cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antimicrobial activity of antisense peptide-peptide nucleic acid conjugates against non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae in planktonic and biofilm forms.

Background Antisense peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) are synthetic polymers that mimic DNA/RNA and inhibit bacterial gene expression in a sequence-specific manner. Methods To assess activity against non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi), we designed six PNA-peptides that target acpP, encoding an acyl carrier protein. MICs and minimum biofilm eradication concentrations (MBECs) were determined. Resistant strains were selected by serial passages on media with a sub-MIC concentration of acpP-PNA. Results The MICs of six acpP-PNA-peptides were 2.9-11 mg/L (0.63-2.5 μmol/L) for 20 clinical isolates, indicating susceptibility of planktonic NTHi. By contrast, MBECs were up to 179 mg/L (40 μmol/L). Compared with one original PNA-peptide (acpP-PNA1-3'N), an optimized PNA-peptide (acpP-PNA14-5'L) differs in PNA sequence and has a 5' membrane-penetrating peptide with a linker between the PNA and peptide. The optimized PNA-peptide had an MBEC ranging from 11 to 23 mg/L (2.5-5 μmol/L), indicating susceptibility. A resistant strain that was selected by the original acpP-PNA1-3'N had an SNP that introduced a stop codon in NTHI0044, which is predicted to encode an ATP-binding protein of a conserved ABC transporter. Deletion of NTHI0044 caused resistance to the original acpP-PNA1-3'N, but showed no effect on susceptibility to the optimized acpP-PNA14-5'L. The WT strain remained susceptible to the optimized PNA-peptide after 30 serial passages on media containing the optimized PNA-peptide. Conclusions A PNA-peptide that targets acpP, has a 5' membrane-penetrating peptide and has a linker shows excellent activity against planktonic and biofilm NTHi and is associated with a low risk for induction of resistance.
The Prevalence of Rape Myths among Middle School Students across Gender and Socioeconomic Background

A study designed to investigate the level and type of rape myths that are endorsed among middle school youth in terms of gender and socioeconomic background is reported in this paper. Participants were 582 seventh and eighth grade students who took part in Project Equality, a rape and sexual assault prevention curriculum that took place during eight, one and a half-hour sessions. The modified Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale was administered to students before and after Project Equality. Results indicate that males endorse higher levels of rape myth acceptance, both before and after the intervention, although the number of endorsed myths decreased. Rape myth endorsement decreased following the intervention among participants of differing socioeconomic backgrounds. Males and females showed lower levels of rape myth acceptance following the intervention. Implications include finding more effective ways to target male youth and that Project Equality works to lower rape myths among middle school youth.
Child cultures, schooling, and literacy: global perspectives on composing unique lives, edited by Anne Haas Dyson, New York, Routledge, 2016, 184 pp., $38.36 (paperback) ISBN 978-1-138-83154-4

This analysis of eight situated case studies of young children from around the world is probing and provocative. Anne Haas Dyson, along with a team of eight other researchers from around the globe,...
Electrochemical studies on lead iodide

Abstract The total d.c. electrical conductivity of undoped PbI2 was measured as a function of iodine potential in the region 150–300°C to determine the nature of charge carriers in PbI2. Results indicate that PbI2 is an ionic conductor with electron holes as the minority carriers in this temperature range. Electrical polarization experiments were also performed to determine the electron hole conductivity and concentrations, mobilities and chemical diffusion coefficients of electron holes in undoped PbI2 between 150 and 300°C.
Finding Precursors to Anomalous Drop in Airspeed During a Flight's Takeoff

Aerodynamic stall based loss of control in flight is a major cause of fatal flight accidents. In a typical takeoff, a flight's airspeed continues to increase as it gains altitude. However, in some cases, the airspeed may drop immediately after takeoff and when left uncorrected, the flight gets close to a stall condition which is extremely risky. The takeoff is a high workload period for the flight crew involving frequent monitoring, control and communication with the ground control tower. Although there exists secondary safety systems and specialized recovery maneuvers, current technology is reactive; often based on simple threshold detection and does not provide the crew with sufficient lead time. Further, with increasing complexity of automation, the crew may not be aware of the true states of the automation to take corrective actions in time. At NASA, we aim to develop decision support tools by mining historic flight data to proactively identify and manage high risk situations encountered in flight. In this paper, we present our work on finding precursors to the anomalous drop-in-airspeed (ADA) event using the ADOPT (Automatic Discovery of Precursors in Time series) algorithm. ADOPT works by converting the precursor discovery problem into a search for sub-optimal decision making in the time series data, which is modeled using reinforcement learning. We give insights about the flight data, feature selection, ADOPT modeling and results on precursor discovery. Some improvements to ADOPT algorithm are implemented that reduces its computational complexity and enables forecasting of the adverse event. Using ADOPT analysis, we have identified some interesting precursor patterns that were validated to be operationally significant by subject matter experts. The performance of ADOPT is evaluated by using the precursor scores as features to predict the drop in airspeed events.
Neurology Patient Recognition of and Satisfaction with Their Physicians (P05.007)

BACKGROUND: Re-structuring of training programs to meet ACGME-resident duty-hour restrictions may result in more physicians involved in a patient9s care, which may impact patient recognition of their physicians and satisfaction with care. We hypothesized 1) a negative relationship between number of physicians involved in a patient9s care and patients9 ability to identify their physicians and 2) lower overall satisfaction with care among patients who cannot identify their physicians. DESIGN/METHODS: Patients admitted directly to the adult General Neurology or Stroke inpatient service at a tertiary care center were invited to participate in the study within 24 hours of anticipated discharge. After providing verbal informed consent, participants were administered a 10-question survey, which involved selecting from a page of Neurology physician names/photographs all physicians involved in their care and answering questions about interactions with their physicians and satisfaction with care. RESULTS: Among 654 patients enrolled over a 6-month period, analysis has been completed for the first 100. The median number of physicians involved in a patient9s care was 4 (range 0-10), while the median number patients could identify was 1 (range 0-6). There was no relationship between number of physicians involved in a patient9s care and patient satisfaction. However, compared to patients who were less than very satisfied with their overall care, patients who were very satisfied were able to identify significantly more of their physicians (62% vs. 46%, p CONCLUSIONS: Neurology inpatients who can identify their physicians, a physician who knows them best, or a physician who is in charge of their care are more likely to be very satisfied with their overall care, regardless of the number of physicians seen. Disclosure: Dr. Zazulia has nothing to disclose. Dr. Anderson has nothing to disclose.
Cognitive Dysfunction, Mood Disorders, and Fatigue as Complications of Cancer

Impairment of cognitive function, mood alterations and fatigue are the most commonly reported symptoms in cancer patients and represent a major cause of impaired quality of life. Notably, the high prevalence of such symptoms has been observed not only in brain tumor patients treated with radiation and chemotherapy, but also in patients treated for tumors outside of the central nervous system, such as in patients with breast cancer, lung cancer, lymphoma and leukemia. While it has been difficult to identify the etiology of chronic fatigue, cognitive impairment, and mood alterations in most cancer patients, recent discoveries from preclinical and translational studies have started to shed light on possible underlying mechanisms. This chapter will review the current spectrum and pattern of neurocognitive and neuropsychiatric syndromes and fatigue encountered in cancer patients. Potential mechanisms will be discussed and available treatment options highlighted.
Diversity of Large-Bodied Macroinvertebrates in Ponds Created on the Debris-Avalanche Deposit Following the 1980 Eruption of Mount St. Helens

The numerous ponds formed in the weeks following the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens provided a unique opportunity to investigate macroinvertebrate communities in young (23- to 25-year-old) fishless ponds following a large natural disturbance. Over a 3-year period, Large-bodied macroinvertebrates were sampled from 97 ponds with a range of hydroperiods and biophysical characteristics. Macroinvertebrate communities from these ponds were spatially and temporally variable in spite of their close geographical proximity, shared regional species pool, and similar creation history. We identified 110 taxa, many of which were observed at only one pond or in only one year. Community differences appeared to be influenced more by pond size and riparian tree development rather than by hydroperiod alone, and stochastic colonization events were likely an important factor determining community composition.
Elder Abuse and Neglect: Examining Caregiver Characteristics and Perceptions of their Elderly Care Receiver’s Under-Accommodative Behavior

Based on the literature on family violence, intergenerational communication, and elder abuse, and the communication accommodation theory, this study tested a revised model of communication-based mo...
Antigen Capture by a Unique Ribonucleoprotein of Macrophage Cells

The association of antigens with polynucleotides has been a subject of intense interest in the past years. In particular, several reports have appeared which suggest that the association of antigen(s) with ribonucleic acids in vitro leads to an augmentation of the immunogenic properties of the substances so complexed (Fishman et al. 1961, 1963; Askonas and Rhodes, 1965). Polynucleotides have also been implicated as nonspecific stimulators of the immune response (Braun and Nakano, 1967).
Tension Softening and Size Effects on the Fracture Determination of Geomaterials

While the linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) based KIc fracture toughness test has been well established for metals, its direct application to toughness testing of most quasi-brittle geomaterials has not been consistently successful. In this paper we briefly review experimental and field observations of KIc size dependence in concrete and rock, and suggest that a valid KIc test for some such materials may require unpractically large specimen sizes. An alternative material tensile property - the tension softening curve - is given prominence in its ability to characterize crack formation and growth in geomaterials, and could be determined in the laboratory with reasonable specimen sizes. An experimental technique, originally developed for concrete, is suggested to be of value in determining the tension-softening curves for rocks.
Algorithms and Applications

This chapter focuses on the computational algorithms and gives implementation details. In Chap. 4, we have discussed discrete Ricci flow based on different schemes. For simplicity, here we only give the algorithm based on the scheme of inversive distance circle packing. The algorithms for discrete surface Ricci flow based on all the other schemes are very similar. Also, we illustrate the details for the Euclidean discrete surface Ricci flow. The hyperbolic discrete surface Ricci flow algorithms are almost identical, except replacing the planar Euclidean geometry by hyperbolic geometry. Spherical surface mapping can be obtained through Euclidean Ricci flow, using the inverse stereographic projection of the planar map.
Control of Skeletal Muscle by Electrical Stimulation

Publisher Summary When the organ systems of the body are studied from an engineering point of view, electricity emerges as the essence of human life. It is not surprising that medical practitioners have been fascinated by the effects of externally applied electricity since the beginning of medicine. New materials and increased understanding of their biological interface properties, both of the materials themselves and of living tissues in the presence of electrical current, now make it possible to influence minute natural electric currents in the body and to create substitute signals to reactivate lost functions. This chapter explains the concept of neuromuscular response to stimulation, functional electrical stimulation, and therapeutic electrical stimulation. The primary goal of therapeutic electrical stimulation is to effect an improvement in performance or to correct a deformity with the end goal of making the patient equipment-free. Two of the most common problems of rehabilitative medicine are contractures and disuse muscle atrophy. Atrophy is defined as a wasting away or diminution of size. A contracture is a fixed limitation in the range of motion of a joint. This is not caused by joint deterioration, as may be the case in rheumatoid arthritis, but occurs because of immobilization, paralysis, or chronic agonist–antagonist muscle imbalance, which results in a permanent shortening, thickening, and fibrosis of muscles and other tissue surrounding the joint capsule. Current treatment methods are not adequate. The recommended treatment for contracture prevention is daily ranging of the involved joints. This is impossible during immobilization and is often ineffective in brain-damaged patients with spasticity or rigidity, which prevents complete ranging.
Transition Layer Dynamics

In a recent paper Fusco and Hale [1] attempt to explain the dynamics governing the evolution of two phases of the same substance coexisting at the transition temperature by studying the behavior of the parabolic equation $$ {u_t} = {\varepsilon ^2}{u_{xx}} + f\left( u \right){\text{ x}} \in \Omega {\text{: = }}\left( {0,1} \right){u_x}\left( {0,t} \right) = 0 = {u_x}\left( {1,t} \right) $$ (1.1) The variable u is the “order parameter” in the problem, which is related to the microscopic structure of the substance.
An Exploration of Accountability Practices of School Counselors: A National Study

Accountability practices of school counselors deserve attention and is a timely topic considering the direction of education reforms toward data driven practice. School counselors (n = 1,704) natio...
Blast-induced brain injury in rats leads to transient vestibulomotor deficits and persistent orofacial pain.

Blast-induced traumatic brain injury (blast-TBI) is associated with vestibulomotor dysfunction, persistent post-traumatic headaches and post-traumatic stress disorder, requiring extensive treatment...
Sustainable synthetic methods: domino construction of dihydropyridin-4-ones and beta-amino esters in aqueous ethanol.

Domino reactions were designed to allow the byproduct of an upstream reaction to be internally recycled to catalyze a downstream reaction in a one-pot tandem sequence. Nitroarene reduction by In0 generates an amine and InIII byproducts. Addition of aldehyde followed by Danishefsky’s diene or silyl ketene acetal provides access to dihydropyridin-4-ones or β-amino esters, respectively, in yields that are comparable or superior to the reported stepwise reactions.
Does adaptation to historical climate shape plant responses to future rainfall patterns? A rainfall manipulation experiment with common ragweed.

Climate change is affecting both the volume and distribution of precipitation, which in turn is expected to affect the growth and reproduction of plant populations. The near ubiquity of local adaptation suggests that adaptive differentiation may have important consequences for how populations are affected by and respond to changing precipitation. Here, we manipulated rainfall in a common garden to examine how differentiation among populations of common ragweed, Ambrosia artemisiifolia (Asteraceae) affects responses to water availability expected under climate change. We collected seeds from 26 populations along gradients of historical rainfall and used event-based rainout shelters and watering additions to simulate drier summer conditions and more extreme rainfall events, respectively. Ambrosia artemisiifolia had higher fitness on average under reduced rainfall, suggesting it may spread and become more abundant in areas projected to become hotter and drier during the summer months. We also found strong evidence for phenotypic and fitness clines across both latitude and longitude, and that phenological responses and fitness effects of altered rainfall depended on seed source or historical climate. The effect of rainfall treatment on female fitness was highest in western and mid longitudes, but there was little effect on eastern populations. Across latitude, the effect of rainfall treatment on male fitness was highest in southern populations. These phenology and fitness clines suggest that adaptive differentiation across the species’ range has the potential to shape future responses of A. artemisiifolia populations to climate change, particularly altered patterns of rainfall.
Polymerization‐induced self‐assembly of metallo‐polyelectrolyte block copolymers

Cobaltocenium-containing polyelectrolyte block copolymer nanoparticles were prepared via polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA) using aqueous dispersion RAFT polymerization. The cationic steric stabilizer was a macromolecular chain-transfer agent (macro-CTA) based on poly (2-cobaltocenium amidoethyl methacrylate chloride) (PCoAEMACl), and the core-forming block was poly(2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate) (PHPMA). Stable cationic spherical nanoparticles were formed in aqueous solution with low dispersity without adding any salts. The chain extension of macro-CTA with HPMA was efficient and fast. The effects of block copolymer compositions, solid content, charge density, and addition of salts were studied. It was found that the degree of polymerization of both the stabilizer PCoAEMACl and the core-forming PHPMA had a strong influence on the size of nanoparticles.
Clinical characteristics associated with depression or anxiety among patients presenting for knee surgery

Abstract Background Preoperative depression and anxiety in patients undergoing surgery have been shown to be associated with increased postoperative complications, decreased functional improvement, and long-term dissatisfaction. The purpose of this prospective study was to measure the relationship between a diagnosis of depression or anxiety and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) domains, as well as determine which preoperative factors are associated with depression or anxiety in patients undergoing knee surgery. We hypothesized that preoperative depression and/or anxiety would be associated with worse preoperative pain, function, and general health status. Methods Three-hundred and eighty-six patients undergoing knee surgery between 2015 and 2017 were administered health-related quality of life measures preoperatively, and their medical records were reviewed for relevant medical history. A propensity matched analysis was performed to determine clinical factors independently associated with preoperative depression and/or anxiety. Results The overall study population consisted of 216 males and 170 females, with a mean age of 39.4 ± 16.2 years. From this overall cohort, 43 (11.1%) patients had a positive preoperative diagnosis of depression and/or anxiety. After controlling for covariate imbalances, preoperative depression/anxiety was independently associated with PROMIS Anxiety (p = 0.018), PROMIS Depression (p Conclusion The results support our hypothesis that preoperative depression/anxiety is associated with worse preoperative pain, function, and general health status. Furthermore, PROMIS Anxiety and Depression tools offer a reliable means of measuring psychological distress in the orthopaedic knee population. Similar to other studies, we also noted psychological comorbidity to be independently associated with ACLR and TKA.
Neurotransducers Based Voltage Sensitive Dye-Doped Microlasers

We demonstrate a novel neurotransducer for nerve cells electric potential detection that is based on voltage sensitive dye coupled to a microlaser. The neurotransducer exhibits a sensitivity of Δλ/ΔE=−5*10−4nm/(V/m) and a resolution of 34 V/m.
DOES PARTICIPATING IN SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IMPROVE THE SLEEP OF OLDER ADULTS

Food insecurity among lower income adults is associated with adverse health outcomes including sleep disorders. Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2005-2008, we explored the association between participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a safety net program addressing food insecurity, and sleep outcomes among older adults. Total sleep duration (<7 hours inadequate sleep, ≥7 hours adequate sleep) and sleep latency (10-20 mins normal sleep latency, ≤ 9 mins and ≥ 21mins abnormal sleep latency) were available for 805 participants 50 years and older and eligible for SNAP participation (≤130% federal poverty level). SNAP participation (yes/no) was assessed for the previous year. Sleep inadequacy was higher among SNAP participants (46.5%) compared to SNAP-eligible non-participants (36.3%), whereas the corresponding numbers for abnormal sleep latency were 71.8% and 64.1%. Binary logistic regression analysis showed no significant association between SNAP participation and inadequate sleep duration (OR=1.19, 95% CI 0.84-1.70) after adjusting for age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, and food security status. SNAP participation was also not associated with abnormal sleep latency (adjusted OR=1.49, 95% CI 1.00-2.23). SNAP participation was not protective against poor sleep outcomes among a sample of low-income, at risk of food insecurity older adults.
Your Job & How Technology Will Change It: Surviving & Succeeding in the New Work World

This is a different kind of book than those typically reviewed in the Journal of Education for Business. It is concise, focused, and somewhat shocking and may be considered to be more appropriate a...
A Comparison of Fed "Tightening" Episodes since the 1980s

Deciding to undertake a series of tightening actions present unique challenges for Federal Reserve policymakers. These challenges are both political and economic. Using a variety of economic and financial market metrics, this article examines how the economy and financial markets evolved in response to the five tightening episodes enacted by the FOMC since 1983. The primary aim is to compare the most-recent episode, from December 2015 to December 2018, with the previous four episodes. The findings in this article indicate that the current episode bears some resemblance to previous Fed tightening episodes, but also differs in several key dimensions. For example, in the first four episodes, the data show the FOMC was generally tightening into a strengthening economy with building price pressures. In contrast, in the fifth episode the FOMC began its tightening regime during a deceleration in economic activity and with headline and core inflation remaining well below the FOMC’s 2 percent inflation target. Moreover, both short- and long-term inflation expectations were drifting lower. These developments helped explain why there was a one-year gap between the first and second increases in the federal funds target rate in the most-recent episode. Another key difference is that in three of the first four episodes, the FOMC continued to tighten after the yield curve inverted; a recession then followed shortly thereafter. However, in the final episode, the FOMC ended its tightening policy about eight months before the yield curve inverted. It remains to be seen if a recession follows this inversion.
Selling fun and making a fortune: an examination of Mark Cuban’s impact on sport and business

Mark Cuban is known by many as one of the first-ever fan owners in the National Basketball Association. Using the wealth he amassed from his hard work and innovative practices in the software and t...
Radioiodine (RAI) in combination with durvalumab for recurrent/metastatic thyroid cancers.

6587Background: Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has limited efficacy for radioiodine-refractory thyroid cancer. The high incidence of autoimmune thyroid disease and ICB-induced hypothyroidism sugg...
The Restructuring of Britain's Navy, 1945-1979

While Britain's Royal Navy is the subject of an old, massive and ever-growing body of historiography, works attempting to consider its post-1945 development in a comprehensive fashion are few in number. This paper endeavors to provide a concise overview of its development with regard to the mission, size, unit composition, organization and deployment of that navy (with a focus on major combat units) in the 1945-1979 period, chronicling this development, identifying the key trends and then completing the picture with how it fared as against the other major navies of the era (those of the U.S. and the Soviet Union in particular).
State-to-State Master Equation and Direct Molecular Simulation Study of Energy Transfer and Dissociation for the N2-N System.

We present a detailed comparison of two high-fidelity approaches for simulating non-equilibrium chemical processes in gases: the state-to-state master equation (StS-ME) and the direct molecular sim...
Gravity Wave Sources, Source Variability and Lower and Middle Atmosphere Effects

Considerable progress has been made in understanding gravity wave sources and variability in recent years. This paper reviews the source mechanisms believed to be most significant at this time and the evidence for source variability and atmospheric effects. The major sources of gravity wave motions at high frequencies include topography, convective and frontal activity, and wind shear and exhibit large variability in response to varying mean winds and meteorology. Data suggest that these sources lead to clear statistical enhancements of wave activity at greater altitudes, with occasional dramatic increases in wave amplitudes. Other sources are likely to be more important in exciting low-frequency motions, including geostrophic adjustment and local momentum or heat sources due to internal or external forcing. Gravity wave effects include, among others, flow accelerations and turbulent diffusion. Mean accelerations force residual circulations with small amplitudes at lower levels and large departures from radiative equilibrium conditions at greater altitudes. Forcing variability is large and likely has effects that penetrate to considerable heights, but these are poorly understood at this time.
Concordance of disk diffusion, broth microdilution, and whole-genome sequencing for determination of in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility of Mannheimia haemolytica.

Background Extensive drug resistance (XDR) is an emerging concern with Mannheimia haemolytica, and a variety of testing methods are available for characterizing in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility. Objectives To compare the concordance among disk diffusion, broth microdilution, and whole genome sequencing (WGS) for susceptibility testing of M. haemolytica before and after mass treatment using tulathromycin. Animals Forty-eight M. haemolytica isolates collected from high-risk beef stocker calves before and after mass treatment (metaphylaxis) using tulathromycin (Draxxin, Zoetis, Parsippany, NJ) given at the label dosage of 2.5 mg/kg body weight SC in the neck. Methods In vitro antimicrobial susceptibility was determined for all 48 isolates using disk diffusion, broth microdilution, and WGS. Concordance was calculated between pairs of susceptibility testing methods as follows: number of isolates classified identically by the 2 testing methods for each timepoint, divided by the number of isolates tested at that timepoint. Discordance was calculated as follows: number of isolates classified differently by the 2 testing methods for each timepoint, divided by the number of isolates tested at that timepoint. Results Concordance between testing methods ranged from 42.3% to 100%, depending on antimicrobial evaluated, timing of sample collection, and testing method used. Very major errors were identified in up to 7.7% of classifications whereas minor errors were seen in up to 50% of classifications depending on antimicrobial evaluated, timing of sample collection, and testing method used. Conclusions and clinical importance Our results show that discrepancies in the results of different susceptibility testing methods occur and suggest a need for greater harmonization of susceptibility testing methods.
History of LGBTQQIA Rising Up in the American Counseling Association: In the Beginning

This article was based on the keynote address by Dr. Mark Pope at the second ALGBTIC national conference held in San Antonio, Texas, on September 17, 2016. In this address, Dr. Pope addressed the b...
Observation of long-range carrier diffusion in InGaN quantum wells, and implications from fundamentals to devices.

Photoluminescence measurements on high-quality InGaN quantum wells reveal that carriers diffuse laterally to long distances at room temperature, up to tens of microns. This behavior, which shows a pronounced dependence on the excitation density, contrasts with the common expectation of a short diffusion length. The data is well explained by a diffusion model taking into account the full carrier recombination dynamics, obtained from time-resolved measurements. These observations have important implications for understanding the high efficiency of III-nitride emitters, but also to properly interpret photoluminescence experiments and to design efficient small-scale devices.
The Efficient Frontier: A Note on the Curious Difference between Variance and Standard Deviation

The Markowitz frontier of optimal portfolios is valid in both mean–variance space and in mean–standard deviation space. There are, however, some curious differences because lines in one space become curves in the other. This article explores and explains the curiosity. Key Findings ▪ The capital allocation line is a curve in mean–variance space. ▪ There is a line in mean–variance space that connects the riskless rate with the tangency portfolio, but it is not a capital allocation line. ▪ Volatility can be either standard deviation or variance, but their efficient frontier geometry is curiously different.
The CORONA Atlas Project: Orthorectification of CORONA Satellite Imagery and Regional-Scale Archaeological Exploration in the Near East

Declassified, Cold War-era CORONA satellite images have proven to be a critical tool in archaeology of the Near East and elsewhere, primarily because they preserve a picture of sites and landscapes that predates recent agricultural, industrial and urban development. However, unprocessed CORONA images contain extreme spatial distortions caused by a cross-path panoramic scanning system, and the absence of detailed orientation and camera information makes correction of these errors highly challenging, resulting in small-scale, piecemeal application of this resource. This chapter overviews our methods for efficient orthorectification of KH-4A and KH-4B CORONA imagery and our development of a freely accessible online database for viewing and distribution of corrected images. We also highlight our efforts to deploy regional-scale CORONA coverage to facilitate the discovery and documentation of archaeological landscapes from across the Northern Fertile Crescent.
Reduced and skewed TCR Vβ repertoire in CD8 compared to Foxp3+ regulatory T cells in acute gastrointestinal graft versus host disease (TRAN1P.947)

It is unclear if skewing of TCR repertoire in CD4, CD8 and Foxp3+Tregs plays a role in acute gastrointestinal (GI) GVHD. This prospective clinical study examined the TCR Vβ diversity among CD4, CD8 and Foxp3+Tregs from 18 adult patients (median age 53) post allogeneic stem cell transplant (SCT) at day 80 with acute GI GVHD (giGVHD, >grade 1, n=9) vs. nonGVHD (n=9). Fresh PBMC were analyzed by FACS using IOTest Beta Mark 24 TCR Vβ and Foxp3 (236A/E7)/Helios eBioscience kits. Mann Whitney test was used. Mean %CD4 was lower in giGVHD vs. nonGVHD (44vs72%, p=0.02) while no difference in %CD8 (51vs55%), %Tregs (16vs16%) and %Helios+Tregs (72vs76%). %Total Vβ were similar for CD4 (60), CD8 (60) and Tregs (64) in nonGVHD. In giGVHD, %CD8 (40) was lower than %Tregs (69), p<0.001 and %CD4 (56), p=0.08. Between giGVHD vs. nonGVHD, there was a difference for %TCR in CD8 (p=0.02) but none for CD4 or Tregs. In nonGVHD, there was a direct correlation between %CD8 TCR vs. %CD8 and %CD4 TCR vs. %CD4 but no correlation for %Treg TCR vs. %Tregs. In giGVHD, there was an inverse correlation between %CD8 TCR vs. %CD8 and %CD4 TCR vs. %CD4 but no correlation for %Treg TCR vs. %Tregs. These results indicate a restricted, reduced and skewed TCR repertoire within the CD8 as compared to Tregs and CD4 in giGVHD. These CD8 might be the pathogenic cells escaping Treg suppression. In conclusion, a reduced and skewed TCR diversity in CD8 at day 80 might be predictive for the development of chronic GVHD.
A new story ARC for α-granule formation

Congenital defects in platelet granule formation, although unusual, have been instrumental in providing a glimpse into the mechanisms of granule biogenesis. In this issue of Blood , [Bem et al][1] now generate and characterize a murine model of arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction, and cholestasis (ARC
Studies on lactams—XXVII

Abstract Reaction of phenoxyacetyl chloride with α-carbomethoxybenzylidine- p -anisidine 1 in presence of triethylamine gave a mixture of E and Z 1-( p -anisyl)-4-carbomethoxy-3-phenoxy-4-phenyl-2-azetidinones 2 which upon hydrolysis with lithium iodide in refluxing pyridine produced the corresponding acids in the ratio of 3:1. A series of substituted β-lactams were prepared by transforming the carboxy group of the E-isomer into the acid chloride, amide, cyano, acid azide, isocyanate, urethane, urea, hydroxymethyl, aldehyde, acetoxy and methoxy groups.
EVALUATION OF THREE-WAY CATALYSTS. PART II

A number of recent 3-way catalyst formulations were evaluated. A comparison was made of the effects of contaminant levels on the performance of pulsator - and dynamometer-aged selected catalysts. The problems of increased ammonia formation on pulsator - and dynamometer-aged catalysts which contain base-metal oxides as oxygen-storage or water-gas shift components is attributed to S-poisoning. An inverse relationship between ammonia formation and the amount of rhodium on aged 3-way catalysts was noted. The effects of deliberate misfire on the selectively and activity characteristics are discussed. Further, the role of the water-gas shift and steam-reforming components in extending the "window" was studied. The effect of temperature and of inlet CO (H2) and hydro-carbon concentration of these reactions was investigated separately on single component samples and fully formulated catalysts. The extent of sulfate formation over typical fresh and dynamometer-aged 3-way catelysts is shown. /GMRL/
1,2,3,4,5-Pentachloro-5-ethylcyclopentadiene

1,2,3,4,5-Pentachloro-5-ethylcyclopentadiene reactant: 183 g. (1.10 moles) of triethyl phosphite solvent: 200 ml. of petroleum ether product: 1,2,3,4,5-pentachloro-5-ethylcyclopentadiene reactant: diethyl hydrogen phosphite reactant: triethyl phosphate byproduct: diethyl phosphorochloridate [chlorodiethoxyphosphorus (V) oxide] Keywords: alkylation, C-alkylation; assay methods, for hydroperoxide; triethyl phosphite
Expression of recombinant vitamin K-dependent proteins in mammalian cells: factors IX and VII.

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the expression of recombinant vitamin K-dependent proteins in mammalian cells. It also presents factor IX and factor VII as models for the generation of cell lines that express vitamin K-dependent proteins and for the characterization of these recombinant products. Two factors, the production level and the choice of cell line, impact significantly in producing a recombinant protein as qualitatively identical to the cognate plasma protein as possible. The effect that these two parameters have on the expression of factor IX is described in the chapter. Not all vitamin K dependent proteins respond identically, however, in the same expression system. Factor VII and factor IX, for example, differ in their efficiency of carboxylation and both of these proteins are secreted as single chains in contrast to protein C that undergoes cleavage to a two-chain form during secretion.
Measuring and Explaining Differences in Wireless Simulation Models

Network Simulation tools have played very significant role in wireless network research in the past decade. Compared to wired networks, there are a lot more parameters that effect the behavior of wireless networks. For reasons of simplicity and computational complexity, some details are abstracted out when implementing protocol models in network simulators. IEEE 802.11 has been the dominant protocol for the MAC and PHY layers of most wireless networks in practice. Subtle implementation variations in the 802.11 protocol result in largely divergent results when higher level protocols are simulated on top of the 802.11MAC. In this paperwe concentrate on these implementation details and show how these affect the behavior of the 802.11 MAC model in various simulators. We also identify the abstractions that result in the diverging behavior of the 802.11 MAC protocol model and try to compare those with reference to the IEEE specification.
The Neurological Complications of Spermatorrhœa

The age-old belief that loss of sperm could be dangerous to health became a major medical concern throughout the Western world following Claude-Francois Lallemand's inflammatory warnings about the dangers of spermatorrhea. This article investigates the leading role played by American neurologic authorities of the mid and late 1800s in their fight against the cerebral and spinal complications of spermic depletion.
Thrombin induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition via PAR1, PKC and ERK1/2 pathways in A549 cells

Introduction: Thrombin activates the protease-activated receptor (PAR)-1 and induces a myofibroblast phenotype in normal lung fibroblasts. The origin of myofibroblasts are from the resident fibroblasts, fibrocytes and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). We investigated the effects of thrombin, which is an important mediator of the interstitial lung fibrosis, on EMT in A549 human alveolar epithelial cells. Methods: A549 cells were stimulated with thrombin (2 units/ml) and PAR1 agonist, TFLLRN (300 μM). The development of EMT was confirmed by real-time RT-PCR, western blot and immunofluorescence staining. A549 cells were transfected with small interfering RNA (siRNA) directed against PAR1 mRNA and thrombin inhibitor, argatrovan were added before thrombin for the inhibition experiment. To determine the possible PKC and ERK1/2 signaling pathways in the development of thrombin-induced EMT, 10 nM of GO6976 (PKC-α inhibitor), 4 μM of rottlerin (PKC-δ inhibitor), 10 μM of PKC-e antagonist peptide and PD98059 (ERK1/2 inhibitor) were used. The amount of collagen 1 and TGF-β in the cell culture supernatants were also measured by ELISA. Results: Thrombin induced the α-SMA expression and decreased the E-cadherin expression from the A549 pulmonary epithelial cells. This EMT phenomenon was accompanied by increased PAR1 expression. Transfection of PAR1 siRNA or argatrovan inhibited the EMT and PAR1 expression simultaneously. Thrombin and TFLLRN also increased the production of TGF-β and collagen 1 from the A549 cells. In addition, we confirmed that this thrombin-induced EMT was mediated through the PAR1 activation and PKC-ERK1/2 phosphorylation.
Radioimmunoassay of digoxin--interference by digitoxin.

Digitoxin interference with radioimmunoassay of digoxin may present a problem in determining digoxin concentrations in the serum of patients treated with digitoxin less than four weeks before digoxin was administered. Digoxin and digitoxin values were determined in the sera of 54 patients who were receiving only digitoxin. Additionally, digoxin was added to aliquots of sera from a patient receiving digitoxin, and digoxin concentrations were determined by radioimmunoassay. Digitoxin interfered with radioimmunoassay of digoxin in that 9% of the digitoxin present was counted as digoxin. The resulting spuriously high value for measured digoxin in patients receiving digoxin, but treated with digitoxin previously, can be corrected by applying the following equation (units: µg/liter): Digoxin (corrected) = digoxin (measured) — [0.09 x digitoxin (measured)]. This correction, which may differ somewhat with batch of antiserum, is applicable for digitoxin concentrations up to about 50 ng/ml. Digoxin does not interfere with the digitoxin assay.
RELATIONSHIP OF WATER ACTIVITY TO CONE CRISPNESS AS ASSESSED BY POSITIONAL RELATIVE RATING

The current industry standard for the assessment of ice cream cone crispness is a relatively complex instrumental measurement that more directly measures hardness than crispness. The objective of this research was to identify a simpler instrumental measure that corresponds to the consumer perception of crispness in ice cream cones. Uniform cone pieces were equilibrated to three different water activity (Aw) levels and 50 untrained judges rated crisp intensity of the pieces at each Aw level twice on a 10-point line scale using positional relative rating. Significant differences in perceived crispness between the three different Aw levels were found for two different cone types. No significant difference was found between replications. Correlation coefficients between perceived crispness and Aw were r = −0.999 (P < 0.01) for two different cones types. These findings suggest that Aw is a simple instrumental measure of crispness in sugar cones. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS This study contained two key findings. First, they show that water activity is highly correlated with the consumer perception of cone crispness, making it an excellent way to monitor crispness over time and from batch to batch. Second, these findings confirm that, as has been previously shown with model systems, positional relative rating reduces variability across replications when used with actual products. It also demonstrates that it can be used effectively with untrained consumers.
Ultrastructural Heterogeneity of Epithelioid Cells in Cutaneous Organized Granulomas of Diverse Etiology

• In organized granulomatous inflammation, activated macrophages terminally differentiate into epithelioid cells (ECs). By light microscopy, individual ECs appear similar, irrespective of the inciting agent. Ultrastructural analysis of a number of clinical and experimental granulomas in man and mice reveals, however, three distinct varieties of these cells. They are classified as follows: (1) EC-I cells containing a mixture of lysosomal-dense bodies and phagolysosomes and arrays of rough endoplasmic reticulum in the cytoplasm; (2) EC-II cells showing primarily a secretory mode with prominent Golgi bodies and rich arrangement of dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum with no phagocytic vacuoles; and (3) EC-III cells containing large multisized vesicles crowded throughout the cytoplasm and presently of unknown function. Although the unique appearance of these cells offers little diagnostic help, the cells do distribute differentially in different granulomas. The EC-I cells tend to predominate in infectious granulomas and where an excess of foreign material and debris is present. The EC-II cells are most characteristic of active sarcoidal granulomas, and the EC-III cells appear in chronic, long-standing granulomas. The heterogeneic nature of these cells seems to suggest their functions in granulomatous inflammation are not always the same. ( Arch Dermatol. 1991;127:821-826)
5′-O-Aliphatic and amino acid ester prodrugs of (−)-β-d-(2R,4R)-dioxolane-thymine (DOT): Synthesis, anti-HIV activity, cytotoxicity and stability studies

A series of (-)-beta-D-(2R,4R)-dioxolane-thymine-5'-O-aliphatic acid esters as well as amino acid esters were synthesized as prodrugs of (-)-beta-D-(2R,4R)-dioxolane-thymine (DOT). The compounds were evaluated for anti-HIV activity against HIV-1(LAI) in human peripheral blood mononuclear (PBM) cells as well as for their cytotoxicity in PBM, CEM and Vero cells. Improved anti-HIV potency in vitro was observed for the compound 2-4 (5'-O-aliphatic acid esters) without increase in cytotoxicity in comparison to the parent drug. Chemical and enzymatic hydrolysis of the prodrugs was also studied, in which the prodrugs exhibited good chemical stability with the half-lives from 3 h to 54 h at pH 2.0 and 7.4 phosphate buffer. However, the prodrugs were relatively labile to porcine esterase with the half-lives from 12.3 to 48.0 min.
Teaching Social Studies to Learning Disabled High School Students: Effects of a Hypertext Study Guide.

This study investigated the effectiveness of a computer-based study guide using hypertext software to increase textbook comprehension among four learning disabled students enrolled in a remedial high school social studies class. The program provided four levels of instructional cues that matched students to their highest level of independent interaction with a textbook passage, based on item-to-item responses to computer-generated questions. Using alternative forms of a 45-item multiple-choice test, a pre-test/post-test design was arranged, with a retention test given after a 30-day period. Fifteen questions were designated as control items by placing them in the 45-item tests but not in the computer treatment. The computer program consisted of three separate lessons administered across consecutive class sessions, with each followed by a written 15-item multiple choice test containing 10 computer questions and 5 control items. Results indicated a significant gain for pupils on computer items from pre-test to post-test and from pre-test to retention test, while no significant change occurred on control items across measures. A single-case analysis revealed a consistent relationship between gain scores on computer items, reading time on computer, and the number of instructional cues required by students. Two types of non-linear pathways that teacher might consider when constructing study guides are discussed.
Elastic properties of the intermetallic compound ReSi2

Structural properties are crucial for understanding deformation behavior of a solid, e.g., dislocation slip systems, twinning modes, etc. A knowledge of elastic constants is essential for many practical applications related to the mechanical properties of a solid: load-deflection, thermoelastic stress, internal strain (residual stress), sound velocities, dislocation core structure, and fracture toughness. Further, the elastic properties may provide insight on the atomic bonding and resistance to deformation by shear. In this investigation, the elastic properties of ReSi{sub 2} were evaluated using resonant ultrasound spectroscopy (RUS) and are compared to the elastic properties of other transition metal disilicides.