cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intake of lambs offered ad libitum access to one of three iso-caloric and iso-nitrogenous mixed rations or a choice of all three foods

Abstract Modern practices for finishing livestock typically involve offering a single uniform food to large groups of presumably similar animals in an attempt to increase efficiency. Nevertheless, differences in physiology and behavior still cause variations in performance that may precipitate biological inefficiencies by not appreciating the importance of differences among individuals, the capacity of animals to select foods that meet ever-changing individual needs, and the dynamic nature of a nutrient's value to an animal. We examined intakes of groups of lambs offered a single food or three foods differing only in their proportions of cereal grains: High, 70%; Medium, 50%; Low, 40%. Foods consisted of the same ingredients (barley, corn, sugar beet pulp, alfalfa, soybean meal, grape pomace, feather meal, wheat straw), had similar levels of metabolizable energy (ME) and crude protein (CP), and met NRC requirements. We hypothesized that intake and performance would be greater when animals had a choice of foods because high grain concentrations would not limit intake of individuals unable to process high amounts of energy from grain. In general, lambs offered a Choice of the three foods ate more, converted food more efficiently, and cost less per unit gain than lambs fed the High food (P Medium and High in the beginning stage of the trial, their preferences became pronounced as we increased the amount of grain in each food during the finishing period (P
Differences between African-American and Caucasian students on enrollment influences and barriers in kinesiology-based allied health education programs.

Kinesiology departments have recently started to offer allied health education programs to attract additional students to teacher education units (9). Although allied health professions offer incre...
EVIDENCE FOR DISSOCIATION OF IMPAIRMENT ON AUDITORY DISCRIMINATION AND DELAYED RESPONSE FOLLOWING LATERAL FRONTAL LESIONS IN MONKEYS

Impairments on both delayed-response and auditory-discrimination tasks have been reported to follow lateral frontal cortical lesions in monkeys. The present study is primarily concerned with the relationship of these two deficits. Three monkeys received ablations of sulcus principalis; three received ablations of lateral frontal cortex excluding sulcus principalis. Acquisition and retention of auditory-discrimination, delayed-response, and visual-discrimination tasks by the two groups were compared. Sulcus principalis lesions produced greater impairment on the delayed-response tasks. The lesions sparing sulcus principalis produced greater impairment on the auditory-discrimination tasks. The performance of the groups did not differ on the visual-discrimination tasks. These results suggest that the delayed-response deficit and the deficit in auditory discrimination that follow large frontal lesions may be dissociated by smaller frontal lesions. The results confirm that the focus for impairment on tests of the delayed-response type is in the region of sulcus principalis. The experimental data do not indicate the focus (if any) for the auditory-discrimination deficit, nor do they permit the definition of the nature of this deficit including its modality specificity.
An integrated psychology for the addictions: beyond the Self-Medication Hypothesis.

The Self-Medication Hypothesis (SMH) is a popular explanation for chemical dependencies. The SMH ignores or leaves out important biological research which has explored the mechanisms of reward, motivation to use alchol/drugs, as well as the impact on mood of chronic, excessive alcohol/drug use. A new psychology is needed which includes this biological resaerch as well as the psychological observations contained in the SMH. Self Psychology is used to create in integrated psychology for the addictions.
A Case Study of a Longstanding Online Community of Practice Involving Critical Care and Advanced Practice Nurses

The aims of this study are: (1) to examine to what extent critical care and advanced practice nurses participation in an online listserv constituted a community of practice, and (2) to explore how the nurses use electronic media to communicate with one another. Findings suggest that the online listserv environment, as a whole, did function as an online community of practice, where participation not only served as an avenue for knowledge sharing situated in the actual context of the nurses everyday work experience, but also helped to reinforce identity of the nursing practice itself. Motivations to participate included a way to network with others who shared a similar working situation, and an opportunity to learn new knowledge and work practices. The most common type of messages posted was "Sharing knowledge", followed by "Solicitation". Regarding the types of knowledge shared, the most common ones were "Institutional Practice" and "Personal Opinion".
Surfactant Protein A Modulates Induction of Regulatory T Cells via TGF-β

TCR signaling plays a critical role in regulatory T cell (Treg) development. However, the mechanism for tissue-specific induction of Tregs in the periphery remains unclear. We observed that surfactant protein A (SP-A)–deficient mice have impaired expression of Foxp3 and fewer CD25+Foxp3+ Tregs after ex vivo stimulation and after stimulation with LPS in vivo. The addition of exogenous SP-A completely reversed this phenotype. Although SP-A is known to inhibit T cell proliferation under certain activation conditions, both IL-2 levels as well as active TGF-β levels increase on extended culture with exogenous SP-A, providing a key mechanism for the maintenance and induction of Tregs. In addition, kinetic suppression assays demonstrate that SP-A enhances the frequency of functional Foxp3+ Tregs in responder T cell populations in a TGF-β–dependent manner. In mice treated with LPS in vivo, Tregs increased ∼160% in wild-type mice compared with only a 50% increase in LPS-treated SP-A−/− mice 8 d after exposure. Taken together, these findings support the hypothesis that SP-A affects T cell immune function by the induction of Tregs during activation.
IFNγ sensitization to TRAIL-induced apoptosis in human thyroid carcinoma cells by upregulating Bak expression

TRAIL preferentially induces apoptosis in tumor cells and virus-infected cells. Unlike other tumor necrosis factor family members, TRAIL does not kill cells from most normal tissues and has thus been proposed as a promising new cancer treatment. Our study demonstrated that IFNγ combined with TRAIL can trigger apoptosis in vitro in several resistant thyroid tumor cell lines, such as thyroid anaplastic carcinoma cells (ARO cells), while either agent alone exerts only a minimal effect. We further tested this effect on a mouse thyroid tumor model, when in vivo tumor growth was also significantly inhibited by this combination. The mechanism of how IFNγ sensitized thyroid carcinoma cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis was investigated by screening global gene alterations in ARO cells treated with IFNγ. Microarray data revealed that a proapoptotic gene, Bak, is markedly upregulated by IFNγ, and this was confirmed by RNase protection assay. Western blot analysis also showed a significant increase in Bak at the protein level. Upregulation of Bak and sensitization for apoptosis by IFNγ was blocked by overexpression of antisense Bak in ARO cells. Furthermore, overexpression of Bak sensitized ARO cell to TRAIL-induced apoptosis without the need for IFNγ pretreatment. This suggests that Bak is a regulatory molecule involved in IFNγ-facilitated TRAIL-mediated apoptosis in thyroid cancer cells.
Minimally Invasive Surgery for Arthroplasty with the UniSpacer

Middle-age osteoarthritis of the knee remains a problem with many treatment options. It can be treated in its earlier stages with a combination of oral medication, intra-articular injection with cortisone or viscosupplementation, physical therapy, and arthroscopic debridement. Once the patient has reached a level of disability which is not responding to these less invasive treatment modalities, the patient and physician are both faced with the decision to choose a more invasive surgical option. The selection of the best surgical alternative will depend on many nonsurgical issues including the patient’s age, weight, sex, activity level, and occupation. This decision will also be based on the extent of cartilage degeneration, as well as bony deformity. These options include high tibial osteotomy, unicompartmental knee arthroplasty, total knee arthroplasty, and the UniSpacer. The final decision on which of these techniques is ultimately used will come down to patient and surgeon preference based on the individual set of circumstances.
Soft Body Dynamics After 9/11

Endowing buildings with the capacity for movement and transformation, animated architecture represents the expansion of animation from cinematic and televisual space to real-space environments. A key example of animation in architecture is Oosterhuis.nl's proposal for a new World Trade Center. In line with similar work by fellow Dutch firm NOX, Oosterhuis.nl's Ground Zero embraces animation through references to mobility, liveliness and metamorphosis. It points to the prominence of animated form in contemporary design practice and the ubiquitous use of animation software in the process of architectural design. At the same time, Ground Zero reveals post-9/11 anxieties surrounding the soft and tender flesh of the object world. The author's analysis of Ground Zero's discursive production of life maps crucial changes in our spatial imagination and the politics of form.
Information-Theoretic Metrics for Quantifying PSF Quality

We present a general information-theoretic methodology for the important problems of quantify-ing the informational loss due to inaccurate knowledge of the PSF. Example results and implications for AO imaging systems are presented.
Methylene Blue Inhibits Endothelial Prostacyclin Release: Support for Prostacyclin as Contracting Factor

This study further tests, using methylene blue, our hypothesis that prostacyclin is the endothelium-derived contracting factor released by acetylcholine from aorta of spontaneously hypertensive rats. Methylene blue, which inhibited acetylcholine-induced contraction of spontaneously hypertensive rat aorta, decreased acetylcholine-induced prostacyclin release, but not prostaglandin F2α or prostaglandin E2 release, from spontaneously hypertensive rat aorta. These results support the identity of endothelium-derived contracting factor as prostacyclin.
Quantitative Molecular Detection of Xanthomonas hortorum pv. carotae in Carrot Seed Before and After Hot-Water Treatment

Temple, T. N., du Toit, L. J., Derie, M. L., and Johnson, K. B. 2013. Quantitative molecular detection of Xanthomonas hortorum pv. carotae in carrot seed before and after hot-water treatment. Plant Dis. 97:1585-1592. Molecular assays to detect and quantify DNA from viable cells of the seedborne pathogen Xanthomonas hortorum pv. carotae in carrot seed were developed and evaluated for use on nontreated and hot-watertreated seed lots. Both a TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay and a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) dilution endpoint assay detected and quantified DNA from viable pathogen cells after treatment of carrot seed washes with the live-dead discriminating dye propidium monoazide (PMA). The detection limits of the assays were approximately 10 1 CFU for pure cultures of X. hortorum pv. carotae, and 102 to 103 CFU/g seed from naturally infested carrot seed lots. X. hortorum pv. carotae in and on carrot seed was killed by soaking the seed in hot water (52°C for 25 min), and a subsequent PMA treatment of these hot-water-treated seed washes suppressed detection of the pathogen with both the real-time PCR and LAMP assays. For 36 commercial seed lots treated with PMA but not hot water, regression of colony counts of X. hortorum pv. carotae measured by dilution plating on a semiselective agar medium versus estimates of pathogen CFU determined by the molecular assays resulted in significant (P ≤ 0.05) linear relationships (R 2 = 0.68 for the real-time PCR assay and 0.79 for the LAMP assay). The molecular assays provided quantitative estimates of X. hortorum pv. carotae infestations in carrot seed lots in <24 h, which is a significant improvement over the 7 to 14 days required to obtain results from the traditional dilution-plating assay.
A Small Subpopulation of Blastospores in Candida albicans Biofilms Exhibit Resistance to Amphotericin B Associated with Differential Regulation of Ergosterol and β-1,6-Glucan Pathway Genes

The resistance of Candida albicans biofilms to a broad spectrum of antimicrobial agents has been well documented. Biofilms are known to be heterogeneous, consisting of microenvironments that may induce formation of resistant subpopulations. In this study we characterized one such subpopulation. C. albicans biofilms were cultured in a tubular flow cell (TF) for 36 h. The relatively large shear forces imposed by draining the TF removed most of the biofilm, which consisted of a tangled mass of filamentous forms with associated clusters of yeast forms. This portion of the biofilm exhibited the classic architecture and morphological heterogeneity of a C. albicans biofilm and was only slightly more resistant than either exponential- or stationary-phase planktonic cells. A submonolayer fraction of blastospores that remained on the substratum was resistant to 10 times the amphotericin B dose that eliminated the activity of the planktonic populations. A comparison between planktonic and biofilm populations of transcript abundance for genes coding for enzymes in the ergosterol (ERG1, -3, -5, -6, -9, -11, and -25) and β-1,6-glucan (SKN and KRE1, -5, -6, and -9) pathways was performed by quantitative RT-PCR. The results indicate a possible association between the high level of resistance exhibited by the blastospore subpopulation and differential regulation of ERG1, ERG25, SKN1, and KRE1. We hypothesize that the resistance originates from a synergistic effect involving changes in both the cell membrane and the cell wall.
Spontaneous Ultraviolet Emission from 233 Uranium / T 229 horium Samples

The spontaneous ultraviolet luminescence reported [G.thinspM. Irwin and K.thinspH. Kim, Phys.thinspthinspRev.thinspthinspLett.thinspthinsp{bold 79}, 990 (1997); D.thinspS. Richardson {ital etthinspthinspal., ibid.}thinspthinsp{bold 80}, 3206 (1998)] from {sup 233}uranium compounds and ascribed to an ultraviolet gamma-ray emission from the metastable {sup 229}thorium daughter is actually N{sub 2} discharge emission induced in the air surrounding the sample by the sample radioactivity. The UV spectrum from high elemental and isotopic purity {sup 233}UO{sub 3} reported here also exhibits a line at 391.3thinspthinspnm that does not appear to be due to electric discharge N{sub 2} emission. {copyright} {ital 1999} {ital The American Physical Society}
H- and J-Aggregation of Fluorene-Based Chromophores

Understanding of H- and J-aggregation behaviors in fluorene-based polymers is significant both for determining the origin of various red-shifted emissions occurring in blue-emitting polyfluorenes and for developing polyfluorene-based device performance. In this contribution, we demonstrate a new theory of the H- and J-aggregation of polyfluorenes and oligofluorenes, and understand the influence of chromosphere aggregation on their photoluminescent properties. H- and J-aggregates are induced by a continuous increasing concentration of the oligofluorene or polyfluorene solution. A relaxed molecular configuration is simulated to illustrate the spatial arrangement of the bonding of fluorenes. It is indicated that the relaxed state adopts a 21 helical backbone conformation with a torsion angle of 18° between two connected repeat units. This configuration makes the formation of H- and J-aggregates through the strong π-π interaction between the backbone rings. A critical aggregation concentration is observed to form H- and J-aggregates for both polyfluorenes and oligofluorenes. These aggregates show large spectral shifts and distinct shape changes in photoluminescent excitation (PLE) and emission (PL) spectroscopy. Compared with "isolated" chromophores, H-aggregates induce absorption spectral blue-shift and fluorescence spectral red-shift but largely reduce fluorescence efficiency. "Isolated" chromophores not only refer to "isolated molecules" but also include those associated molecules if their conjugated backbones are not compact enough to exhibit perturbed absorption and emission. J-aggregates induce absorption spectral red-shift and fluorescence spectral red-shift but largely enhance fluorescence efficiency. The PLE and PL spectra also show that J-aggregates dominate in concentrated solutions. Different from the excimers, the H- and J-aggregate formation changes the ground-state absorption of fluorene-based chromophores. H- and J-aggregates show changeable absorption and emission derived from various interchain interactions, unlike the β phase, which has relatively fixed absorption and emission derived from an intrachain interaction.
Abstract 4371: Anti-leukemia effect of Casein Kinase II (CK2) inhibitors in vivo is mediated by the Ikaros tumor suppressor.

An increase in the expression and activity of pro-oncogenic Casein Kinase II (CK2) is associated with the development of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in humans. The mechanism by which CK2 promotes leukemogenesis is unknown. Previously, we demonstrated that CK2 kinase phosphorylates the Ikaros tumor suppressor in vivo and that phosphorylation of Ikaros at specific amino acids interferes with the normal function of the Ikaros protein. We hypothesized that CK2 exerts its pro-oncogenic effect by reducing the tumor suppressor activity of Ikaros and that inhibition of CK2 could enhance Ikaros tumor suppressor activity in leukemia. Here we show that Ikaros binds to the promoter regions and represses transcription of several genes that promote cell cycle progression in leukemia. Inhibition of CK2 results in: 1) enhanced Ikaros DNA-binding affinity to its target genes as indicated by quantitative chromatin immunoprecipitation (qChIP) assay); 2) increased Ikaros-mediated transcriptional repression of Ikaros target genes as demonstrated by luciferase reporter assay; 3) impaired proliferation of leukemia cells and 4) increased sensitivity of leukemia cells to Doxorubicin. The use of specific CK2 inhibitors in vivo in a human-mouse leukemia xenograft model produced a strong anti-leukemia effect. Functional analysis of leukemia cells from xenografts demonstrated that CK2 inhibition results in strong binding of Ikaros at the promoters of its target genes and reduced transcription of these genes as indicated by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Our results provide evidence that CK2 inhibitors have a potent anti-leukemia effect in vitro and in vivo, and suggest the mechanism through which CK2 inhibitors exert their therapeutic effect. The presented data demonstrate that one of the mechanisms of action for CK2 inhibitors involves increasing Ikaros activity as a transcriptional repressor in leukemia cells, resulting in enhanced tumor suppressor activity. These results provide a rationale for the use of CK2 inhibitors as a novel therapeutic modality for leukemia. Supported by National Institutes of Health R01 HL095120, a St. Baldrick9s Foundation Career Development grant, and the Four Diamonds Fund Endowment (to S.D.). Citation Format: Sinisa Dovat, Chunhua Song, Kimberly J. Payne. Anti-leukemia effect of Casein Kinase II (CK2) inhibitors in vivo is mediated by the Ikaros tumor suppressor. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4371. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-4371
Serologic and fractionation studies of C-reactive protein.

It is recognized that the blood drawn from individuals during the acute stage of many illnesses may be abnormal in several respects. Good (1) has reviewed the evidence for an increase in a globulin, hexosamines, certain polymeric carbohydrate-protein complexes, mucoproteins, fibrinogen, hyaluronidase inhibitor, and in bactericidal activity. Clinically, determination of the mucoprotein level, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and the recognition of an aberrant substance known as Creactive protein have proven useful indices of disease activity. The latter substance was recognized (2) by its ability to precipitate with the somatic (C-) carbohydrate of the pneumococcus. A summary of the general properties of the reactive protein and the pathological conditions which stimulate its production is given by Good (1). A variety of serologic methods have been utilized for the detection of C-
Creating Polytope Representations of Design Spaces for Visual Exploration Using Consistency Techniques

Understanding the limits of a design is an important aspect of the design process. When mathematical models are constructed to describe a design concept, the limits are typically expressed as constraints involving the variables of that concept. The set of values for the design variables that do not violate constraints constitute the design space of that concept. In this work, we transform a parametric design problem into a geometry problem thereby enabling computational geometry algorithms to support design exploration. A polytope-based representation is presented to geometrically approximate the design space. The design space is represented as a finite set of (at most) three-dimensional (possibly nonconvex) polytopes, i.e., points, intervals, polygons, and polyhedra. The algorithm for constructing the design space is developed by interpreting constraint-consistency algorithms as computational-geometric operations and consequently extending (3,2)-consistency algorithm for polytope representations. A simple example of a fingernail clipper design is used to illustrate the approach.
A clinical study of anesthesia during laparoscopic pyloromyotomy in neonates

[Objective] To observe cardiorespiratory changes during carbon dioxide insufflation in neonates undergoing laparoscopic pyloromyotomy under different anesthesia. [Method] 60 neonates were divided into two groups: general anesthesia(group 1) and epidural anesthesia combined with general anesthesia (group 2). Intraoperative ventilatory management included a tidal volume of 10ml/kg, with the rate adjusted to achieve an end-tidal CO2(PETCO2) of 30 to 45 mmHg. Respiratory and hemodynamic data were measured before CO2 insufflation, CO2 being insufflated into peritoneal cavity and the end of operation. [Result] Compared with the baseline value, HR, MAP, PETCO2, PaCO2 were significantly increased after peritoneal insufflation, pH was reduced significantly and SaO2 was not changed significantly. All data returned to normal level before extubation. The recovery time of group 2 was much more rapid than of group 1. [Conclusion] There were minimal changes in cardiorespiratory function during neonatal carbon dioxide insufflation. Epidural anesthesia can be safely applied to neonates with congenital hypertrophic pyloric stenosis during laparoscopic pyloromyotomy.
Out-Of-Sample Exchange Rate Predictability With Real-Time Data

This paper evaluates short-run out-of-sample exchange rate predictability with real-time data for 15 OECD countries from 1973 to 2013. We consider the Taylor rule fundamentals model, where the variables that enter the Taylor rule are used to forecast exchange rate changes, and the Taylor rule differentials model, where a Taylor rule with postulated coefficients is used in the forecasting regression. We find evidence of predictability with the Taylor rule fundamentals model for 9 out of 15 countries. The Taylor rule differentials model performs worse, and the evidence of predictability is the weakest with the conventional monetary and PPP models.
Whooping cough caused by Bordetella parapertussis

Bordetella parapertussis can cause whooping cough, although it is usually of a milder nature than that caused by Bordetella pertussis. Infants as well as adults can be affected. Polymerase chain reaction assays can differentiate B pertussis from B parapertussis. More research is needed to determine whether treatment is appropriate for B parapertussis infection and whether prophylactic treatment is necessary following exposure to B parapertussis. We present the case of a 10-week-old infant and a review of the literature on parapertussis.
Nonclinical pharmacology and toxicology of the first biosimilar insulin glargine drug product (BASAGLAR®/ABASAGLAR®) approved in the European Union.

Abstract Basaglar®/Abasaglar® (Lilly insulin glargine [LY IGlar]) is a long-acting human insulin analogue drug product granted marketing authorisation as a biosimilar to Lantus® (Sanofi insulin glargine [SA IGlar]) by the European Medicines Agency. We assessed the similarity of LY IGlar to the reference drug product, European Union–sourced SA IGlar (EU-SA IGlar), using nonclinical in vitro and in vivo studies. No biologically relevant differences were observed for receptor binding affinity at either the insulin or insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) receptors, or in assays of functional or de novo lipogenic activity. The mitogenic potential of LY IGlar and EU-SA IGlar was similar when tested in both insulin- and IGF-1 receptor dominant cell systems. Repeated subcutaneous daily dosing of rats for 4 weeks with 0, 0.3, 1.0, or 2.0 mg/kg LY IGlar and EU-SA IGlar produced mortalities and clinical signs consistent with severe hypoglycaemia. Glucodynamic profiles of LY IGlar and EU-SA IGlar in satellite animals showed comparable dose-related hypoglycaemia. Severe hypoglycaemia was associated with axonal degeneration of the sciatic nerve; the incidence and severity were low and did not differ between LY IGlar and EU-SA IGlar. These results demonstrated no biologically relevant differences in toxicity between LY IGlar and EU-SA IGlar.
Modeling the Conductivity of a Subnanosecond Breakdown Gas Switch

We present two different modeling methods for understanding subnanosecond breakdown processes in gas plasma switches. The first method uses a finite element time domain method in order to understand experimental measurements of the remote electromagnetic (EM) fields. This method only models the EM fields and is good for analysis, but lacks a predictive capability for the full nonlinear plasma system. The second modeling method uses a PIC code, and is fully self consistent. We make comparisons with experimental measurements and conclude that the PIC model may provide a good understanding of the subnanosecond breakdown phenomena.
School-Based Mental Health Services: Definitions and Models of Effective Practice

School-based mental health services are those delivered by school-employed and community-employed providers in school buildings. With the implementation of provisions of the Patient Protection and ...
Computer Security, Privacy, and {DNA} Sequencing: Compromising Computers with Synthesized {DNA}, Privacy Leaks, and More

The rapid improvement in DNA sequencing has sparked a big data revolution in genomic sciences, which has in turn led to a proliferation of bioinformatics tools. To date, these tools have encountered little adversarial pressure. This paper evaluates the robustness of such tools if (or when) adversarial attacks manifest. We demonstrate, for the ﬁrst time, the synthesis of DNA which—when sequenced and processed—gives an attacker arbitrary remote code execution. To study the feasibility of creating and synthesizing a DNA-based exploit, we performed our attack on a modiﬁed downstream sequencing utility with a deliberately introduced vulnerability. After sequencing, we observed information leakage in our data due to sample bleeding. While this phenomena is known to the sequencing community, we provide the ﬁrst discussion of how this leakage channel could be used adversarially to inject data or reveal sensitive information. We then evaluate the general security hygiene of common DNA processing programs, and unfortunately, ﬁnd concrete evidence of poor security practices used throughout the ﬁeld. Informed by our experiments and results, we develop a broad framework and guidelines to safeguard security and privacy in DNA synthesis, sequencing, and processing.
Hot Spring Microbial Community Composition, Morphology, and Carbon Fixation: Implications for Interpreting the Ancient Rock Record

Microbial communities in hydrothermal systems exist in a range of macroscopic morphologies including stromatolites, mats, and filaments. The architects of these structures are typically autotrophic, serving as primary producers. Structures attributed to microbial life have been documented in the rock record dating back to the Archean including recent reports of microbially-related structures in terrestrial hot springs that date back as far as 3.5 Ga. Microbial structures exhibit a range of complexity from filaments to more complex mats and stromatolites and the complexity impacts preservation potential. As a result, interpretation of these structures in the rock record relies on isotopic signatures in combination with overall morphology and paleoenvironmental setting. However, the relationships between morphology, microbial community composition, and primary productivity remain poorly constrained. To begin to address this gap, we examined community composition and carbon fixation in filaments, mats, and stromatolites from the Greater Obsidian Pool Area (GOPA) of the Mud Volcano Area, Yellowstone National Park, WY. We targeted morphologies dominated by bacterial phototrophs located in close proximity within the same pool which are exposed to similar geochemistry as well as bacterial mat, algal filament and chemotrophic filaments from nearby springs. Our results indicate i) natural abundance δ13C values of biomass from these features (-11.0 to -24.3 ‰) are similar to those found in the rock record; ii) carbon uptake rates of photoautotrophic communities is greater than chemoautotrophic; iii) oxygenic photosynthesis, anoxygenic photosynthesis, and chemoautotrophy often contribute to carbon fixation within the same morphology; and iv) increasing phototrophic biofilm complexity corresponds to a significant decrease in rates of carbon fixation—filaments had the highest uptake rates whereas carbon fixation by stromatolites was significantly lower. Our data highlight important differences in primary productivity between structures despite indistinguishable δ13C values of the biomass. Furthermore, low primary productivity by stromatolites compared to other structures underscores the need to consider a larger role for microbial mats and filaments in carbon fixation and O2 generation during the Archean and Proterozoic.
Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell Therapy and the Kidney What the Nephrologist Needs to Know

T cells are critical in orchestrating the immune response and killing cells infected by pathogens. In 1989, Gross et al. ([1][1]) reported the experiments introducing the genetic code for an antibody recognition site into a cytotoxic T cell that imparted the ability to recognize a specific antigen.
ARTextiles for Promoting Social Interactions Around Personal Interests

Our co-located social relationships are changing with the adoption of new technologies. Augmented Reality (AR) performed on clothing can bridge the gap between our online social media and our face-to-face interactions. We propose a new system composed of an online application that generates a personalized and artistic design for the user»s clothing based on personal interests extracted from a social network. We also present an AR application to explore this social design and improve icebreaking interactions and connections between strangers in community settings and social gatherings.
Explosive hazard defeat challenges and needs in future conflict and environment

The Office of Naval Research (ONR) Code 30 Explosive Hazard Defeat (EHD) program seeks to enhance the future combat capability of Naval Forces. Explosive hazards, mines and improvised explosive devices (IED) remain major obstacles that limit the freedom of maneuver and operational tempo in expeditionary operations both ashore and at sea. The desired capability is an explosive hazard defeat system capable of standoff detection and neutralization, combined with proofing, marking and reporting capabilities from the Very Shallow Water (VSW) through the Surf Zone (SZ), Beach Zone (BZ) and on to the inland objectives. These environments provide many challenges to current sensors and sensing systems. Most optical sensors suffer degradation of performance due to low visibility in turbid water and the surf zone area. They also lack ability to find buried or hidden objects. Various RF based sensor systems demonstrate the ability to detect and image hidden and buried objects, but attenuation in water makes them almost impossible to operate through the water. Active magnetic detection operates both ashore and underwater, but the range is limited. Biological sensors and synthetic biology also show potential as solutions. The solution resides in multiple sensors that address disparate environmental and target challenges as a system. Recent development in autonomy and proliferation of small unmanned platforms allow new distributed and autonomous operational concepts that utilize unmanned platforms to gain safe standoff distance. This paper plans to present the future operational environment challenges and research and development opportunities.
EPR and Electron Spin Echo Studies of Iron-Sulfur Clusters S-1 And S-2 in Bovine Heart Succinate Dehydrogenase

The ligands of the three iron-sulfur clusters in bovine heart succinate dehydrogenase (BH-SDH) have not been determined to date. We have made a detailed comparison of the electron spin echo envelope modulation (ESEEM) spectra from the [2Fe-2S] (+1,+2) cluster S-I with spectra obtained from two better-characterized iron-sulfur proteins. X- ray crystallographic data (1) demonstrated that the [2Fe-2S](+1,+2) cluster in Spirulina platensis ferredoxin has four cysteine sulfur ligands, but that there are several nitrogens in the polypeptide backbone that are close enough to form NH..S hydrogen bonds to the cluster. The ESEEM spectrum of the dithionite-reduced protein shows intense modulations characteristic of 14N at all g-values. At g = 1.94, four distinct modulation frequencies are evident: 0.6, 1.9, 2.9 and 4.4 MHz. The ESEEM spectrum of spinach ferredoxin is virtually identical to that of S. platensis feredoxin at g = 1.94, and at the other principal g-values. The ESEEM spectrum of cluster S-I in BH-SDH contains four very similar frequencies at g = 1.94. It does not exhibit any additional modulation frequencies which might be attributed to nitrogen from an imidazole ligand. The data indicate that cluster S-I also has only non- imidazole ligands, probably all sulfur.
Persistent Issues in Counselor Assessment and Appraisal

Skills in appraisal and assessment have been viewed as fundamental to good counseling, given that counselor interventions are formulated and implemented based on those skills. This article defines ...
Establishing Student Competency in Qualitative Research: Can Undergraduate Nursing Students Perform Qualitative Data Analysis?.

Many undergraduate nursing programs require some level of research competency of their graduates. However, the competency level may vary depending on program goals and often is focused on quantitative methodologies. The purpose of this research was to determine nursing students' ability to perform qualitative data analysis. Twenty-eight undergraduate students enrolled in a data analysis course in the junior year of their baccalaureate program participated. After selecting the research question, students collected interview data from each other and posted it using a Web-based program. The students and instructor then performed a content analysis. After reviewing the instructor's analysis, which revealed three core themes, students' written analyses were read to determine their congruence with the instructor-generated themes. There was 89% agreement on the first theme, 96% agreement on the second theme, and 61% agreement on the third theme. Because of the high agreement rates between the instructor and student analyses, the author concluded that undergraduate nursing students, when provided with appropriate instruction, are capable of performing qualitative data analysis.
Determinants of relapse: implications for treatment

Few would doubt that the techniques of behavior therapy or behavior modification are capable of bringing about meaningful changes in behavior. In the past two decades, we have developed a plethora of intervention procedures which have proven effective in modifying a wide variety of target behaviors ranging from snake phobias to sexual dysfunctions. Despite our successes, in being able to initiate changes in behavior, we are still grappling with the difficulties involved in maintaining behavioral change over time and across situations.
Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for Older Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) in the elderly is complex and has a poor prognosis, often characterized by higher risk cytogenetic and molecular features compared to that in younger patients. Rates of transplant have been limited by concern related to non-relapse mortality, as older patients have historically been considered medically unfit for the transplantation process. Reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has been shown to provide similar efficacy to myeloablative methods, with decreased non-relapse mortality in the elderly and improved efficacy over non-transplant approaches with cytotoxic chemotherapy alone. Targeted non-cytotoxic and modified cytotoxic agents have emerged to further improve transplant outcomes for older AML patients. Validated comorbidity indices are useful tools to assess an individual’s fitness for undergoing HSCT rather than chronological age alone. We believe HSCT is the primary curative treatment approach for many older AML patients, taking into account risk and comorbidities, particularly given the tendency of leukemia in this population to harbor an unfavorable disease profile. We use RIC and advocate for the addition of targeted agents if applicable. With continuing data in support of transplant for older AML patients, we anticipate that transplant rates in this population will continue to rise.
TFF3 is a ligand for LINGO2 that de-represses EGFR to control disease outcome during colitis and gastrointestinal nematode infection

Summary Intestinal epithelial cells (IEC) comprise diverse lineages that serve distinct roles necessary for regulation of nutrient absorption, regeneration, immunity, and homeostasis1,2. Goblet cells secrete Trefoil factor 3 (TFF3) to maintain mucus viscosity and drive mucosal healing by inhibiting cell death and influencing tight junction protein expression3. However, whether TFF3 signaling relies upon conventional ligand-receptor interactions has been unclear for decades. This study demonstrates that the orphan transmembrane protein leucine rich repeat receptor and nogo-interacting protein 2 (LINGO2) immunoprecipitates with TFF3, that LINGO2 and TFF3 co-localize at the IEC cell surface, and that TFF3/LINGO2 interactions block IEC apoptosis. Loss of function studies show that TFF3-driven STAT3 and EGFR activation are both LINGO2 dependent. Importantly, we demonstrate that TFF3 disrupts LINGO2/EGFR interactions that normally restrict EGFR activity, resulting in enhanced EGFR signaling. Excessive EGFR activation in Lingo2 gene deficient mice exacerbates colitic disease and accelerates host resistance to parasitic nematodes, whereas TFF3 deficiency results in host susceptibility. Thus, our data demonstrating that TFF3 functions through a previously unrecognized ligand-receptor interaction with LINGO2 to de-repress LINGO2-dependent inhibition of EGFR activation provides a novel conceptual framework explaining how TFF3-mediates mucosal wound healing through enhanced activation of the EGFR pathway.
The diverse small proteins called odorant-binding proteins

The term 'odorant-binding proteins (Obps)' is used to refer to a large family of insect proteins that are exceptional in their number, abundance and diversity. The name derives from the expression of many family members in the olfactory system of insects and their ability to bind odorants in vitro. However, an increasing body of evidence reveals a much broader role for this family of proteins. Recent results also provoke interesting questions about their mechanisms of action, both within and outside the olfactory system. Here we describe the identification of the first Obps and some cardinal properties of these proteins. We then consider their function, discussing both the prevailing orthodoxy and the increasing grounds for heterodox views. We then examine these proteins from a broader perspective and consider some intriguing questions in need of answers.
Actin polymerization and its relationship to locomotion and chemokinetic response in maturing human promyelocytic leukemia cells

We studied actin polymerization in the HL-60 human promyelocytic leukemia cell line during induced myeloid maturation and its relationship to the rate of locomotion (ROL). The percent G-actin (of total actin) was measured by DNAase I inhibition, F-actin was determined by fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) analysis of nitrobenzoxadiazol (NBD)-phallacidin-stained cells, and ROL was measured by computer-assisted analysis of the tracks of individual cells. Uninduced HL-60 cells moved slowly (2.3 +/- 1.0 microns/min) and showed no change in ROL or in the state of actin polymerization when stimulated by formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP). Nonstimulated cells induced to differentiate with dimethylformamide had no change in the degree of actin polymerization but exhibited a mean (m) ROL similar to normal human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) (8.6 +/- 1.4 micron/min [HL-60 cells] v 7.8 +/- 1.8 microns/min [PMN]. When induced HL-60 cells were stimulated with fMLP, actin polymerization occurred. The F-actin content increased, as determined by FACS analysis of NBD-phallacidin-stained cells, and the percentage of G-actin decreased, as determined by a 24.5% decrease in DNAase I inhibitory activity. However, induced HL-60 cells stimulated with fMLP did not increase their mROL. These studies show that, unlike normal human PMN, chemotactic peptides can cause an intracellular biochemical change that is not associated with a chemokinetic response in induced HL-60 cells. The HL-60 cell line may be a useful model to study the development of chemotactic peptide-mediated actin polymerization during myeloid cell maturation.
Rating Determinants Factored in E-Commerce Decision- Making

The user-generated content (UGC) Web sites are gaining popularity for a wide range of media content, such as news, blogs, forums, and open-source software. Instead of relying on information on company Web sites, users benefit by reading reviews written on UGC Web sites by consumers. Online evaluations are usually informative and reduce the information asymmetry. This study examines the problem where UGC can be expedient for online hotel booking. It investigates the relationship between the ratings obtained from the TripAdvisor.com reviewers and the hotel price levels in the United States, outside the United States, and top 20 hotels and others, respectively. Findings suggest that medium-priced hotels provide a comparable value with their high-priced counterparts. Further, the ratings for U.S. hotels are lower than others across all price levels.
Otolaryngology-related Google Search trends during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract Objective To assess trends of Google Search queries for symptoms and complaints encountered commonly in otolaryngology practices during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic when in-person care has been limited. Materials and methods In this cross-sectional study, data on Google Search queries in the United States for 30 otolaryngology-related terms were obtained from Google Trends. The means of relative search volume from the COVID-19 period (March 29, 2020 through May 16, 2020) were compared to similar periods from 2016 to 2019 using a t-test of two independent samples. Results In total, 16.6% of search terms had significant increases in relative search volume during the COVID-19 period, with the largest percentage increase for “can't smell” (124.4%, p = .006), followed by “allergies” (30.3%, p = .03), “voice pain” (26.1%, p = .008), and “ears ringing” (19.0%, p Conclusion This study demonstrates that Google search activity for many otolaryngology-related terms during the COVID-19 pandemic has increased or decreased significantly as compared to previous years. With reduced access to in-office otolaryngology care in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic, these are important considerations for otolaryngology practices to meet the needs of patients who lack access to care.
Practical Traffic Analysis Attacks on Secure Messaging Applications.

Instant Messaging (IM) applications like Telegram, Signal, and WhatsApp have become extremely popular in recent years. Unfortunately, such IM services have been targets of continuous governmental surveillance and censorship, as these services are home to public and private communication channels on socially and politically sensitive topics. To protect their clients, popular IM services deploy state-of-the-art encryption mechanisms. In this paper, we show that despite the use of advanced encryption, popular IM applications leak sensitive information about their clients to adversaries who merely monitor their encrypted IM traffic, with no need for leveraging any software vulnerabilities of IM applications. Specifically, we devise traffic analysis attacks that enable an adversary to identify administrators as well as members of target IM channels (e.g., forums) with high accuracies. We believe that our study demonstrates a significant, real-world threat to the users of such services given the increasing attempts by oppressive governments at cracking down controversial IM channels. We demonstrate the practicality of our traffic analysis attacks through extensive experiments on real-world IM communications. We show that standard countermeasure techniques such as adding cover traffic can degrade the effectiveness of the attacks we introduce in this paper. We hope that our study will encourage IM providers to integrate effective traffic obfuscation countermeasures into their software. In the meantime, we have designed and deployed an open-source, publicly available countermeasure system, called IMProxy, that can be used by IM clients with no need for any support from IM providers. We have demonstrated the effectiveness of IMProxy through experiments.
Hip Fractures and Vitamin D: Helpful or Not?

BACKGROUND: Hip fractures have continued to be among the leading causes of excess morbidity and mortality rates among aging adults in all parts of the world for some time. QUESTIONS: (1) Is the incidence and/or prevalence of hip fractures continuing to escalate given many efforts to improve bone and general health of older adults across the globe? (2) If so, will the use of vitamin D assist those at risk in some way? METHODS: PUBMED was searched for related articles, especially those that were published between 2016-2021. RESULTS: While hip fracture rates may have decreased in some locations over time, it is safe to say, they appear to remain highly important causes of disability in aging populations, which are increasing globally. Discordant findings on vitamin D persist however, although this substance seems helpful in some cases. CONCLUSION: The body of research that examines vitamin D relative to hip fractures is largely non-conclusive as regards a) the deterministic role of vitamin D deficiency; b) the role of vitamin D supplementation. More clarity in these areas is indicated in light of the anticipated global increase in hip fractures numbers by 2050 and their disabling consequences and incalculable costs.