cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An ultrasensitive biomolecular network for robust feedback control

Abstract We describe an ultrasensitive reaction network to achieve closed loop control of biomolecular systems. This network is based on non-cooperative interactions of activator and inhibitor species that regulate the controller output level with a mechanism similar to protein phosphorylation. The controller reactions could potentially be realized using nucleic acids or monomeric proteins. Using numerical analysis we demonstrate that ultrasensitivity of the controller output renders the closed loop system robust to perturbations in the system parameters.
Energy and Climate – Global Trends and Their Implications for Delta Restoration

Climate change and energy scarcity pose challenges for the sustainability of the Mississippi River Delta and its future restoration. Projected trends for climate change suggest increasing risk in the coastal zone from sea-level rise, more frequent high-intensity hurricanes, and increased Mississippi River discharge. Simultaneously, analysis of energy return on investment suggests that energy is becoming more expensive and difficult to produce, which does not bode well for energy intensive activities like building river levees and pumping dredged sediment. For these reasons, while coastal restoration is becoming progressively urgent, its implementation will be both challenging and expensive. The objective of this chapter is to introduce the basic science behind climate change and energy, and discuss its relevance to the Mississippi River Delta. The evidence presented here makes it clear that the current management of the delta is unsustainable, and an aggressive new approach based on the natural functioning of the delta is required in the future.
Tobacco Industry Promotional Strategies Targeting American Indians/Alaska Natives and Exploiting Tribal Sovereignty.

Background American Indians/Alaska Natives have the highest commercial tobacco use in the United States, resulting in higher tobacco-caused deaths and diseases than the general population. Some American Indians/Alaska Natives use commercial tobacco for ceremonial as well as recreational uses. Because federally recognized Tribal lands are sovereign, they are not subject to state cigarette taxes and smoke-free laws. This study analyzes tobacco industry promotional efforts specifically targeting American Indians/Alaska Natives and exploiting Tribal lands to understand appropriate policy responses in light of American Indians'/Alaska Natives' unique sovereign status and culture. Methods We analyzed previously secret tobacco industry documents available at the Truth Tobacco Documents Library (https://industrydocuments.library.ucsf.edu/tobacco/). Results Tobacco companies used promotional strategies targeting American Indians/Alaska Natives and exploiting Tribal lands that leveraged the federally recognized Tribes' unique sovereign status exempting them from state cigarette taxes and smoke-free laws, and exploited some Tribes' existing traditional uses of ceremonial tobacco and poverty. Tactics included price reductions, coupons, giveaways, gaming promotions, charitable contributions, and sponsorships. In addition, tobacco companies built alliances with Tribal leaders to help improve their corporate image, advance ineffective Youth Smoking Prevention programs, and defeat tobacco control policies. Conclusions The industry's promotional tactics likely contribute to disparities in smoking prevalence and smoking-related diseases among American Indians//Alaska Natives. Proven policy interventions to address these disparities including tobacco price increases, cigarette taxes, comprehensive smoke-free laws, and industry denormalization campaigns to reduce smoking prevalence and smoking-related disease could be considered by Tribal communities. The sovereign status of federally recognized Tribes does not prevent them from adopting these measures. Implications American Indians/Alaska Natives suffer disparities in smoking prevalence and smoking-related diseases as compared with other groups. The tobacco industry has used promotional tactics including price reductions, coupons and giveaways, casino and bingo promotions, charitable contributions and sponsorships, and so-called Youth Smoking Prevention (YSP) programs to specifically target American Indians/Alaska Natives and exploit Tribal sovereignty, which likely contribute to disparities in tobacco use and related diseases and deaths among this population. Tribal and public health policy makers should consider rejecting ineffective YSP programs and instead consider adopting proven policy interventions including tobacco price increases, cigarette and casino taxes, comprehensive smokefree laws, and anti-industry denormalization campaigns to reduce smoking and smoking-related disease.
Versatile sarcosine and creatinine biosensing schemes utilizing layer-by-layer construction of carbon nanotube-chitosan composite films

Abstract Layer-by-layer composite films of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) within a chitosan matrix with sarcosine oxidase enzyme and capped with Nafion have been developed and optimized as a versatile 1st generation amperometric sarcosine biosensing platform that operates successfully both as an isolated sarcosine sensor as well as a functional component within a creatinine sensor. Accurate measurement of sarcosine in urine and creatinine in blood may help with early diagnosis of diseases such as prostate cancer and renal failure, respectively. In this study, each material within the film is systematically optimized toward sarcosine sensitivity, including a critical evaluation of different CNTs effect on sensing performance. Films featuring carboxylic acid–modified single–walled carbon nanotubes and strategic enzyme doping were shown to be most effective sarcosine sensing platforms, exhibiting excellent sensitivity (~0.5 μA/mM), a linear response (≤0.75 mM), fast response time (8 s), low limits of detection (~6 μM), as well as both continuous use stability (7 days) and effective shelf life (>12 days). Operation of the sarcosine sensor was demonstrated in a sarcosine-spiked urine matrix, detecting the analyte at physiologically relevant concentrations (≥20 μM) and successfully quantifying sarcosine-spiked urine samples at 20, 40, and 90 μM (n = 9, 7, and 3) with high average percent recoveries (>98%) and low relative error. The sarcosine sensing platform was also adapted to a 1st generation creatinine biosensing scheme in which the sarcosine enzymatic reaction is critical to a tri-enzymatic cascade event. The creatinine sensor yielded sensitivity of ~0.6 μA/mM, similar sensing performance parameters to the sarcosine sensor, and was effectively operated in blood serum at physiologically relevant creatinine concentrations (>1 mM). The demonstrated functionality of these sensors in their respective biological fluids at physiological concentrations of the analyte species suggests potential clinical application as diagnostic tools.
Spectral form factors and late time quantum chaos

This is a collection of notes about spectral form factors of standard ensembles in random matrix theory, written for the practical usage of the current study of late time quantum chaos. More precisely, we consider the Gaussian unitary ensemble, the Gaussian orthogonal ensemble, the Gaussian symplectic ensemble, the Wishart-Laguerre unitary ensemble, the Wishart-Laguerre orthogonal ensemble, and the Wishart-Laguerre symplectic ensemble. These results and their physics applications cover a threefold classification of late time quantum chaos in terms of spectral form factors.
Political Economy: The Neural Dynamic and Scarcity

Human society is a product of the human brain. The aspects of society that we term political and economic are likewise products of the human brain. There is no other source for them. There are no political or economic essences or universals, independent of the human brain, existing out there in a positivist, mechanical world waiting to be discovered.
“I’m Not Just a Math Teacher”: Understanding the Development of Elementary Teachers’ Mathematics Teacher Identity

Teachers’ professional identity refers to how teachers identify themselves in the field of teaching. Individuals are considered to have multiple identities which are continually shaped by our social and cultural contexts, beliefs, prior experiences, and also by our professional contexts, including knowledge, skills, educational principles and ideology. Thus, an individual’s multiple identities may not always cohere and this misalignment is likely to produce identity tensions. In this study we examined the experiences of 18 elementary teachers who were being challenged to change how they defined themselves professionally through their involvement in a professional development program. From the analyses of hour-long interviews, we describe four core tensions the teachers experienced between being an elementary generalist and a mathematics teacher. We also discuss how and why these identity tensions function as sources of growth, instead of barriers to development, which provide further insights for professional developers, school leaders, and policy makers.
Stability in 3D Space

STABILITY OF A POINT Recall from elementary statics or physics that a point in 3D space has three degrees of freedom, it can only translate in the X, Y, Z directions (or any other mutually orthogonal set of axes). This is visualized by imagining a ball flying through the air, the ball is free to travel in any direction, it is unstable. The point is infinitely small, all loads hit it directly at its centroid. This explains why there is no rotational degrees of freedom for a point in space, thus the ball does not spin. Loads have no eccentricity to the point’s centroid. Since the point is free to translate in three directions, the point requires three supports to stabilize it. Of course the supports must be able to carry tension or compression. Traditionally, a pinned support (boundary condition) is assumed to carry three mutually perpendicular (orthogonal) forces as reactions. In this first example it is noted that each strut is pinned-pinned without any transverse loads, thus the net reaction must align with the axis of each supporting strut as shown in Fig. 7.1.
Depressive Disorders in Children and Adolescents: What Every School Counselor Needs to Know

This article addresses the role of school counselors in recognizing and responding to students with depressive disorders. It provides an overview of depressive symptoms, including how these symptom...
Targeted multigene deep sequencing of Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor–resistant chronic lymphocytic leukemia with disease progression and Richter transformation

Background In a proportion of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), resistance to Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors (BTKi) is attributed to acquired BTK/phospholipase C gamma 2 (PLCG2) mutations. However, knowledge regarding additional genetic lesions associated with BTK/PLCG2 mutations, and gene mutations in patients lacking BTK/PLCG2 mutations, is limited. Methods Using targeted deep sequencing, mutations in 29 genes associated with CLL and/or the BCR signaling pathway were assessed in patients with CLL who developed resistance to BTK inhibition with ibrutinib/acalabrutinib at a single institution. Results The study group included 29 patients with BTKi-resistant CLL, 23 patients with disease progression, and 6 patients with Richter transformation (RT). The median times to disease progression and RT were 33.3 months and 13.3 months, respectively. In 11 patients, sequencing was possible at both baseline (prior to treatment with BTKi) and at time of disease progression/RT. Of these patients, 4 demonstrated BTK mutations at the time of disease progression/RT; patients without BTK mutations frequently acquired mutations associated with disease progression/RT in TP53, SF3B1, and CARD11, whereas additional mutations were rare in patients with BTK-mutated CLL. Sequencing of all 29 patients at the time of disease progression/RT identified BTK mutations at a frequency of 66%, including a novel V537I mutation. Among patients with disease progression, BTK mutations were observed in 16 patients (70%). The median time to disease progression was shorter in patients without BTK mutations compared with those with BTK-mutated CLL. Among patients with RT, SF3B1 mutations were more frequent than BTK mutations (67% vs 50%). Following BTKi discontinuation, we sequential mutation analysis was performed in 2 patients with RT and 3 patients with disease progression in the setting of persistent disease. Both patients with RT demonstrated disappearance of BTK and expansion of TP53 mutations. All 3 patients with disease progression received venetoclax and demonstrated suppression of BTK mutations. Conclusions Longitudinal, targeted, multigene deep sequencing is informative for the clinical monitoring of mutational evolution in patients with CLL who are receiving BTKi.
Risk stratification in primary total joint arthroplasty: the current state of knowledge.

Abstract Background As we transition to value-based care delivery models, risk stratification in total joint arthroplasty is more important than ever. The purpose of this study was to identify patients who would likely require higher level of care and may not be suitable for inclusion in bundled payment models. Methods The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried for all patients who underwent primary total joint arthroplasty between 2011 and 2012. Five types of adverse events were assessed: medical complications, surgical complications, readmission, reoperation, and mortality. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed using a large number of demographic and morbidity variables. Results A total of 14,185 patients were identified. The 30-day medical complication, surgical complication, readmission, reoperation, and mortality rates were 2.0%, 3.2%, 4.0%, 1.5%, and 0.2%, respectively. Among the different variables assessed, only the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical classification system was a significant risk factor for most outcomes assessed. Peripheral vascular disease was the most significant risk factor for medical complications and reoperation (odds ratio, 2.73 and 3.23, respectively). Bleeding disorders were the most significant risk factor for readmission and mortality (odds ratio, 2.03 and 5.86, respectively). Conclusions ASA score is a more reliable risk stratification tool than Charlson Comorbidity Index, but it is not sufficient by itself. Patients with higher ASA scores combined with peripheral vascular disease and/or bleeding disorders are at especially high risk of developing postsurgical adverse events and may not be suitable for inclusion in bundled payment models. These data can be used to develop better risk stratification models that are critically needed.
The Association between Salt and Potential Mediators of the Gastric Precancerous Process

Background: The process by which salt affects the gastric precancerous process has not been adequately studied in humans. Methods: We investigated the effects of salt on gastric inflammation, epithelial damage, the density of Helicobacter pylori infection, and gastric epithelial cell proliferation, all of which may be mediators between salt and gastric precancerous/cancerous lesions. These potential mediators were measured using gastric biopsies as: (a) the density of polymorphonuclear and mononuclear cells (gastric inflammation), (b) mucus depletion (gastric epithelial damage), and (c) the severity of H. pylori infection. Salt intake was measured with spot urine samples (using urinary sodium/creatinine ratios), self-reported frequency of adding salt to food, and as total added salt. Results: The average sodium/creatinine ratio (at baseline and post-treatment at five months) was associated with increased epithelial damage over the 12-year follow-up period among those with a greater severity of chronic inflammation and among those with continued H. pylori infection after treatment at five months. This association was stronger when both severe gastric inflammation and H. pylori infection were present at five months (s: 1.112, 95% CI: 0.377, 1.848). Conclusion: In humans, salt was associated with an increase in epithelial damage in stomachs with more severe previous H. pylori-induced chronic inflammation.
Non-science majors learn about heat, temperature, and thermodynamics using the particulate nature of matter and guided-inquiry instruction

Using a strong cooperative learning structure, an inquiry-based course Fire & Ice for non-science majors addresses the concepts of heat and temperature, as well as the historical development of these ideas. A coherent line of inquiry is developed based on the particulate nature of matter which guides students in constructing the concepts of kinetic molecular theory, absolute zero, thermal equilibrium, thermal conduction, energy conservation, and energy degradation. This is accomplished by interleaving hands-on explorations, question-based team discussions, data sharing, and whole class reviews. Student performance on an established thermal concept inventory shows significant improvement. Students also provided more mechanistic and detailed descriptions even as they struggle with precision of language. They perceived this course as different, challenging, accessible, social, and true to the label “inquiry.” A complete video and materials record of the course is available at the UNH Scholars Repository.
Low-Interventional Approaches to Intrapartum Care: Hospital Variation in Practice and Associated Factors.

INTRODUCTION Despite evidence supporting the safety of low-interventional approaches to intrapartum care, defined by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists as "practices that facilitate a physiologic labor process and minimize intervention," little is known about how frequently such practices are utilized. We examined hospital use of low-interventional practices, as well as variation in utilization across hospitals. METHODS Data came from 185 California hospitals completing a survey of intrapartum care, including 9 questions indicating use of low- versus high-interventional practices (eg, use of intermittent auscultation, nonpharmacologic pain relief, and admission of women in latent labor). We performed a group-based latent class analysis to identify distinct groups of hospitals exhibiting different levels of utilization on these 9 measures. Multivariable logistic regression identified institutional characteristics associated with a hospital's likelihood of using low-interventional practices. Procedure rates and patient outcomes were compared between the hospital groups using bivariate analysis. RESULTS We identified 2 distinct groups of hospitals that tended to use low-interventional (n = 44, 23.8%) and high-interventional (n = 141, 76.2%) practices, respectively. Hospitals more likely to use low-interventional practices included those with midwife-led or physician-midwife collaborative labor management (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 7.52; 95% CI, 2.53-22.37; P < .001) and those in rural locations (aOR, 3.73; 95% CI, 1.03-13.60; P = .04). Hospitals with a higher proportion of women covered by Medicaid or other safety-net programs were less likely to use low-interventional practices (aOR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.93-0.99; P = .004), as were hospitals in counties with higher medical liability insurance premiums (aOR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.33-0.85; P = .008). Hospitals in the low-intervention group had comparable rates of severe maternal and newborn morbidities but lower rates of cesarean birth and episiotomy compared with hospitals in the high-intervention group. DISCUSSION Only one-quarter of hospitals used low-interventional practices. Attention to hospital culture of care, incorporating the midwifery model of care, and addressing medical-legal concerns may help promote utilization of low-interventional intrapartum practices.
Development of a Clinical Ethics Committee De Novo at a Small Community Hospital by Addressing Needs and Potential Barriers.

Hospital ethics committees are common, but not universal, in small hospitals. A needs assessment was completed at a 155-bed community hospital in order to adapt an academic tertiary center model for a clinical ethics committee to fit the needs of the small hospital community. Of 678 questionnaires distributed, 209 were completed. Data suggested that clinical staff frequently experienced ethical dilemmas. Significantly more nonphysicians indicated that they would utilize a consultation service, if available, compared to physicians (p = 0.0067). The data also indicated that the majority of staff (greater than 80 percent) desired more education in clinical ethics. Physicians preferred annual or bi-annual hospital-wide grand rounds, compared to nonphysicians, who preferred more frequent department-based teaching. The data presented in this article were used to subsequently develop a clinical ethics support committee, the process of which is also described.
Stormwater green infrastructures retain high concentrations of TiO2 engineered (nano)-particles.

Abstract Stormwater conveys natural and engineered (nano)-particles, like any other pollutants, from urban areas to water resources. Thus, the use of stormwater green infrastructures (SGI), which infiltrate and treat stormwater, can potentially limit the spread of engineered (nano)-particles in the environment. However, the concentration of engineered (nano)-particles in soil or biofilter media used in SGI has not been measured due to difficulties in distinguishing natural vs. engineered (nano)-particles. This study reports, for the first time, the concentration and size distribution of TiO2 engineered (nano)-particles in soils collected from SGI. The concentrations of TiO2 engineered (nano)-particles were determined by mass balance calculations based on shifts in elemental concentration ratios, i.e., Ti to Nb, Ti to Ta, and Ti to Al in SGI soils relative to natural background elemental ratios. The concentrations of TiO2 engineered (nano)-particles in SGI soils varied between 550 ± 13 and 1800 ± 200 mg kg−1. A small fraction of TiO2 engineered (nano)-particles could be extracted by ultrapure water (UPW) and Na4P2O7; however, the concentration of TiO2 engineered (nano)-particles was higher in the Na4P2O7-extracted suspensions than in UPW-extracted suspensions. The concentration of TiO2 in the nanosize range increased with the increase in extractant (Na4P2O7) volume to soil mass ratio due to the increased disaggregation of soil heteroaggregates. The size distribution of TiO2 engineered (nano)-particles in the
Emerging roles of CCM genes during tumorigenesis with potential application as novel biomarkers across major types of cancers

Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) are microvascular anomalies in the brain that result in increased susceptibility to stroke. Three genes have been identified as causes of CCMs: cerebral cavernous malformations 1 [(CCM1) also termed Krev interaction trapped 1 (KRIT1)], cerebral cavernous malformation 2 [(CCM2) also termed MGC4607] and cerebral cavernous malformation 3 [(CCM3) also termed programmed cell death 10 (PDCD10)]. It has been demonstrated that both CCM1 and CCM3 bind to CCM2 to form a CCM signaling complex (CSC) with which to modulate multiple signaling cascades. CCM proteins have been reported to play major roles in microvascular angiogenesis in human and animal models. However, CCM proteins are ubiquitously expressed in all major tissues, suggesting an unseen broader role of the CSC in biogenesis. Recent evidence suggests the possible involvement of the CSC complex during tumorigenesis; however, studies concerning this aspect are limited. This is the first report to systematically investigate the expression patterns of CCM proteins in major human tumors using real‑time quantitative PCR, RNA‑fluorescence in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry and multicolor immunofluorescence imaging. Our data demonstrated that differential expression patterns of the CSC complex are correlated with certain types and grades of major human cancers, indicating the potential application of CCM genes as molecular biomarkers for clinical oncology. Our data strongly suggest that more efforts are needed to elucidate the role of the CSC complex in tumorigenesis, which may have enormous clinical potential for cancer diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic applications.
Assessing the effectiveness of attractants to increase camera trap detections of North American mammals

Camera traps are a cost-effective tool for large-scale and long-term population monitoring of mammals. Either bait or lure is often used to attract animals in front of a camera; however, the relative efficiency of these two attractants, or their combination, is not well understood. Our objective was to determine the optimal attractant setup for maximizing detection probabilities of mammals in the northeast USA. We conducted a camera trapping project in northern Maine, USA, from August to November 2018, and tested three distinct attractant treatments against a control. Sampling stations were a minimum of 5 km apart, and consisted of four camera units spaced 100 m apart, and paired with one of the four setups: (1) bait plus lure (treatment), (2) bait (treatment), (3) lure (treatment), and (4) camera only (control). Detection data on 11 species of mammals were collected from 41 stations and analyzed through multi-method occupancy models. We totaled 4280 photo-trap-nights and captured 37,781 images. Results showed that the combination of bait plus lure was the most effective for increasing detection probability of carnivores. Specifically, bait plus lure proved to be particularly effective for mustelid species, while lure was particularly effective for American black bear (Ursus americanus). While attractant usage was shown to be ineffective for increasing detection probability of non-carnivores, it also did not decrease effectiveness. Based on our results, we recommend the simultaneous use of both bait and lure as attractants when conducting camera trapping work on mammals. The combination of bait and lure appears to maximize detection of carnivore species, while simultaneously having minimal effects on the detection of other taxa.
Sub-second heat inactivation of coronavirus

Heat treatment denatures viral proteins that comprise the virion, making virus incapable of infecting a host. Coronavirus (CoV) virions contain single-stranded RNA genomes with a lipid envelope and 4 proteins, 3 of which are associated with the lipid envelope and thus are thought to be easily denatured by heat or surfactant-type chemicals. Prior studies have shown that a temperature of as low as 75 {degrees}C and treatment duration of 15 min can effectively inactivate CoV. The applicability of a CoV heat inactivation method greatly depends on the length of time of a heat treatment and the temperature needed to inactivate the virus. With the goal of finding conditions where sub-second heat exposure of CoV can sufficiently inactivate CoV, we designed and developed a simple system that can measure sub-second heat inactivation of CoV. The system is composed of capillary stainless-steel tubing immersed in a temperature-controlled oil bath followed by an ice bath, through which virus solution can be flowed at various speeds. Flowing virus solution at different speeds, along with a real-time temperature monitoring system, allows the virus to be accurately exposed to a desired temperature for various durations of time. Using mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), a beta-coronavirus, as a model system, we identified that 85.2 {degrees}C for 0.48 s exposure is sufficient to obtain > 5 Log10 reduction in viral titer (starting titer: 5 x 107 PFU/mL), and that when exposed to 83.4 {degrees}C for 0.95 s, the virus was completely inactivated (zero titer, > 6 Log10 reduction). IMPORTANCEThree coronaviruses (CoVs) have now caused global outbreaks within the past 20 years, with the COVID19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 still ongoing. Methods that can rapidly inactivate viruses, especially CoVs, can play critical roles in ensuring public safety and safeguarding personal health. Heat treatment of viruses to inactive them can be an efficient and inexpensive method, with the potential to be incorporated into various human-occupied spaces. In this work, a simple system that can heat-treat viruses for extremely short period was developed and utilized to show that sub-second exposure of CoV to heat is sufficient to inactivate CoV. This opens up the possibility of developing instruments and methods of disinfecting CoV in diverse settings, including rapid liquid disinfection and airborne virus disinfection. The developed method can also be broadly utilized to assess heat sensitivity of viruses other viral pathogens of interest and develop sub-second rapid heat inactivation approaches.
Phase Behavior of Lyotropic Liquid-Crystalline Polymers under Varying Solvent Conditions: Effect of External Fields on the Phase Diagram.

In this work, we report a Density Functional Theory based study of phase behavior of lyotropic liquid-crystalline polymers under both good and varying solvent conditions in the presence of external...
Chemical freeze-out temperature in the hydrodynamical description of Au + Au collisions at \sqrt {^S NN} = 200 GeV

We study the effect of separate chemical and kinetic freeze-outs to the ideal hydrodynamical flow in Au + Au collisions at RHIC ( $$ \sqrt {^S NN} = 200 GeV $$ energy). Unlike earlier studies we explore how these effects can be counteracted by changes in the initial state of the hydrodynamical evolution. We conclude that the reproduction of pion, proton and antiproton yields necessitates a chemical freeze-out temperature of T ≈ 150MeV instead of T = 160–170 MeV motivated by thermal models. Contrary to previous reports, this lower temperature makes it possible to reproduce the p T spectra of hadrons if one assumes very small initial time, τ 0 = 0.2 fm/c. However, the p T differential elliptic flow, v 2(p T) remains badly reproduced. This points to the need to include dissipative effects (viscosity) or some other refinement to the model.
Vector acoustic observations of underwater ship noise from the 2017 seabed characterization experiment

The Intensity Vector Autonomous Recorder (IVAR) measures acoustic particle velocity and pressure simultaneously. IVAR was deployed on the seabed at depth of 75 m during the 2017 Seabed Characterization Experiment (SBCEX) with objective to study sound propagation within underwater waveguides for which the seabed consists of fine-grained, muddy sediments. In this presentation, vector acoustic observations of ship generated noise recorded by IVAR from a cargo ship traversing the central region of the SBCEX are discussed. Pressure and particle velocity data as a function of frequency are converted into a bounded, non-dimensional form known as circularity, a quantity that is independent of the ship noise source spectrum and which can be interpreted as the normalized curl of active intensity. The frequency dependent pattern in circularity is sensitive to the sediment layering structure, and bathymetry. This pattern, as the vessel closes and opens in range, is inverted for sediment properties using a Bayesian framework, with inversion model space consisting of a low-compressional speed elastic layer, above an elastic half-space. Change in water depth between the location of the ship source and IVAR over the 20-min observation period is addressed using adiabatic mode theory. [Study supported by Office of Naval Research.]
Malignant catarrhal fever

Malignant catarrhal fever (MCF), also known as bovine malignant catarrh or snotsiekte, is an acute, usually fatal, generalized in disease of cattle and several species of wild ruminants. The disease is characterized by fever, catarrhal rhinitis and conjunctivitis, enlarged lymph nodes, and mortality of nearly 100 percent. The causative agent of at least one form of MCF is a herpesvirus. The disease is worldwide in its distribution, but it is sporadic in its occurence.
Improving Maps Auto-Complete Through Query Expansion (Demo Paper)

Maps Auto-complete is an essential service complementing the functionality of map search engines. It allows users to formulate their queries faster and also provides better query formatting, which increases the chance of returning a relevant search result. Intuitively, the engagement with the service depends primarily on the quality of the suggestions it recommends. We notice, however, an interesting phenomenon that has not received much attention previously - often Auto-complete correctly identifies the most relevant suggestion, yet users do not click on it right away, if at all. Here we reason over the causes for the phenomenon, provide empirical evidence, and then propose a mitigation based on query expansion. Two models are proposed which generate word or phrase query expansions, allowing users to reach faster a 'mental pause' during which they are more likely to engage with the Auto-complete suggestions. Evaluation of the models is presented.
Functional and morphologic changes of the ileal mucosa after ileoanal pouch procedure.

Abstract Background: Restorative proctocolectomy is used widely for treatment of ulcerative colitis and familial polyposis coli. Limited information is available regarding the morphologic and functional adaptation of the mucosa in a functioning ileoanal pouch. Study Design: Ileal pouch specimens from patients who underwent pouch reconstruction (mean 7.5 years postcolectomy, n=12) were compared with normal ileum (n = 15) and normal colon (n = 5). Amino-oligopeptidase (AOP) and maltase activity were measured as parameters of normal ileal function. Histologic samples were examined for the presence of neutrophils and plasma cells, the villus to crypt height ratio, and the degree of crypt hyperplasia, villus blunting, and goblet cell mass. Data were analyzed by analysis of variance. Results: The AOP activity in the normal ileum was 73 ± 32 units of enzymatic activity per gram of mucosal protein; the AOP activities of the pouch and colon were 21 ± 22 and 16 ± 10, respectively. The maltase activity of the normal ileum measured 254 ± 116 units of enzymatic activity per gram of mucosal protein, and the maltase activities of the pouch and colon were 57 ± 71 units and 29 ± 25 units, respectively. The ileal pouch mucosa demonstrated little acute inflammation and varying degrees of chronic inflammation. Morphologically, the ileal pouch mucosa demonstrated a range of adaptations, including villus blunting and crypt hyperplasia. Several specimens contained immature epithelial cells. Conclusions: The AOP and maltase activities in mucosa from ileoanal pouches and colon were significantly lower than those in normal ileal mucosa. Ileoanal pouch mucosa from humans undergoes adaptive changes to resemble colonic mucosa both morphologically and functionally.
Building Dynamics Due to Stochastic Wind Forces

A procedure is presented for the dynamic analysis of three-dimensional multistory buildings subjected to multiple stochastic wind forces. Multivariate normal probability density functions are defined for normal mode displacements, rigid body floor displacements, and member end-displacements and forces. The wind force quadrature-spectral density is magnified several times more than its co-factor spectral density by the receptance coefficients. The integral constants are proportional to the area under the receptance coefficient curves. The calculated value of the wind force cross-spectral density function must be as accurate as posible between the building’s natural frequencies of vibration.
Mediastinal seminoma: Associated with exophthalmos and gynecomastia

Abstract A rare case of mediastinal seminoma associated with exophthalmos and gynecomastia ten years after treatment of testicular seminoma is presented, with a brief review of the literature
Critical Problems in Establishing the Morphology of Substorms in Space

For the past 6 yr many investigators have been attempting to establish the morphology of substorms in space. In our experimental work at UCLA we have been mainly concerned with the sequence of changes which occurs in the Earth’s magnetic field. By using a combination of ground and satellite observations of the field, we have attempted to piece together a phenomenological model of the magnetospheric substorm. This model has been described at numerous meetings and also has been presented in detail in several recent publications (Russell and McPherron, 1973; McPherron et al., 1973a; McPherron, 1972). To remind you of the observations, we will briefly review this model in the following section.
Analysis of Protein and Lipid Dynamics Using Confocal Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching (FRAP)

Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) is a powerful, versatile and widely accessible tool to monitor molecular dynamics in living cells that can be performed using modern confocal microscopes. Although the basic principles of FRAP are simple, quantitative FRAP analysis requires careful experimental design, data collection and analysis. In this review we discuss the theoretical basis for confocal FRAP, followed by step-by-step protocols for FRAP data acquisition using a laser scanning confocal microscope for (1) measuring the diffusion of a membrane protein, (2) measuring the diffusion of a soluble protein, and (3) analysis of intracellular trafficking. Finally, data analysis procedures are discussed and an equation for determining the diffusion coefficient of a molecular species undergoing pure diffusion is presented.
Randomized phase 2 trial of erlotinib in combination with high-dose celecoxib or placebo in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer

Author(s): Reckamp, Karen L; Koczywas, Marianna; Cristea, Mihaela C; Dowell, Jonathan E; Wang, He-Jing; Gardner, Brian K; Milne, Ginger L; Figlin, Robert A; Fishbein, Michael C; Elashoff, Robert M; Dubinett, Steven M | Abstract: BackgroundCyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2)-dependent signaling represents a potential mechanism of resistance to therapy with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors. This is mediated in part through an EGFR-independent activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) by prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). PGE2 promotes downregulation of E cadherin and epithelial to mesenchymal transition. The current study investigated EGFR and COX-2 inhibition in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and elevated baseline urinary metabolite of PGE2 (PGEM).MethodsPatients with stage IIIB/IV (AJCC 6th edition) NSCLC who progressed after at least 1 line of therapy or refused standard chemotherapy were randomized to receive erlotinib and celecoxib versus erlotinib and placebo. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) with 80% power to detect a 50% improvement with a 1-sided significance level of .2 in the intent-to-treat and elevated baseline PGEM populations. Secondary endpoints included response rate, overall survival, and evaluation of molecular markers to assess targeting COX-2-related pathways and evaluate EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance.ResultsA total of 107 patients were enrolled with comparable baseline characteristics. Among the patients treated with celecoxib, those with wild-type EGFR were found to have an increased PFS (3.2 months vs 1.8 months; P = .03). PFS was numerically improved among patients in the intent-to-treat group who received erlotinib and celecoxib compared with those treated with erlotinib and placebo (5.4 months vs 3.5 months; P = .33) and was increased in patients in the erlotinib and celecoxib arm with elevated baseline PGEM (5.4 months vs 2.2 months; P = .15). Adverse events were similar in both treatment arms.ConclusionsThe combination of erlotinib and celecoxib did not appear to improve outcomes in an unselected population, but selection by elevated baseline PGEM led to an increase in PFS with this combination. Patients with EGFR wild-type status may benefit from the combination of erlotinib and celecoxib.
Why Do People Believe in Conspiracy Theories? The Role of Informational Cues and Predispositions

Conspiratorial beliefs are currently salient in both the media and among scholarly researchers. Why do people believe in conspiracy theories? This note addresses three major explanations of conspiratorial belief: informational cues, political ideology, and predispositions toward conspiratorial views. Using a national survey experiment, we test the effect of an informational cue on belief in a conspiracy theory impugning the media while accounting for partisanship and conspiratorial predispositions. Our results suggest the conditions under which conspiratorial beliefs can flourish, and provide an explanation for individual heterogeneity in the holding of conspiratorial beliefs.
Modeling and control of a small wind turbine

This paper starts with a detailed survey of control methods commonly employed by commercially available small wind turbines. This detailed survey indicates that the most commonly used control method of small wind turbines is horizontal furling method. Such furling mechanism and resulting dynamics are described in the paper. Furling is used to control the aerodynamic power extraction from the wind. A dynamic model of a small wind turbine with furling dynamics is presented in this paper. Such small wind turbines are based on permanent magnet generators and their speed can be regulated using the load control. The extraction of maximum power output from such wind turbines is investigated using tip speed ratio control and hill-climbing control methods. The system is simulated in Matlab/Simulink to determine a suitable control strategy. Two dynamic controllers are designed and simulated. In the first method, a controller uses the wind speed and rotor speed information and controls the load in order to operate the wind turbine at the optimum tip speed ratio. The generator output is observed in varying wind condition as the furl angle increases and decreases. In the second method, a controller compares the output power of the turbine with the previous power and based on the comparison it controls the load. Using a hill-climbing algorithm the controller tries to extract the maximum power from the wind, while the generator output is observed as the furl angle increase or decreases. Finally, the output of these two controllers is compared and investigated to determine which controller leads to the best results
Exploiting Topological Constraints To Reveal Buried Sequence Motifs in the Membrane-Bound N-Linked Oligosaccharyl Transferases

The central enzyme in N-linked glycosylation is the oligosaccharyl transferase (OTase), which catalyzes glycan transfer from a polyprenyldiphosphate-linked carrier to select asparagines within acceptor proteins. PglB from Campylobacter jejuni is a single-subunit OTase with homology to the Stt3 subunit of the complex multimeric yeast OTase. Sequence identity between PglB and Stt3 is low (17.9%); however, both have a similar predicted architecture and contain the conserved WWDxG motif. To investigate the relationship between PglB and other Stt3 proteins, sequence analysis was performed using 28 homologues from evolutionarily distant organisms. Since detection of small conserved motifs within large membrane-associated proteins is complicated by divergent sequences surrounding the motifs, we developed a program to parse sequences according to predicted topology and then analyze topologically related regions. This approach identified three conserved motifs that served as the basis for subsequent mutagenesis an...
EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNS FOR SELECTING THE BETTER OF TWO QUANTAL RESPONSE FUNCTIONS

This paper presents an approach for the selection of the better of two quantal response functions. The procedure assumes that two random variables X and Y are described by logistic models, conditioned on the same continuous random variable Z, have the same but unknown scale parameter and different location parameters. The probability of correctly selecting the random variable with the largest location parameter is estimated and tabulated for several commonly used experimental designs, using computer simulation. The selection rule is based on the maximum likelihood estimators of the location parameters.
A Methodological Discussion of Nonverbal Behavior

(1957). A Methodological Discussion of Nonverbal Behavior. The Journal of Psychology: Vol. 43, No. 1, pp. 141-149.
Too lazy for primary care

This commentary discusses the shortage of primary care physicians and its implications. The author asks whether specialists shun primary care because it is too difficult— perhaps some physicians ar...
The presence of absence: Beyond the “great goddess” in Ana Mendieta's Silueta Series

(2002). The presence of absence: Beyond the “great goddess” in Ana Mendieta's Silueta Series. Women & Performance: a journal of feminist theory: Vol. 12, No. 2, pp. 235-250.
Design of precipitated austenite for dispersed-phase transformation toughening in high strength CoNi steels

Abstract Optimization of the austenite stability and the transformation volume change, both of which depend on the alloy compositions, is analyzed in the context of dispersed-phase transformation toughening associated with the precipitated austenite in high strenght CoNi steels, such as AF 1410. A computer-aided thermodynamics-based procedure has been devised to describe the effect of composition on austenite stability while the effect of composition on the transformation volume change is treated using Vegard's law and the two-γ-states formalism to account for the magnetovolume effects in austenite. A new alloy matrix chemistry Fe-14wt.%Co-15wt.%Ni-2wt.%Cr is proposed, which has a substantially better combination of austenite stability and transformation volume change over that in AF 1410 steel.
Heat Transfer Study on Flame Pasteurization of Liquids in Aluminum Cans

Heat transfer studies were performed in 209 × 413 aluminum cans using 1% bentonite suspension. The cans were heated in a pilot flame sterilizer. The temperature profile was practically uniform radially and axially after 4.5 min of heating. The slowest heating was experienced in the bottom (heel) of these cans. The temperature difference between the slowest heating point and the hot region over the flame decreased as the can was heated: from 15.6°C after 1 min to 6.7°C after 4.5 min of heating. The internal heat transfer coefficient at 40 rpm was measured and showed an increase with heating time.
Electrochemical Synthesis of Aliphatic 1,3-Dinitro Compounds

A one‐step electrochemical synthesis of 1,3‐dinitro compounds from aromatic and heteroaromatic aldehydes and nitromethane has been developed. In the procedure, an electrogenerated base is prepared by cathodic reduction of air‐saturated nitromethane solutions. Then the aldehyde is added and allowed to react. The reaction presumably proceeds in three base‐catalyzed steps: addition of nitromethane to the aldehyde to form a nitroalcohol, dehydration of the nitroalcohol to produce nitroolefin, and Michael addition of nitromethane to the nitroolefin. The synthesis produces the 1,3‐dinitro products in very good yields when the aryl group is electron‐donating in character. For less strongly electron‐donating groups, only moderate yields are obtained and with electron‐withdrawing groups the reaction tends to stop at the stage of the nitroalcohol. For purposes of comparison, four of the products were prepared in a multistep synthesis with the last step being the cathodically promoted Michael addition of nitromethane to the nitroolefin. It was found that this last procedure was also successful in forming the 1,3‐dinitro derivative from 2‐thiophenecarbox‐aldehyde and nitroethane in good yield and all three isomers of the product were separated and characterized. The stereochemical identity of one isomer was proved by X‐ray crystallography whereas that of the other two was established by comparison of nuclear magnetic resonance spectra with those of the isomers of an analogous compound of known stereochemistry. © 2000 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.