cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Extracellular vesicles from infected cells: potential for direct pathogenesis

Infections that result in natural or manmade spread of lethal biological agents are a concern and require national and focused preparedness. In this manuscript, as part of an early diagnostics and pathogen treatment strategy, we have focused on extracellular vesicles (EVs) that arise following infections. Although the field of biodefense does not currently have a rich resource in EVs literature, none the less, similar pathogens belonging to the more classical emerging and non-emerging diseases have been studied in their EV/exosomal contents and function. These exosomes are formed in late endosomes and released from the cell membrane in almost every cell type in vivo. These vesicles contain proteins, RNA, and lipids from the cells they originate from and function in development, signal transduction, cell survival, and transfer of infectious material. The current review focuses on how different forms of infection exploit the exosomal pathway and how exosomes can be exploited artificially to treat infection and disease and potentially also be used as a source of vaccine. Virally-infected cells can secrete viral as well as cellular proteins and RNA in exosomes, allowing viruses to cause latent infection and spread of miRNA to nearby cells prior to a subsequent infection. In addition to virally-infected host cells, bacteria, protozoa, and fungi can all release small vesicles that contain pathogen-associated molecular patterns, regulating the neighboring uninfected cells. Examples of exosomes from both virally and bacterially infected cells point toward a re-programming network of pathways in the recipient cells. Finally, many of these exosomes contain cytokines and miRNAs that in turn can effect gene expression in the recipient cells through the classical toll-like receptor and NFκB pathway. Therefore, although exosomes do not replicate as an independent entity, they however facilitate movement of infectious material through tissues and may be the cause of many pathologies seen in infected hosts.
Structural Information from Ion Mobility Measurements: Effects of the Long-Range Potential

In a number of recent studies, information about the structure of large polyatomic ions has been deduced from gas phase ion mobility measurements by comparing mobilities measured in helium to those estimated for assumed geometries using a hard sphere projection approximation. To examine the validity of this approach, we have compared mobilities calculated using the hard sphere projection approximation for a range of fullerenes (C20−C240) to those determined from trajectory calculations with a more realistic He−fullerene potential. The He−fullerene potential we have employed, a sum of two-body 6-12 interactions plus a sum of ion-induced dipole interactions, was calibrated using the measured mobility of C60+ in helium over an 80−380 K temperature range. For the systems studied, the long-range interactions between the ion and buffer gas have a small, less than 10%, effect on the calculated mobility at room temperature. However, the effects are not insignificant, and in many cases it will be necessary to cons...
How does our increased understanding of the role of inflammation and innate immunity in acne impact treatment approaches

A supplement article recently published in the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology by Dreno et al., members of the Global Alliance to Improve Outcomes in Acne group, summarized the data for the emerging concept that inflammation in general and the innate immune system specifically play a central role in the pathogenesis of acne. This review, entitled "Understanding innate immunity and inflammation in acne: implications for management", also discusses the impact of different treatment options on the innate immune response and inflammation. The aim of the present summary is to provide a synopsis of the key points made in the paper, from the members of the Global Alliance, as relevant to the main article within this supplement: "Recent advances in the use of adapalene 0.1%/benzoyl peroxide 2.5% to treat acne patients with moderate to severe acne".
An experimental determination of g J ( He 4 , 2 S 1 3 ) g J ( H 1 , 1 S 1 2 2 )

The ratio of the ${g}_{J}$ factor of $^{4}\mathrm{He}(2^{3}S_{1})$ to that of $^{87}\mathrm{Rb}(5^{2}S_{\frac{1}{2}})$ has been measured to a fractional accuracy of \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}8}$. The Rb atoms were optically pumped, and the $^{4}\mathrm{He}(2^{3}S_{1})$ Zeeman resonance was observed through a combination of spin-exchange collisions and spin-dependent Penning ionization. Linewidths as narrow as 220 Hz were observed for the $^{4}\mathrm{He}(2^{3}S_{1})$ Zeeman resonance. The accuracy of this experiment was limited by a systematic shift in the He ${g}_{J}$ factor that depended upon the intensity of the discharge used to excite the He atoms to the $2^{3}S_{1}$ state. Calculations indicate that transfer of coherence in spin-exchange collisions with free electrons contributes to this shift. The measured ratio $\frac{{g}_{J}(^{4}\mathrm{He}, 2^{3}S_{1})}{{g}_{J}(^{87}\mathrm{Rb}, 5^{2}S_{\frac{1}{2}})}=1\ensuremath{-}46.798(50)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$. Using the previously measured ratio of the ${g}_{J}$ factors of the ground state of rubidium to the ground state of hydrogen, we determine the ratio $\frac{{g}_{J}(^{4}\mathrm{He}, 2^{3}S_{1})}{{g}_{J}(^{1}\mathrm{H}, 1^{2}S_{\frac{1}{2}})}=1\ensuremath{-}23.214(50)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$. This result agrees with recent theoretical calculations and experimental determinations using atomic-beam techniques, but disagrees with an earlier experimental determination using optical-pumping techniques.
The Generalized Sinusoidal Frequency-Modulated Waveform for Active Sonar

Pulse compression (PC) active sonar waveforms provide a significant improvement in range resolution over single-frequency sinusoidal waveforms also known as continuous wave (CW) waveforms. Since their inception in the 1940s, a wide variety of PC waveforms have been designed using either frequency modulation (FM), phase coding, or frequency hopping to suite particular sonar applications. The sinusoidal FM (SFM) waveform modulates its instantaneous frequency (IF) by a sinusoid to achieve high Doppler sensitivity which also aids in suppressing reverberation. This allows the SFM waveform to resolve target velocities. While the SFM's resolution in range is inversely proportional to its bandwidth, the SFM's autocorrelation function (ACF) contains many large sidelobes. The periodicity of the SFM's IF creates these sidelobes and impairs the SFM's ability to clearly distinguish multiple targets in range. This paper describes a generalization of the SFM waveform, referred to as the generalized SFM (GSFM) waveform, which modifies the SFM's IF to resemble the time/voltage characteristic of an FM chirp waveform. As a result of this modification, the Doppler sensitivity of the SFM is preserved while substantially reducing the high range sidelobes, producing a waveform whose ambiguity function (AF) approaches a thumbtack shape. This paper focuses primarily on the properties of the GSFM's thumbtack AF shape and compares it to other well-known waveforms with a similar AF shape. The GSFM waveform achieves zero range-Doppler coupling for single target measurements which in turn minimizes the variance in jointly estimating target range and velocity and optimizes resolution of multiple point targets in range and velocity. The GSFM's AF peak sidelobe levels, which determine the waveform's ability to detect weak targets in the presence of strong ones, are comparable to other well-established thumbtack AF waveforms such as Costas or phase-coded waveforms over a wide range of time-bandwidth product (TBP) values.
Endocrine dismodulation and cancer.

OBJECTIVE Carcinogenesis has generally been viewed as a genomic disease resulting from genetic mutations occurring at critical locations in the genome in a particular sequence. In the last 10 years, scientists have increasingly identified changes in the levels, frequency and types of endocrine hormones as important contributors to the major cancers faced by western populations such as breast cancer (estrogen, progesterone, prolactin), prostate cancer (estrogen, testosterone), endometrial cancer (estrogen) and thyroid cancer (TSH, T3, T4). This manuscript summarizes cancer mechanisms linked to changes in endocrine function and discusses tools for analyzing and understanding the associated data. DISCUSSION A number of chemicals in the environment mimic the role of hormones to bind to receptors (e.g. phytoestrogens as estrogen mimics), alter signaling pathways (e.g. retinoids), inhibit steroid hormone synthesis (such as some fungicides) or alter steroid hormone metabolism (such as TCDD altering the metabolism of both estrogen and thyroid hormones). Genomic and non-genomic endocrine signaling pathways are extensively present in the body and function in a complicated fashion. In order to fully understand the basis for endocrine-induced cancers, one must simultaneously study the various receptors, ligands, enzymes, other proteins within different organs which all contribute to endocrine system function. Also, cross-talk between endocrine systems is common and is key to understanding a potential role of light-dark cycles on human cancer risks. CONCLUSION Mechanism-based mathematical models are the only analysis tool available to address all aspects of these complicated networks.
Improved Flux Pinning in Melt-Textured YBa2Cu3O7 − δ and ErBa2Cu3O7 − δ Through Chemical Additions

The effects of Ce-based additions (CeO2 and BaCeO3) in combination with MgO additions on the magnetic properties of melt-textured YBa2Cu3O7 − δ and ErBa2Cu3O7 − δ have been investigated. The additions lead to improvements in the magnetic properties of both RE-123 compounds compared to samples with either addition alone or with no additions. The Ce–Mg addition combination produces a “peak effect” in the magnetic hysteresis loop without significant T c degradation. This is postulated to be due to the formation of a new type of pinning center. Both Ce and Mg ions are thought to substitute in the RE-Ba2Cu3O7 − δ lattice, creating defects that produce a “peak effect” in the magnetic hysteresis loop. Mg additions alone lead to a reduced T c, while Ce additions restore the T c and enhance the magnitude of the peak.
Do beliefs about psychologists’ political biases matter? Perceived political ideology moderates how laypeople construe research on wrongdoing

AbstractTwo studies examine a possible consequence – namely, unwanted reactions to psychological research on wrongdoing – if laypeople perceive psychologists to have liberal tendencies. Study 1 replicated previous research by showing that when psychologists presented findings demonstrating situational (compared to dispositional or interactionist) influences on wrongdoing, they were perceived as assigning less responsibility to perpetrators. Further, this effect was stronger among participants who perceived psychologists to be politically liberal. Study 2 revealed that when psychologists were explicitly identified as liberals, participants believed they would downplay perpetrator responsibility across the board, but particularly when the responsibility attributional account was situational. Psychologists should be aware that laypeople’s perception of their political leanings could lead to discrepant construal of psychologists’ actual perspectives on human behavior.
Improving perceptions of cognitive-behavioral therapy with brief website exposure: Does neuroscientific allure impact attitudes?

Abstract Background and objectives The current study aimed to determine whether brief exposure to a webpage about cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for the anxiety disorders improved knowledge and perceptions of this treatment. Further, this study tested whether participants were uniquely compelled by CBT if the mechanism of change cited neurological processes. Method Participants (N = 389) recruited online viewed a webpage screenshot that described CBT for anxiety. Participants were randomized to view a version of the webpage which either described the mechanism of change as: 1) psychological, 2) neurological, 3) combination of neurological and psychological, or 4) no mechanism described. Participants completed measures of knowledge and perception of CBT before and after viewing the webpage. Credibility ratings and symptoms were assessed after viewing the webpage. Results Knowledge of CBT was limited and perceptions were largely neutral to somewhat positive at baseline. Both knowledge and perceptions of CBT meaningfully improved after viewing the webpage. Mechanism of change did not impact perceptions of CBT or its credibility, though in the neurological and combination conditions there was less improvement in knowledge than in the psychological or control conditions. Greater symptoms of anxiety were associated with slightly less improvement in knowledge and perceptions. Limitations The study did not include long-term follow up, so the durability of the effects is unknown. Further, sample homogeneity undermines broad generalizability. Conclusions There is significant room and capacity to improve lay-people's knowledge and perceptions of CBT. Neurological explanations did not appear to uniquely promote the perception of CBT or its credibility.
Deploying RMACC Summit: An HPC Resource for the Rocky Mountain Region

RMACC Summit is a heterogeneous supercomputer cluster with an aggregate floating point performance of 379 TFLOPS (Rmax, as currently configured) that provides about 85 million core-hours/year to researchers from institutions participating in the Rocky Mountain Advanced Computing Consortium (RMACC). The development of Summit was a collaborative effort toward specifying a system that meets the needs of researchers at multiple universities, and included implementation and testing of several new technologies. We discuss our experiences in creating and maintaining a successful ongoing collaboration between the two universities that are RMACC Summit's primary operators, and consider both the technical and support challenges of extending that collaboration to other regional users.
Traffic phase inference using traffic cameras

Detecting traffic signal lights (e.g., red) is an important subject of intersection safety since many accidents are the result of road users' non-conforming behavior to traffic signals. This work shows that traffic signal phases can be inferred through traffic cameras in order to detect temporal violations of road users. The idea is to understand the traffic phase by learning the moving features of road users. Moving features are extracted and labeled according to two traffic signal lights (i.e., green, red) and different learning methods such as K Nearest Neighborhood (KNN), Naive Bayes (NB), Neural Network (NN), Deep Neural Network (DNN) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) are applied on training data. The experimental results of two different intersection videos shows that an accuracy of higher than 90% can be achieved by DNN and SVM when the feature size is appropriately selected.
The Revolution as a Critical Pedagogical Workshop

The January 25, 2011 Egyptian Revolution was driven, to a large extent, by the indignation and democratic aspirations of a broad-based coalition of Egyptian people.
Organized Activity Involvement among Urban Youth: Understanding Family- and Neighborhood- Level Characteristics as Predictors of Involvement

Research examining factors that predict youth's involvement in organized activities is very limited, despite associations with positive outcomes. Using data from 1043 youth (49% female; 46.4% Hispanic, 35.4% African American, 14.0% Caucasian, and 4.2% other) from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods, this study examined how characteristics of parents (supervision, warmth) and neighborhoods (perceived neighborhood safety and collective efficacy) predict patterns of adolescents' involvement in organized activities concurrently (i.e., intensity) and longitudinally (i.e., type and breadth). Parental supervision predicted adolescents' participation in organized activities across multiple waves. Neighborhood violence was positively associated with concurrent participation in organized activities after controlling for socioeconomic status (SES), whereas higher neighborhood collective efficacy predicted greater breadth in organized activity participation across time. These findings have important implications regarding how to attract and sustain organized activity participation for low-income, urban youth.
Dendrite Development: Invertebrates

Invertebrate dendrites are the regions of neurons responsible for receiving sensory or synaptic inputs. These specialized, and often highly branched, extensions rely on numerous molecular pathways for proper morphogenesis, and these pathways have been studied in diverse organisms and neuronal types. The particular branching complexity of dendrites can vary greatly across cell types fitting with their diverse functions. Transcriptional control mechanisms specify these different shapes and also control targeting of dendrites to specific territories. Targeted dendritic growth and branching in specific regions of the nervous system relies on signals and receptors, first identified as regulators of axon guidance, that also control dendritic positioning. Spacing of dendrites relies on repulsive interactions between neighboring branches, which creates even and non-redundant coverage of inputs Metamorphosis is accompanied by extensive remodeling of dendritic architecture that involves pruning and regrowth of dendrites under the control of defined molecular pathways.
On the Effect of Heterogeneity on the Dynamics and Performance of Dynamical Networks

The high cost of processor fabrication plants and approaching physical limits have started a new wave research in alternative computing paradigms. As an alternative to the top-down manufactured silicon-based computers, research in computing using natural and physical system directly has recently gained a great deal of interest. A branch of this research promotes the idea that any physical system with sufficiently complex dynamics is able to perform computation. The power of networks in representing complex interactions between many parts make them a suitable choice for modeling physical systems. Many studies used networks with a homogeneous structure to describe the computational circuits. However physical systems are inherently heterogeneous. We aim to study the effect of heterogeneity in the dynamics of physical systems that pertains to information processing. Two particularly well-studied network models that represent information processing in a wide range of physical systems are Random Boolean Networks (RBN), that are used to model gene interactions, and Liquid State Machines (LSM), that are used to model brain-like networks. In this thesis, we study the effects of function heterogeneity, in-degree heterogeneity, and interconnect irregularity on the dynamics and the performance of RBN and LSM. First, we introduce the model parameters to characterize the heterogeneity of components in RBN and LSM networks. We then quantify the effects of heterogeneity on the network dynamics. For the three heterogeneity aspects that we studied, we found that the effect of heterogeneity
Crystal structures and thermal analysis of nedocromil bivalent metal salt hydrates

Two transition metal salts (manganese and cobalt) of the nedocromil were prepared, and their crystal structures were elucidated in an attempt to study the influence of the nature of the bivalent cation on the structure, water interactions, and molecular packing. Crystal data: nedocromil manganese pentahydrate (NMn), triclinic, P\(\overline 1\), a = 7.5351(4) A, b = 10.3210(6) A, c = 13.9664(8) A, α = 86.640(1)°, β = 80.880(1)°, γ = 77.498(1)°, Z = 2; nedocromil cobalt heptahydrate (NCo), monoclinic. P21, a = 11.7847(2) A, b = 7.0177(2) A, c = 14.0700(1) A, β = 105.343(1)°, Z = 2. Both Mn2+ and Co2+ have octahedral coordination, but the coordination environments of the cations and the bonding environments of the water molecules differ. In NMn, Mn2+ is octahedrally coordinated to two carboxylate oxygens, one in a syn orientation and the other in an anti orientation in a different asymmetric unit, and to four water molecules. In NCo, Co2+ is octahedrally coordinated to the carbonyl oxygen of the pyridone ring and to five water molecules. In NMn and NCo, the molecular conformations of the nedocromil anion are similar, with the carboxylate group on C2 almost in the same plane as the tricyclic ring, whereas the group on C8 is twisted out of the tricyclic plane. Thermal analytical data for NMn show that the water molecules in this hydrate are lost in two steps, of 4 mol and 1 mol of water, respectively. NCo also gave two dehydration steps but of about 6 mol of water and 1 mol of water, respectively.
Neuronal Networks and Therapeutics in Neurodegenerative Disorders

Abstract Although the major neurodegenerative disorders have been studied for decades, much about the pathogenesis of these conditions remains unknown. Determination of pathogenesis is necessary in order to facilitate efforts toward improvement of a therapeutic regimen for patients beyond the scope of mere symptomatic management. This can be achieved by increasing our understanding of the cortical and subcortical neuronal networks in these disorders, which can in turn lead to new ideas for therapeutic approaches. This chapter describe the neuronal networks involved in the symptomatology of Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, primary torsion dystonia, Tourette's syndrome, Huntington's disease, and Alzheimer's disease as examples, and discusses the importance of these networks in relation to both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatments.
GraML 2018 Keynote

The recent interest in analyzing complex systems in various domains has fueled a large body of research on both algorithms and models that capture the latent structure of large data. Graphs arise as a natural representation of data in many domains, such as social, biological, and information domains. Numerous applications often rely on higher-order information such as motifs for intuitive and meaningful characterization of graphs. However, the extent of how useful they are for analyzing and modeling graphs is not well understood. In this talk, I will discuss our recent work on theory, algorithms, and applications for large-scale motif counting, and outline how motifs can be used to learn more accurate deep learning models for graphs.
The Relative Financial Cost and Benefit of an Ophthalmology Resident Compared to an Advanced Practice Provider, Optometrist, or Faculty Ophthalmologist

Objective The main objective of the article is to determine the relative direct financial cost and benefit of an advanced practice provider (APP), optometrist, and faculty ophthalmologist compared with an ophthalmology resident. Design Single center cost–benefit financial analysis. Methods The direct total expenses, including mean salary and benefits; the cost/week, based upon calculated hours worked; and net revenue, based upon technical collections subtracted from total expenses were collected for all APPs, optometrists, faculty ophthalmologists, and ophthalmology residents at the University of Kentucky for the 2016 to 2017 academic year. Optometry and ophthalmology faculty collections were adjusted for clinical full-time equivalents. Results Total annual mean salary and benefits for 242 APPs, 4 optometrists, 17 faculty ophthalmologists, and 9 ophthalmology residents were $126,797, $117,021, $338,233, and $71,210, respectively. Assuming a 50-hour-work week, the calculated hourly costs were $48.77, $45.01, $130.09, and $27.39, respectively. Ophthalmology residents do not directly generate work relative value units or collections. On this basis, the net annual revenues were −$62,729, $122,757, $566,119, and −$71,210, respectively. Conclusions Ophthalmology residents are relatively inexpensive compared with potential substitute health care providers, although they are unable to generate direct revenue. Indirect costs and benefits are likely substantial, but currently incalculable. More candid analyses of the role and financial impact of trainees in health care are needed.
ASSOCIATION STUDY POLYMORPHISMS OF THE NEUREGULIN 1 (NRG1) GENE WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA

Background The dysfunction of Neuregulin 1 (NRG1) is one of the plausible hypotheses for the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. The Neuregulin 1 (NRG1) is located on chromosome 8p, as suggested by multiple linkage studies. The aim of this study is to clarify the contribution of polymorphisms of the Neuregulin 1 (NRG1) with schizophrenia. Methods After informed consent was obtained, 100 schizophrenia patients and 100 control subjects were enrolled in this study. All subjects were administered the Diagnostic Interview for Genetic Studies (DIGS) (National Institute of Mental Health-Molecular Genetics Initiative, 1992; Nurnberger et al., 1994) by a research assistant with extensive training in this interview. Blood samples were collected in anonymously identified 10-ml Vacutainer tubes (Becton Dickinson). DNA was prepared by a modified SDS/Proteinase K procedure (Gusells et al., 1979). We genotyped polymorphism Neuregulin 1 (NRG1) with the PCR-RFLP methods. The PCR products were digested by restricted enzyme. Results We observed a significant association between the polymorphism neuregulin 1 (NRG1) and the schizophrenia (Chi-Square Test P= 0.0449). Discussion The NRG1 gene was originally identified as a susceptibility gene for schizophrenia by using a combination of a linkage and association approaches based on microsatellite markers and then using SNPs after microsatellite at risk haplotypes were identified. We found there is the frequency of the polymorphism of Neuregulin 1 (NRG1) was significantly increased in schizophrenia patients. This allelic association suggests that the functional polymorphism Neuregulin 1 (NRG1) may play a role in susceptibility to schizophrenia. Further study with larger sample sizes is required.
Human T-cell Leukemia Virus (HTLV) : disparités épidémiologiques et stratégies transfusionelles sécuritaires

Depuis la decouverte des HTLV-1 et -2 au debut des annees 1980, le depistage systematique des anticorps anti- HTLV a ete instaure sur les dons de sang (DS) dans divers pays du monde afin de prevenir les infections transfusionnelles. Neanmoins, la mise en place de ce depistage differe entre les pays selon leur niveau de ressources. Actuellement, environ 30 pays realisent le depistage des anti-HTLV dont certains l’ont exclusivement cible sur les primo-donneurs. La prevalence de HTLV-1 chez les DS varie considerablement entre pays : de 10−5 a 10−4 aux Etats-Unis et en Europe, contre 1 % a 3 % aux Caraibes et en Afrique. En Chine, des donnees recentes indiquent la quasi-absence de HTLV, a l’exception de la province du Fujian dans le sud-est de la Chine (prevalence de 2,4 a 9,9 × 10−4. Seules quelques etudes sur le rapport cout-efficacite du depistage du HTLV sont disponibles et celles-ci ont utilise differentes methodologies. Par ailleurs, peu de donnees permettent d’evaluer la reelle efficacite de la leucoreduction dans la prevention de la transmission du HTLV, alors que la technologie d’inactivation des agents pathogenes offre des perspectives securitaires interessantes. En conclusion, la situation mondiale actuelle en matiere de depistage du HTLV chez les DS est tres heterogene : discutable notamment aux Etats-Unis et en Europe au vu de l’epidemiologie locale alors que dans les regions a prevalence elevee telles que le continent Africain aucun depistage n’est realise. Des travaux supplementaires sont necessaires sur la leucoreduction et l’inactivation des agents pathogenes afin de prevenir la transmission du HTLV-1.
A novel continuous-flow electrohydraulic discharge process for handling high-conductivity wastewaters

Electrical discharge in liquid is a promising technique to remove pollutants from various industrial and agricultural wastewaters; however, using this technique to treat high-organic-strength wastewater has been hindered by its inability to handle wastewaters with high conductivity due possibly to the reactor design. In this study, a novel electrohydraulic discharge reactor was examined to determine the effect of conductivity and liquid flow rate on liquid temperature, power consumption, and H2O2 production. Liquid conductivity was represented by NaCl solutions at different concentrations (from 100 to 700 mg/L), and two groups of liquid flow rates (24, 48, 73, 98, and 122 mL/min and 36, 61, 86, and 122 mL/min) were employed. The results showed that the optimum liquid flow rate was 48 mL/min for the reactor without significantly increasing the liquid temperature. (The corresponding power consumption was 290 W, and the system production efficiency was 0.86 g H2O2/kWh.) A good power relationship was obtained between the final liquid temperature and the liquid flow rate (R = 0.9836). For H2O2 production, a treatment time of 30 min achieved the highest H2O2 concentration in the liquid, and a further increase in treatment times found little improvement. The optimal water conductivity was 467 µS/cm for producing the highest concentration of H2O2 in the treated water (82 mg/L). The novel electrohydraulic discharge reactor appeared to be able to handle wastewater with much higher conductivity than the reactors examined by previous researchers, so it could potentially be developed into a promising technology for treating high-organic-strength wastewaters.
Assessing the efficacy of nitrogen isotopes to distinguish Colorado Front Range ammonia sources affecting Rocky Mountain National Park

1. Abstract Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) is experiencing negative ecosystem impacts due to nitrogen (N) deposition, which occurs in the forms of ammonium, nitrate and organic N. In order to complement other source apportionment approaches, the efficacy of N isotopes of ammonia to distinguish sources of ammonia deposited in RMNP was investigated. This study reports ammonia concentrations and demonstrates that the average δ15N–NH3 isotopic ratios of certain sources (beef cattle production, −20.9‰; dairies, −28.2‰; wastewater treatment plants, −35.7‰, cropland −26.4‰, urban −16.9‰) were distinguishable (p
Distantly reading race in the contemporary ‘postrace’ novel

Inspired by recent computationally assisted close readings undertaken by critics including Ryan Cordell, Paul Fleming, Michael Gavin, Matthew Jockers, Andrew Piper, Hoyt Long, Richard So, and Ted U...
Reply: The LVAD in the Management of Advanced Heart Failure Due to Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

We appreciate the comments by Dr. Dalzell and colleagues regarding our recent paper on outcomes of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction ([1][1]) and raising the important and controversial issue regarding ventricular assist device (VAD)
Clinicopathologic and molecular features of six cases of phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor

Phosphaturic mesenchymal tumors (PMT) are rare neoplasms characterized by secretion of FGF23, resulting in renal phosphate wasting and osteomalacia. This tumor-induced osteomalacia (TIO) is cured by complete resection; thus, diagnosis is important, particularly on biopsy. Although PMT have a classic histologic appearance of bland spindled cells with conspicuous vascular network and characteristic smudgy basophilic matrix, there is a broad histologic spectrum and variant histologic patterns can make recognition difficult. Recent studies have demonstrated FN1-FGFR1 and FN1-FGF1 gene fusions in PMT; however, approximately 50% of cases are negative for these fusions. We sought to characterize 6 cases of PMT in-depth, compare fusion detection methods, and determine whether alternative fusions could be uncovered by targeted RNA sequencing. Of the 6 cases of PMT in our institutional archive, 3 were not given diagnoses of PMT at the time of initial pathologic examination. We characterized the immunoprofile (SMA, D2-40, CD56, S100 protein, desmin, SATB2, and ERG) and gene fusion status (FN1 and FGFR1 rearrangements by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and two targeted RNA sequencing approaches) in these cases. Tumors were consistently positive for SATB2 and negative for desmin, with 5/6 cases expressing ERG and CD56. One specimen was acid-decalcified and failed FISH and RNA sequencing. We found FN1 gene rearrangements by FISH in 2/5 cases, and a FN1-FGFR1 fusion by targeted RNA sequencing. No alternative gene fusions were identified by RNA sequencing. Our findings suggest that IHC and molecular analysis can aid in the diagnosis of PMT, guiding excision of the tumor and resolution of osteomalacia.
Poking and bulging of suspended thin sheets: Slippage, instabilities, and metrology

Abstract Measurement of in-plane elasticity of thin sheets often leverages out-of-plane poking or bulging, also known as indentation or bulge tests. For linear elastic sheets, a load-cubic deflection relation has been frequently assumed so that the stiffness of the sheet could be readily extracted. However, we find that recent results of indentation and bulge tests on 2D materials do not support the assumption, which can be attributed to the slippage of 2D materials against their supporting substrates. Besides, the interfacial slippage could cause instabilities in the sheet such as radial wrinkles in suspended region, with finite lengths. To gain a quantitative understanding, we assume constant interfacial shear traction and study the wrinkling extent and the effective stiffness of thin sheets upon poking and bulging. We identify a single dimensionless parameter governing these mechanical responses—the sliding number—defined by comparing the sheet tension (that drives the slippage) with the interfacial traction (that resists the slippage). We discuss several useful asymptotic behaviors emerging at small and large sliding numbers. These understandings inspire when the effect of the interfacial slippage (as well as other substrate-associated subtleties) can be neglected in these tests. For instance, traditional bulge and indentation tests suffer from complexities caused by the slippage, pretension, Poisson's ratio, substrate roughness, and various interfacial traction-separation laws. Based on such understandings, we propose a simple poking/bulging methodology immune to all of these complexities, enabling an alternative way to measure the sheet stiffness.
Dynamic versus Static Facial Expressions in the Presence of Speech

Face analysis is an important area in affective computing. While studies have reported important progress in detecting emotions from still images, an open challenge is to determine emotions from videos, leveraging the dynamic nature in the externalization of emotions. A common approach in earlier studies is to individually process each frame of a video, aggregating the results obtained across frames. This study questions this approach, especially when the subjects are speaking. Speech articulation affects the face appearance, which may lead to misleading emotional perceptions when the isolated frames are taken out-of-context. The analysis in this study explores the similarities and differences in emotion perceptions between (1) videos of speaking segments (without audio), and (2) isolated frames from the same videos evaluated out-of-context. We consider the emotions happiness, sadness, anger and neutral state, and emotional attributes valence, arousal, and dominance using the MSP-IMPROV corpus. The results consistently reveal that the emotional perception of static representations of emotion in isolated frames is significantly different from the overall emotional perception of dynamic representation in videos in the presence of speech. The results reveal the intrinsic limitations of the common frame-by-frame analysis of videos, highlighting the importance of explicitly modeling temporal and lexical information in face emotion recognition from videos.
Meta-analysis of transmitter effects on avian behaviour and ecology

Summary 1. Researchers often attach transmitters and other devices to free-living birds without a clear understanding of potential deleterious consequences to their study organisms, and thus to their data. Studies investigating this topic have generally been limited to a single species or type of device. 2. To achieve a broader understanding we used a meta-analysis of 84 studies to ask: (1) Do devices have an overall effect on birds? (2) Which aspects of avian behaviour and ecology are affected? (3) What attributes of birds influence transmitter effects? (4) What attributes of devices influence their effects? (5) Are effects partially a consequence of capture and restraint? 3. We found a significant negative effect of devices on birds, both overall and for 8 of the 12 specific aspects analysed. The most substantial effects were that birds with devices had markedly increased energy expenditure and were much less likely to nest. 4. Effects were independent of attributes of the birds (sex, age, primary method of locomotion and body mass). We also found no evidence that proportionally heavier devices had greater effects, although researchers generally avoided using heavy devices. Breast-mounted and harness attachments increased device-induced behaviours such as preening, however, and the risk of device-induced mortality differed between attachment methods. 5. Other than foraging behaviours, no effects were a consequence of capture or restraint. 6.Synthesis and applications. We provide the first comprehensive evidence that transmitters and other devices negatively affect birds and may bias resulting data. Researchers should balance the benefits of using these techniques against potential costs to the birds and reliability of the data obtained.
Research Notes the Relationship Between Admissions Criteria and Academic Performance in an MSW Program

The authors report on an investigation of the correlation between admissions criteria and academic performance at one state university. The admissions data used in this study were collected from 654 MSW students who attended the school from 1985 to 1992. Test scores on a comprehensive exam taken by these MSW students prior to graduation were used as the measure of academic performance. The authors found that two admissions criteria, undergraduate GPA and GRE score, and two applicant characteristics, gender and race, were significantly correlated with academic performance.
The tradeoff between firm size and diversity in the pursuit of technological progress

Our analysis lends support to both sides of the debate concerning the optimal firm size for achieving technical advance. It provides a basis for why industries composed of many small firms will tend to exhibit greater diversity in the approaches to innovation pursued, and why greater diversity will contribute to more rapid technological change. It also provides a basis for why industries populated by larger firms will achieve a more rapid rate of technical advance on the approaches to innovation that are pursued. These arguments together suggest that a tradeoff exists between the appropriability advantage of large size and the advantages of diversity that accrue from numerous small firms. 1
A robust algorithm for identifying different types of engine misfires

This paper introduces a robust algorithm for engine misfire detection that can detect and identify different kinds of engine misfires under various speed and load conditions. The overall algorithm consists of two main steps. First, it employs a frequency domain pattern classifier to detect and identify the type of misfire, and then it utilizes a generalized likelihood test to locate the misfire instances. This paper is primarily focused on the first task only. Results of extensive tests on a six-cylinder engine are presented.
Ab initio calculation of the spin-rotation constant for 2Π diatomics: Test of the Van Vleck approximation

Abstract Ab initio calculations are carried out to determine γΠ (true), the first-order contribution to the spin-rotation constant, γΠ, for the X2Π ground states of OH, HF+, and HCl+ and their deuterated analogs. These calculations demonstrate that the contribution of this term to the experimentally determined value of γΠ is small, as has been previously conjectured. Furthermore, it is found in the cases under study that the Van Vleck approximation to γΠ (true) significantly overestimates its importance, and a more realistic approximation is presented.
Effect of triiodothyronine on cells and on their response to infection by polioviruses.

Abstract Murphy, W. H. (The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor) and Cora Bullis. Effect of triiodothyronine on cells and on their response to infection by polioviruses. J. Bacteriol. 83:641–648. 1962.—An analysis was made of the effect of triiodothyronine (T3) at physiological (1 μg/ml) and maximal subliminal toxic levels (35 μg/ml) on HeLa-S3, HeLa-Gey, Chang-liver, and Maben cells, and on their response to infection by cytopathic and submoderate (noncytopathic) mutants of type 2 poliovirus. Assays of cell response to T3 alone, or in combination with the mutants of poliovirus, were made by conventional monolayer cell culture techniques, by study of the effect of T3 on plating efficiency of cells, and by study of its influence on colonies of cell variants. Cellular response to liminal doses of T3 was characterized by agglutination of cells and thickening of the cell membrane. Compact colonies of Chang-liver and Maben cells were the most sensitive to maximal subliminal amounts of T3. T3 in combination with cytopathic or submoderate (noncytopathic) mutants of poliovirus slightly increased the rate of destruction of cells susceptible to virus, but did not influence yield of virus from cell cultures. T3 at physiological or subliminal concentrations did not induce cytopathic response of cell cultures latently infected by submoderate poliovirus.
Chromium removal from water by three species of dyckweeds

Abstract The effects of exogenous chromium (Cr) on the growth of three species of duckweeds: Spirodela punctata (G.F.W. Meyer) Thomps., Spirodela polyrhiza (L.) Schleiden and Lem na gibba L., were examined at Cr concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 20 p.p.m. Using 51 Cr radiotracer methodology, it was demonstrated in Experiment 1 that sorption was directly related to ambient Cr concentrations after 8 days of exposure. At and above 1.0 p.p.m. Cr, negative effects on growth were evident, with seasonal variations apparently also affecting Cr uptake and toxicity. Chrome tolerance, based on the percentage of control growth achieved by exposed plants, showed S. polyrhiza to be the least tolerant to Cr, while S. punctata and L. gibba were more tolerant at concentrations above 1.0 p.p.m. In Experiment 2, duckweeds grown in nutrient-rich water with an initial concentration of 10 p.p.m. exhibited substantial growth, with bioaccumulation of Cr increasing with time. The possible use of various types of biological treatment systems for the removal of Cr from wastewater is discussed.
Understanding the relationships between lightning, cloud microphysics, and airborne radar-derived storm structure during Hurricane Karl (2010)

This study explores relationships between lightning, cloud microphysics, and tropical cyclone (TC) storm structure in Hurricane Karl (16 September 2010) using data collected by the NASA DC-8 and Global Hawk (GH) aircraft during NASA’s Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes (GRIP) experiment. The research capitalizes on the unique opportunity provided by GRIP to synthesize multiple datasets from two aircraft and analyze the microphysical and kinematic properties of an electrified TC. Five coordinated flight legs through Karl by the DC-8 and GH are investigated, focusing on the inner-core region (within 50km of the storm center) where the lightning was concentrated and the aircraft were well coordinated. GRIP datasets are used to compare properties of electrified and nonelectrified inner-core regions that are related to the noninductive charging mechanism, which is widely accepted to explain the observed electric fields within thunderstorms. Three common characteristics of Karl’s electrified regions are identified: 1) strong updrafts of 10‐20ms 21 , 2) deep mixed-phase layers indicated by reflectivities .30dBZ extending several kilometers above the freezing level, and 3) microphysical environments consisting of graupel, very small ice particles, and the inferred presence of supercooled water. These characteristics describe an environment favorable for in situ noninductive charging and, hence, TC electrification. The electrified regions in Karl’s inner core are attributable to a microphysical environment that was conducive to electrification because of occasional, strong convective updrafts in the eyewall.
Reaction network of aldehyde hydrogenation over sulfided Ni–Mo/Al2O3 catalysts

A reaction network of aldehyde hydrogenation over NiMoS/Al2O3 catalysts was studied with aldehydes with straight and branched carbon chains and different chain lengths as feed materials. The reactions in the gas phase and the liquid phase were compared. The main reaction in the aldehyde hydrogenation process is the hydrogenation of the CO double bond, which takes place over the coordinatively unsaturated sites. The major side reactions are self-condensation of aldehydes and condensation of aldehydes with alcohols. Both reactions involve α-hydrogen and are primarily catalyzed by acid–base bifunctional sites over the exposed Al2O3 surfaces.
STUDIES ON THE ACCELERATION AND INHIBITION OF HÆMOLYSIS.—I. THE INHIBITION OF SAPONIN AND TAUROCHOLATE HÆMOLYSIS BY SUCROSE

1. Curves expressing the relation between the amount of isotonic NaC1 and the amount of isotonic sucrose in the haemolytic system and the value of the resistance constant have been obtained for both saponin and sodium taurocholate haemolysis. 2. The form of these curves indicates that the rate of change of the resistance constant is inversely proportional to the completeness of the system with respect to the electrolyte NaC1. 3. The results also imply that neither saponin nor sodium taurocholate will produce haemolysis in a system in which all of the electrolyte is replaced by isotonic sucrose. 4. Such electrolyte-free systems have not been obtained, since the replacement of all the electrolyte NaC1 of a human red cell suspension by isotonic sucrose itself results in hsemolysis. 5. The local inactivity (i.e. the value of I) of sodium taurocholate in concentrations of about 1 in 1000 passes through a maximum and finally tends to disappear as increasingly greater amounts of isotonic sucrose are contained in the system. 6. Changes in the value of the resistance constant R are readily produced by variations in the method of formation of the haemolytic system.
Clinical and Treatment Aspects of Brown–Black Fungi

Brown–black (or dematiaceous) fungi are responsible for a wide variety of infectious syndromes in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients, including local infections, allergic disease, pneumonia, brain abscess, and disseminated infection. They are distinct from the more common hyaline molds, Aspergillus and Fusarium, that cause human disease. They are often found in soil and generally distributed worldwide. In recent years, these fungi have been increasingly recognized as important pathogens. Dematiaceous fungi may have unique pathogenic mechanisms owing to the presence of melanin in their cell walls, which imparts the characteristic dark color to their spores and hyphae. Diagnosis rests on careful microscopic and pathologic examination, as there are no specific laboratory tests to reliably identify these fungi. Therapy depends upon the clinical syndrome, although disseminated infection often has high mortality. Triazoles such as voriconazole, posaconazole, and itraconazole are the most active antifungal agents available. Further studies are needed to better understand the pathogenesis and optimal treatment of these uncommon infections.