cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Can abstract state machines be useful in language theory

The abstract state machine (ASM) is a modern computation model. ASMs and ASM based tools are used in academia and industry, albeit on a modest scale. They allow you to give high-level operational semantics to computer artifacts and to write executable specifications of software and hardware at the desired abstraction level. In connection with the 2006 conference on Developments in Language Theory, we point out several ways that we believe abstract state machines can be useful to the DLT community.
Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection as a cause of permanent bilateral hearing loss : A quantitative assessment

Background: Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a cause of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in children, but the magnitude of its contribution is uncertain. Quantifying the impact of congenital CMV infection requires an evidence-based assessment using a standard case definition of hearing loss. Objectives: To determine the frequency of bilateral moderate to profound SNHL in children with congenital CMV infection and to estimate the CMV-attributable fraction of bilateral moderate to profound SNHL. Study design: A systematic review of studies of children with congenital CMV infection ascertained in an unbiased manner through universal newborn screening for CMV using viral culture in urine or saliva specimens in combination with a review of the literature on congenital CMV infection and hearing loss, including articles of all types. Results: Approximately, 14% of children with congenital CMV infection develop SNHL of some type, and 3–5% develop bilateral moderate to profound SNHL. Among all children with bilateral moderate to profound SNHL, we estimate that 15–20% of cases are attributable to congenital CMV infection. Conclusions: Congenital CMV infection is one of the most important causes of hearing loss in young children, second only to genetic mutations, and is potentially preventable. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Monte Carlo simulation of the radiation field in a reticulated foam photocatalytic reactor

The 3-D polychromatic radiation field for an annular packed-bed photocatalytic reactor using alumina reticulated foams as a monolithic catalyst support was simulated using Monte Carlo methodology. Two distinct methods were used for simulating photon transport: (1) a spatial approach that tracks the flight of a photon in a predetermined reticulate structure; (2) a temporal approach that generates the random porous structure of the reticulate as the photon flies into it. The two approaches yield almost identical results, although the temporal approach that generates the random porous structure of the reticulate as the photon flies into it. The two approaches yield almost identical results, although the temporal approach is far more efficient computationally. Simulations for the integral axially-averaged radial ultraviolet (UV) light profiles agree closely with experimental measurements for titania-coated 10, 20 and 30 PPI alumina reticulates and near UV lamps. The simulations reveal that the local volumetric rate of energy absorption (LVREA) in the reticulate and the magnitude of the LVREA gradient both increase with decreasing reticulate pore size.
Electronic Warfare Digital Signal Processinig On COTS Computer Systems With Reconfigurable Architectures

Commercial off-the-shelf computer systems with reconfigurable architectures have recentlybecomeavailable.Someofthesemachineshavearchitectures,features,andsoftware development environments that seem to make them useful for digital signal processing, especiallyinelectronicwarfareandradarsignalprocessingapplications.Thispaperdescribes experiments to evaluate the architecture, features, software development environment, and performance of one such computer, the SRC Computers model SRC-6e, using an electronic warfare signal processing application.
Analyzing the energy consumption of security protocols

Security is critical to a wide range of wireless data applications and services. While several security mechanisms and protocols have been developed in the context of the wired Internet, many new challenges arise due to the unique characteristics of battery powered embedded systems. In this work, we focus on an important constraint of such devices -- battery life -- and examine how it is impacted by the use of security protocols.We present a comprehensive analysis of the energy requirements of a wide range of cryptographic algorithms that are used as building blocks in security protocols. Furthermore, we study the energy consumption requirements of the most popular transport-layer security protocol SSL (Secure Sockets Layer). To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive analysis of the energy requirements of SSL. For our studies, we have developed a measurement-based experimental testbed that consists of an iPAQ PDA connected to a wireless LAN and running Linux, a PC-based data acquisition system for real-time current measurement, the OpenSSL implementation of the SSL protocol, and parametrizable SSL client and server test programs. We investigate the impact of various parameters at the protocol level (such as cipher suites, authentication mechanisms, and transaction sizes, etc.) and the cryptographic algorithm level (cipher modes, strength) on overall energy consumption for secure data transactions.Based on our results, we discuss various opportunities for realizing energy-efficient implementations of security protocols. We believe such investigations to be an important first step towards addressing the challenges of energy efficient security for battery-constrained systems.
Postmolt Performance of Laying Hens Molted by High Dietary Zinc, Low Dietary Sodium, and Fasting: Egg Production and Eggshell Quality

Single Comb White Leghorn (SCWL) hens, 65 weeks of age, were assigned to one of four dietary treatments: fasting to a body weight loss of 34% (FAST), administration of a diet containing less than or equal to 500 ppm sodium for 42 days (Lo Na), administration of a diet containing 20,000 ppm zinc for 10 days (Hi Zn), and a control (CON) diet. The hens were subjected to two photoperiod treatments, those receiving 17 hr (17-hr) of light per day throughout the 32-week experiment and those restricted to 8 hr of light per day for the first 42 days followed by a .5 hr/day increase until 17 hr was reached. Egg production and mortality were recorded daily. Feed consumption, feed conversion, and livability were determined weekly. Beginning on Day 56, eggs were collected at 28-day intervals for determination of egg weight, egg specific gravity, and shell weight. During the molt phase (1 to 6 weeks), the 17-hr light day significantly increased egg production, feed consumption, and decreased feed conversion (kg/doz) across all groups when compared with the 8-hr light/day treatments, but FAST treatments consumed identical amounts under both light treatments. From 7 to 32 weeks during the postmolt phase, egg production was significantly increased and feed conversion decreased by the FAST and Hi Zn treatments relative to CON, Lo Na treatment was intermediate. Feed consumption was significantly higher for the FAST treatment. Overall, there were not significant effects on egg production, feed consumption, and feed conversion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The observations of a near monoenergetic flux of auroral electrons

Rocket-borne observations were made of a nearly monoenergetic beam of electrons in association with a prebreakup auroral display. The characteristic energy of this beam was about 4 kev and was very stable over a 150-second period of time. The nature of this energy spectra strongly suggests that the electron energization was by the electric fields associated with some static 4-kev potential difference in the magnetosphere. A model in which this potential was established directly along a magnetic field line cannot be uniquely excluded by these observations but is discounted on other grounds. The alternative is a model in which the required electric field is transverse to the magnetic field lines. Such electric fields are known to exist and have been measured directly. Energization of low-energy electrons by an electric field of this geometry, would appear to require that these electrons be stably trapped on closed lines of magnetic force, the energization occurring by virtue of gradient and line curvature drift across equipotential lines. It is this process, which is similar to that proposed by Taylor and Hones (1965), that is believed to have produced the auroral particles observed in this aurora. The electrical potential differences known to be available in the magnetosphere although sufficient to produce these 4-kev electrons are inadequate to produce the 100-kev electrons seen in association with the aurora, thus implying the existence of more than one acceleration mechanism.
Defect Modes of a Two-Dimensional Photonic Crystal in an Optically Thin Dielectric Slab

We present a three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain analysis of localized defect modes in an optically thin dielectric slab that is patterned with a two-dimensional array of air holes. The symmetry, quality factor, and radiation pattern of the defect modes and their dependence on the slab thickness are investigated.
Virtualization in parallel distributed computing

A decade and a half ago, the Parallel Virtual Machine abstraction strived to virtualize a collection of heterogeneous components into a generalized concurrent computing resource. PVM presented a unified programming, model backed by runtime subsystems and scripts that homogenized machine dependencies. This paradigm has had mixed success when translated to computing environments that span multiple administrative and ownership domains. We argue that multidomain resource sharing is critically dependent upon decoupling provider concerns from client requirements, and suggest alternative methodologies for virtualizing heterogeneous resource aggregates. We present the H2O framework, a core subsystem in the Harness project, and discuss its alternative approach to metacomputing. H2O is based on a “pluggable” software architecture to enable flexible and reconfigurable distributed computing. A key feature is the provisioning of customization capabilities that permit clients to tailor provider resources as appropriate to the given application, without compromising control or security. Through the use of uploadable “pluglets”, users can exploit specialized features of the underlying resource, application libraries, or optimized message passing subsystems on demand. The current status of the H2O system, recent experiences, and planned enhancements are described, in the context of evolutionary directions in virtualizing distributed resources.
Spontaneously Broken Gauge Symmetries. III. Equivalence

We discuss the equivalence of the $S$ matrix in the $R$- and $U$-gauge formulations of spontaneously broken gauge theories. We give definitions of the $U$-gauge Green's functions in terms of the $R$-gauge ones, for both Abelian and non-Abelian cases. Based on the equivalence theorem, we give a renormalization prescription of the $U$-gauge formulation.
Maternal age as an isolated factor in the incidence of perinatal asphyxia

Abstract Consideration has been given to 41 primigravidas and 50 multigravidas delivered who were, in all respects excepting maternal age, closely comparable in being “clinically acceptable ideal cases”. An association was sought between the age of the mother and a representative index of neonatal well-being (value of base excess in umbilical artery blood). No consistent association was discovered. It is suggested that the fetus of a mother of relatively advanced years is not specifically at risk in the absence of other obstetric pathology.
Restraint-Induced Inhibition of 7,12-Dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-Induced Mammary Tumors: Relation to Stages of Tumor Development

Experiments on the use of chronically applied restraint to reduce the number of mammary tumors developing in response to treatment of rats with 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene indicated that this inhibitory effect was largely due to restraint applied after the induction period; preinduction restraint and induction period restraint had no significant effect on tumor development. After termination of the restraint treatment, the rate at which new tumors appeared first increased and then decreased. Restraint did not affect the proportion of tumors regressing after ovariectomy.
Cross-signaling in metabotropic glutamate 2 and serotonin 2A receptor heteromers in mammalian cells

We previously reported that co-expression of the Gi-coupled metabotropic glutamate receptor 2 (mGlu2R) and the Gq-coupled serotonin (5-HT) 2A receptor (2AR) in Xenopus oocytes (Fribourg et al. Cell 147:1011-1023, 2011) results in inverse cross-signaling, where for either receptor, strong agonists suppress and inverse agonists potentiate the signaling of the partner receptor. Importantly, through this cross-signaling, the mGlu2R/2AR heteromer integrates the actions of psychedelic and antipsychotic drugs. To investigate whether mGlu2R and 2AR can cross-signal in mammalian cells, we stably co-expressed them in HEK293 cells along with the GIRK1/GIRK4 channel, a reporter of Gi and Gq signaling activity. Crosstalk-positive clones were identified by Fura-2 calcium imaging, based on potentiation of 5-HT-induced Ca(2+) responses by the inverse mGlu2/3R agonist LY341495. Cross-signaling from both sides of the complex was confirmed in representative clones by using the GIRK channel reporter, both in whole-cell patch-clamp and in fluorescence assays using potentiometric dyes, and further established by competition binding assays. Notably, only 25-30 % of the clones were crosstalk-positive. The crosstalk-positive phenotype correlated with (a) increased colocalization of the two receptors at the cell surface, (b) lower density of mGlu2R binding sites and higher density of 2AR binding sites in total membrane preparations, and (c) higher ratios of mGlu2R/2AR normalized surface protein expression. Consistent with our results in Xenopus oocytes, a combination of ligands targeting both receptors could elicit functional crosstalk in a crosstalk-negative clone. Crosstalk-positive clones can be used in high-throughput assays for identification of antipsychotic drugs targeting this receptor heterocomplex.
Synthesis and characterization of polyethylene-g-sulfonated polysulfone copolymers for proton exchange membranes

This paper discusses a new class of PEMs that are based on a PE-g-s-PAES graft copolymer containing several sulfonated poly(arylene ethersulfone) side chains. The unique combination of hydrophobicity, semi-crystallinity, and high molecular weight of PE backbone offers PEM with a strong and stable (non-swellable) matrix, and the embedded hydrophilic s-PAES proton-conductive domains show only moderate water swelling (λ 3 mmol/g in the s-PAES domains. All PE-g-s-PAES PEMs show higher through-plane conductivity (up to 160 mS/cm) than in-plane conductivity, as well as good fuel selectivity. Evidently, the low surface energy of PE backbone forms a thin hydrophobic layer on the PEM surfaces that not only result in anisotropic conductivity but also create a methanol diffusion barrier to prevent fuel loss. Overall, the newly developed PE-g-s-PAES membranes offer a desirable set of PEM properties, including conductivity, selectivity, mechanical strength, stability, and cost-effective, for fuel cell applications.
Comparison of Immunoblotting and Indirect Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay Using Different Antigen Preparations for Diagnosing Early Lyme Disease

We compared immunoblotting and indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using different antigen preparations to test for antibody to Borrelia burgdorferi in patients with early Lyme disease. With immunoblotting, 16 (53%) of 30 patients had positive tests in acute-phase sera and 25 (83%) had them in convalescent-phase sera. Among 64 controls, false-positive results were obtained in only three individuals with syphilis and in one hospitalized patient with renal allograft rejection. Among the patients with Lyme disease, both IgM and IgG antibodies most commonly bound to the 41-kilodalton (kDa) flagellar antigen, but many patients had binding to other components, particularly those of 25, 55, 58, or 66 kDa, and the order of their appearance was variable. Compared with indirect ELISA (using sonicated whole spirochetes or a flagellin-enriched fraction as the antigen preparation), more patients with Lyme disease had positive tests by immunoblotting, and fewer control subjects had false-positive results. Our results indicate that immunoblotting is superior to indirect ELISA for diagnosing early Lyme disease.
Equations of Inter-Doublet Separation Explain Wave Propagation and Oscillations in Flagella

Introduction: The mechanism of dynein coordination in cilia and flagella remains incompletely understood. In one hypothesis, the “geometric clutch” (GC) model (Lindemann, J theor Biol,1994), dynein is regulated by inter-doublet separation. A continuum mechanical model and associated partial differential equations (PDEs) of the GC model have remained lacking. Such PDEs would provide insight into the biophysics, enable mathematical analysis of the behavior, and facilitate rigorous comparison to other models. In this study equations of motion for the flagellum and its doublets are derived and analyzed to reveal mechanisms of wave propagation and instability in the GC model.Methods: A simplified mechanical model of the flagellum is considered, consisting of two pairs of doublets (Lindemann, 1994). Each doublet pair experiences external viscous forces and inter-doublet forces parallel and perpendicular to its long axis (Hines and Blum, Biophys J,1978). The equations of force and moment balance are used to derive PDEs for the shape of the flagellum and the separation between doublets. The equations of inter-doublet separation reduce to an excitable system in the form of the Extended Fisher-Kolmorogov (EFK) equation (van den Berg et al., SIAM J, 2001), which exhibits propagating solutions similar to those of reaction-diffusion equations. These equations are then coupled to the global equations of flagella motion and solved numerically.Results: The model exhibits propagation of disturbances of inter-doublet separation and dynein activity. Autonomous propulsive oscillations are seen at typical parameter values (L=12 μm; EI=500 pN/μm2; diameter a=200 nm).Transition from large-amplitude asymmetric waveforms (forward swimming) to small-amplitude symmetric waveforms (backward swimming) is achieved by varying baseline dynein activity. These results support the ability of the GC hypothesis to explain dynein coordination in flagella and provide a mathematical foundation for comparison to other models.Acknowledgements: NSF grant CMMI-1265447.
Characterization of Nucleic Acid Binding by the Histone-Derived Antimicrobial Peptides Buforin II and DesHDAP1

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which are found in numerous living organisms, are active against a wide range of bacteria and other pathogens, making them promising candidates for alternatives to conventional antibiotics. While many AMPs inhibit bacterial growth through membrane disruption, some AMPs, including buforin II and DesHDAP1, are hypothesized to kill bacteria by binding to intracellular nucleic acids after translocating across the bacterial cell membrane without significant membrane permeabilization. To understand this lesser known mechanism, the peptide-nucleic acid binding interactions of these systems were investigated using several experimental and computational methods. The peptide-nucleic acid binding for buforin II and DesHDAP1 were measured experimentally using a fluorescence intercalator displacement (FID) assay. In these experiments, having an increased composition of basic residues that are arginine versus lysine were shown to promote binding for variants of both buforin II and DesHDAP1. When binding was tested using different combinations of DNA sequences, neither buforin II nor DesHDAP1 significantly favored particular DNA sequences. To provide structural explanations for experimental results, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, pKa calculations, electrostatics calculations via component analysis were used. Using these methods, particular arginine residues within each peptide were found to interact more favorably with DNA. Results from MD simulations also showed that nucleic acid-peptide binding was mostly due to interactions between the peptide and phosphate backbone of nucleic acids, providing an explanation for the lack of sequence specificity observed experimentally. These insights regarding nucleic acid binding of buforin II and DesHDAP1, paired with a deeper understanding of the peptides’ structures and membrane interactions, are necessary for development of novel pharmaceutical applications using AMPs.
Retinal pigment epithelial cell transplants in retinal degeneration slow mice do not rescue photoreceptor cells.

PURPOSE To determine if retinal pigment epithelial cells are in any way involved in the degeneration of photoreceptor cells in the retinal dystrophy mouse model, retinal degeneration slow (rds); to determine if normal retinal pigment epithelial cell transplants can affect outer segment development in the retina. METHODS Retinal pigment epithelial cells of neonatal normal pigmented C3H mice were isolated and transplanted into retinas of postnatal day 33 albino rds mice. Then eyes of 4-month-old rds mice, retinal pigment epithelial cell-transplanted and sham and non-treated control mice, were processed for light and electron microscopy and the thickness of the outer nuclear layer were measured and compared. RESULTS Measurements of outer nuclear layer thickness in the transplant and control groups revealed that normal retinal pigment epithelial cell transplants did not cause photoreceptor cell rescue in rds mice. In addition, outer segments were not seen in retinal pigment epithelial cell-transplanted rds retinas. CONCLUSIONS This study supports the conclusions of other investigators that the photoreceptor cell is the primary site of the genetic defect that results in retinal dystrophy in the rds mouse model.
Tests of Goodness of Fitt

SUMMARY An explicit account is given of a procedure for assessing goodness of fit of some observations with a hypothesis, generally known as a "test of significance"; the description is close in spirit to R. A. Fisher's original conception. The relation of this test procedure with Bayesian procedures and with the Neyman-Pearson theory of tests is discussed. Some very tentative suggestions are made regarding the choice of a test criterion and the use to which the result of the test can be put. The role of conditional sampling distributions is studied. Various examples are discussed. In particular, a brief exploration is made in the apparently virgin territory of testing goodness of fit when the observations have been taken according to a sequential rule.
Excessive daytime sleepiness and fatigue may indicate accelerated brain aging in cognitively normal late middle-aged and older adults.

Abstract Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and fatigue increases with age. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between EDS and fatigue with cortical thickness and hippocampal volume in cognitively normal, late middle-aged and older adults. We performed a cross-sectional observational study of 1374 cognitively-normal subjects aged 50 years and older who had a structural MRI. Regional cortical thickness and hippocampal volume were measured. Multiple linear regression models were fit to explore associations between EDS and fatigue and structural MRI measures in different brain regions, adjusting for multiple covariates. EDS was defined as Epworth Sleepiness Scale ≥10. Fatigue severity was assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory-2. 208 participants had EDS, 27 had significant fatigue, and 11 had both. Participants with EDS or fatigue had significantly lower cognitive scores, more disturbed sleep, and medical comorbidities. The presence of EDS was associated with both global and regional atrophy, whereas fatigue was more associated with frontal and temporal changes. Cortical thinning predicted by EDS and fatigue was maximal in the temporal region with average reduction of 34.2 μm (95% CI, −54.1, −14.3; P = 0.001) and 90.2 μm (95% CI, −142.1, −38.2; P = 0.001), respectively. Fatigue was also associated with hippocampal volume reduction of −374.2 mm 3 (95% CI, −670.8, −77.7; P = 0.013). Temporal cortical thinning predicted by presence of EDS and fatigue was equivalent to more than 3.5 and 9 additional years of aging, respectively. EDS and fatigue were associated with cortical thickness reduction primarily in regions with increased age-susceptibility, which may indicate accelerated brain aging.
Cost and lack of insurance coverage are prohibitive to having dental implants after resections for benign mandibular neoplasms.

Objectives To assess how often patients receive dental implants after mandibular resection for benign neoplasms and to determine barriers to completion of functional reconstruction. Study Design This was a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent resection for benign mandibular neoplasms between 2005 and 2014. Demographic variables included age, sex, and race. Outcome variables include rates of implant placement, implant restoration, and reasons for not having implants. Fisher's exact test and odds ratios were calculated. Results In all, 52 subjects (age 47.1 ± 19.2 years) were included. Twenty (38.6%) received dental implants. Race was associated with the likelihood of receiving implants ( P = .0302). African Americans (1/11, 9.1%) were least likely compared to all other racial groups to have implants (odds ratio = 0.1158; P = .035; 95% confidence interval 0.013-0.989). Caucasians (17/35, 48.6%) were 4.41 times more likely to receive implants compared to all other races (odds ratio = 4.41; 95% confidence interval 1.073-18.093; P = .038). Of the 20 patients who received implants, 10 went on to have dental prostheses. The most common reason for not having implants was cost (37.5% overall), cited by 50% of black and 16.7% of white patients. Conclusion Patients do not typically go on to dental reconstruction after mandibular resection, with cost as a major barrier. African Americans were least likely to complete full reconstruction.
A Murine Model of Bone Marrow Failure Mediated by Disparity in Minor Histocompatibility Antigens.

Destruction of hematopoietic cells in aplastic anemia and other hematologic diseases is mediated in most patients by effector cells of the immune system. We have developed a mouse model of immune-mediated bone marrow failure which employs parental lymph node cell infusion into F1 recipients, resulting in bone marrow hypercellularity, pancytopenia, and death from infection and bleeding, without other organ involvement by graft-versus-host disease (Bloom, ML et al. Exp. Hematol. 32:1163, 2004; Chen, J et al. Blood 104:1671, 2004). Because major histocompatibility antigens are not the targets in acquired aplastic anemia, we now have developed a model of murine marrow failure based on disparity of minor histocompatibility antigens. Lymph node cells from C57BL/6 mice were infused into sublethally-irradiated, MHC-matched, C.B10-H2b/LilMce recipients. Animals developed severe pancytopenia and marrow hypoplasia within two-three weeks. CD8+ T lymphocytes were expanded in the blood and infiltrated bone marrow, becoming detectable at day 7 and reaching peak levels at days 10–12. There were no inflammatory responses observed in the skin, intestines, or other visceral organs by gross or microscopic pathological examination. In our experiments we observed a time-dependent expansion followed by contraction of CD8+ T cells specific for a minor histocompatibility antigen H60 as measured by flowcytometry using an H60-specific tetramer. H60 is an antigen peptide derived from a glycoprotein, a known ligand for stimulatory NKG2D receptors, and is immunodominant over other minor antigens in stem cell transplantation. The proportion of H60-specific CD8+ T cells was strongly negatively correlated with peripheral blood white cell, neutrophil, and platelet counts. Isolated H60-specific T-cells from bone marrow of affected animals induced apoptosis in vitro of normal C57BL/6 bone marrow cells in co-culture. The degree of apoptosis was further increased by addition of CD4 T-cells from same affected donors, suggesting a helper lymphocyte effect. The role of H60-specific T cells was demonstrated in further transplant experiments. Infusion of 5 × 106 C57BL/6 lymph node cells that had been depleted of H60-specific T cells was unable to induce marrow failure in C.B10 recipients, while the same number of cells with the addition of 20–90 × 103 H60-specific CD8+ T cells led to thrombocytopenia and leucopenia in recipients. H60-specific T cells thus appear to be key effectors, responsible at least for the initiation of marrow cell destruction. Mice could be treated with cyclosporine at 50 mg/g/day for five days, if treatments were begun at the time of lymph node cell infusion. Immunosuppressive therapy abolished H60-specific CD8+ T cell expansion and attenuated the development of peripheral pancytopenia, effectively rescuing animals. In conclusion, we demonstrate in this model of immune-mediated bone marrow failure that a single clone of peptide-specific T-cells is capable of efficient marrow destruction and the production of aplastic anemia.
The Role of Rac and Pak in Neutrophil Histone Hypercitrullination and Neutrophil Extracellular Traps Formation

Abstract Under specific activating conditions, polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) release neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) composed of decondensed chromatin lined with microbicidal protein such as neutrophil elastase and myeloperoxidase. NETs contribute to innate immunity but can also foster autoimmune diseases and thrombus formation. NET formation (NETosis) requires reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by NADPH oxidase and histone hypercitrullination by peptidylarginine deiminase 4 (PAD4), allowing for chromatin decondensation. Rac GTPases are expressed in three isoforms: Rac1 is ubiquitously expressed and plays a role in PMN migration and oxidase function; Rac2 is hematopoietic-specific and the major isoform in PMNs and Rac3 is mostly neuronal. Rac1 and Rac2 regulate the cytoskeleton in PMNs, controlling actin polymerization, cell shape, adhesion and migration and are essential components of the NADPH oxidase complex. The present study aimed to explore the role of the Rac pathway on NETosis in PMNs, including the upstream guanosine exchange factor (GEF) activator, Vav, and a downstream effector of Rac, p21 activated kinase, Pak. We developed a flow cytometry-based quantification of H3 hypercitrullination (H3Cit). In response to phorbol myristate ester (PMA) stimulation, H3Cit is increased to 136% of basal in WT cells, compared with 103% in Rac2-/- (P Table . Intensity of H3Cit staining as determined by flow cytometry-based assay. Basal H3Cit level PMA-induced H3Cit PMA-induced change WT PMN 100±2% 136±5% 36% Rac2-/- 82±9% ns 103±15.3%** 21% Rac1Δ/Δ, Rac2-/- 64±10%*** 69±10%** 5% Vav1-/- 86±9% ns 145±15% ns 59% Vav2-/- 91±4% ns 134±18% ns 43% Vav3-/- 153±30%* 171±28% ns 18% Vav1,3-/- 125±20% ns 144±24% ns 19% WT+PF 5nM 76±17% ns 87±8%* 11% WT+ IPA 5µM 100±4% ns 111±10% ns 11% Pak2Δ/Δ 75±7%* 94±11%* 19% Results are expressed as mean±SEM % of the untreated WT control of each experiment. Results are from ≥3 independent experiments. * P Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Anti-drug antibodies as drug carriers. I. For small molecules.

Purpose. To better understand the pharmacokinetics of drugs compounds that bind endogenous antibodies
Geographic isolation facilitates the evolution of reproductive isolation and morphological divergence

Geographic isolation is known to contribute to divergent evolution, resulting in unique phenotypes. Oftentimes morphologically distinct populations are found to be interfertile while reproductive isolation is found to exist within nominal morphological species revealing the existence of cryptic species. These disparities can be difficult to predict or explain especially when they do not reflect an inferred history of common ancestry which suggests that environmental factors affect the nature of ecological divergence. A series of laboratory experiments and observational studies were used to address what role biogeographic factors may play in the ecological divergence of Hyalella amphipods. It was found that geographic isolation plays a key role in the evolution of reproductive isolation and divergent morphology and that divergence cannot be explained by molecular genetic variation.
Reasons for South Korean attitudes towards the death penalty: exploring the nexus between strong public support and history of misapplication

As of this writing, South Korea (officially, the Republic of Korea) is an abolitionist-in-practice nation; capital punishment is legal, but no death sentences have been carried out since a moratori...
Case 8 Necrotic Skin Lesion

A 41-year-old female presented to the emergency department with a lesion on her left forearm. The patient suspected she was bitten 3 days prior by something while cleaning her attic. She subsequently developed a fever (103 °F), chills and myalgias throughout the course of the day. This chapter reviews possible causes of this patient’s symptomatology, including a thorough discussion of spider envenomation with focus on Loxosceles reclusa, commonly known as the brown recluse spider.
Hereditary cancer gene panel test reports: wide heterogeneity suggests need for standardization.

Laboratory-generated genomic test reports are used to convey complex, and frequently multivariant or uncertain, information about disease risk to medical genetics professionals as well as to nonspecialist clinicians, patients, and family members. However, few guidelines exist to guide the content and format of genomic test reports, and little is known about variation in current reporting practices. We conducted a structured content analysis of hereditary cancer gene panel test reports obtained from 16 United States–based CLIA-certified laboratories, including reports describing a variant of uncertain significance (VUS) only and reports with both a VUS and pathogenic or likely pathogenic (P/LP) test result. Report content and format varied widely across laboratories and between VUS and VUS + P/LP reports from the same laboratory, with regard to the inclusion and visual prominence of key content as well as in terms of overall length and readability. Test report heterogeneity is likely to reflect both the lack of comprehensive reporting guidelines and disagreements between laboratories about the salience of specific types of information to test interpretation and use. Future research should explore the impact of reporting differences on clinician interpretation and shared decision making.
Chemistry of Alkylaromatics Reconsidered

To investigate upgrading crude oil, alkylaromatic compounds are often chosen as model compounds to better understand their reactivity. In recent kinetic models of this chemistry, the main reaction consuming the alkylaromatic is a four-membered ring “retro-ene” reaction. Here, the transition state of that reaction is discovered to be inconsistent with six-membered ring retroene reactions reported in the literature, leading to inaccurate conclusions. A new detailed kinetic model is constructed using Reaction Mechanism Generator (RMG), and thermodynamic parameters of key compounds and radicals are identified to limit model accuracy. Thermochemistry for key species in the chemistry of hexylbenzene, including hexylbenzene, alkylbenzenes, alkylbenzene radicals, aliphatic radicals, and styrene, was calculated using the CBS-QB3 quantum chemistry method to improve the accuracy of the hexylbenzene pyrolysis model. The kinetics of a key beta scission reaction were also calculated. The results of these calculations h...
Cost-optimal design of a batch electrodialysis system for domestic desalination of brackish groundwater

Abstract This study presents the pareto-optimal design of a domestic point-of-use batch electrodialysis (ED) system. Specifically, the optimal geometry, flow-rates, and applied voltage for total cost minimization were explored for varying production rate (9–15 L/h) and product concentration (100–300 mg/L) requirements, while feed concentration and recovery ratio were maintained at 2000 mg/L and 90%, respectively. Capital cost dominated over energetic cost; hence, optimal designs maximized current density. Capital cost was significantly higher for 100 mg/L systems, than 200 and 300 mg/L: $141 vs. $93 and $79, at 12±0.5 L/h of production. Pumps were an important consideration, contributing up to 46% of the total cost. Large membrane length-to-width aspect ratios (3.5:1 to 6:1) and thin channels (0.30–0.33 mm) promoted high current densities, and 11–21 cm/s velocities optimized mass transfer against pressure drop. Optimal voltages were 0.9–1.3 V/cell-pair at 9 L/h, and decreased at higher rates. Lastly, higher production was obtained primarily by increasing cell-pair area rather than number of cell-pairs (36–46). It was additionally observed that active area increased linearly with feed concentration (1500–2500 mg/L), while recovery (60–90%) minimally affected design. This work also suggests that voltage control during the batch process, and less expensive pumps, can further reduce cost.
Interest Groups and State Policy for Higher Education: New Conceptual Understandings and Future Research Directions

An empirical literature recently has arisen attempting to explain policy outcomes for higher education in the 50 states. The studies have examined the policy influences of legislatures, bureaucracies, governors, and other institutional political actors, but few research efforts have sought to account—conceptually or empirically—for the policy impacts of organized interest groups in the arena of state postsecondary education. This chapter helps to remedy the gap. We outline a broad agenda for research that aims to deepen conceptual understanding of the relationship between interest groups and state level higher education policy and to chart future research directions. We organize the chapter around three foci: (1) a review of extant research on state-level interest group activity in the higher education arena; (2) development of a conceptual framework grounded in the literatures of political science and higher education on interest groups and public policymaking with which to guide future inquiry; and, (3) a discussion of possible future research directions in the area, including a number of rarely-used data sources that could enrich the future study of interest groups and higher education in the U.S. states.
Preliminary Measurements of the Low Temperature Ion Mobility in Normal Liquid 3He

The temperature dependence of the mobility of positive and negative ions in normal liquid 3He between ~ 2.5 mK and 600 mK and at pressures from the vapor pressure to 23 bar are reported.
Detection of germline homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) in patients with metastatic esophagogastric (EG) cancer using clinical next generation sequencing (NGS).

12116Background: Although EG cancer is included in Lynch syndrome (LS) and hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (HDGC), the prevalence of HRD-associated germline mutations in patients with EG cancer r...
Exercise and the Timing of Snack Choice: Healthy Snack Choice is Reduced in the Post-Exercise State.

Acute exercise can induce either a compensatory increase in food intake or a reduction in food intake, which results from appetite suppression in the post-exercise state. The timing of food choice—choosing for immediate or later consumption—has been found to influence the healthfulness of foods consumed. To examine both of these effects, we tested in our study whether the timing of food choice interacts with exposure to exercise to impact food choices such that choices would differ when made prior to or following an exercise bout. Visitors to a university recreational center were equipped with an accelerometer prior to their habitual workout regime, masking the true study purpose. As a reward, participants were presented with a snack for consumption after workout completion. Participants made their snack choice from either an apple or chocolate brownie after being pseudo-randomly assigned to choose prior to (“before”) or following workout completion (“after”). Complete data were available for 256 participants (54.7% male, 22.1 ± 3.1 years, 24.7 ± 3.7 kg/m2) who exercised 65.3 ± 22.5 min/session. When compared with “before,” the choice of an apple decreased (73.7% vs. 54.6%) and the choices of brownie (13.9% vs. 20.2%) or no snack (12.4% vs. 25.2%) increased in the “after” condition (χ2 = 26.578, p < 0.001). Our results provide support for both compensatory eating and exercise-induced anorexia. More importantly, our findings suggest that the choice of food for post-exercise consumption can be altered through a simple behavioral intervention.
Patent Disclosure and Price Discovery

We focus in this study on the exogenous event of the enactment of American Inventor’s Protection Act of 1999 (AIPA), which disseminates timely, detailed, and credible public information on R&D activities through pre-grant patent disclosures. Exploiting the staggered timing of patent disclosures, we identify a significant improvement in the efficiency of stock price discovery. This improvement is stronger when patent disclosures reveal firms’ successful, new, or technologically valuable inventions. This improvement is more pronounced for firms in high-tech or fast-moving industries, or with a large institutional ownership or analyst coverage. We also find stock liquidity rises and investors’ risk perception of R&D drops after the enactment of AIPA. Our results highlight the importance of timely, detailed, and credible disclosures of R&D activities in alleviating the information problems faced by R&D-intensive firms.
April 2018 Flores Settlement Suit Challenges Unlawful Administration of Psychotropic Medication to Immigrant Children

A lawsuit filed in April 2018 alleges unlawful administration of psychotropic medications to detained immigrant children in US custody. The suit
Simulation of Nonlinear Resonance, Amplitude–Frequency, and Harmonic Generation Effects in SAW and BAW Devices

Nonlinearly coupled sets of piezoelectric field equations in the frequency domain were derived for the nonlinear propagation of finite-amplitude waves in piezoelectric bulk acoustic wave (BAW) and surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices. To verify their accuracy, we have embedded these sets of equations in the finite-element method (FEM) of COMSOL Multiphysics software and compared the FEM results with both the analytical and experimental results found in the published literature. The nonlinear frequency responses for both plano- and contoured-plate resonators of AT-cut quartz were investigated under various voltage drives, circuit resistances, and quality factors. The proposed equations with FEM have also been employed to study 33.3-MHz very-high-frequency (VHF) quartz resonators, showing that under different conditions of how well the third overtone mode (f3) matches the third harmonic (3f) and how the fractional frequency shift of the third overtone mode (f3) occurs as a function of the fundamental mode current. Furthermore, we have studied the nonlinear harmonic generation of an 840-MHz 128° Y-cut X-propagating (128° YX) LiNbO3 SAW resonator. The second-harmonic (H2) and third-harmonic (H3) modes were observed to occur, respectively, at two-time (2f) and three-time (3f) frequencies of fundamental frequency (f) when such resonators were driven with high power. The effects of substrate thickness, bottom surface conditions of the substrate, and different circuit connections on the H2 and H3 generations were simulated and compared with available measurements. Current proposed sets of equations are general and could be used for the study of nonlinear resonance, amplitude–frequency effect, and harmonic generation in any piezoelectric devices, provided that the necessary nonlinear material constants are known.
Whose meanings belong?: Marginality and the role of microexclusions in middle school inquiry science

Abstract Recent research emphasizing disciplinary identities in the classroom indicates the importance of social interaction and inclusion in the classroom, yet only limited work focuses on how peer-initiated exclusion impacts learners. This study addresses that gap by examining the role of microexclusions, or affronts to sense of belonging and competence, in collaborative groups in 7th grade inquiry science classrooms. The qualitative analyses here involved videorecorded observations for 5 small groups of students participating in a semester-long series of inquiry life science units. A total of 19 observations were analyzed across the 5 groups. Five themes were identified across the groups: individualization or splitting of the group, adversarial interactions within the group, uneven access to regulatory roles within the group, lagging group members, and using diffuse status characteristics to redirect group activity. Results indicate that microexclusions redirect learners' behavior toward managing participation dynamics inside the group at the cost of inclusion and group functioning. Implications for equity and science education reform are provided considering findings.
Metabolomic Analysis of the Effects of Leptin Replacement Therapy in Patients with Lipodystrophy.

Context and objective Leptin treatment has dramatic clinical effects on glucose and lipid metabolism in leptin-deficient patients with lipodystrophy. Further elucidation of metabolic effects of exogenous leptin therapy will shed light on understanding leptin physiology in humans. Our objective was to utilize metabolomic profiling to examine the changes associated with administration of short-term metreleptin therapy in patients with lipodystrophy. Study design We conducted a pre-post-treatment study in 19 patients (75% female) with varying forms of lipodystrophy (congenital generalized lipodystrophy, n = 10; acquired generalized lipodystrophy, n = 1; familial partial lipodystrophy, n = 8) who received daily subcutaneous metreleptin injections for a period of 16 to 23 weeks. A 3-hour oral glucose tolerance test and body composition measurements were conducted before and after the treatment period, and fasting blood samples were used for metabolomic profiling. The study outcome aimed at measuring changes in physiologically relevant metabolites before and after leptin therapy. Results Metabolomic analysis revealed changes in pathways involving branched-chain amino acid metabolism, fatty acid oxidation, protein degradation, urea cycle, tryptophan metabolism, nucleotide catabolism, vitamin E, and steroid metabolism. Fold changes in pre- to post-treatment metabolite levels indicated increased breakdown of fatty acids, branched chain amino acids proteins, and nucleic acids. Conclusions Leptin replacement therapy has significant effects on important metabolic pathways implicated in patients with lipodystrophy. Continued metabolomic studies may provide further insight into the mechanisms of action of leptin replacement therapy and provide novel biomarkers of lipodystrophy.Abbreviations: 1,5-AG, 1,5-anhydroglucitol; 11βHSD1, 11-β hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1; BCAA, branched-chain amino acid; FFA, free fatty acid; GC-MS, gas chromatography mass spectrometry; IDO, indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase; IFN-γ, interferon-γ; m/z, mass to charge ratio; OGTT, oral glucose tolerance test; TDO, tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase; TNF-α, tumor necrosis factor-α; UPLC-MS/MS, ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.