cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Immunogenetic Aspects of IgE-Mediated Responses

Atopic allergy is a multifactorial disease, and is dependent on several genetic determinants as well as a complex array of environmental factors. A clear causal relationship has been established between the clinical expression of specific allergies and the induction of specific IgE antibody (Ab) responses.1 Several studies have provided evidence for at least two types of genetic control of IgE responses in humans, namely, non-MHC-linked control of the overall production of IgE and MHC-linked control of specific immune responses.2 Since T cells and T-cell cytokines are important in the regulation of IgE synthesis, a detailed investigation of the role of T cells in controlling the synthesis of IgE, and the genetic regulation of various IgE-modulating cytokine genes should provide some useful approaches toward solving the complex problem of the genetic control of IgE production. We have focused on the immunogenetic controls of specific Ab responsiveness to allergens, where the relevant genes clearly include MHC class II (HLA-D), TcR specificity-determining genes. The allergens we studied included a group of “minor” inhalant allergens (relative molecular mass, Mr = ca 4400–5000).
Evaluation of the near fracture face formation damage caused by the spontaneously imbibed fracturing fluid in unconventional gas reservoirs

Abstract In the present study, spontaneous imbibition experiments, steady-state permeability measurements, and numerical simulation were integrated to quantify the changes in the effective water permeability, capillary pressure, and water relative permeability curves due to the polymer adsorption of the spontaneously imbibed fracturing fluid. The effect of the nonionic surfactant and core bedding plane on the fluid spontaneous imbibition volumes were also investigated. The researchers considered the impact of the spontaneous imbibition of a friction reducer fluid in tight sand and shale core samples. Three comparative systematic spontaneous imbibition experiments were conducted for each of the core samples using brine, anionic friction reducer fluid, and brine again. The core sample water permeability before and after the imbibition experiment was measured using a constant rate steady-state permeability apparatus. The polymer adsorption from the spontaneously imbibed fracturing fluid significantly reduced the brine spontaneous imbibition volumes in tight sand samples and in shale samples, though to a lesser degree. Moreover, the effective water permeability was decreased because of the polymer adsorption effect. Therefore, the polymer adsorption during hydraulic fracturing reduces the fluid leak-off into the formation and also the fluid flowback. The nonionic surfactant increased the fluid spontaneous imbibition volumes in both tight sand and shale samples. Thus, adding a nonionic surfactant to the friction reducer pad fluid during hydraulic fracturing leads to enhance both of the fluid leak-off and fluid flowback. The results also showed that the effect of polymer adsorption on the imbibition rates is less when the rock-fluid contact surface is parallel to the bedding plane. The imbibition potentials and imbibition capillary pressure curves were calculated before and after polymer adsorption. The polymer adsorption led to a slight increase in the capillary pressure; moreover, the tight sand samples had higher capillary pressure than the shale samples. The imbibition water relative permeability curves were calculated using ECLIPSE commercial simulator. The polymer adsorption significantly reduces the water relative permeability curves for tight sand samples and in less degree for shale samples.
Recommendations for clear aligner therapy using digital or plaster study casts

Clear aligner therapy has evolved considerably since its introduction 20 years ago. Clinicians have become more experienced with aligner therapy, but little is known about the types of malocclusions that clinicians currently treat with aligners. Similarly, it is not known if viewing digital vs plaster models has any impact on the treatment planning process for aligners. The aim of this study was to assess which types of malocclusions are recommended for treatment with clear aligners, and also to determine if recommendations for aligner treatment differed when using digital versus plaster models. Sixteen orthodontists treatment planned 20 cases at two time points with either the same or different model formats (digital versus plaster). As part of the treatment planning process, they were asked whether each patient was a good candidate for Invisalign® treatment, and if not, why. Generalized estimating equations regression (GEE), the permutation test, and a logistic regression model with GEE were used to analyze the data. No significant difference was found between the Invisalign® choices in the digital model group and those in the plaster model group at T1 (p = 0.59). There was no significant difference between the agreement rate of the different formats group and that of the same format group (p = 0.97). Cases with extractions had less Invisalign® recommendations (15%) compared to cases with no extractions (55%) (p = 0.0015). Cases with surgery had less Invisalign® recommendations (29%) compared to cases with no surgery (57%) (p = 0.035). In this study, viewing orthodontic records with digital versus plaster models did not influence decisions about Invisalign® recommendations. Additionally, the orthodontists in this study tended to not recommend Invisalign® for extraction cases, surgical cases, or difficult cases.
Distributed Load Sharing Among Converters in an Autonomous Microgrid Including PV and Wind Power Units

The ability to manage energy within an autonomous microgrid, which enables system optimization, requires coordinated control of the connected power sources. This generally involves coordination of active and reactive power generation. To increase energy management capability, coordination of converter connected power sources can be extended to other tasks such as harmonic compensation and load balancing. However, some units in microgrids, such as wind and photovoltaic (PV) power sources, have local criteria such as maximum power point tracking that determines the reference value for active power generation. In this paper, a distributed control structure for independent sharing of tasks among sources is introduced where units with local active current reference can contribute to generation of only non-active current components in coordination with other units while their active current is generated autonomously. For task-sharing among units, an objective function based on current components is presented. In order to verify the proposed method, optimization of a microgrid with a PV unit is simulated.
Metal oxide-confined interweaved titania nanotubes M/TNT (M = Mn, Cu, Ce, Fe, V, Cr, and Co) for the selective catalytic reduction of NOx in the presence of excess oxygen

Abstract A series of metal oxide confined titania nanotube M/TNT (M = Mn, Cu, Ce, Fe, V, Cr and Co) catalytic formulations were successfully synthesized using hydrothermal method followed by wet impregnation technique. The resulting materials were investigated for the low temperature Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) of NOx with NH3 in the presence of excess oxygen (10 vol.%). The prepared catalysts exhibit remarkable deNOx potential at temperatures as low as 100 °C and in a wide temperature range from 100 to 350 °C. Compared to manganese oxide supported on conventional TiO2, the synthesized Mn/TNT catalyst exhibits superior activity. Interestingly, the surface texture and tubular morphology of Mn/TNT catalyst greatly promotes the NOx conversion in the temperature regime of 100–300 °C. Our BET results of the as-prepared catalysts demonstrated that this is an effective synthesis for the generation of high specific surface area (421 m2/g) titania nanotubes. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) results revealed the formation of tubular structure and multi-walled layer construction in the pristine titania nanotube (TNT), Mn/TNT and Ce/TNT samples. The relative atomic percentage value of Mn4+/Mn3+ and Ce3+/Ce4+ characterized by deconvoluted XPS spectra was considerably high for the Mn/TNT (Mn4+/Mn3+ = 2.15) and Ce/TNT catalysts (Ce3+/Ce4+ = 0.79), respectively. The existence of abundant surface Mn4+ species apparently contributes to the remarkable low-temperature SCR activity over our Mn/TNT catalyst. The H2-TPR results are in good accordance with our XPS results, with MnO2 being the prevailing phase and the increased reduction potentials of manganese appear to be the reason for the high deNOx activity of the Mn/TNT catalyst at low-temperatures. Vanadia based catalyst (V/TNT) formulations exhibit monolayer isolated species present over the support where V5+ is the dominant oxidation state. Titania nanotubes confined vanadium oxide catalyst demonstrates a broad operation temperature window attributed to the high dispersion of active species on the support.
Breast cancer stem cells and the challenges of eradication: a review of novel therapies

Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease that accounts for 30% of all cancers diagnosed in women and over half a million deaths per year. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) make up a small subpopulation of cells within a tumor, are capable of self-renewal and, are responsible for tumor initiation, formation, and recurrence. Breast CSCs (BCSCs) have been the subject of concentrated research as potential targets for breast cancer therapies. Cell surface markers CD44+/CD24− have been established as minimum biomarkers for BCSCs and the upregulation of CD44 expression has been linked to tumor formation in numerous cancers. Additionally, the deregulation of Notch, Wnt/Frizzled/β-catenin, Hippo, and Hedgehog signaling pathways is believed to be responsible for the formation of CSCs and lead to tumor formation. Tumor heterogeneity is a key feature of therapy resistance and a major challenge. CSCs are predominantly senescent and inherently immune to chemotherapy drugs which rely on an overactive cell cycle. Current therapeutic strategies include targeting CSC signaling pathways that play critical roles in self-renewal and defense. Anti-CD44 antibodies have been shown to induce terminal differentiation in CSCs resulting in a significant decrease in tumor metastasis. Additionally, targeting the tumor microenvironment has been shown to increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs. In this review, we attempt to provide an overview of breast cancer, the stem of its cause, and novel therapies currently being explored.
Studying Effects of Incorporating Automated Affect Perception with Spoken Dialog in Social Robots

Social robots are becoming an integrated part of our daily lives with the goal of understanding humans' social intentions and feelings, a capability which is often referred to as empathy. Despite significant progress towards the development of empathic social agents, current social robots have yet to reach the full emotional and social capabilities. This paper presents our recent effort on incorporating an automated Facial Expression Recognition (FER) system based on deep neural networks into the spoken dialog of a social robot (Ryan) to extend and enrich its capabilities beyond spoken dialog and integrate the user's affect state into the robot's responses. In order to evaluate whether this incorporation can improve social capabilities of Ryan, we conducted a series of Human-Robot-Interaction (HRI) experiments. In these experiments the subjects watched some videos and Ryan engaged them in a conversation driven by user's facial expressions perceived by the robot. We measured the accuracy of the automated FER system on the robot when interacting with different human subjects as well as three social/interactive aspects, namely task engagement, empathy, and likability of the robot. The results of our HRI study indicate that the subjects rated empathy and likability of the affect-aware Ryan significantly higher than non-empathic (the control condition) Ryan. Interestingly, we found that the accuracy of the FER system is not a limiting factor, as subjects rated the affect-aware agent equipped with a low accuracy FER system as empathic and likable as when facial expression was recognized by a human observer.
Dynamic Unified RANS-LES Simulations of Periodic Hill Flow

The hybrid RANS-LES methodology intends to combine the most favorable aspects of Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) and large eddy simulation (LES) to take advantage of both the computational efficiency of RANS and ability of LES to resolve instantaneous large scale flow structures. In this paper we present a new hybrid RANS-LES model which benefits from two important properties.
The Association of Nurse Practitioner Scope-of-Practice Laws With Emergency Department Use: Evidence From Medicaid Expansion.

Background:Overuse and inappropriate use of emergency departments (EDs) remains an important issue in health policy. After implementation of Medicaid expansion, many states experienced an increase in ED use, but the magnitude varied. Differential access to primary care might explain such variation.O
NDE of Fiber and Whisker-Reinforced Ceramics

The use of nondestructive evaluation (NDE) to predict strength or reliability of materials requires two steps. One is to identify and measure the dimensions of strength-controlling defects, and the other is to relate the defect size to the strength. The purpose of this paper is to examine such relations between defects and strength for ceramic fiber composites, and to identify some of the important flaws for which nondestructive detection methods will be needed.
Mining the Drilosphere: Bacterial Communities and Denitrifier Abundance in a No-Till Wheat Cropping System

Earthworms play important roles in no-till cropping systems by redistributing crop residue to lower soil horizons, providing macropores for root growth, increasing water infiltration, enhancing soil quality and organic matter, and stimulating nitrogen cycling. The soil impacted by earthworm activity, including burrows, casts, and middens, is termed the drilosphere. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of earthworms on soil microbial community composition in the drilosphere at different landscape slope positions. Soil cores (50 cm depth) were extracted from three landscape locations (top, middle and bottom slope positions) on a sloping aspect of a no-till wheat farm. Soil was sampled at the bottom of the soil core from inside multiple earthworm (Lumbricus terrestris) channels (drilosphere) and from adjacent bulk soil. Bacterial communities were characterized for 16S rRNA gene diversity using high-throughput sequencing and functional denitrifier gene abundance (nirK, nirS and nosZ) by quantitative PCR. Bacterial communities were structured primarily by the landscape slope position of the soil core followed by source (bulk versus drilosphere soil), with a significant interaction between core position and source. The families AKIW874, Chitinophagaceae, and Comamonadaceae and the genera Amycolatopsis, Caulobacter, Nocardioides, and Variovorax were more abundant in the drilosphere compared to the bulk soil. Most of the individual bacterial taxa enriched in the drilosphere versus bulk soil were members of Actinobacteria, including Micrococcales, Gaiellaceae, Solirubrobacterales, and Mycobacterium. In general, the greatest differences in communities were observed in comparisons of the top and bottom slope positions in which the bottom slope communities had statistically significantly greater richness, diversity, and denitrifier abundance than the top slope position. Populations of denitrifiers(i.e. ratio of nirK+nirS to 16S rRNA) were more abundant in earthworm-impacted soils and there was a significant impact of L. terrestris on soil community composition was observed only in the top landscape position. There were significant correlations between the abundance of nirK and nirS and taxa within Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, and Chloroflexi, suggesting a broad diversity of denitrifying bacteria. Earthworms influence the soil microbial communities, but the impact depends on the slope location in a variable landscape, which likely reflects different soil characteristics.
Feasibility of repeat transradial access for neuroendovascular procedures

Introduction Transradial artery access (TRA) for cerebrovascular angiography is increasing due to decreased access site complications and overwhelming patient preference. While interventional cardiologists have reported up to 10 successive TRA procedures via the same radial access site, this is the first study examining successive use of the same artery for repeat procedures in neurointerventional procedures.1 Methods We reviewed our prospective institutional database for all patients who underwent a transradial neurointerventional procedure between 2015 and 2019. Index procedures were defined as procedures performed via TRA after which there was a second TRA procedure attempted. Reasons for conversion to a transfemoral approach (TFA) for subsequent procedures were identified. Results 104 patients underwent 237 procedures (230 TRA, 7 TFA). 97 patients underwent ≥2 TRA procedures, 20 patients >3, four patients >4, three patients >5, and two patients >6 TRA procedures. The success rate was 94.7% (126/133) with 52% (66/126) of successive procedures performed via the same radial access site (snuffbox vs antebrachial) while the alternate radial artery segment was used for access in 48% (60/126) of subsequent procedures. There were seven (5.3%) cases requiring crossover to TFA, six cases for radial artery occlusion (RAO) and one for radial artery narrowing. Conclusion Successive TRA is both technically feasible and safe for neuroendovascular procedures in up to six procedures. The low failure rate (5.3%) was primarily due to RAO. Thus, even without clinical consequences, strategies to minimize RAO should be optimized for patients to continue to benefit from TRA in future procedures.
Fiber, Fat, and Colorectal Cancer: New Insight into Modifiable Dietary Risk Factors

To review recent data on the role and interactions of fiber and fat as dietary risk factors associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) risk in humans. Fiber intake shows convincing and linear dose-response negative correlation with CRC risk. Dietary fiber stimulates butyrogenic activity of the gut microbiota, providing high amounts of butyrate that shows extensive anti-neoplastic effects. A high-fat diet promotes CRC risk through stimulated bile acid metabolism, facilitating bile acid conversion by the gut microbiota to tumor-promoting deoxycholic acid. Comprehensive interactions of these microbial metabolites are likely to underlie mechanisms driving diet-dependent CRC risk in different populations, but require further experimental investigation. Dietary fiber and fat shape the composition and metabolic function of the gut microbiota, resulting in altered amounts of butyrate and deoxycholic acid in the colon. Fiber supplementation and restriction of fat intake represent promising strategies to reduce CRC risk in healthy individuals.
Jurisprudence and legal anthropology: the roles of theory and method revisited

The author suggests that a closer integration of analytical jurisprudence with legal anthropology can result in a theoretically coherent, more uniform methodological approach to the study of preliterate or customary law.
On $\Gamma-$Convergence of a Variational Model for Lithium-Ion Batteries

A singularly perturbed phase field model used to model lithium-ion batteries including chemical and elastic effects is considered. The underlying energy is given by $$I_\epsilon [u,c ] := \int_\Omega \left( \frac{1}{\epsilon} f(c) + \epsilon\|\nabla c\|^2 + \frac{1}{\epsilon}\mathbb{C} (e(u)-ce_0) : (e(u)-ce_0)\right) dx, $$ where $f$ is a double well potential, $\mathbb{C}$ is a symmetric positive definite fourth order tensor, $c$ is the normalized lithium-ion density, and $u$ is the material displacement. The integrand contains elements close to those in energy functionals arising in both the theory of fluid-fluid and solid-solid phase transitions. For a strictly star-shaped, Lipschitz domain $\Omega \subset \mathbb{R}^2,$ it is proven that $\Gamma - \lim_{\epsilon\to 0} I_\epsilon = I_0,$ where $I_0$ is finite only for pairs $(u,c)$ such that $f(c) = 0$ and the symmetrized gradient $e(u) = ce_0$ almost everywhere. Furthermore, $I_0$ is characterized as the integral of an anisotropic interfacial energy density over sharp interfaces given by the jumpset of $c.$
Biological and Chemical Transformations of Halogenated Aliphatic Compounds in Aquatic and Terrestrial Environments

Halogenated C1 and C2 aliphatic compounds (HACs) including chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are among the most important trace gases affecting stratospheric ozone levels and are contributors to the greenhouse effect. HACs are among the most frequently found chemicals emanating from hazardous waste sites into the atmosphere. Although once believed to be resistant to transformation by aquatic and terrestrial processes, such transformations are now known to occur. Abiotic and microbial metabolic processes can transform in parallel or sequentially a wide range of HACs including CFC-11, CFC-12, CFC-113, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, carbon tetrachloride, and trichloroethylene. Rates and pathways depend on chemical structure and physico-chemical and biogeochemical conditions. The significance of such rates in terms of effect on global distributions is not known.
Optimal Approach to Small Unilateral Testicular Nodules—Can We Reliably Predict Tumor Histology Based on Size?

AbstractIntroduction:We evaluated primary testicular tumor characteristics associated with nongerm cell tumor histology and potential appropriateness for testis sparing surgery in selected patients...
Vulvar sarcoma outcomes by histologic subtype: a Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database review

Objective Vulvar cancers account for 5% of all gynecologic malignancies; only 1%–3% of those vulvar cancers are primary vulvar sarcomas. Given the rarity of vulvar sarcomas, outcome data specific to histopathologic subtypes are sparse. The aim of this study was to identify clinical and pathologic factors of primary vulvar sarcomas that are associated with survival and may inform treatment decisions. Methods The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was searched for women diagnosed with vulvar sarcoma between 1973 and 2018. We identified 315 patients and reviewed their demographic, clinicopathologic, surgical, and survival information. Statistical analyses included χ2 and t-tests, Kaplan–Meier survival, and Cox regression analyses. Results The most common histopathologies of vulvar sarcomas were dermatofibrosarcomas (85/315, 27%) and leiomyosarcomas (72/315, 22.9%). Rhabdomyosarcomas (18/315, 5.7%), liposarcomas (16/315, 5.1%), and malignant fibrous histiocytomas (16/315, 5.1%) were less frequent. The majority of patients underwent surgery (292/315, 92.7%), which included lymph node dissections in 21.6% (63/292). Survival and lymph node involvement varied significantly with histologic subtype. The 5-year disease-specific survival for dermatofibrosarcomas, liposarcomas, and fibrosarcomas was 100% and only 60.3% and 62.5% for malignant fibrous histiocytomas and rhabdomyosarcomas, respectively. None of the patients with (dermato)fibrosarcomas, liposarcomas, or leiomyosarcomas had positive lymph nodes, in contrast to rhabdomyosarcomas and malignant fibrous histiocytomas with 77.8% and 40% positive lymph nodes, respectively. The 5-year disease-specific survival for women with positive lymph nodes was 0%. Conclusions Vulvar sarcomas are heterogeneous with survival highly dependent on the histopathologic subtype. While surgical excision is the mainstay of treatment for all vulvar sarcomas, staging lymphadenectomy should be deferred for (dermato)fibrosarcomas, liposarcomas, and leiomyosarcomas as there were no cases of lymph nodes metastases.
Effect of a brief scenario-tailored educational program on parents' risk knowledge, perceptions, and decisions to administer prescribed opioids: a randomized controlled trial

ABSTRACT This randomized, controlled trial evaluated whether a brief educational program (ie, Scenario-Tailored Opioid Messaging Program [STOMP]) would improve parental opioid risk knowledge, perceptions, and analgesic efficacy; ensure safe opioid use decisions; and impact prescription opioid use after surgery. Parent-child dyads (n = 604) who were prescribed an opioid for short-term use were randomized to routine instruction (Control) or routine plus STOMP administered preoperatively. Baseline and follow-up surveys assessed parents' awareness and perceived seriousness of adverse opioid effects, and their analgesic efficacy. Parents' decisions to give an opioid in hypothetical scenarios and total opioid doses they gave to children at home were assessed at follow-up. Scenario-Tailored Opioid Messaging Program parents gained enhanced perceptions of opioid-related risks over time, whereas Controls did not; however, risk perceptions did not differ between groups except for addiction risk. Scenario-Tailored Opioid Messaging Program parents exhibited marginally greater self-efficacy compared to Controls (mean difference vs controls = 0.58 [95% confidence interval 0.08-1.09], P = 0.023). Scenario-Tailored Opioid Messaging Program parents had a 53% lower odds of giving an opioid in an excessive sedation scenario (odds ratio 0.47 [95% confidence interval 0.28-0.78], P = 0.003), but otherwise made similar scenario-based opioid decisions. Scenario-Tailored Opioid Messaging Program was not associated with total opioid doses administered at home. Instead, parents' analgesic efficacy and pain-relief preferences explained 7%, whereas child and surgical factors explained 22% of the variance in opioid doses. Scenario-tailored education enhanced parents' opioid risk knowledge, perceptions, and scenario-based decision-making. Although this may inform later situation-specific decision-making, our research did not demonstrate an impact on total opioid dosing, which was primarily driven by surgical and child-related factors.
Direct-Write of Nanoscale Domains with Tunable Metamagnetic Order in FeRh Thin Films

We have directly written nanoscale patterns of magnetic ordering in FeRh films using focused helium-ion beam irradiation. By varying the dose, we pattern arrays with metamagnetic transition temperatures that range from the as-grown film temperature to below room temperature. We employ transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and temperature-dependent transport measurements to characterize the as-grown film, and magneto-optic Kerr effect imaging to quantify the He+ irradiation-induced changes to the magnetic order. Moreover, we demonstrate temperature-dependent optical microscopy and conductive atomic force microscopy as indirect probes of the metamagnetic transition that are sensitive to the differences in dielectric properties and electrical conductivity, respectively, of FeRh in the antiferromagnetic (AF) and ferromagnetic (FM) states. Using density functional theory, we quantify strain- and defect-induced changes in spin-flip energy to understand their influence on the metamagnetic transition temperature. This work holds promise for in-plane AF-FM spintronic devices, by reducing the need for multiple patterning steps or different materials, and potentially eliminating interfacial polarization losses due to cross material interfacial spin scattering.
Intersecting Social Work Practice, Education, and Spirituality: A Conceptual Model

The relationship between spirituality, social work, and social work education is complicated and often difficult to teach. Though social work has significant religious roots, it distanced itself at...
Investigating the effect of different shielding gas mixtures on microstructure and mechanical properties of 410 stainless steel fabricated via large scale additive manufacturing

Abstract Metal Big Area Additive Manufacturing (mBAAM) offers the potential to fabricate large scale tools at high deposition rates (15 lb/h+). 410 martensitic steel is a potential tooling material, owing to its low cost, good machinability and reasonable printability. During the mBAAM process, the shielding gas can have a significant impact on the material properties as well as the process cost. Therefore, the current study aims to understand the effect of different shielding gas mixtures on large-scale additive manufacturing of 410 martensitic stainless steel. We show that an argon mixture with 3% nitrogen gas produced the best performance in terms of maximum hardness and tensile strength, with much less scatter in tensile strength. He-Ar-CO2 or tri-mix shielded samples showed a low tensile strength with wide scatter, due to stabilized delta ferrite in microstructure during printing. Both tri-mix and Ar-CO2 shielded samples showed slightly higher porosity. Thus, we recommend the use of argon-3% nitrogen as a shielding gas mixture for processing 410 steel for tool applications, based on the relatively low cost of this gas mixture and the resulting higher hardness, higher dimensional stability, and lower porosity.
Point-of-care lung ultrasound patterns in late third-trimester gravidas with and without preeclampsia

Background Transthoracic point-of-care ultrasonography of the lungs has become a standard technique in critical care medicine for the evaluation of patients with respiratory signs or symptoms but has not been well studied in pregnancy. Objective To compare lung ultrasound patterns in third-trimester gravidas with and without preeclampsia and assess interobserver agreement between 3 obstetrical providers and a physician expert in critical care lung ultrasound. Study Design This is a prospective observational study of 262 women with singleton pregnancies between 32 0/7 and 41 6/7 weeks’ gestation. Lung ultrasound examinations were performed and interpreted by a team of obstetrical care providers and then interpreted by an expert in point-of-care lung ultrasound. The number of B-lines in each of the 4 lung fields, indicating the accumulation of fluid in the interstitial space and the alveoli, was evaluated. The primary outcome was a positive study for pulmonary interstitial edema, defined as an ultrasound study with 3 or more B-lines in 2 or more bilateral lung fields. The secondary outcome was a lung ultrasound study with 1 or 2 B-lines in 1 or more lung fields or 3 B-lines in 1 lung field. Interobserver agreement in lung ultrasound interpretation between obstetrical care providers and an expert in critical care point-of-care ultrasonography of the lung was assessed. Results Among healthy gravidas, no subject had a lung ultrasound examination positive for pulmonary interstitial edema. Notably, 2 patients with preeclampsia had positive lung ultrasound studies, and both had respiratory symptoms or signs of pulmonary edema. One or 2 B-lines or 3 B-lines in 1 lung field were identified in 11.4% of healthy gravidas and 18.6% of patients with preeclampsia. There was no difference in lung ultrasound patterns between healthy gravidas and those with preeclampsia. The obstetrical care providers and the lung ultrasound expert had a high proportion of agreement regarding the interpretation of negative lung ultrasound examinations. The 2 patients with clinical signs of pulmonary edema were judged to have positive studies by both the obstetrical team and the expert; however, the obstetrical team classified more studies as positive. Conclusion Lung ultrasound patterns in women with preeclampsia without respiratory symptoms or clinical signs of pulmonary edema are similar to the lung ultrasound patterns of healthy gravidas. Point-of-care lung ultrasound can be used to evaluate third-trimester gravidas with preeclampsia and respiratory complaints or signs concerning for pulmonary edema. Formal training is important before the widespread adoption of point-of-care lung ultrasound by obstetrical healthcare providers.
Palatability Traits of Sirloin Cap Steaks From Four USDA Quality Grades

Sirloin cap steaks from 4 different USDA quality grades were evaluated to determine the effect of marbling on eating experience. Top sirloin cap steaks (N = 60) of 4 different quality grades (Prime, Top Choice, Low Choice, and Select) were evaluated in the current study. Top sirloin butts were collected, and the biceps femoris was removed, trimmed, and sliced into twelve 2.54-cm-thick steaks. The steaks from each subprimal were aged for 28 d and designated for either trained sensory panels, consumer sensory panels, Warner-Bratzler shear force, or moisture and fat determination. The Prime steaks were rated the highest (P 0.05) in juiciness and tenderness for the consumer panels. Additionally, a similar (P > 0.05) percentage of samples from each treatment were rated acceptable for tenderness, juiciness, flavor liking, and overall liking, with each trait having greater than 70% of samples rated acceptable. Also, Prime steaks were rated the highest (P 0.05) to Top Choice. These results indicate that USDA quality grades impact the eating quality of sirloin cap steaks, especially within the Prime grade, and could provide an opportunity for refined marketing and added economic value for the cut.
Populism and Nationalism: An Overview of Similarities and Differences

Both populism and nationalism are rooted in the idea of popular sovereignty. They look alike when populism gravitates towards the right, identifying “the people” with an ethnic or racial majority, and when nationalism turns against the minorities. But populism can also go towards the left, embracing the low-income citizenry as the nation’s “true people,” just as nationalism can include ethnic and racial diversity under its umbrella. Some other key differences are also noteworthy. Populism is inevitably defined as an anti-elitist doctrine, whereas nationalism is often led by the elites. Moreover, embedded as it normally is in state institutions, laws, school textbooks, museums and maps, nationalism can be a state ideology, taking routinized forms. In contrast, populist politics thrives on a virtually relentless mobilization of popular energy. Nationalism acquires this fervent form mainly under two conditions: when it is secessionary, trying to break states up, or when it becomes majoritarian, attacking internal minorities. Otherwise, nationalism can easily exist in a quieter register.
Beyond the reach of homology: successive computational filters find yeast pheromone genes

Abstract The mating of fungi depends on pheromones that mediate communication between two mating types. Most species use short peptides as pheromones, which are either unmodified (e.g., α-factor in Saccharomyces cerevisiae) or C-terminally farnesylated (e.g., a-factor in S. cerevisiae). Peptide pheromones have been found by genetics or biochemistry in small number of fungi, but their short sequences and modest conservation make it impossible to detect homologous sequences in most species. To overcome this problem, we used a four-step computational pipeline to identify candidate a-factor genes in sequenced genomes of the Saccharomycotina, the fungal clade that contains most of the yeasts: we require that candidate genes have a C-terminal prenylation motif, are fewer than 100 amino acids long, contain a proteolytic processing motif upstream of the potential mature pheromone sequence, and that closely related species contain highly conserved homologs of the potential mature pheromone sequence. Additional manual curation exploits the observation that many species carry more than one a-factor gene, encoding identical or nearly identical pheromones. From 332 fungal genomes, we identified strong candidate pheromone genes in 238 genomes, covering 13 clades that are separated from each other by at least 100 million years, the time required for evolution to remove detectable sequence homology. For one small clade, the Yarrowia, we demonstrated that our algorithm found the a-factor genes: deleting all four related genes in the a-mating type of Yarrowia lipolytica prevents mating.
Cytotoxic liponucleotide analogs. II. Antitumor activity of CDP-diacylglycerol analogs containing the cytosine arabinoside moiety.

Abstract Among events limiting the effectiveness of cancer chemotherapy are the general lack of preferential uptake of anticancer drugs by tumor cells and the occurrence of drug resistance. An approach has been undertaken to explore whether or not such events can be favorably altered or circumvented therapeutically by development of a new class of anticancer molecules, cytotoxic liponucleotide analogs. The design of cytotoxic liponucleotide analogs encompasses both biochemical and biophysical aspects of liponucleotide and glycerophospholipid structure and metabolism. Several cytotoxic liponucleotide analogs of cytidine diphosphate diacylglycerol CDPdiacylglycerol/dCDPdiacylglycerol), containing the 1-β- d -arabinofuranosyl moiety, were tested for antitumor activity. Multispecies ara-CDPdiacylglycerol (1-β- d -arabinofuranosylcytosine 5'-diphosphate diacylglycerol), which contains egg lecithin-derived mixed fatty acyl chains, was more active than 1-β- d -arabinofuranosylcytosine (ara-C), a clinically used anticancer drug, against leukemia L5178Y and P388 ascites cells in mice. At identical single doses (50 mg/kg per day times 4) administered intraperitoneally, ara-CDPdiacylglycerol prolonged the life spans of L5178Y tumor-bearing mice 93%, while ara-C prolonged life by 18%. Ara-CDPdiacylglycerol increased life spans of P388 tumor-bearing mice by 357% at doses of 50 mg/kg per day times 4; the maximum increase with ara-C was 159% (85 mg/kg per day times 4). Against a P388 ara-C-resistant cell line (P/Ara-C, kinase deficient) in mice, ara-CDPdiacylglycerol prolonged survival times by 34% at a dose of 50 mg/kg per day times 4 and by 55% at 75 mg/kg per day times 4; the drug was not active against two other ara-C-resistant murine leukemia mutants (CA 55, CA5b). With cell line-derived human colon carcinoma HCT-15 grown in mice immunosuppressed with anti-thymocyte serum, ara-CDPdiacylglycerol at a single daily dose of 50 mg/kg per day times 4 significantly reduced tumor weights to 21% of the controls; the same dose schedule of ara-C caused no observable reductions of tumor weights. Results of these preliminary antitumor evaluations indicate that cytotoxic liponucleotide analogs should be investigated further to determine their potential as antineoplastic molecules.
Abstract 13286: Non-Specific Intraventricular Conduction Delay and Risk of Sudden Death

Introduction: We and others have reported an independent association between prolonged QRS duration and risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in the general population. Left and right bundle branch block have been studied previously, but there is little information regarding non-specific intraventricular conduction delay and risk of SCD. Hypothesis: Completed conduction defects, including non-specific IVCD, are associated with increased SCD risk. Methods: Sudden cardiac death cases and controls from an ongoing large population based study in the Northwestern US (2002 to 2010) were included if age ≥ 35 years with a non-paced 12-lead ECG (recorded prior and unrelated to SCD in cases). QRS morphology was subcategorized as normal, intermediate [left anterior fascicular block (LAFB), left posterior fascicular block (LPFB), and incomplete right or left bundle branch block (IRBBB/ILBBB)] or completed conduction defects [left bundle branch block (LBBB), right bundle branch block (RBBB), or nonspecific intraventricul...
Classification of respiratory tract picornavirus isolates as enteroviruses or rhinoviruses by using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.

The classification of picornaviruses isolated from respiratory secretions as human rhinoviruses (HRVs) or enteroviruses (EVs) by using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was compared to that derived from acid lability testing. Of the 135 clinical isolates examined, 91 were found to be HRVs and 44 were EVs. There was 100% concordance between the two classification methods. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction is an effective alternative to traditional methods for differentiating HRVs from EVs. Images
Mesoscale Predictability and the Spectrum of Optimal Perturbations

Abstract The spectrum of finite-time most unstable structures, also referred to as singular vectors (SVs), is computed for a regional, mesoscale primitive-equation model. The number of growing SVs present in this spectrum is of interest for investigating mesoscale predictability since it provides an estimate of the dimension of the unstable subspace of the model phase space. This dimension is used to critically assess the contrasting conclusions that have been reached by different authors in mesoscale predictability studies. Computations are carried out for two different synoptic cases (explosive cyclogenesis over the North Atlantic and Alpine lee cyclogenesis) using two different norms. The first is loosely related to total perturbation energy and the second measures the energy of rotational normal modes only. The latter is designed to reduce the influence of geostrophic adjustment on the measure of growth. The models used are the tangent-linear and adjoint components of the dry-adiabatic version of the ...
Lysine residues in the N-terminal huntingtin amphipathic α-helix play a key role in peptide aggregation

Huntington's disease is a genetic neurodegenerative disorder caused by an expansion in a polyglutamine domain near the N-terminus of the huntingtin (htt) protein that results in the formation of protein aggregates. Here, htt aggregate structure has been examined using hydrogen–deuterium exchange techniques coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. The focus of the study is on the 17-residue N-terminal flanking region of the peptide that has been shown to alter htt aggregation kinetics and morphology. A top-down sequencing strategy employing electron transfer dissociation is utilized to determine the location of accessible and protected hydrogens. In these experiments, peptides aggregate in a deuterium-rich solvent at neutral pH and are subsequently subjected to deuterium–hydrogen back-exchange followed by rapid quenching, disaggregation, and tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Electrospray ionization of the peptide solution produces the [M + 5H]5+ to [M + 10H]10+ charge states and reveals the presence of multiple peptide sequences differing by single glutamine residues. The [M + 7H]7+ to [M + 9]9+ charge states corresponding to the full peptide are used in the electron transfer dissociation analyses. Evidence for protected residues is observed in the 17-residue N-terminal tract and specifically points to lysine residues as potentially playing a significant role in htt aggregation. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Molecular Mechanisms of Liver Regeneration V. THE EFFECT OF X-RADIATION ON THE INCORPORATION OF 14C-OROTIC ACID INTO RAPIDLY LABELED NUCLEAR RIBONUCLEIC ACID

Abstract Rapidly labeled nuclear ribonucleic acid was extracted with phenol from normal and regenerating livers after 14C-orotic acid injection. Highest specific activities were obtained 20 min after the injection of the precursor. When bentonite was used in the phenol extraction, the distribution of the radioactivity in the sedimentation profiles of the rapidly labeled nuclear RNA was modified. In presence of bentonite, the peak of radioactivity precedes the ultraviolet absorption peak of the RNA of highest molecular weight. After partial hepatectomy, the specific activity of the phenol-extracted, rapidly labeled nuclear RNA increases between 0 and 6 hours and 12 and 24 hours, but remains unchanged between 6 and 12 hours after operation. The increase in specific activity is caused by an increase in the labeling of the RNA of highest molecular weight. Whole body doses of x-radiation administered 6 hours prior to killing the experimental animals interfere with the incorporation of 14C-orotic acid in the rapidly labeled nuclear RNA extracted from liver obtained 6, 12, 18, and 24 hours after partial hepatectomy. The effect of x-radiation is more marked 18 and 24 hours than 6 and 12 hours after partial hepatectomy. Irradiation is without effect on the incorporation of 14C-orotic acid into the rapidly labeled nuclear RNA extracted from normal livers. In normal or regenerating liver, x-irradiation does not modify the ultraviolet absorption profiles of the phenol-extracted, rapidly labeled nuclear RNA.
A Review of: “Describing Electronic, Digital, and Other Media Using AACR2 and RDA, Weber, Mary Beth and Austin, Fay Angela.”

The stated goal of Describing Electronic, Digital, and Other Media Using AACR2 and RDA is to provide a source of useful information for catalogers creating descriptive records in the rapidly changi...
The Sociology of the Meal

The Sociology of the Meal. Roy C. Wood. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1995.139 pp.
Selective feeding in a generalist invertivore, age-0 striped bass

IntroductionFish feed opportunistically yet are often selective intheir diets (Ehlinger & Wilson 1988, Gerking 1994,Fry et al.1999). Selective feeding behaviour resultsfrom internal factors that may be anatomical, physi-ological or behavioural, and from external factors suchas prey encounter and catchability (Juanes 1994,Juanes et al. 2002). The interaction and dynamics ofthese factors can result in variable and non-randomfeeding behaviour even in species often consideredgeneralists. Feeding behaviour at the level of preyselection can have implications at the individual(Fraser et al. 2007), population (Herwig & Zimmer2007), and community levels (Schleuter & Eckmann2007).Striped bass, Morone saxatilis (Walbaum, 1792), isimportant commercially and recreationally along theeastern coast of the United States (ASMFC 2005) andis often considered to be a feeding opportunist (Markle& Grant 1970, Boynton et al. 1981, Cooper et al.1998, Hurst & Conover 2001). Age-0 striped bass areabundant in the Hudson River estuary (Boreman K and epibenthic (hyperben-thic) prey including gammarid amphipods, decapodshrimp and crabs, and mysid shrimp (Hurst & Conover2001, Jordan et al. 2003). Their diets vary spatiallyand temporally (Jordan et al. 2003), but it is unknownhow much of this variation reﬂects prey availability oris a function of prey selectivity.In this study, we sampled age-0 striped bassstomach contents and potential benthic and epibenthicprey on four dates between July and October, 2000 atthree locations in the mid-estuarine portion of theHudson River. We then related prey consumption toprey availability to investigate the role of selectivity infeeding behaviour. We also examined stomach fullnessto investigate the potential implications of preyavailability and selectivity on feeding success. Stripedbass are visual predators and the visual environment inestuarine habitats is dynamic, we therefore also testedthe hypothesis that turbidity affects striped bassfeeding behaviour.
A neuron model of stochastic resonance using rectangular pulse trains

Stochastic resonance (SR) is the enhanced representation of a weak input signal by the addition of an optimal level of broadband noise to a nonlinear (threshold) system. Since its discovery in the 1980s the domain of input signals shown to be applicable to SR has greatly expanded, from strictly periodic inputs to now nearly any aperiodic forcing function. The perturbations (noise) used to generate SR have also expanded, from white noise to now colored noise or vibrational forcing. This study demonstrates that a new class of perturbations can achieve SR, namely, series of stochastically generated biphasic pulse trains. Using these pulse trains as `noise' we show that a Hodgkin Huxley model neuron exhibits SR behavior when detecting weak input signals. This result is of particular interest to neuroscience because nearly all artificial neural stimulation is implemented with square current or voltage pulses rather than broadband noise, and this new method may facilitate the translation of the performance gains achievable through SR to neural prosthetics.