cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Kinetics of Phloem Loading of Valine in the Shoot of a Nodulated Legume (Lupinus albus L. cv. Ultra)

Phloem loading of several amino acids (dand L-Val, Arg, Asn, Asp, Leu) was studied in shoots of L. albus using a phloem bleeding technique on both intact plants and detached shoots fed via the transpiration stream. Val was singled out for intensive study due to the minimal amount of metabolism it underwent in the shoot. For the amino acids studied, the relationship between xylem, phloem, and leaflet concentrations was determined by the interaction of rates of xylem supply, metabolism, and export. At elevated xylem fluid concentrations, low rates of loading of D-Val into the phloem and little metabolism in the tissues resulted in high levels in the leaflets. For other amino acids (Arg, Asp, Leu) rapid metabolism in the leaflets prevented a build-up in concentration in either phloem or leaflets. Asn was rapidly transferred to the phloem, thus high levels in the xylem lead to high concentrations in the phloem without greatly affecting leaflet concentrations. L-Val responded in a manner intermediate between Asn and D-Val. A detailed study of L-Val showed it to be loaded into the phloem against a concentration gradient in both stem and leaflets. Some of this Val originated from the transpiration stream at both locations but in the leaflets as much as 64% of the Val originated from other sources, e.g. recent photosynthesis. L-Val supplied to the phloem in the stem was derived from a large storage pool and did not come directly from the xylem fluid. As a consequence the rate of stem loading was independent of short-term fluctuations in the xylem fluid Val concentration. L-Val entering the leaf lets in the xylem initially bypassed the large storage pool and was loaded directly into the phloem. However, after 350 min the pools had reached an equilibrium and rate of phloem loading was dependent on total leaflet concentration.
Privacy regime, culture and user practices in the cyber-marketplace

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine the congruence between policy supply and demand in Internet privacy as moderated by culture.Design/methodology/approach – This study consists of the two parts. The first part qualitatively examines policy harmonization efforts among Asian‐Pacific nations. The second part, based on survey findings, quantitatively analyzes differences between the US and Korean college students in regulatory attitudes toward information privacy. The aim, drawing on regime theory as a departure, is to measure the policy genesis and its effectiveness in operation.Findings – The findings are two‐fold. First, contrary to the expectations, the notions of online privacy rights among the Korean respondents are strongly formed, with the regulatory demands widely shared with the US participants. Second, however, there exists a gap between the beliefs of information privacy rights and daily practices – the duality far more magnified among the Korean respondents.Practical implications –...
Conformation-Selective ATP-Competitive Inhibitors Control Regulatory Interactions and Noncatalytic Functions of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases

Summary Most potent protein kinase inhibitors act by competing with ATP to block the phosphotransferase activity of their targets. However, emerging evidence demonstrates that ATP-competitive inhibitors can affect kinase interactions and functions in ways beyond blocking catalytic activity. Here, we show that stabilizing alternative ATP-binding site conformations of the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) p38α and Erk2 with ATP-competitive inhibitors differentially, and in some cases divergently, modulates the abilities of these kinases to interact with upstream activators and deactivating phosphatases. Conformation-selective ligands are also able to modulate Erk2's ability to allosterically activate the MAPK phosphatase DUSP6, highlighting how ATP-competitive ligands can control noncatalytic kinase functions. Overall, these studies underscore the relationship between the ATP-binding and regulatory sites of MAPKs and provide insight into how ATP-competitive ligands can be designed to confer graded control over protein kinase function.
Deep-Level Dominated Electrical Characteristics of Au Contacts on β-SiC

Current-voltage characteristics of Au contacts formed on s-SiC films grown heteroepitaxially on both nominally (100) oriented and off-axis (100) silicon substrates have been investigated. Logarithmic plots of the I–V characteristics in the forward direction indicate space charge limited current conduction through the active volume of the diodes. The s-SiC films grown on nominally (100) oriented substrates show the presence of two deep levels located approximately between 0.26 eV and 0.38 eV below the conduction band edge. In some films on nominal (100) substrates, the I-V characteristics are also influenced by additional traps which are exponentially distributed in energy with a maximum occurring at the conduction band edge. In contrast, the films deposited on off-axis substrates have only one deep level located at approximately 0.49 eV for the 2° off (100) substrates and 0.57 eV for the 4° off (100) substrates. Previous microstructural analysis revealed that the nature and density of defects in the s-SiC heteroepitaxial films on both nominal and off-axis (100) silicon are similar except that the films on nominal (100) substrates have a high density of antiphase domain boundaries. Therefore, the presence of the shallower deep-level states observed in the s-SiC films grown on nominal (100) substrates is speculated to be due to the electrical activity of antiphase domain boundaries.
Advances in Structural and Functional Analysis of Membrane Proteins by Electron Crystallography

Electron crystallography is a powerful technique for the study of membrane protein structure and function in the lipid environment. When well-ordered two-dimensional crystals are obtained the structure of both protein and lipid can be determined and lipid-protein interactions analyzed. Protons and ionic charges can be visualized by electron crystallography and the protein of interest can be captured for structural analysis in a variety of physiologically distinct states. This review highlights the strengths of electron crystallography and the momentum that is building up in automation and the development of high throughput tools and methods for structural and functional analysis of membrane proteins by electron crystallography.
Effects of alloying elements on iron grain boundary cohesion

For a long time, understanding the mechanisms of impurity-promoted embrittlement in iron and the consequent cohesion(decohesion) effects has been a challenge for materials scientists. The role alloying elements play in impurity-promoted embrittlement is important due to either their direct intergranular cohesion(decohesion) effects or effects upon embrittling potency of other impurities. Some alloying elements like Pd and Mo are known to be helpful for intergranular cohesion in iron and some other alloying elements like Mn are known to segregate to and weaken iron grain boundaries dramatically[1]. There have been intensive investigations on these mechanisms for a long time and especially, with the progress in computing techniques in recent years, calculations on more realistic models have become possible[2–4]. In this paper we briefly present our studies on some selected alloying-element/iron grain boundaries(GB) and free surface(FS) systems. The effects of Pd, Mo, Mn and Cr on the Fe Σ5 (031) grain boundary and its corresponding (031) free surface are examined, using a combination of molecular dynamics(MD) and first-principles electronic structure calculations. Section 2 gives a brief introduction to the methods used and Section 3 gives the main results.
Top management and innovations in banking: Does the composition of the top team make a difference?

The relationship between the social composition of top management teams and innovation adoptions was examined in a sample of 199 banks. The following characteristics of top management teams were examined: average age, average tenure in the firm, education level, and heterogeneity with respect to age, tenure, educational background, and functional background. In addition, the effects of bank size, location (state of operation), and team size were assessed. Results indicate that more innovative banks are managed by more educated teams who are diverse with respect to their functional areas of expertise. These relationships remain significant when organizational size, team size, and location are controlled for.
Finite-sate dimension and real arithmetic

We use entropy rates and Schur concavity to prove that, for every integer k ≥2, every nonzero rational number q, and every real number α, the base-k expansions of α, q + α, and qα all have the same finite-state dimension and the same finite-state strong dimension. This extends, and gives a new proof of, Wall's 1949 theorem stating that the sum or product of a nonzero rational number and a Borel normal number is always Borel normal.
The Conflict Minerals Experiment

In Section 1502 of Dodd-Frank, Congress instructed the SEC to draft rules that would require public companies to report annually on whether their products contain certain Congolese minerals. This unprecedented legislation and the SEC rulemaking that followed have inspired an impassioned and ongoing debate between those who view these efforts as a costly blunder and those who view them as a measured response to human-rights abuses committed by the armed groups that control many mines in the Congo. This Article for the first time brings empirical evidence to bear on this controversy. I present data on the inaugural disclosures that companies submitted to the SEC. Based on a quantitative and qualitative analysis of these submissions, I argue that Congress’s hope of supply-chain transparency goes unfulfilled, but amendments to the rules could yield useful information without increasing compliance costs. The SEC filings expose key loopholes in the regulatory structure and illustrate the importance of fledgling institutional initiatives that trace and verify corporate supply chains. This Article’s proposal would eliminate the loopholes and refocus the transparency mandate on disclosure of the supply-chain information that has come to exist thanks to these institutional efforts.
Promoting Use and Preserving Access: Navigating the Evolving Nature of Academic Media Collections

During the last 15 years, the collection development and management policies for media collections at the University Library of the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign shifted from placing a strong emphasis on restricting access to media content and limiting use to faculty and classroom needs toward a more open philosophy that supports media needs across the curriculum while simultaneously promoting the use of media collections for personal growth and the enrichment of student life and culture. The University Library now actively encourages the use of media content in a variety of forms and media collections continue to grow in popularity. These changes in the use of media, as well as changes in available formats and forms of access, present the institution with significant collection development and preservation challenges for locally managed content that must be addressed to ensure the ongoing availability of these resources.
Immunobiology of Chronic Rhinosinusitis

The etiology of rhinosinusitis remains elusive, to this day. Both infection and inflammation may play roles in the pathogenesis. It is probable that the mechanism or mechanisms that lead to rhinosinusitis are multifactorial and result from a combination of host genetics, immune modulation of host responses to external factors, and even epigenetic factors. Chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps is generally thought to be more neutrophilic, while chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps is a more eosinophilic disease. The immune barrier is a mediator of various immunologic processes, including T cell regulation. Many cytokines and chemokines are known to affect the immunologic events in chronic rhinosinusitis. Observations of diminished barrier function, proinflammatory cytokine production, and reduced levels of antimicrobial peptides in CRS might be compatible with the leading theories of the pathogenesis of CRS. In future studies, it will be important to determine whether defects in barrier function serve as a primary promoter in the pathogenesis of CRS and/or whether barrier dysfunction renders the host susceptible to colonization by pathogens, setting the stage for a heightened inflammatory response, tissue damage, and, in some circumstances, polyp formation.
Leaders Bank: Creating a Great Place to Work

This case is suitable for courses in entrepreneurship and growing enterprises and managment communication. It follows the step by step process of growing a business built on a strong culture that fostered high employee engagement and loyalty. The result for Leaders was low employee turnover, long-term relationships based on communication and trust, and being finalist on the Wall Street Journal’s 2008 Top Small Workplaces list.
Formal Methods for Answer Set Programming

Answer set programming is a logic programming paradigm that has increased in popularity over the past decade and found applications in a wide variety of elds. Even so, manuals written by the designers of answer set solvers usually described the semantics of the input languages of their systems using examples and informal comments that appeal to the users’ intuition, without references to any precise semantics. We describe a precise semantics for the input language of the grounder gringo, which serves as the front end for several answer set solvers. The semantics represents gringo rules as innitary propositional formulas. We develop methods for using this semantics to prove properties of gringo programs, such as verifying program correctness.
Interaction of Elastic Waves

We derive and analyze asymptotic equations for the interaction of weakly nonlinear elastic waves. We show that there are resonant triads involving two transverse and one longitudinal wave provided the wave speeds satisfy a certain irrationality condition. We study initial value and signaling problems, and the interaction of sawtooth wave packets.
The Tale that Wagged the Dog: Is the Progressive Era the Foundation of American Public Administration?

This essay argues that the Progressive Era is not the foundation of American Public Administration. Granting the significance of that era in framing a self-conscious, professional public administra...
On the Origin of Single Chirality of Amino Acids and Sugars in Biogenesis

The process of delineating the origins of the chemistry of life starts with the consideration of the molecules that might have existed on prebiotic earth and extends to the discussion of potential mechanisms for assembly of these molecules into informational polymers capable of self-replication and transmittance of genetic information. At some point along this pathway, the property of single chirality emerges as the hallmark of the amino acids and sugars present in biological molecules. In the 20th century, researchers developed abstract mathematical theses for the origin of biomolecular homochirality from a presumably racemic collection of prebiotic molecules. Before the end of that century, experimental findings corroborated a number of basic features of these theoretical models, but these studies involved chemical systems without direct prebiotic relevance. Currently researchers are examining prebiotically plausible conditions that couple chemical and physical processes leading to single chirality of s...
The Digital Hospital Network Security and Management

This paper describes lack of knowledge in the computer network security and management during the present construction of digital hospital,elucidates the hospital web presence of several major risks and problems,put forward a proposal more reliable for use within the network security management solution: install the network security management software,configuration of a firewall and antivirus system,the gateway protection,prevention of hacker,viruses and other attacks inside the network.
Redefining Rehearing: Previewing Appellate Decisions Online

Issuing preliminary opinions for public comment is similar to rehearings. The difference is that parties outside of the litigation are able to add commentary. Judges would then reevaluate the preliminary opinion, consider the submitted comments, and then issue a final opinion. Online access to judicial decisions could make this practice more efficient and effective than rehearings.
The effect of prison visitation on reentry success: A meta-analysis

Abstract Purpose High rates of recidivism among released prisoners have prompted policymakers and practitioners to explore novel solutions. Although visitation has been a facet of routine prison operations for decades, studies of this policy have produced mixed results. Therefore, this article systematically evaluates the effect of prison visits on recidivism. Methods Relying on meta-analysis techniques put forth by the Campbell Collaboration, 16 studies were assessed to determine the overall mean effect of visitation on recidivism and important moderator effects on this relationship. Results Experiencing visitation resulted in a 26% decrease in recidivism. This effect was largest for male samples (53% reduction), those who had experienced conjugal and furlough visits (36% decline), and when using multiple measures of recidivism (56% decrease). Finally, the effect of visitation was strongest (53% decrease) for limited follow-up periods (≤ 1 year). Conclusions Overall, results indicate that prison visitation generates modest reductions in post-release offending, which is moderated by gender, visitation type, time at risk, and recidivism measures. In light of these findings, policy implications are put forth to make visitation more accessible to all inmates.
Assessing the utility of transcriptome data for inferring phylogenetic relationships among coleoid cephalopods.

Abstract Historically, deep-level relationships within the molluscan class Cephalopoda (squids, cuttlefishes, octopods and their relatives) have remained elusive due in part to the considerable morphological diversity of extant taxa, a limited fossil record for species that lack a calcareous shell and difficulties in sampling open ocean taxa. Many conflicts identified by morphologists in the early 1900s remain unresolved today in spite of advances in morphological, molecular and analytical methods. In this study we assess the utility of transcriptome data for resolving cephalopod phylogeny, with special focus on the orders of Decapodiformes (open-eye squids, bobtail squids, cuttlefishes and relatives). To do so, we took new and previously published transcriptome data and used a unique cephalopod core ortholog set to generate a dataset that was subjected to an array of filtering and analytical methods to assess the impacts of: taxon sampling, ortholog number, compositional and rate heterogeneity and incongruence across loci. Analyses indicated that datasets that maximized taxonomic coverage but included fewer orthologs were less stable than datasets that sacrificed taxon sampling to increase the number of orthologs. Clades recovered irrespective of dataset, filtering or analytical method included Octopodiformes (Vampyroteuthis infernalis + octopods), Decapodiformes (squids, cuttlefishes and their relatives), and orders Oegopsida (open-eyed squids) and Myopsida (e.g., loliginid squids). Ordinal-level relationships within Decapodiformes were the most susceptible to dataset perturbation, further emphasizing the challenges associated with uncovering relationships at deep nodes in the cephalopod tree of life.
Direct and Large-Eddy Simulations of Biological Flows

The broader area of bio-fluid dynamics includes a wide array of applications from very diverse fields. The study of animal locomotion (i.e. swimming, flying) is probably one of the areas where eddy resolving approaches such as direct numerical simulations (DNS) and large-eddy simulations (LES) can have a major impact.
Trends in Racial/Ethnic Disparities Among Patients Living with HIV in Texas, 1996 to 2013

National studies show that Blacks with HIV have higher mortality rates compared to Whites. This study aimed to identify trends in Black racial disparities among Texas residents living with HIV. Using HIV surveillance data from the Texas Department of State Health Services, a cohort of HIV-diagnosed patients (N = 70,996) were identified and grouped according to year of diagnosis, 1996-1997 (T1), 1998-2006 (T2), 2007-2010 (T3), and 2011-2013 (T4). Survival analysis was used to examine racial differences in death rate (analysis 1) and clinical progression to AIDS (analysis 2) for each subcohort, using Blacks as the reference group. In analysis 1, Whites (hazard ratio, HR = 0.80, 95% confidence interval, CI = 0.74-0.87, p < 0.001; HR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.78-0.87, p < 0.001; respectively) and Hispanics (HR = 0.72, 95% CI = 0.66-0.79, p < 0.001; HR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.74-0.81, p < 0.001, respectively) had lower death rates in T1 and T2. This remained significant after adjusting for covariates. In T3, death rate was higher for Hispanics after adjustment (HR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.00-1.28, p < 0.05). In T4, death rate was higher for Whites (HR = 1.66, 95% CI = 1.30-2.13, p < 0.001) and Hispanics (HR = 1.66, 95% CI = 1.34-2.06, p < 0.001). These relationships became non-significant after adjusting for covariates. In analysis 2, the rate of clinical progression to AIDS was higher for Hispanics in all subcohorts. The significance remained after adjusting for covariates. The rate of clinical progression to AIDS was lower for Whites after adjustments in T2 and T3. Additional studies are needed to understand factors that may explain this unexpected finding of improved survival for Blacks over time. Such studies may inform decision-making in HIV care to reduce Black HIV disparities.
Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection: History, Indications, Technique, and Safety

The pioneering of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has been heralded as one of the major breakthroughs in the field of reproductive medicine. Ever since the first live births with ICSI were reported in 1992, ICSI has been adopted as a powerful tool to treat almost all forms of male infertility as well as a method to overcome fertilization failure. ICSI, as a component of in vitro fertilization (IVF), has assisted several million couples globally to conceive, resulting in the birth of over five million babies to date. Here we review the history of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) prior to the inception of ICSI, with special emphasis on the shortcomings of earlier techniques developed to treat male factor infertility. The advantages of ICSI are outlined and its various indications are enumerated, including its use in non-male factor infertility settings. Finally, we discuss the safety of ICSI by evaluating recent studies that have assessed the medical and reproductive health of offspring conceived using this technique.
Using the Performance Evaluation System to Combat Corruption: Promises and Challenges

Drawing on original fieldwork data, this research examines the effectiveness of the Party’s more open and institutionalized but often ignored anticorruption mechanism—the Performance Evaluation System. I argue that its effectiveness is a mixed bag: on one hand, three prominent features of the current PES show great promise to curb cadre corrupt behavior—anticorruption work’s increasing evaluation weight, its newly assigned status of priority targets with veto power, and its highly quantified evaluation method; on the other hand, the ability of the PES to deter cadre corruption is weakened by challenges that constrain the power of its three embedded incentivizing methods.
Metronidazole and Clindamycin

Metronidazole compound (1-β-hydroxyethyl-2-methyl-5-nitroimidazole) is a commonly used agent for the treatment of anaerobic infections. It is the only one of the five nitroimidazoles (nimoprazole, carnidazole, metronidazole, sulnidazole, and tinidazole) approved by the FDA for use in the United States (Fig. 11.1).
Propagation of Volume Phase Transitions as a Possible Mechanism for Movement in Biological Systems

Scientists frequently use technical terms to describe biological systems and functions. By virtue of technical analogy, these terms provide us with insight into the mechanisms that drive biological systems, and often guide us in exploration of little understood phenomena. In this article, we go from a well understood engineered system to less understood biological ones. We apply ourknowledge of polymer gel based devices, to motility principles of two microorganisms: Vorticellid ciliates and non-flagellated cyanobacterium Synechococcus. We propose that contraction of Vorticellid and swimming of Synechococcus are based on the same mechanism that drives the movement of polymer gels, namely the propagating volume phase transitions.
des-Formylflustrabromine (dFBr): A Structure–Activity Study on Its Ability To Potentiate the Action of Acetylcholine at α4β2 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors

The naturally occurring indole alkaloid des-formylflustrabromine (dFBr; 1) is one of the first agents shown to act as a selective positive allosteric modulator (PAM) at α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). We previously deconstructed this agent to determine which of its structural features contribute to its actions and have identified an agent that might serve as the basis for a " working pharmacophore". Here, we elaborate the dFBr (1; EC50 = 0.2 μM) structure to identify how various structural modifications impact its actions. Electrophysiological studies with Xenopus laevis oocytes identified several compounds with dFBr-like potency and one, the 5-bromo analogue of 1 (i.e., 5-bromo dFBr; 25; EC50 = 0.4 μM), with more than twice the efficacy of 1 as a PAM at α4β2 nAChRs.
Combined Reconstruction of the Medial Patellofemoral Ligament (MPFL) and Medial Quadriceps Tendon-Femoral Ligament (MQTFL) for Patellar Instability in Children and Adolescents: Surgical Technique and Outcomes

Objectives A variety of surgical options exist to treat the challenging problem of recurrent patellar instability in children and adolescents. The goal of the current study is to describe a novel combined reconstruction technique of both the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) and the medial quadriceps tendon-femoral ligament (MQTFL) and report patient outcomes of a single-surgeon series. Methods All patients studied underwent simultaneous MPFL and MQTFL reconstruction for patellar instability using gracilis allograft. Demographic, clinical, and radiographic data were collected. Subjective outcomes were assessed for a minimum of 1 year postoperatively. Results Twenty-five patients (27 knees), including 15 female and 10 male individuals with an average age of 15.0±2.2 years (range, 10.3 to 18.9), were included. Prior ipsilateral patellofemoral surgery had been performed in 6 of 25 (24%) patients. Simultaneous hemiepiphysiodesis for valgus deformity at the time of combined reconstruction was performed in 5 of 25 (20%) patients. Preoperative imaging showed a mean tibial tubercle-trochlear groove of 17.2±3.8, Caton-Deschamps Index (CDI) of 1.13±0.16, and trochlear dysplasia Dejour A/B [22/26 (85%)] or Dejour C/D [4/26 (15%)]. A total of 18 patients (19 knees, 72%) returned outcomes questionnaires at a mean 2.0±0.5 years after surgery. Mean Kujala, Pedi-IKDC, and Lysholm scores were 85.9±13.9, 81.5±15.2, and 84.3±13.5, respectively. Later revision procedure (tibial tubercle osteotomy) for recurrent patellar instability was required in 2 of 25 patients (8%) patients, and another patient reported persistent instability not requiring revision. Return to sports was possible in 10 of 13 self-reported athletes (77%) at a mean of 5.8±3.9 months (range, 2 to 15). Conclusions The present study describes a combined MPFL-MQTFL reconstruction technique with favorable short-term results. Although particularly useful in the skeletally immature patient where tibial tubercle osteotomy should be avoided and patellar fixation minimized, combined reconstruction may potentially be appropriate for older patients with patellofemoral instability as well. This technique more closely recreates the native anatomy of both the MPFL and MQTFL, may decrease the risk of patellar fracture, and can be useful in the revision setting. Level of evidence Level IV.
Antiproliferative effect of anti PAR antibody on breast and prostate cancer cells

550 Previously, we reported the isolation of a novel gene located on chromosome 1 in Epidermal Differentiation Complex (EDC) which encodes a 146 amino acids transmembrane protein that we called Prostate Androgen Regulated (PAR) gene. The PAR gene is expressed as a single mRNA species in all normal tissues studied and is over expressed in majority of tumors, including breast and prostate. The modulation of PAR expression induced by transfection with gene encoding sequence in sense and antisense orientation suggests that PAR is a protooncogene. Here we report the effect of anti P1 (PAR) antibodies on proliferation of MCF 7 and DU 145 cancer cells. Anti P1 antibody is a highly specific, affinity purified rabbit polyclonal antibody raised against a 20 amino acid antigenic peptide (P1) selected from the amino terminal deduced PAR sequence. On Western blots this antibody reacted with P1 peptide, with recombinant PAR protein prepared in E coli, and with lysates from LNCaP and MCF 7 cells, but not with BSA or protein standards. Antibody activity was completely abolished by antibody pre treatment with P1 peptide indicating its specificity. In tissue culture this antibody induced inhibition of cell proliferation of DU 145 and MCF 7 cells in a dose and time dependent manner. At a concentration of 9 μg/ml about 90% of MCF 7 cells were dead within 4-5 days compared with the control cells treated with IgG from normal rabbits. MCF 10F normal breast cells were not affected by the same treatment. When given ip twice a week in dose of 50 μg/mouse the anti P1 antibody significantly inhibited the growth of DU 145 cells tumors in CB17 SCID mice. Anti PAR antibody induced apoptosis in DU145 cells as evidenced by flow cytometric detection of sub-G1 DNA content. This apoptotic process was associated with down-regulation of Bcl-2 and an increase of caspase-3 activity. Further work is carried out in our laboratory to determine the mechanism of antiproliferative effect of these antibodies.
Life Cycle Impact of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticle Synthesis through Physical, Chemical, and Biological Routes

The sustainable manufacturing of nanoparticles (NPs) has become critical to reduce life cycle energy use and the associated environmental impact. With the ever-growing production volume, titanium dioxide (TiO2) NPs have been produced through various synthesis routes with differing input materials and reactions, which result in differential reactivity, crystallinity, surface areas, and size distributions. In this study, life cycle assessment is used to analyze and compare the environmental impact of TiO2 NPs produced via seven routes covering physical, chemical, and biological syntheses. The synthesis routes are chosen to represent mainstream NP manufacturing and future trends. Mass-, surface area-, and photocatalytic reactivity-based functional units are selected to evaluate the environmental impact and reflect the corresponding changes. The results show that impact associated with the upstream production of different precursors are dominant for the chemical route. Compared to the chemical route, the physical route requires substantial quantities of supporting gas and high-energy inputs to maintain high temperature; therefore, a higher environmental burden is generated. A high environmental burden is also modeled for the biological route due to the required bacterial culture media. This present study aims to identify the most efficient synthesis route for TiO2 NP production, lower the potential environmental impact, and improve green synthesis and sustainability.
Reactivation of Latent Cytomegalovirus Infection after Major Surgery: Risk Factors and Outcomes.

Abstract Background: Reactivation of latent cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection occurs in previously immunocompetent critically ill individuals and may be associated with increased morbidity and mortal...
Limiting-stress-elimination hypothesis: approach to increase savanna cowpea productivity by stress reduction

Abstract We propose and test the Limiting-Stress-Elimination Hypothesis (LSEH), as a decision axiom to guide in determining the optimal intervention strategy towards yield allocation in a savanna legume. We considered osmotic stress and soil nitrogen (N) limitation, which both characterize Guinea savanna agro-ecozone. We hypothesized that biomass allocation will increase when the limiting stress is eliminated at least until the next limiting stress impacts yield. We assessed responses of Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp (cowpea) to osmotic stress treatments (non-hormonal biostimulant and exogenous metabolite) and N input by leaf level physiology, N-fixing capacity and biomass. The relative increase in biomass (%), and pod yields reveal that osmotic stress (45%) more than nitrogen (13%) is limiting to cowpea growth under Guinea savanna conditions, although N fertilization increased nodulation and maximized PSII quantum yield. In the Sprengel-Liebig’s decrement from the maximum concept, the decrement from the maximum for each stressor must be minimized in order to produce the absolute maximum production. However, this may not be economically feasible in many situations. Conversely, LSEH demonstrates that significant productivity is attainable by eliminating a relatively more limiting stress, osmotic stress, regardless of the limitation and natural demand for the relatively less limiting N in leguminous cowpea in the savanna.
New telechelic polymers and sequential copolymers by polyfunctional i nitiator transfer agents (inifers)

Three-arm star polyisobutylenes carrying tert.-chlorine end groups and a phenyl ring at the center of the star (see formula II in the Introduction) have been prepared by a continuous polymerization process. Thus into a stirred glass reactor were fed continuously a mixed feed of monomer plus trinifer (TCC) and a separate feed of BCl3 coinitiator in methyl chloride solvent at −40°C, and the product plus unreacted ingredients were removed continuously. Stationary conditions were maintained by keeping the rates of input and output (i.e., volumes) equal and constant. After a short induction phase (∼2–3 residence times) telechelic polymers of essentially theoretical number average end functionalities (¯Fn=3.0+0.1), close to theoretical molecular weights (¯Mn) and molecular weight distributions were obtained. The polymerization kinetics are discussed and compared to that of an earlier semicontinuous process used for the routine synthesis of telechelic polyisobutylenes.
Novel design and development of a 3D-printed conformal superficial brachytherapy device for the treatment of non-melanoma skin cancer and keloids

Skin tumors are the most predominant form of cancer in the United States. Radiation therapy, particularly high dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy, provides an effective form of cancer control when surgery is not possible or when surgical margins are incomplete. The treatment of superficial skin cancers on irregular surfaces, such as the nose, lips or ears, present challenges for treatment. To address this issue, we designed and constructed a novel conformal superficial brachytherapy (CSBT) device prototype to improve patient-specific treatment for complex sites. The device is mounted on an automated remote after-loader, providing limited radiation exposure to operating personnel, is inexpensive to construct, and offers a unique method of conformal surface radiation therapy. A prototype of the CSBT device was successfully manufactured. A computed tomography (CT) scan of a Rando phantom was used to plan the target treatment area. The CSBT device has a hexagonal lattice array of retractable rods with radioactive seeds placed at the tip of each rod. A 3D-printed conformal shape insert with a hexagonal array of cylindrical projections of varying length is driven into the rods by a single linear actuator. The rods are displaced to conform to the patient’s skin. This elegant device design permits the delivery of radiation to complex targets using readily available beta-emitting radionuclides, such as Yttrium-90 (Y-90) or Strontium-90 (Sr-90). A working prototype of a novel CSBT device was built using 3D-printing technology that provides a safe and economically attractive means of improving radiation delivery to complex treatment sites.
Utility of a Novel Biomimetic Spine Model in Surgical Education: Case Series of Three Cervicothoracic Kyphotic Deformities.

Study Design:Evaluation of new technology.Objectives:To evaluate the utility of a novel biomimetic spine model as a surgical planning and education resource in the treatment of cervical spine defor...
Quality improvement initiative to reduce early onset sepsis evaluation and antibiotic utilization rates in healthy newborn infants

Background: Over the past decade, the incidence of early onset sepsis (EOS) has been declining, but the sepsis evaluation rate (SER) and the antibiotic utilization rate (AUR) for suspected EOS are still high. As antibiotic exposure during early infancy is associated with adverse consequences, avoidance of unnecessary antibiotic exposure is highly essential. Recently, the Kaiser neonatal sepsis calculator has been proven to limit unnecessary sepsis evaluations and to safely reduce the empirical use of antibiotics. Objective: To reduce SER and AUR by 20% from the baseline values of …
DeepCryoPicker: Fully Automated Deep Neural Network for Single Protein Particle Picking in cryo-EM

Cryo-electron microscopy (Cryo-EM) is widely used in the determination of the three-dimensional (3D) structures of macromolecules. Particle picking from 2D micrographs remains a challenging early step in the Cryo-EM pipeline due to the diversity of particle shapes and the extremely low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of micrographs. Because of these issues, significant human intervention is often required to generate a high-quality set of particles for input to the downstream structure determination steps. Here we propose a fully automated approach (DeepCryoPicker) for single particle picking based on deep learning. It first uses automated unsupervised learning to generate particle training datasets. Then it trains a deep neural network to classify particles automatically. Results shown here indicate that the DeepCryoPicker compares favorably with semi-automated methods such as DeepEM, DeepPicker and RELION, with the significant advantage of not requiring human intervention.
Deformable Interconnects with Embedded Devices in Flexible Fan-Out Packages

Abstract A new class of interconnects that exhibit resilience to mechanical deformation are demonstrated with flexible fan-out or embedded-die packages. Active device embedding in flexible substrat...
Adversarial Radar Inference. From Inverse Tracking to Inverse Reinforcement Learning of Cognitive Radar

Cognitive sensing refers to a reconfigurable sensor that dynamically adapts its sensing mechanism by using stochastic control to optimize its sensing resources. For example, cognitive radars are sophisticated dynamical systems; they use stochastic control to sense the environment, learn from it relevant information about the target and background, then adapt the radar sensor to satisfy the needs of their mission. The last two decades have witnessed intense research in cognitive/adaptive radars.This paper discusses addresses the next logical step, namely inverse cognitive sensing. By observing the emissions of a sensor (e.g. radar or in general a controlled stochastic dynamical system) in real time, how can we detect if the sensor is cognitive (rational utility maximizer) and how can we predict its future actions? The scientific challenges involve extending Bayesian filtering, inverse reinforcement learning and stochastic optimization of dynamical systems to a data-driven adversarial setting. Our methodology transcends classical statistical signal processing (sensing and estimation/detection theory) to address the deeper issue of how to infer strategy from sensing. The generative models, adversarial inference algorithms and associated mathematical analysis will lead to advances in understanding how sophisticated adaptive sensors such as cognitive radars operate.
Comparison of High-Intensity Resistance and Power Training Programs in Pre-Frail and Frail Older Adults

Aims: The purpose of this study was to determine if high-intensity resistance training or power training is more effective in improving strength and functional outcomes in pre-frail and frail older...
A Syndromic Typology for Analyzing School Children's Disturbed Social Behavior

Recent proposals for the classification of child behavior disorders reflect the belief that a multiaxial or multidimensional approach will afford a more accurate representation of the distinct type...
Assessing positioning in enzymatic catalysis via ketosteroid isomerase conformational ensembles

Our physical understanding of enzyme catalysis has been limited by the scarcity of data for the positioning and motions of groups in and around the active site. To provide foundational information and test fundamental catalytic models, we created conformational ensembles from 45 PDB crystal structures and collected new ‘room temperature’ X-ray crystallography data for ketosteroid isomerase (KSI). Ensemble analyses indicated substantial pre-positioning and minimal conformational heterogeneity loss through the reaction cycle. The oxyanion hole and general base residues appear conformationally restricted, but not exceptionally so relative to analogous non-catalytic groups. Analysis of surrounding groups and mutant ensembles provide insight into the balance of forces responsible for local conformational preferences. Oxyanion hole catalysis appears to arise from hydrogen bond donors that are stronger than water, without additional catalysis from geometrical discrimination, more distal effects, or environmental alterations. The presence of a range of conformational sub-states presumably facilitates KSI’s multiple reaction steps.
Evaluating Optically Transparent Conductors at RF and Microwave Frequencies: A New Figure of Merit

Optically transparent conductors (TCs) have been implemented and adopted into next-generation transmission lines and other RF structures from UHF to millimeter-wave (mmWave) applications. A current method of evaluating the performance of optically TCs uses a figure of merit (FOM) which is frequency agnostic. A new FOM for optically TCs at RF, microwave, and millimeter-wave frequencies is presented and provides distinction to the TC FOM proposed in 1976 where it adds a frequency dependence, by incorporating the skin effect requirement. A detailed analysis of the new FOM for both transparent conducting oxides and mesh conductors is presented and compared using TC literature data analyzed at 24 and 240 GHz where large FOM variation is shown. The manuscript shows the new RF FOM and classical FOM can vary by up to a factor of 10 when the skin depth of the conductor is not considered.
Modulation of Donor Cardiac Macrophages is Sufficient to Suppress Rejection and Extend Allograft Survival

Purpose Cellular rejection confers significant morbidity and mortality after heart transplant. Current immunosuppression targets recipient immune cells and increases the risk of life-threatening complications. An alternative approach is to target donor immune cells prior to or at the time of transplant. This approach may be advantageous as it avoids consequences of systemic immunosuppression. Macrophages represent the major immune cell in the donor heart. The heart contains 2 distinct macrophage populations defined by their expression of C-C Chemokine Receptor 2 (CCR2+ and CCR2-) with divergent functions. Their roles in the pathophysiology of heart transplant rejection are yet to be explored. Methods We used a murine allogenic heart transplant model (CD45.2 Bl6 donor, CD45.1 Balb/c recipient) with CTLA4-Ig immunosuppression (200µg days 0,2,4,6). Inclusion of congenic and macrophage reporter strains allowed high fidelity separation of donor CCR2- and CCR2+ macrophages from recipient immune cells. Macrophage depletion, cellular imaging, single cell RNA sequencing and conditional knockout studies were employed to investigate the functions and pathways responsible for donor macrophage activation during rejection. Results High resolution imaging demonstrated that donor macrophages are activated following transplant based on increased size, number of projections, and clustering behavior. Selective depletion of donor CCR2- macrophages resulted in accelerated rejection (16d vs 28 d, p Conclusion Donor CCR2- and CCR2+ macrophage have opposing roles in the pathogenesis of allograft rejection. Prevention of donor CCR2+ macrophage activation through inhibition of MyD88 signaling represents a new therapeutic target to prevent or suppress heart transplant rejection.
A Method for Measuring the Perceived Location of Virtual Content in Optical See Through Augmented Reality

For optical, see-through augmented reality (AR), a new method for measuring the perceived three-dimensional location of a small virtual object is presented, where participants verbally report the virtual object’s location relative to both a horizontal and vertical grid. The method is tested with a Microsoft HoloLens AR display, and examines two different virtual object designs, whether turning in a circle between reported object locations disrupts HoloLens tracking, and whether accuracy errors found with a HoloLens display might be due to systematic errors that are restricted to that particular display. Turning in a circle did not disrupt HoloLens tracking, and a second HoloLens did not suggest systematic errors restricted to a specific display. The proposed method could measure the perceived location of a virtual object to a precision of ∼1 mm.
The Language of Ireland’s Six-Inch Map: Theorizing Standardization in Brian Friel’s "Translations"

Although Brian Friel’s Translations (1980) dramatizes the process of linguistic standardization undertaken by the nineteenth century Ordnance Survey of Ireland, scholars have yet to use standardization as a conceptual lens for reading the play. Building on Jonathan H. Grossman’s argument for standardization as a paradigm for literary study, my reading shifts our focus from what standardization erodes (the emphasis of existing scholarship) to how it works. By revealing standardization’s mechanics, the play both undermines the map’s authority and uncovers what makes it an effective instrument so as to claim its power for the very communities it has marginalized. Its critical insight is that the standardized topographic map technically treats Irish and English names equivalently, a revelation that allows Friel’s characters to appropriate the map’s logic for a project of Irish cultural repossession. Learning the new place-names morphs into a metaphor for the development of an Irish English idiom, or a uniquely Irish form of English that could serve as a linguistic home for not only Baile Beag’s dispossessed but also the cultural exiles of Friel’s fraught political moment. Translations offers a case study for how the concept of standardization might inform future postcolonial literary analysis.
Men out of focus: the Soviet masculinity crisis in the long sixties

A range of new publications has focused on Soviet cinema of the Thaw as well as of the periods adjoining it. Written by film scholars, these recent works include Lida Oukaderova’s The cinema of the...
Understanding the Molecular Basis of Cardiomyopathy.

Inherited cardiomyopathies are a major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide and can be caused by mutations in a wide range of proteins located in different cellular compartments. The present ...