cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparisons of the Transfection Methods

From time to time, workers have presented data enabling quantitative comparisons of transfection methods, especially comparisons of their sensitivities for detecting viral NA in some particular cell-viral NA system. Usually, these comparisons have indicated that some new transfection method, discovered or developed by the investigator himself, has greater sensitivity than some old transfection method. Thus, in this vein, Holland, Hoyer, McLaren and Syverton (1960), using poliovirus RNA and HeLa cell sheets, found their hypertonic MgSO4 method to be 5 to 1,000 times as sensitive as a hypertonic NaCl method, 10 to 1,000 times as sensitive as a hypertonic KCl method, and > 10,000 times as sensitive as hypertonic sucrose. At the same time, Dubes and Klingler (1961) found their calcium phosphate and chromic oxide transfection methods to be far more sensitive than some hypertonic NaCl methods, for titrating the infectivity of poliovirus RNA on primary rhesus or cynomolgus monkey kidney cell sheets; and later, using the same cell-viral NA system, Dubes, Faas, Kelly, Chapin, Lamb and Lucas (1964) found their talc method to be approximately 50 times as sensitive as a hypertonic NaCl method. The data of Ludwig and Smull (1963), obtained using HeLa cell sheets and poliovirus RNA, showed their histone transfection method to be about 8 times as sensitive as a hypertonic NaCl method. Vaheri and Pagano (1965), using poliovirus RNA and primary rhesus monkey kidney cell sheets, found their DEAE-dextran method to be about 30 times more sensitive than a hypertonic MgSO4 method, and > 400 times more sensitive than hypertonic sucrose. And, finally, Amstey and Parkman (1966), using poliovirus RNA and primary African green monkey kidney cell sheets, found their DMSO transfection method to be about 4 times more sensitive than a DEAE-dextran method, 17 times more sensitive than a protamine method, 110 times more sensitive than a hypertonic MgSO4 method, and about 300 times more sensitive than a histone method.
The explanatory role of abstraction processes in models: The case of aggregations.

Though it is held that some models in science have explanatory value, there is no conclusive agreement on what provides them with this value. One common view is that models have explanatory value vis-a-vis some target systems because they are developed using an abstraction process (i.e., a process which involves omitting features). Though I think this is correct, I believe it is not the whole picture. In this paper, I argue that, in addition to the well-known process of abstraction understood as an omission of features or information, there is also a family of abstraction processes that involve aggregation of features or information and that these processes play an important role in endowing the models they are used to build with explanatory value. After offering a taxonomy of abstraction processes involving aggregation, I show by considering in detail several models drawn from different sciences that the abstraction processes involving aggregation that are used to build these models are responsible (at least partially) for their having explanatory value.
Understanding motivational structures that differentially predict engagement and achievement in middle school science

ABSTRACTMiddle school has been documented as the period in which a drop in students’ science interest and achievement occurs. This trend indicates a lack of motivation for learning science; however, little is known about how different aspects of motivation interact with student engagement and science learning outcomes. This study examines the relationships among motivational factors, engagement, and achievement in middle school science (grades 6–8). Data were obtained from middle school students in the United States (N = 2094). The theoretical relationships among motivational constructs, including self-efficacy, and three types of goal orientations (mastery, performance approach, and performance avoid) were tested. The results showed that motivation is best modeled as distinct intrinsic and extrinsic factors; lending evidence that external, performance based goal orientations factor separately from self-efficacy and an internal, mastery based goal orientation. Second, a model was tested to examine how eng...
Carbon nanotube-induced loss of multicellular chirality on micropatterned substrate is mediated by oxidative stress.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are receiving much attention in medicine, electronics, consumer products, and next-generation nanocomposites because of their unique nanoscale properties. However, little is known about the toxicity and oxidative stress related anomalies of CNTs on complex multicellular behavior. This includes cell chirality, a newly discovered cellular property important for embryonic morphogenesis and demonstrated by directional migration and biased alignment on micropatterned surfaces. In this study, we report the influence of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) on multicellular chirality. The incubation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (hUVECs) and mouse myoblasts (C2C12) with CNTs at different doses and time points stimulates reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and intra- and extracellular oxidative stress (OS). The OS-mediated noxious microenvironment influences vital subcellular organelles (e.g., mitochondria and centrosomes), cytoskeletal elements (microtubules), and vincu...
Functional assessment of the ex vivo vocal folds through biomechanical testing: A review

The human vocal folds are complex structures made up of distinct layers that vary in cellular and extracellular composition. The mechanical properties of vocal fold tissue are fundamental to the study of both the acoustics and biomechanics of voice production. To date, quantitative methods have been applied to characterize the vocal fold tissue in both normal and pathologic conditions. This review describes, summarizes, and discusses the most commonly employed methods for vocal fold biomechanical testing. Force-elongation, torsional parallel plate rheometry, simple-shear parallel plate rheometry, linear skin rheometry, and indentation are the most frequently employed biomechanical tests for vocal fold tissues and each provide material properties data that can be used to compare native tissue to diseased or treated tissue. Force-elongation testing is clinically useful, as it allows for functional unit testing, while rheometry provides physiologically relevant shear data, and nanoindentation permits micrometer scale testing across different areas of the vocal fold as well as whole organ testing. Thoughtful selection of the testing technique during experimental design to evaluate a hypothesis is critical to optimize biomechanical testing of vocal fold tissues.
Structures of KdnB and KdnA from Shewanella oneidensis: Key Enzymes in the Formation of 8-Amino-3,8-Dideoxy-d-Manno-Octulosonic Acid.

8-Amino-3,8-dideoxy-d-manno-octulosonic acid (Kdo8N) is a unique amino sugar that has thus far only been observed on the lipopolysaccharides of marine bacteria belonging to the genus Shewanella. Although its biological function is still unclear, it is thought that the sugar is important for the integrity of the bacterial cell outer membrane. A three-gene cluster required for the biosynthesis of Kdo8N was first identified in Shewanella oneidensis. Here we describe the three-dimensional structures of two of the enzymes required for Kdo8N biosynthesis in S. oneidensis, namely, KdnB and KdnA. The structure of KdnB was solved to 1.85-A resolution, and its overall three-dimensional architecture places it into the Group III alcohol dehydrogenase superfamily. A previous study suggested that KdnB did not require NAD(P) for activity. Strikingly, although the protein was crystallized in the absence of any cofactors, the electron density map clearly revealed the presence of a tightly bound NAD(H). In addition, a boun...
Inflammatory cytokines in major depressive disorder: A case–control study:

Introduction:There is mixed evidence in the literature on the role of inflammation in major depressive disorder. Contradictory findings are attributed to lack of rigorous characterization of study subjects, to the presence of concomitant medical illnesses, to the small sample sizes, and to the limited number of cytokines tested.Methods:Subjects aged 18–70 years, diagnosed with major depressive disorder and presenting with chronic course of illness, as well as matched controls (n = 236), were evaluated by trained raters and provided blood for cytokine measurements. Cytokine levels in EDTA plasma were measured with the MILLIPLEX Multi-Analyte Profiling Human Cytokine/Chemokine Assay employing Luminex technology. The Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to compare cytokine levels between major depressive disorder subjects and healthy volunteers, before (interleukin [IL]-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α) and after Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons (IL-1α, IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10...
Glycoconjugates in the colons of New World monkeys with spontaneous colitis: association between inflammation and neoplasia

A spontaneously occurring experimental model of chronic colitis has been described in three closely related species of New World monkeys. One species, Saguinus oedipus oedipus, has the additional feature of developing adenocarcinoma of the colon in this setting. Pathological and lectin histochemistry studies were undertaken in 50 such colonic specimens to determine if pathological or histochemical features were associated with the concomitant development of cancer. Chronic inflammation was found in all of the colons examined, and 14% had features of acute inflammation, which was significantly associated with those animals that developed cancer. An oncofetal glycoconjugate structure has been defined in human colons by the ability to bind peanut lectin. A similar glycoconjugate, probably a mucin, was expressed in the colons of 65% of these animals. A marked degree of expression of the mucin was significantly associated with those animals that developed cancer. A highly significant association was found between the presence of acute inflammation and the expression of the mucin. These studies demonstrate similarities in glycoconjugate expression between the human colon and the New World monkey model of spontaneous colitis. A form of mucin is expressed in these animals that is highly associated with both the presence of acute inflammation and the development of cancer elsewhere in the colon. In addition, an association between acute inflammatory activity and neoplasia was found, suggesting a potential etiologic linkage between the two.
Unsettling Powers in the Early Landscapes

Calling them “juvenile productions, inflated and obscure,” in a letter of 1801 Wordsworth nevertheless offers Anne Taylor An Evening Walk and Descriptive Sketches as examples of his independent thinking, referring specifically to their “new images, and vigorous lines” (Early Years, 327–8). Wordsworth’s choice of texts emphasizes his belief that their artistic characteristics have an intellectual as well as ideological basis. In choosing productions for publication that would in effect introduce him to the public in 1793, Wordsworth fixed on poems that from their inception acknowledge and interrogate law, culture and literature’s assumptions about wandering and respectability. Both poems depart from conventional topographical writing by introducing speakers who identify with traditionally ornamental homeless people, even as that identification arouses anxiety and physical danger. The 1793 version of An Evening Walk explores similarities between poet and vagrant only, in the end, to prefer a life of directed wandering to the aimless rambles of the text’s opening lines. More than an exploration of a place, An Evening Walk presents the Lake District through the eyes of an observer familiar with the terrain yet estranged from the people and settings he describes. In its tentative exploration of the possibilities of the topographical genre and the rewards and perils of a vagrant aesthetic, the poem is an instructive baseline against which to measure Wordsworth’s subsequent compositions.
Psychosocial Aspects of FPRS

The facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon should possess a thorough understanding of the psychosocial aspects of cosmetic and reconstructive surgery and appreciate that in addition to the standard responsibilities of a physician; he or she also assumes the role of counselor. The surgeon should appreciate the psychological challenges of plastic surgery patients and be able to form patient relationships based on realistic expectations. It is critical to be able to recognize patients with severe psychological pathology and undertake appropriate care in cooperation with a mental health provider. Key psychosocial concepts include body image and satisfaction, body dysmorphic disorder, and surgery-related anxiety. An understanding of various perioperative screening tools will help the surgeon identify a patient’s psychological profile.
Cardiovascular Events and Stimulants for ADHD

Researchers from Vanderbilt University, TN; Kaiser Permanente, California; and other centers conducted a retrospective cohort study of serious cardiovascular events in 1,200,438 children and young adults, ages 2 to 24 years (mean 11.1 years), with ADHD.
Validation of Serum Aspergillus Galactomannan Index as a Surrogate Endpoint for Outcome of Invasive Aspergillosis: Clinical and Research Implications.

Abstract Background: Assessing clinical outcome of aspergillosis with conventional clinical and laboratory criteria is difficult. A composite “global outcome response” (clinical, radiologic, pathologic and microbiologic criteria) is frequently used but suffers from poor sensitivity and specificity, and has not been standardized or validated. A reliable, quantitative, non-invasive, and easy to measure laboratory test than can substitute for this composite endpoint, i.e. serve as a surrogate endpoint for aspergillosis outcome is highly desirable. Galactomannan (GM) is an Aspergillus-specific polysaccharide released during aspergillosis and detected by the serum GM test. The test which is reported as an index of optical density (OD) is an accepted diagnostic marker for aspergillosis and preliminary data suggest a correlation between GM index (GMI) and outcome. Purpose: To evaluate serum GMI as a surrogate endpoint for outcome of invasive aspergillosis in patients with hematological cancer. Patients and Methods: patients at risk for aspergillosis (11/03-2/06) underwent GMI screening during periods at risk. The clinical and laboratory findings of patients with ≥ 2 (+) GMI (OD ≥ 0.5) were reviewed. To validate GMI as a surrogate endpoint for aspergillosis, a k correlation concordance coefficient test between GMI and an objective clinical outcome of aspergillosis (death) was applied. The correlation is considered perfect when k is 1.0; excellent when ≥ 0.75. Results: 30 patients had GMI (+) aspergillosis of the respiratory tract [myeloma 92%; median age: 59 years (27–75); 15 males]. Aspergillosis developed following stem cell transplantation [autologous (11), allogeneic (1)], or after conventional chemotherapy (18). Among 25 neutropenic patients ( Conclusion: we have validated GMI as an excellent surrogate endpoint for the outcome of invasive aspergillosis among patients with hematological cancer. This FDA-approved test is reproducible, quantitative, non-invasive, easy to measure and widely available. These findings have important implications for patient care and for the design of clinical trials of mould-active antifungal agents.
Porosity scaling strategies for low-k films

Reducing the delay of backend interconnects is critical in delivering improved performance in next generation computer chips. One option is to implement interlayer dielectric (ILD) materials with increasingly lower dielectric constant (k) values. Despite industry need, there has been a recent decrease in study and production of these materials in academia and business communities. We have generated a backbone and porogen system that allows us to control porosity from 0 to 60% volume, achieve k-values from 3.4 to 1.6, maintain high chemical stability to various wet cleans, and deliver uniquely high mechanical strength at a given porosity. Finite element modeling and experimental results demonstrate that further improvements can be achieved through control of the pore volume into an ordered network. With hopes to spur more materials development, this paper discusses some molecular design and nanoscale hierarchical principles relevant to making next generation low-k ILD materials.
Analytic inquiry: Molecular testing in lung cancer

Non-small cell lung cancer is a different disease from what it was a decade ago. The last 10 years were based on remarkable advances in the understanding of key genetic alterations that function as oncogenic drivers and serve as therapeutic targets, thereby defining new molecular subsets. These changes have had an impact on clinical care, patient outcomes, and pathologic diagnosis and present new challenges in the approach of the cytopathologist to this still deadly disease. To meet these new challenges and appropriately train the next generation of cytopathologists, the complex molecular background underlying this disease and the implications that cytologic and histologic diagnoses have on treatment must be understood. Herein, the author reviews the background leading to this new approach and explains how, why, and what cytologists need to know to successfully contribute to the care of the patient with lung cancer. Cancer Cytopathol 2017;125(6 suppl):470-6. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
Micromuseology: an analysis of small independent museums

Captain Beany, the affable curator of the Baked Bean Museum of Excellence, can often be found reclining in inflatable Heinz Bean chair in his flat in Port Talbot, U.K., surrounded by his vast colle...
Fully Conformal Square-Patch Frequency-Selective Surface Toward Wearable Electromagnetic Shielding

This letter reports on a fully conformal square-patch frequency-selective surface (FSS) consisting of liquid metal alloy embedded within a flexible silicone elastomer. The flexible and elastic nature of the FSS provides high conformity to doubly curved surfaces. The transmission properties of the FSS on both singly and doubly curved surfaces are studied. This FSS can facilitate electromagnetic interference reduction in the X-band frequency range when wrapped on cylindrical or spherical radomes over dipole-like antennas, thus surpassing many existing flexible FSS technologies that usually allow conformable contact only with singly curved surfaces.
Quality of life and speech perception in two late deafened adults with cochlear implants

The aim was to demonstrate the need for a quality of life assessment in biopsychosocial aural rehabilitation (AR) practices with late deafened adults (LDAs) with cochlear implants (CIs). We present a case report of a medical records review of two LDAs enrolled in a biopsychosocial group AR program. A speech perception test Contrasts for Auditory and Speech Training (CAST) and a quality of life (QoL) assessment the Nijmegen Cochlear Implant Questionnaire (NCIQ) were given prior to AR therapy. CAST scores indicated both patients had excellent basic speech perception. However, NCIQ results revealed patients’ difficulties in basic and advanced listening settings. NCIQ highlighted patients’ self-perceived poor self-esteem and ongoing challenges to their QoL. Speech perception testing results alone are not enough to document the daily challenges of QoL needs of LDAs with CIs. The inclusion of a QoL measure such as the NCIQ is vital in evaluating outcomes of cochlear implantation in LDAs.
Affordable for whom? Introducing an improved measure for assessing impacts of transportation decisions on housing affordability for households with limited means

Abstract The close connection between transportation and housing affordability has gained widespread recognition in recent years, largely in response to two related concerns. Yet, the ways we typically measure housing affordability have received very little critical attention, particularly as it relates to transportation decision-making. This study addresses this gap by critically reviewing the two most common measures, which I suggest are limited due to their inability to account for the large effects of household income and characteristics, as well as variations in transportation costs (in the case of one approach). In light of these shortcomings, I introduce an alternate measure – the location-sensitive residual income (LSRI) approach – which reflects the realities facing households more fully by incorporating differences associated with household income, composition, childcare requirements, and residential location. An application of the LSRI approach in the Denver metro suggests that measures generated using LSRI and more typical approaches result in very different findings, and therefore, very different implications about the challenges faced by households with limited means. Findings demonstrate that conclusions about the social impacts of transportation infrastructure and service on housing affordability are highly dependent on the measures used. I argue that the LSRI approach offers a substantially more nuanced means of evaluating the impacts and benefits associated with transportation decisions, and in particular, how decisions promote – or perhaps challenge – social justice among vulnerable populations.
Heavy carbon nanodots: a new phosphorescent carbon nanostructure

Carbon nanodots are nanometer sized fluorescent particles studied for their distinct photoluminescent properties and biocompatibility. Although extensive literature reports the modification and application of carbon nanodot fluorescence, little has been published pertaining to phosphorescence emission from carbon nanodots. The use of phosphors in biological imaging can lead to clearer detection, as the long lifetimes of phosphorescent emission permit off-gated collection that avoids noise from biological autofluorescence. Carbon nanodots present a desirable scaffold for this application, with advantageous qualities ranging from photostability to multi-color emission. This research reports the generation of a novel phosphorescent “heavy carbon” nanodot via halogenation of the carbon nanodot structure. By employing a collection pathway that effectively incorporates bromine into the nanostructure, T1 triplet character is introduced, and subsequently phosphorescence is observed in liquid media at room temperature for the first time in the nanodot literature. Further experiments are reported characterizing the conditions of observed phosphorescence and its pH-dependence. Our approach for producing “heavy carbon nanodots” is a low-cost and relatively simple method for generating the phosphorescent nanodots, which sets the foundation for its potential future use as a phosphorescent probe in application.
Recurrent Chest Pain in Children

Chest pain in children is relatively common and is often benign and self-limited, but it has received scant attention in the pediatric literature. The author offers rational guidelines for diagnosing the causes of chest pain and comments on the management and follow-up of the patient.
Intraarterial Chemotherapy for Colorectal Liver Metastases and Hepatomas Using a Totally Implantable Drug Infusion Pump

Continuous regional chemotherapy for treating hepatic tumors is a rational pharmacological approach as palliative treatment in selected patients, such as those with hepatocellular carcinoma and metastatic colorectal carcinoma. Continuous regional chemotherapy has the following advantages: (1) it delivers a higher concentration of drug directly to the liver tumor since it avoids a dilutional effect that otherwise occurs with a systemic (intravenous) injection; (2) many antimetabolites have a more effective antineoplastic effect when administered by a chronic infusion rather than by pulse injection; (3) there is significant hepatic extraction of many drugs when injected directly into the hepatic circulation, particularly fluorodeoxyuridine (FUdR) and to a lesser extent 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), mitomycin C, and adriamycin; this further increases the concentration of the drug at the site of the liver neoplasm; and (4) continuous infusion (either intraarterially or intravenously) has a lower peak serum concentration, thus decreasing toxicity such as marrow depression with FUdR and 5-FU, or cardiotoxicity with adriamycin [15, 19, 22, 29]. There are some disadvantages to this approach as well. First, there is less systemic exposure of the drug so that metastases at extrahepatic sites are not treated to the same degree. Second, there can be significant local toxicity, especially chemical hepatitis, cholecystitis, and gastritis.
Clonal Salivary Gland Infiltrates Associated With Myoepithelial Sialadenitis (Sjögren's Syndrome) Begin as Nonmalignant Antigen-Selected Expansions

Myoepithelial sialadenitis (MESA) is the reactive salivary gland lymphoid infiltrate that occurs in patients with Sjogren's syndrome. Although it is well established that mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT)-type lymphomas may develop from MESA, the issue of whether monoclonal B-cell populations in early MESA-associated lesions represent MALT lymphomas or more benign types of expansions has been very controversial. In addition, it is unknown whether antigen stimulation plays a role in the development or growth of MESA-associated clones. To investigate these issues, we have analyzed the Ig VH genes used by MESA-associated clones in sequential biopsies obtained from contralateral sites of seven different patients. In three cases, single clones were identified in the follow-up biopsies that were distinct from the single clones identified in the initial specimens, whereas in three other cases, the same clone was identified in both the initial and subsequent specimens. In the remaining case, two clones were identified in the second biopsy specimen, one of which was distinct from the initial clone. Of the 11 distinct clones identified in the 14 specimens that were analyzed, 8 were derived from a V1-69 VH gene segment, whereas the other 3 were derived from a V3-7 VH gene segment. In addition, the MESA clones also showed conserved amino acids sequence motifs in their third complementarity-determining regions (CDR3), some of which were encoded by N nucleotides. The marked VH gene restriction along with the similar CDR3 sequences suggests that MESA-associated clones even from different patients may bind the same or similar antigens and are selected for clonal expansion on that basis. The high rates of ongoing VH gene mutation observed in some of the cases futher suggest that the growth of early MESA clones is still dependent on antigen stimulation. In addition, our finding that different biopsies from the same patient may contain distinct clones indicates that some MESA-associated clones have not yet evolved to malignant lymphomas.
Mapping the Proteome of the Synaptic Cleft through Proximity Labeling Reveals New Cleft Proteins

Synapses are specialized neuronal cell-cell contacts that underlie network communication in the mammalian brain. Across neuronal populations and circuits, a diverse set of synapses is utilized, and they differ in their molecular composition to enable heterogenous connectivity patterns and functions. In addition to pre- and post-synaptic specializations, the synaptic cleft is now understood to be an integral compartment of synapses that contributes to their structural and functional organization. Aiming to map the cleft proteome, this study applied a peroxidase-mediated proximity labeling approach and used the excitatory synaptic cell adhesion protein SynCAM 1 fused to horseradish peroxidase (HRP) as a reporter in cultured cortical neurons. This reporter marked excitatory synapses as measured by confocal microcopy and was targeted to the edge zone of the synaptic cleft as determined using 3D dSTORM super-resolution imaging. Proximity labeling with a membrane-impermeant biotin-phenol compound restricted labeling to the cell surface, and Label-Free Quantitation (LFQ) mass spectrometry combined with ratiometric HRP tagging of membrane vs. synaptic surface proteins was used to identify the proteomic content of excitatory clefts. Novel cleft candidates were identified, and Receptor-type tyrosine-protein phosphatase zeta was selected and successfully validated. This study supports the robust applicability of peroxidase-mediated proximity labeling for synaptic cleft proteomics and its potential for understanding synapse heterogeneity in health and changes in diseases such as psychiatric disorders and addiction.
An exploratory data analysis method for identifying brain regions and frequencies of interest from large-scale neural recordings

High-resolution whole brain recordings have the potential to uncover unknown functionality but also present the challenge of how to find such associations between brain and behavior when presented with a large number of regions and spectral frequencies. In this paper, we propose an exploratory data analysis method that sorts through a massive quantity of multivariate neural recordings to quickly extract a subset of brain regions and frequencies that encode behavior. This approach combines existing tools and exploits low-rank approximation of matrices without a priori selection of regions and frequency bands for analysis. In detail, the spectral content of neural activity across all frequencies of each recording contact is computed and represented as a matrix. Then, the rank-1 approximation of the matrix is computed using singular value decomposition and the associated singular vectors are extracted. The temporal singular vector, which captures the salient features of the spectrogram, is then correlated to the trial-varying behavioral signal. The distribution of correlations for each brain region is efficiently computed and used to find a subset of regions and frequency bands of interest for further examination. As an illustration, we apply this approach to a data set of local field potentials collected using stereoelectroencephalography from a human subject performing a reaching task. Using the proposed procedure, we produced a comprehensive set of brain regions and frequencies related to our specific behavior. We demonstrate how this tool can produce preliminary results that capture neural patterns related to behavior and aid in formulating data-driven hypotheses, hence reducing the time it takes for any scientist to transition from the exploratory to the confirmatory phase.
A Pilot Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Glycine for Treatment of Schizophrenia and Alcohol Dependence

Objectives: The hypofunctioning of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors are thought to play an important role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. The augmentation of the glutamatergic system ...
Acetic acid adsorption dynamics in stratified tapered beds

Abstract The bioproduction of acetic acid is not economically attractive at present due to the high cost of its recovery from the fermentation broth. Adsorption of acetic acid at pH ∼ 3 is examined in this research in different adsorber configurations to examine enhancements to bed capacity utilization and the potential for use of this technology. Four different fixed-bed configurations, namely, a conventional cylindrical fixed-bed with single particle size, a cylindrical bed stratified with increasing particle sizes in the direction of flow, a reverse stratified cylindrical bed, and a reverse stratified convergent tapered bed were studied in this research. The conventional stratified cylindrical adsorber was found to produce a dispersive solute front in the column whereas, the reverse stratified tapered bed was found to produce a sharpening solute front. Among the different configurations examined, the convergent tapered stratified bed was found to give the maximum bed capacity utilization under the same operating conditions. A general rate mathematical model was found to provide good representation of the physical phenomena. Sensitivity analyses show differing effects of operating variables and mass transfer parameters on performance based on bed configuration. The model presented will allow the selection of optimum operating conditions for maximum bed capacity utilization, and thereby enhance the economics of acetic acid recovery from fermentation broths.
Quantum random number generators and their applications in cryptography

Random number generators (RNG) are an important resource in many areas: cryptography (both quantum and classical), probabilistic computation (Monte Carlo methods), numerical simulations, industrial testing and labeling, hazard games, scientific research etc. Because today's computers are deterministic, they can not create random numbers unless complemented with a physical RNG. Randomness of a RNG can be defined and scientifically characterized and measured. Especially valuable is the information-theoretic provable RNG which, at state of the art, seem to be possible only by harvest of randomness inherent to certain (simple) quantum systems and such a generator we call Quantum RNG (QRNG). On the other hand, current industry standards dictate use of RNGs based on free running oscillators (FRO) whose randomness is derived from electronics noise present in logic circuits and which, although quantum in nature, cannot be strictly proven. This approach is currently used in FPGA and ASIC chips. We compare weak and strong aspects of the two approaches for use in cryptography and in general. We also give an alternative definition of randomness, discuss usage of single photon detectors in realization of QRNGs and give several examples where QRNG can significantly improve security of a cryptographic system.
Pathology of germ cell tumors

This chapter highlights the gross, microscopic, and immunophenotypic features of yolk sac tumor, seminoma, embryonal carcinoma, and mature and immature teratoma. It is richly illustrated to demonstrate the major histologic features of each entity, as well as some less common features.
Client Consulting Opportunities and the Reemergence of Big 4 Consulting Practices: Implications for the Audit Market

Consulting service revenues recently surpassed those from audit as the primary revenue source for the largest accounting firms. Since SOX limits the provision of consulting services to audit clients, this shift in revenues implies that firms and many clients likely choose between audit and consulting relationships. We explore the implications of this by developing and validating a measure of client-level consulting needs that can likely be fulfilled by accounting firms, which we refer to as “consulting opportunities.” We find that consulting opportunities relate positively to auditor switches and negatively to Big 4 auditor selection, the firms focusing most on consulting. We fail to find evidence that consulting opportunities relate to post-switch changes in audit quality, suggesting that consulting-driven realignments do not produce suboptimal auditor-client matches. Our results suggest that legislation limiting firms’ ability to deliver consulting services to audit clients may have reduced audit market concentration without discernably impacting quality.
Pious Pain: Repetitive Motion Disorders from Excessive Genuflection at a Byzantine Jerusalem Monastery

The monastic site of St. Stephen’s in Byzantine Jerusalem (fifth to seventh centuries AD) provides an excellent example of the strength of a biocultural approach, synthesizing evidence from skeletal, archaeological, and written records in a holistic reconstruction of daily life. The bones of the monks themselves provide biomechanical evidence of excessive kneeling resulting in severe degeneration of the knees and feet, including extensive arthritis, pronounced musculoskeletal markers, and the formation of nonmetric traits associated with repetitive motion. Historical and liturgical texts from the region and period indicate that hundreds of genuflections per day may explain these pathological responses. Such behavior would have led to chronic pain, from which the monks could not have escaped whether standing, sitting, or lying down. And yet, long after the onset of such pain, the degree of degeneration confirms they continued the very practices that led to worsening conditions. This allowed us to use the biological record to explore social phenomenon such as deference to authority, the genesis of prayer posture, and the symbolic meaning of suffering. Pious adherence to a regimented daily monastic schedule defined by prayer led to degeneration of the joints of the lower body that resulted in severe, chronic pain. Individuals were well aware that their knees and feet hurt during genuflection, increasingly so with time; however, they continued the activity well beyond marked indications of pathology.
Factors impacting electrocoagulation treatment of hydraulic fracturing fluids and removal of common fluid additives and scaling ions

Abstract This research presents 56 experiments on hydraulic fracturing flowback and produced waters to evaluate common factors affecting electrocoagulation (EC) removal of turbidity, chemical oxygen demand (COD), dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and final pH. Additionally, qualitative reductions in the common fluid additives polyethylene glycols (PEGs) and polypropylene glycols (PPGs), which can interfere with reuse in hydraulic fracturing, were evaluated by mass spectrometry for the first time. Design of experiments tested five EC process control factors: electrode material, current, initial pH, treatment time, and number of electrodes. Turbidity reductions were high (>90 %), and a maximum of 37.4 % of COD and 54.0 % of DOC was removed. Due to low variability, no factors were significant for turbidity reduction, while current, treatment time, and numbers of electrodes were significant factors for COD and DOC reduction. pH increased with iron electrodes and was neutralized with aluminum electrodes. Both PEGs and PPGs were removed, and PPGs were removed to a greater extent. Removal of these compounds increased as they became more hydrophobic as suggested by their logKow values. Some analysis was done on removal of common scaling ions (Ba, Ca, Mg, Sr) with removal possibly related to the pH of the water.
Disrupting Colonial Discourses: Anticolonial Academic Language Development for the Elementary Classroom

This study examines the practical application of anticolonial academic language development strategies in an elementary classroom. Drawing from decolonial theory, the study analyzes pedagogical str...
Effects of Lactanase on the plasma lactate response to intense exercise in horses

A commonly held belief is that lactate production during exercise limits performance via fatigue. The current study aimed to assess the effects of a supplement marketed as performance enhancing (La...
SeRFI: Secure Remote FPGA Initialization in an Untrusted Environment

The bitstream inside a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is often protected using an encryption key, acting as a root of trust and stored inside the FPGA, to defend against bitstream piracy, tampering, overproduction, and static-time reverse engineering. For cost savings and faster production, trusted system designers often rely on an untrusted system assembler to program the encryption key into the FPGA, focusing only the end-user-stage threats. However, providing the secret encryption key to an untrusted entity introduces additional threats, since access to this key can compromise the entire root of trust and breach the encrypted bitstream enabling a multitude of attacks including Trojan insertion, piracy and overproduction. To address this issue, we propose the Secure Remote FPGA Initialization (SeRFI) protocol to transmit the encryption key securely from a trusted system designer into an FPGA in physical possession of an untrusted system assembler. Our protocol eliminates direct key sharing with the untrusted system assembler as well as prevents against adversarial intention of extracting the encryption key during the programming phase where the assembler has physical access to the FPGA.
THE ROLE OF RADIATION THERAPY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF SALIVARY GLAND NEOPLASMS

SUMMARY The previously widely spread misconception that salivary gland malignancies are radioresistant and that radiation therapy is of only palliative value can no longer hold true. The review of the literature, particularly the last 20 years of experi- ence with the use of radiation therapy as an adjunct to surgery and as a primary modality for inoperable tumors, clearly shows that radioresistance is not an issue. Radiation therapy plays an important role in the management of a large proportion of major and minor salivary gland malignant tumors as well as in certain cases of nonma- lignant tumors (pleomorphic adenoma of the parotid). Adjuvant postoperative radiation therapy is indicated in all high-grade tumors, advanced- stage tumors, positive surgical margins or postoperative tumor residual, positive regional nodes, nerve or perineural involvement, and recurrent tumor. Definitive high LET radiation therapy (fast neutrons) is indicated for unresectable and recurrent tumors and may be the treatment of choice in all cases in which surgery has a low likelihood of achieving negative surgical margins or a high risk of facial nerve damage. Neutron therapy is particularly of benefit in the treatment of adenoid cystic carcinoma.
Using ATR-FTIR Spectra and Convolutional Neural Networks for Characterizing Mixed Plastic Waste

Abstract We present a convolutional neural network (CNN) framework for classifying different types of plastic materials that are commonly found in mixed plastic waste (MPW) streams. The CNN framework uses experimental ATR-FTIR (attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) spectra to classify ten different plastic types. An important aspect of this type of spectral data is that it can be collected in real-time; as such, this approach provides an avenue for enabling the high-throughput characterization of MPW. The proposed CNN architecture (which we call PlasticNet) uses a Gramian angular representation of the spectra. We show that this 2-dimensional (2D) matrix representation highlights correlations between different frequencies (wavenumber) and leads to significant improvements in classification accuracy, compared to the direct use of spectra (a 1D vector representation). We also demonstrate that PlasticNet can reach an overall classification accuracy of over 87% and can classify certain plastics with 100% accuracy. Our framework also uses saliency maps to analyze spectral features that are most informative.
Differential response of fasting and postprandial angiopoietin-like proteins 3, -4, and -8 to cottonseed oil versus olive oil

Abstract Angiopoietin-like proteins (ANGPTL) 3, -4 and -8 regulate lipid metabolism by altering lipoprotein lipase activity, but it is not known how cottonseed oil (CSO) differentially affects postprandial responses of ANGPTL’s in humans. We compared the effect of a diet rich in either CSO or olive oil (OO) on fasting and postprandial ANGPTL’s. Fifteen males completed two feeding trials in random order: 1) a CSO-rich diet and 2) an OO-rich diet with fasting and postprandial blood samples collected pre-diet at visit 1 (v1) followed by a 5-day feeding trial and a post-diet visit (v2) identical to v1 and a 2–4-week washout period. Fasting ANGPTL4 and ANGPTL8 decreased from v1 to v2 after the CSO diet and increased with the OO diet. Postprandial ANGPTL3, -4, and -8 were lower following the CSO meal. The lipid-lowering effects of CSO may be mediated by reduced fasting and postprandial ANGPTL3, -4 and -8 responses.
Modeling Temperamental Risk for Depression Using Developmentally Sensitive Laboratory Paradigms

A growing literature indicates that tempera- mental emotionality traits may represent diatheses for mood disorders. This article describes the advantages of laboratory methods for assessing these traits, reviews issues regarding their use, and argues that these tech- niques provide unique opportunities for advancing under- standing of temperamental risk. KEYWORDS—temperament; depression; laboratory para- digms
Antimicrobial nisin acts against saliva derived multi-species biofilms without cytotoxicity to human oral cells.

Objectives: Nisin is a lantibiotic widely used for the preservation of food and beverages. Recently, investigators have reported that nisin may have clinical applications for treating bacterial infections. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of ultra pure food grade Nisin ZP (> 95% purity) on taxonomically diverse bacteria common to the human oral cavity and saliva derived multi-species oral biofilms, and to discern the toxicity of nisin against human cells relevant to the oral cavity. Methods: The MICs and MBCs of taxonomically distinct oral bacteria were determined using agar and broth dilution methods. To assess the effects of nisin on biofilms, two model systems were utilized: a static and a controlled flow microfluidic system. Biofilms were inoculated with pooled human saliva and fed filter-sterilized saliva for 20-22 h at 37°C. Nisin effects on cellular apoptosis and proliferation were evaluated using acridine orange/ethidium bromide fluorescent nuclear staining and lactate dehydrogenase activity assays. Results: Nisin inhibited planktonic growth of oral bacteria at low concentrations (2.5 – 50 μg/ml). Nisin also retarded development of multi-species biofilms at concentrations ≥ 1 μg/ml. Specifically, under biofilm model conditions, nisin interfered with biofilm development and reduced biofilm biomass and thickness in a dose-dependent manner. The treatment of pre-formed biofilms with nisin resulted in dose- and time-dependent disruption of the biofilm architecture along with decreased bacterial viability. Human cells relevant to the oral cavity were unaffected by the treatment of nisin at anti-biofilm concentrations and showed no signs of apoptotic changes unless treated with much higher concentrations (> 200 μg/ml). Conclusions: This work highlights the potential therapeutic value of high purity food grade nisin to inhibit the growth of oral bacteria and the development of biofilms relevant to oral diseases.
Replay and Time Compression of Recurring Spike Sequences in the Hippocampus

Information in neuronal networks may be represented by the spatiotemporal patterns of spikes. Here we examined the temporal coordination of pyramidal cell spikes in the rat hippocampus during slow-wave sleep. In addition, rats were trained to run in a defined position in space (running wheel) to activate a selected group of pyramidal cells. A template-matching method and a joint probability map method were used for sequence search. Repeating spike sequences in excess of chance occurrence were examined by comparing the number of repeating sequences in the original spike trains and in surrogate trains after Monte Carlo shuffling of the spikes. Four different shuffling procedures were used to control for the population dynamics of hippocampal neurons. Repeating spike sequences in the recorded cell assemblies were present in both the awake and sleeping animal in excess of what might be predicted by random variations. Spike sequences observed during wheel running were “replayed” at a faster timescale during single sharp-wave bursts of slow-wave sleep. We hypothesize that the endogenously expressed spike sequences during sleep reflect reactivation of the circuitry modified by previous experience. Reactivation of acquired sequences may serve to consolidate information.