cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Advanced sensor technologies for micro- to nano-scale biological measurements

In cell biology research, the scale of the system limits the utilization of traditional electroanalytical microsensors to study the biological activity of single cells. The application of electroanalytical microsensors to this research can be broadened by developing new technologies. This includes the application of the principles of the vibrating (self-referencing) ion-selective microelectrode to the operation of these types of sensors. This involves fabrication and testing of advanced electroanalytical microsensors, and the development of a self-referencing electroanalytical microelectrode (SREM) instrumentation platform. SREM sensors have been developed for analytes such as oxygen, nitric oxide, and ascorbic acid (vitamin C). All of these sensors have demonstrated a high level of sensitivity and spatial resolution. This approach has been validated against nonbiological microscopic flux sources that were theoretically modeled before being applied to isolated single cells. These new sensor technologies have been shown, through research in a wide variety of biological and biomedical research projects, to be an important new tool in the arsenal of the cell biologist. Recently this SREM technology has also been adapted through the development of SREM-H/sub 2/O/sub 2/ and SREM-NADH sensors to support the use of electrochemically coupled enzyme based biosensors. Based on this self-referencing biosensors (SRB) for glucose and ethanol have been developed and have undergone validation testing in artificial systems. These developments in self-referencing sensor technologies offer great promise in extending the application of electroanalytical and biosensor technologies from the micro to the nanoscale.
Ultrafast Potential-Backup-Cost (PBC)-Based Shared Path Protection Schemes

This paper describes a novel ultrafast heuristic algorithm to address an NP-hard optimization problem. One of the significant and nonintuitive results is that the schemes based on the heuristic can achieve a better overall performance than their time-consuming integer-linear-programming-based counterparts. More specifically, the proposed schemes are useful in providing an online shared path protection by establishing survivable connections in high-speed networks. The advantage of our heuristic algorithm over the existing heuristic algorithms in finding a pair of link-disjoint paths, which are called active and backup paths, comes from the following salient feature. It uses a so-called potential-backup-cost (PBC) function when selecting an active path in the first phase to take into consideration the backup bandwidth needed by the corresponding backup path, which has yet to be chosen in the second phase. The PBC function is derived mathematically based on the statistical analysis of experimental data. While the use of PBC only requires partial aggregate information on how the existing connections are established in a network, it can also be applied even more effectively when complete information is available.
Expression of SIBLINGs and Their Partner MMPs in Salivary Glands

Three members of the SIBLING family of integrin-binding phosphoglycoproteins (bone sialoprotein, BSP; osteopontin, OPN; and dentin matrix protein-1, DMP1) were recently shown to bind with high affinity (nM) and to activate 3 different matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2, MMP-3, and MMP-9, respectively) in vitro. The current study was designed to document the possible biological relevance of the SIBLING-MMP activation pathway in vivo by showing that these 3 SIBLINGs and their known MMP partners are co-expressed in normal adult tissue. BSP, OPN, and DMP1 were invariably co-expressed with their partner MMPs in salivary glands of humans and mice. The 2 SIBLING proteins without known MMP partners, dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP) and matrix extracellular phosphoglycoprotein (MEPE), were also expressed in salivary glands. Expression of all SIBLINGs in this normal, non-mineralizing epithelial tissue suggests that they serve at least one function in vivo other than directly promoting matrix mineralization--a function we hypothesize involves local activation of MMPs.
A combinatorial optimal control problem for spacecraft formation reconfiguration

We consider a spacecraft formation reconfiguration problem in the case of identical spacecraft. This introduces in the optimal reconfiguration problem a permutational degree of freedom, in addition to the choice of individual spacecraft trajectories. We approach this non-convex optimization problem using a coupled combinatorial and continuous optimization framework, in which the inner loop consists of computing the costs associated with a particular assignment by using a geometrically exact and numerically efficient discrete optimal control method based on Lie group variational integrators. In the outer optimization loop, combinatorial optimization techniques are used to determine the optimal assignments based on the costs computed in the inner loop. The proposed method is demonstrated on the optimal reconfiguration problem for 5 identical spacecraft to go from an inline configuration to one equally spaced on a circle.
Immunomodulatory drugs in multiple myeloma

The introduction of new agents immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs) and proteasome inhibitors has brought a major shift in therapeutic paradigm in the treatment of newly diagnosed and refractory multiple myeloma (MM). Thalidomide was the first immunomodulatory agent approved for use in myeloma. Although highly active, it is associated with considerable toxicity, particularly in older patients. Lenalidomide, an analog of thalidomide, was developed because of its more potent anti-MM activity and better toxicity profile than the parent compound. Since its introduction in 2004, lenalidomide has established a role in all phases of treatment in MM. The pleiotropic antitumor effects of lenalidomide have translated into clinical efficacy in diseases other than MM. Pomalidomide is a highly potent third-generation IMiD that shares similar pharmacologic properties as thalidomide, with very promising activity in MM and myelofibrosis. This review summarizes the mechanisms of action and clinical activity of IMiDs in MM.
Effect of Saline Adaptation and Renal Portal Sodium Infusion on Glomerular Size Distributions and Kidney Function in Domestic Fowl

Abstract Experiments were designed to evaluate acute and chronic effects of sodium on glomerular size distributions and kidney function of Single Comb White Leghorns. Chicks were raised on either tap water (control) or .6% NaCl (saline) drinking water. Kidney function studies were conducted when the birds reached 14 to 16 weeks of age. Saline-adapted birds had significantly lower glomerular filtration rates and significantly higher sodium and potassium excretion rates when compared with birds raised on tap water. Acute effects of sodium on kidney function were assessed by infusing 25 mM tetrasodium pyrophosphate unilaterally into the renal portal system. For birds raised on tap water, unilateral sodium infusion caused a significant unilateral reduction in the glomerular filtration rate. However, neither the acute nor the chronic reductions in glomerular filtration rates in response to sodium were associated with a reduction in the number of filtering nephrons. Saline-adapted birds had significantly hypertrophied glomeruli.
Spatio-temporal correlation: theory and applications for wireless sensor networks

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) are characterized by the dense deployment of sensor nodes that continuously observe physical phenomenon. Due to high density in the network topology, sensor observations are highly correlated in the space domain. Furthermore, the nature of the physical phenomenon constitutes the temporal correlation between each consecutive observation of a sensor node. These spatial and temporal correlations along with the collaborative nature of the WSN bring significant potential advantages for the development of efficient communication protocols well-suited for the WSN paradigm. In this paper, several key elements are investigated to capture and exploit the correlation in the WSN for the realization of advanced efficient communication protocols. A theoretical framework is developed to model the spatial and temporal correlations in WSN. The objective of this framework is to enable the development of efficient communication protocols which exploit these advantageous intrinsic features of the WSN paradigm. Based on this framework, possible approaches are discussed to exploit spatial and temporal correlation for efficient medium access and reliable event transport in WSN, respectively.
FPGA acceleration of the phylogenetic likelihood function for Bayesian MCMC inference methods

Likelihood (ML)-based phylogenetic inference has become a popular method for estimating the evolutionary relationships among species based on genomic sequence data. This method is used in applications such as RAxML, GARLI, MrBayes, PAML, and PAUP. The Phylogenetic Likelihood Function (PLF) is an important kernel computation for this method. The PLF consists of a loop with no conditional behavior or dependencies between iterations. As such it contains a high potential for exploiting parallelism using micro-architectural techniques. In this paper, we describe a technique for mapping the PLF and supporting logic onto a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)-based co-processor. By leveraging the FPGA's on-chip DSP modules and the high-bandwidth local memory attached to the FPGA, the resultant co-processor can accelerate ML-based methods and outperform state-of-the-art multi-core processors. We use the MrBayes 3 tool as a framework for designing our co-processor. For large datasets, we estimate that our accelerated MrBayes, if run on a current-generation FPGA, achieves a 10× speedup relative to software running on a state-of-the-art server-class microprocessor. The FPGA-based implementation achieves its performance by deeply pipelining the likelihood computations, performing multiple floating-point operations in parallel, and through a natural log approximation that is chosen specifically to leverage a deeply pipelined custom architecture. Heterogeneous computing, which combines general-purpose processors with special-purpose co-processors such as FPGAs and GPUs, is a promising approach for high-performance phylogeny inference as shown by the growing body of literature in this field. FPGAs in particular are well-suited for this task because of their low power consumption as compared to many-core processors and Graphics Processor Units (GPUs) [1].
Sensitivity Analysis of the Simulated Annealing Method to Measurement Noise for the Inversion of Subsurface Parameters of Two Layer Rough Surfaces

We have shown that the method of simulated annealing (SA) is capable of inverting subsurface parameters of a three-dimensional, two-layer dielectric structure with slightly rough interfaces. In this work, we address the sensitivity of the Simulated Annealing to measurement noise. We also study the impact of the number of measurement parameters, i.e., number of frequency points and number of observation angles, on sensitivity of the inversion algorithm.
Functional somato‐dendritic α7‐containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the rat basolateral amygdala complex

Multiple subtypes of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are expressed in the CNS. The amygdala complex, the limbic structure important for emotional memory formation, receives cholinergic innervation from the basal forebrain. Although cholinergic drugs have been shown to regulate passive avoidance performance via the amygdala, the neuronal subtypes and circuits involved in this regulation are unknown. In the present study, whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiological techniques were used to identify and characterize the presence of functional somato-dendritic nAChRs within the basolateral complex of the amygdala. Pressure-application of acetylcholine (ACh; 2 mm) evoked inward current responses in a subset of neurons from both the lateral (49%) and basolateral nuclei (72%). All responses displayed rapid activation kinetics, and were blocked by the α7-selective antagonist methyllycaconitine. In addition, the α7-selective agonist choline induced inward current responses that were similar to ACh-evoked responses. Spiking patterns were consistent with pyramidal class I neurons (the major neuronal type in the basolateral complex); however, there was no correlation between firing frequency and the response to ACh. The local photolysis of caged carbachol demonstrated that the functional expression of nAChRs is located both on the soma and dendrites. This is the first report demonstrating the presence of functional nAChR-mediated current responses from rat amygdala slices, where they may be playing a significant role in fear and aversively motivated memory.
Chronic "brain death": meta-analysis and conceptual consequences.

Objective: One rationale for equating "brain death" (BD) with death is that it reduces the body to a mere collection of organs, as evidenced by purported imminence of asystole despite maximal therapy. To test this hypothesis, cases of prolonged survival were collected and examined for factors influencing survival capacity. Methods: Formal diagnosis of BD with survival of 1 week or longer. More than 12,200 sources yielded approximately 175 cases meeting selection criteria; 56 had sufficient information for meta-analysis. Diagnosis was judged reliable if standard criteria were described or physicians made formal declarations. Data were analyzed by means of Kaplan-Meier curves, with treatment withdrawals as "censored" data, compared by log-rank test. Results: Survival probability over time decreased exponentially in two phases, with initial half-life of 2 to 3 months, followed at 1 year by slow decline to more than 14 years. Survival capacity correlated inversely with age. Independently, primary brain pathology was associated with longer survival than were multisystem etiologies. Initial hemodynamic instability tended to resolve gradually; some patients were successfully discharged on ventilators to nursing facilities or even to their homes. Conclusions: The tendency to asystole in BD can be transient and is attributable more to systemic factors than to absence of brain function per se. If BD is to be equated with death, it must be on some basis more plausible than loss of somatic integrative unity.
Inflammatory pseudotumor of the liver

Inflammatory pseudotumor of the liver (IPL) is a rare benign neoplasm. It often masquerades as a malignancy, either primary or metastatic. We describe the case of a 71-year-old man who presented with fever and malaise. Workup revealed a cecal mass, as well as a lesion in the left lobe of the liver. Pathologic examination showed a cecal neoplasm and a hepatic inflammatory pseudotumor. The patient recovered uneventfully. This case highlights the ability of IPL to masquerade as a malignant hepatic neoplasm, and emphasizes the difficulties in diagnosis.
A learning approach to integration of layers of a hybrid control architecture

Hybrid deliberative-reactive control architectures are a popular and effective approach to the control of robotic navigation applications. However, the design of said architectures is difficult, due to the fundamental differences in the design of the reactive and deliberative layers of the architecture. We propose a novel approach to improving system-level performance of said architectures, by improving the deliberative layer's model of the reactive layer's execution of its plans through the use of machine learning techniques. Quantitative and qualitative results from a physics-based simulator are presented.
Extreme males – balanced females: sharing behavior in Korea

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine sharing behavior among male and female subjects in Korea who had been exposed to sensitive variables derived from the Korean cultural context. Design/methodology/approach – Experimental research methodology was applied based on the ultimatum game and a modified variant. The subject pool consisted of participants (N = 300) from five universities based in Seoul and its vicinity as well as Busan in South Korea. Findings – Significant differences in sharing behavior between men and women were observed. Men significantly altered behavior from egoistic to overly altruistic when exposed to the cultural variables, whereas women did not alter their behavior and maintained a fair and balanced behavior independent of the game condition. Practical implications – Results positively contribute to the current debate on gender-diversified top management teams and have implications for firms that could benefit from a greater variety of problem-solving approaches to increas...
Situating Global Capitalisms: A View from Wall Street Investment Banks

Many cultural studies theorists and social scientists, by giving emphasis to capitalism's omnipotence, have helped to imagine a world of capitalist totality. In the rush to confront and depict the powerful impact of Western global hegemony, they have often neglected the power-laden political effects of their own representations of this very hegemony. Ironically, these academic representations and critiques sound extremely similar to Wall Street triumphalist discourses of global capitalism, as promulgated in much of the business and financial literature. In this article, I demonstrate the strategic investment that both social theorists and Wall Street investment bankers have in the analytical frameworks of the global that rely on an overarching construct of global capitalism as well as a seductive rhetoric of the global.' Given this often-unacknowledged overlap between my informants and my discipline, as promoters and critics of capitalism, respectively, I explore the politics of academic knowledge production on globalization and capitalism. To what extent do critical theorists, despite their professed awareness of the contingencies, constructed effects, and productive strategies of global capitalism, take capitalist pronouncements at face value, allowing representations of globalization to stand for the world "as it is" instead of querying the multiple internal contradictions, complexities, and implosions in their specific worldviews and practices? It is precisely because of these concerns that I came to study Wall Street investment bankers as primary actors in the globalization of U.S. capitalism.2 By directly accessing the key agents of change on Wall Street, a site widely deemed to be the epitome of the global, I confront anthropology's conceptual and methodological tendency to approach globalization as a taken-for-granted macro context and as an abstract process too big for ethnographic endeavor. I make the case for an ethnographic engagement that tracks the global as cultural action grounded in specific practices and locales that can be thickly described.3 To begin this research, I worked for a year as a management consultant at a Wall Street investment bank to learn the language of finance. After I left my Wall
In-order pulsed charge recycling in off-chip data buses

This paper presents in-order pulsed charge recycling to reduce energy consumption in an off-chip data bus. The proposed technique performs charge recycling by employing three different steps. At the beginning of an off-chip data bus transaction, i) connect all bus lines that are expected to fall to a common node, ii) connect, one at a time and for a fixed period of time, each of bus lines that are expected to rise to the same common node to enable charge recycling, and finally, iii) resume regular data bus transaction by enabling the tri-state buffers to complete the remaining charging (discharging) of the rising (falling) bus lines. Experimental results in Hspice show that the proposed technique achieves 17.4% average energy savings in a 32 bit-wide data bus implemented in a 0.13¼m technology with a 1.8V supply voltage.
Merging Lines: Organising Japan's National Railroad, 1906-1914

This article explores both the character and the implications behind Japan nationalizing its railway system, beginning in 1906. The author shows how early 20th century government leaders, in order to achieve both political and managerial ends, caused a de facto merger between various publicly and privately owned railway properties to effectively create a national railway system. The author further examines the development of railroad policies and programs designed to coordinate the growth of the national system, especially as it relates to restructuring the organization to create a new corporate culture. The result of these efforts formed Japan's national infrastructure, which evolved into the national market system and large-scale industrial development that continues today.
Testing high-speed IO links using on-die circuitry

This paper describes a novel technique to enable characterization of high-speed IO links and transceivers without the use of special external test equipment. The test circuit has been implemented in 7-metal 90nm CMOS technology. A register file has been used to characterize a high-speed IO link by recording information such as the number of errors, the time of the error and to calibrate the transceiver circuit parameters. The testing approach uses the IEEE 1149.1 JTAG protocol to feed the control signals and to capture the status of key nodes in the transceivers. The high-speed register file operating at 625 MHz has been made seamlessly readable through the JTAG scan chain operating at a maximum of 80 MHz. The simulation results show that we can successfully test the system and capture the behavior of the transceiver and link.
Task-level tour plan generation for mobile robots

A tour plan generator (TPG) specifically adapted for mobile robots is described. The TPG computes the itinerary of a tour passing through a number of locations. One typical constraint is that a single-armed mobile robot is usually unable to carry more than one object at a time in its gripper. This constraint requires the TPG to generate a tour in which each pick-up location is visited immediately prior to the corresponding drop-off location. A model that makes it possible to reduce this problem to a special case of the traveling salesman problem with asymmetric cost matrix and nonEuclidean distances is introduced. Another constraint in many mobile robots is the need to periodically visit a home location. The TPG introduced here automatically creates multiple subtours such that a predefined maximal length for each subtour is not exceeded. The algorithm obtains near-optimal solutions with short computation times by combining different heuristic tour-construction rules into a heuristic team approach. >
Criteria for Extubation and Tracheostomy Tube Removal for Patients With Ventilatory Failure : A Different Approach to Weaning

The purpose of this study was to prospectively compare parameters that might predict successful translaryngeal extubation and tracheostomy tube decannulation. Irrespective of ventilatory function, 62 extubation/decannulation attempts were made on 49 consecutive patients with primarily neuromuscular ventilatory insufficiency who satisfied criteria. Thirty-four patients required 24-h ventilatory support. Noninvasive intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV) was substituted as needed for IPPV via translaryngeal or tracheostomy tubes. Successful decannulation was defined as extubation or decannulation and site closure with no consequent respiratory symptoms or blood gas deterioration for at least 2 weeks. Failure was defined by the appearance of respiratory distress and decreases in vital capacity and oxyhemoglobin saturation despite use of noninvasive IPPV and assisted coughing. The independent variables of age, extent of predecannulation ventilator use, vital capacity, and peak cough flows (PCF) were studied to determine their utility in predicting successful extubation and decannulation. Only the ability to generate PCF greater than 160 L/min predicted success, whereas inability to generate 160 L/min predicted the need to replace the tube. All 43 attempts on patients with PCF greater than 160 L/min succeeded; all 15 attempts on patients with PCF below 160 L/min failed; and of 4 patients with PCF of 160 L/min, 2 succeeded and 2 failed. We conclude that the ability to generate PCF of at least 160 L/min is necessary for the successful extubation or tracheostomy tube decannulation of patients with neuromuscular disease irrespective of ability to breathe.
Notes on Matrix Theory

This chapter presents the notes on matrix theory. If two matrices have the same number of rows and the same number of columns, only then their sum is defined. In multiplying two matrices, the number of columns in the premultiplier must equal the number of rows in the postmultiplier; otherwise, multiplication is not defined. Matrix multiplication of square matrices is not necessarily commutative. A submatrix A of a matrix B is a matrix obtained from B by deleting certain entire rows and/or entire columns. The rank of a matrix remains unchanged after undergoing elementary transformations. The rank of a matrix equals the maximum number of linearly independent rows and equals the maximum number of linearly independent columns. A symmetric matrix A is positive definite only if all its characteristic roots are positive. A symmetric matrix A is positive semidefinite only if at least one characteristic root is zero and all nonzero characteristic roots are positive. The determinant of a symmetric matrix A equals the product of its characteristic roots.
3D scaffolds in breast cancer research

Breast tumors grow in a tissue microenvironment containing extracellular matrix (ECM), adipocytes, stromal cells, fluids, and blood vessels. This natural yet complex physiopathological territory is dynamically remodeled in favor of tumor growth and metastasis. The environment-mimicking 3D cultures have shown compelling advantages in the studies of tumor cell biology, and are of intensive research for the development of alternative systems to improve therapeutic efficacies against tumors. This review focuses on the most recent advances in scaffolding techniques, the cell-ECM and cell-cell interactions in scaffold cultures, the distinct physical properties and signaling regulation of cancer cell growth within the scaffolds, the sensitivities of the cancer cells to drugs in 3D culture, and the use of scaffolds for drug delivery into tumors.
Effects of various pollens on development, survivorship, and reproduction of Euseius tularensis (Acari : Phytoseiidae)

Effects of 17 different plant pollens on the development, survivorship, and reproduction of the predacious mite Euseius tularensis (Congdon) were studied in the laboratory. Mites fed cattail, Typha latifolia L.; ice plant, Malephora crocea (Jacquin); and five different types of commercially available tree pollens (apple, Malus sylvestris Miller; pear, Pyrus communis L.; almond, Prunus dulcis [Miller] D. Webb; olive, Olea europaea L.; and peach, Prunus persica [L.] Batsch) exhibited similar percentage survival of immatures in generation 1 (62.50–87.5%) and similar sex ratios of their progeny (59.48–76.22% female). The developmental times of the first generation from the egg to adult stage ranged from 6.21 to 6.66 d and the percentage survival of immatures of generation 2 ranged from 66.20 to 88.32%. Reproduction (total eggs per female) was greatest for E. tularensis fed apple pollen. Based on life-table analyses of these pollens, apple pollen was found to be the best diet for this predacious mite. Mites fed grass pollens (cultivated and wild annual ryegrass, Lolium multiflorum Lamarck; soft chess, Bromus mollis L. var ‘Blando’; California brome, Bromus carinatus Hook and Arnott; oat, Avena sativa L. var. ‘California red’; barley, Hordeum vulgare L. var ‘UC476’; rye, Secale cereale L. var ‘Merced’; meadow barley, Hordeum brachyantherum Nevskii; and red fescue, Festuca rubra L. var ‘Malate’) showed 63–97% survival of immatures in generation 1, but survivorship decreased to 44% or less in their progeny. Thus, these grasses did not individually support long-term survival of E. tularensis. The first generation survival (21%) and reproduction (0.5 eggs per female) of the predatory mites fed wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) pollen was significantly lower than all other treatments. This study provided fundamental information for mass rearing of E. tularensis and to enhance the orchard performance of E. tularensis as a predator of citrus pests.
Uncertainty Analysis of Hydrochloric Acid Content Determination in The Air of Workplace

[Objective]To analyze the uncertainty of hydrochloric acid content determination in the air of workplace,confirm the greater influence links on the accuracy of test results.[Methods]Uncertainty components were found;combined standard uncertainty and expanded uncertainty were calculated.[Results] Among all components,components for standard solution configuration and sample constant volume contributed most to the test results.[Conclusion]During the experimental process,firstly,the standard substances should be chosen,the preparation of standard solution should be careful and accurate;secondly,the sample constant volume operation should be standardized to reduce uncertainty.
Evalution on the Unc of Urea in Water of Swimming Pool Determined

The factors that affect the determination result of urea found by analysis of urea .Mainfactors are as follows: standard solution、 regressive curve、 parallel experiment of sample、 diacetyl monxime's reagent colorimetic method、 spectrophotometer、 sampling , etc .Base of this then a standard expresstion was formed according to the metrology criteron .
Principles of lasers.

ABSTRACT The physics of lasers is described: a laser is light amplication by stimulation of emitted radiation. The laser beam is monochromatic, highly collimated, and delivers very high energy.
Japanese Beetle and Other Coleoptera Feeding on Grapevines in Eastern North America

Several coleopteran foliar feeders are associated with grape in eastern North America. The most important of these is the JB, often responsible for extensive defoliation. This defoliation is very damaging to young vines. Mature vines can tolerate substantial foliar feeding by JB without affecting fruit yield or quality. Green June beetle causes similar foliar injury. The other species (grape flea beetle, rose chafer and grape rootworm) cause minor injury to foliage but cause more important injury on other plant parts (expanding primary buds, young clusters, and roots, respectively).
S13.1 The many facets of the vaginal microbiome in health and disease

The vaginal microbiota forms the first line of defense against sexually transmitted infection (STIs). Population-based surveys of the bacteria inhabiting the vagina have shown that several kinds of vaginal microbiota exist, that differs in bacterial composition and abundance. Further, in some women, these communities are dynamic and can change over short period of time, while in other, they are highly stable and do not change. The impact of both composition and dynamic of the vaginal microbiota on the susceptibility to diseases is still poorly understood. The application of modern genomic technologies, ecological principles and in vitro modelling affords a better understanding of the role of vaginal microbiome in health and diseases. Metagenomic sequencing provides a comprehensive view of the genetic make up of the bacterial species comprising the vaginal microbiome, and highlights associations between different genomic species of the same genus, or strains of the same species and their contribution to the protective properties of the vaginal microbiome. For example, the genomic make up of certain vaginal bacteria correlates with their ability to maintain a stable and protective vaginal microbiome. Further, the use of in vitro three-dimensional models of cervical epithelial cell lines is a good surrogate to evaluate the contribution of microbial products to the function of the vaginal microbiome. Using a 3D model of cervical epithelial cells, we have shown that the production of different isomers of lactic acid by Lactobacillus spp. is associated with protection against chlamydial infection in a pH dependent manner. Understanding the vaginal microbiome structure and functions is critical to devise novel and personalised strategies to maximise women’s health.
Influence of body weight on bone mass, architecture and turnover

Weight-dependent loading of the skeleton plays an important role in establishing and maintaining bone mass and strength. This review focuses on mechanical signaling induced by body weight as an essential mechanism for maintaining bone health. In addition, the skeletal effects of deviation from normal weight are discussed. The magnitude of mechanical strain experienced by bone during normal activities is remarkably similar among vertebrates, regardless of size, supporting the existence of a conserved regulatory mechanism, or mechanostat, that senses mechanical strain. The mechanostat functions as an adaptive mechanism to optimize bone mass and architecture based on prevailing mechanical strain. Changes in weight, due to altered mass, weightlessness (spaceflight), and hypergravity (modeled by centrifugation), induce an adaptive skeletal response. However, the precise mechanisms governing the skeletal response are incompletely understood. Furthermore, establishing whether the adaptive response maintains the mechanical competence of the skeleton has proven difficult, necessitating the development of surrogate measures of bone quality. The mechanostat is influenced by regulatory inputs to facilitate non-mechanical functions of the skeleton, such as mineral homeostasis, as well as hormones and energy/nutrient availability that support bone metabolism. Although the skeleton is very capable of adapting to changes in weight, the mechanostat has limits. At the limits, extreme deviations from normal weight and body composition are associated with impaired optimization of bone strength to prevailing body size.
Growth of Dianthus and Petunia in Media Amended with Composted Urban Waste

Abstract Bedding plant growers have the opportunity to utilize composted urban waste as a component in bedding plant media. Growth of Dianthus chinensis L. (dianthus) and Petunia × hybrida Hort. (petunia) was evaluated in media with 0, 30, 60, or 100% compost made from biosolids and yard trimmings. Dianthus and petunia shoot dry mass, size, and height increased as the percentage of compost in the medium increased from 0 to 60% but decreased at 100% compost. However, dianthus and petunia growth was greater in 100% than 0% compost. Initial nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and soluble salt concentrations linearly increased as the percentage of compost in the medium increased from 0 to 100%. Soluble salt concentrations in 100% compost were 28× greater than in 0% compost and 2× greater than in 30 and 60% compost. Media containing compost made from biosolids and yard trimmings produced larger dianthus and petunia plants than plants grown in peat, vermiculite, perlite me...
Finding Big Gay Church: An Academic Congregation Exploring LGBTQ Intersections with Religion, Art, and Education

Using the metaphor of mapping as an overarching metaphor, this article presents an amalgamated version of the first five years of Big Gay Church, an annual session at the National Art Education Association’s convention since 2009. Big Gay Church is a collaborative small group of queer art educators and allies coming together to explore the intersections of religion, education, the arts, culture, and LGBTQ identities. By using tools and constructs from dramatic inquiry and other performance pedagogies, as well as inviting attendees to fully participate as members of the congregation, we transform this conference session into an opportunity for scholarship, action, connection, and fellowship. Such arts-based academic interventions can provoke a re-imagining of ways forward, together, in education and research.
Ureteroceles in children: followup of management with upper tract approach.

AbstractUreteroceles can be associated with obstruction and/or reflux to any of the involved renal units. Their management is controversial and the possible options are numerous. From a population of 58 children with ureteroceles we analyzed those patients who underwent upper pole heminephrectomy alone as to the secondary operative rate. Followup examination of those patients whose management was initiated with upper pole partial nephrectomy and partial ureterectomy revealed a higher than expected incidence of persistent reflux.
THE DANGER OF NOT LISTENING TO FIRMS: GOVERNMENT RESPONSIVENESS AND THE GOAL OF REGULATORY COMPLIANCE

Firms in emerging economies exhibit dangerously low rates of compliance with government regulations aimed at protecting society from the negative externalities of their operations. This study build...
A Natural Experiment: Using Immersive Technologies to Study the Impact of “All-Natural” Labeling on Perceived Food Quality, Nutritional Content, and Liking

The "all-natural" label is used extensively in the United States. At many point-of-purchase locations, employed servers provide food samples and call out specific label information to influence consumers' purchase decisions. Despite these ubiquitous practices, it is unclear what information is conveyed to consumers by the all-natural label or how it impacts judgments of perceived food quality, nutritional content, and acceptance. We used a novel approach incorporating immersive technology to simulate a virtual in-store sampling scenario where consumers were asked by a server to evaluate identical products with only one being labeled all-natural. Another condition evaluated the impact of the in-store server additionally emphasizing the all-natural status of one sample. Results indicated the all-natural label significantly improved consumer's perception of product quality and nutritional content, but not liking or willingness to pay, when compared to the regular sample. With the simple emphasis of the all-natural claim by the in-store server, these differences in quality and nutritional content became even more pronounced, and willingness to pay increased significantly by an average of 8%. These results indicate that in a virtual setting consistent with making food purchases, an all-natural front-of-pack label improves consumer perceptions of product quality and nutritional content. In addition, information conveyed to consumers by employed servers has a further, substantial impact on these variables suggesting that consumers are highly susceptible to social influence at the point of purchase.
An entropy-stable hybrid scheme for simulations of transcritical real-fluid flows

Abstract A finite-volume method is developed for simulating the mixing of turbulent flows at transcritical conditions. Spurious pressure oscillations associated with fully conservative formulations are addressed by extending a double-flux model to real-fluid equations of state. An entropy-stable formulation that combines high-order non-dissipative and low-order dissipative finite-volume schemes is proposed to preserve the physical realizability of numerical solutions across large density gradients. Convexity conditions and constraints on the application of the cubic state equation to transcritical flows are investigated, and conservation properties relevant to the double-flux model are examined. The resulting method is applied to a series of test cases to demonstrate the capability in simulations of problems that are relevant for multi-species transcritical real-fluid flows.
Identifying multiple active conformations in the G protein-coupled receptor activation landscape using computational methods

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are membrane proteins critical in cellular signaling, making them important targets for therapeutics. The activation of GPCRs is central to their function, requiring multiple conformations of the GPCRs in their activation landscape. To enable rational design of GPCR-targeting drugs, it is essential to obtain the ensemble of atomistic structures of GPCRs along their activation pathways. This is most challenging for structure determination experiments, making it valuable to develop reliable computational structure prediction methods. In particular, since the active-state conformations are higher in energy (less stable) than inactive-state conformations, they are difficult to stabilize. In addition, the computational methods are generally biased toward lowest energy structures by design and miss these high energy but functionally important conformations. To address this problem, we have developed a computationally efficient ActiveGEnSeMBLE method that systematically predicts multiple conformations that are likely in the GPCR activation landscape, including multiple active- and inactive-state conformations. ActiveGEnSeMBLE starts with a systematic coarse grid sampling of helix tilts/rotations (~ 13 trillion transmembrane domain conformations) and identifies multiple potential active-state energy wells, using the TM3–TM6 intracellular distance as a surrogate activation coordinate. These energy wells are then sampled locally using a finer grid in conformational space to find a locally minimized conformation in each energy well, which can be further relaxed using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. This method, combining homology modeling, hierarchical complete conformational sampling, and nanosecond scale MD, provides one of the very few computational methods that predict multiple candidates for active-state conformations and is one of the most computationally affordable.
The Electron Spin Resonance Spectrum of Copper-Doped Palladium bis-Benzoylacetonate Crystals

The EPR spectrum of about 0.5% Cu2+ diluted into the two crystalline forms of Pd bis-benzoylacetonate is reported. The spectrum of the (\(11\bar{1}\)) face of the needle modification shows an anomalous doubling of the EPR lines which is explained by the presence of twinning in this crystallographic form. The principal g values and directions have been obtained in terms of an arbitrary molecular coordinate system using a specially written computer program. The following parameters result: gx = 2.0490; gy = 2.0478; gz = 2.2428; A = −181 x 10−4 cm−1, B = − 28 x 10−4 cm −1; with the in-plane g axes lying approximately between, rather than along, the copper-oxygen bonds. These results are used to estimate bonding parameters for the molecule. For comparative purposes bonding parameters for Cu bis-acetylacetonate have been recalculated from the EPR data of Maki and McGarvey using recent estimates of the d-level energies. While the σ-bonding molecular orbital coefficients are almost the same in the two chelates, both the in-plane and out-of-plane π-bonding coefficients are significantly smaller in the complex with the phenyl-substituted ligand. The orientation of the g tensor implies that the along-the-bonds rhombic effect of the phenyl groups does not affect the orientation of the (xz) and (yz) orbitals, and causes ho significant contamination of the ground-state orbital by the (3z2 − r2) orbital, which can therefore be ignored in deriving the covalency parameters.
Precision medicine in asthma: linking phenotypes to targeted treatments.

Purpose of reviewAsthma is a heterogeneous disease consisting of different phenotypes that are driven by different mechanistic pathways. The purpose of this review is to emphasize the important role of precision medicine in asthma management.Recent findingsDespite asthma heterogeneity, the approach
Insulin Regulates Glycogen Synthesis in Human Endometrial Glands through Increased GYS2.

Context Glycogen synthesis is a critical metabolic function of the endometrium to prepare for successful implantation and sustain embryo development. Yet, regulation of endometrial carbohydrate metabolism is poorly characterized. Whereas glycogen synthesis is attributed to progesterone, we previously found that the metabolic B isoform of the insulin receptor is maximally expressed in secretory-phase endometrium, indicating a potential role of insulin in glucose metabolism. Objective We sought to determine whether insulin or progesterone regulates glycogen synthesis in human endometrium. Design, participants, outcome measurements Endometrial epithelial cells were isolated from 28 healthy women and treated with insulin, medroxyprogesterone (MPA), or vehicle. Intracellular glycogen and the activation of key enzymes were quantified. Results In epithelia, insulin induced a 4.4-fold increase in glycogen, whereas MPA did not alter glycogen content. Insulin inactivated glycogen synthase (GS) kinase 3α/β (GSK3α/β), relieving inhibition of GS. In a regulatory mechanism, distinct from liver and muscle, insulin also increased GS by 3.7-fold through increased GS 2 (GYS2) gene expression. Conclusions We demonstrate that insulin, not progesterone, directly regulates glycogen synthesis through canonical acute inactivation of GSK3α/β and noncanonical stimulation of GYS2 transcription. Persistently elevated GS enables endometrium to synthesize glycogen constitutively, independent of short-term nutrient flux, during implantation and early pregnancy. This suggests that insulin plays a key, physiological role in endometrial glucose metabolism and underlines the need to delineate the effect of maternal obesity and hyperinsulinemia on fertility and fetal development.
1,25-Dihydroxycholecalciferol (Calcitriol): Effect on Phosphate (PO4) Absorption by Isolated Pars Recta

Phosphate handling by the kidney is influenced by a number of factors including extracellular fluid volume, plasma calcium concentration, bicarbonate administration, parathyroid hormone, and dietary phosphate balance. Vitamin D metabolites have also been demonstrated to augment renal phosphate absorption in the presence and absence of PTH (1–6). Bonjour, Preston and Fleisch have demonstrated that calcitriol increases phosphate excretion in the thyropara-thyroidectomized rat (7), and Gloor, Bonjour, Caverzasio and Fleisch demonstrated that calcitriol prevents the renal resistance to the Phosphaturic response to PTH during phosphate depletion (8). These investigators localized the site of action of calcitriol to the proximal convoluted tubule and beyond the point of micropuncture in the distal tubule in the rat (9).
Atrial septal defect; the electrocardiogram and its hemodynamic correlation in 100 proved cases.

ANATOMIC confirmation of the diagnosis in a considerable number of cases of congenital heart disease is now possible as the result of the recent introduction of technics for surgical repair of a variety of cardiac malformations . The anatomic diagnosis is necessary for critical evaluation of the diagnostic methods used to differentiate these conditions . For example, more precise evaluation of the electrocardiogram in proved cases has revealed differences of diagnostic significance between atrial septal defect and common atrioventricular canal .' The present report consists of a detailed study of the electrocardiograms recorded in 100 cases of atrial septal defect proved and accurately described at the time of surgical correction . Included are cases of atrial septal defect in the usual location (fossa-ovalis type) 2 and cases in which anomalous connection of the right pulmonary veins is associated with interatrial communication . Excluded are cases of common atrioventricular canal' and cases of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection, certain examples of which are functionally and clinically identical to cases of atrial septal defect . The functional status of all these patients was evaluated preoperatively by cardiac catheterization .