cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Production of Human Immunoglobulin Secreting Clones without the Use of H.A.T. Sensitive Fusion Partners

We have utilized a long term B cell line derived from a patient with acute lymphocytic leukemia as a fusion partner in the production of human hybridoma clones. Our studies center around the production of human monoclonal antibodies to 1) T cell antigens, 2) defined HLA determinants, 3) Rh blood group antigens, and 4) the antigens associated with mammary carcinoma. Fusions are performed using peripheral blood from individuals shown to have an ongoing antibody response to these antigens. Each of the donors is defined with regard to specific HLA type. Twenty-four hours after fusion the cell mixtures are separated using a positive selection technique in which donor cells and clones are sensitized with highly specific human anti-HLA antibodies from planned immunizations (produced by Dr. Ferrara), followed by rosetting with red cells coated with purifed rabbit anti-human IgG antibodies. Screening for antibody specific HLA determinants was simplified by using cells from donor and recipient couples originally used for planned immunization. Positive results were obtained for anti-Rh antibodies as well as antibodies reactive with mammary carcinoma cell lines and T cell subsets.
Introduction to R

Abstract The basics of R programming are discussed from syntax, conditional statements, and control structures, to writing functions. Fundamentals such as data cleaning, exploratory data analysis, hypothesis testing, and regression are introduced. Simulation and random generation and numerical methods are considered as well. Finally, a list of add-on packages and additional resources are listed.
Lp dual curvature measures

Abstract A new family of geometric Borel measures on the unit sphere is introduced. Special cases include the L p surface area measures (which extend the classical surface area measure of Aleksandrov and Fenchel & Jessen) and L p -integral curvature (which extends Alkesandrov's integral curvature) in the L p Brunn–Minkowski theory. It also includes the dual curvature measures (which are the duals of Federer's curvature measures) in the dual Brunn–Minkowski theory. This partially unifies the classical theory of mixed volumes and the newer theory of dual mixed volumes.
Surgical cut down for vascular access with conscious sedation for transcatheter aortic valve replacement: the best of both worlds?

OBJECTIVES Despite the established efficacy of transcatheter aortic valve replacement for aortic valve replacement, vascular complications remain a major cause of procedural morbidity and mortality. In this study, we evaluate the use of femoral artery cut down with conscious sedation and report outcomes and complications associated with this approach. METHODS Our study included 282 patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement with conscious sedation and surgical cut down for femoral access between 2015 and 2017. Data were prospectively recorded in the local institutional database and were retrospectively accessed. Descriptive statistics are presented, and a Kaplan-Meier time-to-event plot was used to estimate 1-year survival. RESULTS The mean age of the patients was 82.7 ± 7.31 years and consisted of 146 (52%) women. Echocardiographic data demonstrated a severe aortic stenosis with a mean area of 0.65 ± 0.16 cm2 and a mean gradient of 48.9 ± 13.3 mmHg. STS-PROM for the cohort was 7.2%, representing an intermediate risk group. Six (2.2%) patients died within 30 days after transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Major vascular complications occurred in 2 (0.7%) patients and minor vascular complications occurred in 6 (2.2%) patients in our cohort. Wound complications were observed in 2 (0.7%) patients. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate that the use of conscious sedation and surgical cut down for femoral arterial access resulted in a major vascular complication rate of less than 1% and low in-hospital mortality rates without any significant increase in wound complications.
The Inner Logic of Religion(s): Theoretical Implications Regarding Eight American Religious-Ethnic Communities

In this piece, we offer an approach for the study of religious people that honors what is “religious” about religion. We refer to selected findings from this special issue to demonstrate how this approach specifically applies to participants in this study. We also discuss what this approach could mean for social scientists, clinicians, clergy, and families.
When Elephants Fight, It Is the Grass That Suffers

In his essay summarizing his experiences in learning firsthand about Malawi, Dr. Glasson has identified problems and issues that could be almost every/any country in Africa today that shares a colonial past. His emergent emotions and sensitivity to the people and their situations in the context of eco-injustices have allowed him not only to see Africa through a new lens, but also to connect with the people through third space dialogue. That is, the learning space of two differing cultures or individuals is extended by allowing dialogue and reflection to take place beyond the physical time and space constraints limited by each one’s own cultural beliefs and knowledge. The issues, challenges, and solutions to Africa’s persistent problems have historically been viewed though a variety of lenses, often from a top-down distant perspective beginning long ago with the illogical partitioning of people and kinships, total insensitivity to the indigenous cultures including languages, and disregard of traditional access to shared resources that had no boundaries or ownership. Colonization also came with different motives and guises: religious, economic, social, political, agricultural, and educational. Jomo Kenyatta (1965), musing over postcolonial rule and its legacy as Kenya’s first president, stated that he had not realized as he signed a declaration of nationhood, that the British intent was limited to political independence, but continued economic and social dependence had been established and was to be perpetuated.
Towards Automatic Tuning of Apache Spark Configuration

Apache Spark provides a large number of configuration settings that may be tuned to improve the performance of specific applications running on the platform. However, it is non-trivial to identify the combination of settings that may improve the performance of a specific application as the influence of each setting on performance may vary across applications. As identifying the optimal combination of settings is computationally infeasible due to exponential search space, in this paper we investigate machine learning based approaches to construct application specific performance influence models, and use them to tune the performance of specific applications running on Apache Spark platform. We evaluated our approach using 9 different applications on a 6 node cluster and demonstrated that our framework can reduce execution time by 22.8% to 40.0% depending on applications.
Extending endovascular aneurysm repair to more patients without better outcomes

Abstract Objective This study quantifies the survival and outcomes associated with endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) patients treated in two eras. We hypothesized that both end points will improve over time. Methods Patients receiving EVAR between January 2003 and May 2017 contained within the Vascular Quality Initiative data set were examined. Those patients treated between January 2003 and December 2007 were included in the early era, and those treated between January 2012 and December 2015 were considered late era. Baseline demographics, technical variables, and outcomes were compared with appropriate statistical tests. Survival was estimated with Kaplan-Meier life-table analysis. Cox proportional hazards modeling analyzed the relationship between repair era and survival; the repair era's significance was further examined in matched cohorts generated by coarsened exact matching and propensity scoring. Results Early era (n = 787) patients demonstrate decreased estimated survival in comparison to those treated in the late era (n = 20,066; log-rank, P .05). Total hospital stays were longer in the late era (3.1 vs 4.2 days; P Conclusions Although EVAR volume increased significantly over time, post-EVAR outcomes of patients do not differ between the early era, 2003 to 2007, and the late era, 2012 to 2015. Aspects of surgical performance improved, but this did not translate into a measurable benefit to patients. Length of hospital stay unexpectedly increased over time.
Levodopa-induced dyskinesias in mitochondrial membrane protein–associated neurodegeneration

Parkinsonism may be the presenting feature of neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation, such as “mitochondrial membrane protein–associated neurodegeneration” (MPAN), caused by mutations in C19orf12 . Levodopa therapy may be complicated by development of motor fluctuations and dyskinesias.
Proceedings of the 2009 Workshop on Ultrascale Visualization

The Workshop on Ultrascale Visualization has been held in conjunction with the annual Supercomputing Conference each year since 2006. It is sponsored in part by the U.S. Department of Energy's SciDAC program and the U.S. National Science Foundation's PetaApps program. All of the talk slides are available at the workshop website: http://vis.cs.ucdavis.edu/Ultravis09. Seven of the speakers were invited to extend their talk proposals into papers, which are found in the Proceedings.
CRT-200.02 Endovascular Revascularization with Bioabsorbable-Polymer Drug-Eluting Stents in Patients with Severe Critical Limb Ischemia

The use of below-the-knee drug-eluting stents for endovascular revascularization in patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI) has been described. Data are lacking regarding use of bioabsorbable-polymer drug-eluting stents (BP-DES) in the infra-geniculate vessels in patients with CLI Rutherford
Fast flex: Strategic design for industrial real estate in the age of corporate agility:

In view of global hypercompetition and technological change, the strategic management literature observes a shift away from competitiveness based on long-term competence to that based on flexibilit...
Design and evaluation of a sintered metal fiber filter for gasoline direct injection engine exhaust aftertreatment

Abstract A novel metal fiber gasoline particulate filter (GPF) is designed and evaluated as a potential improvement to the traditional automotive wall flow substrate. A procedure based on single fiber efficiency theory and the Kuwabara flow model for fibrous filter media is developed to optimize filter design. The prototype design is derived from two constraints, namely to maximize PM removal efficiency while minimizing filter backpressure. Metal fibers are chosen that tolerate gasoline engine exhaust temperatures and pleating is used to fulfill size limits dictated by vehicle space constraints. Two prototypes are evaluated by vehicle and engine dynamometer testing. These tests reveal PM filtration efficiencies of greater than 78% for both the FTP and US06 drive cycles, with an average backpressure of approximately 1 kPa over a US06 drive cycle on a 2.0 L GDI light duty vehicle. Measured PM removal efficiencies at constant exhaust temperature and flowrate agree well with model predictions. Backpressure predictions agree withs measurements after accounting for GPF entrance and exit effects. The metal fiber GPF performance is discussed relative to the current state of the art wall flow filters and the limited literature data on metal foam filters. Whereas the fibrous media offers excellent efficiency and backpressure penalty, achieving surface areas comparable to wall flow substrates remains a challenge for practical implementation.
Working Across Borders: Global Restructuring and Women’s Work

In this article Young examines the legal regulation of labor mobility, particularly the mobility of women workers from developing countries to Canada and the United States. Of particular importance is the employment relationship between domestic/home workers and their employers. In the era of globalization, domestic, regional and international laws and policies interact to make available to Western employers an easily exploitable supply of laborers from the large pool of Third World women. The legal regime regulating domestic work in Canada and the United State sustains a gendered and racial division of labor and preserves the dichotomy between productive and reproductive activities, thereby maintaining rather than ameliorating women's subordinate status in the workforce.
Blights Out and Property Rights in New Orleans Post-Katrina

In 2018’s Saint Bernard Parish Government v. United States, Federal Appeals Judge Timothy Dyk reversed a lower court decision finding that the federal government had violated the Fifth Amendment’s Takings Clause rights cherished by home-owning New Orleanians. The lower court maintained that such taking occurred via the Army Corps of Engineers’ building, maintaining, and failing to maintain the seventy-six mile long navigational challenge known as the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet (MRGO), which increased the surge storms of Hurricane Katrina. Though MRGO helped turn Katrina into a superstorm that devastated thousands of properties, Judge Dyk determined that the lower court’s takings analysis proved fatally flawed because it pivoted on government omission and failed to consider the totality of circumstances. In line with my ongoing work in Community Constitutionalism, I study the art of a New Orleans-based collective called Blights Out, whose members have staged performances and actions that protest how people of color have been deprived of property post-Katrina. Through careful analysis of their billboards and engagements, I tease out two legal arguments made by the collective: First, that the government may wrongfully deprive the people of property through omission. Second, that the window of time within which such takings may be discerned proves much wider than that imagined by Judge Dyk’s description of the “totality of circumstances.” Depending on the work of popular constitutionalists and my previous study of the linkages between art and jurisprudence, I conclude that Blights Out’s legal thought offers a powerful rejoinder to Judge Dyk’s analysis, and offers important arguments for the future applications of takings law.
ROS-MATLAB Interface and Setup for a Fault Tolerant Robotic System Using Human Robot Interaction

A Fault Tolerant Control system is a crucial aspect to any type of application mainly in robotics. In this paper, the focus is on the setup and interfacing between MATLAB and the Robotic Operating System (ROS) towards the implementation of a fault tolerant robotic system architecture previously proposed. This paper is a work in progress and presents the preliminary efforts towards achieving the communication between the different components used in the robotic system. Also, some of the possible test cases to verify how to system reacts to certain faults is also presented. This aspect of communication between different modules in the robotic system is significant to make the system more efficient by combining the powerful MATLAB tools in conjunction with the Robot Operating System(ROS).
Associations of leptin and adiponectin with incident type 2 diabetes and interactions among African Americans: the Jackson heart study.

Growing evidence suggests that leptin is critical for glycemic control. Impaired leptin signaling may also contribute to low adiponectin expression in obese individuals. We assessed the association of leptin and adiponectin with incident type 2 diabetes (T2D), their interactions with sex and obesity status, and mediation by insulin resistance. We included study participants from the Jackson Heart Study, a prospective cohort of adult African Americans in Jackson, Mississippi, that were free of T2D at the baseline Exam 1. Incident T2D was defined as new cases at Exam 2 or Exam 3. We created separate Cox regression models (hazard ratios per log-transformed ng/mL of leptin and adiponectin) with and without insulin resistance, HOMA-IR. Mediation by insulin resistance was analyzed. Several interactions were assessed, including by sex, HbA1c, and obesity. Among our 3363 participants (mean age 53 years, 63% women), 584 developed incident T2D. Leptin was directly associated with incident T2D when modeled without HOMA-IR (HR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.05–1.58). This direct association between leptin and T2D was significant among men (HR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.05–1.69), but nonsignificant among women (HR = 1.24, 95% CI = 0.94–1.64); statistical interaction with sex was nonsignificant (p = 0.65). The associations in all participants and in men were nullified by HOMA-IR (HR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.80–1.22; HR = 1.00, 95% CI = 0.78–1.28, respectively), indicating mediation through insulin resistance (proportion mediated: 1.04), and were not observed in abdominally obese participants. Adiponectin was inversely associated with T2D even after adjustment for HOMA-IR in women (HR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.55–0.84), but not in men (HR = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.62–1.04). The inverse association was present only among abdominally obese participants, and persisted after adjustment for HOMA-IR. Among African Americans in the Jackson Heart Study the association of leptin with incident type 2 diabetes was mediated by insulin resistance. This association was present only among abdominally non-obese participants. Differences by sex appeared: men showed a significant association mediated by insulin resistance. Among abdominally obese participants, adiponectin was inversely associated with incident T2D even after adjustment for HOMA-IR. Our results should inform future clinical trials that aim to reduce the burden of type 2 diabetes through the modification of serum levels of leptin and adiponectin.
Conducting Studies in Human-Robot Interaction

This chapter provides an overview on approaches for planning, designing, and executing human studies for Human-Robot Interactions (HRI). Recent literature is presented on approaches used for conducting studies in human-robot interactions. There is a detailed section on terminology commonly used in HRI studies, along with some statistical calculations that can be performed to evaluate the effect sizes of the data collected during HRI studies. Two improvements are described, using insights from the psychology and social science disciplines. First is to use appropriate sample sizes to better represent the populations being investigated to have a higher probability of obtaining statistically significant results. Second is the application of three or more methods of evaluation to have reliable and accurate results, and convergent validity. Five primary methods of evaluation exist: self-assessments, behavioral observations, psychophysiological measures, interviews, and task performance metrics. The chapter describes specific tools and procedures to operationalize these improvements, as well as suggestions for recruiting participants. A large-scale, complex, controlled human study in HRI using 128 participants and four methods of evaluation is presented to illustrate planning, design, and execution choices. The chapter concludes with ten recommendations and additional comments associated with the experimental design and execution of human studies for human-robot interactions.
PICO: Procedural Iterative Constrained Optimizer for Geometric Modeling

Procedural modeling has produced amazing results, yet fundamental issues such as controllability and limited user guidance persist. We introduce a novel procedural model called PICO (Procedural Iterative Constrained Optimizer) and PICO-Graph that is the underlying procedural model designed with optimization in mind. The key novelty of PICO is that it enables the exploration of generative designs by combining both user and environmental constraints into a single framework by using optimization without the need to write procedural rules. The PICO-Graph procedural model consists of a set of geometry generating operations and a set of axioms connected in a directed cyclic graph. The forward generation is initiated by a set of axioms that use the connections to send coordinate systems and geometric objects through the PICO-Graph, which in turn generates more objects. This allows for fast generation of complex and varied geometries. Moreover, we combine PICO-Graph with efficient optimization that allows for quick exploration of the generated models and the generation of variants. The user defines the rules, the axioms, and the set of constraints; for example, whether an existing object should be supported by the generated model, whether symmetries exist, whether the object should spin, etc. PICO then generates a class of geometric models and optimizes them so that they fulfill the constraints. The generation and the optimization in our implementation provides interactive user control during model execution providing continuous feedback. For example, the user can sketch the constraints and guide the geometry to meet these specified goals. We show PICO on a variety of examples such as the generation of procedural chairs with multiple supports, generation of support structures for 3D printing, generation of spinning objects, or generation of procedural terrains matching a given input. Our framework could be used as a component in a larger design workflow; its strongest application is in the early rapid ideation and prototyping phases.
Threshold Voltage Instability of Commercial 1.2 kV SiC Power MOSFETs

This paper presents threshold voltage instability of commercially available 1.2 kV SiC power MOSFETs from multiple vendors. Time-dependent bias-stress measurements are implemented to define the threshold voltage change incurred by near interface oxide traps. Bias-stress on the gate gives rise to injection of carriers into the gate oxide by direct tunneling to the near interface traps. Positive gate bias tends to increase threshold, whereas, negative gate bias tends to decrease threshold voltage. Threshold voltage shifts for various vendors vary from 0.15 V to 0.74 V under bias-stress of +30 V, and −0.05 V to −0.2 V under bias-stress of −10 V for 50 hours. This wide variation in the shifts between vendors indicates the different trap distribution in their oxides. In general, a positive threshold voltage shift decreases current drive, while a negative shift can cause the device to move into an ON state. However, the shift by itself does not represent an operational problem in power electronics but signifies the high density of defects in the gate oxide which may have significance for useful lifetime of gate oxides.
Planetary precarity and feminist environmental art practices in Antarctica

The article addresses Antarctica exclusively and focuses on three women artists: New Zealander, Anne Noble (Massey University, Wellington), American, Judit Hersko (California State University, San ...
Fungal virulence depends on interactions between pathogen ploidy and genetic background in healthy and immunocompromised hosts

Abstract The yeast Candida albicans is a commensal of humans and opportunistic pathogen. Given that C. albicans transitions between benign commensal and harmful pathogen, studying the factors that contribute to virulence is often challenging and frequently depends on many contexts including host immune status and pathogen genetic background. However, ploidy has often been overlooked when studying C. albicans virulence. Given that polyploid C. albicans have been identified in clinical settings and that other fungal pathogens display extensive ploidy variation, assessing how ploidy impacts virulence has important clinical relevance. Here, we utilize the nematode C. elegans as a mini-host system to study how pathogen ploidy and genetic background impact fungal infection in healthy and immunocompromised host contexts. In addition to reducing overall survival of nematode hosts, Candida infection also results in negatively impacts host reproduction and allows us to survey lethal and non-lethal virulence phenotypes. While we do not detect any global differences in virulence between diploid and tetraploid C. albicans, there is a significant interaction between ploidy and C. albicans genetic background in both healthy and immunocompromised host contexts. Furthermore, in specific C. albicans genetic backgrounds tetraploids are more virulent than their diploid counterpart whereas other genetic backgrounds the diploid is more virulent. Importantly, these genetic background dependent ploidy patterns are consistent across lethal and non-lethal virulence phenotypes and host immune status.
Lead-Zinc Crevices of Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin

Lead-zinc mineralized crevice caves developed within the Galena Group (Ordovician) of the Upper Mississippi Valley lead-zinc district (UMVLZD) result from both hypogene and epigene processes. Far-field tectonic movements occurring in the late Paleozoic resulted in extensive fracturing and consequent hydrothermal circulation in the late Paleozoic between the Proterozoic basement and the carbonate strata of the Galena Group. This caused significant coeval solution of the limestone, dolomitization, and sulfide mineral precipitation, especially where fractures intersected strata of a specific lithofacies characterized by the trace fossil Thalassinoides. At these intersections pod-shaped masses of sulfide minerals formed. During the Cenozoic, erosion of strata overlying the Galena Group resulted in the oxidation of the pod-shaped sulfide mineral deposits with resultant production of sulfuric acid and consequent solution of surrounding dolostone forming in some cases substantial caves and cave systems. Historically these caves were a major source of the mineral galena (PbS) with a utilization time line reaching back to Archaic (3500–1000 BCE).
Docosanoic acid conjugation to siRNA enables functional and safe delivery to skeletal and cardiac muscles

Oligonucleotide therapeutics hold promise for the treatment of muscle- and heart-related diseases. However, oligonucleotide delivery across the continuous endothelium of muscle tissue is challenging. Here, we demonstrate that docosanoic acid (DCA) conjugation of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) enables efficient (~5% of injected dose), sustainable (>1 month), and non-toxic (no cytokine induction at 100 mg/kg) gene silencing in both skeletal and cardiac muscles after systemic injection. When designed to target myostatin (muscle growth regulation gene), siRNAs induced ~55% silencing in various muscle tissues and 80% silencing in heart, translating into a ~50% increase in muscle volume within 1 week. Our study identifies compounds for RNAi-based modulation of gene expression in skeletal and cardiac muscles, paving the way for both functional genomics studies and therapeutic gene modulation in muscle and heart.
Growing Up with Grand Theft Auto: A 10-Year Study of Longitudinal Growth of Violent Video Game Play in Adolescents

A host of studies have examined the impact of playing violent video games on aggressive behavior. However, longitudinal research is rare, and existing studies have allowed little room for individual variability in the trajectories of violent video game play. The current study used a person-centered approach to examine trajectories, predictors, and outcomes of violent video game play over a 10-year period. Three groups of individuals emerged: high initial violence (4 percent), moderate (23 percent), and low increasers (73 percent). High initial violence and moderate groups showed a curvilinear pattern of violent video game play across time, whereas low increasers group increased slightly in violent video game play across time. The high initial violence and moderate groups were more likely to be male, and those in the high initial violence group were more likely to be depressed at the initial wave. There was no difference in prosocial behavior at the final time point across all the three groups, but individuals in the moderate group displayed the highest levels of aggressive behavior at the final wave. Implications of the results are discussed.
Examination of eating disorder risk among university marching band artists

Marching band artists are a physically active population, composed of approximately 27,000 people in the United States. University marching band artists face many of the same physically active demands and mental stressors as student athletes, potentially predisposing them to injury, illness, and risk for eating disorders (EDs). The purpose of this study was to examine ED risk across sex in university marching band artists, and to determine the type of risk based on the Eating Disorder Inventory-3 (EDI-3) and Eating Disorder Inventory-3 Symptom Check List (EDI-3 SC). A secondary aim examined marching band artists and pathogenic weight control behavior use across sex. This was a cross-sectional study. A total of 150 marching band artists (female: n = 84, male: n = 66, age = 19.9 ± 1.1 years) from three National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I university marching bands participated in the study. We screened for ED risk using the EDI-3, and the EDI-3 SC. Overall, marching band artists were at risk for EDs, using only the EDI-3, 45.3% (n = 68) were at risk, with females at significant higher risk than males [χ2 = 5.228, p = .022]; using only the EDI-3 SC, 54% (n = 81) were at risk and no significant differences were found across sex. Overall, 48% of all participants reported dieting and 20.7% engaged in excessive exercise to control weight. Significant differences were found between sex and purging to control weight [χ2 = 3.94, p = .047] and laxative use [χ2 = 4.064, p = .044], with females engaging in behavior more than males. Eating disorder risk was prevalent for both female and male marching band artists, with females displaying higher risk for EDs than males. Furthermore, marching band artists are engaging in pathogenic behaviors to control their weight. Healthcare providers (e.g., physicians, athletic trainers, physical therapist, dietitians, etc.) working in this setting should be aware of the risk factors displayed in marching band artists, and be able to provide education, prevention, and clinical interventions to this population. Additionally, marching band administrators should be aware of all medical risk factors and the benefit of having a healthcare provider (e.g., athletic trainer) to oversee the healthcare and wellness of marching band artists.
Benign liver tumors

From a practical standpoint, the most important benign hepatic tumors are hepatocytic adenoma, focal nodular hyperplasia, cavernous hemangioma, and bile duct hamartoma. The surgeon needs to be familiar with the pathogenesis, gross and radiologic appearance, and natural history of each of these lesions to formulate an appropriate therapeutic plan.
Protective Heterologous T Cell Immunity in COVID-19 Induced by MMR and Tdap Vaccine Antigens

T cells are critical for control of viral infection and effective vaccination. We investigated whether prior Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) or Tetanus-Diphtheria-pertussis (Tdap) vaccination elicit cross-reactive T cells that mitigate COVID-19. Using co-cultures of antigen presenting cells (APC) loaded with antigens and autologous T cells, we found a high correlation between responses to SARS-CoV-2 (Spike-S1 and Nucleocapsid) and MMR and Tdap vaccine proteins in both SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals and individuals immunized with mRNA-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. The overlapping T cell population contained effector memory T cells (TEMRA) previously implicated in anti-viral immunity and their activation required APC-derived IL-15. TCR- and scRNA-sequencing detected cross-reactive clones with TEMRA features among the cells recognizing SARS-CoV-2, MMR and Tdap epitopes. A propensity-weighted analysis of 73,582 COVID-19 patients revealed that severe disease outcomes (hospitalization and transfer to intensive care unit or death) were reduced in MMR or Tdap vaccinated individuals by 38-32% and 23-20% respectively. In summary, SARS-CoV-2 re-activates memory T cells generated by Tdap and MMR vaccines, which may reduce disease severity.
Development of technology and formulation of cracker of high nutritional value

Human nutrition is one of the important factors that determine the health of the population. A fullfledged balanced diet creates conditions for normal physical and mental development, affects the body’s ability to resist the effects of adverse environmental factors. The modern progressive direction of development of the confectionery industry is the creation of new technologies and the development of products of increased nutritional value. Today, a large number of product categories are represented in the structure of the snack market. One of the trends of recent years in the snack market is an increase in the consumption of natural snack products (nuts, seeds, dried fruits). In large part, this is due to the desire of consumers to live a healthy lifestyle. Therefore, products that carry the idea of proper and healthy nutrition are increasingly appearing on the market. This is what the developed product is a cracker with enhanced nutritional value. In the course of the study, the technology and recipe of the cracker of said increased nutritional value were developed. This result was achieved by adding buckwheat flour and cheese to the recipe. The additives used allowed crackers to be made with high organoleptic and physico-chemical properties. At the same time, the optimal recipe was determined, in which wheat flower was replaced with 40% buckwheat flour. The analysis of the chemical composition and nutritional value of the developed cracker samples of increased nutritional value proved the validity of the additives introduced. Due to the introduction of these ingredients, the contents of B vitamins (B1, B2, B4, B6), dietary fiber, as well as other nutrients like magnesium, potassium, calcium, zinc, copper, molybdenum, sodium and chlorine, increased.
Fuel effects on diesel odour from an IDI CFR engine

A single–cylinder CFR indirect injection (IDI) diesel engine was modified and instrumented to incorporate odour research utilising the Diesel Odour Analysis System. The effect on odour levels of some important fuel properties including volatility, cetane number and aromaticity were determined over the load range of the engine. Although fuels of high cetane number resulted in reduced ignition delay and reduced hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions, no significant reduction in the odour level was noticed. Similarly, the combined effect of decrease in cetane number (from 52 to 36) and increase in aromaticity (from 21 to 47 per cent) in a typical diesel fuel had an insignificant effect on the odour level. Only fuel volatility correlated well with odour levels over normal engine operating conditions; decreases in fuel volatility (higher 90 per cent distillation point temperature) were associated with increased odour levels. Sources of odour generation during the engine combustion process are discussed and related to the observed fuel effects behaviour. The application of the results to other engine and burner systems is discussed.
A Student Pentathlon

(1978). A Student Pentathlon. Journal of Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 49, Including Leisure Today, pp. 79-79.
Lemur tyrosine kinase-2, a novel regulator of androgen receptor signaling in prostate cancer (1095.1)

Androgens and the androgen receptor play essential roles in the development and progression of prostate cancer, which claims roughly around 28,000 lives every year. Contemporary reports have demons...
Network Theory and Analysis

This article reviews developments in network analysis and its applications to problems of organization. From an arcane social science tradition focused chiefly on methods, it has evolved into a major paradigm for thinking about and researching relationships and social structure within and among organizations. Network ideas and methods have been embraced by organizational theorists in part because the world of organizations has itself changed: from centrally coordinated hierarchies to loosely linked strategic alliances and “network forms.” Methods issues continue to be important in network analysis; however, the data and the statistical methods appropriate to network study are quite different from those of other social and behavioral science domains. Network methods and models at varying levels of analysis are reviewed – node, dyad, subnetwork (clique or cluster), and network – and how they have been applied to recent subfields of organizational study. Keywords: network theory and analysis; data collection; levels and methods
Development of later life spontaneous seizures in a rodent model of hypoxia-induced neonatal seizures.

Purpose To study the development of epilepsy following hypoxia-induced neonatal seizures in Long Evans rats and to establish the presence of spontaneous seizures in this model of early life seizures.
Wood Stoves: Can We Solve the Emissions Problem Before It Goes Up In Smoke?

Residential wood combustion (RWC) emissions already pose significant problems in some regions and should cause concern in others. The potential health effects from particulates and polycyclic organic material, hydrocarbons, and carbon monoxide are both serious and largely unrecognized by the public. More efficient stove design and operation need to be promoted, if not mandated. If cooperative, voluntary efforts are not enough, government intervention may be necessary if wood is to become a safe and viable alternative fuel source for American homes.
Introduction to Hematology

Hematology is the study of the normal and pathologic aspects of blood and blood elements. Blood is a very unique fluid composed of many cellular elements as well as a liquid portion consisting of proteins, amino acids, carbohydrates, lipids, and other macromolecules and low-molecular-weight precursors. The hematopoietic system is characterized by high cell turnover and replenishment throughout one’s life. The pluripotent hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) is the progenitor for all cells that arise in blood. The cellular elements that arise from this stem cell include red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Normal white blood cells in the peripheral circulation include neutrophils, monocytes, eosinophils, basophils, and lymphocytes. Since the HSC also gives rise to cells of the lymphoid system, the study of hematology also includes the lymph nodes and lymphoid tissue. There is no specific organ for hematologic disorders, and its diseases arise within the bone marrow, the lymph nodes, or the intravascular compartment. The latter includes the endothelial cells lining blood vessels and the proteins in the blood plasma. The circulating cell-endothelial cell interface and the rheologic aspects of blood coursing through the intravascular compartment also influence “hematology” and its many parts.
Three novel alternative splicing mutations in BCR-ABL1 detected in CML patients with resistance to kinase inhibitors.

Summary Introduction: Multiple types of mutations in the BCR-ABL1 kinase domain have been reported. We previously reported a common alternatively spliced BCR-ABL mRNA with a 35-nucleotide insertion (35INS). We report three novel alternative splicing mutants expressed as the dominant transcripts in patient with chronic myelogenous leukemia and resistance to kinase inhibitors. Methods: We screened RNA from more than 200 patients with resistance to more than one of the three kinase inhibitors for ABL1 kinase domain mutations by direct sequencing. Results: We found three not previously described splice mutants. All three showed >90% mutant transcript. The first resulted from the insertion of 79 nucleotides into the ABL1 exon 8–9 junction. The inserted sequence contained a sequence from regions of intron 8, located 120 bp apart: the 35-nucleotide sequence previously described, and an additional 44-nucleotide segment downstream from 35INS. The combined 79-nucleotide insertion splice mutant showed the same protein change as 35INS (p C475YfsX11). The second splice mutation comprised an 84-nucleotide sequence from intron 7 inserted into the ABL1 exon7–8 junction, also causing a frameshift and protein truncation (p A424EfsX18). The third splice derived from a 231-nucleotide sequence from intron 4 retained in the ABL1 exon 4–5 junction adding 40 intron-encoded amino acids and leading to a frameshift and early termination (p E275LfsX41). Conclusion: These findings, when combined with the data on 35INS, support the concept that loss of the C-terminus of BCR-ABL1 is associated with significant resistance to kinase inhibitors; this mechanism appears to be a major source of resistance to kinase inhibitors.
VHE and UHE Gamma Ray Sources

The observations of Very High Energy, VHE, and Ultra High Energy, UHE, gamma rays from celestial sources are reviewed. Cerenkov detectors for VHE gamma ray measurements and extended air shower arrays for UHE measurements are described. The x-ray binary pulsar source VHE and UHE observations of Cyg X-3, Her X-1, Vela X-1 and Cen X-3 and of the radio pulsar sources PSR 0531 +21 and PSR 0833-45, the Crab and the Vela pulsars, are described in more detail. Possible VHE and UHE gamma ray source catalogs are examined. The current state and future requirements of VHE and UHE gamma ray astronomy are briefly discussed.
Carbonate-Evaporite Cycles in Lower Duperow Formation of Williston Basin

ABSTRACT The Duperow (Frasnian) sediments of the Williston basin consist of about twelve regular cycles. Stratigraphic and petrographic study was made of the lower 300 ft. of these strata using cores and cuttings from 45 wells and about 200 radioactivity logs from selected locations in North Dakota, Montana, and Saskatchewan. Each cycle consists of a lower member, either dark brown, burrowed, lithoclastic-bioclastic brachiopod-crinoid limestone with a mud matrix, or a stromatoporoid biostrome and a middle part of brown lime mudstone with a restricted microfauna of ostracods and calcispheres interbedded with unfossiliferous pelletoid beds or laminated lime mudstone. Bedded anhydrite and greygreen, silty, very fine-grained dolomite displaying intertidal and supratidal sedimentary structures cap the cycle. The Duperow cycles are amazingly widespread and constituent beds only 10-15 ft. thick can be traced completely across the Williston basin, a distance of several hundred miles. Deposition occurred within a vast backreef lagoon lying south of the Woodbend reef platform of southern Alberta and stretching to a sandy shore in South Dakota and northern Wyoming. This lagoon was periodically and rapidly flooded with normal marine water, permitting benthonic organisms to flourish; the sea then gradually shallowed as sedimentation filled the basin. Desiccation resulted in extensive tidal flats and evaporitic sabkhas and perhaps in some dolomitization of the carbonates on shelves outside the basin. The cause of such cyclic sedimentation might have been slow, steady subsidence of the basin with a superimposed climatic rhythm which may have speeded up reef growth and periodically choked off sea water from the basin. Perhaps this process operated coincidentally with sporadic eustatic sea level fluctuation or with abrupt periodic subsidence of the whole basin. The low bathymetric relief which permitted rapid flooding certainly would have aided in development of such cycles. Comparison of patterns of replacement dolomite in lower Duperow sediments of the basin itself with lateral and vertical changes in interpreted depositional facies and with thickness variations of the cycles leads to the conclusion that most replacement dolomitization occurred in the formation before complete lithification, probably not during Duperow time, but later in Devonian time during shelfward evaporite deposition and tectonic adjustment preceding the Mississippian transgression.
Management of proliferative diabetic retinopathy

Advancement from nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) into the proliferative stage is defined by the presence of neovascularization, or new blood vessel growth. Although neovascularization would seemingly be a helpful adaptation, ocular neovascularization is uniformly destructive and associated with a poor visual prognosis when unchecked.
Late Pleistocene to Holocene distributional stasis in scorpions along the Baja California peninsula

The biota of the Baja California peninsula (BCP) assembled in response to a complex history of Neogene tectonics and Quaternary climates. We constructed species distribution models (SDMs) for 13 scorpion species from the BCP to compare current suitable habitat with that at the latest glacial maximum about 21 000 years ago. Using these SDMs, we modelled climatic suitability in relation to latitude along the BCP. Our SDMs suggested that most BCP scorpion distributions have remained remarkably conserved across the latest glacial to interglacial climatic transformation. Three areas of climatic suitability coincide remarkably well with genetic discontinuities in other co-distributed taxa along the BCP, indicating that long-term persistence of zones of abrupt climatic transition offer a viable alternative, or synergistic enhancement, to hypotheses of trans-peninsular seaways as drivers of peninsular divergences. © 2014 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2014, 111, 450–461.
A selection system for unequal crossing-over: Plasmid construction and initial studies in Escherichia coli

Unequal crossing-over is involved in genetic duplication and deletion in such diverse genetic systems as Drosophila, bacteria, and animal viruses. It is proposed to be involved in the form of unequal sister chromatid exchange in gene amplification in cultured animal cells and during carcinogenesis. Studies of the process of unequal crossing-over have been hampered by the lack of genetic systems allowing specific selection for cells that have undergone such unequal crossing-over. We report here on the construction of plasmids designed to provide specific selection of unequal crossing-over. One such plasmid was studied in Escherichia coli. We show that kanamycin resistance is generated, as predicted, by the expected unequal crossover event.
Electromigration injection from a small loop in capillary electrophoresis.

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) is now clearly the separation technique of the decade. One aspect that is still in need of improvement is concentration sensitivity, especially when CE is used in conjunction with on-column UV−visible absorptiometry, by far the most common practice. Electromigration injection (EI) is among the most prominent techniques in CE that serves to improve the attainable limits of detection; it is also the most convenient and simplest of all injection modes. Unfortunately, EI is affected both from sample to sample (the amount of an analyte introduced depends on sample conductance) and from analyte to analyte within a sample (the introduction is strongly biased on analyte electrical mobility). Previously we have shown the utility of small loops affixed at the tip of a capillary (Anal. Chem. 1995, 67, 3853−3860; 1996, 68, 1164−1168). The present paper shows that there are remarkable advantages to be gained from forming a film of the sample solution on a wire loop and using the loop its...
Isotopic Analysis of Ca from Extraterrestrial Micrometer-Sized SiC by Laser Desorption and Resonant Ionization Mass Spectroscopy

The isotopic composition of calcium in a 2.8 μm SiC grain, isolated from the Murchison CM2 meteorite, has been measured by resonant ionization mass spectroscopy with a two-color (2ω + ω) ionization scheme. The sample was atomized by laser-induced thermal desorption by a pulsed N2 gas laser and mass-analyzed in a time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOFMS). The Ca ionization scheme results in excellent discrimination against isobaric interferences from SiC, SiO, C4, and Ti. To investigate possible mass-dependent variations in the postionization efficiency or TOFMS transmission, we have also measured the isotopic abundance of Ca from a terrestrial SiC sample (∼130 ppm Ca concentration) using the same experimental parameters. Furthermore, we have measured the isotopic composition of Ca ion-sputtered with Ar+ from a pure terrestrial Ca target to determine isotopic variations of the ionization efficiency. Within statistical uncertainty, the isotopic abundance of Ca from the meteoritic SiC grain does not reveal an...