cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Matched impedance thin composite magneto-dielectric metasurfaces

The advantages and disadvantages of dielectric loading applied to electromagnetic devices such as antennas using high permittivity materials is well known. Sometimes overlooked, however, is the same effect using a material with magnetic properties. This is mainly due to the fact that most natural magnetic materials exhibit large losses that make them virtually unusable at high frequencies. If materials that exhibit magnetic and dielectric properties with reasonable losses were available then more advanced RF devices and antenna systems could be created. For instance, the use of these materials in conjunction with antennas would facilitate the development of designs with much smaller physical footprints than are typically possible, with few performance compromises [1]. Recently, composite magneto-dielectric substitutes, called metaferrites [2], have been engineered as a possible way to address this need for magnetic materials that are usable beyond 1 GHz. In [2], Kern et al. demonstrated that the properties of a PEC backed slab of magnetic material with frequency dependent permeability could effectively be achieved using a high impedance electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) structure. It was also shown that the real and imaginary parts of the effective permeability of an equivalent magnetic material slab could be related to the values of the surface impedance for the EBG structure. In this paper a new design technique for creating matched magnetodielectric metamaterial slabs is introduced. The technique is based on using a genetic algorithm (GA) to optimize [3,4] thin metallo-dielectric metasurfaces comprised of a periodic array of electrically small unit cells and backed by a perfectly conducting ground plane. Examples will be presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of this technique.
Suspended Life - Stem Cells: Are Treatments Possible?

Suspended Life - Stem Cells: Are Treatments Possible? The aim of this meeting, organized by the Italian no-profit associations Stampa Rossoblu, Sicilia Risvegli Onlus, Niemann Pick Onlus, Omphalos, Organizzazione Sindrome di Angelman (Or.S.A.), Cancellautismo, Marco e Andrea Tremante Foundation, was to confer regarding today’s state-of-the-art and novel findings on stem cell research and applications in Italy. The meeting was held in the city of Grottammare – Ascoli Piceno County, under the auspices of Luigi Merlo, the Major of the city, and Piero Celani, the County President.
Introductory address for the American Pediatric Society's 2015 John Howland Award Recipient, Catherine D. DeAngelis

Presented by Julia A. McMillan, MD, Professor of Pediatrics, Executive Vice Chair, Department of Pediatrics, and Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, at the 2015 Annual Meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies, San Diego, CA.
Extreme ionization leading to Coulomb explosion of small palladium and zirconium oxide clusters and reactivity with carbon monoxide.

Reported herein are strong-field ionization studies of small, neutral PdxOy and ZrxOy clusters made using ultrafast laser pulses (∼100 fs) centered at 624 nm. An enhancement in ionization of nearly 1.5 orders of magnitude lower in laser intensity than predicted from literature values is observed for both systems due to clustering. The change in enhancement upon addition of carbon monoxide at different pressures was also studied. Enhancement of high charge states of palladium was found to decrease upon CO addition, whereas in the case of the zirconium system, high charge states of zirconium were observed to increase. Pd and ZrO showed similar reactivity trends with CO and were found to have similar reactivity ratios in accord with their isovalent nature.
"UNTIL ALL THE DATA ARE IN" A Chapter in the History of American Archaeology

In the 1930s Paul Radin argued that Franz Boas refrained from generalizing, claimed that the time was not ripe because all the data were not yet available, and believed that once all the data were available they would speak for themselves. This characterization was applied in the 1940s by Clyde Kluckhohn and his student Walter Taylor to the work of culture historian A. V. Kidder. Processual archaeologists obtained the idea that culture historians in general used the unripe time argument based on philosopher of science Carl Hempel's description of the first step of inductive reasoning as "gathering all the facts," and they used Kluckhohn's and Taylor's characterizations as substantiating evidence. Processualists likely reasoned that because culture historians operated inductively and thus sought to gather all the facts before they interpreted the archaeological record, culture historians also called upon the unripe time argument to warrant their hesitancy to draw conclusions. Evidence that culture historia...
Identification of the long, edited dsRNAome of LPS-stimulated immune cells

Endogenous double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) must be intricately regulated in mammals to prevent aberrant activation of host inflammatory pathways by cytosolic dsRNA binding proteins. Here, we define the long, endogenous dsRNA repertoire in mammalian macrophages and monocytes during the inflammatory response to bacterial lipopolysaccharide. Hyperediting by adenosine deaminases that act on RNA (ADAR) enzymes was quantified over time using RNA-seq data from activated mouse macrophages to identify 342 Editing Enriched Regions (EERs), indicative of highly structured dsRNA. Analysis of publicly available data sets for samples of human peripheral blood monocytes resulted in discovery of 3438 EERs in the human transcriptome. Human EERs had predicted secondary structures that were significantly more stable than those of mouse EERs and were located primarily in introns, whereas nearly all mouse EERs were in 3' UTRs. Seventy-four mouse EER-associated genes contained an EER in the orthologous human gene, although nucleotide sequence and position were only rarely conserved. Among these conserved EER-associated genes were several TNF alpha-signaling genes, including Sppl2a and Tnfrsf1b, important for processing and recognition of TNF alpha, respectively. Using publicly available data and experimental validation, we found that a significant proportion of EERs accumulated in the nucleus, a strategy that may prevent aberrant activation of proinflammatory cascades in the cytoplasm. The observation of many ADAR-edited dsRNAs in mammalian immune cells, a subset of which are in orthologous genes of mouse and human, suggests a conserved role for these structured regions.
Determination of Organotins in Bio-matrix Sample by C_(18) SPE Coupled with GC-MS

A simple and rapid method for determination of monobutyl,dibutyl,tributyl,monophenyl,di-phenyl and triphenyl in bio-matrix has been developed by C18SPE coupled with GC-MS using sodium tetraeth-ylboron as derivatization reagent.Hydrolyzation and extraction of sample were performed with 3 mol/L aceticacid containing0.005%tropolone.The extracts were analyzed by GC-MS under SIMmode and using1 mol/L TPrTas an internal standard.LOD of the method was down to 10 ng/g(dry sample),the recoveries were56%-113%for four samples spiked at50 ng/g with RSD of1.0%-11.9%,and 79%-113%for four sam-ples spiked at200 ng/g with RSD of 0.8%-6.5%,respectively.
Therapy for ocular infections.

There are many infectious processes that may affect the eye and its surrounding structures. While some are minor annoyances and may be safely ignored, others may appear minor but may be vision-threatening or even life-threatening. Only by following a systematic approach to diagnosis and therapy can misdiagnosis and subsequent mistreatment be avoided. This article provides a survey of current thought concerning anti-infective therapy in ocular infections, including conjunctivitis, corneal infections, fungal infections, and endophthalmitis.
Acute promyelocytic leukemia (AML-M3)--Part 2: Molecular defect, DNA diagnosis, and proposed models of leukemogenesis and differentiation therapy.

Objectives To identify the chromosomal translocation common in M3 and discuss its diagnostic use to: Compare acute leukemia with chronic leukemia and other forms of cancer. Describe the molecular defect including the fusion gene and fusion protein produced from the translocation. Discuss the proposed mechanism of leukemogenesis in M3. Discuss the proposed mechanism of differentiation induction stimulated by ATRA therapy. Present the future direction of this and other forms of therapy. Data sources Current literature. Data synthesis Acute promyelocytic leukemia (AML-M3) is a form of acute leukemia that presents with a less dramatic leukocytosis, anemia, and thrombocytopenia than other acute leukemias. However, AML-M3 has a lower first remission rate and a higher morbidity and mortality rate than most of the other acute leukemias when treated with conventional chemotherapy. AML-M3 frequently stimulates a serious concomitant coagulation disorder, disseminated intravascular coagulation, which is a major contributor to the high mortality rate. This and other devastating sequela of M3 have prompted clinicians and investigators to develop methods of improving diagnosis and therapy. In 1977 the method of diagnosis confirmation was improved by the identification of a consistent chromosomal translocation involving the long arms of chromosomes 15 and 17. Identification of the specific molecular lesion that produced the t(15;17) translocation occurred in 1990 and was shown to involve the retinoic acid receptor alpha gene (RAR alpha). Because the RAR alpha gene is mutated in all AML-M3 patients studied so far and because it is often the only mutation identified, several proposed mechanisms of leukemogenesis have evolved. From these discoveries a novel approach to cancer treatment focusing on differentiation therapy instead of traditional chemotherapy emerged. All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) has been shown to stimulate differentiation of promyelocytes from the malignant clone and has become an important element in the treatment of patients with AML-M3. Conclusion Since the discovery of the t(15;17) translocation, the identification of the fusion gene containing the retinoic acid receptor alpha, and the success of ATRA as a form of differentiation therapy, the diagnosis and treatment of AML-M3 has dramatically improved. In addition, AML-M3 has become a model system used to study the mechanisms that produce uncontrolled growth and lack of differentiation in leukemic cells (leukemogenesis) and the mechanisms of therapeutic reversal of this block in differentiation (differentiation therapy).
Fruits Detecting Methods Using a PC-Based Color Image Processing System

温州ミカンを対象とした果実収穫ロボット用視覚センサの開発を目的として, パソコンベースの色彩画像処理による果実検出法を検討した。カラーTV出力を容易に利用できる手法として, カラー濃淡画像の判別しきい値法によるしきい値処理および色差信号による特定色度領域の抽出法を検討し, それぞれの手法を直射日光下の野外の果樹園における画像に対して適用した。いずれの方法も, 反射, 影等の外乱下で良好に果実を検出することが可能であった。
Kerr electro-optic field mapping measurements in ethylene glycol/water mixtures as a function of mixture ratio

Because of their high dielectric constant, low cost, and ease of handling and disposal, water and water/ethylene glycol mixtures are being actively investigated for use as the dielectric in pulse power capacitors, pulse forming and transmission lines, and switches [1]. Ethylene glycol is used with water because it maintains high permittivity with a large resistivity and also allows low temperature operation without freezing [2] so that it can be efficiently used with long pulses and/or a high repetition rate. Recent charge injection analysis, terminal voltage-current measurements, and Kerr electro-optic field mapping measurements have shown significant space charge effects on the electric field distribution [3–5].
Factors associated with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in adults with short stature skeletal dysplasias.

Introduction Numerous factors associate with health disparities. The extent to which such factors influence health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among adults with short stature skeletal dysplasias (SD) is unknown. In an effort to update and clarify knowledge about the HRQOL of adults with SD, this study aimed to quantify HRQOL scores relative to the American average and assess whether specific indicators are associated with lower scores.
Large-scale Reconstructions and Independent, Unbiased Clustering Based on Morphological Metrics to Classify Neurons in Selective Populations

This protocol outlines large-scale reconstructions of neurons combined with the use of independent and unbiased clustering analyses to create a comprehensive survey of the morphological characteristics observed among a selective neuronal population. Combination of these techniques constitutes a novel approach for the collection and analysis of neuroanatomical data. Together, these techniques enable large-scale, and therefore more comprehensive, sampling of selective neuronal populations and establish unbiased quantitative methods for describing morphologically unique neuronal classes within a population. The protocol outlines the use of modified rabies virus to selectively label neurons. G-deleted rabies virus acts like a retrograde tracer following stereotaxic injection into a target brain structure of interest and serves as a vehicle for the delivery and expression of EGFP in neurons. Large numbers of neurons are infected using this technique and express GFP throughout their dendrites, producing "Golgi-like" complete fills of individual neurons. Accordingly, the virus-mediated retrograde tracing method improves upon traditional dye-based retrograde tracing techniques by producing complete intracellular fills. Individual well-isolated neurons spanning all regions of the brain area under study are selected for reconstruction in order to obtain a representative sample of neurons. The protocol outlines procedures to reconstruct cell bodies and complete dendritic arborization patterns of labeled neurons spanning multiple tissue sections. Morphological data, including positions of each neuron within the brain structure, are extracted for further analysis. Standard programming functions were utilized to perform independent cluster analyses and cluster evaluations based on morphological metrics. To verify the utility of these analyses, statistical evaluation of a cluster analysis performed on 160 neurons reconstructed in the thalamic reticular nucleus of the thalamus (TRN) of the macaque monkey was made. Both the original cluster analysis and the statistical evaluations performed here indicate that TRN neurons are separated into three subpopulations, each with unique morphological characteristics.
Wooden Artifacts from Asx̂aana x̂ Cave, Islands of the Four Mountains, Alaska

Asxaana x Cave, a burial cave in the Islands of the Four Mountains, was excavated in 1990. One radiocarbon date for a burial in the front area of the cave is 700±60 BP (Beta-39962). Due to the conditions in the cave, there was excellent preservation of organic materials, though these had been considerably disturbed. Wooden artifacts include boat parts and paddles, bent-wood and carved trays, bowls and baskets, netting tools, and ceremonial objects. The iqya-x (baidarkas) are definitely Unangan but with peculiarities unique to the Islands of the Four Mountains; the carved Halibut bowl and many of the ceremonial objects bear strong resemblance to artifacts from Karluk One on Kodiak. The distribution of the wooden artifacts within the cave deposits suggests that the three areas excavated within the cave were used for burial by different family groups.
Vitamin D Status Is Associated with Hepcidin and Hemoglobin Concentrations in Children with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Background:Anemia, iron deficiency, and hypovitaminosis D are well-known comorbidities in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Epidemiologic studies have linked vitamin D deficiency with increased risk of anemia, and in vitro studies suggest that vitamin D may improve iron recycling through downregulat
Identification of 2'-deoxy-2'-fluorocytidine as a potent inhibitor of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus replication using a recombinant fluorescent reporter virus.

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), a tick-borne orthonairovirus, causes a severe hemorrhagic disease in humans (Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, CCHF). Currently, no vaccines are approved to prevent CCHF; treatment is limited to supportive care and the use of ribavirin, the therapeutic benefits of which remain unclear. CCHF is part of WHO's priority list of infectious diseases warranting further research and development. To aid in the identification of new antiviral compounds, we generated a recombinant CCHFV expressing a reporter protein, allowing us to quantify virus inhibition by measuring the reduction in fluorescence in infected cells treated with candidate compounds. The screening assay was readily adaptable to high-throughput screening (HTS) of compounds using Huh7 cells, with a signal-to-noise ratio of 50:1, and Z'-factors > 0.6 in both 96- and 384-well formats. A screen of candidate nucleoside analog compounds identified 2'-deoxy-2'-fluorocytidine (EC50 = 61 ± 18 nM) as having 200 × the potency of ribavirin (EC50 = 12.5 ± 2.6 μM), as well as 17 × the potency of T-705 (favipiravir), another compound with reported anti-CCHFV activity (EC50 = 1.03 ± 0.16 μM). Furthermore, we also determined that 2'-deoxy-2'-fluorocytidine acts synergistically with T-705 to inhibit CCHFV replication without causing cytotoxicity. The incorporation of this reporter virus into the high-throughput screening assay described here will allow more rapid identification of effective therapeutic options to combat this emerging human pathogen.
Diverging Projections of Reality: Amplified frame competition via distinct modes of journalistic production

A shared communicative space has generally been assumed to provide a basis for democratic deliberation processes wherein problems are defined, while competing political actors advocate for their pr...
Dynamic instabilities in strongly correlated VSe 2 monolayers and bilayers

With the emergence of graphene and other two-dimensional (2D) materials, transition-metal dichalcogenides have been investigated intensely as potential 2D materials using experimental and theoretical methods. ${\mathrm{VSe}}_{2}$ is an especially interesting material since its bulk modification exhibits a charge-density wave (CDW), the CDW is retained even for few-layer nanosheets, and monolayers of ${\mathrm{VSe}}_{2}$ are predicted to be ferromagnetic. In this work, we show that electron correlation has a profound effect on the magnetic properties and dynamic stability of ${\mathrm{VSe}}_{2}$ monolayers and bilayers. Including a Hubbard-$U$ term in the density-functional-theory calculations strongly affects the magnetocrystalline anisotropy in the $1T\ensuremath{-}{\mathrm{VSe}}_{2}$ structure while leaving the $2H$-polytype virtually unchanged. This demonstrates the importance of electronic correlations for the electrical and magnetic properties of $1T\ensuremath{-}{\mathrm{VSe}}_{2}$. The Hubbard-$U$ term changes the dynamic stability and the presence of imaginary modes of ferromagnetic $1T\ensuremath{-}{\mathrm{VSe}}_{2}$ while affecting only the amplitudes in the nonmagnetic phase. The Fermi surface of nonmagnetic $1T\ensuremath{-}{\mathrm{VSe}}_{2}$ allows for nesting along the CDW vector, but it plays no role in ferromagnetic $1T\ensuremath{-}{\mathrm{VSe}}_{2}$. Following the eigenvectors of the soft modes in nonmagnetic $1T\ensuremath{-}{\mathrm{VSe}}_{2}$ monolayers yields a CDW structure with a $4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}4$ supercell and Peierls-type distortion in the atomic positions and electronic structure. The magnetic order indicates the potential for spin-density-wave structures.
Investigation into the behaviors of ventilated supercavities in unsteady flow

A systematic investigation of ventilated supercavitation behaviors in an unsteady flow is conducted using a high-speed water tunnel at the Saint Anthony Falls Laboratory. The cavity is generated with a forward facing model under varying ventilation rates and cavitator sizes. The unsteady flow is produced by a gust generator consisting of two hydrofoils flapping in unison with a varying angle of attack (AoA) and frequency (fg). The current experiment reveals five distinct cavity states, namely, the stable state, wavy state, pulsating state I, pulsating state II, and collapsing state, based on the variation of cavity geometry and pressure signatures inside the cavity. The distribution of cavity states over a broad range of unsteady conditions is summarized in a cavity state map. It shows that the transition of the supercavity from the stable state to pulsating and collapsing states is primarily induced by increasing AoA while the transition to the wavy state triggers largely by increasing fg. Remarkably, th...
Using the ACM Java libraries in CS 1

The Java language is commonly used in CS 1 courses, though its complexity and evolving nature introduce difficulties to instructors and students alike. In recognition of these challenges, the ACM established the Java Task Force to study the problem. The work of this committee resulted in a collection of Java-based resources which simplifies the teaching and learning of computer science. In this paper, we describe some of these resources, discuss programming assignments which utilize their features, and relate our positive experiences.
IntuBot: Design and Prototyping of a Robotic Intubation Device

Endotracheal intubation is one of the most common procedures performed worldwide in emergency departments and operating rooms. It is a highly complicated procedure susceptible to failure. This paper presents a robotic prototype, called IntuBot, designed to automate this procedure. The hardware system consists of a stepper motor to steer the stylet in forward and backward motions and two servo motors to generate bending at the stylet tip to navigate through a patient's airway. A real-time vision-based navigation algorithm is also presented to guide the stylet to localize the vocal cords, which is the tubes ultimate target. For pre-clinical testing, we 3D printed and then molded a silicone model of the airway from the mouth to the vocal cords based on a series of actual CT scan images. The prototype was tested for its steering capabilities.
Range expansion in an introduced social parasite-host species pair

Dispersal in social parasites is constrained by the presence of suitable host populations, limiting opportunities for rapid range expansion. For this reason, although hundreds of ant species have expanded their ranges through human transport, few obligate social parasites have done so. We test the hypothesis that social parasites expand their ranges more slowly than their hosts by examining the spread of an introduced social parasite-host species pair in North America—the workerless ant Tetramorium atratulum and the pavement ant T. immigrans. In doing so we report a new range extension of T. atratulum in the interior US. Consistent with host limitation on dispersal, we found a time lag ranging from several years to over a century between the arrivals of the host and parasite to a new region. The estimated maximum rate of range expansion in the parasite was only a third as fast as that of the host. We suggest that relative to free-living social insects, social parasites may be less able to rapidly shift their ranges in response to changes in habitat or climate.
Evidence of a Prolonged Post-Mental Stress Decline in Flow-Mediated Dilation in Young Healthy Subjects

A temporary depression in reactive hyperemia stimulated flow-mediated dilation (RH-FMD) has been observed in young healthy individuals after an acute bout of mental stress. While it has been shown ...
Going with the Flow: Proper Urine Testing Methods for Clinical Practice

This book details specific urine tests obtained in clinical practice, their indications and clinical implications. However, before a provider should order urine testing, he or she must understand appropriate methods of urine collection for different situations, as well as how urine testing is performed. With this knowledge, false negative and false positive results can be more easily identified, and testing can be optimized for efficiency and cost to the patient and provider. In addition to basic urine dipstick and urine microscopy testing, multiple other uses for urine testing will be discussed throughout this book. In this chapter pregnancy and ovulation testing, testing for urinary calculi, and cytopathologic examination of cells in the urine will be discussed.
Monitoring protein receptor interactions in live cells using SERS

The ability to monitor biochemical events in living cells is important in applications such as drug targeting and for understanding biological pathways. The enhancement of Raman signals by plasmonic nanoparticles, surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), or by a metalized scanning probe tip, tip enhanced Raman scattering (TERS), provide high sensitivity methods for exploring biological molecules in living cells. In this report we will examine how the Raman signals observed from functionalized nanoparticles can be used to study and differentiate protein receptor recognition based on the Raman signal observed. We will demonstrate the application of this technique in live cells. We will also examine the chemical origins of the observed signal to further elucidate the utility of these approaches.
Taking social theory and communities seriously: contributions of Svein Jentoft

In this commentary, I highlight my agreement with Jentoft about the importance of a strong grounding in the social sciences when one is engaged in fisheries social research. Further, I discuss the notion of “community failure” as it directs research toward deeper understanding of the roles of communities in the fates of small-scale fisheries.
Achieving sustainable nanomaterial design though strategic cultivation of big data.

Standardization and interoperability of data for both the functional and environmental performance properties of nanomaterials is essential to accelerate sustainable design.
Disseminated Lomentospora prolificans infection presenting with arterial exsanguination.

Abstract Lomentospora prolificans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen found especially in Australia, Spain, Portugal, California, and the southern United States. Although it causes a wide spectrum of infections, disseminated L. prolificans infection remains very rare. The diagnosis and medical management are challenging. No clear guidelines are available for management. The treatment options are limited and mortality is high, especially for immunocompromised patients. In the present case report, we have highlighted the rare vascular effect of disseminated L. prolificans infection. We have reported the case of a 48-year-old immunocompromised man who had presented with a right groin mass. After extensive workup, the patient was found to have disseminated L. prolificans infection causing a superficial femoral artery pseudoaneurysm. A multidisciplinary team was involved to provide medical and surgical care. However, the patient died after treatment failure and withdrawal of support.
145 Comparison of CAR-T cell manufacturing platforms reveals distinct phenotypic and transcriptional profiles

Background With the clinical success of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells against hematological malignancies, investigators are looking to expand CAR-T therapies to new tumor targets and patient populations. To support translation to the clinic, a variety of cell manufacturing platforms have been developed to scale manufacturing capacity while using closed and/or automated systems. Such platforms are particularly useful for solid tumor targets, which typically require higher CAR-T cell doses that can number in the billions. Although T cell phenotype and function are key attributes that often correlate with therapeutic efficacy, it is currently unknown whether the manufacturing platform itself significantly influences the output T cell phenotype and function. Methods Static bag culture was compared with 3 widely-used commercial CAR-T manufacturing platforms (Miltenyi CliniMACS Prodigy, Cytiva Xuri W25 rocking platform, and Wilson-Wolf G-Rex gas-permeable bioreactor) to generate CAR-T cells against FGFR4, a promising target for pediatric sarcoma. Selected CD4+CD8+ cells were stimulated with Miltenyi TransAct, transduced with lentiviral vector, and cultured out to 14 days in TexMACS media with serum and IL2. Results As expected, there were significant differences in overall expansion, with bag cultures yielding the greatest fold-expansion while the Prodigy had the lowest (481-fold vs. 84-fold, respectively; G-Rex=175-fold; Xuri=127-fold; average of N=4 donors). Interestingly, we also observed considerable differences in CAR-T phenotype. The Prodigy had the highest percentage of CD45RA+CCR7+ stem/central memory (Tscm)-like cells at 46%, while the bag and G-Rex cultures had the lowest at 16% and 13%, respectively (average N=4 donors). In contrast, the bag, G-Rex, and Xuri cultures were enriched for CD45RO+CCR7- effector memory cells and also had higher expression of exhaustion markers PD1 and LAG3. Gene clustering analysis using a CAR-T panel of 780 genes revealed clusters of genes enriched in Prodigy/de-enriched in bag, and vice versa. We are currently in the process of evaluating T cell function. Conclusions This is the first study to our knowledge to benchmark these widely-used bioreactor systems in terms of cellular output, demonstrating that variables inherent to each platform (such as such as nutrient availability, gas exchange, and shear force) significantly influence the final CAR-T cell product. Whether enrichment of Tscm-like cells in the final infusion product correlates with response rate, as has been demonstrated in the setting of CD19 CAR-Ts, remains to be seen and may differ for FGFR4 CAR-Ts and other solid tumors. Overall, our study outlines methods to identify the optimal manufacturing process for future CAR-T cell therapies.
Correlated Evolution in the Small Parsimony Framework.

When studying the evolutionary relationships among a set of species, the principle of parsimony states that a relationship involving the fewest number of evolutionary events is likely the correct one. Due to its simplicity, this principle was formalized in the context of computational evolutionary biology decades ago by, e.g., Fitch and Sankoff. Because the parsimony framework does not require a model of evolution, unlike maximum likelihood or Bayesian approaches, it is often a good starting point when no reasonable estimate of such a model is available.
How Alaska Affects the World

Sea levels are rising due to global warming. In his Perspective, [Meier][1] discusses the contributions of glacier melting in Alaska to sea level rise. He highlights the report by [ Arendt et al .][2], who show that Alaskan glacier melting has been underestimated. Meier concludes that future sea level rise may be higher than expected. [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/297/5580/350 [2]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/297/5580/382
Mechanism of food allergy (FA) induction by medium chain triglycerides (MCT). (HYP7P.314)

Food ingestion generally induces antigen (Ag)-specific tolerance rather than immunity. Consistent with this, induction of IgE-mediated intestinal FA in mice has required either Ag priming through a parenteral route or ingestion of Ag with a potent toxin. In contrast, we recently reported (JACI, 131:442-50, 2013) that Ag-specific, IgE-mediated FA is induced when a protein Ag is ingested with the widely used nutrient, MCT. We also showed that MCT ingestion induces increased epithelial cell expression of the pro-Th2 cytokines TSLP, IL-25 and IL-33. We now report that MCT ingestion, by itself, can induce shock by damaging intestinal epithelium, with a consequent increase in intestinal permeability. In contrast, ingestion of the anionic detergent, sodium dodecyl sulfate, damages intestinal epithelium but does not promote a Th2 response. Both direct MCT induction of intestinal epithelial damage and MCT promotion of a Th2 response and FA to co-ingested egg white are suppressed in mice treated with the lipase inhibitor orlistat, which blocks intestinal triglyceride absorption. Consistent with MCT induction of TSLP, IL-25 and IL-33, treatment with a cocktail of mAbs to these cytokines or their receptors blocks FA induction by ingested MCT plus egg white. Taken together, these observations suggest that MCT must be absorbed to damage epithelial cells and induce the pro-Th2 cytokines that promote FA development; they also provide a potential paradigm for natural FA development.
The Forensic Stage: Settling Disputes in Graeco-Roman New Comedy

Introduction Part I. Pre-Trial Plays: 1. The staging of dispute settlement 2. Initiating justice: threat, summons, and arrest Part II. Reconciliation and its Rhetoric: 3. Private arbitration and reconciliation in Athens and Rome 4. Scenarios of arbitration and reconciliation in New Comedy 5. Redress for sexual offences in Athenian and Roman law 6. The resolution of seduction and rape in New Comedy 7. Arguing behind closed doors Part III. Playing on the Boundaries of the Law: 8. Entrapment and framing Appendices: 1. Official arbitration in the Attic orators 2. Private arbitrations and reconciliations in Athens 3. Remedies for enslavement, kidnapping and slave-stealing in Athens and Rome 4. Controversial summonses in Rudens and Persa 5. Threats of lawsuits and self-help remedies in Graeco-Roman New Comedy 6. Ambiguous arbitri in Roman comedy 7. Moikhos and moikheia.
On the nature of cysteine coordination to CuA in cytochrome c oxidase

The resolution of new features in the 1H electron nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) spectrum of the oxidized CuA site in beef heart cytochrome c oxidase is presented. In a previous study, we assigned resonances in the CuA ENDOR spectrum to hyperfine interactions of methylene protons on one or two cysteine ligands to CuA (Stevens, T.H., Martin, C.T., Wang, H., Brudvig, G.W., Scholes, C.P., and Chan, S.I. (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257, 12106-12113). In this work, a new 1H ENDOR resonance in the beef heart CuA ENDOR spectrum is reported and can be assigned to either anisotropy in a previously resolved cysteine methylene proton hyperfine interaction (Aiso = 12 MHz, Aaniso = 2.5 MHz) or to a third isotropic hyperfine coupling (A = 13.6 MHz) to a cysteine methylene proton of a second cysteine ligand to copper. In either case, the 1H ENDOR results require the delocalization of approximately 50% of the unpaired spin from copper onto either one or two cysteine ligands to CuA. To characterize further the CuA site, we have prepared yeast cytochrome c oxidase incorporating isotopically substituted [beta-13C]cysteine. The CuA ENDOR spectrum of this species shows only one clearly resolved 13C hyperfine interaction (A = 3.6 MHz). This result confirms the assignment of at least one strongly interacting cysteine ligand to CuA and suggests that if the assignment of two cysteine ligands to CuA is correct, the two cysteines interact with copper in a highly symmetric manner. A recent extended x-ray absorption fine structure study of native and modified forms of cytochrome c oxidase indicates the coordination of two sulfur ligands to CuA (Li, P.M., Gelles, J., Chan, S.I., Sullivan R.J., and Scott, R.A. (1987) Biochemistry 26, 2091-2095). In light of the new possibility of two symmetrically coordinated cysteine ligands to CuA, we propose a molecular orbital description of the oxidized CuA site which is characterized by a high degree of delocalization of unpaired spin away from copper and onto a pair of symmetrically coordinated cysteine sulfur ligands. We also present a protein model for the CuA site in which two cysteine ligands derived from subunit II lie on the face of an alpha-helix. This structure would allow the unprecedented stable coordination of two cysteine thiolate sulfurs to copper and may provide a mechanism for the redox-linked proton pumping by cytochrome c oxidase.
Peptidylprolyl isomerase A (PPIA) as a preferred internal control over GAPDH and beta-actin in quantitative RNA analyses.

A good internal control is critical in all quantitative analyses of gene expression. Levels of bet-actin, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), and peptidylprolyl isomerase A (PPIA) were analyzed in 78 samples (data obtained from our laboratory and from a publicly available database at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/SAGE/). These libraries included cell lines and tissues from brain, breast, colon, kidney, ovary, pancreas, prostate, skin, and vascular origin. The level of PPIA mRNA is the most constant among the three genes. Hence, our study suggests that PPIA is a better internal control than beta-actin or GAPDH, the two most commonly used internal controls.
Infant governments and the fiscal role of tariffs, inflation, and reserve requirements: A welfare analysis

Abstract Import duties and inflation taxes generate significant tax revenues for many developing nations. These taxes involve low collection costs relative to income taxes and generate distinct types of distortions, so their use can be reconciled with Ramsey taxation principles. A small open overlapping generations economy is presented in which optimal tariffs and inflation taxes are positive, both when home currency has no good substitutes and when inflation gives rise to currency substitution. Compared with a regime of tariffs and direct taxes on foreign assets, welfare is lower in the optimal inflation-tariff equilibrium.
Catecholaminergic Contributions to Early Learning

Publisher Summary In this chapter to determine the mechanism or mechanisms underlying the action of olfactory bulb norepinephrine in supporting the acquisition of early olfactory preferences, the researchers determined the spatial localization of β-noradrenergic receptors in the bulb. These receptors localize in both the granule cell layer and the glomerular layer of the bulb. It has been suggested that the presence of the β-noradrenergic receptors may confer a spatial specificity to the neural plasticity within the olfactory bulb. The density of the pnoradrenergic receptors decreases with early olfactory preference training. Destruction of the noradrenergic fibers that project to the bulb increases the binding of these receptors in that structure. There may be two modes, by that norepinephrine affects the formation of early olfactory preferences. The granule cells serve to inhibit the firing of the mitral cells that are the dominant projection neurons of the bulb, and norepinephrine blocks this inhibition. It has been suggest d that the tactile stimulation may allow a unique, continuing response by mitral cells in response to trained odors by increasing bulb norepinephrine. In both the glomerular and granule cell layers β-noradrenergic receptors might affect early learning by affecting the resident astrocytes. A distinguishing characteristic of these cells in the brain is that they contain glycogen. The mobilization of glycogen may support a critical function of glia, such as potassium modulation, or it may supply local neurons with a continued energy supply during a period of high activity.
Role of calpain in hypoxic inhibition of nitric oxide synthase activity in pulmonary endothelial cells

Pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAEC) were exposed to normoxia or hypoxia (0% O2-95% N2-5% CO2) in the presence and absence of calpain inhibitor I or calpeptin, after which endothelial nitric o...
Tea and Tea Polyphenols in Cancer Prevention

The inhibitory action of tea (Camellia sinensis) and tea components against cancer formation has been demonstrated in different animal models in many laboratories. The public press heralds tea as a cancer-prevention beverage. The preventive activity of tea against cancer in humans, however, has been suggested by some epidemiological studies, but not by others. A critical question is whether the information obtained from animal studies is applicable to humans. The quantities of tea used in animal studies and those consumed by humans are different. The mechanisms of carcinogenesis in animal models may differ from those in humans in many aspects. This presentation will review these issues in the light of the results from studies with animals, cell lines, and humans as well as discuss the possible cancer inhibitory mechanisms that may apply to human cancer prevention.
Depth profiling of degradation of multilayer photovoltaic backsheets after accelerated laboratory weathering: Cross-sectional Raman imaging

Abstract Understanding of the durability of each individual layer and their interfaces in a multilayered photovoltaic (PV) backsheet is critical to the design and selection of materials for making reliable and high performance PV modules. In this study, Raman imaging was used to depth profile the chemical degradation of a multilayer commercial backsheet film exposed to ultra-violet (UV) radiation at 85 °C, 5% relative humidity (RH, dry) and 85 °C, 60% RH (humid) on the NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) SPHERE (Simulated Photodegradation via High Energy Radiant Exposure). The backsheet film was a multipart laminate comprising of a pigmented polyethylene terephthalate (PET)-based outer layer, PET core layer and three ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) layers having different vinyl acetate (VA) contents, along with two inner adhesive layers between PET outer and PET core layers, and PET core and EVA layers. Cross-sectional samples were prepared by cryo-microtomy for various characterizations. The multilayer structures were examined by laser scanning confocal and atomic force microscopies, while their chemical degradation profiles were obtained by Raman spectroscopic imaging. Non-uniform degradation was observed in the aged backsheet film, and both UV and moisture appeared to significantly affect the degradation profiles of the multilayers. Severe degradation, indicated by high fluorescence, occurred in the outermost region of the pigmented PET outer layer, and the degradation gradient extended to approximately 20 µm to the bulk. It was also found that the inner adhesive layers were severely deteriorated under moist condition, indicating that the long-term adhesion between the layers could be a major area of concern for multilayer backsheets used in a humid environment. The relationship between the sharp (non-uniform) degradation profile, resultant internal stress, and ultimate failures (cracking and delamination) was discussed as well.
Microstructure of germanium films crystallized by high energy ion irradiation

Abstract Amorphous (a-)Ge films deposited on air-cleaved CaF 2 (111) substrates were irradiated with 1.8 MeV Si ions, and the microstructure of the irradiated Ge films was examined by using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry combined with channeling technique, X-ray diffraction measurement and transmission electron microscopy. It was found that the ion irradiation can induce solid phase epitaxial growth (SPEG) of Ge (111) films even at low sample temperature ( T s ) of approximately 200°C, although the films included some randomly oriented crystals. In contrast to this, a-Ge films practically did not crystallize during heat treatment at 200°C and the polycrystal films were only obtained when temperatures reached more than 500°C. These results suggest that ion irradiation enhances the SPEG of a-Ge/CaF 2 heterosystem at relatively low T s values.
Mechanisms regulating plasminogen activators in transformed retinal ganglion cells.

Abstract Irreversible loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) is a major clinical issue in glaucoma, but the mechanisms that lead to RGC death are currently unclear. We have previously reported that elevated levels of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) cause the death of RGCs in vivo and transformed retinal ganglion cells (RGC-5) in vitro. Yet, it is unclear how secreted proteases such as tPA and uPA directly cause RGCs' death. In this study, by employing RGC-5 cells, we report that tPA and uPA elicit their direct effect through the low-density lipoprotein-related receptor-1 (LRP-1). We also show that blockade of protease–LRP-1 interaction leads to a complete reduction in autocrine synthesis of tPA and uPA, and prevents protease-mediated death of RGC-5 cells. RGC-5 cells were cultured in serum-free medium and treated with 2.0 μM Staurosporine to induce their differentiation. Neurite outgrowth was observed by a phase contrast microscope and quantified by NeuroJ imaging software. Proteolytic activities of tPA and uPA were determined by zymography assays. Cell viability was determined by MTT assays. Compared to untreated RGC-5 cells, cells treated with Staurosporine differentiated, synthesized and secreted elevated levels of tPA and uPA, and underwent cell death. In contrast, when RGC-5 cells were treated with Staurosporine along with the receptor associated protein (RAP), proteolytic activities of both tPA and uPA were significantly reduced. Under these conditions, a significant number of RGC-5 cells survived and showed increased neurite outgrowth. These results indicate that LRP-1 regulates autocrine synthesis of tPA and uPA in RGC-5 cells and suggest that the use of RAP to antagonize the effect of proteases may be a way to prevent RGC death in glaucoma.
Decreased hearing after combined modality therapy for head and neck cancer

Abstract Purpose Combined platinum-based chemoradiation therapy is frequently being used as therapy for head and neck cancer at multiple sites. These therapies are individually ototoxic, but little has been reported on their combined toxicity. Materials and methods A retrospective investigation of 37 patients known to have undergone therapy with both agents, in combination, for head and neck malignancy was performed. Sixty percent of the patients had complaints of hearing loss subjectively. Reliable pretreatment and posttreatment audiograms were obtained on 15 of these patients. Audiograms were analyzed for sensorineural changes at 0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 8 kHz. Results By paired t test analysis, there were significant changes in the patients with pretreatment and posttreatment audiograms at all frequencies. More than 50% of the patients had a change of 10 dB or greater in their pure-tone average. More than 85% of the patients experienced changes in their hearing at 4 and 8 kHz. Conclusions We conclude that patients undergoing combined modality therapy for head and neck cancer experience hearing loss. We recommend that hearing assessment, including pretreatment and posttreatment audiometry, be performed in all patients undergoing combined platinum-based chemotherapy and radiation for the treatment of head and neck cancer.
Abstinence from smoking decreases habituation to food cues

Smokers typically gain weight after cessation due, in part, to increased caloric intake. This increase may be due to enhanced responding to sensory characteristics of foods resulting from a failure to habituate to food cues. To test this possibility, salivation to eight presentations of strawberry yogurt was assessed in male smokers and nonsmokers in two sessions. To test stimulus specificity, on the ninth trial, subjects were presented either more strawberry yogurt or lemon yogurt. Smokers were studied under nonabstinent or abstinent conditions. Salivation for nonabstinent smokers and nonsmokers decreased over presentations, while abstinent smokers showed little change. Nonabstinent smokers and nonsmokers recovered salivation when the new flavor yogurt was presented, and showed greater consumption on the final trial for the different versus same flavor yogurt. Nonabstinent smokers participated in additional within-session smoking sessions to control for withdrawal. Nonabstinent subjects were not different across smoking or not smoking sessions, suggesting the effects are not due to the acute effects of withdrawal.