cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Strategic Way to Increase Comprehensive Grain Production Ability in Henan Province

Henan is a major grain-producing Provinces,food production for the national food security has a pivotal role.Study on the strategic approach to improve the comprehensive grain production capacity with the theoretical basis of Henan Province,also has implications for national food production.Through status and dynamic analysis of grain production in Henan Province,the total grain output showed a rising trend change.Total grain output in 2010 was 54.37 million t,it is 2.5 times higher than in 1978(the total output was 20.974 million t in 1978).The total output of grain yield growth increasingly depends on the increase over the past decade,the growth of henan grain production mainly rely on wheat,maize yield growth.On the analysis of the present situation and the change of grain production in Henan Province,this paper forward the strategic way and development countermeasures such as the strictest farmland protection system,remain stable grain sowing area;to strengthen the quality of cultivated land construction,mining the middle-and-low-yielding fields potential yield;strengthening technology integrated ability and transformation ability construction,to improve farmers' sci-tech and cultural qualities and scientific farming level;strengthening grain production policy guarantee,steady and continuous increase grain production ability.
Comprehensive Factors Affecting the De-Oiling Performance of the Dynamic Hydrocyclones

The structure and working principles of dynamic hydrocyclones were presented,some factors affecting their de-oiling performance were summarized,including internal factors,complementary technology,external factors,structure form,parameters,manufacturing accuracy,machining technology,major operating parameters and so on.The structure form and operating parameter range of the components of the dynamic hydrocyclones were obtained with a lot of experimental results.
Upper Airway Function During Sleep and Wakefulness: Experimental Studies on Normal and Anesthetized Cats

Normal (N = 6) and anesthetized (N = 70) cats were used to study the laryngeal abductors, the posterior cricoarytenoid (PCA) muscles, during sleep and wakefulness and to investigate sites within the brainstem that influenced PCA and diaphragmatic activity. The findings were as follows: 1. During wakefulness, PCA activity occurred throughout the respiratory cycle but was most intense during inspiration. Both expiratory and inspiratory PCA activity declined during sleep--the former more so than the latter. The decline in abductor activity was maximal in REM sleep. 2. Barbiturate anesthesia, according to the dosage, produced PCA activity patterns characteristic of either wakefulness or sleep. 3. The brainstem between A4 and P14 was mapped with stimulating electrodes. Rostral brainstem sites showed predominantly facilitatory effects of PCA activity; caudal sites produced predominantly blocking effects. 4. PCA facilitation consisted of (a) an increase in the duration of the PCA burst, (b) and increase in the discharge frequency of the PCA motor units, and (c) a recruitment of larger motor units. PCA blocking effects were the opposite, i.e., burst durations were shortened and motor units were decruited. 5. Facilitatory sites produced clear change in intensity and duration of PCA activity at stimulation intensities below those necessary to obtain changes in the intensity of diaphragmatic activity. 6. Stimulation of facilitatory sites during expiration caused phase switching to inspiration. In some cases, stimulation during inspiration caused phase switching to expiration. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for the obstructive apneas of sleep and in terms of the neural control of breathing.
Time Traveling to Jesus

Science fiction stories have long been filled with marvelous gadgets, some of which have appeared in earlier chapters. Just to mention a few, even if I repeat myself, they include automatic language translators, invisibility cloaks, faster-than-light space ships slipping in and out of something called hyperspace, supercomputer brains, matter transmitters (‘beam me up, Scotty’), disintegrator ray guns, and tractor beams (think of a ray that pulls stuff towards you). But the ultimate SF gadget has to be the time machine. The other gadgets do neat things, sure, but that’s pretty much the extent of them. Time machines, while a gadget that opens the future to us, also appeals to our nostalgia for the past.
India: An Aspiring Hegemon

Pakistan has had difficult relations with India. The relationship between them, which has been punctuated by occasional wars and armed conflicts, was hardly ever free of tensions and strains because of several outstanding disputes, particularly Kashmir. In view of this unhappy history and India’s close geographical proximity, its policies have a direct bearing on Pakistan’s security and economic well-being. Any effort to formulate a grand strategy for Pakistan must, therefore, take into account India’s growth as a major regional power, its hegemonic designs in South Asia, and the huge recent rightward shift in its politics. Pakistan-India relations will continue to suffer from recurrent periods of tensions despite the strategic imperative of peace between them because of their possession of nuclear weapons.
Charting A Course

What changes can we expect in the years ahead that will have major effects upon the world of work and our life styles? Already in place as a crucial determinant is the changing mix of our population. Quite obviously, this condition creates a need to put research in applied psychology and management science in a proactive posture; that is, to try to anticipate the problems that lie ahead and the research that should be started now to meet them, as Robert Miller (1977) has put it, “so that storm centers can be anticipated early enough to enable their dissipation” (p. 420). Related to this is the persistent charge that academia, and the research enterprise that it sponsors, provide the tools and create a mind set better suited to meet conditions faced by the last generation than the next generation. So it is that, just as the nation has come to the realization that it confronts a future in which it must draw upon a different mix of energy resources, it must also now take into account that significant changes are taking place in the mix of its human resources.
Enhancing Father Involvement in Low-Income Families: A Couples Group Approach to Preventive Intervention.

To address the problem of fathers’ absence from children's lives and the difficulty of paternal engagement, especially among lower income families, government agencies have given increasing attention to funding father involvement interventions. Few of these interventions have yielded promising results. Father involvement research that focuses on the couple/coparenting relationship offers a pathway to support fathers’ involvement while strengthening family relationships. Relevant research is reviewed and an exemplar is provided in the Supporting Father Involvement intervention and its positive effects on parental and parent–child relationships and children's outcomes. The article concludes with policy implications of this choice of target populations and the need to develop new strategies to involve fathers in the lives of their children.
The midgut transcriptome of Aedes aegypti fed with saline or protein meals containing chikungunya virus reveals genes potentially involved in viral midgut escape

The mosquito Aedes aegypti is the primary vector for medically important arthropod-borne viruses, including chikungunya virus (CHIKV). Following oral acquisition, an arbovirus has to persistently infect several organs in the mosquito before becoming transmissible to another vertebrate host. A major obstacle an arbovirus has to overcome during its infection cycle inside the mosquito is the midgut escape barrier, representing the exit mechanism arboviruses utilize when disseminating from the midgut. To understand the transcriptomic basis of midgut escape and to reveal genes involved in the process, we conducted a comparative transcriptomic analysis of midgut samples from mosquitoes which had received a saline meal (SM) or a protein meal (PM) (not) containing CHIKV. CHIKV which was orally acquired by a mosquito along with a SM or PM productively infected the midgut epithelium and disseminated to secondary tissues. A total of 27 RNA-Seq libraries from midguts of mosquitoes that had received PM or SM (not) containing CHIKV at 1 and 2 days post-feeding were generated and sequenced. Fewer than 80 genes responded differentially to the presence of CHIKV in midguts of mosquitoes that had acquired the virus along with SM or PM. SM feeding induced differential expression (DE) of 479 genes at day 1 and 314 genes at day 2 when compared to midguts of sugarfed mosquitoes. By comparison, PM feeding induced 6029 DE genes at day 1 and 7368 genes at day 2. Twenty-three DE genes encoding trypsins, metalloproteinases, and serine-type endopeptidases were significantly upregulated in midguts of mosquitoes at day 1 following SM or PM ingestion. Two of these genes were Ae. aegypti late trypsin (AeLT) and serine collagenase 1 precursor (AeSP1). In vitro, recombinant AeLT showed strong matrix metalloproteinase activity whereas recombinant AeSP1 did not. By substituting a bloodmeal for SM, we identified midgut-expressed genes not involved in blood or protein digestion. These included genes coding for trypsins, metalloproteinases, and serine-type endopeptidases, which could be involved in facilitating midgut escape for arboviruses in Ae. aegypti. The presence of CHIKV in any of the ingested meals had relatively minor effects on the overall gene expression profiles in midguts.
Tcrd Rearrangement Redirects a Processive Tcra Recombination Program to Expand the Tcra Repertoire

Summary Adaptive immunity depends on diverse T cell receptor repertoires generated by variable, diversity, and joining (V[D]J) recombination. Here, we define the principles by which combinatorial diversity is generated in the murine Tcra repertoire. Tcra and Tcrd gene segments share the Tcra-Tcrd locus, with interspersed V α and V δ segments undergoing V δ -D δ -J δ rearrangement in CD4 − CD8 − thymocytes and then multiple rounds of V α -J α rearrangement in CD4 + CD8 + thymocytes. We document stepwise, highly coordinated proximal-to-distal progressions of V α and J α use on individual Tcra alleles, limiting combinatorial diversity. This behavior is supported by an extended chromatin conformation in CD4 + CD8 + thymocytes, with only nearby V α and J α segments contacting each other. Tcrd rearrangements can use distal V δ segments due to a contracted Tcra - Tcrd conformation in CD4 − CD8 − thymocytes. These rearrangements expand the Tcra repertoire by truncating the V α array to permit otherwise disfavored V α - J α combinations. Therefore, recombination events at two developmental stages with distinct chromatin conformations synergize to promote Tcra repertoire diversity.
The Fifth Annual Louis Henkin Lecture: The Human Right to Property

How does the human right to property relate to protecting human rights in the age of Trump? Human rights advocates faithful to Henkin’s vision need to combat the dangerous consensus between elements on the political left and right that international law (including arbitration bodies outside U.S. courts) has no business protecting the right to property, for aliens or anybody else. From Hamilton through Henkin, immigrants with foresight have told us why the effective protection of rights, even in states with robust rule of law traditions such as the United States, requires supranational scrutiny. Although the United States is rightly regarded as a strong defender of property rights, even the U.S. (along with other Western “rule of law” states) could benefit from supranational scrutiny in this respect.
Wild Bee Community Assemblages Across Agricultural Landscapes1

Wild bees are essential to the functioning of both agricultural and natural ecosystems, yet these pollinator communities are declining worldwide. Agricultural intensification by means of habitat and floral resource loss is thought to be one of the leading causes of wild bee population deterioration. This study examined multiple agricultural land use systems in New Hampshire to determine how wild bee biodiversity and community interactions are affected by different land use practices. A total of 2292 wild bees were collected during these surveys, representing 112 species. A high species overlap was found at all land use systems, although all sites had some species exclusivity. Land use significantly affected species abundance and richness. The moderately managed sites supported both the greatest pollinator abundance and species richness, while the low management sites had the smallest abundance and the same level of richness as the high management sites. The findings of this study support the importance of floral landscape diversity in bee conservation efforts and suggest that not all agricultural practices negatively affect the pollinator community.
A Multiplex, Fluorescent, and Isothermal Method for Detecting Genetically Modified Maize

Detecting, monitoring, and mapping transgenic sequences in the environment has been a long-standing challenge in ecology. Given the level of social, economic, and scientific interest in them, transgenic (GM) DNA sequences stand as paradigmatic; such sequences further have the unique property of functioning as unequivocal markers in the environment, clearly showing the paths of gene flow between crops and their wild relatives, and across industrial and traditional forms of agriculture. True mapping of transgenic DNA at the landscape level requires a method of DNA amplification that is robust and isothermal in order to be cost effective and field-based. We present here a method with these characteristics. Our multiplex fluorescent method is for the detection of the p35s CaMV promoter frequently used in transgenic plants as well as the alpha-zein protein specific to maize, but can be applicable to any other DNA sequence. The method uses loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) with visualization achieved using a fluorophore-quencher system of DNA hybridizing probes. We demonstrate the applicability of this tri-color method to transgenic corn, non-transgenic corn, and non-transgenic/non-corn species.
Dual TLR agonist nanodiscs as a strong adjuvant system for vaccines and immunotherapy

Abstract Recent studies have shown that certain combinations of Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists can induce synergistic immune activation. However, it remains challenging to achieve such robust responses in vivo in a manner that is effective, facile, and amenable for clinical translation. Here, we show that MPLA, a TLR4 agonist, and CpG, a TLR9 agonist, can be efficiently co-loaded into synthetic high-density lipoprotein nanodiscs, forming a potent adjuvant system (ND-MPLA/CpG) that can be readily combined with a variety of subunit antigens, including proteins and peptides. ND-MPLA/CpG significantly enhanced activation of dendritic cells, compared with free dual adjuvants or nanodiscs delivering a single TLR agonist. Importantly, mice immunized with physical mixtures of protein antigens ND-MPLA/CpG generated strong humoral responses, including induction of IgG responses against protein convertase subtilisin/kexin 9 (PCSK9), leading to 17–30% reduction of the total plasma cholesterol levels. Moreover, ND-MPLA/CpG exerted strong anti-tumor efficacy in multiple murine tumor models. Compared with free adjuvants, ND-MPLA/CpG admixed with ovalbumin markedly improved antigen-specific CD8+ T cell responses by 8-fold and promoted regression of B16F10-OVA melanoma (P
People’s Republic of China: An Overview

The People’s Republic of China has been emerging as a world power by cultivating ties with the international world through economic reform, regional institutions, and a more open diplomacy. Think tanks serve to assist the government’s desire for such changes through research and policy recommendations. The China Institute of International Studies (CIIS), in particular, is affiliated to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and works closely with the government to cater to its demand for track-two diplomacy. CIIS has had influence over Chinese diplomacy, such as in defining the Chinese role in the responsibility to protect. Although the organization faces challenges on keeping fast-changing Chinese needs up to date and in internationalizing its research, it has proven to be domestically and regionally influential through the publication of various journals and papers, as well as outreach efforts through international exchange efforts.
Evolutionary Strategies to Avoid Local Minima in Multidimensional Scaling

Multidimensional scaling is very widely used in exploratory data analysis. It is mainly used to represent sets of objects with respect to their proximities in a low dimensional Euclidean space. Widely used optimization algorithms try to improve the representation via shifting its coordinates in direction of the negative gradient of a corresponding fit function. Depending on the initial configuration, the chosen algorithm and its parameter settings there is a possibility for the algorithm to terminate in a local minimum.
Using nurse-sensitive outcomes to improve clinical practice.

It is essential that nurses know how to use research to improve patient outcomes. Among the myriad research that takes place in healthcare institutions, and is published in numerous nursing and healthcare journals, it is left to nurses who provide patient care to identify, appraise, and use the research that specifically meets patient outcomes that are influenced by nursing interventions. This article provides a foundation to help nurses identify, evaluate, and employ research, specific to nursing practice, that will enhance and improve patient outcomes.
The Constitutional Status of Speech about Oneself

Recently, the idea has prominently been endorsed that the free speech clause does, or at least should, protect speech that is essentially about the speaker--autobiographical speech with no intended social or political implications, as strongly as the free speech clause protects political speech. This Article explores the argument that speech about oneself, with no such political or other social implications, should be treated as of equal free speech value as political speech, and ultimately rejects such an argument. The Article reaches this result mainly by considering and applying the various basic purposes widely thought to underlie special protection for speech in the first place, but also by noting the implications of current Supreme Court case law, as well as the practical risks of even an unintended and indirect constitutional validation of cultural narcissism.
A Method of Intelligent Inspection and Evaluation for Power Supply Business Hall

This article sorts out and normalizes project of intelligent inspection and evaluation for the power supply business hall, and comprehensively considers examination items and the relative importance of each expert in the given examination item weight, combines hierarchical analysis method with method of expert advice consensus, and makes unitary processing about the relative weight of the inspection items at the same time. The intelligent inspection and evaluation methods can be used to complete the intelligent examination and evaluation of the electricity supply office objectively, accurately and scientifically. Targeted improvement based on the evaluation results can improve customer service quality, enhance customer service satisfaction and maintain a good brand image of State Grid Corporation of China.
Gait-training devices in the treatment of lower extremity injuries in sports medicine: current status and future prospects

Introduction: This review seeks to provide synthesized information on gait-training techniques and devices applied, in four of the most prevalent chronic lower extremity injuries seen in sports med...
Sensitivity Analysis for Ultra-Wideband 2-Port Impedance Spectroscopy of a Live Cell

For ultra-wideband (9 kHz–9 GHz) 2-port impedance spectroscopy of a biological cell, sensitivity analysis was carried out for extracting lumped cell characteristics such as membrane resistance (as large as 1 MΩ) and cytoplasm capacitance (as small as 10 fF) from the scattering parameters. The scattering parameters were measured on a coplanar waveguide with a Jurkat cell trapped by dielectrophoresis either in a series or shunt configuration. The sensitivity analysis validated our previous empirical observation that the insertion loss of a series-trapped cell and the return loss of a shunt-trapped cell were most sensitive to the cell impedance. Additionally, the membrane resistance and cytoplasm capacitance were most sensitive to low- and high-frequency scattering parameters, respectively. In the future, the analysis can be used to optimize the test setup and protocol for fast, compact, and label-free characterization of a cell at the subcelluar level.
Uncertainty assessment for 3D geologic modeling of fault zones based on geologic inputs and prior knowledge

Abstract. Characterizing the zone of damaged and altered rock surrounding a fault surface is highly relevant to geotechnical and reservoir engineering works in the subsurface. Evaluating the uncertainty associated with 3D geologic modeling of these fault zones is made possible using the popular and flexible input-based uncertainty propagation approach to geologic model uncertainty assessment – termed Monte Carlo simulation for uncertainty propagation (MCUP). To satisfy the automation requirements of MCUP while still preserving the key geometry of fault zones in the subsurface, a clear and straightforward modeling approach is developed based on four geologic inputs used in implicit geologic modeling algorithms (surface trace, structural orientation, vertical termination depth and fault zone thickness). The rationale applied to identifying and characterizing the various sources of uncertainty affecting each input are explored and provided using open-source codes. In considering these sources of uncertainty, a novel model formulation is implemented using prior geologic knowledge (i.e., empirical and theoretical relationships) to parameterize modeling inputs which are typically subjectively interpreted by the modeler (e.g., vertical termination depth of fault zones). Additionally, the application of anisotropic spherical distributions to modeling disparate levels of information available regarding a fault zone's dip azimuth and dip angle is demonstrated, providing improved control over the structural orientation uncertainty envelope. The MCUP formulation developed is applied to a simple geologic model built from historically available geologic mapping data to assess the independent sensitivity of each modeling input on the combined model uncertainty, revealing that vertical termination depth and structural orientation uncertainty dominate model uncertainty at depth while surface trace uncertainty dominates model uncertainty near the ground surface. The method is also successfully applied to a more complex model containing intersecting major and minor fault zones. The impacts of the model parameterization choices, the fault zone modeling approach and the effects of fault zone interactions on the final geologic model uncertainty assessment are discussed.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN – The Supply of and Demand for Productive Resources

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the supply of and demand for productive resources. A shrinking labor force of young workers and the shortage of the skilled workers could blunt American industry's drive to improve its competitive edge in world markets. Some labor analysts say present shortages of skilled technical workers might worsen and might spread to other occupations. But industry might rise to the challenge with added aid for vocational education, increased retraining of older workers and faster introduction of robots that eliminate some low-skill jobs. How much companies step up their on-the-job training or efforts to improve vocational education would depend on assessments of their coming employment needs. Businesses already pinched by skilled-worker shortages are starting to prepare for the larger crunch ahead. Companies and unions are reviving moribund apprenticeship programs or starting new ones, often combining workplace training with nighttime course work at community colleges. The machinists' union, in bargaining with employers, is pressing for more apprenticeships. Union officials also are talking to high-school students nationwide to promote careers in skilled trades.
The distribution of Ohio's Certificates to Recommend: who will "prescribe" medical marijuana?

Under Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program rules, Ohio physicians that recommend medical marijuana (MMJ) to patients must possess a Certificate to Recommend (CTR) from the State Medical Board. Although a pre-program state survey indicated that more than a quarter of Ohio physicians were likely to recommend MMJ, only 473 physicians obtained CTRs in the first year of the program, amounting to just 1.39% of the physician workforce. The purpose of this study is to evaluate demographic factors that influence a physician’s decision to obtain the CTR. Using physician demographic data extracted from Ohio’s databases of medical licensees and CTR holders, as well as the American Medical Association Physician Masterfile, prevalence ratios for CTR holders were calculated for specialty, medical degree (Doctor of Medicine, MD, vs. Doctor of Osteopathy, DO), age and gender. A multivariate model was implemented to generate adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) reflecting the independent effects of specialty, degree, and age. To assess temporal variations in CTR acquisition, per-specialty CTR counts were also plotted as a function of program month. The best-represented specialties among CTR holders were Family Medicine (29.11%), Internal Medicine and its subspecialties (22.57%), and Anesthesiology (9.07%). Expressed as an adjusted per-specialty prevalence ratio in reference to Family Medicine, the dominant specialty was Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (aPR 2.08, 95% CI 1.34–3.24), with the lowest measurable prevalence ratios found in Pediatrics (aPR 0.17, 95% CI 0.10–0.30) and Surgery (aPR 0.33, 95% CI 0.22–0.50). DOs were more likely to obtain CTRs than MDs (aPR 1.72, 95% CI 1.39–2.15). The mean age of CTR holders was 54.03 +/− 11.43, vs. 51.13 +/− 13.38 for non-CTR holders (p < .0001). Although gender could not be included in the multivariate model, males were more likely than females to obtain a CTR (PR 1.54, 95%CI 1.26–1.89). A plot of per-month CTR acquisition by specialty demonstrated a fairly consistent specialty distribution of CTRs in the first year, as well as variations in overall CTR acquisition that may correspond to program-operational events. Specialty, type of medical degree, and age all correlate independently with the likelihood of registering to recommend medical marijuana in Ohio. Specialty distribution of CTRs remained fairly consistent in the program’s first year, although overall CTR acquisition may be sensitive to program-operational events such as delays in dispensary opening or product availability.
Abstract IA25: Modeling cancer in the CRISPR era

Chromosomal rearrangements are common cancer-associated mutations that often result in the generation of therapeutically actionable gene fusions. Unfortunately, until recently this class of mutations has proved challenging to recapitulate using conventional gene-targeting methods. To overcome this limitation, we have recently developed a CRISPR-based strategy to model a broad range of chromosomal rearrangements, including inversions, deletions, translocations, and tandem duplications (Maddalo et al., 2014). Since this strategy can be used to induce the desired chromosomal rearrangement in somatic cells—ex vivo or directly in vivo—of adult animals, it enables the rapid and cost-effective generation of novel mouse models of human cancer. As proof of concept, we have applied this strategy to generate a novel model of EML4-ALK driven lung adenocarcinoma, and to show that a novel gene fusion observed in a few human gliomas is a potent oncogenic driver and therapeutic target (Cook et al., 2017; Maddalo et al., 2014; Ventura, Dow, 2018). In my presentation, I will discuss how my group is using these novel technologies, as well as conventional gene-targeting methods, to recapitulate the genetic complexity of human cancers in vivo. I will present new and unpublished models of pediatric brain cancers driven by BRAF gene fusions we have recently generated using in vivo and ex vivo CRISPR-mediated chromosomal engineering and show how we are using these models to test novel therapeutic strategies and to gain insights into the molecular pathogenesis of human cancers. References: Cook PJ, Thomas R, Kannan R, de Leon ES, Drilon A, Rosenblum MK, Scaltriti M, Benezra R, Ventura A. Somatic chromosomal engineering identifies BCAN-NTRK1 as a potent glioma driver and therapeutic target. Nat Commun 2017;8:15987. Maddalo D, Manchado E, Concepcion CP, Bonetti C, Vidigal JA, Han YC, Ogrodowski P, Crippa A, Rekhtman N, de Stanchina E, et al. (2014). In vivo engineering of oncogenic chromosomal rearrangements with the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Nature 2014;516: 423-27. Ventura A, Dow LE. (2018). Modeling cancer in the CRISPR era. Annu Rev Cancer Biol 2018;2: 111-31. Citation Format: Andrea Ventura. Modeling cancer in the CRISPR era [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on the Evolving Landscape of Cancer Modeling; 2020 Mar 2-5; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(11 Suppl):Abstract nr IA25.
Design and performance evaluation of a dual-circuit thermal energy storage module for air conditioners

Abstract We present experimental results and a validated numerical model of a dual-circuit phase-change thermal energy storage module for air conditioners. The module incorporates a phase-change material encapsulated in compressed expanded natural graphite foam. We used n-tetradecane as the PCM with a transition temperature (~4.5 °C) suitable for air-conditioning applications. Heat exchange to and from the module is accomplished through two fluid loops operating as a heat source and sink embedded inside multiple slabs of the composite material. This dual-circuit design enables easier integration with air-conditioning equipment and provides enhanced flexibility in system operation as compared to the state-of-the-art thermal storage systems. When integrated with an air-conditioner, this design will enable peak-load shaving and enhances operational efficiency. The thermal storage device was designed for a nominal storage capacity of ~ 3.5 kWh. We evaluated the heat transfer and energy storage performance of this device using standalone heat transfer experiments to estimate key thermal resistances and identify design improvements before integration with an air conditioner. The numerical model of the heat exchanger uses a combination of discretized and lumped parameter approaches to maintain a balance between accuracy and computational expense. Our analyses show that the geometric features and integration of fluid tubes are key contributors to the thermal contact resistance between the fluid and the thermal storage material, and consequently, to the overall performance of the thermal storage module. Our standalone experiments also identified important operating scenarios in which this thermal storage module can be used for air-conditioning in buildings.
Use of Cardiac MRI in the Diagnosis of Rare Right Ventricular Noncompaction.

Ventricular noncompaction, also previously known as spongy myocardium, is an inherited primary genetic cardiomyopathy. Noncompaction of the left ventricle is seen in the general population typically in the setting of other congenital heart defects and can be a cause of significant morbidity and mortality. Right ventricular noncompaction is a rare form of cardiomyopathy with no definitive diagnostic criteria. Diagnosis of noncompaction of the right ventricle can be concluded using guidance from the diagnostic criteria for left ventricular noncompaction with multi-modality imaging.
Education and Research: A Symbiosis to Better Understand a Novel Coral Disease

Ongoing ecological events, such as new and emerging diseases, provide an important platform for education and research. Field courses and undergraduate research projects can be critical to assisting students with learning scientific skills and career discernment as these experiences provide more one-on-one instruction and an immersive learning environment. A novel coral disease called “Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease” (SCTLD) provided one such opportunity. SCTLD is characterized by rapid progression with entire coral heads dying within 2-3 weeks after initial observation of the onset of symptoms. At a wider geographic scale, the disease has migrated with extreme velocity and has now been documented across the Caribbean from as far North as the Southeast Florida Reef Tract, as far South as St. Lucia, and as far West as Honduras and Belize. Here, I summarize what is currently known about SCTLD and document an educational field course that involved eight undergraduate students with visits to multiple locations along the Florida Keys Reef Tract during the disease progression in March 2019. Students were able to observe sites where SCTLD had been present for over two years and sites where the disease was only just emerging for observational comparison. Student educational outcomes from field trips and activities will be discussed. Current research and educational activities can interact to enhance each other, creating a positive feedback loop. Future directions for research, educational opportunities, and their interaction to accelerate understanding of this novel disease are discussed.
Identifying Virus-Like Regions in Microbial Genomes Using Hidden Markov Models

Viruses represent an enormous reservoir of genetic diversity on Earth [1]. Although viruses that infect humans, plant crops, or domesticated livestock have been studied for over a century due to their medical or agricultural importance, there is growing appreciation for the large diversity of viruses that inhabit the biosphere and infect microorganisms such as bacteria, archaea, single-celled eukaryotes, and even other viruses [2–5]. All of these viruses collectively encode a vast diversity of genetic and genomic novelty that is only beginning to be explored, and it represents a major frontier for current and future investigations of biodiversity on the planet.
Visible and long wave infrared imaging in degraded environments using three dimensional polarimetric integral imaging

We overview polarimetric sensing of objects in low light illumination conditions using three dimensional integral imaging in the visible and long wave infrared (LWIR) domains. SNR of polarimetric imaging in both domains is compared.
A single computational model for many learning phenomena

Abstract Simplicity is a basic principle of science and this implies that, if we want to explain the behaviour of animals by constructing robots that behave like real animals, one and the same robot should reproduce as many behaviours and as many behavioural phenomena as possible. In this paper we describe robots that both evolve and learn in their “natural” environment and, in addition, learn in the equivalent of an experimental laboratory and reproduce a variety of results of experiments on learning in animals. We introduce a new model of learning in which the weights of the connections that link the units of the robots’ neural network are genetically inherited and do not change during the robots’ life but what changes during life and makes the robots learn new behaviours is the synaptic receptivity of a special set of network units which we call learning units. The robots evolve in a variety of different environments and they learn in a variety of different ways including imprinting and learning by imitating the behaviour of others. Then we test the robots in the controlled conditions of an artificial laboratory and we reproduce a number of experimental results on both operant learning and classical conditioning, including learning and extinction curves, the role of the temporal interval between conditioned and unconditioned stimuli, and the influence of motivation on learning.
Characterization of Ca++ and Mg++ Binding to Bovine Pancreatic Deoxyribonuclease A

Abstract Gel filtration studies of 45Ca++ binding to bovine pancreatic deoxyribonuclease A show that the enzyme can bind from 5 to 7 Ca++ ions. At pH 7.5 DNase binds 2 Ca++ ions strongly, with a Kd of 1.4 x 10-5 m, and 3 Ca++ ions weakly, with a Kd of 2 x 10-4 m. At pH 5.5 the protein binds only 1 Ca++ ion strongly, with a Kd of 5 x 10-4 m. DNase has two strong Mg++-binding sites, with a Kd of 2.3 x 10-4 m. Mg++ and Mn++ can compete with one of the two strong Ca++-binding sites present at pH 7.5. They do not complete for the single strong Ca++-binding site present at pH 5.5. Even a 103-fold molar excess of Mn++ or Mg++ does not affect Ca++ binding to the Ca++-specific site.
Differential T Cell-Mediated Regulation of CD23 (FcεRII) in B Cells and Follicular Dendritic Cells

Differences in murine follicular dendritic cells (FDC)-CD23 expression under Th1 vs Th2 conditions prompted the hypothesis that T cells help regulate the phenotype of FDCs. FDCs express CD40, suggesting that T cell-CD40L and lymphokines may be involved in regulating FDC-CD23. To test this, highly enriched FDCs were incubated with CD40L trimer or anti-CD40 to mimic T cell signaling in the presence of IFN-γ or IL-4. Surface expression of CD23 was determined by flow cytometry, whereas mRNA levels of CD23 and its isoforms CD23a and CD23b were independently measured by quantitative PCR. When FDCs were incubated with either CD40L trimer or agonistic anti-CD40 Ab, the expression of FDC-CD23 was increased both at the mRNA and protein levels. Moreover, engagement of FDC-CD40 enhanced mRNA levels for both CD23a and CD23b isoforms. In addition, IFN-γ substantially enhanced CD23a and CD23b mRNA levels in CD40-stimulated FDCs. Curiously, IL-4 could also up-regulate FDC-CD23a but not -CD23b. Anti-IFN-γ dramatically inhibited FDC-CD23 in mice immunized with CFA, whereas anti-IL-4 had only a modest inhibitory effect. In contrast with FDCs, IFN-γ inhibited surface expression of murine B cell-CD23 as well as mRNA for B cell CD23a and -CD23b, whereas IL-4 dramatically enhanced message for both isoforms as well as protein expression. In short, CD23 was regulated very differently in FDCs and B cells. Previous studies suggest that high levels of FDC-CD23 inhibit IgE production, and this IFN-γ and CD40L-mediated up-regulation of FDC-CD23 may explain, at least in part, why Th1 responses are associated with low IgE responses in vivo.
The methyl esterification of PCNA in reponse to DNA damage

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 14-18, 2007; Los Angeles, CA 2821 Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) has been described as a “ringmaster” of the genome because of its essential roles in DNA replication and repair. Interestingly, in addition to DNA replication and repair PCNA is involved in cell cycle progression and apoptosis and interacts with <20 proteins. Because of these abundant interactions, the post-translational modification of PCNA has been implicated for many years, and reports of phosphorylation, acetylation, ubiquitination, and sumoylation have surfaced in efforts to explain how this complex molecule can function in so many processes. Recently, we performed the first detailed structural analysis of a specific PCNA isoform found in malignant cells and found that this isoform did not harbor these modifications, but instead showed the presence of fairly novel post-translational modification, methyl esterification. Consistent with this modification, we have also observed a charge shift for PCNA following DNA damage by 2D electrophoresis and have identified a corresponding increase in PCNA-dependent carboxyl methyl transferase activity in cell extracts following DNA damage. Taken together this data supports the presence of a unique signaling mechanism occurring malignant cells. Using LC-MS/MS techniques, we will elucidate the structural differences to PCNA following DNA damage both in vitro and in vivo using a metabolic labeling/SILAC approach. Additionally, progress into the identification of enzyme(s) responsible for methyl esterifying PCNA in response to DNA damage and their potential as a therapeutic targets will be discussed.
HIV‐1 Protease: Structure, Dynamics, and Inhibition

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on some new and evolving areas of protease research. The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV‐1) protease is synthesized as part of a large Gag‐Pol precursor protein. The probing structure and dynamics of the free and inhibited mature protease dimer by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to gain insights into speciﬁc regions of the dimer and their relationship to function is discussed in the chapter. It discusses the crystal structures at atomic resolutions of wild‐type and drug‐resistant mutant proteases in complex with substrate analogues and the comparison of structures using previous and new generations of active site inhibitors to understand the molecular mechanisms of drug resistance. The mutational and structural studies aimed at characterizing the monomer of the mature protease and its precursor is described in the chapter. The latter studies complement and form a basis for ongoing and future studies aimed at targeting protease dimerization, thus, extending the target area of current inhibitors, all of which bind across the active site formed by both sub units in the active dimer.
Mobilization characteristics and strategies to improve hematopoietic progenitor cell mobilization and collection in patients with chronic granulomatous disease and severe combined immunodeficiency

Background Granulocyte–colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)-mobilized autologous hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) may be collected by apheresis of patients with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) and severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) for use in gene therapy trials. CD34+ cell mobilization has not been well characterized in such patients. Study Design and Methods We retrospectively evaluated CD34+ cell mobilization and collection in 73 consecutive CGD and SCID patients and in 99 age-, weight-, and G-CSF dose–matched healthy allogeneic controls. Results In subjects aged not more than 20 years, Day 5 preapheresis circulating CD34+ counts were significantly lower in CGD and SCID patients than in controls; mean peak CD34+ cell counts were 58 × 106, 64 × 106, and 87 × 106/L, respectively (p = 0.01). The SCIDs had lower CD34+ collection efficiency than CGDs and controls; mean efficiencies were 40, 63, and 57%, respectively (p = 0.003). In subjects aged more than 20 years, the CGDs had significantly lower CD34+ cell mobilization than controls; mean peak CD34+ cell counts were 41 × 106 and 113 × 106/L, respectively (p < 0.0001). In a multivariate analysis, lower erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) at mobilization was significantly correlated with better CD34+ cell mobilization (p = 0.007). In SCIDs, CD34 collection efficiency was positively correlated with higher red blood cell (RBC) indices (mean RBC volume, R2 = 0.77; mean corpuscular hemoglobin [Hb], R2 = 0.94; mean corpuscular Hb concentration, R2 = 0.7; p < 0.007) but not Hb. Conclusions CGD and SCID populations are characterized by significantly less robust CD34+ HPC mobilization than healthy controls. The presence of active inflammation or infection as suggested by an elevated ESR may negatively impact mobilization. Among SCIDs, markedly reduced CD34 collection efficiencies were related to iron deficiency, wherein decreased RBC size and density may impair apheresis cell separation mechanics.
Characterization of R-curve behavior of translaminar crack growth in cross-ply composite laminates using digital image correlation

Abstract This paper presents experimental methods to estimate crack-tip field parameters and characterize R -curve behaviors of translaminar fracture in cross-ply composite laminates using digital image correlation. The investigated crack-tip field parameters include stress intensity factor, energy release rate and effective crack length. The nonlinear least-squares method and conservation integrals are used to determine these parameters from elastic far-field displacements, based on the homogeneous approximation of anisotropic solids for composite laminates. The sources of error of the two parameter-estimation methods are investigated. The results of the two methods show good consistency. Finally, the two-stage rising R -curves are obtained with acceptable accuracy.
Stephen J. Gould: The Scientific Legacy, Edited by Gian Antonio Danieli, Alessandro Minelli and Telmo Pievani. Springer Verlag Italy (2013), i-viii, 1-208

Summarizing, characterizing, and evaluating the legacy of any productive and widely respected scholar is difficult because distilling a life’s work is so selective and interpretive. This is especially true of the prodigious output and unique career of Stephen Jay Gould. Thus, it is perhaps predictable that his output—hundreds of papers and articles, many widely read and cited books—would be reviewed so unevenly in this new book. In 200 pages, the authors succeed in identifying Gould’s most important contributions to scholarship, but they fail to give many of his ideas the evaluation and review they deserve.
Carbon partitioning and allocation in northern red oak seedlings and mature trees in response to ozone.

Northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) seedlings and trees differ in their response to ozone. Previous work reported reductions in net photosynthesis, carboxylation efficiency and quantum yield of mature tree leaves, whereas seedling processes were unaffected by the same ozone exposure. To further characterize differences in ozone response between seedlings and mature trees, we examined carbon partitioning and allocation in 32-year-old trees and 4-year-old seedlings of northern red oak after exposure to subambient (seasonal SUM00 dose (sum of all hourly ozone exposures) = 31 ppm-h), ambient (SUM00 dose = 85 ppm-h) and twice ambient (SUM00 dose = 151 ppm-h) ozone concentrations for three growing seasons. For mature trees, ozone exposure decreased foliar starch partitioning, increased starch partitioning in branches and increased 14 C retention in leaves. In contrast, starch partitioning in leaves and branches, and foliar 14 C retention in seedlings were unaffected by ozone exposure, but soluble carbohydrate concentrations in coarse and fine roots of seedlings were reduced. Differences in carbohydrate demand between seedlings and mature trees may underlie the higher leaf ozone uptake rates and greater physiological response to ozone in mature northern red oak trees compared with seedlings.