cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Formation of a methylsulfinamide during the metabolism of a dinitroaniline by Streptomyces sp

• • 2 (a,a,a-trifluoro-2,6-dinitro-N,N-dipropyl-~-toluldlne) . A microbiological culture capable of metabolizing 1 was isolated from soil 3 by enrichment techniques. This culture, which we determined to be a mixture of two Streptomyces species but did not further characterize, was used to study the metabolism of 14C-labelled 14 . In this communication we report the isolation of a novel sulfur-containing metabolite of ! to which the structure of N-[2-amino= 3-nitro-5-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]methanesulfinamide, ~, was assigned. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Metabolite 2 was isolated by extraction followed by sequential dry-column and high pressure liquid (HPLC) chromatography. Its electron-impact (EI) mass spectrum (figure l) contained a parent ion (relative intensity 11%) at m/e 283, a base peak had m/e 220, and no peaks of significance between the parent and base peaks. The chemical ionization (CI, isobutane) spectrum (figure 2) had m/e 284 (70%), supporting a molecular weight of 283, and a base peak at m/e 222. Comparison of the chemical ionization spectra obtained with water and deuterium oxide as a reagent gases, respectively, indicated that the metabolite contained three exchangable hydrogens. A high-resolution electron-impact mass spectrum was consistent with the empirical formula CsH8F3N303S (calcd. 283.0237 amu, observed 283.0233 amu); however, the intensity of the parent ion was extremely weak (0.6%), and
Environmentally adaptive signal processing in shallow water

Low-frequency signals propagating in shallow water are conveniently represented as a set of acoustic normal modes individually characterized by different dependencies of pressure on depth. These differences have been exploited to form spatial filters which selectively enhance single modes of propagation. The performance of these filters is degraded by errors in the knowledge of the calculated depth function. This paper discusses an alternative approach to filter construction, in which filter coefficients are adaptively extracted from measurements of naturally-occurring acoustic noises. When the acoustic array densely samples the water column, the modal eigenfunctions can be obtained by diagonalization of the cross-spectral density matrix formed by averaging over an ensemble in which the modal components add incoherently. In the experimentally more practical case, in which the receiving array does not span the water column, useful spatial filters can be constructed from noise cross-spectral density matrices. >
Applicability and failure of the flux-gradient laws in double-diffusive convection

Double-diffusive flux-gradient laws are commonly used to describe the development of large-scale structures driven by salt fingers – thermohaline staircases, collective instability waves and intrusions. The flux-gradient model assumes that the vertical transport is uniquely determined by the local background temperature and salinity gradients. While flux-gradient laws adequately capture mixing characteristics on scales that greatly exceed those of primary double-diffusive instabilities, their accuracy rapidly deteriorates when the scale separation between primary and secondary instabilities is reduced. This study examines conditions for the breakdown of the flux-gradient laws using a combination of analytical arguments and direct numerical simulations. The applicability (failure) of the flux-gradient laws at large (small) scales is illustrated through the example of layering instability, which results in the spontaneous formation of thermohaline staircases from uniform temperature and salinity gradients. Our inquiry is focused on the properties of the ‘point-of-failure’ scale ( ) at which the vertical transport becomes significantly affected by the non-uniformity of the background stratification. It is hypothesized that can control some key characteristics of secondary double-diffusive phenomena, such as the thickness of high-gradient interfaces in thermohaline staircases. A more general parametrization of the vertical transport – the flux-gradient-aberrancy law – is proposed, which includes the selective damping of relatively short wavelengths that are inadequately represented by the flux-gradient models. The new formulation is free from the unphysical behaviour of the flux-gradient laws at small scales (e.g. the ultraviolet catastrophe) and can be readily implemented in theoretical and large-scale numerical models of double-diffusive convection.
Elastic Refresh: Techniques to Mitigate Refresh Penalties in High Density Memory

High density memory is becoming more important as many execution streams are consolidated onto single chip many-core processors. DRAM is ubiquitous as a main memory technology, but while DRAM’s per-chip density and frequency continue to scale, the time required to refresh its dynamic cells has grown at an alarming rate. This paper shows how currently-employed methods to schedule refresh operations are ineffective in mitigating the significant performance degradation caused by longer refresh times. Current approaches are deficient– they do not effectively exploit the flexibility of DRAMs to postpone refresh operations. This work proposes dynamically reconfigurable predictive mechanisms that exploit the full dynamic range allowed in the JEDEC DDRx SDRAM specifications. The proposed mechanisms are shown to mitigate much of the penalties seen with dense DRAM devices. We refer to the overall scheme as Elastic Refresh, in that the refresh policy is stretched to fit the currently executing workload, such that the maximum benefit of the DRAM flexibility is realized. We extend the GEMS on SIMICS tool-set to include Elastic Refresh. Simulations show the proposed solution provides a 10% average performance improvement over existing techniques across the entire SPEC CPU suite, and up to a 41%improvement for certain workloads.
Prevalence of Antibodies to Four Human Coronaviruses Is Lower in Nasal Secretions than in Serum

Little is known about the prevalence of mucosal antibodies induced by infection with human coronaviruses (HCoV), including HCoV-229E and -OC43 and recently described strains (HCoV-NL63 and -HKU1). By enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, we measured anti-HCoV IgG antibodies in serum and IgA antibodies in nasal wash specimens collected at seven U.S. sites from 105 adults aged 50 years and older (mean age, 67 ± 9 years) with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Most patients (95 [90%]) had at least one more chronic disease. More patients had serum antibody to each HCoV strain (104 [99%] had antibody to HCoV-229E, 105 [100%] had antibody to HCoV-OC43, 103 [98%] had antibody to HCoV-NL63, and 96 [91%] had antibody to HCoV-HKU1) than had antibody to each HCoV strain in nasal wash specimens (12 [11%] had antibody to HCoV-229E, 22 [22%] had antibody to HCoV-OC43, 8 [8%] had antibody to HCoV-NL63, and 31 [31%] had antibody to HCoV-HKU1), respectively (P < 0.0001). The proportions of subjects with IgA antibodies in nasal wash specimens and the geometric mean IgA antibody titers were statistically higher for HCoV-OC43 and -HKU1 than for HCoV-229E and -NL63. A higher proportion of patients with heart disease than not had IgA antibodies to HCoV-NL63 (6 [16%] versus 2 [3%]; P = 0.014). Correlations were highest for serum antibody titers between group I strains (HCoV-229E and -NL63 [r = 0.443; P < 0.0001]) and between group II strains (HCoV-OC43 and -HKU1 [r = 0.603; P < 0.0001]) and not statistically significant between HCoV-NL63 and -OC43 and between HCoV-NL63 and -HKU1. Patients likely had experienced infections with more than one HCoV strain, and IgG antibodies to these HCoV strains in serum were more likely to be detected than IgA antibodies to these HCoV strains in nasal wash specimens.
Analysis of Acousto-Electromagnetic Scattering from a Dielectric Cylinder using the Finite-Difference Time-Domain Method

Analytical solutions for the Doppler component have been obtained for infinite, circular dielectric and metallic cylinders. However, in order for the approach to be of practical significance, the capability to analyze arbitrary scatterers needs to be developed. Previously, the portion of the Doppler component arising from boundary perturbation has been modelled using sheet boundary conditions (SBC) and the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method in two dimensions. To complete the two-dimensional model, the portion of the Doppler component due to dielectric modulation is now presented. The results are compared with the analytical solutions for circular cylinders
A reconfigurable plasmofluidic lens

Plasmonics provides an unparalleled method for manipulating light beyond the diffraction limit, making it a promising technology for the development of ultra-small, ultra-fast and power-efficient optical devices. To date, the majority of plasmonic devices are in the solid state and have limited tunability or configurability. Moreover, individual solid-state plasmonic devices lack the ability to deliver multiple functionalities. Here we utilize laser-induced surface bubbles on a metal film to demonstrate, for the first time, a plasmonic lens in a microfluidic environment. Our ‘plasmofluidic lens’ is dynamically tunable and reconfigurable. We record divergence, collimation and focusing of surface plasmon polaritons using this device. The plasmofluidic lens requires no sophisticated nanofabrication and utilizes only a single low-cost diode laser. Our results show that the integration of plasmonics and microfluidics allows for new opportunities in developing complex plasmonic elements with multiple functionalities, high-sensitivity and high-throughput biomedical detection systems, as well as on-chip, all-optical information processing techniques.
SYNTHESIS OF NEARLY-PURE 2223 PHASE Tl2Ba2Ca2Cu3O10 WITH Tc ABOVE 120 K FROM 2223 STARTING COMPOSITION

Nearly-pure 2223 phase Tl2Ba2Ca2Cu3O10 with zero-resistance temperature of 120 K or higher was synthesized for the first time from 2223 starting composition using a Ba2Ca2Cu3O7 precursor method in a half-closed system. The results from resistance and ac susceptibility measurements and powder X-ray diffraction analyses are presented. The optimal preparation condition is heating at about 900° C for about 48 hours. This optimal condition actually produces the true composition of the “2223” phase.
Projection X-Space MPI Mouse Scanner

Here we describe the construction and images of the first projection x-space MPI scanner. The scanner is a side-access quadrupole design, and generates a 2.35 T/m main field gradient. The system excites the sample and receives signal in one axis, and reconstructs full-body images using x-space reconstruction. The resulting images are of high quality, and we demonstrate linear and shift invariance of the imaging system by imaging a resolution phantom and mice injected with Resovist.
MULTIDIRECTIONAL MEAN VALUE INEQUALITIES AND WEAK MONOTONICITY

Multidirectional mean value inequalities provide estimates of the difference of the extremal value of a function on a given bounded set and its value at a given point in terms of its (sub)-gradient at some intermediate point. A generalization of such multidirectional mean value inequalities is derived by using new infinitesimal conditions for a weak r-growth of the lower semicontinuous function along approximate trajectories of differential inclusions. This new form of the multidirectional mean value inequality does not rely on the linear structure of the underlying space and removes a traditional assumption of lower boundedness on the function.
Analysis of the Interaction between the UL11 and UL16 Tegument Proteins of Herpes Simplex Virus

The UL11 and UL16 tegument proteins of herpes simplex virus are conserved throughout the herpesvirus family. Previous studies have shown that these proteins interact, perhaps to link UL16-bound nucleocapsids to UL11, which resides on the cytoplasmic face of the trans-Golgi network, where maturation budding occurs. Little is known about the interaction except that it requires the leucine-isoleucine (LI) and acidic cluster motifs in UL11 and that no other viral proteins are involved. In particular, the important question of whether these two proteins bind to each other directly has not been addressed. Accordingly, UL11 and UL16 were expressed in bacteria, and the purified proteins were found to retain the ability to interact in a manner that was dependent upon the LI and acidic cluster. In an attempt to map the UL11-binding site contained in UL16, a large number of deletion mutants were constructed. The first 40 (nonconserved) amino acids were found to be dispensable, but all the other constructs failed to bind UL11 or had poor expression in transfected cells, suggesting that UL16 is very sensitive to alterations and probably lacks a multidomain structure. As an alternative strategy for identifying residues that are important for the interaction, the cysteines of UL16 were investigated, because many of these are highly conserved. Approximately half of the 20 cysteines in UL16 have been shown to be covalently modified by N-ethylmaleimide, and this treatment was found to block the interaction with UL11. Moreover, individual serine replacements of six of the most conserved cysteine residues were made, and four of these disrupted the interaction with UL11 without affecting protein stability. However, the UL11-UL16 interaction does not involve the formation of interspecies disulfide bonds, because binding occurred even when all the cysteines in UL11 were eliminated. Thus, UL16 directly interacts with UL11 and does so in a manner that requires free cysteines.
Derivation of the visual contrast response function by maximizing information rate

A graph of neural output as a function of the logarithm of stimulus intensity often produces an S-shaped function, which is frequently modeled by the hyperbolic ratio equation. The response of neurons in early vision to stimuli of varying contrast is an important example of this. Here, the hyperbolic ratio equation with a response exponent of two is derived exactly by considering the balance between information rate and the neural costs of making that information available, where neural costs are a function of synaptic strength and spike rate. The maximal response and semisaturation constant of the neuron can be related to the stimulus ensemble and therefore shift accordingly to exhibit contrast gain control and normalization.
Semigroups generated by a group and an idempotent

It is well known that the semigroup of all transformations on a finite set X of order n is generated by its group of units, the symmetric group, and any idempotent of rank n − 1. Similarly, the symmetric inverse semigroup on X is generated by its group of units and any idempotent of rank n − 1 while the analogous result is true for the semigroup of all n × n matrices over a field. In this paper we begin a systematic study of the structure of a semigroup S generated by its group G of units and an idempotent ϵ . The first section consists of preliminaries while the second contains some general results which provide the setting for those which follow. In the third section we shall investigate the situation where G is a permutation group on a set X of order n and ϵ is an idempotent of rank n − 1. In particular, we shall show that any such semigroup S is regular. Furthermore we shall determine when S is an inverse or orthodox semigroup or completely regular semigroup. The fourth section deals with a special ca...
Evaluating whether direct-to-consumer marketing can increase demand for evidence-based practice among parents of adolescents with substance use disorders: rationale and protocol.

Background Fewer than one in 10 adolescents with substance use disorders (ASUDs) will receive specialty treatment, and even fewer will receive treatment designated as evidence-based practice (EBP). Traditional efforts to increase the utilization of EBP by ASUDs typically focus on practitioners—either in substance use clinics or allied health settings. Direct-to-consumer (DTC) marketing that directly targets parents of ASUDs represents a potentially complementary paradigm that has yet to be evaluated. The current study is the first to evaluate the relevance of a well-established marketing framework (the Marketing Mix) and measurement approach (measurement of perceived service quality [PSQ]) with parents of ASUDs in need of treatment.
Patient tolerance and acceptance of unsedated ultrathin esophagoscopy.

Abstract Background: Unsedated endoscopy has not gained wide acceptance in the United States. Factors that may predict tolerance and acceptance of unsedated endoscopy are ill defined. Methods: Outpatients referred for standard EGD were recruited to undergo unsedated ultrathin esophagoscopy (UUE) with a new 3.1-mm battery-powered esophagoscope before sedated EGD. They rated preprocedure and postprocedure anxiety levels with the Profile of Mood States Tension/Anxiety subscale (POMS-SF T/A). They also rated symptoms and overall acceptability and listed procedural preference between EGD and UUE. Patients who refused UUE noted a reason for refusal and also completed the anxiety questionnaire. Results: Fifty-two of 98 patients recruited agreed to participate, and underwent both UUE and EGD. Patients who refused UUE were significantly more anxious (mean anxiety score, 8.2 vs. 4.5, p p = 0.02). Conclusions: Patient acceptance of unsedated endoscopy even with an ultrathin instrument is limited. Anxiety assessment by the POMS-SF T/A can identify patients willing to undergo UUE. Patients who choose transoral UUE may be more willing to repeat the procedure. (Gastrointest Endosc 2002;55:620-3.)
Control Of A Biped Somersault In 3D

The somersault is a maneuver in which a performer jumps into the air and rotates through 360 degrees before landing on the ground. The somersault is challenging to execute because the performer has limited control over the body while airborne. Despite conservation of momentum con- straints, limited control of such a maneuver during flight is possible. We experiment with the use of an in flight feedback strategy to control the somer- sault landing of a biped robot. In flight, the robot manipulates its rotation rate by tucking its legs to control the landing attitude. Results from somer- sault experiments in the laboratory provide initial verification of the control strategy.
Associations of Socioeconomic Variables With Resection, Stage, and Survival in Patients With Early-Stage Pancreatic Cancer

Importance Socioeconomic variables including sex, race, ethnicity, marital status, and insurance status are associated with survival in pancreatic cancer. It remains unknown exactly how these variables influence survival, including whether they affect stage at presentation or receipt of treatment or are independently associated with outcomes. Objectives To investigate the relationship between socioeconomic factors and odds of resection in early-stage, resectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma and to determine whether these same factors were independently associated with survival in patients who underwent resection. Design, Setting, and Participants This was a retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed as having T1 through T3 M0 pancreatic adenocarcinoma between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2011, identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Main Outcomes and Measures Socioeconomic and geographic variables associated with utilization of resection and disease-specific survival. Results A total of 17 530 patients with localized, nonmetastatic pancreatic cancer were identified. The resection rate among these patients was 45.4% and did not change over time. Utilization of resection was independently associated with white vs African American race (odds ratio [OR] = 0.76; 95% CI, 0.65-0.88;P Conclusions and Relevance Disparities in the utilization of surgical resection for patients with early-stage, resectable pancreatic cancer are associated with socioeconomic variables including race, ethnicity, marital status, insurance status, and geographic location. Of these factors, only geographic location is independently associated with survival in patients undergoing resection.
Bond-selective photoacoustic imaging by converting molecular vibration into acoustic waves

The quantized vibration of chemical bonds provides a way of detecting specific molecules in a complex tissue environment. Unlike pure optical methods, for which imaging depth is limited to a few hundred micrometers by significant optical scattering, photoacoustic detection of vibrational absorption breaks through the optical diffusion limit by taking advantage of diffused photons and weak acoustic scattering. Key features of this method include both high scalability of imaging depth from a few millimeters to a few centimeters and chemical bond selectivity as a novel contrast mechanism for photoacoustic imaging. Its biomedical applications spans detection of white matter loss and regeneration, assessment of breast tumor margins, and diagnosis of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques. This review provides an overview of the recent advances made in vibration-based photoacoustic imaging and various biomedical applications enabled by this new technology.
Nek2 activation of Kif24 ensures cilium disassembly during the cell cycle

Many proteins are known to promote ciliogenesis, but mechanisms that promote primary cilia disassembly before mitosis are largely unknown. Here we identify a mechanism that favours cilium disassembly and maintains the disassembled state. We show that co-localization of the S/G2 phase kinase, Nek2 and Kif24 triggers Kif24 phosphorylation, inhibiting cilia formation. We show that Kif24, a microtubule depolymerizing kinesin, is phosphorylated by Nek2, which stimulates its activity and prevents the outgrowth of cilia in proliferating cells, independent of Aurora A and HDAC6. Our data also suggest that cilium assembly and disassembly are in dynamic equilibrium, but Nek2 and Kif24 can shift the balance toward disassembly. Further, Nek2 and Kif24 are overexpressed in breast cancer cells, and ablation of these proteins restores ciliation in these cells, thereby reducing proliferation. Thus, Kif24 is a physiological substrate of Nek2, which regulates cilia disassembly through a concerted mechanism involving Kif24-mediated microtubule depolymerization.
Maternal and infant outcomes among women vaccinated against pertussis during pregnancy

ABSTRACTTetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccination is recommended for all women during each pregnancy to prevent pertussis in young infants. However, data on the safety of this protective measure are limited and conflicting. To assess maternal and infant outcomes associated with administration of this vaccine during pregnancy, we reviewed medical records of 1,759 women who delivered a singleton infant at a southeast Texas public hospital between November 1, 2012 and June 30, 2014. After excluding women who had inadequate prenatal care or who delivered at <27 weeks gestation, we used multivariable logistic regression analyses to compare 13 outcomes between those who did and did not receive the Tdap vaccine. We examined 6 maternal outcomes (chorioamnionitis, postpartum endometritis, preterm delivery, preterm premature rupture of membranes, induced labor, and mode of delivery) and 7 infant outcomes (low birth weight, very low birth weight, small for gestational age, 5-minute Apgar score,...
Λ-Σ conversion and ΛdJ=3/2 bound states

The effect of virtual\(\Lambda {\mathcal{N}} \rightleftarrows \Sigma {\mathcal{N}}\) transitions on the binding energy of the Λd.J=3/2 system was investigated using the Faddeev formalism. Separable potentials were assumed for the two-body interactions and a repulsive core was included in the\(\Lambda {\mathcal{N}}\) potential. A possible three-body bound state was found to be destroyed by assuming a finite coupling to the Σ-channel.
Studies on Metal-Containing Surfactants. II.

Surface active properties of binary aqueous solutions of dodecyl pyridinium chloride (DPC) -metal soap were investigated.Metal soaps used were ricinoleates and laurates of manganese, copper, cobalt etc., which were prepared by metatheses of the corresponding sodium salts with metal halides in alcoholic solution. The molar mixing ratios of DPC to metal soap were 5 and 10 to 1.Manganese, cobalt, zinc soaps etc. were solubilized in DPC solution in molar ratio of 1 : 31 : 10 with regard to the latter, while other metal soaps, especially iron, chromium, lead soaps etc. were less soluble.The values of surface tension and contact angle against chromium plate of the mixed aqueous solutions of laurates and of ricinoleates reached down to 24 and 30dyne/cm, and 15 and 22°θ, respectively.The specific conductances of the mixed solutions were higher than those of the solution of DPC alone and especially cobalt and zinc soap solutions showed high values.In wetting power, most remarkable synergistic effect was shown. The sinking time against felt and cotton cloth reached to 13 seconds in the case of manganese and cobalt laurate solutions. A noticeable synergistic effect was shown in foaming characteristics, too. Excellent foaming power was shown in all soap solutions, and in the foam stability every laurate and manganese ricinoleate solutions were better than the remainders. In emulsifying characteristics, emulsifying power was not so good in general, however, every laurate and manganese ricinoleate solutions were suited to kerosene which was not suitable for DPC.The rust-preventive power of mixed solutions against soft iron and brass was not so good in general, while better effects were obtained with almost soap solutions against aluminium at the higher concentrations. In anti-bacterial action, cadmium, cobalt and manganese soap solutions were effective against R. japonicus, S. cerevisiae etc.Though the effect of metal soap varies considerably with the kind of properties measured, the best effect obtained in this study was nearly equal to that caused by barium soap which was most effective among several soaps used in the previous reports.
Criminality, Obsessive Compulstion, and Aesthetic Rage in 'Straight Time'

When I first saw “Straight Time” I was working as a law clerk in the Prisoner’s Rights Office of the Public Defender in Vermont. I was immediately struck by the movie. All of the characters, the situations, and the details in the film had familiarity for me then. I tried to understand why the movie had such a deep resonance. Perhaps it was just because of my work at that time, interviewing prisoners while attending law school ad struggling to become a lawyer. I was fascinated by the movie, compelled by the starkness and edge of the characters, images, and story. Although I was working and attending law school in the northeast and the movie was set in Los Angeles, it reminded me of the stories of so many of our clients, striving for recognition and respect in a world devoid of narrative possibilities, a world where they were type-case as pariahs, a world in which they would probably, at best, be released and confined to boring and menial day-jobs and a marginal, struggling, banal existence. Like the criminals in “Straight Time,” it seemed to me that the one thing that many of our clients were proficient at, or at least were passionate about, was criminality. Criminality was their calling and their fate and their career. It struck me that the most disturbing and yet compelling aspect of the film was how the characters, especially Max Dembo (Dustin Hoffman), unapologetically embraced their fate, just as many of the prisoners did.
STUDIES ON STABILITY OF MEROPENEM AND IMIPENEM/CILASTAIN IN PERITONEAL DIALYSIS SOLUTIONS BY HPCE

OBJECTIVE:An HPCE method was applied to study the stability of meropenem and imipenem/cilastain in peritoneal dialysis solutions(PDS).METHODS:The measurements were carried out in a buffer,0.03 mol·L 1 phosphate borate and 0.05 mol·L 1 dodecyl sulfate,pH8.5,running voltage 20 kV,detection wavelength 200 nm.RESUITS:The linear Ca libration ranges were 100～1000 μg·ml 1 for meropenem,imipenem and cilastain.CONCLUSION:Meropenem was unstable in PDS stored at 5 ℃,20 ℃,37 ℃,its concentration decreased to less than 90% of the initial concentration within 5 hours at 5 ℃.Imipenem was more stable in PDS than meropenem.At 5 ℃ the stored duration of imipenem would be 14 hours.The concentration of cilastain decreased to 94% of the initial concentration in PDS stored at 5 ℃.The variation ranges of pH values for the PDS were ±0.4
Screening Transgenic Arabidopsis Expressing GFP::cDNA Fusions and Functional Analysis of Related Gene

Transgenic Arabidopsis expressing random GFP::cDNA fusions was used in this study.58 Basta-resistant transgenic lines which expressing GFP:cDNA fusions in nuclei or in both nuclei and cytoplasm were obtained.The cDNA fragment inserted into the transgenic plants were cloned and analyzed,and only four lines which express an in-frame fusion were obtained.Phynotype of one transgenic line R2,which expressing an in-frame fusion to a Gly-rich carboxy-terminal domain of AtGRP8 protein,was analyzed.The hypocotyl of R2 seedlings were shorter than that of wild type col-4 grown in continuous white,blue or red light,especially under relative lower fluence rate white(less than 100 μmol m-2 s-1) or blue(less than 75 μmol m-2 s-1) light,but there was no difference in the hypocotyl length when grown in the dark.The results indicated that AtGRP8 may be involved in controlling the photomorphogenesis of Arabidopsis seedling through its Gly-rich carboxy-terminal domain.
Corticopontine cells in area 18 of the cat

1. Area 18 projects to the rostral pontine nuclei. The visual response properties of rostral pontine cells differ greatly from those that have been reported for area 18 cells. We identified and studied corticopontine cells in area 18 and compared their receptive-field properties to those of other area 18 cells and to pontine visual cells. 2. We first located the visual area in the rostral pons by microelectrode recording and placed stimulating electrodes at the same site. Anti-dromically invaded cells were then recorded in area 18. The antidromic invasion of each cell was verified by orthodromic-antidromic spike collision. 3. Fifty-seven well-isolated corticopontine cells were studied in detail. We also recorded 466 unitary antidromic potentials with a mean invasion latency of 3.5 ms and recorded from 40 additional area 18 units to serve as a comparison group for the corticopontine cells. The comparison group cells were located in the same area in the visual field as the corticopontine cells. 4. The average receptive-field area for corticopontine cells (485 deg2) was much larger than the comparison cells (59 deg2). Forty percent of the corticopontine cells responded preferentially to multiple-spot target. Properly oriented gratings, slits, or edges were the most effective stimuli for the comparison cells. Eighty-two percent of the corticopontine cells showed clear directional preferences to moving-spot stimuli, and downward movements were most commonly preferred. Fifty-five percent of the area 18 comparison cells showed some directional preference, but no particular direction was preferred. The optimal stimulus speeds for corticopontine cells were higher than those for the comparison cells. 5. The response properties of the area 18 corticopontine cells are similar to the response properties of rostral pontine visual cells, except for a somewhat higher selectivity for orientation in the corticopontine cells. 6. We conclude that most response properties of rostral pontine visual cells are already present in a subset of area 18 cortical cells which project to the pons. The corticopontine cells are sensitive to multiple-spot targets moving in particular directions over large portions of the visual field, such properties are consistent with a visuomotor function for the corticopontocerebellar pathway.
Burning Characteristics of Needles from Eight Pine Species

Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), Jeffrey pine (P. jeffreyi), longleaf pine (P. palustris), and south Florida slash pine (P. elliottii var. densa) are fire resisters. Trees of these species are able to survive the direct effects of wildfires. Monterey pine (P. radiata), knobcone pine (P. attenuata), sand pine (P. clausa), and jack pine (P. banksiana) are fire evaders. Trees of these species are killed by wildfire, but species survive on the postfire site via seed germination. Needles were burned in a 2x2 factorial experiment to compare these eight species, all of which are prominent in fire-related communities. The experiment tested two factors-fire adaptive strategy (resisters vs. evaders), geographic region (western vs. eastern United States)-and interactions between those two factors. Flame height, flame time, ember time, burn time, percent fuel combusted, and mean rate of weight loss were measured. Longleaf pine, ponderosa pine, and south Florida slash pine had the highest values for flame height, percent fuel combusted, and mean rate of weight loss. Knobcone pine and Monterey pine had the longest ember time and burn time. Sand pine and jack pine had the longest flame time. Resisters tested highest in flame height, percent fuel combusted, and mean rate of weight loss. Evaders had greater flame and burn times. Western pines were significantly greater than eastern pines in all burning characteristics except flame time and mean rate of weight loss. Significant interactions between fire adaptive strategy and geographic region existed for all burning characteristics except mean rate of weight loss. The interaction was accounted for primarily by differences between western evaders, which had some of the highest values for each characteristic, and eastern evaders, which had some of the lowest values.
It takes a genome to understand a village: Population scale precision medicine

Genome sequencing has progressed incredibly in the past 15 y since the original human genome sequence reports were published (1). Medical genome sequencing has certainly advanced, from the early sequencing of healthy individuals (2), and families with genetic disease (3), to individual rare children with previously undescribed syndromes (4, 5). Newer medical uses for these sequencing technologies have also blossomed, including assessing the genomes of developing embryos (6), hard-to-detect cancers (7), and hidden infections (8). Population-level sequencing has led to better understanding of early human migration (9); better assessments of expectations in human variation (10); and, more recently, the assessment of genetic disease risk across the exomes of a modestly sized population (11). In PNAS, Telenti et al. (12) take this scientific progression to a new benchmark: the sequencing and analysis of more than 10,000 genomes. Some remarks must first be made about the mechanics of the research and paper itself. To ensure that they were fully able to use and capture high-quality sequences, Telenti et al. (12) first performed 325 technical-replicate sequencing of a canonical genome (NA12878, otherwise known as the “genome-in-a-bottle”). The performance of high-throughput short-read sequencing applied to the same genome is quite illuminating. Most surprising is the demonstrated unreliability in using high-throughput short-read sequencing to discover copy number variation, where normal human genomes are known to vary regionally in genomic content. Although shorter regions of insertion or deletion were measureable, the discovery of larger copy number variations was not reproducible. The team specifically suggests that the use of short-read sequencing for this task is not yet up to clinical standards. Depth of coverage is another key issue for clinical sequencing, with more short reads spanning the same regions adding confidence as to the nature of the variants within those regions, but also adding … [↵][1]1Email: atul.butte{at}ucsf.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
An evaluation of efficiency, safety, tolerability, patient satisfaction, and preference of subcutaneous (SQ) versus intravenous (IV) bortezomib (BTZ) administration in patients with multiple myeloma (MM).

e18553 Background: SQ BTZ is approved for use in patients (pts) with MM; however, there is no data assessing the effect of SQ BTZ administration on practice variables (e.g., chair time, total time in clinic) or patient preferences. Furthermore, few studies have evaluated the incidence of PN with SQ BTZ, especially in treatment naive patients. Methods: This study is divided into three components. Eligible pts for the retrospective efficiency study received ≥ 6 doses of either IV or SQ BTZ in the clinic in 2011 with no concurrent infusions/transfusions other than IV fluids, premedications, or concurrent chemotherapy during their visit. Individual clinic encounters of eligible pts were assessed for chair time and overall clinic visit time, and the average times were compared between the IV and SQ groups. Eligible pts for the preference/satisfaction survey study received ≥ 1 dose of each IV and SQ BTZ in 2011 and spoke English. Percent response to answer choices are reported. De novo SQ BTZ pts who received ≥...
Item Characteristic Curve Models

In the first chapter the properties of the item characteristic curve were defined in terms of verbal descriptors. While this is useful to obtain an intuitive understanding of item characteristic curves, it lacks the precision and rigor needed by a theory. Consequently, in this chapter the reader will be introduced to three mathematical models for the item characteristic curve. These models provide mathematical equations for the relation of the probability of correct response to ability. Each model employs one or more item parameters whose numerical values define a particular item characteristic curve. Such mathematical models are needed if one is to develop a measurement theory that can be rigorously defined and is amenable to further growth. In addition, these models and their parameters provide a vehicle for communicating information about an item’s technical properties. For each of the three models, the mathematical equation will be used to compute the probability of correct response at several ability levels. Then the graph of the corresponding item characteristic curve will be shown. The goal of the chapter is to have you develop a sense of how the numerical values of the item parameters for a given model relate to the shape of the item characteristic curve.
Rare pancreatic tumors

In this review, we will focus on rare pancreatic tumors. Most of these tumors do not have distinct characteristic appearances so the key to diagnosis requires a combination of imaging appearance, laboratory data, patient demographics, and associated medical syndromes in order to narrow the differential diagnosis. Nonetheless, imaging plays a vital role in narrowing the differential and guiding management. While there are many variant pathologic entities that cannot be encompassed by a single review, we aim to illustrate the imaging appearance of less common pancreatic tumors highlighting key distinctive diagnostic characteristics and discuss the implications for management. While there is overlap in the imaging appearances of many of these entities, for educational purposes, lesions will be categorized into solid (hypoenhancing and hyperenhancing), cystic lesions, mesenchymal neoplasms, and neoplasms seen in younger patients (< 40 years).
Self-Barbed Antler Spearpoints and Evidence of Fishing in the Late Upper Paleolithic of Cantabrian Spain

During the Upper Paleolithic in western Europe, osseous implements were an important component of hunting and gathering technologies. Bone, antler, and occasionally ivory were shaped into various tools that functioned as needles, awls, and most frequently as projectile points. The present discussion concerns a specific type of antler projectile point that is found in many Late Upper Paleolithic sites in northern Spain. The point (which is referred to here as self-barbed) is longitudinally curved, pointed on both extremes, laterally flattened and scored for hafting, and is usually shaped from antler (Figure 1).
Bayesian Switching Interaction Analysis Under Uncertainty

We introduce a Bayesian discrete-time framework for switching-interaction analysis under uncertainty, in which latent interactions, switching pattern and signal states and dynamics are inferred from noisy (and possibly missing) observations of these signals. We propose reasoning over full posterior distribution of these latent variables as a means of combating and characterizing uncertainty. This approach also allows for answering a variety of questions probabilistically, which is suitable for exploratory pattern discovery and post-analysis by human experts. This framework is based on a fully-Bayesian learning of the structure of a switching dynamic Bayesian network (DBN) and utilizes a statespace approach to allow for noisy observations and missing data. It generalizes the autoregressive switching interaction model of Siracusa et al. [1], which does not allow observation noise, and the switching linear dynamic system model of Fox et al. [2], which does not infer interactions among signals. Posterior samples are obtained via a Gibbs sampling procedure, which is particularly efcient in the case of linear Gaussian dynamics and observation models. We demonstrate the utility of our framework on a controlled human-generated data, and climate data.
Asthma associated with worsening leg ulcer: a case of vasculitis in primary care.

A 71-year-old black woman was admitted to the hospital with a 2-month history of a nonhealing leg ulcer. Her medical history included diabetes mellitus type 2, congestive heart failure, allergic rhinitis, and asthma. The patient's asthma was labile and steroid-dependent until 2 years before admission, at which time zafirlukast therapy was started. On further questioning, the patient revealed a 6-month history of malaise and a 40-lb weight loss. A physical examination showed a 2-cm Stage 3 ulcer on the medial aspect of the right ankle with diminished sensation in both feet and left footdrop. Electromyography revealed mononeuritis multiplex. The patient's white blood cell count was 11,100/mm 3 with 60% eosinophils. A sural nerve biopsy showed vasculitis consistent with Churg-Strauss syndrome. One week after prednisone therapy was initiated, the patient's foot strength was nearly normal and her eosinophilia had resolved. Although Churg-Strauss syndrome is a rare disorder, in the setting of asthma and multiple disparate signs and symptoms, the broad diagnostic category of serious vasculitic illness should be considered.
Perceptions of Orthopaedic Volunteers and Their Local Hosts in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Are We on the Same Page?

Author(s): Wassef, David W; Holler, Jordan T; Pinner, April; Challa, Sravya; Xiong, Meng; Zhao, Caixia; Sabharwal, Sanjeev | Abstract: ObjectiveOur goal was to compare the perceptions of overseas orthopaedic volunteers and their hosts in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) regarding the role of international volunteerism. We also sought to determine if differences in perception exist between trainee and fully trained orthoapedic surgeon volunteers.MethodsSurveys with similar multiple-choice and open-ended questions were administered to 163 Health Volunteers Overseas orthopaedic volunteers (response rate 45%) and 53 members of the host orthopaedic staff (response rate 40%). Fifty-four volunteers and 20 hosts also contributed open-ended responses. Quantitative responses were analyzed for significance using Mantel-Haenzel χ tests. Open-ended responses were coded using thematic analysis.ResultsBoth the international volunteers and their LMIC hosts agreed that volunteers learned new skills while volunteering. Both groups believed that international volunteerism had a positive overall impact on the local practice, but hosts viewed these benefits more favorably than volunteers did. LMIC staff believed that, besides altruistic reasons, volunteers were also motivated by professional gains, diverging from volunteer responses. In open-ended responses, hosts desired longer term commitments from volunteers and had some concerns regarding volunteers' qualifications. Between volunteer trainees and fully trained surgeons, trainees were more likely to be motivated by personal benefits.ConclusionEfforts must be made to further align the expectations and goals of volunteers and their hosts in LMICs. Certain measures such as predeparture orientations for volunteers and developing a more longitudinal and bidirectional experience may enhance the impact of orthopaedic volunteerism in LMICs. Further studies are needed to explore the impact of international orthopaedic volunteerism on the host population.
Systematic review with meta-analysis: cholecystectomy for biliary dyskinesia—what can the gallbladder ejection fraction tell us?

Background Gallbladder dyskinesia (gallbladder spasm, biliary dyskinesia or chronic acalculous cholecystitis) is a poorly defined entity which presents as biliary-type pain without any identifiable organic pathology. Abnormal gallbladder ejection fraction (GBEF) is used by some to select those likely to benefit from cholecystectomy. The validity of this approach has been questioned. Aim To systematically review the literature and summarise the evidence surrounding the practice of cholecystectomy based on GBEF for gallbladder dyskinesia. Methods We conducted a systematic search of PubMed/MEDLINE and SCOPUS from 1980 to 2016 to identify the relevant literature. Results Twenty-nine studies including 2891 patients were included in the final analysis. In comparing cholecystectomy with medical management, patients with a normal GBEF did not benefit from cholecystectomy; whereas those with low GBEF had a higher chance (RR, relative risk = 2.37) of symptomatic improvement following surgery. When those classified as "low" and "normal" GBEF were compared in terms of outcome following cholecystectomy, the rate of improvement following surgery was similar in the two groups (RR 1.09) which suggests a placebo effect of surgery. Conclusions While a low GBEF may provide some guidance in identifying those with gallbladder dyskinesia who may benefit from cholecystectomy, the available data are inconsistent and based on studies of poor quality which are often subject to bias and the impact of confounding factors. For these reasons, we conclude that the role of scintigraphy and cholecystectomy in the definition and management of this disorder remain unclear pending definitive study.
Development and Validation of a Monitoring Instrument for Sport Psychology Practice: The Sport Psychology Outcomes and Research Tool (SPORT)

Evidence for the mechanisms of change by which sport psychology interventions enhance performance is limited and treatment monitoring and outcomes measures would assist in establishing evidence-bas...
Emerging Manufacturing Technologies for Fuel Cells and Electrolyzers

Abstract Fuel cells have emerged as viable solutions in areas such as stationary and backup power systems, material handling equipment (MHE), and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV). Persistent challenges for fuel cells and electrolyzers include high initial cost and the availability of hydrogen infrastructure to support FCEV and MHE fleets. Cost of fuel cells are still high compared to other power generation systems such as diesel and natural gas generators. This, however, can be linked to two facts: first is low production volumes generally and second is emerging manufacturing technologies currently in R&D that need to be scaled up to factory production volumes. This study investigates current manufacturing processes used in production of fuel cells (e.g., spray coating and manual assembly) and emerging manufacturing technologies (e.g., roll-to-roll catalyst coating) to investigate key cost drivers and potential cost reductions in manufacturing of fuel cells and electrolyzers. In particular, we focus on how cost reductions for advance manufacturing technologies may be more significant at scale than existing technologies.