cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phytotoxicity of clove oil to vegetable crop seedlings and nematotoxicity to root-knot nematodes

ADDITIONAL INDEX WORDS. bio-based nematicide, essential oil, Meloidogyne incognita, nematode management SUMMARY. Clove oil derived from the clove plant [Syzygium aromaticum (=Eugenia caryophyllata)] isactiveagainstvarious soil-borneplantpathogens andtherefore has potential for use as a bio-based pesticide. A clove oil formulation previously found to be toxic to the southern root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita )i n laboratory assays was investigated in greenhouse studies for nematode suppression and phytotoxicity on vegetable crops. Phytotoxicity studies were conducted with 0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.3% clove oil applied to soil 0, 2, 5, and 7 days before transplant of cucumber (Cucumis sativus), muskmelon (Cucumis melo), pepper (Capsicum annuum), and tomato(Solanum lycopersicum) seedlings. Tomato seedlings were the most sensitive to clove oil. The 0.2% and 0.3% clove oil concentrations applied as drenches at transplant (0 day) were the most phytotoxic to seedlings of all the tested vegetable species, with only 0% to 50% seedling survival. Most of the clove oil concentrations applied as drenches at transplant decreased shoot heights and fresh shoot weights of all seedlings. Some applications of clove oil at 0.2% and 0.3%, applied 2, 5, or 7 days before transplant also significantly reduced shoot growth, especially of pepper and tomato. Greenhouse experiments evaluating suppression of nematode populations on cucumber were conducted with 0.10%, 0.15%, and 0.20% clove oil applied 7 days before transplant. Overall, plants inoculated with nematodes tended to have smaller shoots and heavier roots than plants without nematodes. Effects of clove oil treatments on nematode population densities were inconsistent between the two trials. In Trial 1, 0.10% and 0.15% clove oil decreased population densities compared with the carrier control. In Trial 2, nematode population densities were lowest in the water and carrier control treatments. The results indicate that, with the tested clove oil formulation and application times, southern root-knot nematode populations would not be consistently reduced with clove oil concentrations that were not phytotoxic to one or more of the tested vegetable crops.
A subtelomeric non-LTR retrotransposon Hebe in the bdelloid rotifer Adineta vaga is subject to inactivation by deletions but not 5' truncations

Rotifers of the class Bdelloidea are microscopic freshwater invertebrates best known for: their capacity for anhydrobiosis; the lack of males and meiosis; and for the ability to capture genes from other non-metazoan species. Although genetic exchange between these animals might take place by non-canonical means, the overall lack of meiosis and syngamy should greatly impair the ability of transposable elements (TEs) to spread in bdelloid populations. Previous studies demonstrated that bdelloid chromosome ends, in contrast to gene-rich regions, harbour various kinds of TEs, including specialized telomere-associated retroelements, as well as DNA TEs and retrovirus-like retrotransposons which are prone to horizontal transmission. Vertically-transmitted retrotransposons have not previously been reported in bdelloids and their identification and studies of the patterns of their distribution and evolution could help in the understanding of the high degree of TE compartmentalization within bdelloid genomes. We identified and characterized a non-long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposon residing primarily in subtelomeric regions of the genome in the bdelloid rotifer Adineta vaga. Contrary to the currently prevailing views on the mode of proliferation of non-LTR retrotransposons, which results in frequent formation of 5'-truncated ('dead-on-arrival') copies due to the premature disengagement of the element-encoded reverse transcriptase from its template, this non-LTR element, Hebe, is represented only by non-5'-truncated copies. Most of these copies, however, were subject to internal deletions associated with microhomologies, a hallmark of non-homologous end-joining events. The non-LTR retrotransposon Hebe from the bdelloid rotifer A. vaga was found to undergo frequent microhomology-associated deletions, rather than 5'-terminal truncations characteristic of this class of retrotransposons, and to exhibit preference for telomeric localization. These findings represent the first example of a vertically transmitted putatively deleterious TE in bdelloids, and may indicate the involvement of microhomology-mediated non-homologous end-joining in desiccation-induced double-strand break repair at the genome periphery.
Beta-Adrenergic Blocking Activity of Yersinia pestis Murine Toxin

Yersinia pestis plague murine toxin has been found to inhibit the mobilization of free fatty acids in mice in a manner similar to that of beta-adrenergic blocking agents. The blockage is detectable 75 min after injection of the toxin (1 to 2 mean lethal doses). The degree of inhibition was directly correlated with the toxicity of a given toxin preparation. Agents such as cholera toxin or glucagon, with apparently distinct receptors from beta-adrenergic receptors, stimulated adenylate cyclase and lipolysis and effectively modified toxicity. Likewise, cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate bypassed the toxin block and antagonized toxicity. Energy-rich compounds such as fatty acids, organic acids, and glucose effectively modified the intoxication process. The biological activity of plague toxin showed profound temperature sensitivity. Mice placed at 5 degrees C were highly susceptible to the effects of the toxin, whereas mice placed at 37 degrees C were totally resistant to intoxication. Results showed that plague toxin cannot block epinephrine-induced mobilization of free fatty acids in mice placed at 37 degrees C. These studies suggested that plague toxin acts at the receptor level in a manner similar to that of beta-adrenergic blocking agents. A complete, analogous activity was shown between toxin and known beta-adrenergic antagonists in their effect on beta-adrenergic agonist action in stimulating lipolysis. It is hypothesized that, since toxin shows no in vitro activity, it is in some way modified in animals.
Blends of (R)-3-hydroxyhexan-2-one and alkan-2-ones identified as potential pheromones produced by three species of cerambycid beetles

We present data indicating that three species of cerambycid beetles (subfamily Cerambycinae) produce the common cerambycine pheromone component (R)-3-hydroxyhexan-2-one as well as an alkan-2-one component, a possible new motif for cerambycid pheromone components. GC/MS analyses of headspace volatiles produced by male beetles indicated that Cyrtophorus verrucosus (Olivier) produced (R)-3-hydroxyhexan-2-one but also nonan-2-one at ~18 % of the hydroxyketone component, whereas Orwellion gibbulum arizonense (Casey) and Parelaphidion aspersum (Haldeman) produced decan-2-one at ~40 and 7 % of the amount of the hydroxyketone, respectively. In field bioassays, adult C. verrucosus were attracted by (R)-3-hydroxyhexan-2-one alone, but attraction was significantly enhanced by nonan-2-one. This effect was lost if the quantity of nonan-2-one exceeded 100 % of the hydroxyketone, suggesting that beetles could discern ratios of the two chemicals and were most strongly attracted to those approximating the blend produced by males. We suggest that nonan-2-one plays a role in the species specificity of the pheromone signal of C. verrucosus, and that decan-2-one plays a similar role in the semiochemical communication of O. g. arizonense and P. aspersum.
Hyperefficient detection of targets in noisy images.

We compared human detection of visual targets in noisy images with that of a theoretically optimum matched filter. Using a small thin target with vertically aligned markers, we obtained hyperefficient detection as high as 91% as compared with the theoretical optimum, a value far exceeding the 30–50% value typically reported. When the markers were removed, detection efficiencies degraded to an average of 27%, even though subjects were aware that the target was always placed in the center of a reasonably small panel. Using a nine-alternative forced-choice experiment, we compared detection by human observers with a matched-filter computational observer on a trial-by-trial basis. With the markers present, when humans missed the correct panel, they most often chose the panel with the second-highest decision variable output from the computational observer, suggesting that the template-matching model is a good one. To model results without the markers, we included location uncertainty and additional noise sources in the template matching of the computational observer. A location uncertainty of only 1 pixel, corresponding to a retinal distance of ≈12 μm, a dimension of the order of the size of the receptive field of photoreceptors, explained the psychometric data. With the marker present, the model suggests that hyperefficient detection is obtained by limiting target location uncertainty to <6 μm. Together these results give important new insights into human visual detection mechanisms.
Cross-linguistic differences in the neural representation of human language: evidence from users of signed languages

Studies of deaf individuals who are users of signed languages have provided profound insight into the neural representation of human language. Case studies of deaf signers who have incurred left- and right-hemisphere damage have shown that left-hemisphere resources are a necessary component of sign language processing. These data suggest that, despite frank differences in the input and output modality of language,; core left perisylvian regions universally serve linguistic function. Neuroimaging studies of deaf signers have generally provided support for this claim. However, more fine-tuned studies of linguistic processing in deaf signers are beginning to show evidence of important differences in the representation of signed and spoken languages. In this paper, we provide a critical review of this literature and present compelling evidence for language-specific cortical representations in deaf signers. These data lend support to the claim that the neural representation of language may show substantive cross-linguistic differences. We discuss the theoretical implications of these findings with respect to an emerging understanding of the neurobiology of language.
An Amorphous IGZO Rare Earth Doped Luminescent Phosphor

Indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) has attracted recent attention as a high electron mobility amorphous material for high performance thin film transistors and subsequent use in active matrix backplanes for flexible displays. In this study, Eu:IGZO thin films were pulsed laser deposited at room temperature onto sapphire substrates and were investigated by cathodoluminescence and optical transmission. Photoluminescence was not observed with above band gap excitation. Thin film electroluminescent (TFEL) devices were also fabricated from these thin films. The thin films and devices demonstrate characteristic europium emission, with the most intense emission at 611 nm corresponding to the 5D0 to 7F2 transition. Luminescence was observed to increase with increasing oxygen pressure during deposition of the Eu:IGZO thin films and may be related to the free carrier density in the films. The authors believe this to be the first report of an amorphous oxide electroluminescent phosphor.
Using Music Notation as a Graphic Language for Designing, Prescribing and Measuring Service Experience

This paper describes a novel approach in which behavioral science is combined with musical notation, to define, measure and improve service experience. With a service experience considered as a sequence of emotive states, we then show how we can categorize those states by employing Maslow's hierarchy of needs [1]. We suggest a notational language that is similar to music notes, which combines the hierarchy of needs with a timeline needed to describe a service experience. In particular, this language uses the 5 lines on the musical staff to denote the different needs. Thus one can create scores, or music sheets, of a preferred experience in different contexts. Finally, we suggest a roadmap towards "Computer Aided Service Experience Engineering (CASEE)' by proposing a system architecture capable of monitoring particular experiences against their desired 'music', suggesting corrective actions to drive the service experience when it is out of tune.
Patients crash more than airlines: a medical emergency at 35,000 ft

An estimated 1 in 600 commercial flights will have an onboard medical emergency and approximately half of the time a passenger physician will provide medical assistance. A medical emergency on an aircraft can be a daunting task for even the most seasoned physician. This article is a narrative case report from a physician passenger who found himself in the midst of such an emergency on a 15-hour international flight.
Bcl-2 Localized at the Nuclear Compartment Induces Apoptosis after Transient Overexpression

Bcl-2 is the best characterized member of a large family of proteins that regulate apoptosis. Although it is established that Bcl-2 localized at the mitochondria functions as an anti-apoptotic protein, the function of Bcl-2 at the nucleus remains unclear. Recently we showed that nuclear compartment-associated Bcl-2 inhibits transcription factor activation. Based on this observation, we hypothesized that presence of Bcl-2 at the nucleus may induce rather than protect cells from apoptosis. Here we investigated the putative apoptotic role of nuclear compartment-associated Bcl-2. Additionally, we examined the role of the Bcl-2 BH4 domain in mediating binding to FKBP38, the Bcl-2 mitochondrial chaperone. Our results demonstrate a novel, pro-apoptotic function for nuclear Bcl-2 and identify the Bcl-2 BH4 domain as a key regulator in mediating Bcl-2/FKBP38 binding. These results indicate that Bcl-2 has a dual role as both a protector and a killer and that the ability to switch roles depends on Bcl-2 subcellular localization.
Bringing history (back) into international business

We argue that the field of international business should evolve its rhetoric from the relatively uncontroversial idea that ‘history matters’ to exploring how it matters. We discuss four conceptual channels through which history matters, illustrating each with a major example. First, historical variation is at least a worthy complement to contemporary cross-sectional variation in illuminating conceptual issues. As an example, we show that conclusions reached by the literature on contemporary emerging market business groups are remarkably similar to independently reached conclusions about a very similar organizational form that was ubiquitous in the age of empire. Second, historical evidence avoids spurious labeling of some phenomena as ‘new’, and by so doing may challenge current explanations of their determinants. Whereas some firm types today were also present earlier, some types have disappeared, some have appeared, and some have disappeared and reappeared later. Third, history can allow us to move beyond the oft-recognized importance of issues of path dependence to explore the roots of Penrosian resources. We argue that the choices made by Jardine's and Swire's in Asia today, for example, are an outgrowth of strategic choices first in evidence more than a century ago. These would remain obscured absent an historical analysis. Fourth, there are certain issues that are unaddressable, except in the really long (that is, historical) run. Exploring the causal relationship (if any) between foreign direct investment, a staple of the international business literature, and long-run economic development provides one important example. Throughout, we advocate embracing rigorous methods for analyzing small-sample and qualitative data when conventional regression techniques do not apply. That is, we suggest that re-embracing history in the mainstream is not tantamount to sacrificing methodological rigor.
Models of Moisture Diffusion Through Vinyl Ester/Clay Nanocomposites

Three different theories dealing with mass transport through polymer-clay nanocomposites are discussed. The first one is a Langmuir type model; the second one is a Drozdov type model and the third one is a mesoscopic model. The Langmuir and Drozdov type models address adsorption of the solvent on the clay particles, while the mesoscopic model relates the viscoelastic properties of the polymer chains to the diffusion process. Experimental results of water moisture through vinyl ester nanocomposites made with two different clay particles are modeled and discussed. © 2007 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2008
Direct Percutaneous Access to the Cervical Portion of the Thoracic Duct, an Alternative to Traditional Access through the Cisterna Chyli.

forceps introduced via the superior vena cava (3). The opposing actions of the snare and the forceps facilitated slenderization of the device and its retraction into a sheath (3). An ASO has also been retrieved from the right pulmonary artery by using a snare to pull the device into a sheath by its RARD screw (4). Other techniques include retrieval of the occluder plug through the patent foramen ovale following migration into the left atrium (2). In the present case, the device passed through the mitral and aortic valves and lodged in the distal aortic arch. The patient avoided emergency open-heart surgery because of this clinically innocuous position, but it was this position that impeded retrieval with bioptome forceps. However, by using the loop snare to bow the forceps, the 24-mm ASO was retrieved. This case highlights the use of a bow-string technique to provide directional control of the inherently rigid bioptome forceps, and illustrates how the technique was paramount to the successful retrieval of the dislodged ASO.
Source Characterization with a Genetic Algorithm–Coupled Dispersion–Backward Model Incorporating SCIPUFF

Abstract This paper extends the approach of coupling a forward-looking dispersion model with a backward model using a genetic algorithm (GA) by incorporating a more sophisticated dispersion model [the Second-Order Closure Integrated Puff (SCIPUFF) model] into a GA-coupled system. This coupled system is validated with synthetic and field experiment data to demonstrate the potential applicability of the coupled model to emission source characterization. The coupled model incorporating SCIPUFF is first validated with synthetic data produced by SCIPUFF to isolate issues related directly to SCIPUFF’s use in the coupled model. The coupled model is successful in characterizing sources even with a moderate amount of white noise introduced into the data. The similarity to corresponding results from previous studies using a more basic model suggests that the GA’s performance is not sensitive to the dispersion model used. The coupled model is then tested using data from the Dipole Pride 26 field tests to determine i...
Urban Sprawl: Scenario Analyses For Public Policy - Makers

This paper examines the likely effects of public-policy on residential development in the Wappinger Creek Watershed within Dutchess County in the Hudson River Valley of New York State. An econometric model is used in combination with Monte Carlo simulation to project residential development in a spatial format using a Geographic Information System (GIS). GIS was used to extract data with bio-geophysical attributes, such as slope, soil, and location characteristics, to project growth trends for residential use of undeveloped land parcels due to changes in public policy. Detailed scenarios present stakeholders the economic, social, and environmental implications of a possible course of action. The results indicate that public-policy can be effectively used to counteract the effects of urban sprawl and increased population.
Screencasting for Enhanced Teaching and Learning in Blended and Online Creative Writing Classes

Screencasting is a technology that enables the user to record screen activity on video while also capturing audio or video narration of the lecturer demonstrating that screen activity. This technology has improved over the years, and has now become streamlined enough to be integrated easily in popular learning platforms like Blackboard, Desire2Learn, and Moodle. The technology’s high usability factor and the varieties of screencasting software now available as open source makes screencasting appealing to writing instructors, not only as a means to improve teaching, but also as a tool for students to create and engage with multimedia texts that facilitate the acquisition of contemporary literacy skills. In the United States, the National Council of Teachers of English proposes that 21st century definitions of literacy must, among other things, include the ability of writers and readers to analyze, create, and interact with multimedia texts and to gain proficiency with the use of modern technologies. I argue that screencasting is a practical and creative technology that can be used for a variety of purposes: to address 21st century literacy requirements in writing classes, to improve teaching effectiveness in both online and “flipped classroom” learning, and to enhance the instructor’s social presence in online learning environments. I give examples from my own teaching experience using Camtasia and ScreenFlow software, as well as review some popular applications of screencasting technology currently in use in academic environments.
Acute and Cumulative Effects of Vinyasa Yoga on Affect and Stress among College Students Participating in an Eight-week Yoga Program: A Pilot Study.

Background. College students are vulnerable to a critical period in developmental maturation, facing rigorous academic work and learning how to function independently. Western aerobic exercise (WAE), such as running and bicycling, has been shown to improve mood and relieve stress. However, college students often have low levels of physical activity. Yoga is an ancient physical and mental practice that may affect mood and stress. However, rigorous studies examining the psychological effects of yoga are rare in peerreviewed Western journals. The aim of this research was to establish preliminary evidence for the acute effects of Vinyasa yoga on affect and stress in young-adult college students. Methods. Twenty healthy college students age 18 years and older were recruited to participate in this pilot study. Participants attended a Vinyasa yoga class at a local studio twice weekly for 8 weeks. Affect and stress were assessed before and after each yoga session. Measures included the Positive and Negative Affec...
Eventful and Critical Junctures: What is the Difference and Why is it Important?

The notion of a critical juncture has been used by many scholars to enhance their understanding of the origins of institutions. At a basic level, critical junctures often refer to the point in time that marks the beginning of a different trajectory. The existence of a critical juncture is a crucial part of many historically contingent causal explanations of significant political phenomena (e.g. Collier and Collier 2002; Ikenberry 2001; Pierson 2004). There may be variations in the characteristics attributed to the different conceptions of critical junctures used by many scholars but one feature they tend to have in common is the focus on the aftermath or effect of the juncture - the new trajectory - while ignoring the dynamics of the juncture itself. The reliance on this kind of theoretical understanding produces a unilinear process where the sequential steps necessary to produce a distinct trajectory are the direct result of a strongly determined process from which there is no alternative. The change in trajectory had to happen. The focus on the aftermath of junctures assumes away the ability to identify which moments are contingent and eliminates the ability to counterfactually examine what was possible at the time. Critical junctures become a “Black Box” from which scholars can see the inputs from preexisting structures and the outputs of the new institutional arrangement but they cannot explain what takes place within the box. Rather than rely on an effect-based understanding of critical junctures I propose that scholars use the notion of an eventful juncture where constraints on actors are relaxed, opening possibilities for action. Actors face choices which were not previously available. Actors’ decisions during eventful junctures create the path while the alternatives can be evaluated counterfactually. Critical and uncritical junctures can then be examined to understand the dynamics of eventful junctures. The identification of which junctures are critical and which are uncritical can contribute to understanding why some junctures lead to different trajectories while others do not. I use examples from the end of the Cold War and the U.S. decision to request international authorization for the projection of military force to illustrate the theoretical and methodological implications of eventful junctures.
Neonatal mitochondrial abnormalities due to PINK1 deficiency: Proteomics reveals early changes relevant to Parkinson׳s disease

Parkinson׳s disease (PD), the second most common neurodegenerative disorder, affects roughly 7-10 million people worldwide. A wide array of research has suggested that PD has a mitochondrial component and that mitochondrial dysfunction occurs well in advance of the clinical manifestation of the disease. Previous work by our lab has categorized the mitochondrial disorder associated with Parkinson׳s disease in a PINK1 knockout rat model. This model develops Parkinson׳s disease in a spontaneous, predictable manner. Our findings demonstrated PINK1-deficient rats at 4 months of age had mitochondrial proteomic and functional abnormalities before the onset of Parkinsonian symptoms (6 months) such as the movement disorder, loss of midbrain dopaminergic neurons, or the progressive degeneration present at 9 months. With this in mind, our group investigated the PINK1 knockout genetic rat model at postnatal day 10 to determine if the observed alterations at 4 months were present at an earlier time point. Using a proteomic analysis of brain mitochondria, we identified significant mitochondrial proteomic alterations in the absence of mitochondrial functional changes suggesting the observed alterations are part of the mitochondrial pathways leading to PD. Specifically, we identified differentially expressed proteins in the PINK1 knockout rat involved in glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, and fatty acid metabolism demonstrating abnormalities occur well in advance of the manifestation of clinical symptoms. Additionally, 13 of the differentially expressed proteins have been previously identified in older PINK1 knockout animals as differentially regulated suggesting these proteins may be viable markers of the PD pathology, and further, the abnormally regulated pathways could be targeted for therapeutic interventions. All raw data can be found in Supplementary Table 1.
The mitigating effects of core self-evaluations in uncertain environments

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of core self-evaluations (CSE) and change uncertainty on job satisfaction and turnover intentions within the context of an organizational change. Because individuals high in CSE are expected to be able to cope better with uncertainty, the authors also tested the mitigating effect of CSE on the change uncertainty-attitude relationships. Design/methodology/approach – Surveys were completed and returned by 398 employees in the midst of a merger containing measures of CSE, change uncertainty, job satisfaction, and turnover intentions. The survey was voluntary and administered cross-sectionally. Findings – Change uncertainty was found to negatively influence job satisfaction and positively influence turnover intentions. Additionally, CSE positively impacted job satisfaction and negatively impacted turnover intentions. High CSE was also found to minimize the negative impact of examined change uncertainty-job attitude relationships. Research limitation...
A river and its city : the nature of landscape in New Orleans

List of Illustrations Acknowledgments Prologue: Nature's Highway to Market 1. A Batture Laid Out for the Particular Use of the Public 2. Human Genius, Organed with Machinery 3. The Necropolis of the South 4. Triumphs in the Cause of Advancement and Progress 5. An Act of God Epilogue: The Simple Needs of Automobiles Notes Works Cited Index
Monetary Reconstruction in Western Europe

A LTHOUGH there may be some who still think of Robert Triffin only as the author of Monopolistic Competition and General Equilibrium Theory, he is perhaps better known now for having devoted the last ten years to the task of solving international monetary problems, especially as they have affected the relationship of the Western European countries to each other and to the United States. First as a staff member of the International Monetary Fund in Washington, then as its observer at the OEEC in Paris, as adviser to ECA's Special Representative in Europe, and finally as Alternate United States Delegate to the EPU Managing Board, Triffin has been more closely and intensively concerned with the practical problems of international economic cooperation than almost anyone else, in this country or overseas. Moreover, as any of his colleagues in these organizations will testify, Triffin has interested himself both in the theoretical and in the technical aspects of the problem. The files abound with "Triffin Proposals"invariably highly ingenious plans and devices for overcoming particular difficulties in a technically as well as diplomatically acceptable manner. Such activity requires not only an inventive mind, but a thorough understanding of the situation, and of the many divergent views which must be reconciled before an international institution can be established and operated successfully. It is this knowledge which qualifies Triffin particularly to write a book on international-and especially European-economic cooperation between I947 and I956. This book has now appeared, after long and intensive preparation while the author was Professor of Economics at Yale.
Sum rules for electron-hole bilayer and two-dimensional point dipole systems.

We formulate and analyze the third-frequency-moment sum rules for the two-dimensional (point) dipole system (2DDS) and the mass-symmetric electron-hole bilayer (EHB) in their strongly coupled liquid phases. The former, characterized by the repulsive interaction potential ${\ensuremath{\varphi}}_{D}(r)={\ensuremath{\mu}}^{2}/{r}^{3}$ ($\ensuremath{\mu}$ is the electric dipole moment), reasonably well approximates the latter in the $d\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0$ limit ($d$ is the interlayer spacing), a conjecture that is further supported by the findings of the present work. We explore the extent to which the in-phase sum rule for the closely spaced EHB may or may not reconcile with its 2DDS sum-rule counterpart. This is the main emphasis of the present work.
Flow-Induced Damage to Blood Cells in Aortic Valve Stenosis

Valvular hemolysis and thrombosis are common complications associated with stenotic heart valves. This study aims to determine the extent to which hemodynamics induce such traumatic events. The viscous shear stress downstream of a severely calcified bioprosthetic valve was evaluated via in vitro 2D particle image velocimetry measurements. The blood cell membrane response to the measured stresses was then quantified using 3D immersed-boundary computational simulations. The shear stress level at the boundary layer of the jet flow formed downstream of the valve orifice was observed to reach a maximum of 1000-1700 dyn/cm(2), which was beyond the threshold values reported for platelet activation (100-1000 dyn/cm(2)) and within the range of thresholds reported for red blood cell (RBC) damage (1000-2000 dyn/cm(2)). Computational simulations demonstrated that the resultant tensions at the RBC membrane surface were unlikely to cause instant rupture, but likely to lead to membrane plastic failure. The resultant tensions at the platelet surface were also calculated and the potential damage was discussed. It was concluded that although shear-induced thrombotic trauma is very likely in stenotic heart valves, instant hemolysis is unlikely and the shear-induced damage to RBCs is mostly subhemolytic.
Enhancement of the CMR Effect Near Room Temperature by Defects and Structural Transitions in La1−x−yCaxSryMnO3

We have studied magnetoresistance of a series of La1−xSrxMnO3 and La1−x−yCaxSryMnO3 samples, for which structural and ferromagnetic transformation temperatures are in close proximity. On cooling in zero magnetic field, we observe a rapid increase of resistivity just above TC for La1−xSrxMnO3 samples with x < 0.1425 and x ≤ 0.1725 due to the O*-O’ and R-O* - structural phase transformations, respectively. This increase is followed by a rapid decrease due to the ferromagnetic transition. The applied magnetic field significantly shifts the ferromagnetic transition to higher temperatures and suppresses the structure-related resistivity increase. We show that a combination of structural and ferromagnetic transitions gives rise to an enhancement of the negative magnetoresistance due to strong spin-lattice coupling. By choosing a proper composition, the enhancement can be optimized to appear in relatively low magnetic fields. A proper selection of Sr and Ca contents in La1−x−yCaxSryMnO3 and preparation conditions leads to an enhancement of the magnetoresistance effect at room temperature.
Coffee-Related Insomnia

Abstract Sleep is a biological process that has a critical role in development, cognition and emotions. Sleep is influenced by the biological mechanisms involved in the physiological processing of caffeine found in widely used substances such as coffee. In this chapter, we review the biology behind sleep, the impact of caffeine and coffee on sleep, the physiological process of caffeine consumption and its connection to sleep, and the genetic factors in response to caffeine and coffee.
The role of break-up localization in microcontinent separation along a strike-slip margin: the East India–Elan Bank case study

The Elan Bank microcontinent was separated from East India during the Early Cretaceous break-up. The crustal architecture and rifting geometry of East India and the Elan Bank margins document that the early break-up between India and Antarctica was initiated in the eastern portions of the Cauvery and Krishna–Godavari rift zones, and in the southern portion of Elan Bank. However, the westwards break-up propagation along the Krishna–Godavari Rift Zone continued even after the break-up in the overstepping portion of the Cauvery Rift Zone. Eventually, the western propagating end of the Krishna–Godavari Rift Zone became hard-linked with the failed western portion of the Cauvery Rift Zone by the dextral Coromandel transfer fault zone. Consequently, the break-up location between India and Antarctica shifted from its initial to its final location along the northern portion of the Elan Bank formed by the western Krishna–Godavari Rift Zone. The competition between the two rift zones to capture continental break-up and asymmetric ridge propagation resulted in a ridge jump and the Elan Bank microcontinent release.
Maxed out macs: physiologic cell clearance as a function of macrophage phagocytic capacity

The phagocytic clearance of host cells is important for eliminating dying cells and for the therapeutic clearance of antibody-targeted cells. As ubiquitous, motile and highly phagocytic immune cells, macrophages are principal players in the phagocytic removal of host cells throughout the body. In recent years, great strides have been made in identifying the molecular mechanisms that control the recognition and phagocytosis of cells by macrophages. However, much less is known about the physical and metabolic constraints that govern the amount of cellular material macrophages can ingest and how these limitations affect the overall efficiency of host cell clearance in health and disease. In this review we will discuss, in the contexts of apoptotic cells and antibody-targeted malignant cells, how physical and metabolic factors associated with the internalization of host cells are relayed to the phagocytic machinery and how these signals can impact the overall efficiency of cell clearance. We also discuss how this information can be leveraged to increase cell clearance for beneficial therapeutic outcomes.
Mining complex hyperspectral ALMA cubes for structure with neural machine learning

Astronomy is producing the largest “Big Data” sets today and in the near future, with instruments such as the Atacama Large Millimeter and sub-millimeter Array (ALMA), the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST), and the Square Kilometer Array (SKA). These observations afford a deeper, wider, and more dynamic glimpse into the structure and composition of the universe than ever before. However, in addition to unprecedented volume, the data also exhibit unprecedented complexity, mandating new approaches for extracting and summarizing relevant information. ALMA data, in particular, challenges with very high dimensionality (measurements in a large number of spectral channels) where the dimensions represent both compositional information and velocities, and the high spectral resolution allows detailed interpretation of the kinematic structure of sources such as molecular clouds or protoplanetary disks. Traditional tools like moment maps can no longer fully exploit and visualize the rich information in these data. We present a neural map-based clustering approach that can utilize all spectral channels simultaneously and is capable of finding clusters of widely varying statistical properties, which are expected in these complex data sets. Many clustering methods, including modern graph segmentation algorithms, run into limitations when encountering such data. We demonstrate our tools, collectively named “NeuroScope”, through structure mining from an ALMA image of the protoplanetary disk HD142527. We highlight the advantages for both the emerging details and visualization. In addition, we explore an augmentation of leading graph segmentation algorithms with NeuroScope products, which can lead to efficient full automation of our clustering process for fast distillation of large data sets on-board or in archives.
Participatory Methods for Entertainment–Education: Analysis of Best Practices:

Entertainment-education (EE) projects combine entertainment and education to increase knowledge, shift attitudes and promote social change using a range of communication platforms including theatre...
Reading German Jewry through Vernacular Photography: From the Kaiserreich to the Third Reich

Building on a generation of scholarship that argues that an understanding of German Jewish life must move beyond debates over terms—assimilation, acculturation, integration, subcultures, and symbiosis—this article uses three photograph albums created by the Wassermann family of Bamberg, in conjunction with the written record, to suggest an alternative interpretive framework for understanding the complexity of German Jewish lives in the first third of the twentieth century. Rethinking this history through a close analysis of photographs and photograph albums is particularly productive because even if photography and album-making were ubiquitous practices throughout the twentieth century, the special affinity of Jews for photography has been well-documented. Their paradoxical historic experience—including ghettoization and forced migration, on the one hand, and powerful feelings of “at-homeness” in their various diasporic dwelling places, on the other, in combination with the specificities of Jewish religious practice—has given Jews a particular relation to time and to place, a relation sometimes made manifest in photography. That relation is, furthermore, historical, changing with each context in which Jews find themselves living.
Abstract 121: Transcriptome Profiling of Laser-Capture Microdissected Endothelial Cells From Human Cerebral Cavernous Malformations

Introduction: Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) are common lesions causing stroke and epilepsy. Mechanistic studies in cultured endothelial cells (ECs) and in murine models have correlated CCM gene loss with signaling aberrations related to MEKK3-KLF2/4, Rho/ROCK and angiogenesis activity, and disruption of junctional proteins and EC-mesenchymal transition. Other studies demonstrated a robust antigen driven clonally expanded B-cell immune response, and pathogenetic B-T cell interactions. We hypothesized that the transcriptome of endothelial ECs from human CCM lesions reflects these postulated mechanisms. Methods: Resected human CCMs were harvested at the time of surgical resection, snap frozen, embedded in OCT and stored at -80 °C. Normal brain tissue was acquired at autopsy from patients free of neurological disease. Five human CCMs and 3 normal brain tissues were included in the study. ECs from CCMs and normal capillaries were collected using laser-captured microdissection. RNA was extracted using the TRIzol protocol. RNA libraries, generated using low-input strand specific RNA-Seq kit (Clontech), were multiplexed and sequenced with 50 basepair (bp) single end reads (SR 50 bp), and mapped using STAR v2.4.0g1 alignment. Differentially expressed (DE) genes between CCM and normal ECs were identified with DESeq2. QIAGEN’s Ingenuity® was used to conduct functional enrichment analysis on the DE genes, defining canonical pathways associated with DE genes. Results: There were 774 DE genes ( P 4). Most significant enriched canonical pathways were inflammation related (the highest enriched were signaling in T-helper cells, complement system and leukocyte extravasation signaling). Other pathways related to extracellular matrix and actin signaling (Rac, Paxillin, actin cytoskeleton and integrin signaling), angiogenesis, MMPs and the coagulation cascade. Conclusion: Differential transciptome analysis is feasible in CCM ECs in situ. It validates previously postulated disease mechanisms, and identifies other candidates for future study. This approach can categorize disease-related gene activity in lesions with different genotypes, clinical severity, and therapeutic interventions.
Speaker-Independent Silent Speech Recognition From Flesh-Point Articulatory Movements Using an LSTM Neural Network

Silent speech recognition (SSR) converts nonaudio information such as articulatory movements into text. SSR has the potential to enable persons with laryngectomy to communicate through natural spoken expression. Current SSR systems have largely relied on speaker-dependent recognition models. The high degree of variability in articulatory patterns across different speakers has been a barrier for developing effective speaker-independent SSR approaches. Speaker-independent SSR approaches, however, are critical for reducing the amount of training data required from each speaker. In this paper, we investigate speaker-independent SSR from the movements of flesh points on tongue and lips with articulatory normalization methods that reduce the interspeaker variation. To minimize the across-speaker physiological differences of the articulators, we propose Procrustes matching-based articulatory normalization by removing locational, rotational, and scaling differences. To further normalize the articulatory data, we apply feature-space maximum likelihood linear regression and i-vector. In this paper, we adopt a bidirectional long short-term memory recurrent neural network (BLSTM) as an articulatory model to effectively model the articulatory movements with long-range articulatory history. A silent speech dataset with flesh-point articulatory movements was collected using an electromagnetic articulograph from 12 healthy and two laryngectomized English speakers. Experimental results showed the effectiveness of our speaker-independent SSR approaches on healthy as well as laryngectomy speakers. In addition, BLSTM outperformed the standard deep neural network. The best performance was obtained by the BLSTM with all the three normalization approaches combined.
Generation. Amplification and Characterization of Tunable Visible Ultrashort Shaped Pulses

By producing non-collinear optical amplification (NOPA) with an internal acousto-optic modulator (AOM), we generate amplified shaped ultrashort pulses (~5µJ, <50fs) tunable from 500 to 700nm with up to 50THz bandwidths. The shaped pulses are fully characterized by a variation of the spectrally and temporally resolved up-conversion technique (STRUT).
Exercise Prevents Enhanced Postoperative Neuroinflammation and Cognitive Decline and Rectifies the Gut Microbiome in a Rat Model of Metabolic Syndrome.

Abstract (347) Introduction: Postoperative Cognitive Decline (PCD) can affect in excess of 10% of surgical patients and can be considerably higher with risk factors including advanced age, perioperative infection, and metabolic conditions such as obesity and insulin resistance. To define underlying pathophysiologic processes we used animal models including a rat model of metabolic syndrome generated by breeding for a trait of low aerobic exercise tolerance. After 35 generations the low capacity runner (LCR) rats differ 10-fold in their aerobic exercise capacity from high capacity runner (HCR) rats. The LCR rats respond to surgical procedure with an abnormal phenotype consisting of exaggerated and persistent PCD and failure to resolve neuroinflammation. We determined whether preoperative exercise can rectify the abnormal surgical phenotype. Material and Methods: Following institutional approval of the protocol each of male LCR and male HCR rats were randomly assigned to four groups and subjected to isoflurane anesthesia and tibia fracture with internal fixation (surgery) or anesthesia alone (sham surgery) and to a preoperative exercise regimen that involved walking for 10 kilometers on a treadmill over 6 weeks (exercise) or being placed on a stationary treadmill (no exercise). Feces were collected before and after exercise for assessment of gut microbiome. Three days following surgery or sham surgery the rats were tested for ability to recall a contextual aversive stimulus in a trace fear conditioning paradigm. Thereafter some rats were euthanized and the hippocampus harvested for analysis of inflammatory mediators. At three months the remainder of the rats were tested for memory recall by the probe test in a Morris Water Maze. Results: Postoperatively, LCR rats exhibited exaggerated cognitive decline both at 3 days and at 3 months that was prevented by preoperative exercise. Similarly, LCR rats had excessive postoperative neuroinflammation that was normalized by preoperative exercise. Diversity of the gut microbiome in the LCR rats improved after exercise. Discussion: Preoperative exercise eliminated the metabolic syndrome risk for the abnormal surgical phenotype and was associated with a more diverse gut microbiome. Prehabilitation with exercise should be considered as a possible intervention to prevent exaggerated and persistent PCD in high-risk settings.
Increased fluxes of shelf-derived materials to the central Arctic Ocean

Rising temperatures in the Arctic Ocean region are responsible for changes such as reduced ice cover, permafrost thawing, and increased river discharge, which, together, alter nutrient and carbon cycles over the vast Arctic continental shelf. We show that the concentration of radium-228, sourced to seawater through sediment-water exchange processes, has increased substantially in surface waters of the central Arctic Ocean over the past decade. A mass balance model for 228Ra suggests that this increase is due to an intensification of shelf-derived material inputs to the central basin, a source that would also carry elevated concentrations of dissolved organic carbon and nutrients. Therefore, we suggest that significant changes in the nutrient, carbon, and trace metal balances of the Arctic Ocean are underway, with the potential to affect biological productivity and species assemblages in Arctic surface waters.