cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Immunoperoxidase staining for the detection of autoantibodies in canine autoimmune skin disease; comparison to immunofluorescence results.

Abstract Skin sections from 22 dogs with autoimmune skin disease were stained with anti-canine IgG, IgM and IgA using an immunobridge immunoperoxidase method. Eight cases of lupus erythematosus, three cases of pemphigus vulgaris, and 11 cases of pemphigus foliaceus were included. Results of previously performed, direct immunofluorescence tests for the detection of canine immunoglobulin on skin were available on 17 22 cases. The immunoperoxidase method yielded an overall positive result in 59% ( 5 8 lupus erythematosus, 2 3 pemphigus vulgaris and 6 11 pemphigus foliaceus) versus an overall positive result of 47% for direct immunofluorescence ( 3 5 lupus erythematosus, 2 2 pemphigus vulgaris and 2 10 pemphigus foliaceus). The immunobridge immunoperoxidase method compared favorably to direct immunofluorescence testing of canine skin for autoantibody in cases of lupus erythematosis and pemphigus vulgaris, and was superior in cases of pemphigus foliaceus. This method should prove useful as an aid in the diagnosis of canine autoimmune skin disease.
An Analysis of LANDSAT-4 Thematic Mapper Geometric Properties

Landsat-4 Thematic Mapper data of Washington, DC, Harrisburg, PA, and Salton Sea, CA were analyzed to determine geometric integrity and conformity of the data to known Earth surface geometry. Several tests were performed. Intraband correlation and interband registration were investigated. No problems were observed in the intraband analysis, and aside from indications of slight misregistration between bands of the primary versus bands of the secondary focal planes, interband registration was well within the specified tolerances. A substantial number of ground control points were found and used to check the images' conformity to the Space Oblique Mercator (SOM) projection of their respective areas. The means of the residual offsets, which included nonprocessing related measurement errors, were close to the one pixel level in the two scenes examined. The Harrisburg scene residual mean was 28.38 m (0.95 pixels) with a standard deviation of 19.82 m (0.66 pixels), while the mean and standard deviation for the Salton Sea scene were 40.46 (1.35 pixels) and 30.57 m (1.02 pixels), respectively. Overall, the data were judged to be a high geometric quality with errors close to those targeted by the TM sensor design specifications.
Lighting Controls, Patterns of Lighting Consumption, and Energy Conservation

Some of the important areas of the lighting energy conservation research program currently being carried out at the Division of Building Research, National Research Council of Canada, are described. The major emphasis of the program is to monitor present patterns and levels of lighting consumption in offices and schools and then develop and encourage cost-effective control systems to reduce the hours of use of lighting power loads. A new device to measure lighting energy consumption is described. Tine-lapse photography is being employed to obtain detailed information regarding patterns of lighting use in offices and schools. This information is used to develop cost-effective manual- and automatic- control devices. The savings measured with a daylight-linked automatic system installed in a typical office are discussed.
Weight-free relaxation

Summary form only given. Many distributed optimization problems such as resource allocation or routing can be treated by the global minimization of some quadratic energy function of the problem variables. The three ways in which the model departs from current treatments are discussed. The constraints between variables can be classified into hard constraints, which specify mandatory properties of solutions that must be satisfied, and soft constraints or costs, which are quantifiable and specify desirable properties of solutions. Another important distinction exists between local constrains that can be evaluated by a single node in a distributed network and global constraints whose satisfaction cannot be verified without knowing the state of the whole network. Previous models have failed to adequately distinguish between these constraint classes. Furthermore, they lead to an inherently cumbersome computer implementation, namely the emulation of value-passing networks using analog voltages or floating-point numbers. The authors significantly reduce these shortcomings with a new model referred to as weight-free relaxation. >
INTERSUBBAND WAVE PACKET INTERFEROMETRY WITH SEMICONDUCTOR NANOSTRUCTURES

Abstract We study the use of wave packet interferometry in modulation-doped semiconductor nanostructures. In suitably designed quantum well structures, an electronic wave packet made of a coherent superposition of subband wave functions is created by a sub-picosecond laser pulse. After a given delay time, a second pulse, identical to the first, creates another wave packet. Under appropriate conditions these two packets interfere, a process that affects the excited electron population. The dependence of this excess population on the delay time is sensitive to the dephasing of the first wave packet, and this property can be used to study the intersubband dephasing times.
The effects of a levels-of-processing manipulation on false recall.

The present study attempted to determine the effect of a levels-of-processing manipulation on the incidence of false recall. In Experiment 1, participants engaged in either a vowel counting task or a concrete/abstract rating task; in Experiment 2, participants engaged in either a vowel counting task or a category sorting task. Results of both experiments demonstrated that participants who engaged in a deeper level of processing (i.e., concrete/abstract ratings or category sorting) recalled significantly more list items and critical lures. The present findings thus lend support to theories that attribute false memories to activation-based factors.
Race, Sex, Class and the Status Quo Society: Developing Racial, Political and Religious Attitudes in 1940s Alabama

The racial unrest that exploded in the 1960s American South and the subsequent political tendencies which have characterized the region did not arise from thin air nor were they unrelated to each other. They actually had deep roots in the region's historical and psychological experience. The 1940s were particularly important in the South's evolution in this regard. Focusing on Alabama, this article explores racial, sexual and political developments in the Deep South during that decade. The state furnished a clear example of what can be called a ‘status quo society’ in America – a society in which conventional definitions of what constituted ‘liberal’, ‘conservative’, and ‘moderate’ political behaviour were shifted a full degree to the right. In Alabama an interrelated status quo in racial, class, gender, ethnic/patriotic, and religious relations buttressed a highly stratified and extremely conservative society. Challenges to this status quo during the 1940s, and the ways in which they were dealt with, would have enduring consequences for a South then in the midst of switching its partisan political allegiance from the Democratic Party to the Republican and to a broader nation which would find itself, in succeeding years, in the grips of an affiliated Republican ascendancy.
Impact of chronic liver disease and cirrhosis on health utilities using SF-6D and the health utility index

Assessment of health-related quality of life (HRQL) and health utilities have become important aspects of clinical research. Patient-derived utility adjustments are frequently used in economic analysis. Although HRQL has been frequently studied among patients with liver disease, extensive data on the health utilities of patients with liver disease are not available. Recently, SF-6D has been developed to obtain utility scores from the widely used Short Form 36 questionnaire. To assess health utilities of patients with chronic liver disease using 2 utility assessments [SF-6D and Health Utility Index 2 (HUI-2)], a total of 140 patients were identified from our Liver Disease Quality of Life Database with HRQL data available, as well as clinical and demographic data. Of the 140 patients, 42% were female, had a mean age of 49.4 years (standard deviation = ±11.2) 36% had hepatitis B virus (HBV), 29% had hepatitis C (HCV), 24% had cholestatic liver disease, and 11% had another liver disease (for example, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis). Bivariate analyses indicated that HBV patients had the highest health status as measured by all of SF-6D and HUI-2 subscales and the overall SF-6D and HUI-2 utility measures, whereas patients with HCV and cholestatic liver disease had similar scores, and those with other liver diseases had the poorest quality of life. When controlling for the effects of gender, age, and cirrhosis, impact of chronic liver disease diagnosis on utility scores persisted only for the SF-6D, with HCV patients having significantly poorer health than HBV patients. In conclusion, SF-6D provides not only a generic assessment of HRQL but also a utility score that can be used for economic analysis of patients with chronic liver disease. Liver Transpl 14:321–326, 2008. © 2008 AASLD.
Photosensitized cross-linking of erythrocyte membrane proteins. Evidence against participation of amino groups in the reaction

Exposure of human erythrocyte ghosts (pH 8, 10 degrees C) to visible light in the presence of the photosensitizer, methylene blue, results in a relatively rapid loss of spectrin (bands 1 and 2 on sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electropherograms) and the appearance of high molecular weight cross-linked derivatives. Isolated spectrin also undergoes photosensitized cross-linking, indicating that the reaction is not lipid-dependent. Extensive cross-linking was neither reversed by dithiothreitol nor prevented by prior blocking of SH groups with N-ethylmaleimide, suggesting that cysteine residues are not crucial bridging sites. The possible requirement for NH2 groups, as suggested by previous model studies (Dubbelman, T.M.A.R., de Goeij, A.F.P.M. and van Steveninck, J. (1978) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 511, 141--151), was tested. Succinylation of spectrin protected against cross-linking, but this effect is attributed to the disruption of quaternary structure, as deduced from sedimentation measurements. However, virtually complete blocking of NH2 groups by amidination perturbed overall structure relatively little, and had no effect on cross-linking. Moreover, exogenous amines such as ethylamine, added in large excess to spectrin prior to irradiation, did not interfere with cross-link formation. These results suggest that NH2 groups are not involved in the reaction.
Revisiting ShortStraw: improving corner finding in sketch-based interfaces

We present IStraw, a new corner finding technique based on an analysis of the ShortStraw algorithm. Our analysis reveals several limitations in ShortStraw and we develop techniques to overcome them. We also present an extension to our corner finding approach for dealing with ink strokes that contain curves and arcs. An evaluation of our approach shows significant accuracy improvements over ShortStraw for polyline ink strokes with and without curves using an all-or-nothing accuracy metric while still maintaining ShortStraw's computational complexity.
Signal Transduction by Different Forms of the γδ T Cell–Specific Pattern Recognition Receptor WC1

WC1 coreceptors are scavenger receptor cysteine-rich (SRCR) family members, related to T19 in sheep, SCART in mice, and CD163c-α in humans, and form a 13-member subfamily in cattle exclusively expressed on γδ T cells. Subpopulations of γδ T cells are defined by anti-WC1 mAbs and respond to different pathogen species accordingly. In this study, variegated WC1 gene expression within subpopulations and differences in signaling and cell activation due to endodomain sequences are described. The endodomains designated types I to III differ by a 15- or 18-aa insert in type II and an additional 80 aa containing an additional eight tyrosines for type III. Anti-WC1 mAbs enhanced cell proliferation of γδ T cells when cross-linked with the TCR regardless of the endodomain sequences. Chimeric molecules of human CD4 ectodomain with WC1 endodomains transfected into Jurkat cells showed that the tyrosine phosphorylation of the type II was the same as that of the previously reported archetypal sequence (type I) with only Y24EEL phosphorylated, whereas for type III only Y199DDV and Y56TGD were phosphorylated despite conservation of the Y24EEL/Y24QEI and Y199DDV/I tyrosine motifs among the three types. Time to maximal phosphorylation was more rapid with type III endodomains and sustained longer. Differences in tyrosine phosphorylation were associated with differences in function in that cross-linking of type III chimeras with TCR resulted in significantly greater IL-2 production. Identification of differences in the signal transduction through the endodomains of WC1 contributes to understanding the functional role of the WC1 coreceptors in the γδ T cell responses.
Contrast-enhanced MR imaging of neurocutaneous melanosis

Neurocutaneous melanosis (NCM) is a rare neuroectoder­ mal dysplasia characterized by multiple congenital pigmented cutaneous nevi and melanotic thickening of the leptomenin­ ges. We present a case of NCM displaying diffuse meningeal enhancement involving the brain and spinal cord. The role of contrast-enhanced MR imaging is discussed.
The efficacy of a medical virtual reality simulator for training phlebotomy.

Objective: The present study compared the effectiveness of a virtual reality (VR) simulator for training phlebotomy with that of a more traditional approach using simulated limbs. Background: Phlebotomy, or drawing blood, is one of the most common medical procedures; yet, there are no universal standards for training and assessing performance. The absence of any standards can lead to injuries and inaccurate test results if the procedure is improperly performed. Method: Twenty 3rd-year medical students were trained under one of the two methods and had their performance assessed with a 28-item checklist. Results: The results showed that performance improvements were limited to those who trained with the simulated limbs, and a detailed comparison of the two systems revealed several functional and physical differences that may explain these findings. Conclusion: Participants trained with simulated limbs performed better than those trained with a VR simulator; however, the metrics recorded by the VR system may...
Inhibitors of protein prenylation 2000

The development of farnesyltransferase inhibitors (FTIs) was conceived of as a rational approach to the design of new cancer chemotherapeutics and the first examples of this class are currently being evaluated in Phase II and Phase III clinical trials. This review summarises the scientific and patent literature published in the 14 month period from March 1999, since the previous review [1]. In addition to a survey of novel prenyl transferase inhibitors, recent clinical data and developments in related biochemistry and biology are described.
Statistical Study of Graded-Index Perfluorinated Plastic Optical Fiber

Plastic fiber-based optical links have been proposed for a wide variety of high-speed short reach applications. Graded-index (GI) multimode plastic optical fiber (POF) that supports 10 Gb/s over 50 m is commercially available and 40 Gb/s over 100 m has been demonstrated. However, unlike single-mode fiber and like silica multimode fiber (MMF), GI POF exhibits a range of performance that depends on launch condition and the accuracy of the index profile. Here, we report on the first statistical study of a large set of GI POF. We examine >; 40 samples of 62.5 μm core POF with four different cabling types that represent current-generation commercially available POF. We assess performance in terms of the 10 GbE requirements and quantify loss, chromatic dispersion, differential modal delay, effective modal bandwidth (EMB), and eye closure penalty. We find that nearly all of the measured 100 m fibers support the strict 10 GbE vertical-cavity surface emitting laser source EMB requirement, and that many fibers can support >; 40 Gb/s over 100 m. We thus demonstrate that GI POF can reliably support 10 Gb/s and larger bit rates to distances of 100 m.
THE ANTIMICROBIAL TRICLOCARBAN STIMULATES EMBRYO PRODUCTION IN THE FRESHWATER MUDSNAIL POTAMOPYRGUS ANTIPODARUM

Recent research has indicated that the antimicrobial chemical triclocarban (TCC) represents a new type of endocrine disruptor, amplifying the transcriptional activity of steroid hormones and their receptors while itself exhibiting little affinity for these receptors. The effects of TCC were studied in the freshwater mudsnail Potamopyrgus antipodarum. Specimens were exposed to concentrations ranging from 0.05 to 10.5 μg/L dissolved TCC and were removed and dissected, and embryos contained within the brood pouch were counted and classified as shelled or unshelled after2 and 4weeksof exposure. After 4 weeks, environmentally relevant TCC concentrations of 1.6 to 10.5 μg/L resulted in statistically significant increases in the number of unshelled embryos, while 0.2, 1.6, and 10.5 μg/L exposures significantly increased numbers of shelled embryos. The lowest observed effect concentration (LOEC) was 0.2 μg/L, the no observed effect concentration (NOEC) was 0.05 μg/L, and the EC10 and EC50 for unshelled effects were 0.5 μg/L and 2.5 μg/L, respectively. Given the widespread occurrence of TCC in the environment and effects shown at environmentally relevant concentrations, these results indicate that TCC may be causing reproductive effects in the environment. Furthermore, the present study indicates that environmental risk from a new class of EDCs is both qualitatively and quantitatively similar to risk from existing classes of EDCs.
Transient species generated during the pyrolysis of hydrocarbons

The single-pulse shock tube as a chemical reactor in which gaseous samples may be heated under strictly homogeneous conditions, maintained at a selected temperature for a specified time and then rapidly quenched, has proven to be an effective tool for studies of pyrolysis, and more recently, of the rate of H/D substitution reactions. When applied to the simplest hydrocarbons, these techniques have led to activation energies for the production of free radicals and, in several studies, to activation energies required for atom switching in the absence of free radicals. In the latter cases, to account for the detailed kinetic expressions, association complexes had to be postulated, and plausible structures for these transients have been proposed. A combined enthalpy diagram for most of the C2Hn and C4Hn species has been prepared, based on previously estimated heats of formation and currently available energies of activation.
Balancing throughput, robustness, and in-order delivery in P2P VoD

Peer-to-peer has emerged in recent years as a promising approach to providing Video-on-Demand streaming. The design space, however, is vast and still not well understood---yet choosing the right approach is critical to system performance. This paper takes a fresh look at the p2p VoD design space using a simple analytical model that focuses on the allocation of uplink bandwidth resource for different chunks across peers. We describe a fundamental tradeoff that exists between system throughput, sequentiality of downloaded content and robustness to heterogeneous network conditions and node capacities, and we prove that no system can achieve all three simultaneously. Empirical results from Emulab confirm the analysis and show how one might implement efficient peer-to-peer VoD streaming with an appropriate balance of the tradeoff.
Stereotactic body radiotherapy for primary hepatocellular carcinoma.

Purpose To evaluate the safety and efficacy of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for the treatment of primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods and Materials From 2005 to 2009, 60 patients with liver-confined HCC were treated with SBRT at the Indiana University Simon Cancer Center: 36 Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) Class A and 24 CTP Class B. The median number of fractions, dose per fraction, and total dose, was 3, 14 Gy, and 44 Gy, respectively, for those with CTP Class A cirrhosis and 5, 8 Gy, and 40 Gy, respectively, for those with CTP Class B. Treatment was delivered via 6 to 12 beams and in nearly all cases was prescribed to the 80% isodose line. The records of all patients were reviewed, and treatment response was scored according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors v1.1. Toxicity was graded according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v4.0. Local control (LC), time to progression (TTP), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were calculated according to the method of Kaplan and Meier. Results The median follow-up time was 27 months, and the median tumor diameter was 3.2 cm. The 2-year LC, PFS, and OS were 90%, 48%, and 67%, respectively, with median TTP of 47.8 months. Subsequently, 23 patients underwent transplant, with a median time to transplant of 7 months. There were no ≥Grade 3 nonhematologic toxicities. Thirteen percent of patients experienced an increase in hematologic/hepatic dysfunction greater than 1 grade, and 20% experienced progression in CTP class within 3 months of treatment. Conclusions SBRT is a safe, effective, noninvasive option for patients with HCC ≤6 cm. As such, SBRT should be considered when bridging to transplant or as definitive therapy for those ineligible for transplant.
Young children are sensitive to how an object was created when deciding what to name it.

How do young children extend names for human-made artifacts, such as knife, toy, and painting? We addressed this issue by showing 3-year-olds, 5-year-olds, and adults a series of simple objects and asking them for each, 'What is this?' In one condition, the objects were described as purposefully created; in another, the objects were described as being created by accident. This manipulation had a significant effect on the participants' responses: even 3-year-olds were more likely to provide artifact names (e.g. 'a knife') when they believed the objects were intentionally created and material-based descriptions (e.g. 'plastic') when they believed the objects were accidentally created. This result supports a theory of artifact naming in which intuitions about intention play an important role.
Therapy of the Renal Complications of Sickle Cell Hemoglobinopathy

The possibility of offering renal replacement therapy to patients with sickle cell hemoglobinopathy has greatly increased the interest of nephrologists in the treatment of this disease. Sickle cell hemoglobinopathy has many potential renal-fluid–electrolyte complications (1). For many of these conditions, no particular therapy is indicated; for some, prevention is the most important aspect of management; and unfortunately, for several, therapeutic maneuvers are of relatively little benefit (Table 1). Not surprisingly, chronic dialysis and renal transplantation are the mainstays of therapy for the most serious renal abnormality—end-stage renal disease (ESRD).
Test for Normality Using a Characterization

Let Xi, i=1,…n, be independently and identically distributed. It is well known that the independence of the sample mean and the sample variance characterizes normality; that is, this independence holds if and only if the distribution is normal. Thus, this independence condition summarizes all the properties of the normal. A nonparametric test based on this characterization is given. Power of the test against many alternatives is computed. As should be clear from Table 5, there are a very large number of competing tests, each one with its own merits and demerits. For tests of composite hypothesis of the type tackled here, it is unlikely that an all-round optimal test will ever be achieved. A reason for adding one more test to that list is that the test presented here is based on a property not used before.
Improved method for the synthesis of phosphatidylcholines

An improved method for the synthesis of phosphatidylcholines from phosphatidic acid and choline is described. The technique utilizes the tetraphenylborate salt of choline together with the condensing agent 2,4,6-triisopropylbenzenesulfonyl chloride. The yields in the reaction are consistently in the range 70-75%.
Genome-wide analysis of translational efficiency reveals distinct but overlapping functions of yeast DEAD-box RNA helicases Ded1 and eIF4A

DEAD-box RNA helicases eIF4A and Ded1 are believed to promote translation initiation by resolving mRNA secondary structures that impede ribosome attachment at the mRNA 5' end or subsequent scanning of the 5' UTR, but whether they perform unique or overlapping functions in vivo is poorly understood. We compared the effects of mutations in Ded1 or eIF4A on global translational efficiencies (TEs) in budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae by ribosome footprint profiling. Despite similar reductions in bulk translation, inactivation of a cold-sensitive Ded1 mutant substantially reduced the TEs of >600 mRNAs, whereas inactivation of a temperature-sensitive eIF4A variant encoded by tif1-A79V (in a strain lacking the ortholog TIF2) yielded <40 similarly impaired mRNAs. The broader requirement for Ded1 did not reflect more pervasive secondary structures at low temperature, as inactivation of temperature-sensitive and cold-sensitive ded1 mutants gave highly correlated results. Interestingly, Ded1-dependent mRNAs exhibit greater than average 5' UTR length and propensity for secondary structure, implicating Ded1 in scanning through structured 5' UTRs. Reporter assays confirmed that cap-distal stem-loop insertions increase dependence on Ded1 but not eIF4A for efficient translation. While only a small fraction of mRNAs shows a heightened requirement for eIF4A, dependence on eIF4A is correlated with requirements for Ded1 and 5' UTR features characteristic of Ded1-dependent mRNAs. Our findings suggest that Ded1 is critically required to promote scanning through secondary structures within 5' UTRs, and while eIF4A cooperates with Ded1 in this function, it also promotes a step of initiation common to virtually all yeast mRNAs.
Language and the African American Child: Negation: focus on negative concord

Dawn: I don’t wanna be no doctor. I wanna be a mailman . Introduction This chapter considers negation marking in child AAE, with a focus on negative concord. One general pattern that AAE shares with some languages, such as Romance and Slavic languages, as well as other non-standard varieties of English, is the use of multiple negative elements within a clause to convey a single negative meaning. For instance, in the sentence They didn’t have no books , negation is indicated on the auxiliary didn’t as well as within the noun phrase no books ; however, the meaning of the sentence is the same as that of the corresponding single negation sentence with the negated auxiliary and polarity item any : They didn’t have any books . Thus the term for this type of multiple negation is generally known as negative concord given that the multiple negative elements are in agreement or concord with each other rather than each indicating separate negative meaning or each contributing further negative import to the sentence. Simply put, agreement or concord refers to the choice of a following negative element based on the preceding one. For instance, instead of no in They didn’t have no books canceling out the negative didn’t , resulting in the positive sentence They did have books , no occurs because there is a preceding negative ( didn’t ), not to add any negative meaning but to agree with the negative that is already present. Because multiple negative elements are used without changing the negative meaning of the sentence, negative concord has often been associated with emphatic interpretation, which would mean that the sentence in (1) is more emphatic than the one in (2): Bruce didn ’ t have no book. Bruce didn ’ t have a book. While the sentence in (1) can certainly be emphatic, it is not necessarily so, and (2) can be as emphatic as (1), especially with emphasis on a book . Although negative concord is a stigmatized pattern, it does not present the type of interpretation challenges for speakers who do not understand AAE patterns that constructions such as aspectual be sequences present. That is, American English speakers who do not speak varieties of English in which negative concord is acceptable generally do not have problems understanding it. Charles Yang (2006, p. 120) goes even farther and notes the following: “Third, it is possible that everyone in America spoke a fragment of African American English at one point. Many children learning English, regardless of demographics, make frequent use of double or multiple negatives: Daddy’s not being nothing. I don’t want no milk! He didn’t do nothing.
Convective Model of Longitudinal Dispersion

Longitudinal dispersion can be successfully modeled as a purely convective linear process for approximately one-sixth of the time required to reach the diffusive period. A system-response function developed from the log-law velocity profile may be used up to this limit. The remaining five-sixths of the convective period is modeled as a chain of linear convective systems. Data sets from four flume tests and three natural rivers are used to verify the use of the convective response function. Excellent results are obtained in all cases.
What Is the Role of Pyridinium in Pyridine-Catalyzed CO2 Reduction on p-GaP Photocathodes?

Experimental evidence suggests that pyridinium plays an important role in photocatalytic CO2 reduction on p-GaP photoelectrodes. Pyridinium reduction to pyridinyl has been previously proposed as an essential mechanistic step for this reaction. However, theoretical calculations suggest that this step is not feasible in solution. Here, cluster models and accurate periodic boundary condition calculations are used to determine whether such a reduction step could occur by transfer of photoexcited electrons from the p-GaP photocathode and whether this transfer could be catalyzed by pyridinium adsorption on the p-GaP surface. It is found that both the transfer of photoexcited electrons to pyridinium and pyridinium adsorption are not energetically favored, thus making very unlikely pyridinium reduction to the pyridinyl radical and the proposed mechanisms requiring this reduction step. Given this conclusion, an alternative and energetically viable pathway for pyridinium reduction on p-GaP photoelectrodes is propos...
Steinmetz Equation for Gapped Magnetic Cores

This letter presents a derivation of the modified Steinmetz empirical equation for power loss density and power loss in magnetic cores with air gaps. The modified Steinmetz equation relates the core power loss density with the air gap length, magnitude and frequency of the sinusoidal excitation current, and the permeability of the core material. The reluctance model of a representative core structure is used. The expression for the magnetic field density in gapped cores is derived. In addition, the minimum air gap length required to avoid core saturation is determined. The modified Steinmetz equation for power loss is analyzed using the specifications of a practical magnetic core used in high-frequency applications. The effect of the air gap length and the excitation frequency on the core power loss density is discussed.
Chemical and Mechanical Properties Studies of Chinese Linen Flax and Its Composites

To improve the mechanical performance of flax polymer composites, different surface modifications on flax fibres have been investigated by many researchers. In this study, the effects of alkaline t...
The Reflections of the Teacher-Researcher upon the Creativity Principle

In this unusual piece of her Teaching-Research diary, Prabhu presents a dual approach to the Creativity Principle, when she explores the creativity of herself as a teacher-researcher working on the facilitation of creativity in her classrooms. She shows through self-reflection the very process through which the creativity principle transforms the habitual teaching practices into teaching-research.
Risk factors for reoperation after total elbow arthroplasty

Background Total elbow arthroplasty (TEA) is a treatment option for arthritic conditions of the elbow and for complex distal humerus fractures in the elderly. Complications are common, however, and rates of survivorship vary. The goal of this study was to describe the factors associated with reoperation and revision after TEA. Methods We retrospectively reviewed primary TEAs performed at 2 tertiary academic medical centers. We identified 102 primary TEAs in 82 patients by 9 surgeons. The average age of the patients was 61 years. Female patients represented 81% of TEAs performed. The mean follow-up was 6.1 years. The principal diagnosis was inflammatory arthritis in 63 patients (62%), acute trauma or post-trauma in 28 (27%), and primary osteoarthritis in 9 (8.8%). Results The rate of reoperation was 41% (42 of 102). The median time to the first reoperation was 1.8 years. The percentage of elbows that had 1 or both components revised was 30% (31 of 102). The most common indication for reoperation was component loosening (17). Six elbows were treated definitively with resection arthroplasty, and 1 was revised to an elbow fusion. The rate of implant revision was 27% for inflammatory arthritis, 11% for osteoarthritis, and 57% after trauma. Trauma-related TEA was more likely to undergo additional reoperation (odds ratio, 4.3; P = .008) and implant revision (odds ratio, 3.4; P = .031). Conclusion Revision surgery with implant revision after primary TEA is common. Trauma-related TEA often leads to additional procedures.
GASB STATEMENT 34 AND THE MANAGERIAL ACCOUNTING NEXUS

Will implementation of GASB Statement 34 induce the adoption of cost-accounting models in local governments? The authors address that question based on the findings of a national survey of local and county finance officers. Findings suggest that while finance officials recognize that GASB 34 will prompt greater accuracy and transparency in financial reporting, it may not serve to propagate greater utilization of activity-based costing (ABC) or its derivatives. Possible explanations may include feared impacts of increased cost accounting transparency as well as limited perceived payoff for investments in ABC-related tools. The authors acknowledge that this is a baseline “read” of attitudes; continued experience under GASB 34 may crystallize attitudes and lend greater support for future implementation of private-sector based- accounting methods.
CT angiography for acute gastrointestinal bleeding: what the radiologist needs to know

Acute gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is a common cause of both emergency department visits and hospitalizations in the USA and can have a high morbidity and mortality if not treated rapidly. Imaging is playing an increasing role in both the diagnosis and management of GI bleeding. In particular, CT angiography (CTA) is a promising initial test for acute GI bleeding as it is universally available, can be performed rapidly and may provide diagnostic information to guide management. The purpose of this review was to provide an overview of the uses of imaging in the diagnosis and management of acute GI bleeding, with a focus on CTA.
In Search of an Alternative Feminist Cinema: Gender, Crisis, and the Cultural Discourse of Nation Building in Chinese Independent Films

Chinese feminist cinema in the postsocialist era is shaped by the grand narrative of nation building that glamorizes urban professional career women and their contributions to economic marketization and globalization. Such cinematic overemphasis on urban women proves inadequate as it creates a disturbing silence about the diasporic existence of non-urban women. This uneven condition demands the creation of an alternative cinematic feminism that visualizes the diversity of Chinese women and represents the heterogeneity of feminist cinematic expressions and female experiences. Using Li Yu’s Lost in Beijing (2007, Pingguo 苹果) and Li Yang’s Blind Mountain (2007, Mang shan 盲山) as case studies, this essay investigates how Chinese independent films re-negotiate female gender identity and crisis through commercialized visual realism and social intervention while in reality the postsocialist grand narrative of nation building redefines the living conditions of female migrant workers and women of limited resources.
Serum IgM level as predictor of symptomatic hyperviscosity in patients with Waldenström macroglobulinaemia.

Summary Symptomatic hyperviscosity is a common clinical manifestation in patients with Waldenstrom macroglobulinaemia (WM) and high serum IgM levels. Prompt intervention is required to prevent catastrophic events, such as retinal or central nervous system bleeding. Identifying patients at high risk of symptomatic hyperviscosity might support the decision to treat asymptomatic patients before irreversible damage occurs. We carried out a large retrospective study in 825 newly diagnosed WM patients, of who 113 (14%) developed symptomatic hyperviscosity. The median serum IgM level at the time of symptomatic hyperviscosity was 61·8 g/l (range 31–124 g/l). Forty-four patients (36%) had symptomatic hyperviscosity at the time of WM diagnosis. A serum IgM level >60 g/l at diagnosis was associated with a median time to symptomatic hyperviscosity of 3 months, whereas the median time for patients with serum IgM level of 50·01–60 g/l was approximately 3 years. Adjusting for other clinical factors, the odds of developing symptomatic hyperviscosity were 370-fold higher with serum IgM levels >60 g/l, and showed an association with CXCR4 mutational status. Symptomatic hyperviscosity did not impact overall survival (P = 0·12). The findings support the use of serum IgM level >60 g/l as a criterion for initiation of therapy in an otherwise asymptomatic WM patient.
Wireless Sensor Platform for Cultural Heritage Monitoring and Modeling System

Results from three years of continuous monitoring of environmental conditions using a wireless sensor platform installed at The Cloisters, the medieval branch of the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, are presented. The platform comprises more than 200 sensors that were distributed in five galleries to assess temperature and air flow and to quantify microclimate changes using physics-based and statistical models. The wireless sensor network data shows a very stable environment within the galleries, while the dense monitoring enables localized monitoring of subtle changes in air quality trends and impact of visitors on the microclimate conditions. The high spatial and temporal resolution data serves as a baseline study to understand the impact of visitors and building operations on the long-term preservation of art objects.
Hold Me Closer: Meiotic Crossover Formation and FANCD2.

Meiosis takes a single, diploid cell and turns it into four haploid spores. The equal distribution of genetic material is critical for genome stability across generations and relies heavily on proper pairing of chromosomes and their timely release. During the first meiotic division, crossovers (COs
Leaf-Spot Disease of Maize: Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Molecular Biology of a Host-Selective Cyclic Peptide

Diseases caused by fungi in the genus Cochliobolus (Helminthosporium) are of major economic importance. In the U.S., C. victoriae devastated oat crops during the 1940’s, and C. heterostrophus race T destroyed ca. 15% of the maize crop in 1970. Diseases caused by Cochliobolus have also contributed to the conceptual development of the field of plant pathology. Victorin, the host-selective toxin of C. victoriae, was the first widely acknowledged example of a chemical agent of host specificity. The T-cms maize/C. heterostrophus race T interaction was the first for which the molecular and biochemical bases of specificity were understood. The Hm gene of maize, which controls reaction to C. carbonum race 1, was the first Mendelian resistance gene to be isolated.
Parkinson Disease: Current and Emerging Treatment Strategies

Although levodopa is effective for treating Parkinson disease, physicians and patients face significant management challenges related to disease progression. Patients may develop fluctuations in motor symptoms and dyskinesias as well as nonmotor symptoms. Review this CME Brief Report activity to learn about new and emerging treatment options to manage patients' symptoms.
The P450 gene CYP749A16 is required for tolerance to the sulfonylurea herbicide trifloxysulfuron sodium in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Weed management is critical to global crop production and is complicated by rapidly evolving herbicide resistance in weeds. New sources of herbicide resistance are needed for crop plants so that applied herbicides can be rotated or combined to thwart the evolution of resistant weeds. The diverse family of cytochrome P450 proteins has been suggested to be a source of detoxifying herbicide metabolism in both weed and crop plants, and greater understanding of these genes will offer avenues for crop improvement and novel weed management practices. Here, we report the identification of CYP749A16 (Gh_D10G1401) which is responsible for the natural tolerance exhibited by most cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., cultivars to the herbicide trifloxysulfuron sodium (TFS, CGA 362622, commercial formulation Envoke). A 1-bp frameshift insertion in the third exon of CYP749A16 results in the loss of tolerance to TFS. The DNA marker designed from this insertion perfectly co-segregated with the phenotype in 2145 F2 progeny of a cross between the sensitive cultivar Paymaster HS26 and tolerant cultivar Stoneville 474, and in 550 recombinant inbred lines of a multi-parent advanced generation inter-cross population. Marker analysis of 382 additional cotton cultivars identified twelve cultivars containing the 1-bp frameshift insertion. The marker genotypes matched perfectly with phenotypes in 188 plants from the selected twelve cultivars. Virus-induced gene silencing of CYP749A16 generated sensitivity in the tolerant cotton cultivar Stoneville 474. CYP749A16 located on chromosome D10 is required for TFS herbicide tolerance in cotton. This finding should add to the repertoire of tools available to farmers and breeders for the advancement of agricultural productivity.
Heated tobacco products: the example of IQOS

Heated tobacco products (HTP) represent the latest in a long line of products tobacco companies have developed and marketed as less dangerous than conventional cigarettes, beginning with so-called ‘safer cigarettes’ in the 1960s.1 2 HTP (figure 1) heat tobacco to generate an inhaled nicotine aerosol and are marketed using messages that explicitly or implicitly claim they are safer than cigarettes.3–8 Figure 1 (A) The Philip Morris International IQOS charger, holder and HeetStick (tobacco stick). (B) Schematic drawing of holder. (C) Schematic of HeetStick tobacco stick.10 In 2018, HTP were available in many countries (table 1). In the USA, before marketing new tobacco products, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act9 (FSPTCA) requires premarket review by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to demonstrate that marketing them would be ‘appropriate for the protection of the public health’ (FSPTCA sections 910 and 905(j)). Additionally, to market any new tobacco product in the USA with claims of reduced risk or reduced exposure to toxins compared to other tobacco products (‘Modified Risk Tobacco Product’; MRTP), the company must first obtain an MRTP marketing order from the FDA. In December 2016, Philip Morris International (PMI) submitted an application to market IQOS, one of its HTP, with MRTP claims.10 PMI’s MRTP application included extensive details about the product, the chemistry of the aerosol it produces, related toxicology, effects on clinical measures in people, perceptions of the product and its packaging (including warning labels), and behavioural factors. This application sought FDA approval of PMI’s claims that smokers who switched completely to IQOS would reduce their health risks or exposure to dangerous substances compared with smoking cigarettes. View this table: Table 1 Availability of heated tobacco product by major cigarette company and country of availability (January 2018) As of November 2017, there were 31 studies of HTP published in the peer reviewed …
Immune Checkpoint B7x (B7-H4/B7S1/VTCN1) is Over Expressed in Spontaneous Canine Bladder Cancer: The First Report and its Implications in a Preclinical Model.

Background B7x (B7-H4/B7S1/VTCN1), an inhibitory immune checkpoint molecule is a potential therapeutic target owing to its immunosuppressive effect and well-known expression in cancers. Immune checkpoints in canine bladder cancer are largely undefined. Here, we report the first evaluation on expression of B7x in spontaneous canine invasive bladder cancer, a novel model system for the study of invasive human urothelial carcinoma. Objective This work aims to study expression of immune checkpoint B7x in spontaneous canine invasive bladder cancer. Methods RNA-seq analysis was performed to determine B7x expression in tumor versus normal bladder. Gene ontology (GO) study was used to explore the biological role of B7x. B7x protein expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry (IHC). TCGA and GTEx were used to examine B7x expression in 599 human bladder urothelial carcinoma (BLCA). Results RNA-seq analysis indicated 5.72 and 7.04 fold up regulation of B7x in tumors, using DESeq2 and edge R respectively (p < 0.00008). B7x was closely associated with immune processes in GO analysis. IHC results revealed 60% of cases as B7x positive. B7x intensity was scored as negative in 40% (n = 20/50), low in 24% (n = 12/50), medium in 14% (n = 7/50) and high in 22% (n = 11/50) of cases. In human BLCA, B7x expression was significantly associated with worse overall survival (p = 0.02). Conclusions Our results suggest that B7x is over expressed in canine bladder cancer. Thus canine model can be vital in advancing the translational research on B7x, a new potential therapeutic target in human bladder cancer.