cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nucleolin, defective for MPF phosphorylation, localizes normally during mitosis and nucleologenesis.

To determine what effect maturation promoting factor (MPF, p34 cdc2 kinase/cyclin B) phosphorylation has on nucleolin’s distribution during mitotic nucleolar disassembly and reassembly, we altered Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) nucleolin (the N protein) such that it cannot be phosphorylated by p34 cdc2 . As expected, the transiently expressed epitope-tagged N protein showed no apparent defect in nucleolar localization in interphase CHO cells, even after hypotonic shock and recovery to quickly disassemble and then reassemble interphase nucleoli. In mitotic CHO cells, the N protein localized to the perichromosomal sheath and the cytoplasm, as is typical for nucleolin. Similar to epitope-tagged wild-type nucleolin, the N protein also maintained its association with persistent nucleoli characteristic of mitotic Chinese hamster lung (Dede) cells. In synchronized HeLa cells, the N protein again localized to the perichromosomal sheath and the cytoplasm as nucleoli disassembled during prophase. In HeLa cell telophase, the N protein localized normally to nucleolus-derived foci within the cytoplasm and prenucleolar bodies within reforming nuclei. The observations indicate that MPF phosphorylation is not essential for nucleolin’s localizations to the perichromosomal sheath and the cytoplasm during prophase and metaphase, and that functional MPF phosphorylation sites are not essential for nucleolin’s localizations during nucleologenesis.
Layers of Critical Engagement: Exploring the Intersections of Leadership, Critical Theory, and Learning.

Shawna M. Patterson provides a model for becoming cultural workers and transforming our campus cultures as we support the development of our students into culturally competent citizens.
Effects of Amino Acid Additives during Hemodialysis of Children

The intradialytic losses into the dialysate of free amino acids (AA) and alpha-amino nitrogen were determined during the dialysis of three children. Variations in plasma AA were determined pre- and postdialysis. The effect of these losses with the addition of an Abbott General Amino Acid Mixture to the dialysate in concentrations of 8.5, 17, and 34 mg/100 ml was studied. The major determinant of AA losses was the plasma concentration of the AA before beginning the dialysis treatment. Dialysance of individual AA varied inversely with their molecular weights. A zero flux of alpha-amino nitrogen occurred at a derived concentration of 22 mg/100 ml of the AA additive in the dialysate. Plasma concentrations of nonessential amino acids were little affected by the dialysate additive. In contrast, total essential amino acid nitrogen which fell during baseline dialyses showed significant improvement when the AA solution was added to the dialysate. This study suggests that the addition of AA to the dialysate bath may be effective in decreasing AA nitrogen losses during dialysis.
Candida albicans Sterol C-14 Reductase, Encoded by the ERG24 Gene, as a Potential Antifungal Target Site

The incidence of fungal infections has increased dramatically, which has necessitated additional and prolonged use of the available antifungal agents. Increased resistance to the commonly used antifungal agents, primarily the azoles, has been reported, thus necessitating the discovery and development of compounds that would be effective against the major human fungal pathogens. The sterol biosynthetic pathway has proved to be a fertile area for antifungal development, and steps which might provide good targets for novel antifungal development remain. The sterol C-14 reductase, encoded by the ERG24 gene, could be an effective target for drug development since the morpholine antifungals, inhibitors of Erg24p, have been successful in agricultural applications. The ERG24 gene of Candida albicans has been isolated by complementation of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae erg24 mutant. Both copies of the C. albicans ERG24 gene have been disrupted by using short homologous regions of the ERG24 gene flanking a selectable marker. Unlike S. cerevisiae, the C. albicans ERG24 gene was not required for growth, but erg24 mutants showed several altered phenotypes. They were demonstrated to be slowly growing, with doubling times at least twice that of the wild type. They were also shown to be significantly more sensitive to an allylamine antifungal and to selected cellular inhibitors including cycloheximide, cerulenin, fluphenazine, and brefeldin A. The erg24 mutants were also slightly resistant to the azoles. Most importantly, erg24 mutants were shown to be significantly less pathogenic in a mouse model system and failed to produce germ tubes upon incubation in human serum. On the basis of these characteristics, inhibitors of Erg24p would be effective against C. albicans.
Antimicrobial Actions of Hexachlorophene: Inhibition of Respiration in Bacillus megaterium

Hexachlorophene (HCP) inhibits both endogenous and exogenous respiration (oxygen uptake) in Bacillus megaterium, without sparing by any of several substrates. The inhibition is maximal when the cells are treated with 8 mug of HCP per mg of cells (dry weight), which corresponds to the minimal lethal dose. Levels as low as 2 mug/mg are inhibitory but not lethal. HCP also inhibits the respiration of isolated B. megaterium membranes and can act on several components of the electron transport chain in the membranes and on soluble enzymes. Although both forms of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, reduced form dehydrogenase and malic dehydrogenase are inhibited by HCP, they are less susceptible than is oxygen uptake. The site of maximal sensitivity is nearer the terminal electron acceptor, but the exact location depends on the cytochrome composition of the membranes. If cytochromes b(1), a, and a(3) are present, but not o, HCP inhibits electron transport on the substrate side of cytochrome b(1); if cytochromes b(1), a(3), and o are present, but not a, the inhibition occurs on the oxygen side of cytochrome b(1). Exogenous menadione, an analogue of menaquinone, reverses the inhibition in both circumstances. The primary lethal action of HCP thus appears to be respiratory inhibition at a site within the membrane-bound part of the electron transport chain.
Renin–angiotensin system–growth factor cross-talk: a novel mechanism for ureteric bud morphogenesis

The renin–angiotensin system (RAS) plays a critical role in kidney development. Mutations in the genes encoding components of the RAS cause a spectrum of congenital abnormalities of the kidney and renal collecting system, ranging from hypoplasia of the renal medulla and hydronephrosis in mice to renal tubular dysgenesis in humans. However, the mechanisms by which an intact RAS controls proper renal system development and how aberrations in the RAS result in abnormal kidney and renal collecting system development are poorly understood. The renal collecting system originates from the ureteric bud (UB). A number of transcription and growth factors regulate UB branching morphogenesis to ultimately form the ureter, pelvis, calyces, medullary, and cortical collecting ducts. Importantly, UB morphogenesis is a key developmental process that controls organogenesis of the entire metanephros. This review emphasizes emerging insights into the role for the RAS in UB morphogenesis and explores the mechanisms whereby RAS regulates this important process. A conceptual framework derived from recent work indicates that cooperation between the angiotensin II AT1 receptor and receptor tyrosine kinase signaling performs essential functions during renal collecting system development via control of UB branching morphogenesis.
Further Applications of Pentachlorophenyl Active Esters in Lengthening Peptide Chains from C- and N-Terminal Amino Acids Using Dicyclohexylamine C-Protection

In order to eliminate the problems associated with the use of alkali during peptide synthesis, a systematic investigation was carried out to lengthen peptide chains by coupling N-protected pentachlorophenyl active esters of amino acids and peptides with amino acids and peptides, C-protected by dicyclohexylamine. There was an appreciable increase in yields when N-protected pentachlorophenyl active esters of amino acids were coupled with di- and tripeptides instead of single amino acid units C-protected by dicyclohexylamine. From this, it was concluded that peptide chains would be lengthened more profitably from C-terminal instead of N-terminal amino acid residues when the synthesis of peptides is carried out, using pentachlorophenyl active esters in combination with dicyclohexylamine C-protection. In addition to affording relatively better yields, this approach would further limit the degree of racemization as the active ester component used would always be a monomer.
Indian Ocean Studies and the ‘new thalassology’

This article explores the past, present, and possible future directions of the ‘‘new thalassology’’ [from the ancient Greek thalassa, ‘‘sea’’] and Indian Ocean studies from its humble beginnings in the 1950s and 1960s, and the cross-fertilization between the ‘Annales’ school and world-systems analysis in the 1980s, to its – admittedly incomplete – institutionalization in the early twenty-first century. In addition, it defines the numerous, often flexible and permeable, spatial and temporal boundaries or ‘frontiers’ of the Indian Ocean world(s). A final section surveys some of the potentialities and pitfalls of Indian Ocean studies and the new thalassology, with the strengths outweighing the weaknesses. The new thalassology undoubtedly presents some daunting challenges. It is to be hoped, however, that charting some of the ‘hundred frontiers’ of the globalized, inter-regional Indian Ocean seascape provides some sense of direction for this exciting field of scholarship and helps shape the future contours of maritime-based studies
Radiation Injury Treatment Network (RITN): Healthcare professionals preparing for a mass casualty radiological or nuclear incident

Purpose: To describe the history, composition, and activities of the Radiation Injury Treatment Network (RITN). The Radiation Injury Treatment Network® is a cooperative effort of the National Marrow Donor Program and the American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. The goals of RITN are to educate hematologists, oncologists, and stem cell transplant practitioners about their potential involvement in the response to a radiation incident and provide treatment expertise. Injuries to the marrow system readily occur when a victim is exposed to ionising radiation. This focus therefore leverages the expertise of these specialists who are accustomed to providing the intensive supportive care required by patients with a suppressed marrow function. Following a radiological incident, RITN centres may be asked to: Accept patient transfers to their institutions; provide treatment expertise to practitioners caring for victims at other centres; travel to other centres to provide medical expertise; or provide d...
Mucopolysaccharide in the glomerular basement membrane of a hibernator.

The glomerular basement membrane in the kidney of a hibernating 13-lined ground squirrel, when compared with that of a non-hibernating animal, stains positively with ruthenium red indicating the presence of acid mucopolysaccharide. This increased quantity of anionic material accompanying hibernation may be responsible for maintaining water and electrolyte balance by acting as a resin for the exchange of cations between the capillary and urinary spaces, attracting water and concentrating protein.
Not) Bounding the True Error

We present a new approach to bounding the true error rate of a continuous valued classifier based upon PAC-Bayes bounds. The method first constructs a distribution over classifiers by determining how sensitive each parameter in the model is to noise. The true error rate of the stochastic classifier found with the sensitivity analysis can then be tightly bounded using a PAC-Bayes bound. In this paper we demonstrate the method on artificial neural networks with results of a 2 - 3 order of magnitude improvement vs. the best deterministic neural net bounds.
Fast algorithms for phone classification and recognition using segment-based models

Methods for reducing the computation requirements of joint segmentation and recognition of phones using the stochastic segment model are presented. The approach uses a fast segment classification method that reduces computation by a factor of two to four, depending on the confidence of choosing the most probable model. A split-and-merge segmentation algorithm is proposed as an alternative to the typical dynamic programming solution of the segmentation and recognition problem, with computation savings increasing proportionally with model complexity. Although the current recognizer uses context-independent phone models, the results reported for the TIMIT database for speaker-independent joint segmentation and recognition are comparable to those of systems that use context information. >
Catalysis of ring‐opening and vinyl polymerizations by dicobaltoctacarbonyl

In the presence of SiH containing cocatalysts, dicobaltoctacarbonyl has been found to very efficiently catalyze the ring-opening polymerization of cyclic ethers, especially epoxides, as well as certain vinyl monomers. The reaction conditions employed are very similar to those used in Co2(CO)8 catalyzed hydrogenation and hydrosilylation reactions. Detailed investigations have been carried out to elucidate the nature of the active species for this catalytic system. A cationic mechanism is proposed based on the experimental results of those investigations.
The Relationships Between Stock Prices of Competitors

In this article, we use regression analysis to examine the relationships of stock prices of 10 sets of major competitors. Six of the 10 sets of competitors had strong regression relationships between their stock prices with R2 >= 0.8. Furthermore, through looking at the slopes from the regression equations, we identified the relative sensitivity of a company's stock price to that of its competitor's. Given R2 and slope, we were able to determine how concerned a company should be with its competitor's stock price. Our analysis revealed that three sets of companies have R2 >= 0.8 and slope >= 1.
Optically Detected Magnetic Resonance of Sulfur Doped Gallium Phosphide

An isotropic optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) having a Lorentzian lineshape at g - 2.050 ± 0.003 and linewidth (FWHM) of 67.3 mT is observed in GaP doped with 6 - 9 × 1017 S/cm3. The ODMR at g - 2.050 is believed to arise from free electrons (or holes) in the conduction (valence) band. This ODMR is completely quenched due to non-radiative recombination in the vicinity of g - 1.99.
A life history approach to understanding the Dark Triad

Researchers adopting an evolutionary perspective have conceptualized the Dark Triad as an exploitative interpersonal style reflective of a fast life history strategy. However, not all research has supported this claim. We posit that different elements of the constructs associated with the Dark Triad may reflect different life history strategies. Our results indicate that the measures of the Dark Triad and other indicators of life history strategies form two distinct factors: (1) a fast life strategy factor that includes the impulsive antisociality facet of psychopathy, the entitlement/exploitativeness facet of narcissism, Machiavellianism, unrestricted sociosexuality, and aggression, and (2) a slow life strategy factor that includes the fearless dominance facet of psychopathy and both the leadership/authority and grandiose exhibitionism facets of narcissism. These factors differentially correlate with established measures of life history strategy. These findings add to the literature by clarifying how the Dark Triad fits into a life history framework.
Acting in good taste: nutrient sensors in the gut

Our senses help us perceive the external environment and respond appropriately to external cues. Many of our senses, including our sense of taste, use G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) for transduction of environmental signals. Taste sensation is mediated through two families of related, evolutionarily conserved GPCRs known as T1Rs and T2Rs, originally described within taste buds of the tongue.1 Through these basic elements, we are able to generate a diverse repertoire of taste sensations including sweet, bitter and savoury (umami) tastes. For example, sweet taste sensation is initiated by ligand binding to the extracellular domain of the heterodimeric receptor complex formed by the GPCRs T1R2 and T1R3, whereas savoury taste sensation is initiated through a heterodimer of T1R1 and T1R3.1 The activated intracellular domain of the heterodimeric receptor complex then couples with a specific G protein alpha subunit, G alpha gustducin, resulting in downstream effector signals including increased intracellular calcium.2 The activity of G alpha gustducin also leads to activation of transient receptor potential ion channel 5 (TRPM5), a cation channel whose downstream effects are not yet well understood.3 The discovery of G alpha gustducin expression in luminal gut epithelium raised the intriguing possibility that the gut is somehow able to “taste” luminal contents.4 More recently, taste receptors and their downstream effectors were shown to be expressed within the stomach, proximal …
Steep subthreshold slope nanowire FETs with gate-induced Schottky-barrier tunneling

We report Schottky-barrier (S-B) nanowire field effect transistors (NW FETs) with high-performance characteristics brought about by gate-induced Schottky-barrier tunneling. The devices exhibit sharp subthreshold slopes (as small as 45 mV/dec), well-saturated inversion-mode I DS −V DS characteristics, and large on/off current ratios (≈ 108). The excellent device properties are attributed to: (i) the enhancement of tunneling through the NW FET S-B by the gate-channel-source coupling which results in sharp subthreshold slope, (ii) the clean, CMOS-compatible fabrication of NW FET leading to a high-quality dielectric/nanowire interface, and (iii) the good quality S/D barriers and low S/D series resistance associated with them. Previous studies have demonstrated high-performance nanowire and nanotube FETs with on/off current ratios ≈ 105 and subthreshold swings (SS's) ≈ 100 mV/dec [1, 2]. The sharpness of the SS is a critical parameter in determining how small a fraction of the applied gate voltage is used to switch the device on and thus the maximum dissipated power. Previous pioneering results [3–5] have shown that nanotube and nanowire FETs with SS DS -V DS , small on/off ratios and ambipolar conduction. The S-B NW FETs fabricated in this work exhibit sharp SS's at low operation voltage, large on/off current ratios and inversion-mode saturating I DS -V DS .
Model for teaching writing in an R&D laboratory

A description is given of a comprehensive, fully integrated model for teaching writing known as the writing process which can be used as the model for an in-house writing workshop in an R&D laboratory. As presented in the Effective Technical Writing workshop at Battelle, Pacific Northwest Laboratories, the writing process includes four stages: (1) prewriting, (2) writing, (3) rewriting, and (4) publishing. Effective techniques for writing at each stage are presented, suited to the priorities of the stage. Use of the process produces a hierarchy of concerns, and the process is recursive. >
Adaptive thresholding ASIC for image processing application

The ASIC implementation of a simple and effective image thresholding method is presented. The method uses a novel weight based clustering technique using a neural-network-like structure to compute a global threshold. The uniqueness of the method is its simplicity and ease of implementation. The method has been found to perform well on mailpiece images. It is a single pass algorithm that requires minimal post processing. The network structure and implementation issues are discussed. >
Pseudotumor cerebri following tapered corticosteroid treatment in an 8-month-old infant.

✓The authors report on an 8-month-old infant with an orbital capillary hemangioma. The patient had been treated with high-dose corticosteroid therapy and had had a recent decrease in dose. The patient presented to the emergency department with increased irritability and bulging fontanelles. On lumbar puncture the opening pressure was > 55 cm H2O. Ophthalmological examination revealed interval development of papilledema. The child was treated with high-volume lumbar puncture, subsequent drainage of 10 ml of cerebrospinal fluid, resumption of the previous steroid dose, and acetazolomide therapy. The patient's symptoms resolved and follow-up ophthalmological examination revealed interval resolution of papilledema. The authors present the youngest reported case of pseudotumor development after corticosteroid tapering.
Accelerating Optimization via Adaptive Prediction

We present a powerful general framework for designing data-dependent optimization algorithms, building upon and unifying recent techniques in adaptive regularization, optimistic gradient predictions, and problem-dependent randomization. We first present a series of new regret guarantees that hold at any time and under very minimal assumptions, and then show how different relaxations recover existing algorithms, both basic as well as more recent sophisticated ones. Finally, we show how combining adaptivity, optimism, and problem-dependent randomization can guide the design of algorithms that benefit from more favorable guarantees than recent state-of-the-art methods.
Across State Lines, A Family Navigates Medical Complexity And Medicaid Hurdles

A medically complex child and a military family navigate Medicaid coverage challenges as they travel from state to state.
A method of correcting for "missed" resonances in neutron spectroscopy

Abstract A method is described of obtaining the corrected s -wave strength function and the corrected average spacing of s -wave resonances from the observed resonance parameters from low energy neutron cross section measurements. The method of correcting for “missed” resonances is based on the Porter-Thomas distribution of the reduced neutron widths. Several graphical illustrations from the results of an iterative calculation by a digital computer are presented to give a general idea of the nature and numerical significance of the corrections. Finally, a set of master curves is given, from which one can estimate the correction factors using simple algebraic calculations for various experimental conditions.
Talleyrand and the American Negotiations of 1797–1798

SCHOLARS dealing with the Quasi-War of 1797-1798 have emphasized the well-known XYZ affair and its reverberations in American politics. As a consequence, the assumptions and goals underlying French policy toward the United States in this period have received little attention. Nor did contemporary American participants or observers soberly assess the international position of France. Instead, Americans frequently assayed French policy on the basis of their own positions in domestic politics. Federalists commonly spoke of the French desire to dominate the continent and inflame the New World with revolution. Republicans argued that the United States needed French friendship; and, moreover, France had justifiable grievances, since the United States had violated the French Treaties of 1778 by approving the Jay Treaty with Great Britain in 1795. Neither group was altogether incorrect, but both ignored any analysis of French intentions. By examining French policy toward the United States in the Quasi-War at the start of negotiations, historians can see that the broad outline of policy toward the United States had been determined; it was this policy that the French ultimately pursued in the next three years. In early October 1797, Charles C. Pinckney, Elbridge Gerry, and John Marshall arrived in Paris, charged with mediating differences between the two countries. The American envoys had their first meeting with the French foreign minister, Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Perigord, on October 8, 1797. Quickly concluding the introductory pleasantries, Talleyrand informed his American guests that he was then writing a report on United States policy and preferred to postpone negotiations until he had
Classification of Lubricating Oils by Gas Chromatography

Authors attempted to presume the sort of lubricating oils by using eluogram that shows relation. between the eluted quantity of oil and retention time, prepared from the chromatogram by programmed temperature gas chromatography.By the use of this eluogram, the groups of spindle oils, machine oils, and engine oils were able to discriminate. The eluograms of electric insulating oils and liquid paraffin belonged to spindle oil group, and those of cylinder oils to engine oil group, and they could not differentiate from another, although the shapes of eluograms were different each other.
Factors associated with veterans' access to permanent supportive housing

Objective:The objective of this study was to identify individual- and program-level characteristics associated with veterans’ ability to move into permanent housing following receipt of a housing voucher and to identify factors associated with more rapid placement into housing.Methods:This study used secondary quantitative and primary quantitative and qualitative data collected from veterans participating in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program at four locations between 2008 and 2014 (N=9,967). Interviewers conducted in-person surveys with a subsample of the cohort (N=508). The study assessed two outcomes: whether a veteran accessed permanent supportive housing and the number of days required for veterans to move in. A logistic regression analysis identified predictors of becoming housed and a multiple regression model determined factors that influenced the time required for veterans to move into housing after admission to ...
Role of fibrates in cardiovascular disease prevention, the ACCORD-Lipid perspective.

Purpose of reviewTo examine the results of the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD)-Lipid trial, particularly the subgroup analyses. It is important, when a study fails to meet its overall primary endpoint, to ensure that interpretation of the results include analyses of subgro
Effects of Antibiotics on Daphnia

Summary1. The survival of Daphnia following exposure to varying concentrations of chemotherapeutic agents was studied. 2. The toxicity of the antibiotics for Daphnia in terms of survival showed a correspondence to their acute toxicity for man, in terms of untoward reactions. 3. An apparently specific pharmacological action of neomycin on the gut of Daphnia is described. 4. The oxygen consumption of Daphnia was found to be about 5 × 10−2 μl per μg N per hour. The rate was not altered following addition of 10 μg/ml of streptlomycin. 5. The use of Daphnia as a test animal for screening antibiotics is considered.
The diagnostic and therapeutic uses of saralasin in renal transplant hypertension.

AbstractSaralasin was used as a functional test of the renin-angiotensin axis in 4 renal transplant patients with hypertension. Blood pressure was recorded by an automatic recording device and plasma renin activity was measured by radioimmunoassay of angiotensin I. A positive saralasin test suggested renin-mediated hypertension despite normal peripheral renin levels in a 40-year-old man whose original kidney disease was nephrosclerosis. Since the blood pressure was refractory to intravenous sodium nitroprusside saralasin was used for 14 hours to control blood pressure before and after arteriography in the patient. Removal of the native kidneys markedly ameliorated the hypertension. A 35-year-old woman with transplant hypertension was responsive to angiotensin blockade only during a period of abrupt worsening of blood pressure associated with an acute rejection episode. Finally, 2 patients with advanced chronic rejection responded to saralasin administration. These studies confirm that 1) angiotensin block...
3D map generation for biometric applications using a network of multi-static radar sensors

In this paper, we describe a novel algorithm based on diffraction tomography for 3D map generation using the received backscattered radar electro-magnetic (EM) field from different spatially distributed multi-static radar sensors. Each sensor at a given time will transmit a radar waveform and the other sensors including the one transmitted will receive the waveform that is backscattered from the objects. A data cube of received data will be created at each sensor by changing the location of sensors. This data cube is used in generating the 3D object profiles at each sensor and then the fused 3D map will be outputted which will contain the fused 3D object profiles or structure obtained from each sensor. If there are more than one object in the field of interest there would be inter object backscattering. This would result in receiving mixed signals. This mixed signal might cause problems in the generation of the 3D map/structure. So to reduce the effect of inter object backscattering we use the probabilistic based blind source separation (BSS) technique for convolutive mixture separation. Before applying the mixture separation technique, we estimate the number of sources. For this we have developed a technique. In this paper, all these techniques are described and also results using real radar backscattered data are provided. A description of how this 3D maps can be used for biometrics is also provided.
A lung cancer risk classifier comprising genome maintenance genes measured in normal bronchial epithelial cells.

Annual low dose CT (LDCT) screening of individuals at high demographic risk reduces lung cancer mortality by more than 20%. However, subjects selected for screening based on demographic criteria typically have less than a 10% lifetime risk for lung cancer. Thus, there is need for a biomarker that better stratifies subjects for LDCT screening. Toward this goal, we previously reported a lung cancer risk test (LCRT) biomarker comprising 14 genome-maintenance (GM) pathway genes measured in normal bronchial epithelial cells (NBEC) that accurately classified cancer (CA) from non-cancer (NC) subjects. The primary goal of the studies reported here was to optimize the LCRT biomarker for high specificity and ease of clinical implementation. Targeted competitive multiplex PCR amplicon libraries were prepared for next generation sequencing (NGS) analysis of transcript abundance at 68 sites among 33 GM target genes in NBEC specimens collected from a retrospective cohort of 120 subjects, including 61 CA cases and 59 NC controls. Genes were selected for analysis based on contribution to the previously reported LCRT biomarker and/or prior evidence for association with lung cancer risk. Linear discriminant analysis was used to identify the most accurate classifier suitable to stratify subjects for screening. After cross-validation, a model comprising expression values from 12 genes (CDKN1A, E2F1, ERCC1, ERCC4, ERCC5, GPX1, GSTP1, KEAP1, RB1, TP53, TP63, and XRCC1) and demographic factors age, gender, and pack-years smoking, had Receiver Operator Characteristic area under the curve (ROC AUC) of 0.975 (95% CI: 0.96–0.99). The overall classification accuracy was 93% (95% CI 88%–98%) with sensitivity 93.1%, specificity 92.9%, positive predictive value 93.1% and negative predictive value 93%. The ROC AUC for this classifier was significantly better (p < 0.0001) than the best model comprising demographic features alone. The LCRT biomarker reported here displayed high accuracy and ease of implementation on a high throughput, quality-controlled targeted NGS platform. As such, it is optimized for clinical validation in specimens from the ongoing LCRT blinded prospective cohort study. Following validation, the biomarker is expected to have clinical utility by better stratifying subjects for annual lung cancer screening compared to current demographic criteria alone.
Advances in nuclear reaction calculations by incorporating information from nuclear mean-field theories

Mean-field model calculations for nuclear structure theories are combined with the statistical Hauser-Feshbach code in order to improve predictive capabilities of nuclear reaction for experimentally unknown cross sections. Utilizing the mean-field calculation results we calculate second moments of matrix elements for the residual interaction. The second moments are applied to a microscopic level density model based on the random matrix theory. An example is shown for the 208 Pb level density calculation.
Retail bottle pricing at the border: evidence of cross-border shopping, fraudulent redemptions, and use tax evasion

This paper examines the pattern of retail prices for deposit eligible goods near Michigan’s borders. Michigan’s unique bottle redemption system and lower sales tax generate incentives for various potentially illegal household responses. Such incentives and behavior should be capitalized in the prices of affected goods. I empirically quantify the spatial price effects and find patterns consistent with theoretical predictions. Michigan’s border prices are higher (lower) for goods with higher (lower) per unit costs by up to 38%. Price-distance trends reflect the waning of these effects away from the border.
Mind the denominator: towards a more effective measurement system for cybersecurity

Crime statistics in the physical world are routinely normalised around the population of a city or country. Such normalisations are essential, as they provide both a propensity-based perspective on...
Role functions of dietitians in New York State nursing homes

The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether there is consensus among dietitians and administrators on the role functions of dietitians in New York State nursing homes. The study examined role expectations and reported role performance by full-time and part-time dietitians. Responses were received from a total of 535 individuals in 273 nursing homes (32%) constituting three distinct groups: 210 administrators, 200 full-time dietitians, and 125 part-time dietitians. Results indicated that all three groups exhibited consensus on 36 of the 47 role functions that should be performed by dietitians.
On the Noether gap theorem

Some of the facts immediately surrounding the Weierstrass Gap Theorem are not true when restated for the Noether Gap Theorem. For example, the sum of two Noether non-gaps need not be a non-gap. On the other hand, like Weierstrass points, Noether sequences form an analytic set of codimension 1. In fact, both can be described as the zero loci of appropriate differentials. In addition, the gap sequences on a hyperelliptic surface are of special type and, for arbitrary surfaces, a "principle of non-degeneracy" holds.
K in clinopyroxene at high pressure and temperature; an experimental study

Clinopyroxene (Cpx) is a principal upper-mantle phase for concentrating large cations but has not been viewed as a major crystal-chemical reservoir for K because K 1 is considered too large to enter the largest site, M2, in the pyroxene structure. Accumulating data from high-pressure conditions indicate this inference is incorrect, so multianvil experiments have been performed to evaluate maximal K solubility in Cpx at high pressure. End members and mixtures of diopside, jadeite, and kosmochlor have been mixed with K2CO3, KHCO3 or both in welded platinum capsules and heated typically for 24 h in the range of 5 to 14 GPa and 1200 to 1700 8C. These experiments produced K-rich Cpx in solid solutions by means of a fictive Kcpx component (KCrSi 2O6 or KAlSi2O6). The maximum K2O content obtained is 4.7 wt% in a Cpx (Di38Ko39Kcpx22En1) formed from a 50:50 Di 1 Ko mixture at 10 GPa, 1400 8C. K uptake and partitioning is dependent positively on P, complexly on Cpx composition but not demonstrably on T. Cpx/liq is in the range of 0.03‐0.1 and Cpx/liq varies DD KO Na O 2 2 from 0.5 to 5, although the variations for each with Cpx composition are different. In diopside, Kcpx increases are always accompanied by increases in Nacpx, and cooperative Nacpx solution is necessary for Kcpx solution in the compositional systems examined. K appears to be accommodated in the M2 site of the Cpx structure by two types of spatial averaging: a large average M2 site, as in the case of Di, ameliorates the fit, but local accommodation by size averaging with a smaller M2 occupant, presumably Na, appears necessary, suggesting that the polyhedral compressibility of Na and K are large in comparison with Ca. In application to Cpx inclusions in diamond, the data here imply that a chromium diopside with ;1 wt% K2O forms in the presence of a C-rich melt with 15‐28 wt% K2O.
Regulation and Function of Mucosal IgA and IgD

Abstract The gut contains diverse communities of commensal bacteria that process nutrients, provide protection against pathogens by competing for ecological niches, and stimulate the local immune system to mount homeostatic innate and adaptive responses without causing inflammation. These responses shape the composition and function of the commensal microbiota through a symbiotic regulatory loop. One striking feature of intestinal adaptive immunity consists in its ability to generate massive amounts of noninflammatory immunoglobulin A (IgA) through multiple follicular and extrafollicular pathways that operate in the presence or absence of cognate help to B cells by T cells. Here we review the function of IgA and the mechanisms governing its production by B cells in different areas of the gut. Furthermore, we discuss the regulation and function of IgD, an enigmatic antibody isotype produced by B cells in the upper respiratory mucosa.
A REVIEW OF ACCIDENT RISKS IN LIGHT-WATER-COOLED NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS

Publisher Summary No treatment of nuclear power safety would be complete without including a discussion of WASH-1400, Reactor Safety Study, sponsored by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Risk is a commonly used word that can convey a variety of meanings to different people. Its estimates are made of potential fatalities and injuries to people and of property damage resulting from both nuclear power plant and non-nuclear accidents. The results suggest that the risks to the public from potential accidents in nuclear power plants are comparatively small. In addition to fatalities and property damage, a number of other health effects could be caused by nuclear accidents. These include injuries and long-term health effects such as cancers, genetic effects, and thyroid gland illness. The number of cases of genetic effects and long-term cancer fatalities is predicted to be smaller than the normal incidence rate of these diseases. Even for a large accident, the small increases in these diseases would be difficult to detect from the normal incidence rate. Thyroid illnesses that result from a large accident are mainly the formation of nodules on the thyroid gland, which lead to serious consequences.
TMR: Is it Still a Physiological Impossibility?

The idea that we can tap the left ventricle to provide direct blood supply to the myocardium is very appealing. The fact that the left ventricle pumps oxygenated blood with each cardiac cycle, while the left ventricular myocardium is starving for oxygen when coronary artery disease is present, is not only puzzling bu also frustrating. Therefore, many investigators have attempted to create functional channels that would supply oxygenated blood directly into the myocardial sinusoids and provide relief to the patients’ angina.
Textbox 5: Measuring the Household Effects of Temporary Overseas Work: A Unique New Study in India

Millions of workers from developing countries migrate overseas each year for temporary, high-wage work. Indians, Pakistanis, and other foreigners constitute the majority of the population in countries like the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar. These flows have become large enough to consider them as a force shaping global development.
The High Cost of Supervisory Inaction

Management inaction can have disastrous consequences for firms despite many managers’ belief that doing nothing does not impact performance. Doing nothing does something because management nonresponse to desirable or undesirable employee performance changes future worker behavior for the worse. Supervisory nonresponse to good employee performance sets the stage for extinction to occur which decades of research have demonstrated result in lower levels of desired conduct. Alternatively, supervisors who fail to address poor worker behavior may communicate to their subordinates that such undesirable performance is acceptable. Both practices lead to poor performance which can substantially damage firms.
Innominate Versus Axillary Artery Cannulation for the Hemiarch Repair.

Abstract Background Innominate artery cannulation has gained some popularity over the last decade as an alternative to axillary artery cannulation for providing selective antegrade cerebral perfusion during repair of the ascending aorta and arch. Innominate artery cannulation provides several advantages including avoidance of an additional incision and use of a larger caliber artery to provide less resistance to high flow during bypass and selective antegrade cerebral perfusion. We hypothesize that these advantages make innominate artery cannulation superior to axillary artery cannulation as it can decrease operative times and potentially decrease blood loss. Methods This was a single-center retrospective analysis of 206 patients who underwent hemiarch replacement between 2009 and 2017. All patients qualified including emergent cases. Groups were separated by mode of cannulation: axillary and innominate. Outcomes evaluated included cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time, cross-clamp time, circulatory arrest (CA) time, postoperative transfusions, intensive care unit length of stay, development of any neurological complications, end-organ failure, and mortality. Subgroup analysis was performed for elective and emergent cases. Results Axillary and innominate artery cannulation accounted for 37% (n = 77) and 67% (n = 129) of cases, respectively. There was no difference in patient characteristics except for a higher incidence of renal disease in the axillary group (16% versus 6%, P = 0.05). More emergent cases were performed in the axillary group (61% versus 17%, P Conclusions Alternate cannulation strategies for open arch anastomoses are evolving with a trend toward using the innominate artery. These data suggest that innominate cannulation is at least equivalent to, and may be superior to, axillary cannulation. The innominate artery provides a larger conduit vessel for perfusion and this decrease in resistance to flow, allowing for faster cooling and rewarming, maybe why CPB times were lower in this group. Innominate cannulation is a safe and potentially advantageous technique for hemiarch repair.
Contributon-Based Mesh-Reduction Methodology for Hybrid Deterministic-Stochastic Particle Transport Simulations Using Block-Structured Grids

In neutral-particle transport shielding problems, variance-reduction methods are used in Monte Carlo (MC) simulations to bias the progression of tracked particles toward user-defined detectors or r...
Temporal resistance of potato tubers: Antibacterial assays and metabolite profiling of wound-healing tissue extracts from contrasting cultivars

Solanum tuberosum, commonly known as the potato, is a worldwide food staple. During harvest, storage, and distribution the crop is at risk of mechanical damage. Wounding of the tuber skin can also become a point of entry for bacterial and fungal pathogens, resulting in substantial agricultural losses. Building on the proposal that potato tubers produce metabolites to defend against microbial infection during early stages of wound healing before protective suberized periderm tissues have developed, we assessed extracts of wound tissues from four potato cultivars with differing skin morphologies (Norkotah Russet, Atlantic, Chipeta, and Yukon Gold). These assays were conducted at 0, 1, 2, 3 and 7 days post wounding against the plant pathogen Erwinia carotovora and a non-pathogenic Escherichia coli strain that served as a control. For each of the potato cultivars, only polar wound tissue extracts demonstrated antibacterial activity. The polar extracts from earlier wound-healing time points (days 0, 1 and 2) displayed notably higher antibacterial activity against both strains than the later wound-healing stages (days 3 and 7). These results support a burst of antibacterial activity at early time points. Parallel metabolite profiling of the extracts revealed differences in chemical composition at different wound-healing time points and allowed for identification of potential marker compounds according to healing stage for each of the cultivars. It was possible to monitor the transformations in the metabolite profiles that could account for the phenomenon of temporal resistance by looking at the relative quantities of various metabolite classes as a function of time.
An Image Recognition Method of Substation Switch State Based on Robot Vision

It is an effective way to identify substation switch state using deep learning directly based on massive large image samples, which requires high-performance servers for off-line model training and high-quality industrial personal computer (IPC) for running models efficiently. The processing cost and delay will considerably increase by this means and the identify speed of robots for potential defects in the field reduces accordingly. Therefore, an image recognition method using only regular computers and IPC is proposed in this paper. Through target detection based on HSV (i.e. Hue, Saturation and Value) color space, this method firstly prefetch and preliminary screen the potential identifiers from large image samples, and subsequently trains a classification model with artifical neural network utilizing smaller samples labeled. Finally, target identifier can be located and identified through target detection, and then be used for recognizing switch state according to their relative positions. The experimental results show that with limit hardware resources, this method can process image samples efficiently and accurately based on robot vision. It is demonstrated to be a lightweight solution for precisely recognizing substation switch state.