cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Epigenetic Silencing of ALDH1L1, a Metabolic Regulator of Cellular Proliferation, in Cancers

FDH (10-formyltetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase, the product of the ALDH1L1 gene), a major folate-metabolizing enzyme in the cytosol, is involved in the regulation of cellular proliferation. We have previously demonstrated that FDH is strongly and ubiquitously down-regulated in malignant human tumors and cancer cell lines. Here, we report that promoter methylation is a major mechanism controlling FDH levels in human cancers. A computational analysis has identified an extensive CpG island in the ALDH1L1 promoter region. It contains 96 CpG pairs and covers the region between -525 and +918 bp of the ALDH1L1 gene including the promoter, the entire exon 1, and a part of intron 1 immediately downstream of the exon. Bisulfite sequencing analysis revealed extensive methylation of the island (76%-95% of CpGs) in cancer cell lines. In agreement with these findings, treatment of FDH-deficient A549 cells with the methyltransferase inhibitor 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine restored FDH expression. Analysis of the samples from patients with lung adenocarcinomas demonstrated methylation of the ALDH1L1 CpG island in tumor samples and a total lack of methylation in respective normal tissues. The same phenomenon was observed in liver tissues: the CpG island was methylation free in DNA extracted from normal hepatocytes but was extensively methylated in a hepatocellular carcinoma. Levels of ALDH1L1 mRNA and protein correlated with the methylation status of the island, with tumor samples demonstrating down-regulation of expression or even complete silencing of the gene. Our studies have also revealed that exon 1 significantly increases transcriptional activity of ALDH1L1 promoter in a luciferase reporter assay. Interestingly, the exon is extensively methylated in samples with a strongly down-regulated or silenced ALDH1L1 gene.
Woodrat (Neotoma) herbivores maintain nitrogen balance on a low-nitrogen, high-phenolic forage, Juniperus monosperma

The acquisition of adequate quantities of nitrogen is a challenge for herbivorous vertebrates because many plants are in low nitrogen and contain secondary metabolites that reduce nitrogen digestibility. To investigate whether herbivores maintain nitrogen balance on plant diets low in nitrogen and high in secondary compounds, we studied the effect of juniper (Juniperus monosperma) ingestion on the nitrogen balance of two species of herbivorous woodrats (Neotoma stephensi and N. albigula). These woodrat species feed on the foliage of juniper: N. stephensi is a juniper specialist, whereas N. albigula is a generalist that incorporates some juniper in its diet. Based on the nitrogen contents of the natural diets of these woodrats, we predicted that the generalist would be in negative nitrogen balance on a juniper diet whereas the specialist would not be affected. We found that both species of woodrat had low-nitrogen requirements (334.2 mg N/kg0.75/day) and that a diet of 50% juniper did not result in negative nitrogen balance for either species. However, excretion patterns of nitrogen were altered; on the 50% juniper diet, fecal nitrogen losses increased ~38% and urinary nitrogen losses were half that of the control diet. The results suggest that absorption and detoxification of juniper secondary compounds may be more important for restricting juniper intake by the generalist than nitrogen imbalance.
Transient flow in the hydrodynamic entrance regions of long closed ducts

Velocity profiles were calculated for transient fluid flow in the hydrodynamic entrance regions of a long narrow slit and of a long tube. The solutions were obtained by use of a linearized momentum equation. An estimate was also made of the manner in which the resistance to flow of the entrance region develops with time.
Ka/Q-band doubly balanced MMIC mixers with low LO power

An InP-based broadband double-balanced mixer was developed having interchangeable RF/LO-ports and covering frequencies from 30 to 45 GHz, with a conversion loss of 12/spl plusmn/2 dB at the low LO power of 4 dBm. This broadband characteristic was achieved through the use of side-coupled baluns for both the RF and LO ports. The ring quad-diodes used state-of-the-art superlattice layers, which provided good control of turn-on voltage and were monolithically integrable with in-house HEMT's and HBT's. The diodes exhibited a very low turn-on voltage of 0.15 V at 1 mA, low series resistance, and high cutoff frequencies.
Does Answering Higher-Level Questions While Reading Facilitate Productive Learning?:

The paper is concerned with the effects of asking students questions at different levels of cognitive complexity during learning. The first section reviewed research on levels of questions. It was shown that higher level questions can have facilitative effects on both reproductive and productive knowledge, but that the conditions under which such facilitation occurs are not well understood. The second section outlines an information processing model of human cognition that can account for question level effects and that serves to integrate previous research on question level and to provide direction for future research in this area.
Atrial Natriuretic Peptides: The Role of Phenylalanine on Biological Activity*

Previous studies have shown that atrial natriuretic peptides (ANPs) inhibit the secretion of aldosterone by isolated rat adrenal glomerulosa cells stimulated by angiotensin II, ACTH, and potassium. Structure-function studies have concentrated on the significance of the C- and N-terminal chains for the biological activity of the peptide. We investigated the role of phenylalanine at positions 8 and 26 by using [Ala8]human (h) ANP or [Ala26]hANP analogs to inhibit potassium-stimulated aldosterone secretion in granulosa cells. hANP-(1-28) inhibited potassium-stimulated aldosterone secretion with an IC50 of 0.48 nM. Synthetic [Ala26]hANP inhibited the aldosterone response to potassium with an inhibitory curve relative to hANP-(1-28) (rIC50) of 6.0 nM, which was significantly greater than that for hANP (P less than 0.001). Synthetic [Ala8]hANP was markedly less effective as an inhibitor, with an estimated rIC50 of 3.0 microM (P less than 0.0001). To determine whether the analogs act as competitive antagonists to hANP-(1-28), experiments were performed in which a fixed concentration (0.1 microM) of the analog was incubated in the presence of increasing concentrations of hANP-(1-28). When hANP-(1-28) was incubated with [Ala8]hANP, the rIC50 (0.2 nM) was significantly less than that for hANP-(1-28) alone (P less than 0.02). When hANP-(1-28) was incubated with [Ala26]hANP, the rIC50 was 0.1 nM. In summary, [Ala8]hANP and [Ala26]hANP were significantly less potent than hANP-(1-28) as inhibitors of aldosterone production from granulosa cells. Both analogs shifted the hANP-(1-28) dose-response curve to the left. Neither analog functioned as a competitive antagonist to hANP-(1-28). Our results indicate that the hydrophobic phenyl groups at these two positions are required for full biological potency of ANP as an inhibitor of aldosterone production.
Emerging concepts in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with undifferentiated angioedema

Angioedema is a sudden, transient swelling of well-demarcated areas of the dermis, subcutaneous tissue, mucosa, and submucosal tissues that can occur with or without urticaria. Up to 25% of people in the US will experience an episode of urticaria or angioedema during their lifetime, and many will present to the emergency department with an acute attack. Most cases of angioedema are attributable to the vasoactive mediators histamine and bradykinin. Histamine-mediated (allergic) angioedema occurs through a type I hypersensitivity reaction, whereas bradykinin-mediated (non-allergic) angioedema is iatrogenic or hereditary in origin. Although their clinical presentations bear similarities, the treatment algorithm for histamine-mediated angioedema differs significantly from that for bradykinin-mediated angioedema. Corticosteroids, and epinephrine are effective in the management of histamine-mediated angioedema but are ineffective in the management of bradykinin-mediated angioedema. Recent advancements in the understanding of angioedema have yielded pharmacologic treatment options for hereditary angioedema, a rare hereditary form of bradykinin-mediated angioedema. These novel therapies include a kallikrein inhibitor (ecallantide) and a bradykinin β2 receptor antagonist (icatibant). The physician’s ability to distinguish between these types of angioedema is critical in optimizing outcomes in the acute care setting with appropriate treatment. This article reviews the pathophysiologic mechanisms, clinical presentations, and diagnostic laboratory evaluation of angioedema, along with acute management strategies for attacks.
Current concepts in the diagnosis and treatment of brain tumours in dogs and cats

Intracranial tumours occur relatively frequently in dogs, and less commonly in cats. With the availability of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging, more accurate determination of the location and extent of brain tumours in companion animals has become possible. Following these advances in imaging, precise CT-guided stereotactic techniques for both tumour biopsy and intratumoral drug delivery have been developed for use in cats and dogs. Also, tumour identification methods, such as crush preparation examination, have facilitated rapid tumour identification. The use of improved diagnostic techniques has resulted in an increasing demand for effective therapies for brain tumours. While surgical removal and irradiation remain important treatment considerations in the management of brain tumours of cats and dogs, the development of gene therapy strategies for treatment of intracranial tumours offers much promise, although research in this area is still at an early stage.
Graded effects of pulsed electric fields on contractility of single heart cells

The effects of high-intensity electric fields on excitability and contractility of the heart at the cellular level are pertinent to defibrillation and electrical ablation. Stimulation of single cardiac cells with a rectangular pulsed electric field elicits twitch contraction. Variation of the stimulus intensity and duration shows a distinct strength-duration curve for the threshold of excitation, T1. T1 is mediated by the cell orientation with respect to the electric field (parallel or perpendicular). Above the threshold level is a second threshold level, T2, for cellular contracture. T2 has a shape similar to that of T1, and may be a consequence of formation of pores in the cell membrane (electroporation). >
Compact method for modeling and simulation of memristor devices: ion conductor chalcogenide-based memristor devices

A compact model and simulation methodology for chalcogenide based memristor devices is proposed. From a microprocessor design view point, it is important to be able to simulate large numbers of devices within the integrated circuit architecture in order to speed up reliably the development process. Ideally, device models would accurately describe the characteristic device behavior and would be represented by single-valued equations without requiring the need for recursive or numerically intensive solutions. With this in mind, we have developed an empirical chalcogenide compact memristor model that accurately describes all regions of operations of memristor devices employing single-valued equations.
Synthesis of a fructosyltransferase by Streptococcus sanguis

Description pour la premiere fois d'une synthese de fructane soluble et insoluble par S. sanguis. Un rapport Na + /K + faible est necessaire pour la synthese et la secretion de la fructosyltransferase par S. sanguis
A combination of NaCl and urea enhances survival of IMCD cells to hyperosmolality

Physiological adaptation to the hyperosmolar milieu of the renal medulla involves a complex series of signaling and gene expression events in which NaCl and urea activate different cellular processes. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of NaCl and urea, individually and in combination, on the viability of murine inner medullary collecting duct (mIMCD3) cells. Exposure to hyperosmolar NaCl or urea caused comparable dose- and time-dependent decreases in cell viability, such that 700 mosmol/kgH2O killed >90% of the cells within 24 h. In both cases, cell death was an apoptotic event. For NaCl, loss of viability at 24 h paralleled decreases in RNA and protein synthesis at 4h, whereas lethal doses of urea had little or no effect on these biosynthetic processes. Cell cycle analysis showed both solutes caused a slowing of the G2/M phase. Surprisingly, cells exposed to a combination of NaCl + urea were significantly more osmotolerant such that 40% survived 900 mosmol/kgH2O. Madin-Darby canine kidney cells but not human umbilical vein endothelial cells also exhibited a similar osmotolerance response. Enhanced survival was not associated with a restoration of normal biosynthetic rates or cell cycle progression. However, the combination of NaCl + urea resulted in a shift in Hsp70 expression that appeared to correlate with survival. In conclusion, hyperosmolar NaCl and urea activate independent and complementary cellular programs that confer enhanced osmotolerance to renal medullary epithelial cells.
Involvement of cortical midline structures in the processing of autobiographical information

The term autobiographical self has been used to refer to a mental state that permits reflection on self-identity and personality and the answer to related questions (Damasio, 1998). It requires the retrieval and integrated assembly of memories of facts and events that define an individual’s biography. The neural mechanisms behind this state have not been fully elucidated, but it has been suggested that cortical midline structures (CMSs) are critically involved in processing self-related information. To date, the investigation of the involvement of CMSs in autobiographical-self processes has largely focused on the comparison between self and other in relation to one domain of information, personality traits, and has yielded conflicting results. Here, we investigated how activity in CMSs varies with (1) the target of the information (self versus an acquaintance), (2) the domain of information (personality traits versus facts), and (3) differences across individuals regarding how descriptive and how important/relevant the information targeted by the questions was, and regarding the amount of memory retrieved in order to answer the questions. We used an fMRI block-design in which 19 participants answered questions about traits and biographic facts, in relation to themselves and a distant acquaintance. In addition, the participants rated the descriptiveness and importance of the information targeted by the questions, and estimated the amount of memory retrieved to answer the questions. Our results showed that CMSs were active for both facts and traits and for both self and other, and that the level of activity in the posteromedial cortices was generally higher for other than for self. Moreover, the activity in CMSs also varied with the amount of memory retrieved to answer the questions and with descriptiveness and importance of the information. These findings suggest that involvement of CMSs during the evaluation of information is not specific for self, and depends on varied factors related to memory retrieval prompted by the questions and to processes required to answer them.
Is Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 a Central Modulator in Mood Regulation?

Little is known regarding the mechanisms underlying the complex etiology of mood disorders, represented mainly by major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. The 1996 discovery that lithium inhibits glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3) raised the possibility that impaired inhibition of GSK3 is associated with mood disorders. This is now supported by evidence from animal biochemical, pharmacological, molecular, and behavioral studies and from human post-mortem brain, peripheral tissue, and genetic studies that are reviewed here. Mood disorders may result in part from impairments in mechanisms controlling the activity of GSK3 or GSK3-regulated functions, and disruptions of these regulating systems at different signaling sites may contribute to the heterogeneity of mood disorders. This substantial evidence supports the conclusion that bolstering the inhibitory control of GSK3 is an important component of the therapeutic actions of drugs used to treat mood disorders and that GSK3 is a valid target for developing new therapeutic interventions.
The Role of Salinity in Structuring Fish Assemblages in a Prairie Stream System

We used fishery surveys from 1954 to 1957 to determine the relationship between salinity and prairie stream-fish assemblage composition prior to the major drought of the 1950s and subsequent anthropogenic modifications. A total of 78,931 fishes were captured, representing 13 families and 44 species. Species were classified as having low, moderate, or high salinity tolerances based on k-means clustering of detrended correspondence scores. The proportion of species with high salinity tolerances was correlated positively (r = 0.74) with salinity, whereas the proportion of species with low (r = −0.69) or moderate (r = −0.36) tolerances was correlated strongly and negatively with salinity. Many of the low or moderate salinity tolerant species found in the 1950s were not collected in studies conducted 15 and 35 years later. Examination of these studies provides compelling evidence that salinity has been a dominant and persistent factor in affecting the structure of stream-fish assemblages for the past 50 years.
Why is the intelligent peripheral so stupid

This paper surveys the current state of standardisation for the intelligent peripheral, or IP. The IP provides the 'ears and mouth' of the intelligent network. It is responsible for playing announcements to, and collecting information from callers, as required by the service logic, and as directed by the service control point. IP functions are specified by IN standards, such as ITU-T CS1-R, ETSI Core INAP and Bellcore AIN 0.2. The level of the function required of an IP by these standards is very low; it is required simply to play individual announcements, or collect single items of user input. This level of function hardly deserves to be called 'intelligent'. In our view it is beneficial to assign a higher level of function to the IP for the following reasons: (1) to enable new services to be implemented which are impossible with current standards; (2) to exploit the capabilities which are typically available on modem implementations of the IP; and (3) to make efficient use of the available signalling network bandwidth.
Medically unexplained symptoms in primary care

Fourteen common physical symptoms are responsible for almost half of all primary care visits. Only about 10% to 15% of these symptoms are found to be caused by an organic illness over a 1-year period. Patients with medically unexplained symptoms are frequently frustrating to primary care physicians and utilize medical visits and costs disproportionately. This paper will review the relationship between psychological distress and the decision to seek medical care for common physical symptoms such as fatigue and headache. Evidence will be presented demonstrating that an increasing number of medically unexplained symptoms over a patient's lifetime correlate linearly with the number of anxiety and depressive disorders experienced, the score on the personality dimension of neuroticism, and the degree of functional impairment. Several scales measuring somatization and hypochondriasis are recommended for primary care and medical specialty patients.
Recurrent Emergence of Venezuelan Equine Encephalomyelitis

Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VEE) viruses are positive-strand, unsegmented RNA viruses in the genus Alphavirus of the family Togaviridae. The first phylogenetic analyses of the VEE complex, based on partial nsP4, El, and 3' untranslated sequences, indicated that IAB, IC, and ID viruses are closely related and have a recent common ancestor. This work also suggested that epidemic/epizootic VEE viruses evolved from ID progenitors on more than one occasion. Several hypotheses for VEE emergence were proposed, including (i) maintenance of IAB and/or IC viruses in continuous, cryptic transmission cycles; (ii) maintenance of IAB and/or IC viruses in latent equine or other animal infections; (iii) reemergence of epizootic viruses following administration of incompletely inactivated vaccine preparations; (iv) maintenance of IAB and/or IC viruses as minority subpopulations within enzootic virus populations; and (v) periodic emergence of epizootic viruses via mutations of enzootic strains. Phylogenetic studies of the two recent, northern South American VEE outbreaks have further supported the hypothesis of evolution and emergence of epidemic/epizootic IAB/IC viruses from enzootic ID-like progenitors. Current phylogenetic trees, obtained from reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction products of 857 nucleotides derived from the E3 and E2 genes, identify three distinct monophyletic groups or lineages of epizootic/ epidemic VEE viruses. The most important gaps remaining in one's understanding of epidemic/epizootic VEE emergence concern the viral determinants of virulence and the pathogenesis changes that lead to high-viremia-facilitated transmission among equines and other large mammals.
Persistent homology: an introduction and a new text representation for natural language processing

Persistent homology is a mathematical tool from topological data analysis. It performs multi-scale analysis on a set of points and identifies clusters, holes, and voids therein. These latter topological structures complement standard feature representations, making persistent homology an attractive feature extractor for artificial intelligence. Research on persistent homology for AI is in its infancy, and is currently hindered by two issues: the lack of an accessible introduction to AI researchers, and the paucity of applications. In response, the first part of this paper presents a tutorial on persistent homology specifically aimed at a broader audience without sacrificing mathematical rigor. The second part contains one of the first applications of persistent homology to natural language processing. Specifically, our Similarity Filtration with Time Skeleton (SIFTS) algorithm identifies holes that can be interpreted as semantic "tie-backs" in a text document, providing a new document structure representation. We illustrate our algorithm on documents ranging from nursery rhymes to novels, and on a corpus with child and adolescent writings.
My Mother's War

It was my father's job to come up with some new bedtime story to put me to sleep. My mother's stories, though far and few between, had a tendency to keep me awake rather than lull me to bed. Sometimes, when she sat in the corner of the couch on a hot afternoon, she'd have a distant look in her eyes and start telling me her story.
Letter to the Editor: The response to Dr. Yang

to the editor: We appreciate the comments of Dr. Yang regarding the problems in the evaluation of autophagy related proteins (Atg) by immunohistochemistry (IHC) or microarray in tissues and their correlation with autophagy activation. In our study entitled “The decreased expression of Beclin-1
Child support compliance during economic downturns

Prior studies have found little evidence of an association between unemployment and child support compliance. However, few such studies used sample periods including a recession as severe as the one that occurred in 2007–2009 or a period following the Congressional mandate requiring states to adopt immediate wage withholding for all child support orders established after January 1992. While virtually assuring compliance by steadily employed nonresident fathers, this requirement imposes hardships on unemployed nonresident fathers, especially during recessions, because modifying child support orders is costly, difficult, and uncertain. Using the CPS-CSS, this study provides reduced form estimates of the association between unemployment and child support compliance over a period (1993–2011) with severe business cycle fluctuations and immediate wage withholding in full effect. Despite controls for fixed effects (state and year) and a state-specific linear time trend, we found that local unemployment rates were associated with decreases in some measures of compliance in our full sample. In models using non-pass through child support payments, which minimized measurement error due to misreporting, there was a much more consistent relationship between unemployment and compliance. Further, after restricting the sample to cash assistance recipients to avoid bias due to selection into the child support enforcement system, we found that local unemployment rates were consistently, strongly, and negatively associated with compliance. Given the volatility in unemployment rates during recent recessions and in the Great Recession in particular, these findings suggest the potential for a large-scale impact of macro-economic factors on the consistent provisions of child support.
Virtual reconstruction of the Australopithecus africanus pelvis Sts 65 with implications for obstetrics and locomotion.

Abstract Characterizing australopith pelvic morphology has been difficult in part because of limited fossilized pelvic material. Here, we reassess the morphology of an under-studied adult right ilium and pubis (Sts 65) from Member 4 of Sterkfontein, South Africa, and provide a hypothetical digital reconstruction of its overall pelvic morphology. The small size of the pelvis, presence of a preauricular sulcus, and shape of the sciatic notch allow us to agree with past interpretations that Sts 65 likely belonged to a female. The morphology of the iliac pillar, while not as substantial as in Homo, is more robust than in A.L. 288-1 and Sts 14. We created a reconstruction of the pelvis by digitally articulating the Sts 65 right ilium and a mirrored copy of the left ilium with the Sts 14 sacrum in Autodesk Maya. Points along the arcuate line were used to orient the ilia to the sacrum. This reconstruction of the Sts 65 pelvis looks much like a “classic” australopith pelvis, with laterally flared ilia and an inferiorly deflected pubis. An analysis of the obstetric dimensions from our reconstruction shows similarity to other australopiths, a likely transverse or oblique entrance of the neonatal cranium into the pelvic inlet, and a cephalopelvic ratio similar to that found in humans today.
Syntra — An Interactive Program to Design Grashof Planar Four Bar Mechanisms

Linkage synthesis has always been the most challenging task in kinematics. It is therefore natural that a computer can be of great assistance to the mechanism designer in arriving at a successful solution. Beginning around 1970 several synthesis programs appeared which were implemented on mainframe computers. Recently the advent of powerful personal computers has made the cost of the hardware less of a barrier to a large number of small design firms. As a result, several of the larger programs have been rewritten to run on small computers. Krouse [1] describes the evolution of Micro-Kinsyn [2] and Micro-Linkages [3] both of which are currently available for relatively inexpensive computers. These programs are based upon Burmester’s graphical solution for four precision points and use the computer to expedite the complex calculations required.
CHAPTER 3 – Parathyroid Hormone-Related Protein: Gene Structure, Biosynthesis, Metabolism, and Regulation

This chapter focuses on the structure, biosynthesis, metabolism, and regulation of genes. The biochemical purification of parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) and the subsequent cloning of the cDNA by several laboratories in the late 1980s revealed that PTHrP and parathyroid hormone shared striking similarity at the aminotermini of the respective mature peptides. Eight out of the first thirteen amino acids are identical, a further three represent conservative changes, and the two proteins share considerable conformational similarity through residue 34. This extensive homology accounts for the ability of PTHrP to bind to and activate classic parathyroid hormone (PTH) receptors in bone and kidney and consequently to generate the paraneoplastic effects on calcium and phosphate metabolism that occurs in humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy. The chapter traces comparison of parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) with tabular representations. Their two genes share a similar organization and similar positioning of intron-exon boundaries. The PTHrP and PTH genes have clearly diverged from their origin though the similarity between PTHrP and PTH extends to their overall genomic organization as well. It is possible that PTHrP represents the ancestral gene and that PTH evolved subsequent to the gene duplication because of the environmental adaptation by early amphibians. However, the PTHrP and PTH genes have clearly diverged from their common origin.
Determination and correlation of the partition coefficients of 48 volatile organic and environmentally relevant compounds between air and silicone oil

Abstract Many emerging bioprocesses include a second, non-aqueous phase liquid in which the key substrate or product partitions for either enhanced interphase mass transfer, concentration dampening, or in-situ product extraction. Knowledge of the partition coefficient between air and the non-aqueous is relevant for process optimization and modeling. In here, experiments were conducted to determine the air-silicon oil partition coefficients (P) of 48 environmentally relevant compounds including many volatile organic compounds, chlorinated solvents, and aromatics compounds. A mass balance method gave reliable results, whereas the EPICS method did not. The value of the ratio of Henry’s constant (H) divided by P which is the partition coefficient between silicone oil and water served as a parameter to distinguish which compound would most benefit from including silicon oil as a non-aqueous phase. P values decreased slightly with decreasing viscosity of silicon oil between 50 and 5 cSt, and a simple relationship was proposed to calculate P at 5 or 50 cSt based on values at 20 cSt. Lastly, a quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) model using the Wiener index as a single parameter could successfully fit P values within specific chemical groups. Overall, the mini-database of P values and models developed in this study provide new tools for the optimization and modeling of processes that include silicon oil as a second liquid phase.
African Crops in the Environmental History of New World Plantation Societies

The literature on the Columbian Exchange emphasizes the New World and Asian crops that transformed the food systems of Africa but ignores the role of African introductions in the environmental history of tropical America. This paper addresses the research lacunae by identifying the neglected African components of the Columbian Exchange. Next, it situates African crop transfers historically, drawing attention to the transatlantic slave trade and their importance as provisions on slave ships. This consideration leads to a research emphasis on subsistence, namely the foodstaples that underpinned the transatlantic commerce in human beings and plantation commodity production. The paper illustrates the agency of enslaved Africans in instigating the cultivation of Old World tropical staples. It is hypothesized that from seeds and rootstock occasionally remaining from slave-ship voyages, enslaved Africans accessed familiar dietary staples. They established them in the yards around their humble dwellings and in plantation provision grounds, where European naturalists and slaveholders reported first encountering the novel plants.
Interleukin-3 and p210 BCR/ABL activate both unique and overlapping pathways of signal transduction in a factor-dependent myeloid cell line.

Abstract Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is characterized by a specific chromosomal translocation occurring between the long arms of chromosomes 9 and 22 resulting in a fusion product, p210 BCR/ABL, which has elevated tyrosine kinase activity. Expression of p210 BCR/ABL in murine interleukin-3 (IL-3)--dependent cell lines typically converts these cell lines to factor-independence by a non-autocrine mechanism. The IL-3 receptor is believed to function in part by activating a receptor-associated tyrosine kinase, leading to the hypothesis that p210 BCR/ABL may induce factor-independence of myeloid cells by constitutively phosphorylating some common signal-transducing proteins that normally would be phosphorylated on tyrosine residues in response to IL-3. p210 BCR/ABL subclones were constructed from an IL-3-dependent murine myeloid cell line, 32Dcl3, by transfection of a plasmid containing a full-length p210 BCR/ABL cDNA. Following transfection, the cells became completely factor-independent within 3 weeks. We examined the effects of p210 BCR/ABL and IL-3 on the pattern of tyrosine phosphorylation of cellular proteins in 32Dcl3 cells using one- and two-dimensional antiphosphotyrosine immunoblotting. WEHI-3B conditioned media (WEHI-CM) was used as a source of IL-3. The introduction of p210 BCR/ABL results in constitutively increased levels of tyrosine phosphorylation of more than 20 new proteins, while WEHI-CM induced transient tyrosine phosphorylation of 6 to 10 new proteins. Using two-dimensional immunoblots to examine phosphoproteins, four categories could be identified: (1) proteins that are inducibly tyrosine phosphorylated in response to WEHI-CM in 32Dcl3 cells only, (2) proteins inducibly tyrosine phosphorylated by WEHI-CM only in p210 BCR/ABL+ cells, (3) proteins that are inducibly tyrosine phosphorylated in response to WEHI-CM in both 32Dcl3 cells and p210 BCR/ABL+ cells, and (4) proteins inducibly tyrosine phosphorylated in response to WEHI-CM and constitutively phosphorylated in the presence of p210 BCR/ABL. We have identified one of the proteins in category 4 as p42 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase (ERK2). Overall, however, we found that the signal transduction pathways of IL-3 and BCR/ABL are strikingly different, suggesting that most of the immediate substrates of the IL-3 receptor-activated tyrosine kinase and p210 BCR/ABL kinase are different. Convergence of signaling pathways at p42 MAP kinase is of interest since activation of this kinase has been linked to mitogenesis in many systems. Identification of the overlapping proteins of both IL-3 signal transduction in 32Dcl3 cells and p210 BCR/ABL+ cells may help explain the growth-promoting effects of this oncogene.
Analysis of protein complexes in Arabidopsis leaves using size exclusion chromatography and label-free protein correlation profiling

Protein complexes are fundamentally important for diverse cellular functions, and create functionalities that could never be achieved by a single polypeptide. Knowledge of the protein complex assemblies that exist in plant cells are limited. To close this gap, we applied an integrative proteomic approach that combines cell fractionation, protein chromatography and quantitative mass spectrometry (MS) to analyze the oligomerization state of thousands of proteins in a single experiment. Soluble extracts from intact Arabidopsis leaves were fractionated using size exclusion chromatography (SEC), and abundance profiles across the column fractions were quantified using label-free precursor ion (MS1) intensity. In duplicate experiments, we reproducibly detected 1693 proteins, of which 983 proteins were cytosolic. Based on the SEC profiles, approximately one third of all of the soluble proteins were predicted to be oligomeric. Our dataset includes both subunits of previously known complexes as well as hundreds of new protein complexes. The label-free MS1-based quantification method described here produced a highly useful dataset for the plant biology community, and provided a foundation to incorporate orthogonal protein complex separation methods so the composition and dynamics of protein complexes can be analyzed based on LC/MS profile data alone.
Analysis of automatic sensing model of an autonomous vehicle

The present scenario of transportation is drastically changed in terms of time, distance and speed of transport with smartness in the vehicle which leads to safety, smooth and economically embedded in nature. With the trends in today's autonomous vehicles driven by batteries with electric drives (EVs), the present paper deals with one of the key features of autonomous vehicle, spatial sensing with a Lidar sensor model. This model interface with autonomous vehicle, explains the ranges of sensing in 2D and analysis for positioning of sensors with respect to coverage of distances. The model gives the complete investigation on a spatial angle in the forward direction of the vehicle by formulating control loop and validating the loop using python and processing code with arduino environment.
Assessment of Patient and Surgical Variables Including Residency Training Level on Adverse Events After Ureteroscopy for Ureteral Stones: A Multivariate Analysis.

Abstract Purpose: With advances in technology, ureteroscopy (URS) is increasingly utilized for the management of urolithiasis. Previous studies have attempted to characterize the post-operative complication and readmission rates relative to the technical difficulty of the procedure. There is limited data exploring the resident level of training and its effect on adverse outcomes in these cases. We review our experience with URS to create a model to predict factors, including resident experience, that affect rates of post-operative complications. Materials and Methods: We reviewed ureteroscopies performed at our academic facility from January 2009 to December 2013. Ureteral-only stones were examined for demographics, stone characteristics, operative techniques, and resident training level. Post-operative adverse events requiring urology consultation, clinic or emergency department visits, hospital admission, prolonged post-operative hospitalization, or unplanned repeat surgery within 30 days of the procedu...
Credit, Debt, and Inequality

Increasing access to diverse types of credit and spreading indebtedness across many social groups were significant economic developments of the twentieth century and into the twenty-first, with implications for social inequality and insecurity. This review evaluates the role of credit and debt in social inequality in the United States. Credit and debt shape inequalities along multiple pathways, in defining social inclusion and exclusion, directing life chances, and facilitating oppression. On the basis of this review, I conclude that building on the progress made in prior research calls for a relational approach to understanding credit, debt, and inequality that includes a focus on the powerful actors that benefit from a political economy increasingly dependent on credit and debt to distribute, regulate, and control social resources. I close by identifying outstanding questions that need to be answered in order to move forward our understanding of economic inequality and insecurity, as well as for social ...
Singular perturbation analysis of limit cycle behavior in nuclear-coupled density-wave oscillations

An investigation of the potential behavior of large amplitude nuclear-coupled density-wave oscillations in a boiling water reactor (BWR) was performed. A simplified, nonlinear BWR core model was developed and used to predict the growth of oscillations as a limit cycle is approached. For high-power/low-flow initial conditions, large density-wave oscillations could cause periodic pulses in core power. The fuel temperature, which rapidly increases at high-power conditions and slowly recovers, is considered as the fast variable in a relaxation oscillation. With an appropriate transformation of the system equations, the approximate limit cycle trajectory can therefore be determined using singular perturbation analysis.
Generalized Modes and Nonlinear Dynamical Systems

Dynamical systems described by either two or three coupled nonlinear differential equations can be understood in terms of generalized coordinates, or modes, constructed on the basis of dynamical considerations. The goals are to give a picture of mechanism, provide a diagnostic tool for analysis and where feasible generate approximate analytic solution. A general formalism is developed and examples are given which include the Oregonator model of the Belousov reaction, the May-Leonard equations for three competing populations and the Lorenz equations for hydrodynamic turbulence.
Ethnicity and Nationality in Alcoholism

Ethnic and national origins have been part of the study of alcohol use and consumption for a long, long time. Observers have always been quick to point out that drinking behaviors are characteristic of a certain group and frequently those characteristics have found their way into the stereotype of the group itself. Much of the humor surrounding national identity has to do with alcohol use and abuse, even though much of it is not very humorous. In this chapter, we attempt to describe the overall picture regarding work that has been done concerning ethnicity, national identity, and alcohol use. We begin with some comments about research into the social correlates of ethnicity and national identity. We then proceed to include what is hopefully a representative spectrum of work concerning the relationship between these social characteristics and alcohol use. We then report on some recent work concerning ethnicity, alcohol use, and family structure. And finally, we suggest some implications of these studies for the researcher and the practitioner dealing with problems of alcoholism.
THE ASYMPTOTIC FORM OF NONOSCILLATORY SOLUTIONS TO FOURTH ORDER EQUATIONS

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the asymptotic form of the nonoscillatory solutions of the nonlinear fourth-order equation. It presents a study strongly motivated by Kusano and Naito, who obtained the asymptotic form of the maximal nonoscillatory solutions of the equation (r(t)y”)“ + yF(t, y) = 0, and by Edelson and Kreith, who found qualitative relationships between oscillation and the asymptotic behavior of nonoscillatory solutions. The chapter presents a few results that determine the possible forms of a nonoscillatory solution of a nonlinear fourth-order equation. The chapter focuses on only eventually positive solutions, the case of eventually negative solutions being analogous, and presents an assumption where y(t) > 0 for t > 0.
Mining high-dimensional administrative claims data to predict early hospital readmissions.

Background Current readmission models use administrative data supplemented with clinical information. However, the majority of these result in poor predictive performance (area under the curve (AUC)<0.70). Objective To develop an administrative claim-based algorithm to predict 30-day readmission using standardized billing codes and basic admission characteristics available before discharge. Materials and Methods The algorithm works by exploiting high-dimensional information in administrative claims data and automatically selecting empirical risk factors. We applied the algorithm to index admissions in two types of hospitalized patient: (1) medical patients and (2) patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP). We trained the models on 26 091 medical admissions and 3218 CP admissions from The Johns Hopkins Hospital (a tertiary research medical center) and tested them on 16 194 medical admissions and 706 CP admissions from Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center (a hospital that serves a more general patient population), and vice versa. Performance metrics included AUC, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values, negative predictive values, and F-measure. Results From a pool of up to 5665 International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) diagnoses, 599 ICD-9-CM procedures, and 1815 Current Procedural Terminology codes observed, the algorithm learned a model consisting of 18 attributes from the medical patient cohort and five attributes from the CP cohort. Within-site and across-site validations had an AUC≥0.75 for the medical patient cohort and an AUC≥0.65 for the CP cohort. Conclusions We have created an algorithm that is widely applicable to various patient cohorts and portable across institutions. The algorithm performed similarly to state-of-the-art readmission models that require clinical data.
SM 05-0921 Distracted walking among teens in the U.S.: analysis of observations

Pedestrian fatalities in 13–19 year olds have increased by 19% in the last two years. To determine any changes in the level of distracted walking among teenagers in the U.S., research examined the percentage of teenagers crossing the street near schools while distracted in a sample of communities in 2016 and compared them to findings from a previous observational survey in 2013. Baseline observations were made of more than 18 000 of teens crossing streets near middle- and high-schools in 20 communities. Observers conducted two morning and afternoon sessions, at the same times but on different school days, in good weather. Each observer focused on one crossing location. Following the initial set of observations, we stenciled ‘Heads Up Phones Down’ in paint on curb ramps in the school zone and a minimum of two-weeks later repeated the observations to assess the impact on distracted behavior. Levels of distraction were 17% for middle-school students and 27% for high-school students. This was a statistically significant increase from distraction levels observed in 2013. The odds of a girl crossing while distracted were greater than of a boy. In addition to distraction, 80% of students displayed at least one other unsafe crossing behavior. Assessment of the intervention was based on 35 009 observations at schools participating in both observation periods. We found a significant decrease in distracted walking. The odds of crossing the street distracted were 30% lower after the intervention. Interestingly, when pedestrian distraction decreased, other unsafe pedestrian behaviors, such as crossing mid-block, also increased. Distracted walking has been identified as a potential factor for recent increases in child pedestrian fatalities in the U.S. Our simple, inexpensive, real-time intervention was effective in reducing distraction, although the length of follow-up was short.
Using Feminist Family Therapy and a Multidisciplinary Collaboration to Address Issues Regarding Sexism in Gamers

Sexism in video games is present in pop culture. Female video game characters are sexualized, objectified, and made to seem less important as opposed to their male counterparts (Burgess, Stermer, &...
What weight can a language bear? Translatability and Ngugi wa Thiong'o

Using theorists such as Deleuze, Guattari and Heidegger, this essay is a critique of Ngugi wa Thiong'o's much publicized decision to write in Gikuyu rather than English, the language Ngugi condemns as the instrument of colonialism and its successor, neo-imperialism. In line with Deleuze and Guattari's argument that Kafka's work is best apprehended as the determination to make German bear the full weight of his “minor” (as a Czech Jew) experience, this essay elucidates the ways in which Ngugi's ostensibly political turn is unable to write what it means to live, in Deleuze and Guattari's phrase, “in another's language”. To live, that is, the experience of “dislocation” (a rubric which would include colonialism and the failures of African sovereignty, not least among them) from one's own language (however provisional and contingent such a claim on language always is) as the first – necessary – condition of making literature. Of making language bear the weight of the very experience it is intent on denying articulation.