions of the cells to be quantitated, cultured with 500 U/mL IL-2 for 13 days and assayed for development of NK activity by adding 51Cr-labeled YAC-1 cells to the wells and evaluating the release of 51Cr after 4 hours. Flow cytometric analysis, sorting, and quantitation of the nonadherent cell component of NK-LTBMC showed that NK precursors were concentrated in the CD44neg/dim subset that comprised 10% of the “lymphoid” gated cells. When the CD44neg/dim subset was sorted from BM of mice treated with 5- fluorouracil (5-FU) day before (-1FUBM), there were about 30% T cells, but no NK-1.1+ cells. When the T cells were removed by sorting and the CD44neg/dim, alphabeta, gammadelta T-cell receptorneg (TCR-) subpopulation was seeded onto irradiated stroma with IL-2, they proliferated, developed NK activity, became NK-1.1+ and CD44bright and remained alphabeta, gammadelta TCR-. The frequency of NK precursors in this population as estimated from the LDA was about 1/500.
Selective Alterations in the Profiles of Newly Synthesized Proteins by Acetaminophen (APAP) and its Dimethylated Analogues: Relationship to Oxidative Stress

Acetaminophen (N-acetyl-p-aminophenol, APAP), one of the most widely used analgesic, antipyretic drugs currently available, when taken in excess of therapeutic doses can be activated by cytochrome P-450 to a highly reactive metabolite, Nacetylbenzoquinoneimine (NAPQI) (Dahlin, et al., 1984). NAPQI has been characterized as a strong electrophile and a potent oxidizing agent (Blair, et al., 1980) and both properties can lead to adverse effects on cellular metabolism (Albano, et al., 1985; Porubek, et al., 1987; Birge, et al., 1988). In order to more effectively evaluate the mechanisms of action of APAP and their physiological consequences, it becomes crucial not only to identify the early metabolic events that are altered, but also whether the functional impairments can be restored or have become irreversible.
Natural and Cultural Basis of Mississippian

Mississippian did not spring full blown out of Hopewell or arise out of the foam of the rivers. The development of Mississippian depended upon a series of natural and cultural conditions that formed the milieu of its emergence. No one, certainly not in the beginning, set out to become Mississippian. Instead, if they were like most people at most times, they were trying their level best to stay what they already were, only maybe a little fatter and happier. This chapter outlines the natural and cultural conditions of that failing struggle.
Emotions, Brain, Immunity, and Health: A Review

In this review of research on emotions and immunity, in the context of psychobiology and psychosomatic medicine, emphasis is placed as much as possible on the physiological mechanisms whereby emotional responses and attitudes appear to affect disease resistance.
On fractional Stieltjes constants

Abstract We study the non-integral generalized Stieltjes constants γ α ( a ) arising from the Laurent series expansions of fractional derivatives of the Hurwitz zeta functions ζ ( α ) ( s , a ) , and we prove that if h a ( s ) ≔ ζ ( s , a ) − 1 ∕ ( s − 1 ) − 1 ∕ a s and C α ( a ) ≔ γ α ( a ) − log α ( a ) a , then C α ( a ) = ( − 1 ) − α h a ( α ) ( 1 ) , for all real α ≥ 0 , where h ( α ) ( x ) denotes the α -th Grunwald–Letnikov fractional derivative of the function h at x . This result confirms the conjecture of Kreminski (2003), originally stated in terms of the Weyl fractional derivatives.
Feathers and talons: birds at Neolithic Çatalhöyük, Turkey

Bird remains are few compared to mammals at Neolithic Catalhoyuk, but thanks in part to an extensive flotation program, an assemblage of more than 1300 specimens from secure contexts has been recovered and studied, covering nearly the entire ca. 1100-year sequence from the Neolithic East Mound. The Catalhoyuk inhabitants heavily targeted water birds throughout the sequence. However, the overall relative stability in taxa through time conceals considerable household variation both in areas of the landscape exploited and particular species taken or avoided. As I have argued for the mammals, this may result in part from taboos on some birds, notably herons, that apply only to certain households or other social categories. Indeed, in contrast to earlier sites nearby, the meatier portions of the skeleton are underrepresented at Catalhoyuk, with legs and especially wings predominating. Feathers were likely a major motivation for taking many of the birds, some of them used for costumes. Some bird bones appear in special deposits indicating a symbolic role for, at least, cranes, vultures, crows, and spoonbills.
Biobased Plasticizers from Carbohydrate-Derived 2,5-Bis(hydroxymethyl)furan

As potential replacements for phthalate plasticizers, a series of esters of biobased 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)furan has been synthesized and fully characterized using spectroscopic and thermal methods...
Book Reviews for 46(1)

Elvira Uyarra reviews Universities, Cities, and Regions: Loci for Knowledge and Innovation Creation Qinling Lu reviews Public Sector Entrepreneurship: U.S. Technology and Innovation Policy Akheil Singla reviews State and Local Financial Instruments: Policy Changes and Management Collin D. Hodges reviews Pathways to Fiscal Reform in the United States
FROM TAVR TO MECHANICAL VALVE TO BIOPROSTHETIC VALVE: A CASE OF TRIPLE VALVE REPLACEMENT

The decision of which advanced therapies to implement can become challenging with a patient with mechanical aortic valve surgery and decompensated heart failure. Our case highlights a patient who was referred for advanced therapies however was not an ideal candidate for OHT or LVAD implantation. A
Rosa Navarro-Haydon: Struggling for Locally Relevant Science Education in Puerto Rico. 1926-1966

Rosa Navarro-Haydon participo de manera fundamental en un momento critico de la historia de la educacion cientifica en Puerto Rico. Esta investigadora y educadora desarrollo e implemento el curriculo cientifico de las escuelas publicas primarias, escribio folletos, articulos academicos y libros de texto, Ademas, fue responsable de preparar profesionalmente a miles de docentes de ciencias. Rosa Navarro-Haydon fue una pionera de la diseminacion cientifica y escribia articulos en revistas dirigidas al publico en general. Lamentablemente, las comunidades cientificas y educativas desconocen las grandes contribuciones profesionales de Rosa Navarro-Haydon, su vida y obra como una de las primeras educadoras cientificas en Puerto Rico y el contexto historico en el cual sucedieron.
Comparison of Balloon Pulmonary Angioplasty and Pulmonary Vasodilators for Inoperable Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Treatment options for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) that is not amenable to thromboendarterectomy or is recurrent/persistent after thromboendarterectomy (inoperable CTEPH) include pulmonary vasodilators or balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA). We compared efficacy and safety outcomes of BPA with or without pulmonary vasodilators to pulmonary vasodilator therapy alone in patients with inoperable CTEPH. Observational and randomized trial data reporting outcomes for >5 patients with inoperable CTEPH were sought. Single-arm random effects meta-analyses were performed. The primary outcome was change in six-minute walk distance (6MWD). Secondary outcomes included safety; World Health Organization functional class (WHO FC); and change in mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP), pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), and cardiac index. Thirty-four studies with 1604 patients were eligible for analyses. Both treatments resulted in significant improvement in 6MWD (71.0 meters, 95% CI: 47.4–94.5 meters with BPA versus 47.8 meters, 95% CI: 34.5–61.2 meters with pulmonary vasodilators), PVR [−3.1 Wood Units (WU), 95% CI: −4.9 to −1.4 WU versus −1.6 WU, 95% CI: −2.4 to −0.8 WU] and mPAP (−14.8 mmHg, 95% CI: −18.2 to −11.5 mmHg versus −4.9 mmHg, 95% CI: −6.9 to −2.8 mmHg). Cardiac index was similar and most patients were WHO FC II and III after their respective interventions. More complications occurred in the BPA arm. In conclusion, BPA and pulmonary vasodilators both improve 6MWD and hemodynamics in patients with inoperable CTEPH. While BPA may offer greater functional and hemodynamic improvements, this technique carries the accompanying risks of an invasive procedure.
Diagnostic performance of non-invasive tests for evaluation of hepatic graft fibrosis in pediatric liver transplantation: A scoping review.

Abstract Background Hepatic graft fibrosis is a common histologic finding of pediatric liver transplant (LT) that might affect long-term graft outcome. However, its diagnosis and staging require an invasive liver biopsy. Aim To review the published literature on the diagnostic accuracy of elastography and serum-based fibrosis markers for assessing hepatic graft fibrosis in pediatric LT recipients. Methods A scoping review was conducted using a systematic search of published literature in PubMed (MEDLINE), EMBASE, SCOPUS, and Cochrane Library between 2002 and 2019. We included all English conference abstracts or full-text articles that examined the diagnostic accuracy of the non-invasive test(s) to assess hepatic fibrosis in LT children, using liver biopsy as the reference test. Results Eight studies were included, of which 6 examined transient elastography (TE), one investigated acoustic radiation force impulse elastography, and 5 examined serum-based fibrosis markers (AST/ALT ratio, AST-to-platelet ratio index, FibroTest, enhanced liver fibrosis test). TE reportedly had a good AUROC (range: 0.82–0.92) to distinguish children with hepatic graft fibrosis (≥F1) from those with no fibrosis. However, there was considerable overlap of liver stiffness cutoffs in the mild to significant fibrosis groups (≥F1 and ≥F2). Current serum-based fibrosis markers reportedly had an unsatisfactory diagnostic accuracy. Conclusions TE in LT children has similar diagnostic value and limitations as in the non-transplant setting. Prospective studies are warranted to validate an optimal liver stiffness cutoff for predicting significant hepatic graft fibrosis (≥F2) and to determine if a meaningful change in liver stiffness from baseline could identify patients at risk for fibrosis progression.
Measurement of the Radiographic Anatomy of the Small and Ring Metacarpals using Computerized Tomographic Scans

To date, only plain radiographic definitions of normal anatomical parameters have been described. Our study aims to describe normal anatomic measurements of small and ring metacarpals using a novel digital reconstruction technique based on raw CT image data. We hypothesize that current plain radiographic data incorrectly describes normal metacarpal anatomy in the lateral plane. Thirty-five scans of the small and 30 scans of the ring metacarpals form the basis for this study. Using a custom digital 3D image reformatting software, CT sections were reconstructed in the plane of each studied metacarpal. The 3D images were converted to sagittal and coronal weighted projections to represent lateral and posteroanterior (PA) 2D images that are equivalent to “perfect orthogonal” radiographs. Using a customized image measurement program, shaft lengths, shaft-bending angle (SBA), and capital-axis angle (CAA) were measured. Our results show that CAA averaged 14 and 12° in the ring and small metacarpals, respectively. Apex dorsal SBA averaged 12 and 10° in the ring and small metacarpals, respectively. On the PA images, the shafts are nearly straight. In contrast to prior reported values, we found the CAA to be less acute and the metacarpal curvature less pronounced on the lateral projection. We also demonstrated that much of the metacarpal apex dorsal bend is in the shaft itself. Normal anatomic parameters of metacarpals are based primarily on radiographic data, and as such are limited due to bony overlap in the lateral plane, as well as imperfect radiographic projections that are known to distort anatomical relationships. This novel method of image reconstruction eliminates metacarpal overlap and defines precise anatomical reference for metacarpals.
Thugocracy: bandit regimes and state capture

In this paper I analyze the Trump, Putin, and Zuma regimes as “thugocracies”: projects of sophisticated state capture, through organized crime networks at every level of scale, and utilizing comple...
A Stroke Reduction Health Plan for Older Adults in Rural Sussex County, Delaware

Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability among adults age 65 and over in the United States. Modifiable risk factors for stroke include: obesity, poor nutrition, and lack of exercise. Sussex County, Delaware has the highest stroke rate among older adults in the state. Twenty-five percent of the population in Sussex County are 65 and over and about 70% of adults are overweight or obese. Consistent with the social ecological framework, the Stroke Population Risk Tool may be used at the individual level to identify those at an increased risk for stroke and to create individualized stroke specific education. At the community level, local nutrition, fitness, and senior services may be utilized - with older adults at the highest risk profile participating in a 12 week stroke education program focused on risk reduction behaviors, nutrition and exercise classes. At the policy level, the Walkability Assessment Tool may be utilized to encourage local municipalities to identify areas of the county which lack safe spaces to be physically active and to develop a plan to create a more exercise conducive environment. Taken together, the proposal discusses an implementable plan that may, in the long-term, effectively reduce the stroke rates of older adults in Sussex County and allow for the early identification of those at the greatest risk for stroke.
Correction to "Molecular Dynamics Simulations of the Vapor-Liquid Equilibria in CO2/n-Pentane, Propane/n-Pentane, and Propane/n-Hexane Binary Mixtures".

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were used to study vapor-liquid equilibrium interfacial properties of n-alkane and n-alkane/CO2 mixtures over a wide range of pressure and temperature conditions. The simulation methodology, based on CHARMM molecular mechanics force field with long-range Lennard-Jones potentials, was first validated against experimental interfacial tension (IFT) data for two pure n-alkanes (n-pentane and n-heptane). Subsequently, liquid-vapor equilibria of CO2/n-pentane, propane/n-pentane, and propane/n-hexane mixtures were investigated at temperatures from 296 to 403 K and pressures from 0.2 to 6 MPa. The IFT, liquid and vapor phase densities, and molecular compositions of the liquid and vapor phases and of the interface were analyzed. The calculated mixture IFTs were in excellent agreement with experiments. Likewise, calculated phase densities closely matched values obtained from the equation of state (EOS) fitted to the experimental data. Examination of the density profiles, particularly in the liquid-vapor transition regions, provided a molecular-level rationalization for the observed trends in the IFT as a function of both molecular composition and temperature. Finally, two variants of the empirical parachor model commonly used for predicting the IFT, the Weinaug-Katz and Hugill-Van Welsenes equations, were tested for their accuracy in reproducing the MD simulation results. The IFT prediction accuracies of both equations were nearly identical, implying that the simpler Weinaug-Katz model is sufficient to describe the IFT of the studied systems.
An experimental study on the effect of fatigue loading on electrical impedance in open-hole carbon nanofiber-modified glass fiber/epoxy composites

Abstract Fiber-reinforced composites (FRCs) are valued for their high specific properties. However, FRCs are vulnerable to difficult-to-predict damage growth and complex failure modes thereby motivating the need for robust structural health monitoring (SHM). Self-sensing via nanofiller-induced piezoresistivity has much potential for this. Research in piezoresistivity to date has overwhelmingly focused on the direct current (DC) response. This is important because alternating current (AC) has important benefits such as improved data density, potential for greater sensitivity, and reduced power requirements. In light of the potential of AC-based methods, this work explores AC transport responsiveness to high-cycle fatigue loading in carbon nanofiber (CNF)-modified glass fiber/epoxy laminates via equivalent circuit analyses. These results show that equivalent circuit behavior is significantly affected by fatigue-induced damage accumulation suggesting a mechanism for monitoring fatigue. However, clear circuit parameter evolution-load cycle trends were not observed suggesting further work is needed to fully realize the potential of AC-based monitoring.
Continuum Models and Morse Theory in the Simulation, Design, and Evaluation of Magnetic Skyrmion Devices

Nanomagnetic devices such as computer gates and memory devices based on magnetic skyrmions are close to becoming a reality. In this letter, we will explore the highly nonconvex nanomagnetic energy landscape in order to draw conclusions about the complexity of magnetic phenomena. Morse-theoretic arguments show that, in a bounded energy interval, the number of critical points of the energy functional grows exponentially. To show this, we exploit a hierarchy of models for the design of nanomagnetic devices to provide a solid foundation for the introduction of topological tools. To reason in terms of lattice models, one must make a distinction between two types of lattices: the quantum mechanical model of the actual physical lattice and the lattice model that can be associated with a discretization of a continuum model of the physics. By focusing on 1) the implications of Morse theory applied to lattice systems arising from the discretization of the continuum models and 2) the notion of “topological frustration,” we provide a framework for understanding complexity in the context of nanomagnetic systems. We conclude with some suggestions for making the analysis more qualitative.