cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel: a novel Cremphor-el®-free formulation of paclitaxel

Standard formulation paclitaxel requires the use of solvents, such as Cremphor-EL, which contribute to some of the toxicities commonly associated with paclitaxel-based therapy. Nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-paclitaxel) is a novel solvent-free formulation of paclitaxel. The formulation is prepared by high-pressure homogenization of paclitaxel in the presence of serum albumin into a nanoparticle colloidal suspension. The human albumin-stabilized paclitaxel particles have an average size of 130 nm. Nab-paclitaxel has several practical advantages over Cremphor-EL-paclitaxel, including a shorter infusion time (30 min) and no need for premedications for hypersensitivity reactions. The nab-paclitaxel formulation eliminates the impact of Cremphor-EL on paclitaxel pharmacokinetics and utilizes the endogenous albumin transport mechanisms to concentrate nab-paclitaxel within the tumor. A recent Phase III trial compared nab- and Cremphor-EL-paclitaxel in patients with metastatic breast cancer. Patients treated with nab-paclitaxel experienced a higher response, longer time to tumor progression and, in patients receiving second-line or greater therapy, a longer median survival. Patients treated with nab-paclitaxel had a significantly lower rate of severe neutropenia and a higher rate of sensory neuropathy. The preclinical and clinical data indicate that the nab-paclitaxel formulation has significant advantages over Cremphor-EL-paclitaxel.
Rescue of Aberrant Gating by a Genetically Encoded PAS (Per-Arnt-Sim) Domain in Several Long QT Syndrome Mutant Human Ether-á-go-go-related Gene Potassium Channels

Congenital long QT syndrome 2 (LQT2) is caused by loss-of-function mutations in the human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG) voltage-gated potassium (K+) channel. hERG channels have slow deactivation kinetics that are regulated by an N-terminal Per-Arnt-Sim (PAS) domain. Only a small percentage of hERG channels containing PAS domain LQT2 mutations (hERG PAS-LQT2) have been characterized in mammalian cells, so the functional effect of these mutations is unclear. We investigated 11 hERG PAS-LQT2 channels in HEK293 cells and report a diversity of functional defects. Most hERG PAS-LQT2 channels formed functional channels at the plasma membrane, as measured by whole cell patch clamp recordings and cell surface biotinylation. Mutations located on one face of the PAS domain (K28E, F29L, N33T, R56Q, and M124R) caused defective channel gating, including faster deactivation kinetics and less steady-state inactivation. Conversely, the other mutations caused no measurable differences in channel gating (G53R, H70R, and A78P) or no measurable currents (Y43C, C66G, and L86R). We used a genetically encoded hERG PAS domain (NPAS) to examine whether channel dysfunction could be corrected. We found that NPAS fully restored wild-type-like deactivation kinetics and steady-state inactivation to the hERG PAS-LQT2 channels. Additionally, NPAS rescued aberrant currents in hERG R56Q channels during a dynamic ramp voltage clamp. Thus, our results reveal a putative “gating face” in the PAS domain where mutations within this region form functional channels with altered gating properties, and we show that NPAS is a general means for rescuing aberrant gating in hERG LQT2 mutant channels and may be a potential biological therapeutic.
Cataract wound closure with a polymerizing liquid hydrogel ocular bandage

Purpose To determine whether a polymerizing liquid hydrogel ocular bandage can create a watertight seal in a clear corneal cataract incision. Setting Laboratory. Methods Twenty-four clear corneal cataract wounds were made in eye-bank corneas. Twelve wounds were treated with a tissue-adherent hydrogel ocular bandage; 12 control wounds received no bandage. Each eye was tested under low-pressure conditions to detect fluid ingress of India ink on the eye's surface. Eyes were tested again with external compression to distort the wound to detect fluid egress. Results India ink did not enter the wound in any incision in the treated group but did enter 9 (75%) of 12 incisions in the control group. Fluid egress with external manipulation did not occur in any treated eyes but did occur in 11 (92%) control eyes. Conclusion A tissue-adherent hydrogel ocular bandage created a watertight seal in clear corneal cataract wounds.
Cooperative coding using serial concatenated convolutional codes

The paper presents a novel cooperative coding scheme using punctured serial concatenated convolutional codes (SCCC). We evaluate its performance in terms of frame error rate (FER) under two cooperation protocols: a decode-and-forward protocol in conjunction with automatic repeat request (ARQ), by which the relay sends an acknowledge bit (ACK) back to the source to indicate whether its data packet is correctly decoded; an adaptive amplify-and-forward protocol, where the amplifying relay node cooperates to forward the message only when the inter-user link gain is above a certain threshold. In both cases, the destination makes the decision on each transmitted bit after appropriately combining signals and performing iterative decoding. Simulation results show that SCCC-based cooperative coding achieves full spatial diversity and exhibits a similar FER performance to that using parallel concatenated convolutional codes (PCCC). At the price of channel feedback, the adaptive decode-and-forward algorithm demonstrates a relatively lower FER than the adaptive amplify-and-forward scheme. Amplified cooperation experiences severe performance degradation due to the inefficiency of repetition coding and error propagation, especially when the quality of the source-relay link deteriorates; however, if the threshold for carrying cooperation is carefully selected, the adaptive amplify-and-forward protocol can perform comparably to the decode-and-forward protocol.
Raynaud's phenomenon in children: a retrospective review of 123 patients.

Objective. To examine the clinical presentation and disease associations of Raynaud’s phenomenon (RP) in children and adolescents. Methods. A systematic retrospective chart review was conducted of 123 cases drawn from 2 computerized databases at the Children’s Hospital of Boston. Participants aged Results. In contrast to the findings of smaller pediatric series reported to date, the large majority of our patients—approximately 70%—did not have a recognized underlying connective tissue disease. For both primary and secondary RP, approximately 80% of patients were female, and mean age of onset was similar in the 2 groups. Biphasic or triphasic color changes were less common than monophasic changes and were no more common in secondary than primary RP. Findings predictive of secondary RP were limited to the presence of antinuclear antibodies and abnormal nailfold capillaries. Antiphospholipid antibodies were found at some time in at least 21% of patients with both primary and secondary RP. Conclusions. RP in children, as in adults, principally affects girls and is frequently free of association with connective tissue disease. Antinuclear antibody positivity and abnormal nailfold capillaries correlate with secondary disease. Antiphospholipid antibodies are surprisingly common, a new finding of uncertain implications.
A Probabilistic Model for Internal Corrosion of Gas Pipelines

Locating internal corrosion damage in gas pipelines is made difficult by the presence of large uncertainties in flow characteristics, pre-existing conditions, corrosion resistance, elevation data, and test measurements. This paper describes a preliminary methodology to predict the most probable corrosion damage location along the pipelines, and then update this prediction using inspection data. The approach computes the probability of critical corrosion damage as a function of location along the pipeline using physical models, for flow, corrosion rate, and inspection information as well as uncertainties in elevation data, pipeline geometry and flow characteristics. The probabilistic methodology is based on the internal corrosion direct assessment (ICDA) methodology. The probability of corrosion damage is the probability that the corrosion depth exceeds a critical depth times the probability of the presence of electrolytes such as water. Water is assumed present at locations where the pipeline inclination angle is greater than the critical angle. The corrosion rate is defined to be a linear combination of three candidate corrosion rate models with separate weight factors. Monte Carlo simulation and the first-order reliability method (FORM) implemented in a simple spreadsheet model are used to perform the probability integration. Bayesian updating is used to incorporate inspection information (e.g., in-line, excavation, etc.) and update the corrosion rate model weight factors and thereby refine the prediction of most probable damage location. This provides a systematic method for focusing costly inspections on only those locations with a high probability of damage while allowing future predictions to better reflect field observations.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Rapid fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) for HER2 (ERBB2) assessment in breast and gastro-oesophageal cancer

Evaluation of HER2 ( ERBB2 ) gene amplification or protein expression is standard of care in breast (BR) and advanced stage gastro-oesophageal cancers to identify patients eligible for anti-HER2 therapies. Here, we evaluate a rapid fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) technology ( HER2 instant quality (IQ) FISH pharmDx Kit) for detection of HER2 in patients with BR and gastro-oesophageal cancer using 30 FFPE samples that had been previously evaluated with the PathVysion HER2 DNA Probe Kit. Cases were scored as positive ( HER2 :CEN-17 ≥2.0), negative ( HER2 :CEN-17 HER2 amplification while 20 were negative; none were equivocal. The IQ FISH was able to detect low level amplification ( HER2 :CEN-17 ratio 2.4). The HER2 IQ FISH pharmDx Kit is a FDA approved kit that offers a rapid turnaround time (approximately 3.5 h) and in our laboratory was 100% concordant with prior PathVysion results.
Microfiltration of chicken process waters for reuse: plant studies and projected operating costs

Commercial scale ceramic microfilters were used in plant tests to determine flux rate and operating parameters for waters from a poultry scalder, a poultry chiller, and brine from a delicatessen products chiller, under commercial conditions. Filtration produced clear permeate from all waters. Microorganism counts were essentially reduced to zero in scalder and chiller water permeates, with BOD reduced by about 70% in scalder water permeate and about 60% in chiller water permeate. Flux rates were in the range of 224-204 L/m2h for scalder water at 54°C and 114-81 L/m2h for chiller water at ambient temperature. Test results were used to project nonlabor operating savings and/or costs resulting from the use of microfiltration to recondition and reuse bath overflow. For a processing rate of 140 birds/min and bath size of 37,850 L (10,000 gal), an annual savings of $21,000-$26,000 were estimated for scalder water filtration, while annual costs of $65,000-$84,000 were estimated for chiller water filtration. For a deli brine bath size of 1,170 L (300 gal), annual costs of about $700 were estimated. Retentate heating and electrical usage associated with centrifugal filter pumps were projected as predominant cost factors. Besides costs, other factors such as nonchemical control of microbial growth, water savings, and reduced discharge levels may also be important reasons for considering microfiltration.
Behavioral constraints for the spread of the eastern mosquitofish, Gambusia holbrooki (Poeciliidae)

Eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) are native to the southeastern United States but notoriously invasive elsewhere, and are aggressive predators in ecosystems they inhabit. Information on dispersal behavior is needed to better understand mosquitofish spread upon introduction and potential means to mitigate that spread. We experimentally tested the effects of shallow water depths (3–24 mm) and obstacles (leaf litter) on mosquitofish dispersal behavior, plus a range of conditions relevant to field situations. Mosquitofish dispersed significantly faster in deeper water (p 800 m/day. Also, consistent lack of sexual dimorphism in dispersal behavior indicates that mosquitofish spread is not strongly dependent on female poeciliid reproductive biology. Our results support designation of mosquitofish as highly invasive and suggest that barriers to mosquitofish spread must obstruct dispersal pathways as shallow as 3 mm depth.
Effects of Diflubenzuron on Pseudoplusia includens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and its Parasitoid Copidosoma floridanum (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae)

The insect growth regulator (IGR), diflubenzuron (Dimilin 2L), was evaluated for its effect on development of Copidosoma floridanum (Ashmead) and its host, Pseudoplusia includens (Walker), when applied at 0.035 kg ai/ha to soybean, Glycine max (L.), a rate used in preventive programs for control of velvetbean caterpillar, Anticarsia gemmatalis Hubner. Parasitized and nonparasitized soybean looper larvae were fed either diflubenzuron-treated or nontreated foliage. The feeding period of parasitized larvae was 1.7 and 1.8 d longer on diflubenzuron-treated and nontreated foliage, respectively, than that of nonparasitized larvae. Pupation period of C. floridanum and soybean looper was not significantly influenced by diflubenzuron. Although parasitized soybean looper fed both foliage treatments experienced 100% mortality, nonparasitized soybean looper fed nontreated foliage was 23.2% and nonparasitized soybean looper fed diflubenzuron-treated foliage was 12.2%. Parasitized soybean looper fed nontreated foliage consumed 19.2% more leaf area than nonparasitized larvae fed nontreated foliage, whereas parasitized soybean looper fed diflubenzuron-treated foliage consumed 21.2% more leaf area than nonparasitized larvae on the same foliage. There was no significant difference in number of parasitoids emerging from host mummies among treatments; however, there was a positive correlation between leaf area consumed and adult parasitoids per mummy. Diflubenzuron does not appear to produce deleterious effects in C. floridanum or its host, soybean looper, at the current rate used for management of other lepidopteran pests.
Seasonal changes in CSF insulin levels in marmots: insulin may not be a satiety signal for fasting in winter

Plasma insulin (PI) reportedly crosses the blood-brain barrier in mammals and acts with the central nervous system (CNS) to reduce food intake. Animals that hibernate (hibernators) eat little or no food from early winter (November) to spring (April). This lack of food intake may be due to elevated PI concentrations acting within the CNS. In this study, we determined whether hibernators have altered insulin levels within the CNS at different times during the circannual cycle of metabolism and feeding. Plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) immunoreactive insulin concentrations were measured in marmots (Marmota flaviventris) during the feeding phase of the body weight cycle and during the fasting period (hibernation). Basal plasma and CSF samples were collected in September, November, January, and April. In addition, plasma and CSF insulin levels were monitored during a 2-h intravenous infusion of glucose (20% wt/vol) that stimulated pancreatic B-cell production of insulin. During the spring feeding period, we found that as PI levels rise, so do CSF insulin concentrations. However, in fall and winter when marmots are fasting, very little insulin entered the CSF even when PI levels were significantly elevated. Furthermore, the longer the fast, the lower was the CSF insulin under both basal and infusion conditions. These results lead us to conclude that elevated CSF insulin is not a likely cause of suppressed food intake in fasting marmots.
Social constructions of obesity target population: an empirical look at obesity policy narratives

The present article discusses the results of an empirical test of Schneider and Ingram’s target population framework in terms of the NPF, taking a controversial contemporary issue of obesity as the context for the study. According to Schneider and Ingram, people form normative judgments about policy target populations, which in turn influence the development of public policies serving these populations. A between-subject experiment was conducted to test the power of four policy narratives, devised in accordance with the framework, and to examine the effects of social constructions of target populations on public support for policies either penalizing or benefiting the target population. Findings indicate that social constructions of target populations play an important role in the policy process by triggering individuals to support policies helping and benefiting the positively constructed populations, and policies punishing the negatively constructed populations. In addition, blame and anger as well as sympathy were identified as critical normative judgments produced by social constructions and affecting public attitudes toward the policy issue.
Cellular metallothionein: Properties of apometallothionein and the comparative toxicity of Cd2+ and Cd-metallothionein

Two controversial facets of metallothionein biochemistry and toxicology center on the existence of measurable concentrations of apometallothionein in cells and the hypothesis that Cdmetallothionein is the species which causes toxicity to the kidney proximal tubule [1, 2]1 This contribution addresses both issues.
Validation and Assessment of Turbulence Transition Models

*† ‡ § Turbulent boundary transition can greatly affect flow characteristics such as skin friction, heat transfer, and boundary layer separation point. This paper describes our efforts to review the existing boundary layer transition models, to select the boundary layer transition models most appropriate for the existing Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes flow solvers, and to implement and assess the selected boundary layer transition models with some benchmark test cases.
Cytology of the Ascus of Claviceps Phalaridis

In Claviceps phalaridis, a species that almost certainly belongs in the Balansiae, croziers give rise to asci by the method typical of higher Ascomycetes. The haploid chromosome number is tentative...
Methodology for Imaging Nano-to-Microscale Water Condensation Dynamics on Complex Nanostructures

A better understanding of the role that nanoscale surface chemical heterogeneities and topographical features play in water droplet formation is necessary to improve design and robustness of nanostructured superhydrophobic surfaces as to make them fit for industrial applications. Lack of an imaging method capable of capturing the water condensation process on complex nanostructures with required magnification has thus far hindered experimental progress in this area. In this work, we demonstrate that by transferring a small part of a macroscale sample to a novel thermally insulated sample platform we are able to mitigate flooding and electron heating problems typically associated with environmental scanning electron microscopy of water condensation. We image condensation dynamics on individual complex particles and a superhydrophobic network of nanostructures fabricated from low thermal conductivity materials with an unobstructed 90° perspective of the surface-to-water interface with field of view as small...
Unusual Allergic Manifestations in B. Dysenteriae Infections

SummaryWe believe we have demonstrated atopic (anaphylac-tic type) sensitivity for B. dysenteriae, occurring during course of infestation or infection of the bowel with these organisms. We know of no previous report. Cook's postulates have been fulfilled by: 1. Positive cutaneous reactions with the vaccines. 2. Reproduction of symptoms by subcutaneous injections of the vaccines. 3. The organism was isolated from the individual (in 3 cases; in the 4th serological evidence indicated the patient's contact with the organism).
Impact Of Dysplasia On Outcome Of Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Response To Allogeneic Hematopoetic Stem Cell Transplantation

Background Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a heterogeneous group of malignancies characterized by dysplasia, cytopenia, ineffective hematopoiesis and by an increased risk of transformation to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Recurrent aberrant karyotypes cannot entirely account for the genetic defects that are at the basis of the pathogenesis of MDS, as they are detected only in approximately 50% of patients. Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) likely prolongs survival in patients with AML and MDS. In this report, we evaluated the impact of presence of dyspoesis in paients with AML with or without cytogenetic (CG) abnormality on outcome in our center. Methods We retrospectively reviewed all patients who were diagnosed with AML (non promyelocytic) in our center between 2002 and 2012. Primary objective was to study the impact of MDS with or without CG abnormalities on outcome of patients with AML. Demographics and disease-related variables were collected. OS was defined as the time from diagnosis to the time of death or last contact. Results Between 2002 and 2012, 123 patients with high or intermediate risk AML patients were treated at our center. Median age at diagnosis was 60 (range 19-89). Median OS for all patients was 368 days. Of 123 patients, 51 had MDS while 73 did not. CG abnormalities were present in 35 (68%) of patients with dyspoetic changes. Median age of AML patients with MDS was 59 while median age of AML without MDS patients was 55. Median number of blasts in bone marrow and peripheral blood in AML patients with MDS was 38% and 6% respectively. While median number of blasts in bone marrow and peripheral blood in AML patients without MDS was 67% and 39% respectively. Of 51 AML patients with MDS, 14 received HCT with median age of 56. Half of these received myeloablative regimen while the other half received reduced toxicity regimen. The median survival time for AML patients without MDS was 401 days while the median survival time for AML patients with MDS was 278 days (p = 0.0201), [Fig1][1]. ![Figure 1][2] Figure 1 For AML with MDS who received HCT, the median survival time was 586 days while it was 164.5 days for AML patient with MDS who did not receive HCT (p = 0.0013), [Fig2][3]. ![Figure 2][2] Figure 2 Conclusion In this small cohort from a single center, the results suggest that AML patients with dyspoetic changes do have a worse prognosis despite having lower percentage of blasts in bone marrow or peripheral blood. This can be explained by what Walter et al reprted, using next-generation sequencing, that the proportion of neoplastic marrow cells is indistinguishable in MDS and secondary-AML even with myeloblast count of zero. HCT can be performed in those patients including older patients with promising results. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare. [1]: #F1 [2]: pending:yes [3]: #F2
Architecting Civil Liberties

The most critical Internet governance questions increasingly concern individual civil liberties rather than questions of institutional economics or transnational jurisdiction. A central purview of Internet governance is the establishment and implementation of Internet protocols, designed to enable technical interoperability and economic competitiveness but which also serve as a form of technological regulation making decisions about the public’s civil liberties online.
Adults' views on mathematics education: a Midwest sample

Currently, few studies have addressed public opinions regarding math education. The current study surveyed adults in a Midwestern town in the United States to assess opinions regarding math and math education. Overall, we found that adults believe that math is useful and that math education is important. We found that parents who currently have a child in elementary school believed that math should be taught at an earlier age and were more supportive of parents being responsible for math education outside of the classroom than other participants. In this paper, we discuss some of the implications of these findings for math education.
THz Wave Photonics

We demonstrate generation, manipulation, amplification, and detection of highly directional broadband THz waves in laser-induced air plasma.
'All that glitters is not gold': when hyperammonaemia is not from hepatic aetiology.

Hyperammonaemia is often caused by decompensated liver disease. However, non-hepatic causes can sometimes result in hyperammonaemia, severe enough to cause symptoms. We report a case of a 65-year-old man with a history of hypertension and bilateral peripelvic renal cyst who presented with acute confusion. Laboratory investigations revealed hyperammonaemia and normal liver function test. The abdominal ultrasound did not reveal any finding of liver disease or portal-systemic shunting but demonstrated bilateral peripelvic cysts with no hydronephrosis. Hyperammonaemia was attributed to urinary tract infection with a urea-splitting Escherichia coli bacterium. Antibiotic therapy and lactulose were administered. His neurological status rapidly normalised over the next 48 hours, concomitantly with a decrease in ammonia level. Clinician awareness of non-hepatic causes of hyperammonaemic encephalopathy like urinary tract infection can contribute to early diagnosis and timely initiation of appropriate and potentially life-saving treatment including antimicrobial therapy, alleviating urinary obstruction, if present, and lactulose.
Approximate Bayesian inference under informative sampling

Summary Statistical inference with complex survey data is challenging because the sampling design can be informative, and ignoring it can produce misleading results. Current methods of Bayesian inference under complex sampling assume that the sampling design is noninformative for the specified model. In this paper, we propose a Bayesian approach which uses the sampling distribution of a summary statistic to derive the posterior distribution of the parameters of interest. Asymptotic properties of the method are investigated. It is directly applicable to combining information from two independent surveys and to calibration estimation in survey sampling. A simulation study confirms that it can provide valid estimation under informative sampling. We apply it to a measurement error problem using data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging.
Metaphors of Mind Underlying the Testing of Intelligence

Theory and practice have maintained an uneasy alliance throughout the history of intelligence testing. Contrary to popular belief, most tests of intelligence have been at least loosely based on theories of intelligence. The quality of the theories has varied, of course, as has the degree of correspondence between the tests and the theories on which they are based. Many of the problems of intelligence testing have been attributed to the lack of theoretical basis in conventional intelligence testing (see, e.g., Hunt, Frost, & Lunneborg, 1973). But I believe that the biggest problem in the testing of intelligence has not been the weakness of the linkage between theory and practice, but rather, the almost exclusive use of a single metaphor of mind underlying the testing of intelligence, a geographic metaphor that views intelligence tests as providing maps of a part of the mind. In this chapter, I will argue that our testing of intelligence has been and continues to be inadequate, in part because tests have been only partially adequate operationalizations of the theories upon which they are based, but in greater part because the theories upon which they are based have been derived from just one of the many possible metaphors of mind. If we want to improve our tests, we need to broaden them to take into account metaphors of mind other than the geographic one.
Climate Change, Extreme Weather Events, and Migration: Review of the Literature for Five Arab Countries

This chapter summarizes some of what is known about climate change in the Arab world and its impact on migration, with a focus on five countries: Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Syria, and Yemen. Migratory movements have a long history in the region, and migration decisions are influenced by a wide range of factors, many of which have nothing to do with climate change. But there is a broad consensus on the fact that factors related to climate change do contribute to migration. Such factors include more extreme weather events such as floods and droughts and the destruction they cause, as well as the effects of climate change on agricultural yields and water scarcity, among others. Understanding how climate patterns already impact migration today is important to inform not only government and other programs to help households cope with and adapt to climate change, but also a wide range of investment decisions which must anticipate future patterns of mobility and settlements. While important gaps in knowledge remain on the extent to which households are affected by climate change in the Arab world and whether climate change and extreme weather events have a large impact on migration decisions, the evidence base has been growing. This literature review summarizes the emerging literature on this topic, including insights from a recent study carried by the World Bank, AFD and Rand.
Interdiffusion in Multicomponent Systems

The phenomenological basis for the description of interdiffusion in multicomponent systems and the experimental approaches employed for the determination of interdiffusion fluxes, interdiffusion coefficients and zero-flux planes are briefly reviewed. Interdiffusion coefficients determined for β (bcc) Fe-Ni-Al alloys at 1000°C are presented and the development of zero-flux planes is illustrated with selected Fe-Ni-Al diffusion couples. A new analysis involving the concepts of average, effective interdiffusion coefficients and penetration depths for the individual components in a diffusion couple has been developed. Diffusion paths for a few interdiffusion experiments carried out in the Ti-Al-Nb system at 1100°C are also presented. A Ti-Al-Nb diffusion couple that developed B2 phase as a diffusion layer is analyzed for the determination of effective interdiffusion coefficients for the components over selected concentration ranges; these data are discussed in the light of ordering in the B2 phase.
Viruses in Fungi

Fungal virology represents a relatively new and interdisciplinary area of science. Viruses and viruslike structures have been recognized in a variety of fungi. The vast majority of these viruses have been shown to possess double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) genomes and to constitute latent or nonsymptomatic infections.
A Note on Gas Hydrate in the Northern Sector of the South China Sea

In 1998, the Naval Research Laboratory compiled a digital bathymetric database for use in environmental analyses of the seafloor morphology, physiography, and surficial sediments in the northern sector of the South China Sea (McDonnell, et al., 1998). Both detailed bathymetric surveys and random-track bathymetric sounding data were used. Most of this data was obtained from the United States National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC) and the United States National Imaging and Mapping Agency (NIMA), as well as other data not held by these agencies. Compilation created a new set of digital bathymetric contours (Fig. 1).
The evolution of grandparents.

The article discusses research about the evolution of grandparent-aged people and the impact that older people have had on populations, social interactions, and the genetics of human groups through the ages. Techniques used to determine longevity based on human fossils are described. Fossils taken from the Paleolithic period suggest that the older population surge affected human social structure as well as increased the chances for birth and survival. This structure may have contributed to the success of the modern human species over other species like the Neandertals. INSETS: IN BRIEF;Growing Older;Culture Comes of Age.
The Impact of Unconventional Monetary Policies: Evidence from Corporate Credit Markets

This paper examines the impact of unconventional monetary policies (UMPs), including Quantitative Easing (QE), Operation Twist (OT), and Forward Guidance (FG), on corporate credit markets. These policies were expected to reduce credit spreads by decreasing credit risk premium and/or liquidity premium, and to further lengthen borrowing maturity. During the crisis, Quantitative Easing (QE) 1 reduced these risk premia as expected. However, after the crisis, QE 2 and Operation Twist announcements increased fears of a weaker economy and, consequently, widened credit spreads. In contrast, Forward Guidance reduced credit risk premia without increasing fear premia. I also find that QE had a minimal effect on corporate bond maturities, which most likely reflected the considerable increase of new Treasury issuance and the declining fraction of preferred-habitat investors. The largest impact on corporate bond maturities came from UMPs that significantly flattened the yield curve.
Alendronate induced chorioretinitis: The importance of meticulous assessments.

Abstract Purpose To report a case of presumed bilateral chorioretinitis secondary to alendronate therapy. Observations A 71-year-old female presented to the clinic in July 2017 with six months history of difficulty in reading along with floaters in both eyes which were more severe in the right eye. Past medical and surgical history revealed a history of hypertension, gout, hyperthyroidism, osteoporosis, and humerus fracture. She was started on alendronate three months before developing ocular symptoms. On ocular examination, best corrected visual acuity was 20/30 in the right and 20/25 in the left eye. Slit-lamp examination demonstrated normal anterior chamber examination in both eyes. Dilated fundus examination revealed geographic chorioretinal lesions around the optic nerve head in both eyes, more extensively in the right eye; and superior and temporal to the macula in the right eye. Past ocular records in February 2015 did not reveal any such findings. Fundus autofluorescence demonstrated hyper-autofluorescence in the peripapillary lesions in both eyes. The lesion adjacent to the macula in right eye displayed mixed hyper and hypo-autofluorescence. Fluorescein angiography showed combined hyper- and hypo-fluorescence compatible with window defect, staining and blockage. However, no leakage was appreciated in the macula, peripapillary, and peripheral lesions in both eyes. Optical coherence tomography scan showed septate hyporeflective intraretinal spaces in the right eye. Conclusion and importance The index report underscore the importance of considering alendronate as an etiologic cause of chorioretinitis, especially in subjects with atypical lesions developing after alendronate therapy. We, therefore, recommend discontinuation of this medication in subjects who develop chorioretinitis after employing this medication.
Gray Matters: Detecting Accounting Student Use of Publisher Test Banks and the Implications for Academic and Professional Organizations

Academic and professional organizations face challenges when some students operate in a gray area of ethical decision making and use publisher test banks to prepare for in-class exams. We develop a forensic technique and find that approximately one-third of graduate accounting students at a major university use the publisher test bank, improving their exam grades on average by 30 percent. We discuss the potential detrimental professional impact that can occur when students, who are willing to operate in a gray area of ethical decision making, enter the accounting profession. In doing so, we introduce into the accounting literature the notion that individuals may continually seek out increasing levels of unethical behavior because they experience positive affect, or a "cheater's high", when engaging in unethical behavior in the presence of non-salient victims. Professional organizations can be used to develop a secure test bank which can be used by professors to remove the bias in learning assessment that results from student use of publisher test banks.
Next-Generation Techniques for Determination of Protein-Protein Interactions: Beyond the Crystal Structure

We discuss recent advancements in structural biology methods for investigating sites of protein-protein interactions. We will inform readers outside the field of structural biology about techniques beyond crystallography and how these different technologies can be utilized for drug development. Advancements in cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM) and micro-electron diffraction (microED) may change how we view atomic resolution structural biology, such that well-ordered macrocrystals of protein complexes are not required for interface identification. However, some drug discovery applications, such as lead peptide compound generation, may not require atomic resolution; mass spectrometry techniques can provide an expedited path to a generation of lead compounds. New cross-linking compounds, more user-friendly data analysis, and novel protocols such as protein painting can advance drug discovery programs, even in the absence of atomic resolution structural data. Finally, artificial intelligence and machine learning methods, while never truly replacing experimental methods, may provide rational ways to stratify potential druggable regions identified with mass spectrometry into higher and lower priority candidates. Electron diffraction of nanocrystals combines the benefits of both x-ray diffraction and cryoEM, and may prove to be the next generation of atomic resolution protein-protein interface identification. However, in situations such as peptide drug discovery, mass spectrometry techniques supported by advancements in computational methods will likely prove sufficient to support drug discovery efforts. In addition, these methods can be significantly faster than any crystallographic or cryoEM methods for the identification of interacting regions.
Bonus rewards for everyone: Enhancing mathematics performance with supplemental interdependent group contingencies

Teachers regularly apply independent group-oriented contingencies (e.g., each student who scored above 89% gets a reward) which are designed to enhance students’ academic performance and achievemen...
Green building complexes

Abstract Conventional heating and cooling systems consume fossil fuels and release toxic gases into the environment, so sustainable heating and cooling systems are urgently needed. To mitigate this problem, photon particles are being decoded by the Bose-Einstein (B-E) photon distribution mechanism in the helium-assisted glazing wall to cool buildings naturally by inducing a photonic band-gap of cooling-state photons. This cooling-state photon is denoted as the Hossain Cooling Photon (HcP−). Once needed, this HcP− can be transformed into a thermal state photon, denoted as the Hossain Thermal Photon (HtP−), formed by the Higgs boson (H → γγ−) electromagnetic quantum field utilizing a two-diode thermal semiconductor. Because the H → γγ− quantum field is initiated by an extremely short-range weak force that enforces the electrically charged HcP− quantum get excited to transform it into an HtP−. The formation of HcP− and the transformation of HtP− are demonstrated by a series of mathematical tests that confirms that the decoded photons (HcP− and HtP−) are actively feasible in the glazing wall to cool and heat the premises naturally.
Impact Analysis of Mobility on Physical Layer Security of mmWave Networks

Due to the large amount of data transmitted through millimeter wave (mmWave) networks, security of such networks is imperative. Physical layer security is widely recognized for its capability to supplement traditional cryptography based security. In mmWave networks, movement of users forces the beams of the transmitter and receiver beams to be tuned frequently for alignment. The signal-to-noise ratio variations introduced by user mobility are much higher for mmWave due to the use of directional beams. Existing physical layer security analysis of mmWave networks are limited since they do not consider the impact of mobility. Therefore, in this work, we analyze the impact of mobility on the mmWave physical layer security. We provide analytical model for the secrecy metrics of mmWave user's under random waypoint mobility model. We support our analytical model with numerical simulations.
Null strain analysis of submerged aneurysm analogues using a novel 3D stereomicroscopy device.

To measure the inhomogeneous 3D-strain fields present during inflation-extension testing of physiologically submerged micro-aneurysms, a Stereo Digital Image Correlation (StereoDIC) microscopy syst...
Psychological Assessment Tools Utilized in Sports Injury Treatment Outcomes Research: A Review

The use of self-report psychological assessment tools in outcomes research has become increasingly frequent, though many sports medicine providers and researchers are unfamiliar with these instruments. We conducted a systematic search of the sports medicine literature in PubMed, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, and Google Scholar of studies published on or before November 1st, 2019. Included psychological self-assessment tools were limited to those in a written self-assessment format and were used in musculoskeletal sports injury or concussion treatment outcome studies. Both pre- or post-treatment psychological assessments were included. Thirty-four assessment scales of psychological factors were utilized across 152 sports injury treatment outcomes studies. Six assessment tools were utilized in 5 or more studies and the remaining 28 were utilized in 4 or fewer studies. Many of the utilized scales have adequate assessment and reporting of internal consistency reliability, supporting further reliability and validation studies for use in sports injury treatment outcomes research.
Comparing "Individual Health" Message Framing to "Organizational Efficiency" Message Framing to Encourage Adoption of Wearable Health Technologies at Work.

Purpose:To determine the relative impact of framing on employee intention to adopt wearable technology (eg, Fitbits) at work.Setting and Design:Posttest only online experiment utilizing a 2 (framin...
Careers in Psychology Course: Prevalence, Structure, and Timing.

Despite the multiple benefits of the careers in psychology course, it is not universally offered in undergraduate programs. Teachers who wish to design such a course may wonder about its typical nu...
Studies on the mechanism of membrane mediated general anesthesia

ABSTRACT Inhaled anesthetics are a chemically diverse collection of hydrophobic molecules that robustly activate TWIK related K+ channels (TREK-1) and reversibly induce loss of consciousness. For a hundred years anesthetics were speculated to target cellular membranes, yet no plausible mechanism emerged to explain a membrane effect on ion channels. Here we show that inhaled anesthetics (chloroform and isoflurane) activate TREK-1 through disruption of palmitate-mediated localization of phospholipase D2 (PLD2) to lipid rafts and subsequent production of signaling lipid phosphatidic acid (PA). Catalytically dead PLD2 robustly blocks anesthetic TREK-1 currents in cell patch-clamp. Localization of PLD2 renders the anesthetic-insensitive TRAAK channel sensitive. General anesthetics chloroform, isoflurane, diethyl ether, xenon, and propofol disrupt lipid rafts and activate PLD2. In the whole brain of flies, anesthesia disrupts rafts and PLDnull flies resist anesthesia. Our results establish a membrane mediated target of inhaled anesthesia and suggest PA helps set anesthetic sensitivity in vivo.
Postnatal persistence of sex-dependent renal developmentally programmed structural and molecular changes in nonhuman primates

Background: Poor nutrition during development programs kidney function. No studies on postnatal consequences of decreased perinatal nutrition exist in nonhuman primates (NHP) for translation to human renal disease. Our baboon model of moderate maternal nutrient restriction (MNR) produces intrauterine growth restricted (IUGR) and programs renal fetal phenotype. We hypothesized that the IUGR phenotype persists postnatally, influencing responses to a high-fat, high-carbohydrate, high-salt (HFCS) diet. Methods: Pregnant baboons ate chow (Control; CON) or 70% of control intake (MNR) from 0.16 gestation through lactation. MNR offspring were IUGR at birth. At weaning, all offspring (CON and IUGR females and males, n=3/group) ate chow. At ~4.5 years of age, blood, urine, and kidney biopsies were collected before and after a 7-week HFCS diet challenge. Kidney function, unbiased kidney gene expression, and untargeted urine metabolomics were evaluated. Results: IUGR female and male kidney transcriptome and urine metabolome differed from CON at 3.5 years, prior to HFCS. After the challenge, we observed sex-specific and fetal exposure-specific responses in urine creatinine, urine metabolites, and renal signaling pathways. Conclusions: We previously showed mTOR signaling dysregulation in IUGR fetal kidneys. Before HFCS, gene expression analysis indicated that dysregulation persists postnatally in IUGR females. IUGR male offspring response to HFCS showed uncoordinated signaling pathway responses suggestive of proximal tubule injury. To our knowledge, this is the first study comparing CON and IUGR postnatal juvenile NHP and the impact of fetal and postnatal life caloric mismatch. Perinatal history needs to be taken into account when assessing renal disease risk.
CDK 4/6 inhibitors are associated with a high incidence of thrombotic events in women with breast cancer in real-world practice.

Purpose Cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4/6 inhibitors are integral treatment for advanced hormone receptor positive breast cancer; however, venous thromboembolic events (VTE) occurred in 1%-5% of clinical trial patients. Thrombosis rates in the real-world setting remain unclear. We aimed to define the rate of thromboembolic events, risk factors for thrombosis on CDK 4/6 inhibitors and evaluate the Khorana VTE risk score as a predictive tool for VTE in patients on CDK 4/6 therapy. Methods Multicenter retrospective analysis of adult breast cancer patients prescribed palbociclib, ribociclib, or abemaciclib. The primary endpoint was thrombosis during treatment or within 30 days of CDK inhibitor discontinuation. Cox regression was used to model time-to-thrombosis, starting from a patient's initiation of CDK 4/6 therapy. The extended Kaplan-Meier method and Cox modeling were used to assess the effect of time-varying thrombosis status on overall survival. Results Two hundred and sixty-six patients were included (89% on palbociclib, 14% on abemaciclib, 7% on ribociclib). Twenty-nine thrombotic events occurred in 26 (9.8%) women. Of these events, 72% were venous and 34% were arterial. The 1-year incidence of thrombosis was 10.4% overall, 10.9% on palbociclib, 8.3% on ribociclib, and 4.8% on abemaciclib. Hemoglobin less than 10 g/dL was a statistically significant predictor of thrombosis (HR 3.53, P: .014). Khorana score ranged from 0-3, with the majority between 0 and 1 and was not predictive of VTE. Thrombosis was associated with reduced overall survival (HR 1.28, P: .128, median 7.3 months) compared to not having a CDK-associated clot (median 35.7 months). Discussion VTE in our analysis is higher than reported in clinical trials and arterial thrombosis comprised over one-third of events. The highest incidence was with palbociclib, followed by ribociclib. Khorana score did not predict VTE risk. Larger, real-world studies are needed. The role for prophylactic anticoagulation is yet to be defined in this patient population.