cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Computer Algorithm for Qualitative Identification of Mass Spectral Data Acquired in Trace Level Analysis of Environmental Samples

Abstract A computer algorithm for trace level analysis of organic compounds by empirical qualitative identification of mass spectral data is described. This algorithm is designed to permit the use of maximum instrument sensitivity and to address problems common to trace analyses. These problems are attacked by reverse searching, linear adjustment of spectra, spectral abbreviation based only on abundance, and the addition of a small library of special interest spectra. Information produced by the algorithm is designed to aid the analyst in determining the validity of the spectral matches produced. Several examples are given to demonstrate the advantages of this approach for the analysis of environmental samples.
The roots of the independence polynomial of a clawfree graph

The independence polynomial of a graph G is the polynomial @?"Ax^|^A^|, summed over all independent subsets A@?V(G). We prove that if G is clawfree, then all the roots of its independence polynomial are real. This extends a theorem of Heilmann and Lieb [O.J. Heilmann, E.H. Lieb, Theory of monomer-dimer systems, Comm. Math. Phys. 25 (1972) 190-232], answering a question posed by Hamidoune [Y.O. Hamidoune, On the numbers of independent k-sets in a clawfree graph, J. Combin. Theory Ser. B 50 (1990) 241-244] and Stanley [R.P. Stanley, Graph colorings and related symmetric functions: Ideas and applications, Discrete Math. 193 (1998) 267-286].
Neuroanatomical distribution and binding properties of saxitoxin sites in the rat and turtle CNS

Since saxitoxin (STX) binds to voltage-sensitive sodium channels and blocks their function, it has been widely used in the study of these channels. There is, however, limited information on STX binding properties and the neuroanatomical distribution of the Na+ channel as a function of brain region in the rat and in lower vertebrates such as the turtle. In the present study, we used a broad range of 3H-STX concentration (up to 64 nM) to examine saturation profiles and density distribution in both adult rat and turtle brains. We found that (1) STX sites do not vary greatly in affinity (most Kds = 2 to 5 nM) in various regions of the adult rat brain; (2) STX binding distribution was very heterogeneous in the rat with much higher density in the cortex, hippocampus, amygdala, and cerebellum than in the brainstem and spinal cord; (3) STX sites are mostly localized in layers made mostly of neurons with low density in white matter; and (4) turtle brain STX sites had similar binding properties, but its brain had much fewer STX sites than the rat, especially in the cerebellum and rostral areas such as the cortex. We conclude that (a) adult brain sodium channels have similar STX binding affinity in spite of the existence of multiple sodium channel subtypes; (b) the brainstem is very different from rostral brain areas in channel density; and (c) the turtle brain has a much lower sodium channel density than the rat brain.
The Type 2 and Type 3 Iodothyronine Deiodinases Play Important Roles in Coordinating Development in Rana catesbeiana Tadpoles

In developing Rana catesbeiana tadpoles, the timing of the thyroid hormone (TH)-dependent metamorphic responses varies markedly among tissues. Yet at any one time these tissues are exposed to the same plasma concentration of TH, suggesting that TH action is regulated in part at the level of the peripheral tissues. A major factor in TH action is the intracellular level of the active TH, T3. This level is dependent not only on the plasma concentration of TH (mostly T4) but also on the intracellular activities of the type 2 5′-deiodinase (D2) and the type 3 5-deiodinase (D3), which are responsible, respectively, for generating and degrading T3. (D1 is not present in this species.) To determine whether differential expression of D2 and D3 among tissues could be a significant factor in the coordination of metamorphic events, the ontogenic profiles of the two enzyme activities and corresponding messenger RNA levels in most tissues of R. catesbeiana tadpoles have been documented. The profiles of D2 expression in...
Onthophagus rugulosus Harold, 1886 (Coleoptera, SCARABAEIDAE): proposed conservation of the specific name

Abstract. The purpose of this application, under Article 23.9.3 of the Code, is to conserve the specific name of the dung beetle Onthophagus rugulosus Harold, 1886 (Coleoptera: scarabaeidae), a widespread species from East Asia, by suppressing the senior secondary homonym Elytridium rugidosum Heer, 1870, a fragmentary fossil from the Miocene of Spitsbergen, Norway, that was transferred to Onthophagus in 1977. A replacement name, O. spitsbergeniensis nom. nov., is proposed for the dubious fossil species.
Prostaglandin E2 modulates monocyte MHC-II (Ia) suppression in biomaterial infection

Abstract Staphylococcus epidermidis biomaterial infection is associated with local cellular immune suppression measured by a depressed monocyte (Mφ) Ia expression. The purpose of this study was to define the effect of proinflammatory mediators on Ia expression and bacterial clearance in experimental biomaterial infection. A 1-cm-long Dacron tube graft, sterile or colonized with Staphylococcus epidermidis (1 × 10 7 cfu/ml 2 ), was implanted in Swiss–Webster mice. Perigraft fluid was collected at 7, 10, 14, and 28 days and assayed by enzyme-linked immunoassays for tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-4, IL-10, and prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ). Grafts were sonicated and plated for quantitative growth. In vivo effector inhibition was accomplished with anti-TNFα, anti-IL-1α antibodies (7 μg/24 hr), or indomethacin (50 μg/24 hr) via an Alzet 7-day microinfusion pump. Mφ Ia expression was determined by flow cytometry. A significant elevation of TNFα, IL-1α, and PGE 2 was found during the first 10 days in the infected compared with sterile ( P ≤ 0.05) grafts and correlated with maximal Ia suppression. Neither IL-4 nor IL-10 was significantly different in the sterile or infected perigraft fluid. Indomethacin completely prevented Mφ Ia suppression, while anti-IL-1α only partially (94%) prevented Mφ Ia suppression with a corresponding decrease in PGE 2 production in infected grafts. Anti-TNFα increased PGE 2 production by 189% and was associated with depressed Mφ Ia expression. Indomethacin treatment improved mean graft-adherent bacterial clearance by 54% at 7 days and 75% at 28 days compared with control (not significant). Interleukin-1α but not TNFα increases PGE 2 production which modulates Mφ Ia suppression. To improve treatment of biomaterial infections, local immunomodulation of PGE 2 and IL-1α is promising.
Alcohol and Cytokine-inducible Transcription Factors

Cytokines, such as TNF alpha, modulate the behavior of many cells by regulating the expression of a wide array of genes. When a cytokine binds to its receptor on the cell surface, the receptor becomes activated and activates signal transduction cascades. These cascades typically involve a series of phosphorylation reactions that lead to sequential activation of various kinases. The targets of these kinases include DNA binding proteins that regulate the transcription of target genes. The activity of DNA binding proteins, such as c-Jun and NF-kappa B, titrates the transcriptional activity of cytokine-regulated genes. Both acute and chronic alcohol consumption of ethanol increase hepatic expression of TNF alpha. After acute ethanol consumption, this is associated with increased induction of several TNF-dependent regenerative events, including the activation of c-Jun and increased binding activity of NF-kappa B. However, chronic consumption of ethanol appears to impede TNF alpha signaling in the liver because it attenuates the increases in c-JUN activity and NF-kappa B binding, which normally follow partial hepatectomy. These results suggest that one mechanism by which ethanol influences liver cell behavior is by influencing local expression of TNF alpha and changing the activity of TNF-regulated transcription factors.
Linked open data for cultural heritage: evolution of an information technology

Communication design encompasses how information is structured behind the scenes, as much as how the information is shared across networks (Potts & Albers). Information architecture can profoundly alter our perceptions of society and culture (Swarts). Today cultural heritage institutions like libraries, archives, and museums (LAMs) are searching for new ways to engage and educate patrons. This paper examines how linked open data (LOD) can solve the communication design problems that these institutions face and help LAM patrons find new meaning in cultural heritage artifacts.
Perception of Humor by Regular Class Students and Students with Learning Disabilities or Mild Mental Retardation

This pilot study investigates receptive and expressive humor in students from primary, intermediate, and middle school grades with learning disabilities, mild mental retardation, or no diagnosed handicap. Student performance is compared on (1) identification of endings to riddles that have a phonological, lexical, or cognitive incongruity basis for humor; (2) description of the source of humor in selected jokes; and (3) expression of favorite jokes. The results of a multivariate analysis of variance of these data are reported and discussed, with implications for future research noted.
Math Anxiety: Personal, Educational, and Cognitive Consequences

Highly math-anxious individuals are characterized by a strong tendency to avoid math, which ultimately undercuts their math competence and forecloses important career paths. But timed, on-line tests reveal math-anxiety effects on whole-number arithmetic problems (e.g., 46 + 27), whereas achievement tests show no competence differences. Math anxiety disrupts cognitive processing by compromising ongoing activity in working memory. Although the causes of math anxiety are undetermined, some teaching styles are implicated as risk factors. We need research on the origins of math anxiety and on its “signature” in brain activity, to examine both its emotional and its cognitive components.
The ‘new generation of African entrepreneurs’: networking to change the climate for business and private sector-led development

This paper discusses the entrepreneurial landscape in Africa and locates a new generation of African entrepreneurs and their business networks within it. Unlike others in that landscape (i.e. micro- or small-scale informal sector vendors, and traditional or multinational large-scale formal sector firms), the ‘new generation’ entrepreneurs are business globalists who organized a system of business enterprise networks consisting of national, regional, and pan-African organizations. The study analyses interview data from 57 men and women network members from 10 countries (Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe). Some defining characteristics of these entrepreneurs are interactive social and business relationships, use of modern management methods and information technology, trust among fellow members, transparent business practices, advocacy on behalf of the private sector, and commitment to increasing intra-African commerce. Their mission is to improve the climate for private sector business in Africa and to promote regional economic integration. They pursue cross-national commercial ventures, maintain official observer status at established regional economic organizations, sign memoranda of understanding with multilateral agencies, establish venture capital funds, and help to change government policies. The paper identifies characteristics of the ‘new generation’ entrepreneurs, evaluates goals and achievements of their networks, and concludes that despite limitations, these entrepreneurs and their organizations have created intra- and cross-national networks that strengthen private-sector-led economic growth in Africa.
Target tracking and radar health monitoring for highway vehicle applications

This paper focuses on the improvement of radar reliability for automated highway vehicle applications. In particular, we address the topics of radar health monitoring and improved target tracking. Radar health monitoring poses a special challenge because a radar measures the distance to target vehicles whose motion is unknown in the absence of inter-vehicle communication. Traditional observer-based methods therefore cannot be used for the health monitoring task. A number of new approaches are summarized in this paper, including the use of a geographic database of known roadside targets, the detection of abrupt failures during target tracking and the use of a cheap redundant sensor. The use of a cheap redundant sensor is shown to be extremely valuable in the radar health monitoring task. The paper develops a new adaptive tracking algorithm to achieve good target tracking with a poor resolution sensor. An additional important problem addressed in the paper is that of tracking multiple targets which have crossing maneuvers. The paper proposes a new algorithm for tracking of multiple targets in which symmetric measurements are combined together with acceleration estimation so as to improve the stability properties of the existing Symmetric Measurement Equations (SME) technique for multiple target tracking.
Does environmental regulation matter? Determinants of the location of new manufacturing plants in India in 1994

The costs attributable to complying with environmental regulation are not as important as other determinants of where Indian businesses locate new plants. The level of existing business activity overwhelms all other factors affecting location decisions. The cost of complying with environmental regulations has been cited as a major burden on businesses. Is it enough of a burden to influence where businesses locate new plants, which are not restricted in their choice of location? Mani, Pargal, and Huq examine a unique establishment level dataset to find out whether the stringency of environmental regulation affects where firms locate new plants. Using a conditional logit model, they estimate the importance of different variables in plant location choice. After controlling for the impact of factor price differentials, infrastructure, and agglomeration, they find that the number of new plants commissioned in different states of India in 1994 does not appear to be adversely affected by more stringent environmental enforcement at the state level. In other words, an environmental race to the bottom is unlikely. They find that the level of existing business activity overwhelms all other factors affecting location decisions. Reliable infrastructure and factors of production are also critical. This paper - a product of the Environment, Infrastructure, and Agriculture Division, Policy Research Department - is part of a larger effort in the department to study environmental regulation.
Honey in the management of infections.

Background: Honey, a natural product of bees of the genera Apis and Meliponinae, has been recognized for medicinal properties since antiquity. Honey has demonstrated antimicrobial properties. These effects are variably ascribed to the pH, hydrogen peroxide content, osmotic effect, and as yet unidentified compounds putatively described as inhibines. Materials and Methods: This review will explore the use of honey in necrotizing soft tissue infections, postsurgical wound infections, wounds other than postsurgical infections, Helicobacter pylori of the stomach and duodenum, and burns. Throughout, the in vitro evidence that exists and the explanations that can be offered for the purported benefits of honey will be reviewed. Most of the reports are either uncontrolled case series or in vitro observations. As such, detailed critique of statistical methods will not be undertaken. Conclusion: The purpose of this paper is not to debunk honey therapy as a myth, but to stimulate thought among surgeons interested in ...
Mechanisms Leading to Rhythm Cessation in the Respiratory PreBötzinger Complex Due to Piecewise Cumulative Neuronal Deletions

Abstract The mammalian breathing rhythm putatively originates from Dbx1-derived interneurons in the preBotzinger complex (preBotC) of the ventral medulla. Cumulative deletion of ∼15% of Dbx1 preBotC neurons in an in vitro breathing model stops rhythmic bursts of respiratory-related motor output. Here we assemble in silico models of preBotC networks using random graphs for structure, and ordinary differential equations for dynamics, to examine the mechanisms responsible for the loss of spontaneous respiratory rhythm and motor output measured experimentally in vitro . Model networks subjected to cellular ablations similarly discontinue functionality. However, our analyses indicate that model preBotC networks remain topologically intact even after rhythm cessation, suggesting that dynamics coupled with structural properties of the underlying network are responsible for rhythm cessation. Simulations show that cumulative cellular ablations diminish the number of neurons that can be recruited to spike per unit time. When the recruitment rate drops below 1 neuron/ms the network stops spontaneous rhythmic activity. Neurons that play pre-eminent roles in rhythmogenesis include those that commence spiking during the quiescent phase between respiratory bursts and those with a high number of incoming synapses, which both play key roles in recruitment, i.e., recurrent excitation leading to network bursts. Selectively ablating neurons with many incoming synapses impairs recurrent excitation and stops spontaneous rhythmic activity and motor output with lower ablation tallies compared with random deletions. This study provides a theoretical framework for the operating mechanism of mammalian central pattern generator networks and their susceptibility to loss-of-function in the case of disease or neurodegeneration.
The influence of beef fat on growth

The inability of young albino rats to complete their growth on a diet consisting of isolated proteins, starch, “protein-free milk” and lard has directed attention to the need of some substance to supplement the ordinary nutrients so that the characteristic increment in body weight may proceed to its normal limits.1 Among naturally occurring fats, butter fat, egg yolk fat, and cod liver oil have been shown to be effective as adjuvants to the above artificial dietary in order to promote growth; whereas lard, almond oil, and olive oil behave otherwise. We have now found that beef fat is likewise capable of promoting renewal of growth when it has been checked on the lard diets; or if beef fat is incorporated with the food at an early period there is no cessation of growth until long after the time at which nutritive failures on the inadequate diets usually occur.The content of the growth-promoting substance appears to be smaller in beef fat than in butter fat. By fractional separations it can be obtained in t...
Forecasting the 2010 State Legislative Elections

This article offers forecasts made on July 22, 2010, for the 2010 state legislative elections. Most work in the election forecasting field has been done on presidential and U.S. House elections. Less has been done for U.S. Senate elections, and almost none for gubernatorial or state legislative elections. This year will see much attention directed at the 43 state legislatures holding elections, because many will have the responsibility for drawing new district lines based on the 2010 census. Furthermore, of those chambers with elections scheduled in 2010, seven currently contain one party with less than a 5% margin of control. With so much at stake, these will clearly be contests to watch.
The State System Exercise: A Teaching Note

In recent years, educational games have become an important educational tool in the social sciences.The Inter-Nation Simulation, a number of games in the field of American government, and Simulated Society (SIMSOC) in the more general field of sociology have been employed at a number of universities and colleges.2 The teaching game or what I prefer to call simulation exercise presented below has proven to be a valuable educational tool in introductory international politics courses, but unlike the exercises mentioned above does not require extensive or elaborate materials. Involving a comparatively small amount of extra effort from the instructor, the exercise occupies about five hours of classroom time and can be used to stimulate and focus discussion on various aspects of international politics." Because the entire set of materials
Anaerobically expressed outer membrane proteins of Neisseria gonorrhoeae are recognized by antibodies present in the sera of PID patients

Anaerobically grown gonococci express at least 3 outer membrane proteins at significantly higher levels than aerobically grown gonococci. To test whether these proteins are expressed in vivo during gonococcal infection, we probed Western blots of SDS-PAGE-separated outer membrane proteins with antisera from patients with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and uncomplicated gonococcal infection (UGI). The major anaerobically induced outer membrane protein, Pan 1, was found to be one of the major antigens recognized by sera from both PID and UGI patients. Two of the PID serum samples reacted much more strongly with Pan 1 from some strains than from others, suggesting that unique epitopes were being recognized. However, one of the PID and both UGI serum samples reacted equally well with Pan 1 from all 6 strains tested, suggesting that common epitopes were being recognized. The fact that the Pan 1 protein appears to be a major gonococcal antigen recognized by patient sera indicates that this protein is expressed in vivo, and strongly suggests that N. gonorrhoeae can grow anaerobically in vivo.
High-Density Free Fluid on Computed Tomography: a Predictor of Surgical Intervention in Patients with Adhesive Small Bowel Obstruction

Background Patients with adhesive small bowel obstruction (ASBO) often develop intraabdominal free fluid (IFF). While IFF is a finding on abdominopelvic computed tomography (CT) associated with the need for surgical intervention, many patients with IFF can be still managed non-operatively. A previous study suggested that a higher red blood cell count of IFF is highly predictive of strangulated ASBO. We hypothesized that radiodensity in IFF (Hounsfield unit (HU)) on CT would predict the need for surgical intervention.
Oral Mucositis Incidence and Severity after Methotrexate and Non-Methotrexate Containing GVHD Prophylaxis Regimens.

Abstract Oral mucositis (OM) occurs in up to 75% of recipients of high-dose chemoradiotherapy conditioning regimens prior to allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). OM affects patient quality of life by causing oropharyngeal pain, and by impairing communication and swallowing. As a result, narcotic analgesia and total parenteral nutrition (TPN) are commonly required in the recovery period after HSCT. Methotrexate (MTX), an antiproliferative agent used as GVHD prophylaxis, impairs mucosal regeneration after conditioning-related injury, and worsens and prolongs OM. We assessed the impact of sirolimus, a novel immunosuppressive agent used in lieu of MTX for GVHD prophylaxis, on outcomes associated with OM. Methods: Two cohorts of patients were prospectively analyzed for OM severity, and chart reviews were performed to assess correlative outcomes. All patients underwent HLA-matched sibling PBSC transplantation after Cy-TBI conditioning. GVHD prophylaxis consisted of sirolimus/tacrolimus (ST) in the study group and tacrolimus/methotrexate (TM) in the control group. OM was assessed 3x/week using a prospectively validated 6-point assessment tool, by members of the Oral Medicine Service. At each assessment, the evaluators systematically evaluated for the presence of erythema and ulceration of the oral mucosa at nine pre-defined locations within the oral cavity. The use of narcotics and TPN was recorded from the time of transplantation to hospital discharge. Results: 30 patients received ST and 24 patients received TM as GVHD prophylaxis after HLA-matched PBSCT between 10/2000 and 5/2003. The two groups were balanced for demographic variables, including age, sex, and disease status at transplant. OM severity was reduced in the ST group. Mild, moderate and severe OM was noted in 37, 57 and 7% of the ST group and 8, 42 and 50% of the TM group (p=0.0002). As a result, TPN use was reduced in the ST group (17 vs. 43% of hospital days, p=0.02), and a higher proportion of subjects required no TPN in the ST group (47 vs. 21%, p=0.08). The total number of hospital days where narcotics were required for pain control was lower in the ST group in comparison with the TM group (14 vs. 16 days median, p = NS). The time from transplant to first hospital discharge was shorter in the ST group compared with the TM group (18 vs. 22 days median, p= 0.07) Conclusions: The use of ST for GVHD prophylaxis is associated with less severe oropharyngeal mucositis than TM, despite equivalent conditioning regimen intensity. As a result, TPN use was reduced, narcotic use was reduced and the duration of hospitalization was shortened. The use of less toxic GVHD regimens without MTX may have significant impact on patient quality of life, patient outcomes and economic outcomes associated with allogeneic stem cell transplantation.
Functionalization of saturated hydrocarbons using nitrogen ion insertion reactions in mass spectrometry

Abstract Ionization using field-assisted nitrogen insertion facilitates mass spectrometric characterization of saturated hydrocarbons. The technique integrates in-situ derivatization of aliphatic hydrocarbons on a dry substrate with desorption and ionization of these condensed phase samples. Nitrogen reagent ions, including N3+ generated from a micro-discharge initiated in a nitrogen atmosphere (or in lab air), react with aliphatic hydrocarbons through atomic nitrogen ion incorporation to generate iminium ions. The method is efficient in generating molecular ions of saturated hydrocarbons, particularly those of higher molecular weight. This field-assisted nitrogenation method has been optimized by systematic variation of reagent gas flow rate, tube lens voltage, and sample placement. Independent optimization of analyte ionization allows coupling to any mass analyzer with an atmospheric pressure interface. Field-assisted nitrogen ion insertion is shown by mass analysis using a linear quadrupole ion trap or using an Orbitrap to generate [M+N]+ ions predominantly. This allows the identification of the elemental compositions of alkane constituents of complex petroleum-based products. In the presence of an oxidizing agent such as benzoquinone, dehydrogenation accompanies nitrogen ion insertion under atmospheric pressure and low temperature with minimal C C bond rupture. This study describes the optimization of this experiment, its application to branched alkanes, the relationship to paper spray ionization and the reaction mechanism including accompanying redox reactions. Data are shown for n-alkanes, branched alkyls and aryl substituted alkanes all of which are successfully ionized. Results are also given for a variety of other functional groups; these do not give N+-addition unless long alkyl chains form part of the molecular structure.
Neuroimaging, neurodevelopment, and schizophrenia

Evidence suggests that some forms of schizophrenia are disorders of neurodevelopment. Neuroimaging studies indicate that structural abnormalities are similar between children and first-episode adults with schizophrenia. These structural abnormalities are consistent with those seen in neuropathologic studies. The potential contribution of neuroimaging studies to understanding the neuro-developmental basis of schizophrenia is discussed.
The adaptive physiology of Metasequoia to eocene high-latitude environments

Publisher Summary This chapter explores the physiological basis for Metasequoia's success in the Eocene high-Arctic and the ecophysiological attributes that imparted adaptive value to trees inhabiting this unique environment (Eocene high-Arctic). The environment that has been advanced for Eocene high-latitude forests provided a unique combination of light, temperature, and water regimes that offers an unparalleled set of adaptive challenges to plant species. The temperate continuous light (CL) regime offered both substantial physiological challenges and the potential benefit of high growth rates for species able to overcome those physiological hurdles. Among the unusual aspects of Metasequoia is a collection of characteristics that do not fit contemporary models of shade-adaptation or sun-adaptation. Metasequoia possesses an aggregation of characteristics not generally associated with either adaptive strategy, but competitively adaptive at high latitudes. While the photosynthetic rates of Metasequoia under light intensities typical of the growing season at middle latitudes are clearly much lower than those of sun-adapted conifers, its resource allocation to photosynthetic systems (leaf-level) is close to optimum for the moderate light intensities of the Arctic lowland forests, or cloudier lower palaeolatitudes. Metasequoia could rapidly produce canopies with extensive leaf area, not only efficiently capturing incident light for photosynthesis, but minimizing the transmitted light that would be available for competitors. Production of low-density stem wood permitted Metasequoia rapidly to overtop potential competitors that were establishing concurrently. The importance of photorespiration and alternate pathways for photoenergetics in Metasequoia and other species growing under CL regimes are yet to be explored.
A 64GHz full-duplex transceiver front-end with an on-chip multifeed self-interference-canceling antenna and an all-passive canceler supporting 4Gb/s modulation in one antenna footprint

Millimeter-wave full-duplex (FD) transceivers (TRXs) have the potential to unlock the full throughput of future 5G links. A major challenge in mm-wave FD TRXs is to suppress the wideband modulated self-interference (SI) of the transmitter (TX) to its own receiver (RX) with ∼100dB cancellation over a large instantaneous bandwidth. This often requires distributed cancellations across the antenna, RF, and digital domains [1].
Fur regulation of Staphylococcus aureus heme oxygenases is required for heme homeostasis

Heme is a cofactor that is essential for cellular respiration and for the function of many enzymes. If heme levels become too low within the cell, S. aureus switches from producing energy via respiration to producing energy by fermentation. S. aureus encodes two heme oxygenases, IsdI and IsdG, which cleave the porphyrin heme ring releasing iron for use as a nutrient source. Both isdI and isdG are only expressed under low iron conditions and are regulated by the canonical Ferric Uptake Regulator (Fur). Here we demonstrate that unregulated expression of isdI and isdG within S. aureus leads to reduced growth under low iron conditions. Additionally, the constitutive expression of these enzymes leads to decreased heme abundance in S. aureus, an increase in the fermentation product lactate, and increased resistance to gentamicin. This work demonstrates that S. aureus has developed tuning mechanisms, such as Fur regulation, to ensure that the cell has sufficient quantities of heme for efficient ATP production through aerobic respiration.
Improving low-accuracy protein structures using enhanced sampling techniques

In this paper, we report results of using enhanced sampling and blind selection techniques for high-accuracy protein structural refinement. By combining a parallel continuous simulated tempering (PCST) method, previously developed by Zang et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 141, 044113 (2014)], and the structure based model (SBM) as restraints, we refined 23 targets (18 from the refinement category of the CASP10 and 5 from that of CASP12). We also designed a novel model selection method to blindly select high-quality models from very long simulation trajectories. The combined use of PCST-SBM with the blind selection method yielded final models that are better than initial models. For Top-1 group, 7 out of 23 targets had better models (greater global distance test total scores) than the critical assessment of structure prediction participants. For Top-5 group, 10 out of 23 were better. Our results justify the crucial position of enhanced sampling in protein structure prediction and refinement and demonstrate that a considerable improvement of low-accuracy structures is achievable with current force fields.
Two Fluid Flow in a Capillary Tube

A phase field model for two-phase flow in a capillary tube, developed by Cueto-Felgueroso and Juanes, results in a PDE with higher-order terms. We find traveling wave solutions of the PDE and determine a bound on parameters to obtain physically relevant solutions. We observe that the traveling wave height decreases monotonically with capillary number. Finite difference simulations of the injection of a gas finger into water show a traveling wave advancing ahead of a rarefaction, leaving a plateau region of fluid adjacent to the tube wall. The residual thickness of this region was measured in experiments by Taylor in his famous 1961 paper. We find agreement between the traveling wave heights and the plateaus seen in the PDE simulations, and the results also compare favorably with the residual fluid thickness observed in the experiments.
Mitigation Opportunities for Life-Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions during Feedstock Production across Heterogeneous Landscapes

Feedstock production can contribute ≥50% of the life-cycle global warming intensity (GWI) of a biofuel. Variability exists within and among high-leverage components of the biomass production phase. GWI variability within feedstocks has gone unrecognized by regulatory agencies. We present results of a review and analysis of select feedstock production LCAs. System levers with the most potential to reduce feedstock GWI are N fertilizer use, N 2 O emissions, and tillage impact on soil carbon. The median feedstock GWIs span an order of magnitude from 50 to 500 kg CO 2 e per Mg of feedstock produced. Uncertainty in the GWI of the various LCA components is a function of the methods used and the availability of input data required by the respective methods. Including entity-level measurements of the GWI of feedstock production could incentivize feedstock producers to use lower GWI practices. Results of this study are a starting point from which more rigorous and perhaps regionally specific data on key leverage points and production systems should be collected to help guide biomass producers toward minimizing the GWI of their particular biomass production system.
MSCs for Cardiac Repair

Cardiovascular disease has reached epidemic proportions worldwide. Cell-based therapy for advanced heart and vascular disease may offer new hope for those afflicted. Although a variety of cell types are under investigation, mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) have compelling features that offer advantages as an off-the-shelf therapy. These cells are multipotent, anti-inflammatory, and immunoprivileged and can incite regenerative growth factors via paracrine mechanisms. Animal studies and clinical trials are underway to characterize these cells and ­demonstrate efficacy for acute and chronic heart disease. This chapter reviews the current understanding of MSCs for heart disease, preclinical and clinical experience to date, delivery methods under investigation, and exciting new approaches to boost therapeutic efficiency.
Correlating NBA team network centrality measures with game performance

Basketball is an inherently social sport, which implies that social dynamics within a team may influence the team's performance on the court. As NBA players use social media, it may be possible to study the social structure of a team by examining the relationships that form within social media networks. This paper investigates the relationship between publicly available online social networks and quantitative performance data. It is hypothesized that network centrality measures for an NBA team's network will correlate with measurable performance metrics such as win percentage, points differential and assists per play. The hypothesis is tested using exponential random graph models (ERGM) and investigating correlation between network and performance variables. The results show that there are league-wide trends correlating certain network measures with game performance, and also quantifies the effects of various player attributes on network formation.
Coronary Artery Emergencies in Children

Abstract Coronary artery issues are rare in children, leading to challenges for the pediatric emergency medicine practitioner. The differential diagnosis can be grouped into congenital or acquired coronary abnormalities. Congenital coronary anomalies leading to myocardial ischemia or aborted sudden cardiac death are most often due to an anomalous origin of a coronary artery. Acquired coronary artery disease is most commonly related to the sequelae of Kawasaki disease. Lastly, rare, specific patient populations are at higher risk for early coronary disease. This review discusses the most common pediatric causes of coronary artery events, providing an overview of the evaluation and management in an emergency department setting.
The radical account of bare plural generics

Bare plural generic sentences pervade ordinary talk. And yet it is extremely controversial what semantics to assign to such sentences. In this paper, I achieve two tasks. First, I develop a novel classification of the various standard uses to which bare plurals may be put. This “variety data” is important—it gives rise to much of the difficulty in systematically theorizing about bare plurals. Second, I develop a novel account of bare plurals, the radical account. On this account, all bare plurals fail to express propositions. The content of a bare plural has to be pragmatically “completed” by a speaker in order for her to make an assertion. At least the content of a quantifier expression has to be supplied. But sometimes, the content of a sentential operator or modal verb is also supplied. The radical account straightforwardly explains the variety data: Speakers’ communicative intentions vary wildly across different contexts. The radical account should be taken seriously in the literature on generics.
Is it possible to overcome the 'long arm' of childhood socioeconomic disadvantage through upward socioeconomic mobility?

Objectives Socioeconomically disadvantaged children have worse adult health; we test if this 'long arm' of childhood disadvantage can be overcome through upward socioeconomic mobility in adulthood. Methods Four SES trajectories (stable low, upwardly mobile, downwardly mobile and stable high) were created from median dichotomized childhood socioeconomic status (SES; childhood human and financial capital) and adult SES (wealth at age 67) from Health and Retirement Study respondents (N = 6669). Healthy ageing markers, in tertiles, were walking speed, peak expiratory flow (PEF), and grip strength measured in 2008 and 2010. Multinomial logistic regression models, weighted to be nationally representative, controlled for age, gender, race, birthplace, outcome year and childhood health and social capital. Results Upwardly mobile individuals were as likely as the stable high SES group to be in the best health tertile for walking speed (OR = 0.81; 95% CI: 0.63, 1.05; P = 0.114), PEF (OR = 0.97; 95% CI: 0.78, 1.21; P = 0.810) and grip strength (OR = 0.97; 95%CI: 0.74, 1.27; P = 0.980). Discussion Findings suggest the 'long arm' of childhood socioeconomic disadvantage can be overcome for these markers of healthy ageing through upward socioeconomic mobility.
1352-P: Ancestry Affects Biomarkers of Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes

Presentation of type 1 diabetes (T1D) appears to differ among patients with different ancestries. In this study, medical record data were taken from type 1 diabetes patients, diagnosed from 2010 to 2017 at a single site, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland (BCHO). Patients were grouped into ancestry classes based on medical records. European (EUR; n = 81), Hispanic (HIS; n = 84), and African (AFR; n = 48) groups were compared for C-peptide levels at diagnosis and for levels of four autoantibodies (aAb); insulin (IAA), protein phosphatase-like IA-2 (IA-2A), glutamic acid decarboxylase (GADA), and zinc transporter (ZnT8A). All aAb measurements were performed at a single reference laboratory in Denver. The proportion of patients with no evidence of any aAb was similar in EUR and AFR groups (5% and 4%, respectively) but higher in HIS (14%). For up to three aAb, the number of aAb was correlated with the number of patients in the EUR (r = 0.96; p = 0.039) and AFR (r = 0.96; p = 0.038) groups but not in the HIS group (r = 0.58; p = 0.24). The pattern of autoantibody positivity differed among groups; most prevalent were IA-2A in EUR (75%), GADA in AFR (75%), and both IA-2A and GADA (both at 68%) in HIS. Differences in aAb patterns did not reach statistical significance but were consistent with published reports. As expected, C-peptide levels were below the normal range in the EUR group, regardless of aAb positivity. In contrast, in the HIS group, mean C-peptide levels were in the normal range for patients with up to three positive aAb; only HIS patients with all four aAb positive had C-peptide levels below the normal range. The AFR group was similar to the EUR group, with below normal C-peptide levels, except that the subset of AFR patients with a single positive aAb had C-peptide in the normal range. Observed differences in C-peptide mean and median values were significant between HIS and EUR groups (mean p = 0.013; median p = 0.046). Differences in biomarkers between HIS and EUR T1D patients may have implications for both differential diagnosis and management of T1D. Disclosure N. Keller: None. K.E. Fuller: None. B.J. Shum: None. J. Noble: Employee; Spouse/Partner; Roche Diagnostic USA.
The Materialist Conception of Fiction

In contributing to an overall discussion on the tension between empirical reality, fiction, and the self, this chapter invites readers into a discussion of why literary scholars interest themselves seriously in the once-upon-a-time worlds of fiction—these unreal stories about unreal individuals—as the second decade of the twenty-first century draws to an end. Completed the same year the US Supreme Court ruled Civil Rights as unconstitutional (1883), Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn actively criticizes the failures of Reconstruction by posing the question: how do you free a “free slave”? Huck Finn’s response to the sociopolitical climate of the American South, where he emerges as a representation of the African American experience during the rise and fall of Reconstruction, provokes the question: was Huckleberry Finn ever white?
The prison-televisual complex:

In 2016, the A&E cable network partnered with the Clark County Jail in Jeffersonville, Indiana, to incarcerate seven volunteers as undercover prisoners for two months. This article takes the realit...
Nonlinear Analysis of Progressive Collapse of Reinforced Concrete (RC) Building by Different Kinds of Column Removal

Building collapse mostly can be caused by the loss of loading capacity in a primary structural component, resulting in the failure of surrounding elements, which in turn cause a failure propagation. Progressive collapses may be accidental, due to design deficiencies or errors, material failure or natural phenomenon (e.g. earthquakes ) but it can be prevented by upgrade the concrete components’ material [1][2]. Well-engineered RC buildings generally have a good performance under normal loading conditions. However, faulty design, construction errors, material deterioration, and overloading are always occurred. When part of structure fails, the total load in the whole system will not disappear, which means the load will be redistributed unevenly to the adjacent part of structure. This phenomenon revealed that sustained high stresses in RC elements can lead to catastrophic collapse. Due to very few of papers did the research on the RC elements under high stress level sustained load, relevant experiments should be performed in this area. This paper gives the suggestions about how to apply the load in an experiment if researchers want to know the behavior of elements near to collapse especially focus on RC columns.
Paget disease of the breast: A national retrospective analysis of the US population

Background Paget's disease of the breast is rare. The National Cancer Database (NCDB) is one of the largest tumor databases in the United States. Methods We queried the NCDB to identify male and female patients with Paget's disease of the breast who were treated from January 1, 2004, through December 31, 2015. No age limitations were applied. Descriptive statistical analysis and survival analysis were performed. Results We analyzed the demographic, disease, and treatment characteristics of 7,191 patients with Paget's disease of the breast. The median (range) age was 64 (20-90) years. Only 2.1% of patients were men, and 85.4% were white. The most common treatment was complete mastectomy (65.3%), followed by partial mastectomy (30.3%). Tumor destruction was performed in 0.1% of patients, and 4.3% of patients did not undergo any surgery. We examined survival in the subset of 6,864 patients who were treated surgically with complete mastectomy or partial mastectomy. The 5-year survival rate after surgery was 82.5% (95% CI, 81.1%-83.9%). Factors associated with shorter survival were older age, black race/ethnicity, higher tumor grade, regional lymph node metastasis, higher cancer stage, metastatic cancer, and larger tumor size. Conclusions Paget's disease of the breast usually affects patients older than 60 years, and the most common treatment is complete mastectomy. The 5-year overall survival rate of patients with Paget's disease of the breast is greater than 80% but is lower among older and black people.
Exploring Power: An Examination of Social Privilege and Social Capital of Future Educators

In an effort to understand the power that exists for those working in schools, the constructs of social privilege and social capital were empirically examined in order to understand their presence ...
Precise 3D Calibration of Wafer Handling Robot by Visual Detection and Tracking of Elliptic-shape Wafers

This work provides a framework for the 3D calibration of wafers and a wafer handling robot by monocular vision. The proposed method precisely reconstructs the 3D poses of wafers from a set of images captured by the camera mounted on the robot. In addition, it calibrates the robot kinematics simultaneously. A robust ellipse detection and tracking algorithm based on the edge arcs is developed to recognize wafers among images. Then a joint optimization is constructed from a multi-object pose graph to solve the 3D poses of wafers and other calibration parameters of the robot-camera system. The proposed tracking method is able to associate multiple incomplete elliptic segments using a Gaussian Mixture Model-based registration algorithm. The algorithm is point-based where no feature descriptor is required. The proposed 3D pose optimization incorporates shape constraints, and is more accurate than the point-wise reconstruction produced by classic bundle adjustment methods.