cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diamond hydrocarbons revisited: partitioned formula tables of diamondoids

Isomeric diamondoids with the same number $$n$$ of adamantane units (or cells), which share the same molecular formula $$\text{ C}_\mathrm{Q}(\text{ CH})_\mathrm{T}(\text{ CH}_{2})_\mathrm{S}$$ , can be divided into valence isomers by partitioning the number $$C $$ of their carbon atoms according to whether they are Quaternary, Tertiary, or Secondary: $$C =Q +T +S$$ . Each [ $$n$$ ]diamondoid has a dualist (or inner dual) with $$n$$ vertices (situated at centers of adamantane units), and edges connecting vertices of adjacent adamantane units sharing a chair-shaped hexagon of carbon atoms. Such a dualist is characterized by a quadruplet of indices (denoted as p, s, t, q for primary, secondary, tertiary, or quaternary) specifying again the connectivity of each vertex by assimilating it with a virtual carbon atom. The diamond lattice is self-dual. Dualists help in classifying diamondoids as catamantanes with acyclic dualists, perimantanes with dualists having chair-shaped six-membered rings, or coronamantanes with dualists having only higher-membered rings. In turn, catamantanes can be either regular when they have formulas $$\text{ C}_{4n+6}\text{ H}_{4n+12}$$ , or irregular when the numbers of carbon and hydrogen atoms are lower than the above values for the given numbers $$n$$ of adamantane units. Regular catamantanes can have branched or non-branched dualists and they are isomeric when having the same $$n$$ . Partitioned formulas reflect the branching patterns, encoded in their dualists. Partition formulas and codes are presented for all possible diamondoids with up to 7 adamantane units. A remarkable symmetry is observed for the table of partition periodic table of regular catamantanes with up to 7 adamantane units. Isomeric irregular catamantanes with six or more adamantane units may be valence-isomeric (or homomeric, sharing both the molecular and the partitioned formulas), or heteromeric when they have different partitioned formulas.
Minimum Solution of ∂k + 1 and Middle Hankel Operators

Abstract We formulate the solution of the equation ∂ k + 1 F = f with minimum L 2 norm and characterize the symbol functions so that the corresponding middle Hankel operators are bounded, compact, and belong to the Schatten p -class ( p ≥ 1). This generalizes the earlier results by Peng-Rochberg-Wu. The approach is inspired by a recent work of Luecking.
A model for communication in the distributed evaluation of a control strategy

We consider the problem of the evaluation of a given control strategy, when this strategy is a function of measurements that are arbitrarily distributed among various locations. We propose a state-transition model for the parametrization of the communication involved in the computation of the resulting control action. Then we use dynamic programming over the state space to find an optimal information transfer strategy between the sites, according to a given cost model comprising communication and processing costs.
Benzo(a)pyrene concentrations in somatic and gonad tissues of bay mussels,Mytilus edulis

Concentrations of Benzo(a)pyrene(PAP) were measured in somatic and gonadal tissues of M. edulis in Yaquina Bay, Oregon over several months to determine whether or not changes in levels in these tissues could account for winter-spring fluctuations in BAP concentrations. The period of high January-February concentrations was of special interest.
Superconductive YBa2Cu3O7-x fibres from an extrudable dispersion of a particulate precursor

A particulate precursor of YBa2Cu3O7−x was dispersed in a concentrated acetic/formic acid solution of yttrium, barium and copper acetates to form an extensible, viscous mixture. This dispersion was stable, unlike one prepared from superconductive YBa2Cu3O7−x itself. Fibres extruded from the viscous dispersion were fired at 935 °C in the presence of oxygen.
HLA A, B and DR typing in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy: A search for immune response factors

Several autoimmune diseases have been associated with increased frequencies of various histocompatibility antigen (HLA) types that may be linked to immune response genes. Idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC) has been proposed as a disease with autoimmune features, but HLA associations have not been evaluated. We performed HLA typing in 37 consecutive patients with IDC. Patients with habitual alcoholism were excluded. Results showed that no single HLA type could account for most cases; IDC is a genetically heterogeneous disease. However, uneven distributions were noted for certain types. Haplotype frequency of B27 was 0.145 in patients vs 0.033 in 5,726 local control subjects (p less than 0.001). Other A and B frequencies (except A2) were evenly distributed. HLA DR typing also revealed differences. The DR4 locus was present in 54% (19 of 35) of patients, vs 32% (26 of 82) of blood bank control subjects (p less than 0.02). The associated relative risk of DR4 was 2.2 and the etiologic fraction 0.29. Sex, disease chronicity, functional class, ejection fraction and biopsy evidence of myocarditis did not distinguish DR4-positive from DR4-negative patients, but they were older (54 +/- 12 vs 42 +/- 14 years, p less than 0.02). Of note, 68% were positive for DR4 or B27, or both. HLA DR6Y was underrepresented; it was present in 9% (3 of 35) of patients, vs 26% (21 of 82) of control subjects (p less than 0.04). The relative risk of DR6Y was 0.27 and the preventive fraction 0.19. These associations will require independent confirmation. However, they suggest that genetically determined immune response factors associated with HLA loci may play a role in pathogenesis in certain patients with IDC.
Drying of Granular Ceramic Films: II, Drying Stress and Saturation Uniformity

Films composed of ceramic particles were observed during drying. The films were prepared from 20 vol% aqueous dispersions of α-alumina and α-quartz and were free of any organic binder. Conditions for uniform film saturation during drying were established by consideration of a liquid transport model and by direct observation of the drying films. Drying stresses were measured in situ by a substrate deflection method based on an optical interference technique. Simultaneous stress and weight measurements were used to determine stress as a function of saturation. The maximum stress occurred near 100% saturation and was approximately 2 and 1.1 MPa for films produced from 0.35-and 0.68-μm particles, respectively. The maximum stress decreased from 2 to 0.9 MPa for films produced from the 0.35-μm particles when 0.005 wt% surfactant was added to the slurry. The surfactant decreased the liquid surface tension from 72 to 32 dyn/cm. These observations are direct evidence of the effects of capillary tension on the state of stress in a ceramic body. Mechanical properties of the green ceramic films were estimated by use of a linear elastic fracture model. Knowledge of the critical cracking thickness and maximum stress in the film was used to estimate the fracture resistance of the granular film. The fracture resistance values are approximately 0.02 and 0.007 MPa·m1/2 for films produced from alumina and silica, respectively. The difference in mechanical behavior of the silica and alumina films is similar to that expected by the difference in Hamaker constants between the two materials.
“Kill Your Ordinary Common Sense and Maybe You'll Begin to Understand”: Aharon Appelfeld and the Holocaust

When Aharon Appelfeld emigrated in his early teens to the Land of Israel on the eve of the establishment of the state, he and other Holocaust survivors his age felt ashamed of their experiences of suffering in the war, which seemed to them to be so meaningless and insignificant in comparison to the constructive tasks of nation building that had been undertaken by the yishuv.
Widespread drought episodes in the western Great Lakes region during the past 2000 years: Geographic extent and potential mechanisms

We compared high-resolution reconstructions of peatland water-table depth at two raised bogs in the western Great Lakes region separated by ∼1000 km. The sites included Minden Bog in southeastern Michigan and Hole-in-the-Bog in north-central Minnesota. Our objectives were to 1) determine whether large, decadal to multidecadal droughts of the past 2000 yrs were spatially and temporally coherent across the region, and 2) assess the underlying mechanisms of widespread droughts in the region. We found a strong correlation between bog-inferred records of moisture variability in the two regions (r=0.53). Between 2100 and 600 BP, extreme drought events centered on 1850, 1800, 1650, 1000, 800, and 700 BP are recorded in both regions. Many of these drought events were contemporaneous with large droughts already documented at sites far to the west in the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains. To identify potential modern climate analogues, we used empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis to reveal spatial modes of variability in drought and precipitation records of North America for the past century. The first EOFs of annual precipitation and Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) were similar to each other, and consistent with a pattern of widespread continental drought. Correlations between these EOFs and annual sea surface temperatures (SSTs) indicate strong relationships to SSTs in both the Atlantic and Pacific basins. We hypothesize that widespread droughts between 1000 and 700 BP were related to amplification of a spatial mode of moisture variability associated with an anomalously warm North Atlantic, a warm mid-latitude North Pacific, and an anomalously cold Tropical Pacific. A more extensive network of hydroclimate records, developed using a consistent set of methods and proxies, could be used in conjunction with high-resolution records of past SSTs to test this hypothesis.
Design of space-efficient, wide- and narrow transition-band, FIR filters

We propose a method for designing a filter to meet a set of specifications, which can be implemented with reduced area. Our approach combines a prefilter implementation structure whose function has been developed over the years with our previously reported variable precision technique for intelligently quantizing the filter coefficients. Our area-efficient structure uses frequency masking with a single filter model to give good performance with low order and low coefficient sensitivity. Our method does use a novel connection of a simple prefilter structure used in a frequency masking technique to give good designs for the previously unattainable wide-band filter designs. The technique also gives designs with superior (very sharp) transition regions. Both types produce filters that efficiently use digital circuitry, leading to space-efficient designs that are significantly smaller than would otherwise be the case. Some examples are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of our design.
Analytic scattering model for indoor propagation

A closed-form analytic solution was developed to predict the electric field scattered from long conductive planar structures that are on the order of a wavelength wide. The scattered field measured from a 3-sided steel stud typically found in commercial construction was compared to simulations based on this analytic solution. This approach provides a computationally simple basis for indoor propagation modeling.
Critical appraisal of the Carotid Duplex Consensus criteria in the diagnosis of carotid artery stenosis

Background Clinicians have relied on published institutional experience for interpreting carotid duplex ultrasound studies (CDUS). This study will validate the ultrasound imaging consensus criteria published in 2003. Methods The CDUS and angiography results of 376 carotid arteries were analyzed. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROCs) curves were used to compare peak systolic velocities (PSVs), end-diastolic velocities (EDVs) of the internal carotid artery (ICA), and ICA/common carotid (CCA) ratios in detecting Results The consensus criteria uses a PSV of 125 to 230 cm/s for detecting angiographic stenosis of 50% to 69%, which has a sensitivity of 93%, specificity of 68%, and overall accuracy of 85%. A PSV of ≥230 cm/s for ≥70% stenosis had a sensitivity of 99%, specificity of 86%, and overall accuracy of 95%. ROC curves showed that the ICA PSV was significantly better (area under the curve [AUC], 0.97) than EDV (AUC, 0.94) or ICA/CCA ratio (AUC, 0.84; P = .036) in detecting ≥70% stenosis and ≥50% stenosis. Pearson correlations showed a statistical difference between the correlation of PSV with angiography (0.833; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.8-0.86), EDV with angiography (0.755; 95% CI, 0.71-0.80), and ICA/CCA systolic ratio with angiography (0.601; 95% CI, 0.53-0.66; P Conclusions The consensus criteria can be accurately used for diagnosing ≥70% stenosis; however, the accuracy can be improved for detecting 50% to 69% stenosis if the ICA PSV is changed to 140 to
Culture and Sexual Risk: Anthropological Perspectives on AIDS; AIDS Crossing Borders: The Spread of HIV among Migrant Latinos; AIDS in Africa and the Caribbean

Culture and Sexual Risk: Anthropological Perspectives on AIDS. Han ten Brummelhuis and Gilbert Herdt. eds. Amsterdam: Gordon and Breach Publishers, 1995 (paper). xxvii. 355 pp. AIDS Crossing Borders: The Spread of HIV among Migrant Latinos. Shiraz I. Mishra. Ross F. Conner. J. Raul Magana. eds. Boulder, CO: Westview Press,1996(cloth). +214 pp. AIDS in Africa and the Caribbean. George C. Bond. John Kreniske. Ida Susser. Joan Vincent. eds. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1997 (paper), xv. 234 pp.
Querying the user properly for high-performance brain-machine interfaces: Recursive estimation, control, and feedback information-theoretic perspectives

We propose a complementary approach to the design of neural prosthetic interfaces that goes beyond the standard approach of estimating desired control signals from neural activity. We exploit the fact that the for a user's intended application, the dynamics of the prosthetic in fact impact subsequent desired control inputs. We illustrate that changing the dynamic response of a prosthetic device can make specific tasks significantly easier to accomplish. Our approach relies upon principles from stochastic control and feedback information theory, and we illustrate its effectiveness both theoretically and experimentally - in terms of spelling words from a menu of characters using binary surface electromyography classification.
The wideband sum slope of K-User interference channels

In this work we consider a K-user interference channel in the low power regime. It is well known that the minimum received energy per bit of −1.59dB is achieved in the low power regime, that is when the spectral efficiency R converges to zero, which can equivalently be obtained by letting the bandwidth B go to infinity, or by letting the time to transmit a bit go towards infinity (with fixed and finite bandwidth). For an interference channel, the minimum received energy per bit is also −1.59dB; thus interference does not affect performance. This is only true in the limit, though. When the spectral efficiency is small but finite, performance is affected. One way this can be quantified is through the wideband slope developed by Verdu. For example, if the interference channel uses TDMA, the minimum energy per bit of −1.59dB is achieved, but the wideband slope per user is 2/K, i.e., K times the bandwidth of a single user system is required. We show that if the bandwidth tends to infinity, a wideband slope of at least 1 per user is achievable with probability 1 by using a type of interference alignment, i.e., the bandwidth requirement is only twice that of a single user system. On the other hand, if the transmission time tends to infinity (but bandwidth is fixed), we show (at present for K = 3) that the wideband slope per user is 2/K+e with non-zero probability. Thus, for the interference channel it does matter how the low power limit is approached. While the wideband slope for the finite bandwidth model can be as poor as TDMA, we show that for most cases it is possible to obtain a wideband slope larger than TDMA.
Comparative Studies on Solder Joint Reliability of Plastic and Ceramic Ball Grid Array Packages of the Same Form Factor Under Power and Accelerated Thermal Cycling

Experimental and numerical techniques are employed to assess the thermomechanical behavior of ceramic and organic flip chip packages under power cycling (PC) and accelerated thermal cycling (ATC). In PC, nonuniform temperature distribution and different coefficients of thermal expansion of each component make the package deform differently compared to the case of ATC. Traditionally, reliability assessment is conducted by ATC because ATC is believed to have a more severe thermal loading condition compared to PC, which is similar to the actual field condition. In this work, the comparative study of PC and ATC was conducted for the reliability of board level interconnects. The comparison was made using both ceramic and organic flip chip ball grid array packages. Moire interferometry was adopted for the experimental stress analysis. In PC simulation, computational fluid dynamics analysis and finite element analysis are performed. The assembly deformations in numerical simulation are compared with those obtained by Moire images. It is confirmed that for a certain organic package PC can be a more severe condition that causes solder interconnects to fail earlier than in ATC while the ceramic package fails earlier in ATC always.
Lipid-induced insulin resistance does not impair insulin access to skeletal muscle

Elevated plasma free fatty acids (FFA) induce insulin resistance in skeletal muscle. Previously, we have shown that experimental insulin resistance induced by lipid infusion prevents the dispersion of insulin through the muscle, and we hypothesized that this would lead to an impairment of insulin moving from the plasma to the muscle interstitium. Thus, we infused lipid into our anesthetized canine model and measured the appearance of insulin in the lymph as a means to sample muscle interstitium under hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp conditions. Although lipid infusion lowered the glucose infusion rate and induced both peripheral and hepatic insulin resistance, we were unable to detect an impairment of insulin access to the lymph. Interestingly, despite a significant, 10-fold increase in plasma FFA, we detected little to no increase in free fatty acids or triglycerides in the lymph after lipid infusion. Thus, we conclude that experimental insulin resistance induced by lipid infusion does not reduce insulin access to skeletal muscle under clamp conditions. This would suggest that the peripheral insulin resistance is likely due to reduced cellular sensitivity to insulin in this model, and yet we did not detect a change in the tissue microenvironment that could contribute to cellular insulin resistance.
Design considerations for magnetic feedback using amplitude modulation

In off-line AC-DC and high-voltage DC-DC power supplies, galvanic isolation between the input and output is often implemented with optocoupler feedback. However, several disadvantages exist when implementing optocoupler feedback, such as a variable loop gain due to optocoupler tolerance and sensitivity to temperature, as well as a relatively high cost. An alternative to optocoupler feedback is to use magnetic feedback, which can be designed to have insensitivity to component tolerance, and good temperature stability. Although magnetic feedback has been in use for many years, a detailed analysis and clear design procedure has not been presented in the literature. This paper presents a thorough analysis of a magnetic feedback implementation, and provides a comprehensive design procedure which is verified on a 7-V/15-W experimental prototype.
Update on the Prevention and Treatment of Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer among women and the number one gynecologic fatality. The etiology of ovarian cancer is still an enigma. Three common hypotheses under investigation include the ovulation, the pituitary gonadotropin, and the chronic inflammatory processes. Chemoprevention strategies used for ovarian cancer include oral contraceptives, aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents, and retinoids. Surgical strategies are also used in the prevention of ovarian cancer. The primary treatment for patients with ovarian cancer is surgery with optimal tumor debulking, and for patients with advanced disease, this is followed by adjuvant chemotherapy. The standard practice is to follow surgery with six cycles of paclitaxel plus carboplatin. The second-line chemotherapy agents have had minimal long-term benefit for treating ovarian cancer. Hence, treatment with investigational agents remains the best option for patients with recurrent disease due to lack of alternative curative ...
Maternal mindfulness and anxiety during pregnancy affect infants’ neural responses to sounds

Maternal anxiety during pregnancy has been consistently shown to negatively affect offspring neurodevelopmental outcomes. However, little is known about the impact of positive maternal traits/states during pregnancy on the offspring. The present study was aimed at investigating the effects of the mothers mindfulness and anxiety during pregnancy on the infants neurocognitive functioning at 9 months of age. Mothers reported mindfulness using the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory and anxiety using the Symptom Checklist (SCL-90) at � 20.7 weeks of gestation. Event-related brain potentials (ERPs) were measured from 79 infants in an auditory oddball paradigm designed to measure auditory attentiona key aspect of early neurocognitive functioning. For the ERP responses elicited by standard sounds, higher maternal mindfulness was associated with lower N250 amplitudes (P < 0.01, Z 2 ¼ 0.097), whereas higher maternal anxiety was associated with higher N250 amplitudes (P < 0.05, Z 2 ¼ 0.057). Maternal mindfulness was also positively associated with the P150 amplitudes (P < 0.01, Z 2 ¼ 0.130). These results suggest that infants prenatally exposed to higher levels of maternal mindfulness devote fewer attentional resources to frequently occurring irrelevant sounds. The results show that positive traits and experiences of the mother during pregnancy may also affect the unborn child. Emphasizing the beneficial effects of a positive psychological state during pregnancy may promote healthy behavior in pregnant women.
Low and variable presence of valproic acid in human brain

We studied the distribution of valproic acid (VPA) between brain (gray matter) and serum in 13 patients receiving chronic VPA therapy who underwent cortical resections for intractable seizures. Valproate concentration in cerebral cortex was remarkably low compared with either total or unbound valproate concentration in serum. The respective brain-to-serum partition ratios based on total and free drug in serum were 0.111 ± 0.051 and 0.544 ± 0.175. In comparison with other commonly used antiepileptic drugs, valproate has the distinction of exhibiting the lowest brain-to-blood partitioning. Moreover, the brain-to-serum concentration ratio varied over a four-fold range between patients. Some of this variability was related to variation in serum protein binding, as indicated by a modest correlation between the partition ratio and serum free fraction ( r = +0.687). However, the brain-to-unbound concentration ratio still showed a three-fold variation. The variability in distribution of VPA between brain and blood is probably one of the underlying factors for the lack of a clearly definable therapeutic range of serum VPA concentration in epileptic patient populations.
Dentists United to Extinguish Tobacco (DUET): a study protocol for a cluster randomized, controlled trial for enhancing implementation of clinical practice guidelines for treating tobacco dependence in dental care settings

Although dental care settings provide an exceptional opportunity to reach smokers and provide brief cessation advice and treatment to reduce oral and other tobacco-related health conditions, dental care providers demonstrate limited adherence to evidence-based guidelines for treatment of tobacco use and dependence. Guided by a multi-level, conceptual framework that emphasizes changes in provider beliefs and organizational characteristics as drivers of improvement in tobacco treatment delivery, the current protocol will use a cluster, randomized design and multiple data sources (patient exit interviews, provider surveys, site observations, chart audits, and semi-structured provider interviews) to study the process of implementing clinical practice guidelines for treating tobacco dependence in 18 public dental care clinics in New York City. The specific aims of this comparative-effectiveness research trial are to: compare the effectiveness of three promising strategies for implementation of tobacco use treatment guidelines—staff training and current best practices (CBP), CBP + provider performance feedback (PF), and CBP + PF + provider reimbursement for delivery of tobacco cessation treatment (pay-for-performance, or P4P); examine potential theory-driven mechanisms hypothesized to explain the comparative effectiveness of three strategies for implementation; and identify baseline organizational factors that influence the implementation of evidence-based tobacco use treatment practices in dental clinics. The primary outcome is change in providers’ tobacco treatment practices and the secondary outcomes are cost per quit, use of tobacco cessation treatments, quit attempts, and smoking abstinence. We hypothesize that the value of these promising implementation strategies is additive and that incorporating all three strategies (CBP, PF, and P4P) will be superior to CBP alone and CBP + PF in improving delivery of cessation assistance to smokers. The findings will improve knowledge pertinent to the implementation, dissemination, and sustained utilization of evidence-based tobacco use treatment in dental practices. NCT01615237 .
TEACHING WORD RECOGNITION TO SLOW‐LEARNING CHILDREN

The title of this article, “Teaching Word Recognition to Slow‐Learning Children,” might seem to imply that slow‐learning children constitute an identifiable group of children who need unique or special methods of instruction in word recognition. Is this the case? Are slow learners a unique group for whom only certain instructional methods are appropriate? This article discusses these questions.
Recalling Russia’s Eighteenth Century: Imaginative Literature as Mnemonic Praxis

This review article deals with Luba Golburt's award-winning monograph on the literary treatment of Russia's eighteenth century. After situating Golburt's book within the con­text of recent publications on eighteenth-century Russian studies, the reviewer offers a summary of the pros and cons of the author's methodological approach. The reviewer argues that The First Epoch constitutes a landmark contribution to both the ongoing reevaluation of early modern Russian history and to the scholarly study of the conflu­ence between literary and mnemonic praxis
Loss of aboveground forest biomass and landscape biomass variability in Missouri, US

Abstract Disturbance regimes and forests have changed over time in the eastern United States. We examined effects of historical disturbance (circa 1813 to 1850) compared to current disturbance (circa 2004 to 2008) on aboveground, live tree biomass (for trees with diameters ≥13 cm) and landscape variation of biomass in forests of the Ozarks and Plains landscapes in Missouri, USA. We simulated 10,000 one-hectare plots using random diameters generated from parameters of diameter distributions limited to diameters ≥13 cm and random densities generated from density estimates. Area-weighted mean biomass density (Mg/ha) for historical forests averaged 116 Mg/ha, ranging from 54 Mg/ha to 357 Mg/ha by small scale ecological subsections within Missouri landscapes. Area-weighted mean biomass density for current forests averaged 82 Mg/ha, ranging from 66 Mg/ha to 144 Mg/ha by ecological subsection for currently forested land. Biomass density of current forest was greater than historical biomass density for only 2 of 23 ecological subsections. Current carbon sequestration of 292 TgC on 7 million ha of forested land is less than half of the estimated historical total carbon sequestration of 693 TgC on 12 million ha. Cumulative tree cutting disturbances over time have produced forests that have less aboveground tree biomass and are uniform in biomass compared to estimates of historical biomass, which varied across Missouri landscapes. With continued relatively low rates of forest disturbance, current biomass per ha will likely increase to historical levels as the most competitive trees become larger in size and mean number of trees per ha decreases due to competition and self-thinning. Restoration of large diameter structure and forested extent of upland woodlands and floodplain forests could fulfill multiple conservation objectives, including carbon sequestration.
Effect of triclosan, triclocarban, 2,2′,4,4′-tetrabromodiphenyl ether, and bisphenol A on the iodide uptake, thyroid peroxidase activity, and expression of genes involved in thyroid hormone synthesis ☆

Triclosan, triclocarban, 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47), and bisphenol A (BPA) have been reported to disturb thyroid hormone (TH) homeostasis. We have examined the effects of these chemicals on sodium/iodide symporter (NIS)-mediated iodide uptake and the expression of genes involved in TH synthesis in rat thyroid follicular FRTL-5 cells, and on the activity of thyroid peroxidase (TPO) using rat thyroid microsomes. All four chemicals inhibited NIS-mediated iodide uptake in a concentration-dependent manner. A decrease in the iodide uptake was also observed in the absence of sodium iodide. Kinetic studies showed that all four chemicals were non-competitive inhibitors of NIS, with the order of Ki values being triclosan 300 μM, respectively. Neither BDE-47 nor BPA affected TPO activity. In conclusion, triclosan, triclocarban, BDE-47, and BPA inhibited iodide uptake, but had differential effects on the expression of TH synthesis-related genes and the activity of TPO.
Real-Time Language Processing as Embodied and Embedded in Joint Action

As the field of psycholinguistics gradually confronts the evidence that language is enmeshed with perceptual-motor processes, it may be in for a shock when it learns that perceptual-motor processes are themselves comprised of the relationship between organism and environment (e.g., ecological perception and active externalism). Therefore, not only is language interactive with perception and action, it is part of the continuous perception-action loop that a person develops with his/her environment. Crucially, one’s environment often has other people whose linguistic and perceptual-motor processes are also being externalised via their perception-action loops. As a result, real-time language processing appears to play a key role in allowing multiple people’s perception-action loops to become entangled and to produce interesting varieties of behavioural synchrony.
Inhibition of protein synthesis in Newcastle disease virus infected L cells.

SummaryThe nature of the inhibition of cellular protein synthesis in NDV infected L cells has been examined and found to be a consequence of inhibitions at both transcriptional and translational levels. It was determined that the inhibition of protein synthesis was not a result of viral attachment, any detectable toxic substance associated with the infecting virion, the depletion of intracellular amino acids, or an inhibition of amino acid uptake. The inhibitory action of the virus could be completely reversed by the addition of FPA prior to 5 hr after infection. Thereafter, the effectiveness of the analog in reversing the inhibition of protein synthesis continually diminished. Consequently, the inhibition of cellular protein synthesis was found to be closely associated with proteins synthesized relatively late in the cycle of NDV replication in L cells.
Acceptability and Identification of Scooped Versus Molded Puréed Foods.

Purpose: Although pureed foods are commonly recommended for individuals with dysphagia and the acceptability of these foods is often a concern, few sensory studies on pureed foods have been carried out. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of serving style (i.e., scooped vs molded), on identification and acceptability of pureed foods in younger and older adults. Methods: Acceptability of scooped versus molded pureed meats and vegetables was evaluated using the hedonic general Labeled Magnitude Scale. The younger adult panelists (n = 97; 55 F, 42 M) were recruited from the University of Florida staff and students, and the older adult panelists (n = 70; 59 F, 11 M) were recruited from the community. Results: The younger panelists correctly identified a higher percentage of pureed foods than did the older panelists. Scooped pureed foods were more acceptable than molded. Conclusions: The results suggest that pureed foods may be more acceptable and identifiable when served without molding for both ...
Regio- and Stereospecific Uncatalyzed Reactions of Electron-Rich Arenes and Olefins at Organomolybdenum Enantiomeric Scaffolds

A novel uncatalyzed reaction between TpMo(CO)2(5-trifluoroacetoxy-η3-5,6-dihydropyranyl/dihydropyridinyl) complexes and electron-rich arenes/olefins is reported. The reaction proceeds under mild reaction conditions so that a variety of functional groups are tolerated. Combined with a stereospecific annulative demetalation, the new reaction provides a rapid access to polycyclic alkaloid structures. The sequential protocol was used to prepare analogues of the antimalarial agent isofebrifugine.
ID: 110: GENETIC AND EPIGENETIC REGULATION OF MYOSIN LIGHT CHAIN KINASE BY INFLAMMATORY LUNG DISEASE ASSOCIATED POLYMORPHISMS

Rationale Myosin light chain kinase (MLCK), a central cytoskeletal regulator encoded by MYLK gene, regulates muscle contraction, cell migration, endothelial cell–cell adhesion, and barrier function, thereby playing key pathophysiological roles in lung inflammatory diseases. We previously identified that MYLK single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as well as haplotypes are significantly associated with severe sepsis, acute lung injury and asthma in African Americans (AA) and European Americans (EA). Here we examined genetic and epigenetic regulation of the MYLK promoter as well as the effects of SNPs on MLCK expression and activity, thereby influencing cytoskeletal balance and cell integrity. Methods A series of nested deletions from the ∼2.5 kb putative promoter fragment were fused to luciferase reporter vectors, and transfected into human lung endothelium. We next evaluated the influence of ARDS and asthma associated SNPs on transcription factor (TF) binding and promoter activity. Exon SNP rs2700408 and intronic SNP rs11714297 were associated with ARDS in AA (GWAS) and EA (Gao et al, 2006), respectively. Rs57186134 has high LD with rs936170, one asthma associated SNP in AA (Gao et al, 2007). The DNA fragments containing SNPs were generated by site-directed mutagenesis. Transcription factor binding to the MYLK promoter was detected by protein-DNA electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Genetic regulation of MYLK and influences of disease-associated SNPs from previous studies were measured by luciferase promoter activity assays following challenge with inflammatory factors and mechanical stretch. Results Deletion construct luciferase reporter analysis revealed that the MYLK promoter for nmMLCK contains distal inhibitory and proximal enhancing regulatory regions. Human endothelial cell challenge with either 18% cyclic stretch, demethylation agents (5-Aza), or inflammatory factor TNFα and IL-4 significantly up-regulate MYLK promoter activities (p Conclusion These findings suggest that the MYLK gene is transcriptionally regulated by mechanical stress and inflammatory factors, and modulated by SNPs associated with lung inflammatory diseases. These functional insights further strengthen the concept that MYLKcontributes to inflammatory disease susceptibility and represents a molecular target in complex lung disorders.
The enigmatic mossy cell of the dentate gyrus

Mossy cells comprise a large fraction of the cells in the hippocampal dentate gyrus, suggesting that their function in this region is important. They are vulnerable to ischaemia, traumatic brain injury and seizures, and their loss could contribute to dentate gyrus dysfunction in such conditions. Mossy cell function has been unclear because these cells innervate both glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons within the dentate gyrus, contributing to a complex circuitry. It has also been difficult to directly and selectively manipulate mossy cells to study their function. In light of the new data generated using methods to preferentially eliminate or activate mossy cells in mice, it is timely to ask whether mossy cells have become any less enigmatic than they were in the past.
Conserved imprinting associated with unique epigenetic signatures in the Arabidopsis genus.

In plants, imprinted gene expression occurs in endosperm seed tissue and is sometimes associated with differential DNA methylation between maternal and paternal alleles1. Imprinting is theorized to have been selected for because of conflict between parental genomes in offspring2, but most studies of imprinting have been conducted in Arabidopsis thaliana, an inbred primarily self-fertilizing species that should have limited parental conflict. We examined embryo and endosperm allele-specific expression and DNA methylation genome-wide in the wild outcrossing species Arabidopsis lyrata. Here we show that the majority of A. lyrata imprinted genes also exhibit parentally biased expression in A. thaliana, suggesting that there is evolutionary conservation in gene imprinting. Surprisingly, we discovered substantial interspecies differences in methylation features associated with paternally expressed imprinted genes (PEGs). Unlike in A. thaliana, the maternal allele of many A. lyrata PEGs was hypermethylated in the CHG context. Increased maternal allele CHG methylation was associated with increased expression bias in favour of the paternal allele. We propose that CHG methylation maintains or reinforces repression of maternal alleles of PEGs. These data suggest that the genes subject to imprinting are largely conserved, but there is flexibility in the epigenetic mechanisms employed between closely related species to maintain monoallelic expression. This supports the idea that imprinting of specific genes is a functional phenomenon, and not simply a byproduct of seed epigenomic reprogramming. By examining imprinted gene expression and methylomes in Arabidopsis lyrata and A. thaliana, a study found that while imprinted genes are largely conserved between the species, different epigenetic mechanisms were employed to maintain the imprinted gene expression.
Maltodextrin enhances biofilm elimination by electrochemical scaffold.

Electrochemical scaffolds (e-scaffolds) continuously generate low concentrations of H2O2 suitable for damaging wound biofilms without damaging host tissue. Nevertheless, retarded diffusion combined with H2O2 degradation can limit the efficacy of this potentially important clinical tool. H2O2 diffusion into biofilms and bacterial cells can be increased by damaging the biofilm structure or by activating membrane transportation channels by exposure to hyperosmotic agents. We hypothesized that e-scaffolds would be more effective against Acinetobacter baumannii and Staphylococcus aureus biofilms in the presence of a hyperosmotic agent. E-scaffolds polarized at -600 mVAg/AgCl were overlaid onto preformed biofilms in media containing various maltodextrin concentrations. E-scaffold alone decreased A. baumannii and S. aureus biofilm cell densities by (3.92 ± 0.15) log and (2.31 ± 0.12) log, respectively. Compared to untreated biofilms, the efficacy of the e-scaffold increased to a maximum (8.27 ± 0.05) log reduction in A. baumannii and (4.71 ± 0.12) log reduction in S. aureus biofilm cell densities upon 10 mM and 30 mM maltodextrin addition, respectively. Overall ~55% decrease in relative biofilm surface coverage was achieved for both species. We conclude that combined treatment with electrochemically generated H2O2 from an e-scaffold and maltodextrin is more effective in decreasing viable biofilm cell density.
New B-cell lymphomas in the setting of a previous rare breast implant-associated B-cell lymphoma

We present a follow-up of a patient who underwent right-sided subtotal mastectomy and placement of right-sided saline implant in 1968 for a phyllodes tumor and then in 2012 was diagnosed with a rare B-cell type lymphoma of the right breast. In 2015, she was diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma involvement of the left breast and left leg and experienced subsequent self-regression of leg lesions without therapy.
A ground and obstacle collision avoidance technique (GOCAT)

The need to provide aircrew with a timely warning of a dangerously close approach to the terrain is discussed, along with the benefits this capability is expected to provide and specific requirements that it must fulfil. The ground proximity warning techniques that are available are reviewed, and their benefits and limitations are assessed. The GEC Avionics Ground and Obstacle Collision Avoidance Technique (GOCAT) is described. The particular advantages of the GOCAT approach are identified. Because GOCAT uses a database of the terrain and obstacles around the aircraft it has a very low nuisance alarm rate but will always generate a warning when the aircraft is in a dangerous situation. Issues of parameter selection, search area definition and system limitations are examined. The results of a GOCAT simulation are presented. The system performance parameters are discussed, and database requirements are reviewed. The characteristics of a practical implementation for both civil and military applications are briefly stated. >
Acute care revisits after adenotonsillectomy in a pediatric Medicaid population in Ohio.

Abstract Introduction Guidelines for inpatient admission after pediatric tonsillectomy have been proposed to improve the safety of this procedure. This study examined the association between performing adenotonsillectomy in an inpatient setting and acute care revisits within 30 days among children enrolled in a Medicaid Accountable Care Organization in Ohio. Methods The Accountable Care Organization's claims database was queried for adenotonsillectomies performed in children ages 0–18 years in 2008–2014. Procedures associated with an inpatient facility stay were classified as inpatient adenotonsillectomies. The primary outcome was emergency department visit or inpatient re-admission within 30 days. Secondary outcomes were revisits within 7 days and >7 days post-discharge. Logistic regression was used to test for association between inpatient procedure and need for revisits. Results Adenotonsillectomies in 8835 girls and 7773 boys (age 6.8 ± 3.8 years) were analyzed, of which 842 (5%) were inpatient procedures. Revisits were required in 2511 (15%) cases and were primarily visits to the emergency department. In multivariable analysis, inpatient and outpatient procedures had comparable need for 30-day revisits (OR = 0.85; 95% CI: 0.69, 1.05; p = 0.124). In sub-analyses, inpatient adenotonsillectomy was associated with lower odds of early (≤7 days post-discharge; OR = 0.76; 95% CI: 0.58, 0.99; p = 0.045) but not later (≥8 days) revisits. Conclusions In a pediatric Medicaid population, inpatient adenotonsillectomy was not associated with greater odds of acute care revisits, compared to outpatient procedures. Appropriate risk stratification of children undergoing adenotonsillectomy can reduce the need for early acute care revisits by scheduling high-risk patients for prolonged observation.
Geographies of Entrepreneurial Ecosystems: Non-Farm Proprietorship Employment by U.S. Metropolitan Area

Although the entrepreneurship process begins with individuals with relatively unique personal attributes and a likely penchant for risk taking and achievement, entrepreneurs are “hardly lone individuals who rely primarily on their extraordinary efforts and talents to overcome the difficulties inherent in the formation of a new firm” or idea (Stam 2009, p.4). Instead, the entrepreneurial process is the result of the interaction between the individual and the surrounding environment or entrepreneurial eco-system which is heterogeneously endowed with knowledge, institutions, resources and demand for products (Audretsch and Belitski 2016; Stam 2014). Furthermore, these factor endowments can vary dramatically by metropolitan area. Such a perspective raises an important policy question: Are U.S. metropolitan areas with disproportionately high shares of entrepreneurs or self-employed people systematically linked to particular attributes of the entrepreneurial eco-system or support system? The answer to this sort of research question is not straightforward because different types of entrepreneurship may require different types of explanations (Stam 2009). According to Rupasingha and Goetz (2013 p.143), it remains unclear to what extent the uneven growth of self employment at the county scale “is a response to opportunity or the result of necessity (such as layoffs).” It is for this reason that we chose the title Geographies of Entrepreneurial Ecosystems to remind us that it does not make sense to talk about the geography of entrepreneurial ecosystems (Stam 2009). Different explanatory frameworks are needed to explain different kinds of entrepreneurship dependent on the geographic scale of the ecosystem and the manner in which entrepreneurship is defined.
Toward a Dynamic, Multidimensional Research Framework for Strategic Processing

While the empirical literature on strategic processing is vast, understanding how and why certain strategies work for certain learners is far from clear. The purpose of this review is to systematically examine the theoretical and empirical literature on strategic process to parse out current conceptual and methodological progress to inform new conceptual and methodological approaches to investigating strategic processing. From a PsycINFO search from 2011 to 2016, a pool of 134 studies was tabled with regard to key conceptual and methodological characteristics along with salient findings. These conceptual and methodological findings were then synthesized to examine how development, three aspects of strategic processing, and personal and environmental factors explained the relation between strategic processing and performance in academic domains. Three major findings emerged: less is known empirically about the developmental nature of strategic processing; quality and conditional use explain performance more consistently than simply frequency of strategy use; and, numerous person and environmental factors shape the degree to which certain strategies are effective for certain learners. A framework for future research based on these three findings is presented.
Roles for the Rad27 Flap Endonuclease in Mitochondrial Mutagenesis and Double-Strand Break Repair in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The structure-specific nuclease, Rad27p/FEN1, plays a crucial role in DNA repair and replication mechanisms in the nucleus. Genetic assays using the rad27-∆ mutant have shown altered rates of DNA recombination, microsatellite instability, and point mutation in mitochondria. In this study, we examined the role of Rad27p in mitochondrial mutagenesis and double-strand break (DSB) repair in Saccharomyces cerevisiae . Our findings show that Rad27p is essential for efficient mitochondrial DSB repair by a pathway that generates deletions at a region flanked by direct repeat sequences. Mutant analysis suggests that both exonuclease and endonuclease activities of Rad27p are required for its role in mitochondrial DSB repair. In addition, we found that the nuclease activities of Rad27p are required for the prevention of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) point mutations, and in the generation of spontaneous mtDNA rearrangements. Overall, our findings underscore the importance of Rad27p in the maintenance of mtDNA, and demonstrate that it participates in multiple DNA repair pathways in mitochondria, unlinked to nuclear phenotypes.