cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of pressure management strategies and impact of simplifications for a post-EOR CO2 storage project

During injection of CO2 for geologic sequestration, reservoir pressure will increase. The magnitude of that increase is predicated on many factors, including a priori reservoir pressure, injection rate and hydraulic diffusivity. Controlling reservoir pressure buildup is feasible through different means, and especially common for such is extracting fluid from the reservoir via production wells. The configuration of well patterns is an important design aspect. We evaluated seven different well patterns for the SACROC unit, an enhanced oil recovery with CO2 site in the Permian Basin of western Texas, USA. Each pattern utilized a different production well configuration, including number and locations of wells. We quantified the performance of each well pattern. An intuitive result that was exhibited by simulation results is that patterns with production wells are always superior to non-production cases. More specifically, more production wells translates to less time needed to release the pressure, also intuitive, but our goal was to quantify. We also evaluated the impact of several model simplifications, including increased intrinsic permeability, homogeneity, linear relative permeability functions and flatness of vertical layers. Results indicate that models with multiple simplifications lead to more significant difference from the original “best calibrated” model compared to models with only one simplification. Among all studied factors, increasing the intrinsic permeability has the greatest impact on the pressure management, and thus is probably the most important variable to consider for pressure management strategies. The choice of relative permeability function is least important, at least in the context of pressure management strategy. Heterogeneity of the reservoir not only affects pressure management significantly, but also influences simulation grid design optimization as well as well alignment orientation.
Solar energy strategies in the U.S. utility market

Abstract Given the exponential cost decline trend of solar energy generation technologies, and the targeted tax incentives and loan guarantees for renewable energy in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, and other policy measures, solar energy generation has been enjoying rapid growth in the United States. This paper examines the incorporation of solar renewable energy into generation portfolios, and the effects of natural capital – specifically the geospatially calculated potential solar energy generation as measured by potential average annual kilowatt-hours per square meter per day − and respective state mandated “renewable portfolio standard” targets on utility-scale solar energy generation. Findings suggest that a state's natural solar energy potential is a predictor of solar energy generation development, and further this relationship is significantly moderated by state-specific renewable energy portfolio standard targets.
The impact of accounting laws and standards on bank risks: Evidence from transition countries

Abstract It is well documented that institutional development has greatly enhanced bank stability by reducing risk-taking. We examine the causal effect of accounting system development on bank risk-taking based on difference-in-difference (DID) models in the context of institutional reforms. By creating two distinct measures of the accounting system: the distance to the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS Index) and the domestic accounting law enactment (Accounting Law Index), we show that the accounting system has a significant impact on bank risk-taking in the Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries. Specifically, compliance with the IFRS induces large drop in bank risk, while increased domestic accounting laws lead to greater risk-taking. We also show that European Union membership reinforces the effect of the IFRS Index on bank risk-taking for those transition countries.
Word segmentation from noise-band vocoded speech

Spectral degradation reduces access to the acoustics of spoken language and compromises how learners break into its structure. We hypothesised that spectral degradation disrupts word segmentation, but that listeners can exploit other cues to restore detection of words. Normal-hearing adults were familiarised to artificial speech that was unprocessed or spectrally degraded by noise-band vocoding into 16 or 8 spectral channels. The monotonic speech stream was pause-free (Experiment 1), interspersed with isolated words (Experiment 2), or slowed by 33% (Experiment 3). Participants were tested on segmentation of familiar vs. novel syllable sequences and on recognition of individual syllables. As expected, vocoding hindered both word segmentation and syllable recognition. The addition of isolated words, but not slowed speech, improved segmentation. We conclude that syllable recognition is necessary but not sufficient for successful word segmentation, and that isolated words can facilitate listeners' access to the structure of acoustically degraded speech.
Novel ribonuclease activity of cusativin from Cucumis sativus for mapping nucleoside modifications in RNA

A recombinant ribonuclease, cusativin, was characterized for its cytidine-specific cleavage ability of RNA to map chemical modifications. Following purification of native cusativin protein as described before (Rojo et al. Planta 194:328, 17), partial amino acid sequencing was carried out to identify the corresponding protein coding gene in cucumber genome. Cloning and heterologous expression of the identified gene in Escherichia coli resulted in successful production of active protein as a C-terminal His-tag fusion protein. The ribonuclease activity and cleavage specificity of the fusion protein were confirmed with a variety of tRNA isoacceptors and total tRNA. Characterization of cusativin digestion products by ion-pairing reverse-phase liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (IP-RP-LC-MS) analysis revealed cleavage of CpA, CpG, and CpU phosphodiester bonds at the 3'-terminus of cytidine under optimal digestion conditions. Ribose methylation or acetylation of cytosine inhibited RNA cleavage. The CpC phosphodiester bond was also resistant to cusativin-mediated RNA cleavage; a feature to our knowledge has not been reported for other nucleobase-specific ribonucleases. Here, we demonstrate the analytical utility of such a novel feature for obtaining high-sequence coverage and accurate mapping of modified residues in substrate RNAs. Graphical abstract Cytidine-specific novel ribonuclease activity of cusativin.
A Randomized Trial of Brief Versus Extended Seizure Prophylaxis After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

Seizures occur in 10–20% of patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), predominantly in the acute phase. However, anticonvulsant prophylaxis remains controversial, with studies suggesting a brief course may be adequate and longer exposure may be associated with worse outcomes. Nonetheless, in the absence of controlled trials to inform practice, patients continue to receive variable chemoprophylaxis. The objective of this study was to compare brief versus extended seizure prophylaxis after aneurysmal SAH. We performed a prospective, single-center, randomized, open-label trial of a brief (3-day) course of levetiracetam (LEV) versus extended treatment (until hospital discharge). The primary outcome was in-hospital seizure. Secondary outcomes included drug discontinuation and functional outcome. Eighty-four SAH patients had been randomized when the trial was terminated due to slow enrollment. In-hospital seizures occurred in three (9%) of 35 in the brief LEV group versus one (2%) of 49 in the extended group (p = 0.2). Ten (20%) of the extended group discontinued LEV prematurely, primarily due to sedation. Four of five seizures (including one pre-randomization) occurred in patients with early brain injury (EBI) on computed tomography (CT) scans (adjusted OR 12.5, 95% CI 1.2–122, p = 0.03). Good functional outcome (mRS 0–2) was more likely in the brief LEV group (83 vs. 61%, p = 0.04). This study was underpowered to demonstrate superiority of extended LEV for seizure prophylaxis, although a trend to benefit was seen. Seizures primarily occurred in those with radiographic EBI, suggesting targeted prophylaxis may be preferable. Larger trials are required to evaluate optimal chemoprophylaxis in SAH, especially in light of worse outcomes in those receiving extended treatment.
Perturbing possibilities in the postqualitative turn: lessons from Taoism (道) and Ubuntu

AbstractRecognizing cognitive imperialism in the emerging postqualitative regime, we propose a hesitation, a perturbation to think the other-than-ness of the west. Asserting the postqualitative regime as west reinforces hegemonic epistemological violence; we look to the East and Africa – progenitors of the west-termed postqualitative regime and seek to privilege the onto–epistemologies from which these concepts were culturally (mis)appropriated. More specifically, we explore the southern African philosophy of Ubuntu and Taoism from the East to transgress west. These oft-western denigrated indigenous philosophical concepts embody the postqualitative conceptual (mis)appropriations of entanglement, the inseparability of ontology and epistemology (onto–epistemology), and an ontological positionality of immanence – interpenetration – impermanence. Re-conceptualizing the postqualitative regime, we offer a turn to non-western indigenous ontologies illuminating African and Eastern philosophies pregnant with multi...
Transformations of The Book

In this chapter we compare the first three editions of Van der Waerden’s “Moderne Algebra” and learn about his—and the book’s—fluctuations between Hilbert’s and Brouwer’s views on the foundations of mathematics.
The Genetic Network of Life-Span Extension by Dietary Restriction

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the genetic pathways that mediate longevity induced by various dietary restriction (DR) regimens in Caenorhabditis elegans and provides evidence that these pathways are relatively independent, but interact to form a DR network. It also highlights the most conserved nodes of the DR network throughout species. C. elegans normally live in the soil and feed on bacteria, for example, those present on rotten fruits. One of the most commonly used methods to mimic DR is a genetic mutation ( eat-2 ) that reduces the pharyngeal pumping rate of the worms, thereby leading to reduced nutrient consumption. In addition to this genetic way of inducing DR, there are four DR methods in which the source of nutrient is altered in liquid media. While liquid cultures are not the typical conditions for growing worms, they allow an easier manipulation of the nutrients. The most frequently used liquid method of DR, devised by Klass in 1977, consists in simply diluting E. coli bacteria in liquid cultures and has been termed bacterial DR (BDR). This BDR method has been further refined to include both a solid support and a liquid dilution of bacteria, and term this DR regimen LDR, for liquid DR. Finally, it provides possible explanations as to why distinct DR regimens trigger different genetic pathways to promote longevity and discusses how these different pathways might be harnessed to mimic DR.
Why Higher Space or Time Dimensions

Measurable relics of the Big Bang include the observed background radiation at 2.7 Kelvin, the inhomogeneities in the energy distribution, the relative abundance of the chemical elements in our universe, and more. The Big Bang theory provides a quantitative explanation of what we see today, by relying on our theoretical understanding of the rest of the universe. The great success is that the prediction matches the experimental observation in quantitative detail. This is what gives us the confidence that the Big Bang and inflation theories are more or less correct.
POLYCYTHEMIA VERA: AGE RELATIONSHIPS AND SURVIVAL.

Study of our first 201 cases of polycythemia vera and of cases reported in the literature shows a remarkable age distribution for this disease. The age at onset, age at diagnosis, age at first treatment, and age at death, as well as survival times, each fits a normal distribution. In our cases, the median age at onset is 57 years with a standard deviation of 13 years, an entirely different distribution from that for the population of Oregon. This requires a logarithmic increase in relative age specific incidence from age 20 to 40, when there is little difference in the number of persons alive at each age, with a doubling of the proportion occurring in each 5-year interval every 7.5 years. After age 55, the proportion of new cases developing follows the slope of the number alive in the population. This means that the incidence remains almost constant after the peak age incidence is reached. Unfortunately, no data exist to transform these figures to absolute values, but if enough of the population could be studied to give absolute values at any one point, all other points could be determined. The implication is that polycythemia vera is due to a single cause which is highly correlated with age. The normal distribution of survival times means that polycythemia vera is not a malignant process since survival times in all malignancies studied fit a log normal distribution. The constant value of age at death means that age at first treatment is a most important prognostic factor. The mean age at death of patients with polycythemia vera, treated with P32, is 69 years ± 1, and treated without radiation therapy is 65 years ± 1. Apparently, if a patient lives to be treated with P32 previous treatment by other modalities or no treatment prior to that, will not affect the years to be gained by P32 treatment. However, the total survival time is highly correlated with age and the sooner after onset that the patient can be treated the more likely it is he will benefit from P32 therapy.
Reduce Cognitive Burden on Drivers through Contextualising Environments

Given the rapid increase in urbanisation and a change in the mobility patterns of humans, traffic on our road networks is expanding at an exponential rate. Governments across the globe are investing a vast amount of money on expanding road networks to cater for this ever increasing demand. This, however adds to the cognitive burden of the driver as the moving parts on the road network are also increased. Motivated by this observation, in this paper, we hypothesise that advances in technology-be it connected cars or smart road infrastructures- could play a key role in effectively and efficiently utilising the road network, thus reducing the cognitive burden on drivers. In order to investigate our hypothesis, we have implemented a set of technologies that can seamlessly harness the power of driver specific information and correlate this information with road network features such as properties of the road itself (e.g., roads with high curvature) or traffic information (e.g., traffic flow) such that daily activities of road users can be satisfied. In this paper, we present our initial work to realise this end-to-end framework and present results on contextualising the driving environment by means of feature analysis on the road network.
Surgical intervention and its role in Takayasu arteritis.

Abstract Vascular surgery remains an important option in the management of Takayasu arteritis (TA). Its use is predominantly confined to the treatment of symptomatic organ ischaemia or life-threatening aneurysm formation. In most cases, this follows the failure of medical therapy to prevent arterial injury. Open surgery and endovascular approaches are used. The choice between them, at least in part, is determined by the site and nature of the lesion. Open surgery, although more invasive, offers enhanced duration of arterial patency, whereas for endovascular intervention, primary angioplasty without stenting is preferred, with stenting reserved for primary or secondary angioplasty failures. Although there is increasing interest in the role of stent grafts and tailor-made endovascular stents, long-term outcomes remain to be reported. Interventional outcomes are improved and complications reduced by therapeutic control of disease activity before and after surgery. The wider use of combined immunosuppression and the introduction of biologic therapy for refractory TA may reduce future requirements for surgical intervention.
Rapid image-based pupil plane characterization for EUV lithography systems

As the power of laser produced plasma sources has increased, EUV lens heating has become a major component of process variation. Differential lens heating can cause thermal aberrations which affect system drift during operation, therefore pupil plane characterization will play a critical role in process optimization for EUV lithography (EUVL). In-situ full pupil characterization, which depicts the pupil in its in-use state, is essential for these tools. To this end we have developed Quick Inverse Pupil (QUIP)—a software suite developed for rapid characterization of pupil plane behavior based on images formed by that system. This algorithm is based on statistical modeling, which correlates image-space variation with known aberrations. Previously we have presented variations on this algorithm which can only measure third-order aberrations and requires aerial image data. In this paper, we will present an approach to measure high order aberrations from images formed in resist. An inverse pupil solution will be obtained from CD-SEM image analysis. We will show that the additional degrees of freedom required to measure high-order aberrations can be achieved through using different pitches of the metrology targets. We will demonstrate that this technique can accurately determine third- and fifth-order aberrations with a retrieval error below 0.5 miliwaves in under one second. A combination of synthetic and experimental data will be presented.
Scholarly Networks and Collaborative Practices (Proceedings of the Colloquium held at Brown University on April 16-18, 2015)

This section presents a selection from the proceedings of a colloquium held at Brown University in the spring of 2015. The event was hosted by the Virtual Humanities Lab in the Department of Italian Studies (VHL), in collaboration with the Center for Digital Scholarship in the Brown University Library (CDS), and DARIAH-Italy (Digital Research Infrastructure for the Arts and the Humanities). Its aim was to explore the new types of scholarly output produced when scholars use digital methods to collaborate on, annotate and visualize traditional materials.
Legal Briefs: Was the Adverse Outcome from Goldenhar Syndrome or Hypoxic-Ischemic Events?

EDITOR’S NOTE The Legal Briefs feature is based on actual malpractice cases with opinions of the plaintiff and defense physician experts interspersed throughout the case. The format of this feature does not provide evidence that supports or refutes each of these opinions. A 3,765-g male infant was delivered at 37 weeks’ gestation to a 34-year-old gravida 1, para 0 woman with morbid obesity, chronic hepatitis B, and chronic hypertension. The woman’s prenatal course was benign and she was negative for group B Streptococcus . She was brought to the hospital because of spontaneous rupture of membranes and some irregular contractions. The obstetrician decided to ripen her cervix with misoprostol, followed by an induction with oxytocin. Nine hours after the initiation of oxytocin, her cervix was fully dilated and she began pushing. The fetus was in the occiput posterior position and despite pushing, remained at −2 to −1 station. With each push, a late deceleration appeared. The fetal heart tracings changed from category 1 to category 2. Tracings progressed to fetal tachycardia, lack of accelerations, minimal moderate variability, and late and variable decelerations. The plaintiff obstetrician was critical of the management. He pointed out that the combination of 1) the fetus being remote from a safe vaginal delivery, 2) the lack of descent despite the pushing, and 3) the fetal intolerance to labor, was an indication for a cesarean delivery. Forceps were attempted 3 times. The plaintiff obstetrician was critical of the use of forceps, stating that the intolerance to labor and the high station mandated discontinuation of the oxytocin and the need for an emergent cesarean section. When the forceps failed, the obstetrician …
Insight into Fluorocarbon Adsorption in Metal-Organic Frameworks via Experiments and Molecular Simulations.

The improvement in adsorption/desorption of hydrofluorocarbons has implications for many heat transformation applications such as cooling, refrigeration, heat pumps, power generation, etc. The lack of chlorine in hydrofluorocarbons minimizes the lasting environmental damage to the ozone, with R134a (1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane) being used as the primary industrial alternative to commonly used Freon-12. The efficacy of novel adsorbents used in conjunction with R134a requires a deeper understanding of the host-guest chemical interaction. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) represent a newer class of adsorbent materials with significant industrial potential given their high surface area, porosity, stability, and tunability. In this work, we studied two benchmark MOFs, a microporous Ni-MOF-74 and mesoporous Cr-MIL-101. We employed a combined experimental and simulation approach to study the adsorption of R134a to better understand host-guest interactions using equilibrium isotherms, enthalpy of adsorption, Henry’s coefficients, and radial distribution functions. The overall uptake was shown to be exceptionally high for Cr-MIL-101, >140 wt% near saturation while >50 wt% at very low partial pressures. For both MOFs, simulation data suggest that metal sites provide preferable adsorption sites for fluorocarbon based on favorable C-F ··· M+ interactions between negatively charged fluorine atoms of R134a and positively charged metal atoms of the MOF framework.
Effect of clinical pharmacist encounters in the transitional care clinic on 30-day re-admissions: A retrospective study

Hospitalized patients who meet specific criteria at discharge are referred to the transitional care clinic team consisting of a nurse practitioner and/or physician and a clinical pharmacist. In collaboration with the providers, the pharmacist reviews medications for appropriateness, assesses adherence, recommends medication changes and provides education. The purpose of this study was to measure the effect of an outpatient transitional care clinical pharmacist on 30-day re-admissions in an urban setting serving a population of low socioeconomic status. After receiving IRB approval, this single-center retrospective study analyzed records of 573 patient visits of which nearly 75% included a clinical pharmacist interaction. Rates of 30-day re-admissions were not statistically different among the two groups, however, it was found that each added co-morbidity significantly increased the patients’ 30-day re-admission rate by 26%.
Delivery of TRAIL-expressing plasmid DNA to cancer cells in vitro and in vivo using aminoglycoside-derived polymers.

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a death ligand that can preferentially induce apoptosis in cancer cells over normal cells. The transmembrane form of TRAIL has been shown to elicit much stronger activity than its soluble counterpart but delivery is a potential challenge. Here, we investigated the potential of aminoglycoside-derived polymers to enhance delivery of a plasmid (pEF-TRAIL) that expresses the transmembrane form of TRAIL in order to determine the effect on cell death in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. Transgene delivery efficacy and toxicity of aminoglycoside-derived polymers was first evaluated using a GFP-expressing plasmid (pEF-GFP) at different plasmid amounts and plasmid : polymer ratios in UMUC3 bladder cancer and HeLa cervical cancer cells. Delivery of the TRAIL plasmid using aminoglycoside-derived polymers resulted in up to 60% cell death in UMUC3 and HeLa cells; TRAIL protein expression was confirmed using Western blots. TRAIL plasmid delivery resulted in a decrease in cellular procaspase-8 and an increase in TRAIL receptor DR5 levels, suggesting a role for the death receptor and caspase cascade in TRAIL-mediated apoptosis. The TRAIL plasmid did not cause cell death in normal human or mouse fibroblasts. The in vivo delivery of the TRAIL plasmid using a paromomycin-derived polymer resulted in significant reduction in tumor burden and increased survival in tumor-bearing live mice.
Influences of Game Design and Context on Learners’ Trying on Moral Identities

Games can invite players to try on moral identities, but players ultimately choose how to respond to this invitation. In this study, I explore how the design of a game and the context it is played ...
Sprengel Deformity in Biological Sisters.

Sprengel deformity is the main congenital shoulder deformity seen in children. First described by Otto Sprengel in 1891, it consists of a high-riding, dysplastic, and malrotated scapula leading to functional and cosmetic impairments. It has never been reported in siblings. Case Presentation Two sisters, 8 and 9 years old, presented for an evaluation of atraumatic limitation in the shoulder range of motion and neck webbing with an unknown family history. Physical examination revealed a small high-riding scapula, webbed neck, and painless limitation in shoulder abduction (<70°) and flexion (<80°). The 9-year-old sibling had a bilateral shoulder involvement, and the younger had unilateral. Imaging revealed bony and fibrous omovertebral connections between the dysplastic scapulas and cervical spine along with Klippel-Feil deformities. Both sisters underwent scapula repositioning via a modified Woodward procedure. The omovertebral connection was resected followed by scapula derotation and inferior migration. Both had a dramatic improvement in cosmesis and near-complete restoration of shoulder function at follow-up. Conclusions Although uncommon, Sprengel deformity results in notable derangement of shoulder function. If untreated, children experience difficulty with most overhead activities and often have cosmetic reports. Although no previous genetic link has been identified, its presence in biological sisters suggests that more research is needed.
Endovascular Intervention of a Mycotic Pseudoaneurysm of Accessory Left Hepatic Artery Arising from the Left Gastric Artery Presenting Secondary to Clostridium difficile Colitis: A Case Report.

Hepatic artery aneurysms have an estimated incidence of approximately 0.002%, of which one half are pseudoaneurysms (PsAs). These typically occur following trauma or liver transplant and are often asymptomatic. An uncommon pathology, mycotic aneurysms or PsAs are those that result as a consequence of infections. The danger in mycotic processes stems from their complications of systemic seeding of infection, rupture, and possible exsanguination. This case reports a mycotic PsA that was found in an accessory left hepatic artery (aLHA) branching from the left gastric artery (LGA). The patient presented with recurrent Clostridium difficile colitis with perforation and was later found to have a left upper quadrant vascular lesion during repeat imaging after failing to progress in their clinical course. After multidisciplinary meetings with vascular surgery and interventional radiology, the patient eventually underwent endovascular coil embolization. This is the first documented case of a mycotic PsA secondary to recurrent C. difficile colitis located in an aLHA branching from the LGA.
A Wide Input Power Line Energy Harvesting Circuit for Wireless Sensor Nodes

The proposed circuit aims to harvest energy from AC powerlines with a wide current ranging from 10 to 50 A. The proposed system includes a wake-up circuit and is capable of cold-start. A buck-boost converter operating in DCM is adopted for impedance matching, where the impedance is rather independent of the operation conditions. So, the proposed system can be applicable to various types of wireless sensor nodes with different internal impedances. Experimental results show that the proposed system achieves an efficiency of 80.6% under the powerline current of 50 A.
Temperatures and water contents of Long Valley, CA basalts: Application of olivine–melt thermometry and hygrometry at the liquidus

Abstract The Plio-Quaternary Long Valley (LV) basalts, derived from subduction-modified lithosphere, are found in close proximity to the Long Valley caldera in California, from which hydrous high-SiO2 rhyolites were erupted, including the climactic Bishop Tuff (>600 km3). To better understand the processes by which the influx of basalts into the crustal column beneath Long Valley caldera led to the generation of voluminous high-SiO2 rhyolite, it is necessary to determine the range of temperatures and water contents of the LV basalts. In this study, olivine–melt thermometry and hygrometry are applied to several, high-MgO (~7–10 wt%) LV basalts which contain phenocrysts of olivine and clinopyroxene, many of which display diffusion-limited, rapid-growth textures. Histograms of analyzed olivine compositions display a continuous, unimodal population in each sample. When the most Mg-rich olivine in each sample is paired with a liquid composition that matches that for the whole-rock (and a Fe3+/FeT ratio of 0.24), Fe2+−MgKD (olivine–melt) values of 0.32–0.36 are obtained, consistent with preservation of the first olivine composition to crystallize near the liquidus due to rapid phenocryst growth during ascent. Both a Mg- and Ni-based olivine–melt thermometer from the literature, calibrated on the same experimental dataset, were applied to the most Mg-rich olivine paired with the whole-rock melt composition. Because the Ni-thermometer is independent of water content, it provides the actual temperature at the onset of olivine crystallization in each of the LV basalts (1198–1053 °C), whereas the Mg-thermometer gives the temperature under anhydrous conditions and thus allows ∆T (= TMg–TNi = depression of liquidus due to water) to be obtained. The average ∆T for all samples is 86 (±27) °C, which literature models show is consistent with an average melt water content of ~4.3 (±1.5) wt%.
Radio & Wireless Week 2022: More Than Five Conferences [From the Guest Editor’s Desk]

Welcome to the 2022 IEEE Radio & Wireless Week (RWW) special issue of IEEE Microwave Magazine ! This column and the rest of the magazine highlight the fact that RWW has a lot more to offer than meets the eye. While it’s true that RWW is not as large as some other conferences, it utilizes that size difference to foster an engaging environment that facilitates more personal interactions (within proper guidelines, of course) and to provide opportunities for attendees to keep abreast of all the different advances in the microwave field.
Emergence of order in condensates composed of multi-valent, multi-domain proteins

Many RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) that assemble into membraneless organelles, have a common architecture including disordered prion-like domain (PLD) and folded RNA-binding domain (RBD). An enrichment of PLD within the condensed phase gives rise to formation, on longer time scales, amyloid-like fibrils (aging). In this study, we employ coarse-grained Langevin dynamics simulations to explore the physical basis for the structural diversity in condensed phases of multi-domain RBPs. We discovered a highly cooperative first order transition between disordered (liquid-like) structures and an ordered (solid-like) phase whereby chains of PLD organize in fibrils with high nematic orientational order. Cooperativity of this liquid-solid transition makes fibril formation highly malleable to mutations or post-translational modifications. An interplay between homo-domain (PLD-PLD) and hetero-domain (PLD-RBD) interactions results in variety of structures with distinct spatial architectures. Our results provide a mechanistic understanding of how multi-domain RBPs could form assemblies with distinct structural and, potentially, material properties. Significance StatementAssembly of proteins and nucleic acids into dense, liquid-like pockets is associated with several key functions including stress response, gene-regulation, DNA-repair and RNA processing. Several RNA binding proteins such as FUS are known to form liquid-like condensates that progressively harden into more dynamically, solid-like structures, a phenomenon that gets accelerated by disease mutations. In this study, we discover the mechanistic origins of this transition and show that small mutational or posttranslational modifications could result in sharp disorder-order transitions that could characterize accelerated liquid-solid transition in disease mutants.
The T-Matrix Scheme

The Tk-matrix scheme for solving exterior boundary value problems and scattering problems has been popular for the last 25 years. Although many papers have been published on this method and its applications to acoustical electromagnetic and elastic wave scattering, the theoretical foundations of the method were given only in 1982 (Ramm [7]).
Heterogeneity in immunoblot patterns obtained by using four strains of Borrelia burgdorferi and sera from naturally exposed dogs.

This study evaluated the differences in immunoblot patterns when serum specimens from seropositive dogs were reacted against four strains of Borrelia burgdorferi. Intense bands were consistently detected for the 83-, 66-, 61- to 60-, 41-, and 31-kilodalton regions for all four strains. Most variations were observed in the regions of 45 to 34 and 26 to 15 kilodaltons. Adsorption studies suggested that one reason for the observed variability was a difference in proteins among the organisms, rather than a difference in migration of proteins. Therefore, knowledge and consistency of the test antigen are essential when evaluating and comparing canine immunoblot patterns to B. burgdorferi, but for diagnostic purposes all of the serum samples would have been considered positive regardless of the strain used. Images
City size birthrates and development in China: evidence of modernization?

This paper uses recently published aggregate data to examine the relationship among cities birthrates and development in the Peoples Republic of China. Postrevolutionary China has long attempted to limit birthrates arguing that population control will enhance economic development and physical quality of life. The one child policy and other population control programs have been concentrated mainly in urban areas which have lower absolute birthrates than nonurban areas. Despite this fact multivariate statistical analysis shows that urban areas do not have lower birthrates after controlling for secondary education industrial employment and several other variables. By contrast most cities do have higher levels of economic development and physical quality of life even after controlling for numerous indicators. These findings (1) suggest that innovative public policies have influenced urban China and (2) support several arguments associated with modernization and demographic transition theories. (authors) (EXCERPT)
Escherichia coli Thioesterase I, Molecular Cloning and Sequencing of the Structural Gene and Identification as a Periplasmic Enzyme*

The structural gene for Escherichia coli thioesterase I (called tesA) has been cloned by use of sequence data obtained from the purified protein. The tesA gene was mapped at 530 kilobase pair of the E. coli physical map (minute 11.6 of E. coli genetic map). The DNA sequence of the tesA gene was obtained and the deduced protein sequence showed that thioesterase I consists of 182 amino acids and has a molecular mass of 20.5 kDa. Comparison of the DNA and protein sequence data suggested that a leader sequence of 26 amino acid residues is cleaved from the primary translation product, and this processing was confirmed by NH2-terminal sequencing of the primary translation product synthesized in vitro. These data predicted that thioesterase I (long believed to be a cytoplasmic protein) is exported to the cell periplasm, a prediction supported by release of the enzyme from cells upon osmotic shock. The TesA protein sequence does not exhibit any significant overall sequence similarity with other known proteins, although the sequence does contain two small sequence elements found in several other thioesterases. One of these elements is a sequence similar to the serine esterase active sites found in serine proteases and four other thioesterases. A serine residue within this TesA element was shown to be covalently labeled with [3H] diisopropyl fluorophosphate, a potent inhibitor of TesA activity. The second sequence element is a histidine-containing sequence found close to the carboxyl terminus that is also found in the carboxyl termini of the four known active serine thioesterases. The physiological role of thioesterase I is unclear. A strain carrying a null mutation of the tesA gene was constructed and found to have no growth phenotype. Moreover, a strain carrying a plasmid that gave massive overproduction of TesA (approximately 100-fold higher than that of the wild type) also grew normally. In addition a strain containing double null mutations in both tesA and tesB (the structural gene for E. coli thioesterase II) also failed to display any growth phenotype. Analysis of the fatty acid compositions of phospholipid, lipid A, and lipoprotein of the above strains showed no significant changes from a wild type strain.
Assessing a farmer's decision concerning the application timing of nitrogen fertilizer

This paper is concerned with a farmer's decision on the timing of nitrogen fertilizer application. Analytical models are developed to determine the necessary conditions for the optimal timing of the application of nitrogen fertilizer. The models, coupled with an estimated cotton yield function, are used to assess a farmer's decision on the optimal application timing of nitrogen fertilizer in cotton production. The empirical results explain various observed application timings of nitrogen fertilizer being used in cotton production in Mississippi, USA, and provide an estimate of the cost to a farmer when he or she must comply with a restriction on the timing of the application of nitrogen fertilizer.
Intake, milk production and heat stress of dairy cows fed a citrus extract during summer heat

Abstract This study determined effects of feeding a citrus extract (CE) to high producing dairy cows during summer heat on measures of heat stress, as well as milk production and composition, in a replicated 2 × 2 Latin square experiment with two 28 d periods on a dairy farm near Hanford (CA, USA). Four ‘high group’ pens were used ( i.e. , cows which had cleared the fresh pen but were not yet confirmed pregnant), each with ∼310 early lactation multiparity cows/pen. The two total mixed rations contained 171 g/kg dry matter (DM) crude protein (CP), 55 g/kg fat, 335 g/kg neutral detergent fiber (aNDF) and 135 g/kg starch, and were the same except for inclusion of the CE at 4 g/cow/d in the treatment diet (CED). Average daily high temperatures during the study were 35 to 37 °C with lows of 16–17 °C. In general, cows showed mild heat stress, but CE feeding had no effect on respiration rate, panting score or rump temperature at any time of the day ( i.e. , 02:45, 09:15, 17:30 h). However at 02:45 h, a higher ( P versus standing) compared with Control cows (68.6 versus 53.7 cows/100 cows), which is an indicator of reduced heat stress. Intake of DM (25.3 kg/d) and whole tract digestibility of CP (703 g/kg) and aNDF (510 g/kg) did not differ between treatments. Milk production (47.3 kg/d) and its fat and true protein levels (35.4, 28.6 g/kg) did not differ, and changes in body condition and locomotion scores were also not impacted by treatment. However mammary health improved based on lower SCC (somatic cell counts; P versus Control cows (160,000 versus 196,000 cells/μL), and lower linear SCC scores ( P versus 2.30). Feeding this CE to lactating dairy cows during summer heat decreased SCC with no impact on other aspects of performance.
A mutation in v-src that removes a single conserved residue in the SH-2 domain of pp60v-src restricts transformation in a host-dependent manner.

Abstract The v-src oncogene of Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) is able to transform both avian and mammalian cells, but the mutant allele v-src-L displays a host range dependence for transformation, transforming chicken but not rat cells with wild-type efficiency. This host range restriction can be detected by measuring growth in low serum, saturation density, and anchorage independent growth. In addition, rat cells expressing v-src-L do not form tumors in syngeneic rats or nude mice, but RSV carrying the mutant allele causes tumors in chicks, although at a reduced efficiency and with increased latency. To determine the lesion responsible for this phenotype, we sequenced the entire v-src gene from the parental B77 strain of RSV, as well as the mutant allele. v-src-L is missing 3 nucleotides present in the wild-type parent, RSV B31, eliminating Phe-172, an invariant residue in a conserved region of src-related proteins known as SH-2. The kinase activity of pp60v-src-L was indistinguishable from that of the wild type in chicken cells but was significantly reduced in rat cells as assayed by an in vitro immune complex assay; in vivo phosphorylation of one specific substrate, p36 (calpactin I heavy chain); and total phosphotyrosine-containing proteins. In addition, the pattern of phosphotyrosine-containing proteins in rat cells was qualitatively different when cells containing pp60v-src-L were compared with cells with wild-type pp60v-src, even though both pp60v-src proteins were membrane associated. The data are consistent with a role for the SH-2 region in substrate specificity.
Assembly language is more than a teaching tool

Assembly language programming is thought to be a teaching tool to introduce computer systems. However, an assembly language does not exist as a teaching tool. It is an instruction set architecture, which is the interface between hardware and software. It implements high-level languages (HLLs) and performs tasks that high-level languages cannot perform. This paper introduces a challenging course design that focuses on these roles of an assembly language.
Baby Products and Phthalates: In Reply

The purpose of our study was to examine the strength of association between infants' phthalate metabolite urinary concentrations and the mothers' reported use of baby care products. This was an epidemiologic investigation, not a product-testing or toxicokinetic study. Therefore, we did not analyze specific products for phthalate content or collect information on the amount of product applied and time of urine collection, as acknowledged in our discussion. However, absence of this information does not invalidate …
Quantum reactive scattering for A+BCD→AB+CD reactions: Coupled channel distorted wave theory

This paper presents a general theoretical formalism for describing quantum reactive scattering in four atom reactions of the type A+BCD→AB+CD based on the coupled channel distorted wave method (CCDW). In this formalism, we have derived expressions for the Schrodinger equation in body‐fixed axis (bfa) coordinate systems associated with the A+BCD and AB+CD arrangement channels, and we have reduced the CCDW scattering matrix to a six dimensional internal coordinate quadrature in terms of the bfa wave functions. Explicit expressions for the nonreactive (coupled channel) centrifugal and potential coupling matrices are derived for both A+BCD and AB+CD using the bfa frame isomorphic Hamiltonian. The interconnection between A+BCD and AB+CD coordinate systems is explored in detail, and it is found that the resulting CCDW scattering matrix is similar in form to that derived earlier for atom–diatom collisions, with the main conceptual difference associated with use of an Eckart frame to define the vibrational wave functions for BCD. The relation between the Eckart and scattering frames is discussed in depth. Also, the imposition of parity decoupling in the CCDW calculation is developed for both the CC Hamiltonian matrices and the distorted wave overlap.
Age-related decline in mitochondrial bioenergetics: Does supercomplex destabilization determine lower oxidative capacity and higher superoxide production?

Mitochondrial decay plays a central role in the aging process. Although certainly multifactorial in nature, defective operation of the electron transport chain (ETC) constitutes a key mechanism involved in the age-associated loss of mitochondrial energy metabolism. Primarily, mitochondrial dysfunction affects the aging animal by limiting bioenergetic reserve capacity and/or increasing oxidative stress via enhanced electron leakage from the ETC. Even though the important aging characteristics of mitochondrial decay are known, the molecular events underlying inefficient electron flux that ultimately leads to higher superoxide appearance and impaired respiration are not completely understood. This review focuses on the potential role(s) that age-associated destabilization of the macromolecular organization of the ETC (i.e. supercomplexes) may be important for development of the mitochondrial aging phenotype, particularly in post-mitotic tissues.
Successive stereo and vernier position discrimination as a function of dark interval duration.

Abstract If two luminous vertical lines, one above the other, are presented successively in time, discrimination of their relative distances and directions decreases as the dark interstimulus interval increases. A forced-choice staircase technique was used to determine thresholds for these discriminations over a range of dark intervals from 0 to 32 sec. Both thresholds increase as parallel S-shaped functions of dark interval. The results are interpreted theoretically in terms of eye movement and memory loss.
Comparison Between Perioperative and Postoperative Chemotherapy After Potentially Curative Hepatic Resection for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

Additional chemotherapy in patients with resectable colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) likely improves outcomes. Whether to administer chemotherapy as perioperative or adjuvant therapy remains controversial. We analyzed outcomes between these two treatment strategies. Patients were identified from a prospective CRLM database and studied retrospectively. Patients with extrahepatic disease or initially unresectable CRLM were excluded. Only patients receiving oxaliplatin- and/or irinotecan-containing chemotherapy regimens were included. Univariate and Cox regression models were developed for recurrence and death. Between 1998 and 2007, 236 patients (57.4 %) in the adjuvant group and 175 patients (42.6 %) in the perioperative group were compared. The perioperative group was younger and had more tumors, shorter disease-free intervals, and higher clinical risk scores (CRS), but had smaller tumors. The overall survival was similar between the groups (perioperative 72.9 months vs. adjuvant 71.5 months; p = 0.48). When the comparison was adjusted for other clinicopathologic factors and CRS, the differences remained insignificant. On univariate analysis, there was a significant difference in recurrence-free survival between the groups (perioperative 17.2 months vs. adjuvant 27.4 months, p = 0.036). However, when the recurrence-free survival was adjusted for other clinicopathologic factors and the CRS, differences were not significant. The timing of additional chemotherapy for resectable CRLM is not associated with outcomes. Trials comparing adjuvant and perioperative chemotherapy would have to be powered for small differences in outcome.