cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biochemical comparison of fast- and slow-contracting squid muscle

The myofilament protein compositions of muscle fibres from the transverse muscle mass of the tentacles and the transverse muscle mass of the arms of the loliginid squid Sepioteuthis lessoniana were compared. These two muscle masses are distinct types, differing in their ultrastructural and behavioural properties. The transverse muscle of the tentacles consists of specialized muscle fibres that exhibit cross-striation and unusually short sarcomeres and thick filaments. The transverse muscle of the arms consists of obliquely striated muscle fibres that are typical of cephalopod skeletal muscle in general. The specialization of the tentacle muscle results in a high shortening speed and reflects its role in creating rapid elongation of the tentacles during prey capture. Comparison of samples of myofilament preparations of the two muscle fibre types using sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and peptide mapping of myosin heavy chains from the two muscle fibre types, however, showed little evidence of differences in contractile protein isoforms. Thus, specialization for high shortening speed appears to have occurred primarily through changes in the dimensions and arrangement of the myofilament lattice, rather than through changes in biochemistry. The thick filament core protein paramyosin was tentatively identified in the squid muscle fibres. This protein was less abundant in the short thick filament cross-striated tentacle muscle cells than in the obliquely striated arm cells.
Site of the mammalian sperm physiological acrosome reaction

In mammals and the many other animals in which fertilization involves the establishment of a penetration path through the egg coat, at the apex of the sperm head lies the acrosome—a membrane-limited organelle that houses a complex of enzymes. For fertilization to occur, spermatozoa must first undergo the acrosome reaction (AR), which involves point fusions between the outer acrosomal and overlying cell membrane. This reaction releases the acrosome's soluble lysins, which facilitate the creation of a path in the egg coat during penetration (although a variety of evidence now calls into question whether egg-coat lysis is the mechanism used by eutherian mammals). In PNAS, using in vitro fertilization, Jin et al. (1) report their tracking of the site and timing of the AR in spermatozoa from transgenic mice whose acrosome and sperm tail midpiece were tagged with different fluorescent markers. This approach, which used video imaging, allowed them to record that, compared with sperm on a naked zona surface, the AR was generally initiated more readily in the interstices of the cell mass of the cumulus oophorus that surrounds the newly ovulated mouse egg. Moreover, not only did the AR generally occur to a greater degree and often more rapidly in sperm penetrating the cumulus than on a naked zona surface, but this was also true for sperm interacting with naked eggs in the presence of cumulus-invested oocytes. Most important, Jin et al. (1) establish by retroactive examination of recorded images that some spermatozoa reacting within the cumulus were then able to go on to fertilize the egg. Given that the AR has been examined …
Recognition of neurokinin 1 receptor (NK1-R): an antibody to a peptide sequence from the third extracellular region binds to brain NK1-R.

Abstract Substance P (SP) can produce cytokine-like responses by astrocytes and mononuclear cells. In an effort to identify neurokinin-1-receptors (NK1-R), an antibody to NK1-R was generated by using a linear peptide sequence from the deduced third extracellular region (ECR) corresponding to the seven transmembrane rat brain NK1-R. The ECR-3 peptide was coupled to keyhole-limpet hemocyanin and the antisera produced in rabbits was purified by binding to a peptide-affinity matrix. The specificity for the anti-peptide antibody was shown by its reactivity to the ECR-3 peptide by ELISA. The anti-ECR-3 peptide antibody could detect, by Western blot analysis of SDS-PAGE-separated rat brain membranes, a single band with an apparent molecular weight (MW) of 53–54 kDa. An affinity matrix made from the anti-ECR-3 antibody was used to isolate NK1-R from rat brain membranes which exhibited two products on SDS-PAGE with apparent MW of 54 and 44 kDa. The C6 astrocytes were shown to express NK1-R as determined by [ 125 I]Bolten-Hunter SP binding to intact cells with a K d = 0.32 nM. These C6 cells did not co-express either NK2-R or NK3-R when analyzed at the mRNA level. The anti-ECR-3 peptide antibody could inhibit [ 125 I]Bolten-Hunter SP binding to intact C6 astrocytes and CHO cells expressing NK1-R by greater than 95% when compared to normal rabbit IgG which failed to inhibit radiolabeled SP binding. Thus, an antibody which recognizes surface determinants to the NK1-R could be generated upon immunization with an NK1-R peptide.
Urography and the Prostate

To understand the urographic findings relating to diseases of the prostate, it is necessary to be aware of the response of the bladder and upper urinary tract to outlet obstruction. Whatever the etiology of obstruction of urine outflow from the bladder, the detrusor of the bladder compensates by hypertrophy, In the early stages, much as occurs with the heart, functionality of the bladder is maintained by increased contractility. As muscular hypertrophy progresses, there is resultant thickening of the bladder wall, including the trigonal region. With increasing intraluminal pressure, the bladder mucosa begins to herniate between the thickened muscle bands of the wall. Small mucosal herniations that do not protrude beyond the bounds of the bladder are known as cellules. With persistent obstruction these progress to frank bladder diverticula. Not being invested with a muscular coat, these diverticula do not empty well at voiding, and in fact may increase their volume.
Facebook, Social Networking, And Business Education

Brown (2012) asserts that faculty perceptions of Web 2.0 for teaching will influence its adoption. For example, social media’s influence on educational delivery is growing (Hrastinski and Dennon 2012). Zulu et al. (2011) note that business educators are only beginning to understand social networking related to education. We report an exploratory inquiry that confirms the growing evidence that many undergraduate business students do not support the use of Facebook as part of their formal academic relationships. However, an argument is presented that while existing tools for social networking such as Facebook may offer limited pedagogical utility, social networking as a concept none-the-less offers significant potential.
The National Agenda for Quality Palliative Care: Promoting the National Consensus Project's Domain of Physical Care and the National Quality Forum's Preferred Practices for Physical Aspects of Care

The National Consensus Project (NCP) 2004 Clinical Practice Guidelines for Quality Palliative Care defines eight domains of care essential for palliative care clinical practice. The National Quality Forum (NQF) 2006 document entitled A National Framework and Preferred Practices for Palliative and Hospice Care Quality: A Consensus Report is based on the NCP Guidelines. The NQF document identifies 38 evidence-based preferred practices for palliative care. This paper demonstrates how the Guidelines and Preferred Practices may be operationalized by pharmacotherapists to better treat symptoms of debilitating or chronic illnesses falling under Domain 2 of the Guidelines, "Physical Care." Specifically, dementia and dyspnea are used as illustrative examples.
Significance of the rabbit yolk sac. A study of the passage of heterologous proteins from mother to embryo.

Abstract Pregnant rabbits were given an intravenous injection of either human or guinea pig serum. The presence of these heterologous proteins in the yolk-sac fluid and in embryonic and maternal sera was then determined by the use of specific antisera. Materials with antigenicities and electrophoretic mobilities similar to those of all major constituents of human and guinea pig sera pass from the maternal circulation into the yolk sac of the embryo. Substances with the antigenicity of human serum pass from the yolk sac into the circulation of the early embryo. Guinea pig serum antigens passed into the yolk-sac fluid, but they could not be detected in the blood of the early embryo. The early rabbit yolk sac serves as an organ for the storage of substances of at least macromolecular dimension. During the first half of development the yolk sac is functionally active in the absorption and transfer of macromolecular materials.
Stochastic Gradient Descent, Weighted Sampling, and the Randomized Kaczmarz algorithm

We obtain an improved finite-sample guarantee on the linear convergence of stochastic gradient descent for smooth and strongly convex objectives, improving from a quadratic dependence on the conditioning $$(L/\mu )^2$$(L/μ)2 (where $$L$$L is a bound on the smoothness and $$\mu $$μ on the strong convexity) to a linear dependence on $$L/\mu $$L/μ. Furthermore, we show how reweighting the sampling distribution (i.e. importance sampling) is necessary in order to further improve convergence, and obtain a linear dependence in the average smoothness, dominating previous results. We also discuss importance sampling for SGD more broadly and show how it can improve convergence also in other scenarios. Our results are based on a connection we make between SGD and the randomized Kaczmarz algorithm, which allows us to transfer ideas between the separate bodies of literature studying each of the two methods. In particular, we recast the randomized Kaczmarz algorithm as an instance of SGD, and apply our results to prove its exponential convergence, but to the solution of a weighted least squares problem rather than the original least squares problem. We then present a modified Kaczmarz algorithm with partially biased sampling which does converge to the original least squares solution with the same exponential convergence rate.
Effects of Uptake and Efflux Transporter Inhibition on Erythromycin Breath Test Results

The erythromycin breath test (EBT) is a standard test used to evaluate the extent of CYP3A4 activity. This study examines whether presumed changes in CYP3A4 activity are in fact related to inhibition of an uptake organic anion transporter using rifampin and inhibition of the efflux hepatic P-glycoprotein transporter using lansoprazole. Three EBT tests in healthy adults were conducted: EBT alone, with lansoprazole, and with rifampin. For all subjects, lansoprazole treatment increased respiratory 14 Ce xcretion byþ 0.2570.51 met/h (P ¼ 0.07) and rifampin decreased 14 Ce xcretion by � 0.4470.40 met/h (Po0.001) compared with baseline. Comparing lansoprazole to rifampin, 14 C excretion increased by þ 0.6970.50 met/h (Po0.001). Only women had significant changes after drug infusion: 14 C excretion after rifampin –0.4070.36 met/h (P ¼ 0.018) and þ 0.4770.44 met/h (P ¼ 0.018) after lansoprazole. Relying on EBT without considering transporter interactions can lead to errors in interpreting the degree of CYP3A4 metabolism. The cytochrome P450 (CYP450) family is the major metabolic enzyme system in the liver. CYP3A4 alone is responsible for the metabolism of more than 50% of all drugs sold in the US that are metabolized by the P450 system. 1
Exposure measurement in occupation and environmental epidemiology used for quantitative risk assessment.

In human studies of toxicity and carcinogenicity utilized for environmental and occupational risk assessment, it is extremely difficult, but necessary, to effectively quantitate exposure. This is especially important where public health decisions must be based on quantitative risk assessment (QRA), which requires accurate and precise exposure and disease data. In the case of a standardized mortality rate/odds less than 150 or 200, exposure measurement error may have significant impact on the quantitative analysis of the data, especially if there are potential confounders which may be associated with the exposure variable. Unfortunately exposure quantification may be very difficult to obtain. This problem is especially acute if the agent is not a specific chemical compound (e.g. a mixture) and if the composition changes over time (e.g. combustion products). An illustrative example of the need for and challenge of accurate exposure information is diesel exhaust particles (DEP). Initial risk assessments by World Health Organization International Program on Chemical Safety and the US Environmental Protection Agency used the animal data which were the primary or 'sufficient' basis for the International Agency for Research on Cancer listing of diesel as a probable carcinogen and subsequent consideration for risk assessment and regulation." However, later studies in other animals (hamsters, mice) were negative. Further studies in rats showed tumours only at the higher or overload doses, and equivalent tumour levels with multiple dusts, including 'inert dusts' (e.g. titanium dioxide). Therefore risk assessment turned to the limited body of human data. Only two studies (Garshick et al. and Steenland et al.) have
Delay and Its Benefits for Judicial Rulemaking Under Scientific Uncertainty

The Supreme Court’s increasing use of science and social science in its decision-making has a rationalizing effect on law that helps ensure that a rule will have its desired effect. But resting doctrine on the shifting sands of scientific and social scientific opinion endangers legal stability. The Court must be be responsive, but not reactive, to new scientific findings and theories, a difficult balance for lay justices to strike. This Article argues that the Court uses delay — defined as refusing to make or change a rule in light of new scientific arguments at time one, and then making or changing the rule because of the same arguments at time two — as a tool to improve decision-making amidst scientific uncertainty.Using the Court’s antitrust jurisprudence as an example, this Article shows that delay can have a salutary effect on rule-making because it allows the Court to use academic consensus (that either develops or matures between times one and two) as a signal of scientific reliability. As a conservatizing device, delay operates in the common law tradition, but it also avoids some of the failures associated with traditional common law features like stare decisis and incrementalism. The Article concludes by contrasting Supreme Court decision-making with an area of law where delay is impractical or undesirable. In toxic tort litigation, where the goals of deterrence and compensation preclude the use of delay in the face of new scientific arguments, the law pays the price in uncertainty and error.
Evaluating a sampling protocol for assessing plant diversity in prairie fens

Prairie fens are globally vulnerable wetlands that are considered a conservation priority due to threats to their high biodiversity and hydrological functions. Establishing a thorough and repeatable plant sampling protocol is critical to evaluating conservation and management initiatives. Our goal was to evaluate a sample methodology designed to assess prairie fen plant diversity and determine if it produced results (1) representative of site diversity, (2) comparable among fens, and (3) efficient to collect. Nineteen fens between 8.5 and 28.4 ha were surveyed twice within one growing season during 2012 and 2013 field seasons using an area-proportional, random design. The turnover in species between spring and summer sampling periods within a site ranged from 8 to 50 %. Sample coverage of total estimated plant species richness ranged from 84.8 to 95.0 % with a mean of 90.1 %. We compared results from our area-proportional, random design to simulated random samples of 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 quadrats per site. No significant difference was found in sample coverage per fen when using sampling rates of 25, 30, or 35 quadrats per site versus the area-proportional design. Shannon’s diversity index and floristic quality index differed by sample period and number of quadrats sampled per fen. Our sample design produced acceptable levels of coverage and facilitated comparisons across fens. Our methodology could be applied to future research, restoration monitoring, and conservation planning efforts in Midwestern prairie fens.
Anesthesia and monitoring techniques for open heart surgery in the adult.

Rather than comparing in detail the numerous drugs that have been used for anesthesia, the principles are outlined and methods for achieving them discussed. The fullest cooperation between cardiologist, surgeon, and anesthesiologist is fundamental to the success of the operative procedure.
Kant,1 Scientific Pietism, and Scientific Naturalism

The doctrine of Kantian natural piety says that rational human animals are essentially at home in physical nature. In this essay, I apply the doctrine of Kantian natural piety directly to the natural sciences, and especially physics, by showing how they have a cognitive, epistemic, metaphysical, practical/moral, aesthetic/artistic, religious, and sociocultural/political grounding in Kantian sensibility, both pure and empirical. This is what I call Kantian scientific pietism, and it is to be directly and radically opposed to scientific naturalism
Injectable chondroplasty: Enzymatic reshaping of cartilage grafts.

Abstract Objective/hypothesis To develop an injection-based enzymatic technique that selectively softens cartilage tissue for reshaping cartilaginous structures in the head and neck. Materials and methods Two groups were formed using fresh rabbit ears: (1) whole rabbit ear group; (2) composite graft group (2.5 mm × 3.0 cm specimens sectioned from the central region of the pinna). Subperichondrial injections using three enzymes (hyaluronidase, pronase, and collagenase II) in sequence were performed for the experimental specimens from both groups. In the control specimens, phosphate buffered saline was injected in a similar fashion. The whole ear specimens were then photographed while held upright in the anatomical vertical position to evaluate for buckling, which corresponds to the integrity of the cartilage. In addition, backlight photography was performed for all specimens to further evaluate the effect of the enzymes, such that increased light intensity represents increased cartilage digestion. Results The application of the digestive enzymes resulted in marked reduction of cartilage tissue matrix resiliency, while preserving overlying skin layers. Enzymatically treated whole pinnae buckled at the site where enzymes were delivered. Backlit images revealed increased local light intensity at the regions of digestion. There was no obvious destruction of the overlying skin upon visual inspection. Conclusions This study demonstrates the feasibility of injectable chondroplasty as a potential alternative method to conventional surgery for auricular cartilage reshaping. Sequential injection of hyaluronidase, pronase, and collagenase II into the subperichondrial space can be performed to digest and soften cartilage structure with minimal involvement of surrounding tissue. Future studies will need to include chondrocyte viability testing and optimization of delivery techniques.
Clinical evaluation of the concussed athlete: a view from the sideline

Context: The sideline assessment of concussion is challenging, given its variable presentations, the limited sensitivity and specificity of sideline assessment tools, and how the presentation of the injury evolves over time. In addition, the diagnostic process, as well as the tools used to assess and manage concussion, continue to progress as research and what we know about concussion advance. This paper focuses on the initial assessment on the sideline by reviewing the concussion-evaluation literature, drawing from clinical experience to emphasize a standardized approach, and underscoring the importance of both familiarity with the athlete and clinical judgment. Objective: To review the evidence regarding the clinical assessment of sport-related concussion on the sideline. Additional considerations included making same-day return-to-play decisions, the sensitivity and specificity of sideline testing, and the importance of ongoing assessment and follow-up of injured athletes. Data Sources: I conducted a s...
Cartooning for Enhanced Privacy in Lifelogging and Streaming Videos

We describe an object replacement approach whereby privacy-sensitive objects in videos are replaced by abstract cartoons taken from clip art. Our approach uses a combination of computer vision, deep learning, and image processing techniques to detect objects, abstract details, and replace them with cartoon clip art. We conducted a user study (N=85) to discern the utility and effectiveness of our cartoon replacement technique. The results suggest that our object replacement approach preserves a video's semantic content while improving its privacy by obscuring details of objects.
Aquatic biotoxins: design and implementation of seafood safety monitoring programs.

When an issue on food safety is considered, it is important to state that absolute safety is not possible. Scientists and consumers alike concede that risks are associated with food as the result of compounds of chemical or microbiological origin. In fact, foods considered safe under normal conditions would not qualify for a “seal of approval” guaranteeing 100% safety if they were consumed in excessive quantities or used in an unusual manner. Relative food safety can be defined as the practical certainty that injury or damage will not result from the ingestion of a food or ingredient used in a reasonable and customary manner and quantity (57, 58).
Measurement of Dead Space Fraction Upon ICU Admission Predicts Length of Stay and Clinical Outcomes Following Bidirectional Cavopulmonary Anastomosis.

OBJECTIVES Increased alveolar dead space fraction has been associated with prolonged mechanical ventilation and increased mortality in pediatric patients with respiratory failure. The association of alveolar dead space fraction with clinical outcomes in patients undergoing bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis for single ventricle congenital heart disease has not been reported. We describe an association of alveolar dead space fraction with postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis. DESIGN In a retrospective case-control study, we examined for associations between alveolar dead space fraction ([PaCO2 - end-tidal CO2]/PaCO2), arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation, and transpulmonary gradient upon postoperative ICU admission with a composite primary outcome (requirement for surgical or catheter-based intervention, death, or transplant prior to hospital discharge, defining cases) and several secondary endpoints in infants following bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis. SETTINGS Cardiac ICU in a tertiary care pediatric hospital. PATIENTS Patients undergoing bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis at our institution between 2011 and 2016. INTERVENTIONS None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Of 191 patients undergoing bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis, 28 patients were cases and 163 were controls. Alveolar dead space fraction was significantly higher in the case (0.26 ± 0.09) versus control group (0.17 ± 0.09; p < 0.001); alveolar dead space fraction at admission was less than 0.12 in 0% of cases and was greater than 0.28 in 35% of cases. Admission arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation was significantly lower in the case (77% ± 12%) versus control group (83% ± 9%; p < 0.05). Sensitivity and specificity for future case versus control assignment was best when prebidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis risk factors, admission alveolar dead space fraction (AUC, 0.74), and arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation (AUC, 0.65) were combined in a summarial model (AUC, 0.83). For a given arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation, the odds of becoming a case increased on average by 181% for every 0.1 unit increase in alveolar dead space fraction. Admission alveolar dead space fraction and arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation were linearly associated with prolonged ICU length of stay, hospital length of stay, duration of mechanical ventilation, and duration of thoracic drainage (p < 0.001 for all). CONCLUSIONS Following bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis, alveolar dead space fraction in excess of 0.28 or arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation less than 78% upon ICU admission indicates an increased likelihood of requiring intervention prior to hospital discharge. Increasing alveolar dead space fraction and decreasing arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation are associated with increased lengths of stay.
The effect of body position on esophageal reflexes in cats: a possible mechanism of SIDS?

It has been hypothesized that life-threatening events are caused by supraesophageal reflux (SER) of gastric contents that activates laryngeal chemoreflex-stimulated apnea. Placing infants supine decreases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The aim of this study was to determine whether body position affects esophageal reflexes that control SER. We instrumented the pharyngeal and esophageal muscles of decerebrate cats (N=14) to record EMG or manometry, and investigated the effects of body position on the esophago-upper esophageal sphincter (UES) contractile reflex (EUCR), esophago-UES relaxation reflex (EURR), esophagus-stimulated pharyngeal swallow response (EPSR), secondary peristalsis (SP), and pharyngeal swallow (PS). EPSR, EUCR, and SP were activated by balloon distension, EURR by air pulse, and PS by nasopharyngeal water injection. The esophagus was stimulated in the cervical, proximal thoracic, and distal thoracic regions. The threshold stimulus for activation of EUCR, EURR, and PS, and the chance of activation of EPSR and SP were quantified. We found that only EPSR was significantly more sensitive in the supine vs. prone position regardless of the stimulus or the position of the stimulus in the esophagus. We hypothesize that the EPSR may contribute to the protection of infants from SIDS by placement in the supine position.
Laboratory Evaluation of Soybean Plant Introductions for Resistance to Aphis glycines (Hemiptera: Aphididae)1

The soybean aphid (SA), Aphis glycines Matsumura, is a major pest of soybean in the north-central United States and south-central Canada. It is controlled primarily with insecticides, but the development of aphid-resistant soybean cultivars may provide an alternative management tactic. The viability of this management tactic depends on a diverse set of resistance sources in order to counter various resistance-breaking biotypes of SA, and the identification of new sources of resistance necessitates additional testing of soybean germplasm. The current study used no-choice tests to identify SA resistance in seven early maturing (maturity group I) soybean plant introductions (PIs) that had been advanced from free-choice screening trials. The tests showed PI 437353 and PI 612759 C had an intermediate level of resistance against avirulent SA, whereas PI 437282, PI 437658, PI 437733, PI 548417, and PI 548530 exhibited no significant resistance. Additional research is needed to determine if the source of resistance in PI 437353 and PI 612759 C is due to novel resistant genes, which would help diversify resistance to SA in soybean. Screening and follow-up tests of additional soybean germplasm is warranted in order to ensure the development of durable, SA-resistant cultivars.
Assessment of a Provider’s Values, Beliefs, and Biases

Effective counseling or psychotherapy is based on a provider’s ability to know the client’s worldview and his experienced life. A precursor to knowing the client’s worldview is the provider’s ability to know her worldview which is based on her values, beliefs, and biases. This chapter discusses accessing your inner experiences for you to know your own values, beliefs, and biases from a holistic perspective. The holistic perspective enables you to examine inner experiences by unconventional strategies such as uncensored narrative and reflective writing, drawing, and listening to your own body. Reflective experiential learning activities are provided for first-person experience.
Behavioral decoding of working memory items inside and outside the focus of attention

How we attend to our thoughts affects how we attend to our environment. Holding information in working memory can automatically bias visual attention toward matching information. By observing attentional biases on reaction times to visual search during a memory delay, it is possible to reconstruct the source of that bias using machine learning techniques and thereby behaviorally decode the content of working memory. Can this be done when more than one item is held in working memory? There is some evidence that multiple items can simultaneously bias attention, but the effects have been inconsistent. One explanation may be that items are stored in different states depending on the current task demands. Recent models propose functionally distinct states of representation for items inside versus outside the focus of attention. Here, we use behavioral decoding to evaluate whether multiple memory items-including temporarily irrelevant items outside the focus of attention-exert biases on visual attention. Only the single item in the focus of attention was decodable. The other item showed a brief attentional bias that dissipated until it returned to the focus of attention. These results support the idea of dynamic, flexible states of working memory across time and priority.
Neurocognitive Function in Systemic Autoimmune and Rheumatic Diseases

An autoimmune disease is a disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks itself. The dysregulation of the immune system associated with systemic autoimmune diseases can affect various organs systems, including the brain. This chapter will review the neuropsychological involvement and the resulting cognitive changes associated with three systemic autoimmune or rheumatic diseases: systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and primary Sjogren’s syndrome (SS). Diagnosis, neuropsychological assessment, and treatment planning are challenging since most of the disease manifestations are nonspecific. Due to the abundant literature on cognitive dysfunction in SLE as compared to the other two diseases, the discussion of cognition is focused mainly in SLE.
Signaling and the Polyphosphoinositide Phosphatases from Plants

Polyphosphoinositides (PPIs) are important signaling molecules involved in membrane and vesicular trafficking events, regulation of the cytoskeleton, and response to stress in plants. PPI phosphatases dephosphorylate the D-3, -4, and -5 positions of the inositol ring within these molecules, and as such, they have the ability to regulate the PPIs present in the cell. There are three categories of PPI phosphatases, and they are classified as to which position phosphate is removed during catalysis. Within each category, there are subgroups of enzymes with unique protein domains, substrate preferences, and expression patterns. Recent genetic analyses of knock-out mutants highlight the fact that PPI phosphatases regulate crucial events during the growth and development of plants.
Multi-label collective classification

Collective classification in relational data has become an important and active research topic in the last decade, where class labels for a group of linked instances are correlated and need to be predicted simultaneously. Collective classification has a wide variety of real world applications, e.g. hyperlinked document classification, social networks analysis and collaboration networks analysis. Current research on collective classification focuses on single-label settings, which assumes each instance can only be assigned with exactly one label among a finite set of candidate classes. However, in many real-world relational data, each instance can be assigned with a set of multiple labels simultaneously. In this paper, we study the problem of multi-label collective classification and propose a novel solution, called Icml (Iterative Classification of Multiple Labels), to effectively assign a set of multiple labels to each instance in the relational dataset. The proposed Icml model is able to capture the dependencies among the label sets for a group of related instances and the dependencies among the multiple labels within each label set simultaneously. Empirical studies on real-world tasks demonstrate that the proposed multi-label collective classification approach can effectively boost classification performances in multilabel relational datasets.
Soil Science at the Nanoscale: A New View of Structure, Stability, and Reactivity

A revolution is occurring in science and technology as new methods and approaches allow scientists and engineers to investigate materials and processes at the nanoscale and to engineer new nanomaterials. Materials from ∼1 to 100 nm in size, where 1 nanometer = 10−9 m, or 10A, are generally considered to be nanomaterials. Nanomaterials are uquitous in near-Earth-surface environments, and often have properties that are distinct from those of single, small molecules or of larger, bulk materials. Many of the key components of soils, such as humic substances; iron, aluminum, and manganese oxides; and aluminosilicate clays may occur as nanoparticles or with nano-scale components or domains.This presentation will define terminology in the field of nanoscience and nanotechnology as applied to soil science, and will describe some of the special properties and behaviors of nanomaterials in soils, drawing primarily from examples of Fe (hydr)oxides. The presentation will emphasize the importance of nanoscience as a new frontier in soil science, along with how the unique experience of soil scientists can benefit broader nano-scale research.
Seminars in Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery – Current Readings: Adult Congenital Heart Surgery

While the incidence of congenital heart disease has remained relatively stable, survival has increased dramatically. Many of these patients require lifelong specialized cardiac care to address sequelae and residual disease. In order to best meet the increasing demands and needs of this heterogeneous group of survivors, multidisciplinary specialty training, lesion specific outcomes research and both personnel and financial resources must be dedicated to their care.
Synthesis and electrochemical properties of partially fluorinated ether solvents for lithiumsulfur battery electrolytes

Abstract Fluorinated ethers have been used as a co-solvent in traditional ether-based electrolytes to suppress the polysulfide shuttle effect in lithium-sulfur batteries. In this work, five partially fluorinated ether compounds have been synthesized. The key properties, such as viscosity, ionic conductivity and polysulfide solubility of the electrolytes containing these co-solvents have been systematically studied. The electrolyte formulation showed best physical properties was tested in lithium-sulfur coin cells. The new fluoroether-based electrolytes displayed superior electrochemical performance compared to that of the traditional ether-based electrolytes.
Cross-Border Trade and “the Market” between Xinjiang (China) and Pakistan

A significant part of China-Pakistan cross-border trade falls within the category of shadow economy. Most Pakistani traders in Xinjiang cannot afford to ship containers through the Khunjerab Pass a...
Approximate Free Space Construction and Maximum Clearance Path Planning for a Four Degree of Freedom Robot

We present an algorithm for constructing an inner approximation of the free space for a polyhedral robot with four degrees of freedom. The robot rotates about a fixed axis and translates in three dimensions with respect to a fixed polyhedral obstacle. We approximate the free space by subdividing the rotation dimension into short angle ranges, generating a three dimensional free space for each angle range, and constructing a graph for navigation in the four dimensional space. We also present an algorithm for path planning that is complete in the approximated space. The path planning algorithm produces paths that are guaranteed to be collision free and approximately maximizes obstacle clearance, ensuring safe and practical paths.
Identification of The Reproductive Apparatus of Tarantula Genus Brachypelma Using Linear Discriminant Analysis Method

Tarantulas are animals that rely on exoskeleton for muscle support. Tarantula has two male and female reproductive apparatus. Male tarantulas have a short span of time, compared to female tarantulas that have a long life span. Brachypelma is a species of tarantula that has its own uniqueness or characteristic that in most male and female appearance is an almost identical tarantula, which are not visible the difference of the reproductive apparatus by naked eye. The problem in this paper is the difficult to identify the reproductive apparatus of the tarantula. To identify the reproductive apparatus of tarantula is not a cushy due to identify the reproductive apparatus of tarantula takes a long-time, even when they fail to molting the consequences is death. The goal of our work is to identify and predict the reproductive apparatus of the tarantula. In this research, we used the data collected by direct observation. Using the Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) method, we are identifying the reproductive apparatus by using discriminant function. The results of the experiment show, our proposed method performs more accurate than other methods (i.e.85%) with faster execution time of 2.1 Sec.
Data management and processing workflow for the Materials Physics and Engineering group beamlines at the Advanced Photon Source

The ability to store, organize, process and distribute experimental data effectively, efficiently and securely is particularly important for large user facilities like the Advanced Photon Source. In this article, the deployment of the APS Data Management System (DM) at the 1-ID and 6-BM beamlines of the APS is described. These two beamlines support a wide range of experimental techniques and generate data at relatively high rates, making them ideal candidates to illustrate the deployment and customization of the DM system and its tools. Using several usage examples at these beamlines, various capabilities of the DM system are described.
Mitigation of ASR expansion in concrete using ultra-fine coal bottom ash

Abstract The focus of this study is to both quantitatively and qualitatively assess the effectiveness of pulverized ultra-fine bottom ash as a cement replacement to mitigate the detrimental effects of alkali-silica reaction (ASR). Raw landfilled coal bottom ash was pulverized using a vibratory ball-mill at two different fineness levels. The pulverized bottom ash was used as a cement replacement in a mortar mix at various replacement rates (9, 23, 33 and 41%). The expansion of the pulverized bottom ash blended mortars were found to be 10% higher than the fly ash control specimens after normalization of the chemical composition. FTIR spectroscopy also revealed more polymerization in the pulverized bottom ash mixes than the FA mixes; but much lower than the control Portland cement mix. Overall, it is observed that the pulverized bottom ash can serve as an ASR mitigating cementitious material but is slightly less effective than class F fly ash most likely due to lower reactivity, and less solubility of alumina and silica.
Easy or effective? Explaining young adults’ and older adults’ likelihood of using various strategies to improve their memory

ABSTRACTWe examined two factors to explain why young and older adults report using different memory strategies in their everyday lives. Participants rated the likelihood of use, difficulty, and eff...
Kinetic and thermodynamic study of methylene blue adsorption onto chitosan: insights about metachromasy occurrence on wastewater remediation

Methylene blue (MB) is a dye used in the textile industry and a potential wastewater pollutant. Adsorption of MB onto the chitosan is a promising method for MB removal. Upon contact with chitosan, MB molecules can aggregate leading to the appearance of additional bands in the MB absorption spectrum. This phenomenon is called metachromasy. In this paper the kinetics and thermodynamic parameters related to the removal of MB as single molecules (Sng-MB) and aggregates (Agg-MB) species by chitosan from simulated wastewater were studied. Additionally, it was investigated means to suppress metachromasy and improve the efficiency of the removal process. For both MB species, the adsorption process followed the pseudo-second-order adsorption kinetics model. For each temperature studied, Agg-MB always presented higher rate constant than Sng-MB, indicating faster adsorption of Agg-MB in comparison with Sng-MB, whereas the highest removal percentage (around 65%) for both species was obtained at 323 K. A lower activation energy was obtained for the adsorption of Agg-MB (28 kJ/mol) than for Sng-MB (65 kJ/mol), indicating Agg-MB adsorption is favored in relation to Sng-MB. The thermodynamic studies indicated the adsorption process for both MB species is endothermic and spontaneous from 298 to 348 K. The metachromasy could be suppressed by performing the experiments at pH 3, leading to a removal percentage around 70% in comparison with 20 and 60%, for experiments at pH 7 and 12, respectively, at 298 K. Analysis of chitosan before and after adsorption process, by using X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopies, indicated that no structural changes happened to chitosan throughout the process.
Thermal Monitoring Technique for Limiting Energy Accumulation in Automotive Power Switches within SOA

In this work, a relative thermal shutdown circuit is implemented to monitor abrupt junction temperature rise and provide reliable solution to keep device operation within its SOA limit for high in-rush current applications like light-bulb driving in an automotive system by effectively limiting energy accumulation, which turns into heat and causes thermal runaway in power switch devices. Relative thermal shutdown in a MCM (multi-chip-module) package solution is implemented by independently sensing and comparing the thermal diode voltages on both controller die and power-MOSFET die, and when the temperature of the power-MOSFET exceeds the temperature of controller by a certain threshold, the relative thermal shutdown is triggered to shut down and protect the device. Depending on the relative thermal shutdown threshold level, the total energy accumulation in the 8mohm high side switch during short-circuit test with 85A output current clamping is effectively limited under 80mJ (with 30° C threshold) to 145mJ (with 65° C threshold). Silicon validation results show that 8mΩ automotive high-side switch with the relative thermal shutdown protection circuit can pass >160k cycles of 300ms enable pulses to short circuit loading condition (AECQ100-12) with 85A current limit.
Emotion Labor with Parents as a Mediator of Family Communication Patterns and Young Adult Children’s Mental Well-being

This study tested the degree to which emotion labor with parents mediates the associations between family communication patterns (i.e., conversation and conformity orientations) and young adult chi...
First-principle model for the directional spectral absorptivity of gold-black in the near infrared.

Gold-black coatings formed by evaporation and subsequent sublimation of pure gold in an inert low-pressure atmosphere are used to enhance absorption of thermal radiation. Previous attempts to predict the spectral absorptivity of gold-black coatings have typically assumed a granular continuum with effective bulk optical properties. In the current effort the principles of diffusion-limited aggregation (DLA) are applied to mimic the observed microstructure of actual gold-black layers consisting of a random fractal distribution of dendritic gold filaments that are postulated to behave as dipole antennas. Absorption of incident electromagnetic radiation by individual filaments is predicted using a unique time-dependent lossy antenna model drawing on the Drude–Sommerfeld free-electron theory. Single-filament spectral absorptivities are combined based on the DLA microstructure model to predict the spectral and, for the first time, the directional absorptivity of the gold-black layer. Results for normal spectral absorptivity are shown to be in good agreement with measurements reported in the literature.
Physical and Genetic Mapping of the Unstable Gas Vesicle Plasmid in Halobacterium Halobium NRC-1

The extremely halophilic archaebacterium, Halohacterium halohium strain NRC-1, contains a heterogeneous collection of large covalently closed circular (CCC) DNAs, the most abundant of which is the unstable gas vesicle plasmid, pNRC100. We have used a modified alkaline procedure to purify pNRC100 in quantity for physical and genetic mapping. Restriction mapping of pNRC100 using three restriction enzymes, DraI, HindIII and SfiI and the CHEF pulsed-field gel system shows it to be 190 kb in size. Three minor circular DNAs have also been purified and shown to be derivatives of pNRC100. The genes encoding the buoyant gas vesicles of H. halohium are clustered in a unique region of pNRC100, flanked by a pair of ISH8 (iso-ISH26) elements. At least three other families of IS elements are also present in pNRC 100.
Automated feature extraction and object recognition in subcellular images: poster session

Both computer science and biology education are experiencing an interesting pedagogical change --- activity based learning in interdisciplinary domains. Bioinformatics is an engaging, promising, and scientific research area that spans both curricula. A major component of biomedical research is identifying and classifying the properties and functions of cellular data. The goal of this interdisciplinary work is to develop a process for automated feature extraction and object recognition of subcellular images.
Continuous Albuterol in Pediatric Acute Care: Study Demonstrates Safety Outside the Intensive Care Unit.

There are little data to support the use of continuous aerosolized albuterol (CAA) in the non-intensive care unit (ICU) or non-emergency department (ED) setting for pediatric asthma patients. A 2014 study demonstrated low rates of adverse outcomes associated with administration of CAA on the acute care unit; however, the authors do not describe additional outcomes. We sought to determine whether administration of CAA within a respiratory cohort on an acute care floor was feasible and safe. Methods This quasi-experimental study evaluates data 1 year before and after (2014-2016) the initiation of CAA on the acute care inpatient unit for asthma patients 2-18 years of age. Outcome measures included ED and hospital length of stay (LOS), readmission rate, rapid response team activations, and transfers to ICU. Use of chest x-rays, viral studies, and hospital charges were also studied. Results Seven hundred thirty-two patients met study criteria. Population demographics and severity of acute presentation were similar pre- and poststudy. ED LOS decreased poststudy, whereas overall hospital LOS was unchanged. Fifteen-day readmission rate decreased in the poststudy group. Only 4 rapid response activations occurred in the poststudy population. The poststudy group utilized fewer chest x-rays and viral studies. There was no change in overall hospital charges. Conclusions With appropriate resources and safety processes in place, care of pediatric patients with status asthmaticus receiving CAA on an acute care unit, outside of the ICU, resulted in improved ED LOS with evidence of lower resource utilization and rare adverse outcomes.
Platelet-Rich Plasma Versus Hyaluronic Acid for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Background:Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and hyaluronic acid (HA) are 2 nonoperative treatment options for knee osteoarthritis (OA) that are supposed to provide symptomatic relief and help delay surgi...