cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Elastogenesis in the vaginal wall and pelvic-organ prolapse.

Pelvic-organ prolapse is a debilitating condition that affects millions of women and is associated with costs of more than $1 billion annually in the United States alone.1 The recurrence of pelvic-organ prolapse after the various surgical treatment options is nearly 30%, with declining success with subsequent procedures.2 Although alterations in collagen, elastin, and proteoglycan proteins of the extracellular matrix within the pelvic-support ligaments and vaginal tissue have been associated with pelvic-organ prolapse, our understanding of the underlying causative mechanisms are lacking, which limits approaches to treatment. A recent study by Budatha and colleagues3 sheds light on the mechanistic role of . . .
A Research on the Wavelet Analysis Method of the Acoustic Signal of the Faults of Rolling Bearings

A multi-criteria decomposition was performed of the acoustic signal of the faults of the rolling bearings in the non-contacting acoustic testing and measurement using the wavelet analysis method,the energy coefficient of the decomposed acoustic signals at each layer were calculated.In combination with the frequency characteristics of noise signals,the frequency band signals with comparatively low energy were deleted,the wave form was reconstructed of the frequency band with centralized energy,the signal that could best represent the characteristics of the acoustic source was obtained,the frequency domain characteristics were analyzed using power spectrum.
Deliberation, East meets West: Exploring the cultural dimension of citizen deliberation

The current conceptualization of deliberation may represent Western Enlightenment ideals in that it values rationality, publicity, equality, argumentation and reasoning. This essay explores the potential of deliberative democracy in non-Western contexts, such as the Confucian East Asian societies where it is often considered that the public sphere is less developed and people are reluctant to engage in public argumentation. Herein, several cultural traits of the collectivist East Asian societies relating to deliberation are identified, including the lower value of public talk, the strong influence of social position in talk and the unique traits of their cognitive reasoning processes. Considering these traits, the promises and perils of deliberation in the East Asian context are discussed.
Multimodal signal interactions in the ladybeetle, Hippodamia convergens, aposematic system

In an aposematic system, the warning display (e.g., color, odor, or behavior) advertises the presence and potentially the strength of the chemical defense. A strong coupling between the indicator trait and the defensive trait is therefore integral to the evolution and maintenance of aposematism. An ostensibly conflicting theory predicts that a negative correlation between the indicator and defensive trait can exist, depending on the selective pressure on defenses and the presence of multiple aposematic signals. The aposematic ladybeetle, Hippodamia convergens, displays a variety of aposematic signals, the combined effects of which have been rigorously tested in predator stimulus–response experiments. Intraspecific variation of investment in these multimodal aposematic displays, however, has not been explored thoroughly. In this study, we examine multimodal signal theory from the perspective of the signaler, and identify significant correlations between warning coloration, warning odor, and toxicity. We show that the red coloration of H. convergens functions as an honest signal of alkaloid toxicity, while methoxypyrazine warning odors are negatively correlated with alkaloid content. However, there is no correlation between red coloration and methoxypyrazine content. Thus, the reddest females contained the highest concentrations of alkaloids and some of the lowest concentrations of methoxypyrazines. The reddest males, although producing less alkaloids than their red female counterparts, on average produced significantly more alkaloids and methoxypyrazines than orange females and orange males. Within each of these groups, the negative correlation between methoxypyrazines and alkaloid toxicity remains. The relationship between variations in these signals may be affected by the interactions of color and odor on avoidance learning in predators, as well as the supplemental aggregative function of the aposematic methoxypyrazine signal.
The New Celebrity Scientists by Declan Fahy

Book review of The New Celebrity Scientists: Out of the Lab and Into the Limelight by Declan Fahy.
Pathways to fraction learning: Numerical abilities mediate the relation between early cognitive competencies and later fraction knowledge

Abstract The current study investigated the mediating role of number-related skills in the developmental relationship between early cognitive competencies and later fraction knowledge using structural equation modeling. Fifth-grade numerical skills (i.e., whole number line estimation, non-symbolic proportional reasoning, multiplication, and long division skills) mapped onto two distinct factors: magnitude reasoning and calculation. Controlling for participants’ (N = 536) demographic characteristics, these two factors fully mediated relationships between third-grade general cognitive competencies (attentive behavior, verbal and nonverbal intellectual abilities, and working memory) and sixth-grade fraction knowledge (concepts and procedures combined). However, specific developmental pathways differed by type of fraction knowledge. Magnitude reasoning ability fully mediated paths from all four cognitive competencies to knowledge of fraction concepts, whereas calculation ability fully mediated paths from attentive behavior and verbal ability to knowledge of fraction procedures (all with medium to large effect sizes). These findings suggest that there are partly overlapping, yet distinct, developmental pathways from cognitive competencies to general fraction knowledge, fraction concepts, and fraction procedures.
Neoclassical field theory for electromagneticly interacting elementary charges

For several years we worked on a neoclassical theory which naturally combines the classical and quantum features, see [BF5]–[BF11]. This theory has a new primitive spacial scale - the size a e of the free electron. Our current assessed value for this scale is a e ≈ 100a B where a B is the Bohr radius, and consequently a e Ȥ 5 nm.
Individual Characteristics Influencing B2B Salesperson Deviance: An Abstract

The research reported in this presentation describes a psychographic scale intended to assess negatively deviant B2B salesperson behaviors, each one indicating some aspect of salesperson shirking. A deviant salesperson would perform shirking behaviors that are uncharacteristic of peer behavior and that violate established workplace rules, policies, or codes. A study employing a sample of 200 B2B salespeople provides data for scale validation and to examine potential individual difference characteristics that lead to salesperson shirking. A two-step SEM approach provides a test of the proposed measurement theory, using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and the subsequent causal model. The CFA model provides reasonably good fit. The shirking scale displays good construct validity with the caveat that the AVE falls below 50 % although the construct reliability estimate is 0.82. Results from the causal model between constructs assess antecedents to shirking. Employees’ risk-taking reports relate negatively to shirking, while self-efficacy relates positively. In contrast, no significant relationship between salesperson and organization fit displays an insignificant relationship with shirking. Implications for management and future research are discussed.
Severe disruption and disorganization of dermal collagen fibrils in early striae gravidarum.

Background Striae gravidarum (SG), or stretch marks of pregnancy, begin as erythematous streaks, and mature into hypopigmented atrophic bands. Objectives To investigate molecular alterations that may promote atrophy of SG, we investigated dermal type I collagen fibrils, which provide human skin with support. Methods We obtained skin samples of recently developed, erythematous abdominal SG from pregnant women. To examine the organization of collagen fibrils, second-harmonic generation imaging was performed using multiphoton microscopy. Immunostaining was used to determine protein expression and localization of type I procollagen, the precursor of type I collagen fibrils. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to determine gene expression levels. Results In control (hip) and stretched, normal-appearing perilesional abdominal skin, dermal collagen fibrils were organized as tightly packed, interwoven bundles. In SG, collagen bundles appeared markedly separated, especially in the mid-to-deep dermis. In the spaces separating bundles, loosely packed wavy collagen fibrils lacking organization as bundles were present. These disorganized fibrils persisted into the postpartum period and failed to form densely packed bundles. Numerous large fibroblasts displaying type I procollagen expression were in close proximity to the disorganized fibrils, suggesting that the fibrils are newly synthesized. Supporting this possibility, immunostaining and gene expression of type I procollagen were increased throughout the dermis of SG. Conclusions Early SG display marked separation of collagen bundles and emergence of disorganized collagen fibrils that fail to form bundles. These alterations may reflect ineffective repair of collagen bundles disrupted by intense skin stretching. Persistent disruption of the collagenous extracellular matrix likely promotes formation and atrophy of SG. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Naturally-Occurring and Synthetic Loline Alkaloid Derivatives: Insect Feeding Behavior Modification and Toxicity2

Methanol extracts of tall fescue plants (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) infected with an endophytic fungus (Acremonium coenophialum Morgan-Jones and Gams) contain loline alkaloids which deter feeding and are toxic to insects. This study was conducted to determine the effect of several naturally-occurring and semi-synthetic loline alkaloid derivatives on insects. The influence of these compounds on the feeding behavior and weight of fall armyworm larvae, Spodoptera frugiperda Smith, and European corn borer larvae, Ostrinia nubilalis Hubner, was evaluated using two-choice, diet-incorporated feeding behavior modification bioassays. Toxicity of these compounds to greenbugs, Schizaphis graminum Rondani, was evaluated and compared with the toxicity of the insecticide nicotine sulfate. Fall armyworm larvae were more susceptible, in terms of feeding behavior modification and reduced weight gain, to specific loline derivatives than European corn borer larvae. N-acetyl loline appeared to show toxic effects, in terms ...
A High-Throughput Asynchronous Multi-resource Arbiter Using a Pipelined Assignment Approach

Multi-resource arbitration is used where interchangeable resources need to be assigned among a number of client users. An efficient arbiter is thus critical to manage these shared resources. There has been only limited prior research on efficient asynchronous solutions, which have mainly focused on serial approaches. In this paper, a new high-throughput multi-resource arbiter is proposed, based on fine-grain pipelining. The allocation of a resource to a client is divided into several steps, where multiple successive client-resource pairs can be selected rapidly in sequence, and the completion of the assignments can overlap in parallel. In addition, a new static four-phase asynchronous pipeline is introduced and applied to the arbiter design, incorporating a highly-concurrent handshaking protocol. Experimental results were obtained for the proposed arbiters on two different sizes, 4x3 and 8x4. The new arbiters were implemented in a 45nm technology using a standard cell library. Pre-layout results show the proposed designs have 23.5% and 36.2% lower cycle time, respectively, for back-to-back assignment completion, compared to the baseline non-pipelined approach. In addition, in spite of the pipelining, the new arbiters exhibit slightly better latency in light traffic.
Impact of Target HbA1c Change in Pediatric Participants in the T1D Exchange Clinic Registry

In 2014, the American Diabetes Association lowered its recommended HbA1c target for children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) from Disclosure J. Wood: None. C. Boyle: None. M. Quinn: None. J.C. Wong: Research Support; Self; Dexcom, Inc.. Other Relationship; Self; Tidepool Project. M.J. Haller: None. B.A. Nelson: Speaker9s Bureau; Self; Dexcom, Inc.. M.J. Haller: None. D. Schatz: None. W.V. Tamborlane: Consultant; Self; AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, Eli Lilly and Company, Medtronic MiniMed, Inc., Novo Nordisk Inc., Sanofi, Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.. L. Fox: None. P. Prahalad: None. S. Corathers: None. D.M. Maahs: Advisory Panel; Self; Insulet Corporation. Consultant; Self; Abbott. Research Support; Self; Medtronic, Bigfoot Biomedical, Dexcom, Inc., Insulet Corporation, Roche Diabetes Care Health and Digital Solutions. G.T. Alonso: None. D.J. DeSalvo: Consultant; Self; Dexcom, Inc.. Speaker9s Bureau; Self; Insulet Corporation. R. Wadwa: Advisory Panel; Self; Eli Lilly and Company. Research Support; Self; Dexcom, Inc., Xeris Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Novo Nordisk Inc., MannKind Corporation, Bigfoot Biomedical. L. DiMeglio: Advisory Panel; Self; Eli Lilly and Company. Research Support; Self; Dexcom, Inc., Medtronic, Sanofi, Caladrius Biosciences, Inc., Janssen Research & Development, Xeris Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Sanofi.
Stochastic Volatility Model with Jumps in Returns and Volatility: An R-Package Implementation

In this chapter we estimate the stochastic volatility model with jumps in return and volatility introduced by [7]. In this model the conditional volatility of returns can not only increase rapidly but also persistently. Moreover, as shown by [8], this new model performs better than previous models presenting almost no misspecification in the volatility process. We implement the model coding the algorithm using R language. We estimate the model parameters and latent variables using FTSE 100 daily returns. The values of some of our estimated parameters are close to values found in previous studies. Also, as expected, our estimated state variable paths show high probabilities of jumps in the periods of financial crisis.
Surface Adsorption in a Surfactant/Clay Mineral Solution

The complexes formed in aqueous mixture suspensions of the synthetic clay mineral Laponite and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) have been investigated by small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). All suspensions were prepared with a constant initial concentration of Laponite, but the amount of CTAB was varied. The SANS intensity patterns verify that suspended Laponite in dilute suspension is in the form of disks of diameter ∼30nm and thickness ∼1 nm. SANS indicates that this disk morphology, with the same diameter but with a thickness of about 4 nm, is retained for the suspended complexes, even if the CTAB in the aqueous medium is in considerable excess. SANS and chemical analysis show that a complex must adsorb CTAB to an amount corresponding to at least two multiples of the clay's cation exchange capacity to be dispersed. The amount of CTAB adsorbed as a function of CTAB in the precursor solution is discussed. We also report the effect the presence of clay on CTAB micelle formation as a function of CTAB concentration.
No Laughter among Thieves: Authenticity and the Enforcement of Community Norms in Stand-Up Comedy:

Why might observers label one social actor’s questionable act a norm violation even as they seem to excuse similar behavior by others? To answer this question, I use participant-observer data on Los Angeles stand-up comics to explore the phenomenon of joke theft. Informal, community-based systems govern the property rights pertaining to jokes. Most instances of possible joke theft are ambiguous owing to the potential for simultaneous and coincidental discovery. I find that accusations are not strongly coupled to jokes’ similarity, and enforcement depends mainly on the extent to which insiders view the comic in question as being authentic to the community. Comics who are oriented toward external rewards, have a track record of anti-social behavior, and exhibit lackluster on-stage craft are vulnerable to joke theft accusations even in borderline cases because those inauthentic characteristics are typical of transgressors. Vulnerability is greatest for comics who enjoy commercial success despite low peer est...
Association of Patterns of Change in Adiposity With Diastolic Function and Systolic Myocardial Mechanics From Early Adulthood to Middle Age: The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study.

Background The aim of this study was to determine whether long-term patterns of change in adiposity throughout young adulthood are associated with systolic and diastolic function in midlife. Methods Participants in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study, a multicenter, population-based cohort, underwent repeated anthropometric assessment (body mass index [BMI], waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio) from examination years 0 to 25. At year 25, longitudinal, circumferential, and radial strain and tissue Doppler velocities were assessed by echocardiography. Group-based trajectory modeling was used to identify 25-year trajectories of change in anthropometric measures and to examine associations between trajectories of adiposity change and indices of cardiac mechanics. Results Among 3,310 participants, four distinct trajectories of BMI change were identified: stable BMI (36% of the cohort; mean ΔBMI, 1.6 kg/m2), mild increase (40%; mean ΔBMI, 6.0 kg/m2), moderate increase (18%; mean ΔBMI, 10.8 kg/m2), and major increase (6%; mean ΔBMI, 15.5 kg/m2). Trajectories of greater BMI increase were associated with lower adjusted e′ velocity and higher E/e′ ratio compared with the stable BMI group, independent of year 0 or year 25 BMI. Participants in increasing BMI trajectory groups compared with the stable BMI group had lower absolute longitudinal strain and greater odds of diastolic dysfunction, independent of year 0 BMI but not year 25 BMI. Similar patterns were observed for change in waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio trajectory groups. Conclusions Steeper trajectories of BMI increase from young adulthood to middle age, a vulnerable period for weight gain, are independently associated with lower e′ velocity and higher E/e′ ratio, but not systolic dysfunction, in midlife.
Multiple-Channel Multiple-User Receiver for Joint Radar and Communications Systems

We employ both adaptive spatial and temporal degrees of freedom to separate multiple signals impinging upon an RF convergence antenna-array receiver. Motivated by the maximum-likelihood methodology, we construct a multiple-access receiver algorithm for mixed communications and radar signal types. We denote this algorithm as a multiple-channel multiple-user receiver (MCMUR). The signals include communications signals, traditional radar-return waveforms, and interference waveforms. The resulting receiver employs iterative alternating projections to maximize performance. In addition to improving the ability to separate signals, the spatial degrees of freedom improve the convergence rate. We discuss the theory of multiaccess receivers in this context in terms of capacity and detection performance. We provide a derivation of the receiver and discuss extensions that are effective in dispersive environments. We simulate a simple RF convergence scenario as an example.
The crystal structures of p-iodo-N-(p-cyanobenzylidene)aniline and p-cyano-N-(p-iodobenzylidene)aniline

The crystal structures of the isomers NC–C6H4–CH=N–C6H4–I (CN/I) and I–C6H4–CH=N–C6H4–CN (I/CN) have been determined. CN/I is triclinic, space group P1¯ with a = 7.504(3), b = 11.936(4), c = 7.304(2) A, α = 93.09(2), β = 110.49(2), γ = 99.04(2)°, V = 601.1(3) A3, Z = 2, and D x = 1.818(1) g cm−3. In both compounds there are chains of molecules held together by CN···I interactions, with N···I distances of 3.15 and 3.26 A, respectively. The chains form similar two-dimensional sheets, which, however, stack differently in the two compounds.
Fair Debt Collection Practices Act: Legal Argument [Against the Great Weight of Adverse Authority]

This article treats the adverse authority of case law in favor of strict attorney liability under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. It illustrates legal and procedural aspects of defending an attorney who has been sued pursuant to the FDCPA for unfair debt collection practices. Focused on a case that was new in 2001, the analysis demonstrates how that 2001 case was open to interpretation but also illustrates the difficulty in making an argument for judicial leniency on behalf of a defendant attorney debt collector. The article is followed by student arguments this author assigned, selected, and edited. The student arguments were drafted pursuant to this author's classroom exercise focused on appellate advocacy. Both the lead article, and the "student arguments" article that follows it, fit into the theme of treating adverse authority in a specific content situation. Both provide illustrative examples of techniques in fully confronting adverse authority in legal argumentation. These materials are also useful as illustrations of the strict liability that attaches to attorney debt collectors under the FDCPA.
Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen-Specific Antitumor Activity of a Self-Immolative Tubulysin Conjugate

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is a biomarker that is overexpressed on prostate cancer, and it is also present on the neovasculature within many non-prostate solid tumors. Herein, we report on the construction and biological testing of novel tubulysin B-containing therapeutic agents for the treatment of PSMA-expressing cancer. One of these compounds, EC1169, emerged as a lead candidate for preclinical development and phase 1 clinical testing. This water-soluble conjugate was shown to have high affinity for PSMA-positive cells. When tested in vitro, EC1169 was found to inhibit the growth of PSMA-positive cells, but it displayed no activity against PSMA-negative cells. Brief treatment of nude mice bearing PSMA-positive LNCaP human xenografts with EC1169 led to complete remissions and cures. Furthermore, this activity occurred in the absence of weight loss. In contrast, the nontargeted tubulysin B drug proved to be inactive against the LNCaP tumor model when administered at doses near to or greater than the maximum tolerated level. PSMA-negative KB tumors did not appreciably respond to EC1169 therapy, thereby confirming this compound's targeted specificity for PSMA-positive cells. Finally, treatment of LNCaP-bearing mice with docetaxel (the most active chemotherapeutic agent approved for late stage prostate cancer therapy) was found to produce only modest anti-tumor activity, and this outcome was also associated with severe weight loss. Taken together, these results strongly indicate that PSMA-positive tumors may be effectively treated using highly potent, PSMA-targeted small-molecule drug conjugates using regimens that do not cause undesirable side effects.
ATR Kinase Activity Limits Mutagenesis and Promotes the Clonogenic Survival of Quiescent Human Keratinocytes Exposed to UVB Radiation

The ATR protein kinase has well-described roles in maintaining genomic integrity during the DNA synthesis phase of the cell cycle. However, ATR function in cells that are not actively replicating DNA remains largely unexplored. Using HaCaT and telomerase-immortalized human keratinocytes maintained in a confluent, nonreplicating state in vitro, ATR was found to be robustly activated in response to UVB radiation in a manner dependent on the nucleotide excision repair factor and DNA translocase XPB. Inhibition of ATR kinase activity under these conditions negatively impacted acute cell survival and cytotoxicity and severely inhibited the ability of UVB-irradiated HaCaT keratinocytes to proliferate upon stimulation with growth factors. Furthermore, ATR kinase inhibition in quiescent HaCaT keratinocytes potentiated UVB mutagenesis at the hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase locus. Though ATR inhibition did not impact the rate of removal of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers from genomic DNA, elevated levels of PCNA mono-ubiquitination and chromatin-associated PCNA and RPA indicate that excision gap-filling synthesis was altered in the absence of ATR signaling. These results indicate that the ATR kinase plays important roles in preventing mutagenesis and in promoting the proliferative potential of quiescent keratinocytes exposed to UVB radiation.
Compositional simulation of three-phase flow in mixed-wet shale oil reservoir

Abstract Three-phase flow is often involved during the production of shale oil reservoir. Relative permeability, which is often used to characterize multiphase flow, is found a strong function of wettability. Meanwhile, the mixed wettability in shale reservoir has been well characterized and may have impacts on fluid flow. In this work, to describe the mix-wet condition in shale, matrix is divided into organic and inorganic matrix which are hydrophobic and hydrophilic respectively. Relative permeabilities under different condition of wettability are applied in each kind of matrix. To construct permeability for three-phase flow, water-oil and oil-gas systems are evaluated separately with the assumption that water/gas permeabilities are only functions of their own saturations. Specifically, water-oil relative permeability is obtained by simulating multiphase flow directly on a digital rock sample using the lattice Boltzmann method. Oil-gas relative permeability is calculated from capillary pressure obtained from confined vapor liquid equilibria (VLE) coupled with Young-Laplace equation. Compositional simulation shows that the rich hydrocarbon in organic matrix is difficult to be produced due to the relatively lower permeability and poorer oil mobility under oil-wet condition. Since organic matter is a dispersed phase inside inorganic matter, fluids in organic matrix must flow through inorganic matrix before reaching the fractures. The dispersed nature of organic matter makes the relative permeability in inorganic matrix a dominant factor that controls the overall production in shale oil reservoir. The effect of relative permeability in organic matrix however has limited effect.
Systemic Mastocytosis and Bone-Related Events

Mastocytosis is a rare condition described by clonal, neoplastic proliferation of abnormal mast cells. Infiltration of abnormal mast cells into the organ systems other than skin results in systemic mastocytosis (SM), which is frequently associated with a D816V (KIT) mutation. Bone involvement is a common manifestation of adult SM. It is often complicated by fragility fracture, especially vertebral fracture. However, SM-related bone manifestations range from asymptomatic infiltration to bone pain, bone loss including osteopenia and osteoporosis, and focal osteolytic lesions to osteosclerosis. The mechanisms of bone involvement in SM are due to not only the neoplastic infiltration of mast cells themselves but also the secretion of mediators and inflammatory markers that technically impair bone structure and cell function. Prevention of disease-related bone complications, especially fragility fracture, should be a concern for patients with SM. However, different treatments have been proposed for SM-related bone consequences, including antiresorptive medications (bisphosphonate and denosumab), ketotifen, cromolyn, antihistamines, sodium fluoride, interferon, and chemotherapeutic agents; controlling the underlying mastocytosis disease might be a better future approach.
Establishing a nearly closed cycling transition in a polyatomic molecule

We study optical cycling in the polar free radical calcium monohydroxide (CaOH) and establish an experimental path towards scattering $\ensuremath{\sim}{10}^{4}$ photons. We report rovibronic branching ratio measurements with precision at the $\ensuremath{\sim}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ level and observe weak symmetry-forbidden decays to bending modes with nonzero vibrational angular momentum. Calculations are in excellent agreement with these measurements and predict additional decay pathways. Additionally, we perform high-resolution spectroscopy of the $\stackrel{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}{X}{\phantom{\rule{1.0pt}{0ex}}}^{2}{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}}^{+}({12}^{0}0)$ and $\stackrel{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}{X}{\phantom{\rule{1.0pt}{0ex}}}^{2}{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}}^{+}({12}^{2}0)$ hybrid vibrational states of CaOH. These advances establish a path towards radiative slowing, three-dimensional magneto-optical trapping, and sub-Doppler cooling of CaOH.
A cryptic sequence targets the adhesion complex scaffold ANKS4B to apical microvilli to promote enterocyte brush border assembly.

Nutrient-transporting enterocytes interact with their luminal environment using a densely packed collection of apical microvilli known as the brush border. Assembly of the brush border is controlled by the intermicrovillar adhesion complex (IMAC), a protocadherin-based complex found at the tips of brush border microvilli that mediates adhesion between neighboring protrusions. ANKS4B is known to be an essential scaffold within the IMAC, although its functional properties have not been thoroughly characterized. We report here that ANKS4B is directed to the brush border using a noncanonical apical targeting sequence that maps to a previously unannotated region of the scaffold. When expressed on its own, this sequence targeted to microvilli in the absence of any direct interaction with the other IMAC components. Sequence analysis revealed a coiled-coil motif and a putative membrane-binding basic-hydrophobic repeat sequence within this targeting region, both of which were required for the scaffold to target and mediate brush border assembly. Size-exclusion chromatography of the isolated targeting sequence coupled with in vitro brush border binding assays suggests that it functions as an oligomer. We further show that the corresponding sequence found in the closest homolog of ANKS4B, the scaffold USH1G that operates in sensory epithelia as part of the Usher complex, lacks the inherent ability to target to microvilli. This study further defines the underlying mechanism of how ANKS4B targets to the apical domain of enterocytes to drive brush border assembly and identifies a point of functional divergence between the ankyrin repeat–based scaffolds found in the IMAC and Usher complex.
Serum Albumin Levels: Who Needs Them?:

ObjectivesThe purpose of this critical narrative review is to discuss common indications for ordering serum albumin levels in adult critically ill patients, evaluate the literature supporting these...
Lifestyle Risk Factors, Quality of Life, and Intervention Preferences of Barrett's Esophagus Patients: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Background and AimsLifestyle counseling to achieve a healthy weight, quit smoking, and reduce alcohol is a cornerstone in the management of Barrett’s Esophagus (BE). However, little is known about ...
Physical, Mechanical, and Bioactive Properties of Pig Lung-Derived ECM Hydrogels are Dependent on the Duration of Pepsin Digestion

Extracellular matrix (ECM) hydrogels derived from decellularized lungs are promising materials for tissue engineering, in the development of clinical therapies, and for modeling the lung ECM in vitro. Characterizing and controlling the resulting physical, biochemical, mechanical, and biologic properties of decellularized ECM after enzymatic solubilization and gelation is thus of key interest. As the role of enzymatic pepsin digestion in effecting these properties has been understudied, we investigated the digestion time-dependency on key parameters of the resulting ECM hydrogel. Using resolubilized homogenized decellularized pig lung ECM (dECM) as a model system, significant time-dependent alterations in the protein concentration, turbidity, and gelation potential occurred between 4 and 24 hours of digestion, plateauing at longer digestion times. These results correlated with qualitative SEM images and quantitative analysis of hydrogel interconnectivity and average fiber diameter. Interestingly, the time-dependent changes in the storage modulus tracked with the hydrogel interconnectivity results, while the Young's modulus values were more closely related to average fiber size at each time point. The structural and biochemical alterations translated to significant changes in metabolic activity of several representative lung cells seeded onto the hydrogels with progressive decreases in cell viability and alterations in morphology observed in cells cultured on hydrogels produced with dECM digested for greater than 12 and up to 72 hours of digestion. These studies demonstrate that 12hr structured pepsin digest of pig lung dECM provides an optimal balance between desirable physical dECM hydrogel properties and effects on lung cell behaviors.
Embracing complexity and humility in rangeland science

On the Ground • More often than not, there is untapped potential for win-wins between livestock production and conservation. On the other hand, it is impossible to achieve every objective everywhere, all the time. Sometimes the tradeoffs are real. • We need to spend less time searching for general rules and more time embracing the complexity and context-dependence within rangeland science. • Rather than writing off findings that do not fit our current worldview, we should challenge ourselves to broaden our views in ways that reconcile multiple findings or multiple truths. It is possible we are all partly or mostly right, and we just need to figure out why, how, and in what contexts. • There is value in doing research in a way that focuses on really listening to and respecting multiple perspectives so that the results we produce not only qualify as facts, but also as truths that many people can buy into and get behind.
Initial Therapeutic Approaches to Patients with Multiple Myeloma.

Multiple Myeloma (MM) is part of a spectrum of plasma cell disorders that may result in end organ damage. MM is subclassified into high and standard risk based on cytogenetic and laboratory markers. The treatment of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma is constantly changing with the advent of novel therapies. Recent advances in therapies have resulted in longer time to remission and overall survival. the introduction of targeted therapy with monoclonal antibodies such as Daratumumab has improved stringent complete response to 39%. In this review, we outline the current approach to diagnosis, prognosis, and management of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma in both transplant eligible and ineligible patients
Improve the performance and scalability of raid-6 systems using erasure codes

RAID-6 is widely used to tolerate concurrent failures of any two disks to provide a higher level of reliability with the support of erasure codes. Among many implementations, one class of codes called Maximum Distance Separable (MDS) codes aims to offer data protection against disk failures with optimal storage efficiency. Typical MDS codes contain horizontal and vertical codes. However, because of the limitation of horizontal parity or diagonal/anti-diagonal parities used in MDS codes, existing RAID-6 systems suffer several important problems on performance and scalability, such as low write performance, unbalanced I/O, and high migration cost in the scaling process. To address these problems, in this dissertation, we design techniques for high performance and scalable RAID-6 systems. It includes high performance and load balancing erasure codes (H-Code and HDP Code), and Stripe-based Data Migration (SDM) scheme. We also propose a flexible MDS Scaling Framework (MDS-Frame), which can integrate H-Code, HDP Code and SDM scheme together. Detailed evaluation results are also given in this dissertation.
Clock synchronization for WSI systems

This paper presents a clock synchronisation method which can be used to reduce the clock skew time in WSI systems. A feedback technique is used to offset the clock skewing due to process mismatches and environmental variations. Experiments and simulations indicate that the skew time can be reduced to within a few tens of picoseconds. The stability analysis shows that the system is stable under certain conditions which can be easily satisfied. >
Developing as Teacher Educator-Researchers

This self-study explores the role of collaboration in the development of three new faculty members as teacher educator-researchers. The research finds that protocol-structured dialogue about artifacts of classroom practice promotes understanding of the complex relationships among teachers, student, content, and context. We also report on the manner in which examination of instructional practices led us to important epistemological shifts in our beliefs about the nature of teaching and learning. The article concludes by presenting a five-step dialogical model for self-study that supports the development of sustainable collaboration.
Portfolio Constraints and the Fundamental Law of Active Management

Active portfolio management is typically conducted within constraints that do not allow managers to fully exploit their ability to forecast returns. Constraints on short positions and turnover, for example, are fairly common and materially restrictive. Other constraints, such as market-cap and value/growth neutrality with respect to the benchmark, or economic sector constraints, can further restrict an active portfolio's composition. We derive ex-ante and ex-post correlation relationships that facilitate constrained portfolio performance analysis. The ex-ante relationship is a generalized version of Grinold's (1989) fundamental law of active management, and provides an important strategic perspective on the potential for active management to add value. The ex-post correlation relationships represent a practical decomposition of performance into the success of the return prediction process and the noise associated with portfolio constraints. We verify the accuracy of these relationships with a Monte-Carlo simulation and illustrate their application with equity portfolio examples based on the S&P 500 benchmark.
Rifampin-Blood-Agar as a Selective Medium for the Isolation of Certain Anaerobic Bacteria

A selective medium which allows detection of relatively small numbers of Fusobacterium varium in fecal specimens is described. Blood-agar containing 50 μg of rifampin per ml inhibits the growth of many species of Bacteriodes and of F. fusi-forme/nucleatum but allows good growth of F. varium and most strains of F. mortiferum. Quantitative cultures of 11 fecal specimens were done on rifampin and other selective and nonselective media. F. varium was recovered in counts of 106 and 107 per gram from two specimens on rifampin only. A third specimen yielded 1010F. varium on several media, including rifampin. Some Eubacterium and Clostridium species also grew on rifampin, and these ordinarily were distinguished from the Fusobacterium by colony morphology. This medium is of value in fecal flora studies and should be useful with other kinds of specimens where mixtures of organisms are common.
Prehistoric Warfare in Central Arizona, USA: Assessing Its Scale with Ceramic Chemistry

The scale of warfare and alliance in the ancient American Southwest is hotly debated for the interval from A.D. 1100 to 1450. Some archaeologists posit conflict persistently waged in central Arizona, which thereby promoted the emergence of region-sized polities, including the so-called Verde Confederacy. Relying largely on settlement-pattern data, these theorists have hypothesized warfare and alliance practiced at a regional scale, apparently larger than anywhere else in the prehistoric American Southwest. Other evidence, however, has challenged the Verde Confederacy model and the level at which hostilities raged in central Arizona. It calls into question the organizational capabilities of hostile tribal groups and their strategic goals. In this paper, we add a new line of complementary information based on the compositional analysis of phyllite-tempered plain ware ceramics. By reconstructing the pottery's movement and exchange across the region, we outline patterns of interaction useful for evaluating the scale of alliance and warfare in central Arizona. We find, contrary to the expectations of regional scale alliances, that the ceramic exchange networks segregated some populations previously proposed to have been aligned, while integrating groups thought previously to have been enemies. The ceramic data indicate alliances and hostilities at a relatively local scale.
Tracking multiple objects in terrain

The digitized battlefield of the 21st Century will revolutionize the methods used to maintain military command and control. The tremendous amount of data available will necessitate the use of intelligent automated systems that augment, and in some cases replace, the human structures currently in place. One aspect of such systems is terrain-based tracking. We discuss an intelligent terrain-based system for tracking multiple vehicles moving across terrain. Specifically, our system extracts and utilizes knowledge about groups to improve the performance of a discrete state-space motion model. Parallel programming techniques are utilized to compute probability densities for the vehicles. A learning component allows for real-time adjustment based on performance.
Balancing Research and Teaching

Gone for Good Tales of University Life After the Golden Age. Stuart Rojstaczer. Oxford University Press, New York, 1999. 299 pp. $22. ISBN 0-19-512682-3. Using his experiences at Duke, Rojstacer offers a chatty, personal assessment of the current status of the American research university. He would prefer to shift the existing arrangements so that there is more emphasis on undergraduate education.
Robust Optimization Strategy for the Shortest Path Problem under Uncertain Link Travel Cost Distribution

This article showed how numerical experiments conducted on small to large networks compare the robust optimization-based strategy to the classical deterministic shortest path in terms of the uncertainty. A robust optimization approach for the shortest path problem where travel cost is uncertain and exact information on the distribution function is unavailable is developed. The article showed that under such conditions the robust shortest path problem can be formulated as a binary nonlinear integer program, which can then be reformulated as a mixed integer conic quadratic program. This article presented an outer approximation algorithm as a solution algorithm, which is shown to be highly efficient for this class of programs.
The APOA1/C3/A4/A5 cluster and markers of allostatic load in the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study.

Background and aims The APOA1/C3/A4/A5 cluster encodes key regulators of plasma lipids. Interactions between dietary factors and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the cluster have been reported. Allostatic load, or physiological dysregulation in response to stress, has been implicated in shaping health disparities in ethnic groups. We aimed to determine the association between polymorphisms in the APOA1/C3/A4/A5 cluster with allostatic load parameters, alone, and in interaction with dietary fat intake in Puerto Ricans adults. Methods and results Data on demographic and anthropometric measures, lifestyle behaviors, and medication use, as well as blood and urine samples for biomarker analysis, were obtained from participants of the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study (n=821, age 45-75 y). The 12 polymorphisms analyzed were not associated with allostatic load parameters. Significant interactions were observed between dietary fat intake and APOA1-75 in association with waist circumference (WC), (P=0.005), APOC3-640 with diastolic blood pressure (DBP), (P=0.003), and APOA4 N147S and APOA5 S19W with systolic blood pressure (SBP), (P=0.001 and P=0.002, respectively). Puerto Ricans homozygous for the common allele of APOA1-75, APOA4 N147S and APOA5 S19W had lower WC and SBP when consuming Conclusion SNPs in APOA1/C3/A4/A5, as modulated by dietary fat intake, appear to influence allostatic load parameters in Puerto Ricans.
Postsynaptic GABAB Receptors Enhance Extrasynaptic GABAA Receptor Function in Dentate Gyrus Granule Cells

Ambient GABA in the brain tonically activates extrasynaptic GABAA receptors, and activity-dependent changes in ambient GABA concentration can also activate GABAB receptors. To investigate an interaction between postsynaptic GABAB and GABAA receptors, we recorded GABAA currents elicited by exogenous GABA (10 μm) from dentate gyrus granule cells (DGGCs) in adult rat hippocampal slices. The GABAB receptor agonist baclofen (20 μm) enhanced GABAA currents. This enhancement was blocked by the GABAB receptor antagonist CGP 55845 and intracellular solutions containing the GTP analog GDP-β-s, indicating that baclofen was acting on postsynaptic GABAB receptors. Modulation of GABAA currents by postsynaptic GABAB receptors was not observed in CA1 pyramidal cells or layer 2/3 cortical pyramidal neurons. Baclofen reduced the frequency of spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs) but did not alter sIPSC amplitude or kinetics. Thus, GABAA receptors activated at synapses were not modulated by postsynaptic GABAB receptors. In contrast, tonic GABA currents and currents activated by the GABAA receptor δ subunit-selective agonist THIP (10 μm) were potentiated by baclofen. Our data indicate that postsynaptic GABAB receptors enhance the function of extrasynaptic GABAA receptors, including δ subunit-containing receptors that mediate tonic inhibition in DGGCs. The modulation of GABAA receptor function by postsynaptic GABAB receptors is a newly identified mechanism that will influence the inhibitory tone of DGGCs when GABAB and GABAA receptors are both activated.
Expression of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae RAD50 gene during meiosis: steady-state transcript levels rise and fall while steady-state protein levels remain constant

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the RAD50 gene is required for repair of X-ray and MMS-induced DNA damage during vegetative growth, and for synaptonemal complex formation and genetic recombination during meiosis. We show below that the RAD50 gene encodes major and minor transcripts of 4.2 and 4.6 kb in length which differ primarily at their 5′ ends. Steady-state levels of both RAD50 transcripts increase coordinately during meiosis, reaching maximal levels midway through meiotic prophase, about 3 or 4 h after transfer of cells to sporulation medium. The 5′ ends of the major RAD50 transcript in both meiotic and vegetative cells map to the same cluster of sites approximately 20 by upstream of the amino-terminal ATG of the RAD50 coding sequence. We conclude that the increased RAD50 transcript level observed during meiosis does not reflect utilization of a new promoter. In contrast, steady-state levels of Rad50 protein do not increase during meiosis. Thus, changes in RAD50 transcript levels are not neccessarily accompanied by commensurate changes in Rad50 protein levels. Possible explanations are considered.
Microsurgical resection of endolymphatic sac tumors

Endolymphatic sac tumors (ELSTs) are benign but are invasive tumors that arise from the endolymphatic duct or sac in the posterior petrous bone. They can occur sporadically but most often are associated with von Hippel-Lindau disease. Despite their benign nature, ELSTs frequently cause irreversible hearing loss and significant vestibulopathy. Routine serial surveillance and refined imaging techniques now permit the detection of small ELSTs, particularly in patients with von Hippel-Lindau disease that still have hearing. We describe the microsurgical technique that we have used for the successful removal of ELSTs, which permits preservation of hearing and amelioration of vestibular symptoms.