cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phosphorothioate oligonucleotides can displace NEAT1 RNA and form nuclear paraspeckle-like structures

Nuclear paraspeckles are built co-transcriptionally around a long non-coding RNA, NEAT1. Here we report that transfected 20-mer phosphorothioate-modified (PS) antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) can recruit paraspeckle proteins to form morphologically normal and apparently functional paraspeckle-like structures containing no NEAT1 RNA. PS-ASOs can associate with paraspeckle proteins, including P54nrb, PSF, PSPC1 and hnRNPK. NEAT1 RNA can be displaced by transfected PS-ASO from paraspeckles and rapidly degraded. Co-localization of PS-ASOs with P54nrb was observed in canonical NEAT1-containing paraspeckles, in perinucleolar caps upon transcriptional inhibition, and importantly, in paraspeckle-like or filament structures lacking NEAT1 RNA. The induced formation of paraspeckle-like and filament structures occurred in mouse embryonic stem cells expressing little or no NEAT1 RNA, suggesting that PS-ASOs can serve as seeding molecules to assemble paraspeckle-like foci in the absence of NEAT1 RNA. Moreover, CTN, an RNA reported to be functionally retained in paraspeckles, was also observed to localize to paraspeckle-like structures, implying that paraspeckle-like structures assembled on PS-ASOs are functional. Together, our results indicate that functional paraspeckles can form with short nucleic acids other than NEAT1 RNA.
Modeling Relaxation Processes for Fluids in Porous Materials Using Dynamic Mean Field Theory: An Application to Partial Wetting

We review a recently developed dynamic mean field theory for fluids confined in porous materials and apply it to a case where the solid-fluid interactions lead to partial wetting on a planar surface. The theory describes the evolution of the density distribution for a fluid in a pore that has contact with the bulk during a quench in the bulk chemical potential. In this way the dynamics of adsorption and desorption can be studied. By focusing on partial wetting situation we can investigate influence of a weaker surface field on the mechanisms of capillary condensation and desorption. We have studied the dynamics of pore filling in a quench of the chemical potential between two states either side of the pore filling step, tracking the density distributions during the process. The pore filling process features an asymmetric density distribution where a liquid droplet appears on one of the walls. The droplet spreads and grows in size and this is followed by the appearance of a liquid bridge between the pore walls (for longer pores two liquid bridges are seen). The density distributions obtained in the dynamics resemble those obtained from static mean field theory in the canonical ensemble for an infinite pore without contact with the bulk.
'Border traps' in MOS devices

The author recommends that the terminology for oxide charges developed in 1979 be updated to include near-interfacial oxide traps that communicate with the underlying Si and that these defects collectively be called border traps. Justification for this nomenclature is presented and defining features of border traps are discussed. Border traps play an important role in determining low-frequency (1/f) noise levels in metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) transistors and also appear to have been observed in recent spin-dependent recombination studies on irradiated devices at microwave frequencies. This terminology is intended to add focus to discussions of defect type and location in MOS structures. >
A Distributed Geometric Routing Algorithm for Ad HocWireless Networks

In this paper, we presented a fully distributed algorithm to compute a planar subgraph of the underlying wireless connectivity graph. We considered the idealized unit disk graph model in which nodes are assumed to be connected if and only if nodes are within their transmission range. The main contribution of this work is a fully distributed algorithm to extract the connected, planar graph for routing in the wireless networks. The communication cost of the proposed algorithm is O(d log d) bits, where d is the degree of anode. In addition, this paper also presented a geometric routing algorithm. The algorithm is fully distributed and nodes know only the position of other nodes and can communicate with neighboring nodes in their transmission range
Estimation of symmetric chi-square divergence for point processes

This paper addresses the estimation of symmetric χ2-divergence between two point processes. We propose a novel approach by, first, mapping the space of spike trains in an appropriate functional space, and then, estimating the divergence in this functional space using a least square regression approach. We compare the proposed approach with other available methods on simulated data, and discuss its pros and cons.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOLUBLE SOLIDS LEVEL OF RAW SWEET CORN AND SENSORY EVALUATION OF DEEP-FRIED CORN-ON-THE-COB

Soluble solids (SS) % of raw sweet corn (SC), Silver Queen variety, was correlated with panel texture of deep-fried corn. The r = 0.896 and R2= 0.803. The SS range of corn was 19-26s. As corn of increasing SS was used, texture changed from that of succulent, low solids to less succulent, higher solids. Preference scores ranged from 2.4-3, placing samples between “liked moderately” and “liked slightly” categories. No preference was found among samples of the SS range used. Thus, SC of this variety may be allowed to reach at least 26% SS and still receive a score similar to that for corn with 19% SS. Deep-frying raw kernels decreased moisture by 6.8% and increased the oil content from 3.98 to 6.51%.
Borrelia burgdorferi RevA antigen is a surface-exposed outer membrane protein whose expression is regulated in response to environmental temperature and pH.

Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, produces RevA protein during the early stages of mammalian infection. B. burgdorferi apparently uses temperature as a cue to its location, producing proteins required for infection of warm-blooded animals at temperatures corresponding to host body temperature, but does not produce such virulence factors at cooler, ambient temperatures. We have observed that B. burgdorferi regulates expression of RevA in response to temperature, with the protein being synthesized by bacteria cultivated at 34°C but not by those grown at 23°C. Tissues encountered by B. burgdorferi during its infectious cycle vary in their pH values, and the level of RevA expression was also found to be dependent upon pH of the culture medium. The cellular localization of RevA was also analyzed. Borrelial inner and outer membranes were purified by isopycnic centrifugation, and membrane fractions were conclusively identified by immunoblot analysis using antibodies raised against the integral inner membrane protein MotB and outer membrane-associated Erp lipoproteins. Immunoblot analyses indicated that RevA is located in the B. burgdorferi outer membrane. These analyses also demonstrated that an earlier report (H. A. Bledsoe et al., Infect. Immun. 176:7447–7455, 1994) had misidentified such B. burgdorferi membrane fractions. RevA was further demonstrated to be exposed to the external environment, where it could facilitate interactions with host tissues.
Mitigation of emerging pollutants by plants

Low cost, sustainable technologies for addressing pollution of waters with trace concentrations of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are needed. Plant-based ecosystems for wastewater treatment are low-cost, effective technologies with the potential to address PPCPs. This abstract presents recent research examining the phytoremediation of PPCPs in both aquatic and terrestrial systems and discusses potential implications of phytoremediation of PPCPs. Research indicates that duckweed plants can stimulate microbial degradation of ibuprofen, sorb and uptake fluoxetine, and indirectly affect the fate of triclosan. Additionally, research indicates that food crops phytoaccumulate antimicrobials present in biosolids. The implications of these processes include mitigation of ecotoxicological risk from antimicrobial contamination of surface waters and soils with minimal risk to humans from consumption of phytoaccumulated antimicrobials. Additionally, plants may serve as a long-term reservoir for PPCPs in the environment.
A FINITE ELEMENT MODEL FOR HARMONICALLY EXCITED VISCOELASTIC SANDWICH BEAMS

Abstract A finite element model is presented for the harmonic response of sandwich beams with thin or moderately thick viscoelastic cores. Nonlinear variation of displacements through the thickness of the core is assumed. A simple approximation for the response of the core allows all core variables to be expressed in terms of the face plate displacements. The model uses standard beam shape functions to construct a 12 d.f. element, SANDWICH12. Driving point impedence predicted by the model agrees closely with experimental data, even at high frequencies. The model also predicts displacements at “resonant” driving frequencies that agree closely with available closed form solutions.
Primary breast tumor-derived cellular models: characterization of tumorigenic, metastatic, and cancer-associated fibroblasts in dissociated tumor (DT) cultures

Our goal was to establish primary cultures from dissociation of breast tumors in order to provide cellular models that may better recapitulate breast cancer pathogenesis and the metastatic process. Here, we report the characterization of six cellular models derived from the dissociation of primary breast tumor specimens, referred to as “dissociated tumor (DT) cells.” In vitro, DT cells were characterized by proliferation assays, colony formation assays, protein, and gene expression profiling, including PAM50 predictor analysis. In vivo, tumorigenic and metastatic potential of DT cultures was assessed in NOD/SCID and NSG mice. These cellular models differ from recently developed patient-derived xenograft models in that they can be used for both in vitro and in vivo studies. PAM50 predictor analysis showed DT cultures similar to their paired primary tumor and as belonging to the basal and Her2-enriched subtypes. In vivo, three DT cultures are tumorigenic in NOD/SCID and NSG mice, and one of these is metastatic to lymph nodes and lung after orthotopic inoculation into the mammary fat pad, without excision of the primary tumor. Three DT cultures comprised of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) were isolated from luminal A, Her2-enriched, and basal primary tumors. Among the DT cells are those that are tumorigenic and metastatic in immunosuppressed mice, offering novel cellular models of ER-negative breast cancer subtypes. A group of CAFs provide tumor subtype-specific components of the tumor microenvironment (TME). Altogether, these DT cultures provide closer-to-primary cellular models for the study of breast cancer pathogenesis, metastasis, and TME.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CONSUMER ACCEPTABILITY AND DESCRIPTIVE SENSORY ATTRIBUTES IN CHEDDAR CHEESE

The relationship between the consumer acceptability of Cheddar cheese and its descriptive sensory attributes was determined using preference mapping and logistic regression for three Cheddar cheeses. A trained panel (n = 9) differentiated the cheeses based on taste, aroma and textural attributes. The overall order of consumer preference (P < 0.05) for the three cheeses was 9, 7 and 12 months of aging time, respectively. The trained panel characterized the 7- and 9-month-old cheeses as having young/undeveloped flavors such as “cooked,”“buttery” and “creamy” flavors, and had volatiles that were responsible for the creamy flavor in cheeses. The 12-month-old cheese was characterized by aged/developed flavors and included volatile compounds responsible for fruity aromas and sulfurous, earthy and free fatty acid flavors. External preference mapping revealed six clusters of consumers with varying Cheddar cheese preferences; 74, 95 and 61% of the consumers found 7-, 9- and 12-month-old cheeses to be acceptable, respectively.
Biomechanical studies in aerospace physiology

The field of aerospace medicine has long called for an engineering approach to modeling human systems. The behavior of the cardiovascular and vestibular systems in an aerospace environment is an area where the collaborative research of physicians, engineers, and physical scientists has been rewarding.
Source Code Exploration with Google

The paper presents a new approach to source code exploration, which is the result of integrating the Google Desktop Search (GDS) engine into the Eclipse development environment. The resulting search engine, named Google Eclipse Search (GES), provides improved searching in Eclipse software projects. The paper advocates for a component-based approach that allows us to develop strong tools, which support various maintenance tasks, by leveraging the strengths of existing frameworks and components. The development effort for such tools is reduced, while customization and flexibility, to fully support user needs, is maintained GES allows developers to search software projects in a manner similar to searching the internet or their own desktops. The proposed approach takes advantages of the power of GDS for quick and accurate searching and of Eclipse?s extensibility. The paper discusses usage scenarios, advantages, limitations, and possible extensions of the proposed tandem.
A POTENTIAL PROCESSED CARROT PRODUCT

Carrot pie fillings were prepared from carrots that did not meet fresh market standards but were otherwise of good quality. The pie fillings were prepared by mixing carrot puree, sugar, salt, and ground spices or oil extract spices. Nutrient composition analysis showed that vitamin A was five times higher in carrot pie fillings than in pumpkin pie filling. Thiamin, niacin, and total carbohydrates were higher in carrot pie fillings. Sensory panel scores show that carrot pie was preferred over pumpkin pie and ground spices over oil extract spices. The results of this work indicate that an acceptable carrot pie filling of equal or better nutritional value than pumpkin pie can be prepared.
Adipokines and cytokines in human pancreatic juice: unraveling the local pancreatic inflammatory milieu.

Differential adipokine expression in obesity influences the inflammatory milieu, and may explain in part obesity’s negative impact on pancreatic disease. Pancreatic juice analysis may provide a good means to evaluate the local pancreatic inflammatory milieu. The presence of adipokines in pancreatic juice is unknown. This proof-of-concept study was designed to determine the presence of adipokines and cytokines in human pancreatic juice. With institutional review board approval, pancreatic juice was obtained from ten patients with a broad range of diagnoses at the time of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Pancreatic juice was assayed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for insulin, the proinflammatory adipokine leptin, the anti-inflammatory adipokine adiponectin, and the inflammatory mediators interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1). Correlation between adipokine and inflammatory mediator expression was determined by linear regression analysis. Data are presented as mean ± standard error of the mean (SEM); P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Leptin (0.16 ± 0.05 ng/ml) and adiponectin (0.63 ± 0.02 μg/ml) were both present, as were the inflammatory mediators IL-6 (112.6 ± 28.1 pg/ml), TNF-α (49.0 ± 18.8 pg/ml), and MCP-1 (32.2 ± 0.9 pg/ml). Paradoxically, the expression of the anti-inflammatory adipokine adiponectin correlated strongly with that of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-6 (R 2 = 0.98, P < 0.001). This report is the first to describe adipokine expression in human pancreatic juice. Human pancreatic juice inflammatory mediators and adipokines may provide an important measurement of the local pancreatic inflammatory milieu.
Identifying Parental Preferences for Corticosteroid and Inhaled Beta-Agonist Delivery Mode in Children With Acute Asthma Exacerbations

This study examines caregiver preferences of single-dose dexamethasone (DEX) versus 5-day oral prednisolone in treating acute asthma exacerbation in a pediatric emergency department (PED). A secondary objective was preference for mode of home inhaled β-agonist administration. Caregivers of patients 2 to 18 years with an acute asthma exacerbation treated in the PED completed a 1-page questionnaire including asthma history and preferences for steroids and β-agonist administration. One hundred caregivers completed the questionnaire. Within the preceding year, 79% had an asthma exacerbation and 73.7% (n = 99) were prescribed prednisolone. DEX was preferred by 79% of caregivers. Preferences were independent of caregiver demographics except in cases of prior intensive care admission, where DEX was less favored (odds ratio = 0.27, P < .046). No difference existed in mode of home β-agonist administration. Most caregivers prefer DEX in acute asthma exacerbation management. No difference exists for home β-agonists....
Influence of nitric oxide on vascular resistance and muscle mechanics during tetanic contractions in situ.

Studies of the effect of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis inhibition were performed in the isometrically contracting blood-perfused canine gastrocnemius-plantaris muscle group. Muscle blood flow (Q˙) wa...
EYE MOVEMENT AND REACTION TIME ARE BOTH IMPORTANT IN ASSESSMENT OF DIALOG BOX USABILITY

Traditional usability metrics (accuracy and reaction time) were combined with eye movement patterns to study button placement and highlighting in dialog boxes. Participants made buttonclick responses based on the contents of the dialog box text. Traditional measures and eye movement patterns yielded different results: Reaction time analyses suggested placing the correct button to the left; eye movement patterns suggested placing the correct button on the right. This study demonstrated that eye movements are a rich source of information for usability research, provided theoretical guidelines for future research, and showed the strengths and weaknesses of eye tracking in comparison to more traditional usability metrics. In addition, it provided empirical support for eye movement heuristics that are often implemented in visual interface design, showing that the search patterns for dialog boxes follow a reading pattern.
A phenomenologic study of chronic pain.

Researchers have seldom invited patients with chronic pain to describe their lived experiences. This phenomenologic study involved in-depth interviews with nine women and four men with nonmalignant chronic pain. The essence of participants’ experiences was unremitting torment by a force or monster that cannot be tamed. The body was altered and recalcitrant, the life world was shrunken, and the pain set up a barrier that separated them from other people. Time seemed to stop; the future was unfathomable. Findings of this study contribute to the phenomenological literature that explores the human body and its symbolic meanings and call into question the idealized positive depiction of chronic illness that is prominent in contemporary literature.
Effect on synthetic capacity of antibodies directed against receptors of allotype-bearing rabbit cells.

Rabbit immunoglobulin molecules possess antigenically distinct allotypic markers. Immunoglobulin molecules possessing such markers which are attached to the surfaces of lymphocyte precursors of antibody-forming cells are believed to serve as antigen receptors. Interactions between allotypic determinants and antibodies directed against them can provide useful models for the study of immunoregulatory phenomena. Exposure of a fetal or neonatal rabbit to antibodies against one of its immunoglobulin allotypes results in a persistent defect in expression of that type (allotype suppression). Some evidence indicates that this phenomenon involves specific active suppression by lymphoid cells. By examining the effects of anti-allotype antibodies on allotype-bearinq lymphocytes in vitro, certain specific events surroundinp the processes of lymphocyte ontogeny, and the differentiation and maturation of antibody-forming cells are being analyzed.
Hg/sup +/ trapped ion standard with the superconducting cavity maser oscillator

The frequency stability of an atomic standard based on /sup 199/Hg/sup +/ ions confined in a hybrid RF/DC linear trap is described. The 40.5-GHz clock transition has been measured to be 17 mHz wide, representing a quality factor greater than 2*10/sup 12/. A 160-mHz line is used to steer the output of a 5-MHz crystal oscillator to obtain a stability of 2*10/sup -15/ for 24000-s averaging times. In a separate measurement, a 37-mHz line is used to steer the output of the superconducting cavity maser oscillator to reach 1*10/sup -15/ stability at 10000 s. >
Putting the organic label in context: Examining the interactions between the organic label, product type, and retail outlet

Abstract The organic label has been studied extensively in the literature; however, few studies take into consideration the context in which the organic purchase takes place. In this study, we examine the product type (virtue vs. vice) as well as the purchase context (retailer: Target vs. Walmart). Using an online experiment with U.S. consumers (N = 605), we determine how the organic label interacts with each of these contexts and how these interactions impact downstream evaluations such as expected taste, nutrition, safety, likelihood of purchase, and attitude and trust toward the product’s brand. Results of the study reveal both the organic label and retail context impact product evaluations. First, results showed organic products were perceived more favorably on a number of measures (including nutrition, safety, brand attitude, and brand trust) than their non-organic counterparts, providing evidence of an organic “halo” effect. Interestingly, though, the organic “halo” did not extend to two measures: expected taste and likelihood of purchase. Secondly, organic labeling benefits virtue and vice products in distinct aspects – the organic virtue product had better expected taste while the organic vice product had higher expected nutrition. Finally, we find that retailers are a crucial factor that moderates the evaluation of organic products. Our results suggest retailers like Target may be better outlets for promoting organic vice products whereas retailers like Walmart may only be good outlets for promoting organic virtue products. This study has important implications for the National Organic Program, the Organic Trade Association, producers, and food brand managers.
Rapid Changes in Cannabinoid 1 Receptor Availability in Cannabis-Dependent Male Subjects After Abstinence From Cannabis

Abstract Background The widespread use of cannabis, the increasing legalization of "medical" cannabis, the increasing potency of cannabis, and the growing recreational use of synthetic cannabinoid 1 receptor (CB 1 R) full agonists all underscore the importance of elucidating the effects of cannabinoids on the CB 1 R system. Exposure to cannabinoids is known to result in CB 1 R downregulation. However, the precise time course of changes in CB 1 R availability in cannabis-dependent (CD) subjects after short-term and intermediate-term abstinence has not been determined. Methods Using high-resolution research tomography and the reversible ligand [ 11 C]OMAR, CB 1 R availability as indexed by the [ 11 C]OMAR volume of distribution was measured in male CD subjects ( n = 11) and matched healthy control (HC) subjects ( n = 19). The CD subjects were scanned at baseline (while they were neither intoxicated nor in withdrawal) and after 2 days and 28 days of monitored abstinence. The HC subjects were scanned at baseline, and a subset ( n = 4) was scanned again 28 days later. Results Compared with HC subjects, [ 11 C]OMAR volume of distribution was 15% lower in CD subjects (effect size Cohen's d = −1.11) at baseline in almost all brain regions. However, these group differences in CB 1 R availability were no longer evident after just 2 days of monitored abstinence from cannabis. There was a robust negative correlation between CB 1 R availability and withdrawal symptoms after 2 days of abstinence. There were no significant group differences in CB 1 R availability in CD subjects after 28 days of abstinence. Conclusions Cannabis dependence is associated with CB 1 R downregulation, which begins to reverse rapidly on termination of cannabis use and may continue to increase over time.
Performance monitoring of throughput constrained dataflow programs executed on shared-memory multi-core architectures

Because of physical limits, hardware designers have switched to parallel systems to exploit the still growing number of transistors per square millimeter of silicon. These parallel systems are made of several independent computing units. To benefit from these computing units, software must be changed. Existing sequential applications have to be split into independent tasks to be executed in parallel on the different computing units. To that end, many concurrent programming models have been proposed and are in use today. We focus in this thesis on the dataflow concurrent programming model. This work is about performance evaluation of dataflow programs on multicore architectures. We propose to extend dataflow programming models with the notion of throughput constraints and to take this information into account in the compilation tool chain to detect at runtime the throughput bottlenecks. The profiling results gathered during the execution are used both for off-line analyzes and to adapt the application during its execution. In the former case, the developer uses this information to know which part of the dataflow program should be optimized and to efficiently distribute the program on the computing units. In the later case, the profiling information is used by runtime adaptation mechanisms to distribute differently the work on the computing units. We give a particular focus on the profiling of the usage of the memory subsystem. The data exchange information provide by the programming model allows to efficiently used the memory subsystem of multicore architectures. Nevertheless, the complexity of modern memory systems doesn't allow to statically evaluate the impact of memory accesses on the global performances of the application. We propose to set up memory profiling dedicated to dataflow applications based on hardware profiling mechanisms.
State Response to Substance-Abusing TANF Recipients: The Challenge for Welfare Policy

Abstract Although a large number of job-ready welfare recipients have left welfare since the enactment of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (P. L. 104-193-PRWORA), 5.5 million “harder-to-serve” populations including those with substance abuse problems still remain in state TANF caseloads. Although researchers and policy makers need to better understand the connections between substance abuse and welfare dependency, little is known about states' response to substance-abusing TANF recipients. This review of state TANF policies on substance abuse found that few states have developed systematic procedures for assessment, evaluation, and treatment of substance abuse among welfare recipients. Implications for policy are discussed.
Remotely delivered immunocontraception in captive white-tailed deer

We tested a new contraceptive method that offers a potential alternative to white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) population control where hunting is unfeasible. We report the first successful, remotely delivered immunocontraception in captive, unrestrained white-tailed deer using porcine zona pellucida (PZP) antigen. None of 7 PZP-vaccinated does produced fawns, whereas 6 to 7 control does did. No adverse effects of treatment were observed. These results encourage further investigation of immunocontraception in wild white-tailed deer populations
Food and drug interactions.

Potential problems between certain drugs and certain foods should be recognized in prescribing medications and/or diet therapy. The author spotlights some of the more common drug-food interactions.
Management of Pancreatic Cancer in the Elderly

As the United States population ages, an increasing number of elderly patients are presenting to primary care physicians, oncologists, and surgeons with pancreatic cancer. Even with aggressive therapy, the prognosis in patients with pancreatic cancer is poor and there many potential complications associated with treatment. In addition, in older patients multiple associated chronic illnesses, decreased functional reserve, and decreased baseline life expectancy make treatment decisions difficult. In population-based studies the majority of older patients with pancreatic cancer do not receive stage-appropriate treatment. The reasons remain unclear but likely include physician nihilism, appropriate patient selection, or patient choice. Older patients need to clearly understand the risks and benefits of treatment in the context of their overall medical condition and cancer characteristics. This will facilitate the shared decision making process and allow for patients to make decisions aligned with their personal preferences. Chronological age alone should not be a contraindication to stage-appropriate aggressive treatment for pancreatic cancer.
Visualization of RNA structure models within the Integrative Genomics Viewer

Analyses of the interrelationships between RNA structure and function are increasingly important components of genomic studies. The SHAPE-MaP strategy enables accurate RNA structure probing and realistic structure modeling of kilobase-length noncoding RNAs and mRNAs. Existing tools for visualizing RNA structure models are not suitable for efficient analysis of long, structurally heterogeneous RNAs. In addition, structure models are often advantageously interpreted in the context of other experimental data and gene annotation information, for which few tools currently exist. We have developed a module within the widely used and well supported open-source Integrative Genomics Viewer (IGV) that allows visualization of SHAPE and other chemical probing data, including raw reactivities, data-driven structural entropies, and data-constrained base-pair secondary structure models, in context with linear genomic data tracks. We illustrate the usefulness of visualizing RNA structure in the IGV by exploring structure models for a large viral RNA genome, comparing bacterial mRNA structure in cells with its structure under cell- and protein-free conditions, and comparing a noncoding RNA structure modeled using SHAPE data with a base-pairing model inferred through sequence covariation analysis.
Reconsidering the Role of Politics in Leaving Religion: The Importance of Affiliation

Studies have pointed to politics as an important force driving people away from religion—the argument is that the dogmatic politics of the Christian Right have alienated liberals and moderates, effectively threatening organized religion in America. We argue that existing explanations are incomplete; a proper reconsideration necessitates distinguishing processes of affiliation (with specific congregations) from identification (with religious traditions). Using three data sets, we find evidence that qualifies and complements existing narratives of religious exit. Evaluations of congregational political fit drive retention decisions. At the same time, opposition to the Christian Right only bears on retention decisions when it is salient in a congregational context, affecting primarily evangelicals and Republicans. These results help us understand the dynamics of the oft-observed relationship between the Christian Right and deidentification and urge us to adopt a broader, more pluralistic view of the politicization of American religion.
Chronic consequences on human health induced by microbial pathogens: Growth faltering among children in developing countries

Enteric infections continue to cause approximately 500,000 childhood deaths annually worldwide. In addition to the burden of diarrhea, there is emerging evidence that exposure to enteric pathogens may induce physiologic abnormalities that lead to linear growth faltering. This enteric disease, known as environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) remains cryptic with regard to its causes and features. In this workshop, experts in the field addressed the contribution of enteric pathogens to growth faltering in the absence of clinical diarrhea. Also addressed were the role of the intestinal microbiota in normal childhood growth among children in developing countries. The impact of pathogen exposure could represent direct epithelial injury or could be mediated by perturbations in the normal microbiota or combinations of both.
Correlations for the Dielectric Constants of $$\hbox {H}_{2}\hbox {S}$$, $$\hbox {SO}_{2}$$SO2, and $$\hbox {SF}_{6}$$SF6

A new method is developed for correlating the static dielectric constant of polar fluids over wide ranges of conditions where few experimental data exist. Molecular dynamics simulations are used to establish the temperature and density dependence of the Kirkwood g-factor, and also the functional form for the increase of the effective dipole moment with density. Most parameters in the model are obtained entirely from simulation; a single proportionality constant is adjusted to obtain agreement with the limited experimental data. The method is applied to hydrogen sulfide ( $$\hbox {H}_{2}\hbox {S}$$ ) and sulfur dioxide $$(\hbox {SO}_{2})$$ , both of which are important in geochemistry but have only a few dielectric data available. The resulting correlations agree well with the available liquid data, obey physical boundary conditions at low density and at high temperature, and interpolate in density and temperature in a physically reasonable manner. In addition, we present a more conventional correlation for the dielectric constant of sulfur hexafluoride, $$\hbox {SF}_{6}$$ , where more data are available.
On Anonymization of String Data.

String data is especially important in the privacy preserving data mining domain because most DNA and biological data is coded as strings. In this paper, we will discuss a new method for privacy preserving mining of string data with the use of simple template based condensation models. The template based model turns out to be effective in practice, and preserves important statistical characteristics of the
Tuberculosis. An old disease but a new threat to the mother, fetus, and neonate

Tuberculosis is the leading infectious disease in the world. In developing countries and certain areas of industrialized countries, rates of tuberculosis are highest among women and men of childbearing age. True congenital tuberculosis is rare; the greatest threat to the neonate is the acquisition of tuberculosis infection shortly after birth, which tends to progress rapidly to serious tuberculosis disease in a large proportion of untreated infants. Effective methods for prevention and treatment of the disease are available and inexpensive but still are not used appropriately in most parts of the developing world. The clinician caring for pregnant women should be aware of the risk factors for tuberculosis infection and disease and should test women and families according to risk.
Selected Examples of Pathologic Processes Associated with Human Polymeric Implants

Continuing advances in the design of prostheses and techniques for their implantation have produced impressive results in the length and quality of survival in patients who receive these polymeric prostheses or devices. With the ever increasing number of implants over the past two decades, basic and clinical scientists have used a wide and varied number of techniques to appreciate or determine the suitability of a given polymer for a given implant application. These techniques, aimed at determining the implant/host interaction, have generally been included under the term “biocompatibility”. Investigators commonly deal with biocompatibility in terms of whether the implant material or its degradation products, if any, initiate adverse tissue responses in the host or conversely whether deleterious changes in the chemical, physical and/or mechanical properties of the implant material are caused by the host environment. The vast majority of fundamental studies of biocompatibility involve animal models. The ultimate test for biocompatibility of a polymer, device or prosthesis, is human implantation. With this in mind, we have sought to examine implants and tissue obtained by surgical removal from humans or at autopsy. The simultaneous examination of polymeric implants and tissues removed from humans offers an opportunity to directly appreciate the various aspects of the implant/host interaction.
Annealing and Microstructural Characterization of Tin-Oxide Based Thick Film Resistors

The sheet resistance of tin oxide based thick-film resistors exhibits two regions of temperature-dependence, described by hopping (23°C–200°C) and diffusion mechanisms (200°C–350°C), respectively. Annealing these samples causes the sheet resistance to increase in both regions. In the post-annealed samples, the hopping conduction range is extended by 50°C (23°C–250°C) while the hopping parameter, T0, is decreased by more than 50%. The activation energy of diffusion (0.60 eV) is the same for both pre- and post annealed samples, but the magnitude of resistance in the diffusion controlled region is increased significantly as a result of annealing. These changes are explained in terms of a net decrease in the concentration of tin ions in the glass matrix. From a careful microstructural study it was found that a conduction path composed of tin-oxide grains or their clusters in contact with each other does not exist in the present system. HREM micrographs showed the presence of nanocrystalline tin-oxide particles in the glass phase separating the tin-oxide grain clusters. Estimated average separation between the nanocrystals in 4 nm, consistent with a variable-range hopping conduction via the dissolved tin ions in the glass matrix.
Use of computational thermodynamics to identify potential alloy compositions for metallic glass formation

A simple thermodynamic analysis illustrates that the formation of a eutectic, e.g. in a binary, is due to the greater thermodynamic stability or the more negative excess Gibbs energy of the liquid versus those of the solid phases. Further decreasing the excess Gibbs energy of the liquid extends its stability to even lower temperatures. Decreases in a liquid’s viscosity with concomitant increases in its diffusivity when the temperature is lower, creates a favorable kinetic condition for the formation of materials in the glassy or amorphous state. A calculated isopleth of Zr56.28-cTicCu31.3Ni8.7Al8.5, from 0.0 to 15 mol% Ti shows that the liquidus temperature of the quaternary alloy decreases rapidly with the addition of Ti, reaching a minimum at 4.9 mol% Ti, and then increases again. These results indicate that the glass forming ability of the alloys would increase with the addition of Ti, reaching a maximum at or near 4.9 mol% Ti, and then decrease again. This was indeed confirmed experimentally. In a second example, we used a similar thermodynamic analysis to predict alloy compositions of sputter-deposited Al-Zr thin-films in the amorphous state. The predicted alloys compositions were also in accord with those obtained experimentally. In this analysis, we assumed intermetallic compounds do not form due to kinetic constraint since sputter-deposition is an extremely rapid process. In addition we assumed the Gibbs energies of the amorphous phase to be the same as those of the undercooled liquid.
High Blood Pressure at Early School Age Among Extreme Preterms.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Former preterm infants are at increased risk of hypertension with increasing age. Our objective was to identify rates of high blood pressure (BP) (≥90th percentile) and hypertension (BP ≥95th percentile) and associated risk factors among extreme preterm (EPT) infants at 6 to 7 years of age. METHODS: Assessment included BP and anthropometrics. Comparisons were made by BP ≥90th versus RESULTS: Among 379 EPT infants, 20.6% had systolic high BP, 10.8% systolic hypertension, 21.4% diastolic high BP, and 11.4% diastolic hypertension. Children with systolic high BP had higher rates of BMI, triceps skinfolds >85th percentile, and waist circumference >90th percentile. In regression analyses, weight gain velocity from 18 months to school age (RR = 1.36), and maternal gestational diabetes (MGD) (RR = 2.04) predicted systolic and either systolic and/or diastolic high BP (RR = 1.27 and RR = 1.67). Among children with BMI CONCLUSIONS: Both overweight and normal weight EPT children are at risk for high BP and hypertension. Public insurance, MGD, and weight gain velocity are risk factors. Findings of high BP among EPT children at early school age are worrisome and indicate a need for close follow-up.
Factors influencing women’s decisions to getting tested for BRCA mutation

Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death among gynecological cancers. There are many risk factors that can increase a woman’s susceptibility to breast and ovarian cancers, some of which are modifiable. However, non-modifiable risks for breast and ovarian cancer include the presence of genetic mutations (BRCA) increase the risk of these diseases. The purpose of this review was to identify factors, reported in the literature, known to affect women’s decision to get genetic testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. A total of 31 studies that met the inclusion criteria were included in this review. Several internal and external factors, influencing women’s decision to getting tested for BRCA mutations, were identified and explained. Implications for clinical practice were provided.
Folic Acid Intake, Fetal Brain Growth, and Maternal Smoking in Pregnancy: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background Folic acid supplementation during pregnancy plays an important role in fetal growth and development. To our knowledge, no experimental study has examined the effect of folic acid on fetal brain growth in women who smoke cigarettes during pregnancy. Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of higher-dose compared with standard-dose folic acid supplementation on prenatal fetal brain growth, measured by head circumference, brain weight, and brain-body weight ratio (BBR). Design In this randomly assigned, double-blind, controlled clinical trial, we recruited 345 smoking pregnant women attending a community health center in Tampa, FL between 2010 and 2014. Participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either 0.8 mg folic acid/d (standard of care at the study center) or 4 mg folic acid/d (higher strength). Participants were also enrolled in a smoking cessation program. A 2-level linear growth model was used to assess treatment effect and factors that predict intrauterine growth in head circumference over time. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to estimate the effect of higher-strength folic acid on head circumference at birth, fetal brain weight, and fetal BBRs. Results Mothers who received the higher dose of folic acid had infants with a 1.18 mm larger mean head circumference compared with infants born to mothers who received the standard dose, but this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.2762). Higher-dose folic acid also had no significant effect on brain weight. The BBR of infants of mothers who received higher-dose folic acid was, however, 0.33 percentage points lower than that for infants of mothers who received the standard dose of folic acid (P = 0.044). Conclusions Infants of smokers in pregnancy may benefit from higher-strength maternal folic acid supplementation. We noted a decrease in the proportion of infants with impaired BBR among those on higher-dose folic acid. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01248260.
The first alpha-fluoroallenylphosphonate, the synthesis of conjugated fluoroenynes, and the stereoselective synthesis of vinylfluorophosphonates using a new multifunctional fluorine-containing building block

Limitations on current methodologies for the introduction of CF(2) and CFH in complex alpha-fluorophosphonates led to the synthesis of a fluorine-containing building block TIPS-CtCCFXP(O)(OEt)(2), where X = H or F. This multifunctional fluorine synthon reacts with carbonyl compounds under WHE conditions to give high yields of fluorinated conjugated enynes and enediyne. When X = F, trapping of the desilylated anion with an electrophile after TIPS removal provided exclusive access to gamma-substituted derivatives of alpha-fluorophosphonates. When X = H, TBAF deprotection of the silyl group yields H(2)C=C=CFP(O)(OEt)(2) through an allenyl-propargyl resonance stabilized anion. The allene moiety has been used as template in the stereoselective synthesis of alpha-fluoro-beta, gamma-diiodopropenyl phosphonate, via electrophilic iodination, and alpha-fluoro-gamma-amino-alpha,beta-unsaturated phosphonates, including unsaturated phosphononucleosides, by nucleophilic displacement of an allylic iodide. Hydroamination of H(2)C=C=CFP(O)(OEt)(2) using secondary amines produced (Z)-alpha-fluoroenaminophosphonates, whereas Diels-Alder cycloaddition with cyclopentadiene provides the corresponding exocyclic vinylfluorophosphonate.
Faith and Empire: Art and Politics in Tibetan Buddhism

Most Buddhist scholars are aware of the political role Buddhism played in various regions of Asia, such as the many royal families that embraced Buddhism not just from religious belief, but also as...
Understanding resilience from the perspective of Appalachian centenarians

Centenarians worldwide are growing rapidly and thriving as they age. This growth reflects their desire to thrive beyond personal and societal obstacles, a hallmark sign of resilience. However, little research exists on centenarians’ perspectives about their lived experiences that reflect resilience. Therefore, the purpose of this secondary analysis was to capture the perspectives of Appalachian centenarians about (a) living through their childhood and early adulthood in an area known for poverty and isolation, and (b) exploring the resilient nature that emerged from their narratives. With a qualitative descriptive design, 21 community-dwelling Appalachian centenarians participated in face-to-face interviews. They resided in either their homes or assisted-living facilities. Transcripts were analysed with Neuendorf's method of content analysis. Within three themes, 11 sub-themes were identified: (a) working hard for the family, (b) loss of a loved one, (c) gender and race discrimination, (d) impact of isolation on health, (e) living a simple life, (f) using family/community support, (g) consuming and appreciating food from their farms, (h) spirituality, (i) generosity of spirit, (j) living a clean life, and (k) happy, good and loving life. Collectively, these themes and sub-themes reflected how the centenarians overcame and grew from challenges and adversities to become resilient. Consequently, these findings show that understanding resilience from centenarians’ perspectives can significantly contribute to the potential for longevity.
Gallstone and Biliary Disease

Gallstone disease occurs more often in women than in men, and during pregnancy, women are at particular risk of developing gallstones. While the presence of gallstones alone does not mandate treatment beyond observation, recurrent symptomatic gallstones and complicated gallstones disease do require surgical consideration. In pregnant patients for whom cholecystectomy is indicated, timing depends upon trimester of pregnancy as well as the nature of the gallstone disease. The particular considerations that must be made for the pregnant patient in terms of diagnostic and treatment modalities as well as for surgical planning are discussed.
Patient-Centered Medical Home With Colocation: Observations and Insights From an Academic Family Medicine Clinic:

There is a movement in the United States to transform family medicine practices from single physician–based patient care to team-based care. These teams are usually composed of multiple disciplines...