cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 2581: Intervention of chronically-induced human breast cell carcinogenesis.

The purpose of our study was to investigate the ability of dipyridamole (DPM) [2,6-bis(diethanolamino)-4,8-dipiperidinopyrimido-(5,4-d)-pyrimidine] to intervene in breast cell carcinogenesis induced by chronic exposure to environmental carcinogens. More than 85% of breast cancers are sporadic and attributable to long-term exposure to environmental carcinogens through a multistep and multiyear disease process. Therefore, it is urgent to identify preventive agents effective in intervention of cellular carcinogenesis. DPM, an antioxidant and a synthetic inhibitor of phosphodiesterase, is approved by the Food and Drug Administration to inhibit platelet aggregation and vasoconstriction. DPM is also able to enhance the cytotoxicity of anticancer agents, such as cisplatin, adriamycin, and 5-fluorouracil, in various cell types. However, its ability to block breast cell carcinogenesis has not been determined. Using our chronically-induced breast cell carcinogenesis model as a target system, we found that DPM, at a non-cytotoxic physiologically-achievable dose of 10 nmol/L, effectively blocked breast cell carcinogenesis induced by chronic exposure to three unrelated carcinogens: 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5- b]pyridine (PhIP), benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK). The ability of DPM to block H-Ras upregulation, thus blocking ERK pathway activation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) elevation, and DNA damage in each exposure, may account for its mechanisms in intervention of carcinogenesis induced by chronic exposures to PhIP. Likewise, DPM9s ability to block ROS elevation and DNA damage may account for its mechanisms in intervention of carcinogenesis chronically induced by NNK and B[a]P, as well. Our study revealed, for the first time, the novel ability of DPM to block breast cell carcinogenesis induced by three unrelated carcinogens. DPM should be seriously considered as a chemopreventive agent in development of strategies for reducing the risk of sporadic breast cancer associated with long-term exposure to environmental carcinogens. Citation Format: Shambhunath Choudhary, Shilpa Sood, Hwa-Chain Robert Wang. Intervention of chronically-induced human breast cell carcinogenesis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2581. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-2581
P2-S8.10 Measuring social media efforts: beyond click throughs

Background With the rapid expansion of social media, public health organizations have been quick to adopt these new channels to reach target populations. Typically, however, these efforts are accompanied by minimal evaluation and results are not routinely used to inform and improve programs. The GYT: Get Yourself Tested campaign, a national, US campaign to increase STD testing and decrease stigma is a case study that illustrates the challenges and the importance of evaluating social media. Methods Between 1 April 2009 and 30 September 2010, metrics data for the GYT: Get Yourself Tested campaign were collected and evaluated from such social media venues as Facebook, Twitter, the GYTnow SMS code, and the GYTnow campaign website. Facebook and Twitter usage were indicators of user engagement with the campaign, and behavioural intentions were measured through use of a STD testing center locator from the GYT website and use of the GYT Short Message Service (SMS) code. A mobile phone user can send a zip code to the SMS service to receive information about local testing centers. Results Evaluation of the GYT social media efforts allowed campaign organisers to measure campaign reach and engagement, customer sentiment, and intentions to get tested for STDs. The campaign reached over one million people in five national, social media venues. The Facebook site recruited 4177 fans, and the Twitter account had 1719 followers. The testing center locator was used by 64 000 people; 51,000 people used the SMS code to locate services. Qualitative data provided additional information about campaign sentiment as well as barriers to participation in the campaign. Analysis of the various metrics also uncovered unexpected issues such as a significant dip in participation in April as a result of a lack of participation by one of the major phone carriers. Conclusions Evaluating social media metrics can provide an in-depth understanding of how well target audiences are being reached, how information and messages resonate with them and how efforts can be improved or changed. Findings from this analysis help illustrate the need to adequately evaluate social media efforts, guide future social media evaluations, and understand audience behaviours when engaging in social media activities. Additional web analytic studies are needed to better understand the impact of social media use for STD prevention.
Swarming and mating behavior of laboratory and field strains of Culex tarsalis (Diptera: Culicidae).

Swarming and mating behavior of a laboratory colony and adults emerging from field-collected immatures of Culex tarsalis Coquillett were observed in small laboratory and large outdoor cages. Natural populations were observed in foothill environments near Bakersfield (Kern County), Calif. Pairing and increases in percent of insemination occurred concurrently with swarming at dusk and to a lesser extent at dawn. Female presence was not essential to stimulate male swarming. Timing of movement to and from resting sites, swarming, and mating was similar among laboratory and field populations in the field, in outdoor cages, and in the laboratory. However, proportionately more laboratory males participated in crepuscular swarms in the outdoor cages. Correspondingly, the insemination of concurrently released females occurred more rapidly for laboratory than for field strains. Thus, colonization selected for demes able to swarm and mate in confined spaces.
Infrared Spectroscopy of Extreme Coordination: The Carbonyls of U+ and UO2+

Uranium and uranium dioxide carbonyl cations produced by laser vaporization are studied with mass-selected ion infrared spectroscopy in the C−O stretching region. Dissociation patterns, spectra, and quantum chemical calculations establish that the fully coordinated ions are U(CO)8+ and UO2(CO)5+, with D4d square antiprism and D5h pentagonal bipyramid structures. Back-bonding in U(CO)8+ causes a red-shifted CO stretch, but back-donation is inefficient for UO2(CO)5+, producing a blue-shifted CO stretch characteristic of nonclassical carbonyls.
Treatment of Erectile Failure with Prostaglandin E1: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Dose-Response Study

AbstractWe report a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, dose-response study of prostaglandin E1 as treatment for erectile failure. A total of 15 men 55.8 ± 9.2 years old with a mean duration of erectile dysfunction of 7.6 years participated. During phase 1 (double-blind) subjects received injections of prostaglandin E1 twice weekly at doses of 0μg. (placebo), 2.5μg., 5.0μg., 7.5μg. and 10μg. During phase 2 (nonblind) the dose was increased until a full erection or intolerance developed. Response was measured using a RigiScan**Dacomed, Minneapolis, Minnesota. monitor. During phase 3 the subjects injected prostaglandin E1 at home.Of the subjects 66% achieved an erection adequate for intercourse, with an average rigidity of 59%. The dose-response curve reached a plateau at 5 to 10μg. Among those responding to prostaglandin E1 intercourse was rated satisfactory by 81% of the subjects and by 90% of the partners. There were no prolonged erections requiring reversal and pain was reported with only 10% ...
Comparative study of the diachronic evolution of the geological and volcanological environments of the earth with the saturnian satellites Titan and Enceladus

Cette these porte sur l’etude de l’environnement de Titan et Encelade, satellites de Saturne, observes par la mission Cassini-Huygens. On presente differents aspects de la geologie de Titan mettant l’accent sur les caracteristiques de la surface, les processus geologiques, la structure interne et la correlation et echanges entre l’atmosphere. Les caracteristiques morphotectoniques sont presentees sur la base des modeles terrestres. Des zones de Titan probablement correlees a l’interieur sont etudiees avec un modele geophysique de distorsion des marees et jugees conformes en localisation dynamique interne. Ensuite on etudie l’albedo de surface et la composition des regions specifiques sur Titan – determinees par la methode PCA – a partir des donnees Cassini / VIMS (0,4 a 5 microns) sur lesquelles on applique un code de transfert radiatif mis a jour avec les parametres spectroscopiques les plus recents. Le suivi temporel de ces zones a montre des changements de leur albedo de surface pendant 1 a 3,5 ans, ce qui implique des processus exogenes dynamiques qui affectent la surface et qui est compatible avec du cryovolcanisme. Les processus sui forment la surface d’Encelade sont egalement discutes. Les analogies avec la surface terrestre et les internes possibles sur les satellites de glace sont explores. Les implications astrobiologiques de ce travail sont discutees en ce qui concerne leur habilitation. Ces etudes sont liees a la preparation de futures missions spatiales vers les systemes de Jupiter et de Saturne et les possibilites de charge utile. Enfin, la sensibilisation du grand public et les perspectives de cette recherche sont discutes.
Concomitant Adolescent Vaccination in the U.S., 2007–2012

Introduction Concomitant (same-day) delivery of two or more vaccines to adolescents is effective, safe, and efficient. Increasing concomitant vaccination could improve coverage for recommended adolescent vaccines, but little is known about who receives vaccines concomitantly. Methods Data came from healthcare provider–verified records on 70,144 adolescents (aged 13–17 years) in the 2008–2012 versions of the National Immunization Survey–Teen who had received at least one dose of tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) booster; meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MenACWY); or human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. Separately for each vaccine, multivariable logistic regression identified adolescent and household correlates of concomitant versus single vaccination, stratified by adolescent sex. Vaccination took place in 2007–2012, data collection in 2008–2012, and data analysis in 2015. Results Among vaccinated adolescents, 51%–65% of girls and 25%–53% of boys received two vaccines concomitantly. Concomitant uptake of each vaccine increased over survey years (e.g., 2012 vs 2008: girls' Tdap booster, OR=1.88, 95% CI=1.56, 2.26; boys' Tdap booster, OR=2.62, 95% CI=2.16, 3.16), with the exception of HPV vaccination among boys. Additionally, concomitant vaccination was less common as adolescents got older and in the Northeast (all p p Conclusions Missed opportunities for concomitant adolescent vaccination persist, particularly for HPV vaccine. Future interventions targeting groups with low rates of concomitant vaccination could improve population-level coverage with recommended vaccines.
Histological inflammation increases the risk of colorectal neoplasia in ulcerative colitis: a systematic review

Background/Aims Ulcerative colitis (UC) patients are at greater risk for the development of colorectal neoplasia. Several individual studies have demonstrated associations between severity of histologic inflammation and colorectal neoplasia. However, a comprehensive systematic review has not been completed. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the relationship between histologic inflammation and risk for neoplasia among available observational studies.
Treatment results of brachytherapy vs. external beam radiation therapy for intermediate-risk prostate cancer with 10-year followup.

Abstract Purpose To compare 10-year treatment outcomes of brachytherapy vs. external beam radiation therapy for patients with intermediate-risk prostate cancer (IRPC). Methods and Materials Between 2004 and 2007, 93 IRPC patients underwent brachytherapy using iodine-125 to a dose of 145 Gy without supplemental external radiation. A retrospective comparison was performed to a contemporary cohort of 597 patients treated with external beam radiation therapy to a median dose of 75.3 Gy using a propensity score-matched analysis. Results Median followup was 7.8 years. With brachytherapy, 51.6% had Gleason score 7 vs. 72.0% for external radiation ( p p = 0.01). Neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy was given in 59.5% of external radiation vs. 10.8% of brachytherapy patients ( p p = 0.002). Unfavorable intermediate-risk patients experienced borderline significant improved FFBF with brachytherapy ( p = 0.08). The 10-year freedom from salvage therapy for brachytherapy was 93.2% vs. 72.2% for external radiation ( p = 0.006). There were no significant differences in distant metastases-free survival, prostate cancer-specific survival, or overall survival after adjusting for age. Multivariate analysis with propensity score matching showed that brachytherapy remained an independent predictor for improved FFBF ( p = 0.007). Grade 1 and 2 late rectal complication rate was 6.5% for brachytherapy vs. 15.2% for external radiation ( p = 0.02). Conclusions Brachytherapy using iodine-125 without supplemental external radiation is a reasonable treatment option for selected IRPC patients.
PARABOLIC DISH TEST SITE OF JPL, HISTORY AND OPERATING EXPERIENCE

ABSTRACT The Parabolic Dish Test Site (PDTS), located at the JPL Edwards Test Station, Edwards Air Force Base, California, was operational from September 1978 through June 1984. The PDTS was installed and operated for the Department of Energy (DOE) to test point focus solar concentrator systems operating at temperatures up to 1427°C. Four parabolic dish concentrators, steam and air heating receivers, and three types of solar power conversion modules developed under JPL's supervision or independently by the industry were tested. The PDTS was equipped with a computerized data acquisition and processing system. A weather station, where the beam and circumsolar radiation and environmental data were continually monitored, recorded, processed, and distributed to experimenters, was established.
Regulation of STAT3 and NF-κB activations by S-nitrosylation in multiple myeloma

Numerous reports suggest that aberrant activations of STAT3 and NF-κB promote survival and proliferation of multiple myeloma (MM) cells. In the present report, we demonstrate that a synthetic S-nitrosothiol compound, S-nitroso-N-acetylcysteine (SNAC), inhibits proliferation and survival of multiple MM cells via S-nitrosylation-dependent inhibition of STAT3 and NF-κB. In human MM cells (e.g. U266, H929, and IM-9 cells), SNAC treatment increased S-nitrosylation of STAT3 and NF-κB and inhibited their activities. Consequently, SNAC treatment resulted in MM cell cycle arrest at G1/S check point and inhibited their proliferation. SNAC also decreased the expression of cell survival factors and increased the activities of caspases, thus increased sensitivity of MM cells to melphalan, a chemotherapeutic agent for MM. In U266 xenografted mice, SNAC treatment decreased the activity of STAT3 and reduced the growth of human CD138 positive cells (U266 cells) in the bone marrow and also reduced their production of human IgE into the serum. Taken together, these data document the S-nitrosylation mediated inhibition of MM cell proliferation and cell survival via inhibition of STAT3 and NF-κB pathways and its efficacy in animal model of MM.
Subtype-Specific Radiation Response and Therapeutic Effect of FAS Death Receptor Modulation in Human Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy diagnosed among women and represents a heterogeneous group of subtypes. Radiation therapy is a critical component of treatment for breast cancer patients. However, little is known about radiation response among these intrinsic subtypes. In previous studies, we identified a significant induction of FAS after irradiation in biologically favorable breast cancer patients and breast cancer cell lines. Here, we expanded our study and investigated radiation response in a mouse model of breast cancer. MCF7 (luminal), HCC1954 (HER2+) or SUM159 (basal) cells were implanted orthotopically into the dorsal mammary fat pad of nude mice. These mice were then treated with different doses of radiation to assess tumor growth control. We further investigated the therapeutic effect of FAS modulation by silencing FAS in radiation-responsive tumors and injecting FAS agonist antibody into radiation-resistant tumors. Exposure to radiation inhibited MCF7, and to a lesser extent HCC1954 ...
Design of a broadband finline filter

The design and optimization of low insertion loss finline filters is described in this paper. Finline filter with a large pass band has been designed using equivalent circuit approach. Mode matching method has been used for the analysis of discontinuities in the filter. The performance of the filter obtained through this method is further optimized to achieve improved pass band and stop-band performance. A practical Quasi-Newton algorithm has been used for this purpose.
Intestinal Microbiota and Diet in Health

Abstract The human gastrointestinal (GI) tract contains bacterial communities that are diverse and complex. The intestinal microbiota plays an important role in digestion and production of essential vitamins and protects the GI tract from pathogen colonization. This chapter provides a review of: (1) the concept of intestinal microbiota, (2) the methodologies used to investigate the intestinal microbiota and their limitations, (3) the influence of diet on intestinal microbiota, and (4) future directions in the field.
Microscopic Observation of the Solidification Of Cu-Ni Alloy Droplets

The solidification behavior of Cu-Ni alloy droplets was studied as a function of composition by means of a high temperature microscopic technique described previously.1 The ratio of the amount of supercooling (ΔT−)max to the absolute liquidus temperature was found to be 0.18 ± 0.01, see Table I, which checks closely the value of 0.18 ± 0.02 for the ratio of (ΔT−)max to the absolute melting tem- perature found for pure metals. A cross-section of a supercooled particle displayed segregation indicating that the heat of fusion was probably sufficient to raise the droplet to the equilibrium freezing temperature and allow a portion of the particle to solidify by normal dendritic growth. It was demonstrated that the temperature dependence of the nucleation rate was about as large as for pure metals.
“The court is now in session…”: Use of mock trial in sport management

Abstract Mock trial is an active, collaborative exercise, grounded in experiential learning, that simulates a court session in which students engage in role-play to achieve intended learning outcomes. Within the United States, the mock trial has been adopted and tested in a variety of academic disciplines due to its transferable objectives and valuable outcomes, yet little is known about the implementation and effectiveness of mock trials in sport management curriculum. The purpose of this paper is to describe my implementation of mock trial in a graduate Sport Law course, discuss evaluative feedback and reflection on the mock trial exercise, and present implications for future practice. While the mock trial was found to enhance critical skills, broaden legal knowledge, and prepare students for a future career in sport, several challenges were identified. The paper concludes with five strategies I intend to implement in future mock trials – bolster student training, review strategies for success, increase time allotted, enhance authenticity, and expand debriefing.
Reformed Theology: Historical Perspectives on Mystical Experience

This chapter presents the theology of John Calvin, whose Reformed Theology is the basis of Presbyterian denominational beliefs, as it addresses mystical religious experience. A clear distinction is given between his full theology, which embraces both the intellectual and experiential aspects of faith, and Calvinism, a truncated version of his theology that ignores the experiential aspect of faith. The theology of Jonathan Edwards, a Reformed theologian in eighteenth-century America, is also presented, as it expresses Calvin’s theology of mystical experience in the face of the Great Awakening that originated with Edwards’ congregation. Edwards’ method of distinguishing authentic from inauthentic religious experience is discussed.
Challenge on the frontier: discerning American Indians from whites osteologically.

Throughout much of the western region of the United States the traditional metric method for discerning Amerindian skeletal remains from those of Whites or Blacks, that is, the Giles-Elliot discriminant function approach [2], has simply been shown to be ineffective [3,4]. It also seems to fail at correctly identifying the crania of Black males [19]. The region of the West that produces the lowest percentages of correct placement of American Indian skeletons appears to be the Northwestern Plains (Wyoming, Montana). For this reason, in that area of the West a number of new methods have emerged (both metric and non-metric) in recent years. The effectiveness of each of these approaches in the process of skeletal identification varies, but most of them appear to be quite useful in forensic contexts. It is also suggested that some additional new approaches which seem to hold much promise for the future, be tested objectively as well, in order to ascertain their effectiveness in forensic casework.
Autism: Social Communication Difficulties and Related Behaviors

There has been considerable progress and development in the diagnosis and treatment of autism over the past several decades. This chapter provides an account of the major findings that have led to our increased understanding of the behavioral manifestations of autism and the development of intervention techniques. Evidence on the etiology and treatment will be reviewed within a framework that explores the possibility that neurological or physiological processes may result in an inappropriate level of social interaction, which in turn leads to disorders in communication and other maladaptive and disruptive behaviors that characterize autism. Understanding this atypical developmental track leads directly to the understanding, treatment, and prevention of many of the severe aspects of autism that are so stigmatizing and disabling to children, adolescents, and adults.
Systemic Signaling in the Maintenance of Phosphate Homeostasis

Inorganic phosphate (Pi) availability in soils is often low and heterogeneous. Therefore, plants have evolved numerous adaptations to maintain Pi homeostasis that are regulated by both local and systemic signaling pathways. The level of sophistication in Pi signaling is exemplified by the presence of a key systemic signaling circuit that has been elucidated in the past decade. This circuit appears conserved among angiosperms and involves a phloem-mobile microRNA that targets a root-specific E2 conjugase. Recent advances regarding this circuit and its regulators, as well as additional systemic signaling factors, are the focus of this chapter.
Aging and Health in Old Age

A number of social theorists conjectured that the aging of the US population would produce a pandemic of chronic disease and disability. That conjecture was based on a number of clinical findings (e.g., the increased survival of children with Down's syndrome into reproductive ages). With the advance of population survey techniques, that conjecture could be empirically tested. Changes on a number of dimensions of functional disability in the elderly population (i.e., persons aged 65+) have been documented in a number of recent US surveys. An early observation of significant disability decline was found in the National Long Term Care Surveys (NLTCS). That finding has since been replicated in multiple longitudinal US surveys and identified in several European population surveys. These functional status changes are likely due to a number of biological, medical, social, and economic conditions. We review the magnitude and substance of the changes found in the NLTCS and consider what social factors, such as cohort differences in education, contributed to their emergence, and the social consequences of such changes in functioning in the US and in developed countries.
Digital Human Modeling: Dynamics and Interactive Control

Dynamic modeling, formulation and algorithm development for robotic systems have been investigated and discussed in fair details in Chapter 7. The theories and approaches can now be borrowed to benefit for digital human dynamic modeling and computations. The only difference is the modeling scale between a robot and a digital human.
Wireless Oxygen Generator to Treat Retinal Ischemia

Purpose : It is well known that retinal hypoxia plays an important role in the diabetic retinopathy (DR) pathophysiology. Current treatments of DR are focused on reducing retinal oxygen demand and controlling angiogenesis through intravitreal injections. Previous publications suggest that supplementing intravitreal oxygen might improve outcomes for retinal ischemia. A microelectronic and bio micro-electro-mechanical system oxygenator implant has been designed to transport oxygen from the sub-conjunctival space to the proximity of the inner retina. The main objective of this study is to determine safety, efficacy and therapeutic levels of vitreous cavity oxygenation needed to support the retina by electrolysis-based oxygen generation implant. Methods : The study was performed with local IACUC approval and in accordance with the ARVO guidelines on animal use. Three eyes of healthy pigmented rabbits (2-3kgs) were included in the study. With the animal anesthetized, the oxygenator was implanted and affixed onto the sclera. Electrolysis and intraocular measurements of partial pressure of oxygen (pO_2) were performed prior to suturing the conjunctiva back to the limbus. An oxygen probe (Oxford Optronix, London, UK) was placed intravitreal via pars plana and positioned next to the diffuser without touching adjacent structures. Baseline pO2 measurements were recorded with the device off and no electrolysis. The device was then turned on for at least 3 minutes and electrolysis was confirmed by direct visualization of bubbles. Continuous measurement of pO_2 levels next to the device were performed during electrolysis. The relationship between electrolysis and pO_2 was analyzed. Results : Oxygenator devices were successfully implanted. Intraocular pO_2 levels increased progressively to 79.1mmHg +5.52mmHg, 121.7mmHg +8.91mmHg and over 200mmHg after 2, 5 and 15 minutes of electrolysis, respectively (see Figure 1). Oxygen levels decreased exponentially as the probe was moved away from the device as predicted by computational models thereby minimizing oxygen toxicity to surrounding tissues. The Oxygenator implantation procedure was followed up for 7 days without presence of ocular complications. Conclusions : Our study demonstrates that intraocular oxygen levels can be elevated following implantation and activation of the oxygenator device. Further experiments will be conducted in a long-term period.
Hospitalization Risk During Chemotherapy for Advanced Cancer: Development and Validation of Risk Stratification Models Using Real-World Data.

PURPOSEHospitalizations are a common occurrence during chemotherapy for advanced cancer. Validated risk stratification tools could facilitate proactive approaches for reducing hospitalizations by i...
An Emerging Regulatory Role for the Tumor Microenvironment in the DNA Damage Response to Double-Strand Breaks.

Radiation, alkylating agents, and platinum-based chemotherapy treatments eliminate cancer cells through the induction of excessive DNA damage. The resultant DNA damage challenges the cancer cell9s DNA repair capacity. Among the different types of DNA damage induced in cells, double-strand breaks (DSB) are the most lethal if left unrepaired. Unrepaired DSBs in tumor cells exacerbate existing gene deletions, chromosome losses and rearrangements, and aberrant features that characteristically enable tumor progression, metastasis, and drug resistance. Tumor microenvironmental factors like hypoxia, inflammation, cellular metabolism, and the immune system profoundly influence DSB repair mechanisms. Here, we put into context the role of the microenvironment in governing DSB repair mechanisms.
Improving compression performance of block sorting coder

One of the most important developments in the last decade is the availability of Internet access and World Wide Web to the public. The amount of data traffic over the Internet has been increasing daily as new web sites are introduced and more people join the cyberspace. To reduce the traffic and increase the throughput, effective data compression schemes are needed.One of the recent developments in the data compression area is the Block Sorting Coder (also known as BW94, Burrows-Wheeler Compression Algorithm) technique introduced by Burrows and Wheeler [1]. We use the name Block Sorting Coder (BSC), since the name BSC is more widely in use. When applied to text or image data, BSC achieves better compression rates than Ziv-Lempel techniques with comparable speed, while its compression performance is close to context based methods, such as PPM. The BSC coder consists of three major components. The first step performs the lexical (alphabetical) sorting transformation which is widely called Burrows-Wheeler Transformation (BWT). The second major step of the BSC algorithm is Move-to-Front coder which is introduced by Bentley et al.[2]. The last step is a statistical coder, such as Huffman or Arithmetic Coder.It has been reported in [3] that while MTF coder in the second step is essential to obtain good compression for text data, it may not be needed for color-mapped images. Indeed, without MTF coder, it has been shown in [3] that 10% more compression can be achieved over Bzip (a variant of block sorting coder).Currently, due to the multimedia aspect of World Wide Web, our research has focused on improving the compression performance of block sorting coder by detecting different data types, such as audio, video and other image formats at the block sorting stage, and developing a suitable arithmetic coder. Our experimental results have shown that we can improve compression gains on some data types, such as audio, approximately 8-10% on average over Bzip.In conclusion, we are aiming to extend our research by simulating other data types, developing an improved version of Block Sorting Coder, and releasing the improved coder in the near future.
Applying a Rational Systems Approach to the Analysis of Education Philanthropies’ Grantmaking Practices

In this paper, I use a rational systems theoretical framework to analyze foundation grantmaking practices. Using publicly available grant materials, including proposal guidelines and reporting documents, from four major national education funders, I look at the bones of the grantmaking process to probe the underlying belief systems of these organizations. The documents suggest that the relationship between a foundation and its grantees might be seen as resembling that between an organization and the individuals within it, with the foundation exercising control as a means of channeling and coordinating the behavior of grantees in order to achieve its goals. This exploratory work is intended to contribute to a more expansive study developing and deploying an institutional theoretical approach to analyzing grantmaking practices of different foundations operating in education philanthropy.
Evidence-Based Assessment of Intimate Partner Violence in Community Settings

Intimate partner violence victimization (IPV; psychological, physical, or sexual acts against a current or former romantic partner) is a highly prevalent, yet sensitive concern for both patients and mental health professionals. Patients may worry about the potential consequences of disclosing experiences of abuse for myriad reasons. Practitioners may wonder about the best methods for identifying at-risk patients and for initiating a conversation. Using evidence from numerous studies on identification, assessment, and treatment of IPV, we present guidance for assessment in community settings and outline important considerations for mental health professionals.
Can one or two simple questions predict poor medication adherence

RATIONALE, AIMS, AND OBJECTIVES Poor adherence to evidence-based medications is a major problem in conventional clinical practise. Better prognostic tools are needed to identify those with the highest likelihood of being non-adherent. The objective of this study is to determine if a 2-item patient activation status (PAS) measure identifies Medicare beneficiaries at risk of poor adherence to drugs typically recommended in treating type 2 diabetes. METHODS PAS and medication adherence were assessed for respondents to the 2009 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey and then compared using bivariate and multivariate tests. Participants' PAS was classified as "active," "high effort," "complacent," or "passive" based on how confident they were in identifying needed medical care and whether they brought medication lists to their doctors' visits. Adherence with oral antidiabetic drugs, angiotensin-converting enzyme-inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers, and statins was assessed using proportion of days covered (PDC). RESULTS A total of 940 Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes enrolled in Part D plans in 2009. The overall effect of PAS on medication adherence was small (3% lower PDC for complacent/passive vs active/high effort beneficiaries, P < 0.10). However, interactions of complacent/passive PAS with other characteristics associated with poor adherence identified certain subgroups as especially prone to problematic adherence: age < 65 (PDC -11%, P < 0.05), non-Hispanic black (PDC -13%, P < 0.05), and morbidly obese (-9%, P < 0.10). CONCLUSION A single question relating to taking medication lists to doctor visits may help identify patient subgroups prone to poor adherence in conventional practise, but larger samples are necessary to validate and extend these findings.
Towards Inferring IoT Maliciousness

The IoT vulnerabilities undoubtedly open the door for adversaries to exploit the devices. In this chapter, a concrete, first empirical perspective of Internet-wide IoT exploitations is given, and the design, implementation and empirical evaluation of an approach for inferring Internet-scale IoT exploitations are presented.
Aversion to far-left parties among Europeans voting abroad

Recent increases in emigration and overseas voting have heightened the importance of understanding what characteristics predispose diaspora voters to support parties other than those most popular with domestic voters. We hypothesize such a divergence regarding far-left parties and test the issue positions and ideological traits that may inform it. Large-N analyses of an original cross-national dataset of European legislative election returns show that, as hypothesized, members of the far-left party family systematically receive smaller shares of the emigrant vote than of the domestic vote in both Eastern and Western European states’ elections. Still, the domestic–diaspora electoral rift is more accentuated in the East, where overseas voters are much less likely to support far-left parties than their Western European counterparts. Hostilities between ruling Communist parties and expatriate groups as well as different attitudes toward globalization and individualism may also explain this rift.
Vocational Rehabilitation and Labor Market Outcomes: Evidence from World War I Veterans

This paper uses a linked sample of all World War I Army veterans from the state of Missouri to study the impact of vocational rehabilitation on labor market outcomes for men wounded and disabled during the war. Veterans’ military service abstracts are linked to 1940 United States Census and a subset are linked to rehabilitation records. This creates a new dataset that contains information on military service, rehabilitation, and labor market outcomes. I find that 70% of veterans that were both wounded in action and disabled when discharged from the Army participated in the rehabilitation program. These same veterans had significantly better labor market outcomes, which can be attributed to their eligibility for and participation in the rehabilitation program under certain assumptions.
A Decoupling Network Based on Characteristic Port Modes

In this paper, we present a novel decoupling network for coupled antenna systems using characteristic port modes. Specifically, we observe that the the port response of a multiport antenna is the superposition of the characteristic modal responses, while the superposition relation for multi-port antennas can be represented as a transformer bank. By developing a transformer network that inverts the superposition relation, we realize a decoupling network for the coupled multi-port antennas. Depending on the antenna's property, this decoupling network could be a broadband, e.g. for symmetric networks, or a narrowband realization.
A Review of Techniques of Intercostal Nerve Blocks.

Intercostal nerve blocks are indicated for multiple chronic pain and acute pain conditions including rib fractures, herpes zoster, post-thoracotomy pain syndrome, and intercostal neuralgia. Intercostal neuralgia is a type of neuropathic pain that is in the distribution of intercostal nerves. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the different techniques used to perform intercostal nerve blocks and review their efficacy and safety including blind technique using anatomical landmarks, and fluoroscopically guided and ultrasound-guided intercostal nerve blocks. Literature search was performed with the keywords including intercostal neuralgia, treatment, intercostal nerve blocks, and radiofrequency ablation on PubMed and Google Scholar. Three studies and one case report were identified. Literature review revealed that ultrasound-guided techniques and fluoroscopically guided techniques are superior to landmark-based technique in terms of efficacy. There was no difference in efficacy and complication rates between ultrasound and fluoroscopic guidance. Ultrasound-guided techniques and fluoroscopically guided techniques can both be performed safely and effectively for various chronic pain conditions. Ultrasound guidance has its advantages of direct visualization of nerves, vessels, muscles, and the lung. It is potentially a superior technique in terms of improving accuracy and decreasing complications. Further large population randomized control studies should be conducted to compare the efficacy of intercostal nerve blocks performed under ultrasound and fluoroscopy.
GaSb-based >3 µm laser diodes grown with up to 2.4% compressive strain in the quantum wells using strain compensation

Abstract We describe the growth of GaSb-based diode lasers with quinary AlInGaAsSb alloy waveguide/barriers and highly strained InGaAsSb type-I quantum wells, designed to emit at ~3.2 µm at room temperature. To increase the compressive strain in the QWs above the pseudomorphic limit, we employ strain compensation in which the lower portion of the quinary alloy waveguide is slightly arsenic-rich as compared to the lattice-matched composition. Using this scheme, we fabricated a set of laser devices with incrementally increasing compressive strain in the quantum wells. With compressive strain reaching as high as ~2.4%, the device performance corroborates the notion that adding compressive strain in the quantum wells helps improve hole confinement and suppresses carrier leakage during operation near room temperature.
Induction of functional Brm protein from Brm knockout mice

Once the knockout of the Brm gene was found to be nontumorigenic in mice, the study of BRM's involvement in cancer seemed less important compared with that of its homolog, Brg1. This has likely contributed to the disparity that has been observed in the publication ratio between BRG1 and BRM. We show that a previously published Brm knockout mouse is an incomplete knockout whereby a truncated isoform of Brm is detected in normal tissue and in tumors. We show that this truncated Brm isoform has functionality comparable to wild type Brm. By immunohistochemistry (IHC), this truncated Brm is undetectable in normal lung tissue and is minimal to very low in Brmnull tumors. However, it is significant in a subset (~40%) of Brg1/Brm double knockout (DKO) tumors that robustly express this truncated BRM, which in part stems from an increase in Brm mRNA levels. Thus, it is likely that this mutant mouse model does not accurately reflect the role that Brm plays in cancer development. We suggest that the construction of a completely new mouse Brm knockout, where Brm is functionally absent, is needed to determine whether or not Brm is actually tumorigenic and if Brm might be a tumor suppressor.
Ca2+-induced Ca2+ desensitization of myosin light chain phosphorylation and contraction in phasic smooth muscle

The temporal relationship between Ca2+-induced contraction and phosphorylation of 20 kDa myosin light chain (MLC) during a step increase in Ca2+ was investigated using permeabilized phasic smooth muscle from rabbit portal vein and guinea-pig ileum at 25°C. We describe here a Ca2+-induced Ca2+] desensitization phenomenon in which a transient rise in MLC phosphorylation is followed by a transient rise in contractile force. During and after the peak contraction, the force to phosphorylation ratio remained constant. Further treatment with cytochalasin D, an actin fragmenting agent, did not affect the transient increase in phosphorylation, but blocked force development. Together, these results indicate that the transient phosphorylation causes the transient contraction and that neither inhomogeneous contractility nor reduced thin filament integrity effects the transient phosphorylation. Lastly, we show that known inhibitors to MLC kinase kinases and to a Ca2+-dependent protein phosphatase did not eliminate the desensitized contractile force. This study suggests that the Ca2+-induced Ca2+ desensitization phenomenon in phasic smooth muscle does not result from any of the known intrinsic mechanisms involved with other aspects of smooth muscle contractility. (Mol Cell Biochem 190: 91–98, 1999
Cantilever Box‐Beam Application of Composite Stacking Sequence Optimization Using Adaptive Genetic Algorithm

Composite materials due to their high stiffness to mass ratio as well as their anisotropic properties are the material of choice for many different weight critical structures such as wind turbine blades. Wind turbine blades have been modeled as composite cantilever box-beams for optimization purposes. The use of Genetic Algorithms (GA) has become a fairly common practice for optimization of composite laminates, where the objective is to find a laminate stacking sequence that optimizes the composite for a given condition. The purpose of this work is to study further adaptations to the GA search technique for use in the composite laminate stacking sequence optimization problem. In this work an Adaptive Genetic Algorithm (AGA) is studied for the stacking sequence optimization of a composite box-beam.
8 The corresponding-states principle

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the corresponding-states nature of generalized engineering equations of state and the more general shape-factor-based extended corresponding-states principle. It starts by reviewing the basic molecular theory of pure-fluid corresponding states and then describes in some detail the extended corresponding-states principle. The chapter examines common engineering equations to extract the dependence of their shape factors on temperature, volume and other characterization parameters. It illustrates the dependence of the “experimental” shape factors on temperature, volume and for example, dipole moment by studying highly accurate equations of state for both nonpolar (e.g., hydrocarbons) and polar materials (e.g., refrigerants and water). The chapter discusses the implementation of the extended corresponding-states principle for mixture calculations and demonstrates some of the successes and difficulties encountered in the application of the model.
On a rectangular pressure distribution of oscillating strength moving over a free surface

Through the application of linearized water-wave theory, a solution of the free surface due to the disturbance of a moving, oscillatory pressure distribution of rectangular form is obtained. Such a solution provides the basis for formulating the wave resistance of the moving pressure distribution just cited, as well as the hydrodynamic coefficients of a captured-air bubble of rectangular footprint in heave motion. Numerical methods are developed to compute the aforementioned resistance and hydrodynamic coefficients, the numerical examples of which are also presented. Of special interest is the occurrence of negative effective mass at low frequencies for the two forward speeds considered in the present work. Another interesting feature is the hydrodynamic instability and the negative damping that occurs in the low-frequency range when the Froude number is very high.
X-Ray Holography at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

The x-ray holography program at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has two principal goals: the development of x-ray diffraction techniques for DNA sequence analysis and the development of x-ray laser holography for structural analysis of intact biological cells and organelles. DNA sequence analysis will be accomplished via x-ray diffraction techniques to determine the ensemble average of the sequence of labels along the individual elements of crystalline DNA. X-ray laser holographic imaging will be accomplished via 3-D x-ray holography to elucidate the structure of few hundred angstrom objects such as 300 A chromatin fibers, nuclear pores and nucleic acid replication complexes in living cells. Existing laboratory x-ray lasers will be used to produce flash x-ray holograms of the biological structures.
Timothy Asch and Ethnographic Film

Timothy Asch and Ethnographic Film. E. D. Lewis, ed. London: Routledge Harwood Anthropology, 2004. 297 pp.
Qualitative and Quantitative Measurements of Sphingolipids by Mass Spectrometry

Sphingolipids (SLs) serve the dual roles of acting as structural entities in cellular membranes as well as bioactive signaling molecules that modulate signal transduction. As the already immense database of identified bioactive SL subspecies continues to expand, the need for structure-specific identification and quantification continues to rise. The characterization and analysis of the sphingolipidome by mass spectrometry has advanced steadily over the last 20 years with the aid of improvements in technological advancements in instrumentation, coupled with optimization of lipid extraction methodologies, and an increasing library of available reference standards. Pivotal advances in sphingolipidomics include the adoption of soft ionization techniques, including electrospray ionization (ESI), tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS), and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI), as well as the use of multiple reaction monitoring (MRM), all of which have aided in improving the quality of analysis of often complex lipid extracts from mammalian, yeast, and even plant cells. In this chapter we explore qualitative and quantitative mass spectrometry methods used for structural elucidation and quantitation of sphingolipids found in cells as well as tissues. Sections included here detail extraction and HPLC methodologies, in vitro labeling techniques, use of internal and calibration lipid standards for quantitation, and data analysis of sphingolipids derived from mammalian and yeast sources.