cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The ubiquitin-proteasome system regulates the stability of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.

Ubiquitination is a key event for protein degradation by the proteasome system, membrane protein internalization, and protein trafficking among cellular compartments. Few data are available on the role of the ubiquitin–proteasome system (UPS) in the trafficking of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). Experiments conducted in neuron-like differentiated rat pheochromocytoma cells (PC12 cells) show that the α3, β2, and β4 nAChR subunits are ubiquitinated and that their ubiquitination is necessary for degradation. A 24-h treatment with the proteasome inhibitor PS-341 increased the total levels of α3 and the two β subunits in both whole cell lysates and fractions enriched for the ER/Golgi compartment. nAChR subunit upregulation was also detected in plasma membrane-enriched fractions. Inhibition of the lysosomal degradation machinery by E-64 had a significantly smaller effect on nAChR turnover. The present data, together with previous results showing that the α7 nAChR subunit is a target of the UPS, point to a prominent role of the proteasome in nAChR trafficking.
Enhanced dominant mode operation of a shielded multilayer coplanar waveguide via substrate compensation

The cutoff frequency of the first higher-order even mode in a shielded multilayer coplanar waveguide (CPW) is studied using the spectral domain approach (SDA). The effective dielectric constant for the dominant odd and first higher-order even mode in a shielded multilayer CPW is computed and compared to other published numerical results. Dielectric constant and substrate height are varied with respect to even mode cutoff frequency and plotted for several CPW structures. Different combinations of internal substrates are shown to produce even mode cutoff frequency maximization for increased odd mode operation bandwidth. >
Parental and developmental temperature effects on the thermal dependence of fitness in Drosophila melanogaster.

Abstract Cross-generational effects refer to nongenetic influences of the parental phenotype or environment on offspring phenotypes. Such effects are commonly observed, but their adaptive significance is largely unresolved. We examined cross-generational effects of parental temperature on offspring fitness (estimated via a serial-transfer assay) at different temperatures in a laboratory population of Drosophila melanogaster. Parents were reared at 18°C, 25°C, or 29°C (Tpar) and then their offspring were reared at 18°C, 25°C, or 29°C (Toff) to evaluate several competing hypotheses (including an adaptive one) involving interaction effects of parental and offspring temperature on offspring fitness. The results clearly show that hotter parents are better; in other words, the higher the temperature of the parents, the higher the fitness of their offspring, independent of offspring thermal environment. These data contradict the adaptive cross-generational hypothesis, which proposes that offspring fitness is max...
How to Watch Television Ethan Thompson and Jason Mittell, Editors. New York: New York University Press, 2013.

How to Watch Television Ethan Thompson and Jason Mitteil, Editors. New York: New York University Press, 2013.Imagine you've just purchased a new TV. You haul it home, open the box, set it up. You may or may not glance at the instruction manual. But once you've got the power on, chances are you never think about how to watch TV again. It just happens. Yet the way in which one watches television matters deeply, both to individual viewers and to our collective culture. In their 2013 book, How to Watch Television, editors Ethan Thompson and Jason Mittell offer a new kind of guide, one that explores "different ways of watching, methods for looking at or making sense of television" (1). This book, unlike the manual that comes with your TV set, is utterly readable, highly engaging, and worth referring back to, long after you've switched on your favorite channel.Where other collections have considered emerging genres (Reality TV: Remaking Television Culture [2004]), the global functions of television (Global Television Formats: Understanding Television Across Borders [2011]) and the changing nature of the medium in the digital era (Television After TV: Essays On a Mednetwork ium in Transition [2004]), Thompson and Mittell's collection attends to specific television shows, old and new. Each of the volume's forty chapters begins with a brief summary, introducing the author, program, and a particular analytical framework. Throughout, the reader is presented with a diverse group of narrativesfrom the Disney cartoon Phineas and Ferb, to telenovelas and Monday Night Football, to contemporary dramas such as House and 24. Essays are organized into five thematic sections, which discuss form, representation, politics, industry, and practice, although many chapters skillfully weave these strands together in ways that transcend categorization.A number of the collection's contributors position the narrative and stylistic nuances of television programs within a historical context. For instance, in his essay on The Wonder Years (ABC, 1988-1993), Daniel Marcus writes that the bildungsroman served as an expression of nostalgia for the countercultural 1960s during the Reagan era. Similarly, Noel Murray links MMWs (CBS, 1972-1983) depiction of the Korean War to social commentary on war writ large in the 1970s, as public dissatisfaction with US involvement in Vietnam intensified. Evelyn Alsultany's critique of the more recent 24 (FOX, 2001-2010) unpacks the show's depiction of terrorism in a post-9/ 11 landscape. …
An efficient recursive procedure for evaluating the impedance matrix of linear and planar fractal arrays

The self-similar geometrical properties of fractal arrays are exploited in this paper to develop fast recursive algorithms for efficient evaluation of the associated impedance matrices as well as driving point impedances. The methodology is demonstrated by considering two types of uniformly excited fractal arrays consisting of side-by-side half-wave dipole antenna elements. These examples include a triadic Cantor linear fractal array and a Sierpinski carpet planar fractal array. This class of self-similar antenna arrays become significantly large at higher order stages of growth and utilization of fractal analysis allows the impedance matrix, and hence the driving point impedances, to be obtained much more efficiently than would be possible using conventional analysis techniques.
Neuroendocrine Consequences of Prenatal Androgen Exposure in the Female Rat: Absence of Luteinizing Hormone Surges, Suppression of Progesterone Receptor Gene Expression, and Acceleration of the Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Pulse Generator

Preovulatory GnRH and LH surges depend on activation of estrogen (E2)-inducible progesterone receptors (PGRs) in the preoptic area (POA). Surges do not occur in males, or in perinatally androgenized females. We sought to determine whether prenatal androgen exposure suppresses basal or E2-induced Pgr mRNA expression or E2-induced LH surges (or both) in adulthood, and whether any such effects may be mediated by androgen receptor activation. We also assessed whether prenatal androgens alter subsequent GnRH pulsatility. Pregnant rats received testosterone or vehicle daily on Embryonic Days 16-19. POA-hypothalamic tissues were obtained in adulthood for PgrA and PgrB (PgrA+B) mRNA analysis. Females that had prenatal exposure to testosterone (pT) displayed reduced PgrA+B mRNA levels (P < 0.01) compared with those that had prenatal exposure to vehicle (pV). Additional pregnant animals were treated with vehicle or testosterone, or with 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT). In adult ovariectomized offspring, estradiol benzoate produced a 2-fold increase (P < 0.05) in PgrA+B expression in the POA of pV females, but not in pT females or those that had prenatal exposure to DHT (pDHT). Prenatal testosterone and DHT exposure also prevented estradiol benzoate-induced LH surges observed in pV rats. Blood sampling of ovariectomized rats revealed increased LH pulse frequency in pDHT versus pV females (P < 0.05). Our findings support the hypothesis that prenatal androgen receptor activation can contribute to the permanent defeminization of the GnRH neurosecretory system, rendering it incapable of initiating GnRH surges, while accelerating basal GnRH pulse generator activity in adulthood. We propose that the effects of prenatal androgen receptor activation on GnRH neurosecretion are mediated in part via permanent impairment of E2-induced PgrA+B gene expression in the POA.
Dosimetric distribution to the tooth-bearing regions of the mandible following intensity-modulated radiation therapy for base of tongue cancer.

Objectives Osteoradionecrosis is a significant complication following head and neck radiotherapy. The purpose of this study was to determine the intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) dosages delivered to the tooth-bearing regions of the mandible. Study Design A total of 28 patients with base of tongue cancer with the following stages: T1-2/N2-3 (n = 10), T3-4/N2-3 (n = 10), and T1-4/N0 (n = 8), treated with IMRT, were included. Average mean and maximum doses were calculated for the anterior, premolar, and molar regions. Results Lower doses were seen in anterior bone with smaller tumors. Large tumors, regardless of laterality, resulted in high doses to the entire mandible, with anterior bone receiving more than 6000 cGy. Conclusions Tumor size is important in preradiation dental treatment planning. This information is important in planning pre- and postradiation dental extractions. Dosimetric analyses correlating mean and maximum point dose with clinical presentation and outcomes are needed to determine the best predictor of osteoradionecrosis risk.
What to wear today? Effect of doctor's attire on the trust and confidence of patients.

Abstract Purpose There are very few studies about the impact of physicians' attire on patients' confidence and trust. The objective of this study was to determine whether the way a doctor dresses is an important factor in the degree of trust and confidence among respondents. Methods A cross-sectional descriptive study using survey methodology was conducted of patients and visitors in the waiting room of an internal medicine outpatient clinic. Respondents completed a written survey after reviewing pictures of physicians in four different dress styles. Respondents were asked questions related to their preference for physician dress as well as their trust and willingness to discuss sensitive issues. Results Four hundred respondents with a mean age of 52.4 years were enrolled; 54% were men, 58% were white, 38% were African-American, and 43% had greater than a high school diploma. On all questions regarding physician dress style preferences, respondents significantly favored the professional attire with white coat (76.3%, P P P P =.54); however, female physicians' dress appeared to be significantly more important to respondents than male physicians' dress ( P Conclusion Respondents overwhelmingly favor physicians in professional attire with a white coat. Wearing professional dress (ie, a white coat with more formal attire) while providing patient care by physicians may favorably influence trust and confidence-building in the medical encounter.
Trends in the Packaging of Computer Systems

The incessant drive toward higher quality, functional density, and speed, in nearly all categories of electronic equipment, is severely constrained by the available packaging technology. The packaging of high-performance electronic systems is highly interdisciplinary and succeeds best when pursued systematically, with attention to both constraints and technological alternatives, as well as opportunities for component and system optimization. The development of a science-based physical design methodology for electronic systems constitutes the primary packaging challenge for the 1990s.
The role of network architecture on the glass transition temperature of epoxy resins

A series of epoxy networks were synthesized in which the molecular weight between crosslinks (Mc) and crosslink functionality were controlled independent of the network chain backbone composition. The glass transition temperature (Tg) of these networks was found to increase as Mc decreased. However, the rate at which Tg increased depended on crosslink functionality. The dependency of Mc on Tg is well described by two models, one based on the concept of network free volume while the other model is based on the principle of corresponding states. Initially, neither model could quantitatively predict the effect of crosslink functionality in our networks. However, our tests indicated that both the glass transition and the rubbery moduli of our networks were dependent on Mc and crosslink functionality, while the glassy state moduli were independent of these structural variables. The effect of crosslink functionality on the rubbery modulus of a network has been addressed by the front factor in rubber elasticity theory. Incorporation of this factor into the glass transition temperature models allowed for a quantitative prediction of Tg as a function of Mc and crosslink functionality. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 66: 387–395, 1997
Learning Contracts and Engineering Education

This research presents a new concept -- Organizational Learning Contracts (OLC). These "contracts" represent shared understandings among faculty, students and staff about what is to be learned and how. OLC can vary from being low in shared understandings and quite general (weak) to very detailed and specific understandings about what is to be learned and the multiple learning environments needed to achieve the desired learning (strong). Data are presented to illustrate the positive impact of strong learning contracts on students' attitudes about their learning environment, models of learning and identification toward their institution in engineering schools.
Figure Facts: Encouraging Undergraduates to Take a Data-Centered Approach to Reading Primary Literature

The ability to interpret experimental data is essential to understanding and participating in the process of scientific discovery. Reading primary research articles can be a frustrating experience for undergraduate biology students because they have very little experience interpreting data. To enhance their data interpretation skills, students used a template called "Figure Facts" to assist them with primary literature-based reading assignments in an advanced cellular neuroscience course. The Figure Facts template encourages students to adopt a data-centric approach, rather than a text-based approach, to understand research articles. Specifically, Figure Facts requires students to focus on the experimental data presented in each figure and identify specific conclusions that may be drawn from those results. Students who used Figure Facts for one semester increased the amount of time they spent examining figures in a primary research article, and regular exposure to primary literature was associated with improved student performance on a data interpretation skills test. Students reported decreased frustration associated with interpreting data figures, and their opinions of the Figure Facts template were overwhelmingly positive. In this paper, we present Figure Facts for others to adopt and adapt, with reflection on its implementation and effectiveness in improving undergraduate science education.
Modeling stepped leaders using a time‐dependent multidipole model and high‐speed video data

A full negative stepped leader and portions of four negative stepped leaders preceding negative cloud-to-ground lightning return strokes were modeled; each model was constrained to match electric field change measurements recorded at three or four sites located within 30 km of the leader. The time evolution and 2-D locations of stepped leaders were obtained from data collected with a high-speed video camera operated at 50,000 frames/s. The Lu et al. (Charge transfer during intracloud lightning from a time-dependent multidipole model, Journal of Geophysical Research, 2011) time-dependent multidipole model was used with some modifications. The model used a time step equal to one video frame, 20μs. At each time step, negative charges were deposited at stepped leader tips based on measured light intensity, and an equivalent positive charge was deposited at one of the locations of the initial breakdown pulses that preceded the stepped leaders. The method has the unique advantage of obtaining locations of CG stepped leaders including its branches all the way to the ground. Three main quantities were obtained from the model: total charge transfer of −1.50 to −7.51 C, average line charge density of −0.113 to −0.413 mC/m (mean =− 0.196 mC/m), and average current of −0.084 to −0.456 kA (mean =− 0.31 kA). From the video data, the estimated 2-D speeds were 2.43–4.95×105 m/s (mean 3.34 × 105 m/s), and the cumulative lengths of the all branches were 3.5–9.2 times the vertical distance traveled by the visible stepped leader.
An efficient parallel-processing method for transposing large matrices in place

We have developed an efficient algorithm for transposing large matrices in place. The algorithm is efficient because data are accessed either sequentially in blocks or randomly within blocks small enough to fit in cache, and because the same indexing calculations are shared among identical procedures operating on independent subsets of the data. This inherent parallelism makes the method well suited for a multiprocessor computing environment. The algorithm is easy to implement because the same two procedures are applied to the data in various groupings to carry out the complete transpose operation. Using only a single processor, we have demonstrated nearly an order of magnitude increase in speed over the previously published algorithm by Gate and Twigg (1977) for transposing a large rectangular matrix in place. With multiple processors operating in parallel, the processing speed increases almost linearly with the number of processors. A simplified version of the algorithm for square matrices is presented as well as an extension for matrices large enough to require virtual memory.
Participant comprehension of research for which they volunteer: a systematic review.

Purpose Evidence indicates that research participants often do not fully understand the studies for which they have volunteered. The aim of this systematic review was to examine the relationship between the process of obtaining informed consent for research and participant comprehension and satisfaction with the research. Design Systematic review of published research on informed consent and participant comprehension of research for which they volunteer using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) Statement as a guide. Methods PubMed, Cumulative Index for Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trails, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were used to search the literature for studies meeting the following inclusion criteria: (a) published between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2013, (b) interventional or descriptive quantitative design, (c) published in a peer-reviewed journal, (d) written in English, and (e) assessed participant comprehension or satisfaction with the research process. Studies were assessed for quality using seven indicators: sampling method, use of controls or comparison groups, response rate, description of intervention, description of outcome, statistical method, and health literacy assessment. Findings Of 176 studies identified, 27 met inclusion criteria: 13 (48%) were randomized interventional designs and 14 (52%) were descriptive. Three categories of studies included projects assessing (a) enhanced consent process or form, (b) multimedia methods, and (c) education to improve participant understanding. Most (78%) used investigator-developed tools to assess participant comprehension, did not assess participant health literacy (74%), or did not assess the readability level of the consent form (89%). Researchers found participants lacked basic understanding of research elements: randomization, placebo, risks, and therapeutic misconception. Conclusions Findings indicate (a) inconsistent assessment of participant reading or health literacy level, (b) measurement variation associated with use of nonstandardized tools, and (c) continued therapeutic misconception and lack of understanding among research participants of randomization, placebo, benefit, and risk. While the Agency for Healthcare and Quality and National Quality Forum have published informed consent and authorization toolkits, previously published validated tools are underutilized. Clinical Relevance Informed consent requires the assessment of health literacy, reading level, and comprehension of research participants using validated assessment tools and methods.
Posterolateral Rotatory Instability of the Elbow: Diagnosis and Surgical Treatment

Posterolateral rotatory instability of the elbow occurs secondary to disruption of the lateral stabilizers of the elbow, including the lateral collateral ligament and extensor tendon origins. Although trauma is the most frequent cause for posterolateral rotatory instability, other nontraumatic factors may also play a role. Primary repair of the lateral ligament complex is advocated in the acute setting, whereas graft reconstruction is recommended in chronic instability.
Red Wine and Diabetes Health: Getting Skin in the Game

It was an unexpected pleasure to be invited to write a Perspectives in Diabetes article considering the proposition that moderate consumption of red wine provides health benefits for people with diabetes. At the outset, I want to make clear that since Perspectives in Diabetes are not review articles in the conventional sense, this one does not exhaustively analyze the effects of beer, hard liquor, or alcohol per se on health. This one is all about wine, especially red wine. This is an important point because of the intrinsic psychic influences of wine. Beer is associated with boisterous behavior at sporting events. Hard liquor is associated with serious drinking and dark moods. Wine, on the other hand, is associated with relaxation, reflection, celebration, conviviality, toasting, and a certain amount of dry humor. So, in this spirit, I will lace this article with a modicum of these wine-related characteristics. Archeologists tell us that humans made and drank wine in the Middle East (Fig. 1) beginning in ~7000 BCE—well before recorded time. During its 9,000-year history, wine has been used for many purposes, including religious (Fig. 2) and medical ones. The scientific literature over the past half century does not explicitly warn against drinking wine in moderate amounts, except during pregnancy. Yet, in the U.S. there continues to be a lurking hesitancy in some social circles about its use for relaxation or recreational purposes. Some religious faiths specifically proscribe wine, which also makes it interesting that some other religious faiths include wine in their services. Beyond use of moderate amounts, it is clear that drinking wine excessively leads to inebriation and likely endangerment of self and others, just as with any alcohol-containing beverage. In view of this spectrum of opinion and in keeping with the fashion of the day, it seems appropriate at …
MicroRNA-27a Indirectly Regulates Estrogen Receptor α Expression and Hormone Responsiveness in MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells

MicroRNA-27a (miR-27a) is expressed in MCF-7 breast cancer cells, and antisense miR-27a (as-miR-27a) induces ZBTB10, a specificity protein (Sp) repressor. Both as-miR-27a and overexpression of ZBTB10 decreased Sp1, Sp3, and Sp4 mRNA and protein expression in MCF-7 cells, and this was also accompanied by decreased levels of estrogen receptor α (ERα) mRNA and protein. RNA interference studies confirmed that basal expression of ERα was dependent on Sp1 but not Sp3 or Sp4 in MCF-7 cells. as-miR-27a and overexpression of ZBTB10 inhibited 17β-estradiol (E2)-induced transactivation in MCF-7 cells, and this was accompanied by decreased binding of Sp and ER proteins in cell lysates to oligonucleotides containing GC-rich motifs or estrogen-responsive elements, respectively. as-miR-27a and overexpression of ZBTB10 arrested MCF-7 cells in G0/G1 and inhibited E2-induced G0/G1 to S phase progression. as-miR-27a induced only a minimal increase in Myt-1, another miR-27a regulated gene, and this was not accompanied by Myt-1-dependent G2/M arrest as observed previously in ER-negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Thus, miR-27a indirectly regulates E2-responsiveness in MCF-7 cells through suppression of ZBTB10, thereby enhancing expression of ERα.
Can a Polite Intelligent Tutoring System Lead to Improved Learning Outside of the Lab

In this work we are investigating the learning benefits of e-Learning principles (a) within the context of a web-based intelligent tutor and (b) in the “wild,” that is, in real classroom (or homework) usage, outside of a controlled laboratory. In the study described in this paper, we focus on the benefits of politeness, as originally formulated by Brown and Levinson and more recently studied by Mayer and colleagues. We test the learning benefits of a stoichiometry tutor that provides polite problem statements, hints, and error messages as compared to one that provides more direct feedback. Although we find a small, but not significant, trend toward the polite tutor leading to better learning gains, our findings do not replicate that of Wang et al., who found significant learning gains through polite tutor feedback. While we hypothesize that an e-Learning principle such as politeness may not be robust enough to survive the transition from the lab to the “wild,” we will continue to experiment with the polite stoichiometry tutor.
Heart rate changes in the horse to human contact.

The effects of human social contact on the electrocardiogram (EKG) and general behavior of 2 horses were explored. Petting elicited a slowing of heart rate, while a person entering and exiting elicited transient, but often marked heart rate increases. In both horses transient periods of T wave inversion occurred in the EKG during human contact. In one of the horses the frequency of dropped heart beats increased dramatically during successive trials of human petting. In this horse a total of 29 dropped heart beats were observed of which 23 occurred while a person was with the horse, although this contact occupied only 15 percent of the total observation period. These findings parallel previous observations made with dogs. Similar observations of changes in the heart rate and rhythm of patients in coronary care units and a shock-trauma unit during social contact with other humans underscore the need to develop empirical analogues of these reactions. The horse appears to offer an ideal model for understanding the psychosocial, hemodynamic, and central nervous system mechanisms involved in these reactions.
Governance in Times of the Big Data Revolution: Sri Lanka’s Options

This article looks at the management of the critical intersection of governance and technology. Both the concepts and frameworks that the two invoke are experiencing turbulence in navigating the recent global shifts. Governance, since its inception as a critical conceptual and policy framework encounters stiff academic and policy resistance in moving towards creating global governance architecture. Technology is a broad concept and in the context of utility it is extremely diverse. The article attempts to explore a recent phenomenon as a consequence of the information revolution; the rise of big-data and significant changes it has brought to social life. Big data is not just a corporate tool for extracting profits, but is a techno-resource making governance a complex task. Yet if it is well-handled it will increase the efficiency and accuracy of service delivery platforms in the public sector. Comprehending the importance and deployment of data analysis emerging from big data would be a critical sphere that the public sector has to invest in and engage with. Even in the United States, Google seems to be outdoing every national data and statistical analysis and at the same time working with the federal government to deliver better services to the American citizens. Big data is a result of intense data creation by anyone connected to the Internet. The amount of data in the world is outgrowing not just the machines invented to process them but the human imagination. Thus it would be pragmatic for the Sri Lankan public sector to engage with big-data management through systems of governance. Sri Lanka Journal of Development Administration, Vol. 5, pp. 1-13, 2015
Monocyte 1α−hydroxylase regulation : induction by inflammatory cytokines and suppression by dexamethasone and uremia toxin

Alveolar macrophages acquire 1 alpha-hydroxylase activity in inflammation, and thereby metabolize 25 hydroxyvitamin D3 (25 D3) to the active metabolite, 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25 D3, calcitriol). Calcitriol is a potent differentiation agent that modulates mononuclear phagocyte activation and effector functions. The mediators that induce macrophage 1 alpha-hydroxylase activity are not well delineated. Furthermore, it is unclear whether calcitriol is a product only of terminally differentiated macrophages or whether less mature mononuclear phagocytes can produce it as well. The ability of newly recruited monocytes to produce calcitriol as an autocrine differentiation agent is particularly important in inflammation, as it may substantially expand the functional repertoire of these cells. To assess the effects of cytokines on 1 alpha-hydroxylase activity, blood monocytes were cultured in the presence and absence of human recombinant tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), and interleukins 1 and 2 and then incubated with 25 D3 substrate. The conditioned media were assayed for calcitriol by high-performance liquid chromatography and competitive receptor binding assay. No detectable calcitriol was produced by unstimulated monocytes. However, all the cytokines markedly increased monocyte calcitriol production (range 133-151 pg/mg protein; in all cases P < .001). We then determined whether calcitriol production was suppressed by preincubation with either dexamethasone or the putative uremia toxin guanidinosuccinic acid (GSA). Dexamethasone pretreatment significantly inhibited subsequent cytokine-induced calcitriol production by monocytes, as did GSA (average 69 and 63% of control, respectively).
The Comparative Politics of Gender

This paper supplements the usual economic and sociological explanations of women's economic status with an exploration of the effects of partisan and electoral variables. Using OECD-wide data, as well as on the basis of a more careful look at four very different countries, we find that women piggyback on the strength of organized labor for achieving relative hourly wage equality. Proportional electoral systems are more likely to give labor a strong political voice than are plurality systems, and are therefore more likely to compress the wage structure in a way that brings up the bottom quartile, where working women disproportionately are. A more complete look at the constraints on women's choices, using fertility as an indicator, suggests that strong labor unions may make it difficult for outsiders - including women - to break into the work force on an equal basis.
Social media as complementary consumption: the relationship between consumer empowerment and social interactions in experiential and informative contexts

Purpose – This paper aims to explore the interaction between consumer empowerment and social interactions as fundamental social media elements. It demonstrates their relationship in both experiential and informative social media setting where social media complements an offline consumer activity. The study aims to contribute to the literature on social media by demonstrating its complementary role on offline activities through these fundamental elements. Design/methodology/approach – The paper reports three experimental designs that manipulate the empowering and the socializing elements of complementary activities to show their effects on both the complementary online and the complemented offline activities. Findings – The paper presents three empirical studies that reveal the effects of two fundamental social media elements (i.e. empowerment and socialization) on consumers’ responses toward consumption episodes that consist of complementary online and complemented offline activities. It reveals that that...
Abstract 7: Has Patient Selection for Carotid Endarterectomy and Stenting changed over time? Carotid revascularization in the postCREST era.

The results of CREST (Carotid Revascularization Endarterectomy versus Stenting Trial), announced in February 2010 added further insight to the issue of patient selection for carotid revascularization. Carotid artery stenting (CAS) was equivalent to carotid endarterectomy (CEA), perhaps better in the younger age group. CEA patients developed more perioperative myocardial infarctions, and CAS patients incurred more perioperative strokes. Our hypothesis was that following the announcement of the CREST results, characteristics of patients undergoing CAS would change to include younger patients and more cardiac disease compared with those undergoing CEA. Methods: a retrospective chart review was conducted of all carotid revascularization procedures performed at four hospitals in a metropolitan region. The study duration was from June 2009 (8 months prior to CREST) through May 2011 (16 months after CREST). Demographics and high surgical risk criteria were recorded. Comparisons were drawn between patients receiving the procedures prior to and after CREST. Results: The study included 483 procedures. Of the 174 preCREST procedures, 64(36.8%) were CEA and 110(63.2%) were CAS. Of the 309 postCREST procedures, 112(36.2%) were CEA and 197(63.8%) were CAS. The proportion of patients undergoing CEA for asymptomatic carotid disease did not change significantly (76.6% preCREST vs. 69.6% postCREST: p=0.42). There was a significant increase in the proportion undergoing CAS for asymptomatic disease (52.7% preCREST vs 65.5% postCREST: p=0.04). The patients undergoing CAS for nonspecific symptoms such as dizziness also increased(5.5% preCREST vs. 18.3% postCREST: p=0.002). The median age did not change significantly for either CEA(68.5years preCREST vs. 69.0years postCREST: p=0.95) or CAS(73.0years preCREST vs. 70years postCREST: p=0.23). The proportion of CAS patients ≥70 years somewhat decreased(58.2% preCREST vs.50.3% postCREST: p=0.18). In the CEA subgroup, there was a reduction in the proportion of patients with congestive heart failure (10.9% preCREST vs.2.7% postCREST: p=0.07) and recent myocardial infarction/angina(4.7% preCREST vs.0 postCREST: p=0.06). There was an increase in the proportion of patients undergoing CAS with congestive heart failure(27.3% preCREST vs.37.6% postCREST: p=0.05). Conclusions: The utilization of CAS for asymptomatic carotid disease and nonspecific symptoms has increased after CREST. There is a trend towards patients with cardiac disease getting CAS more often. In spite of an increased risk of perioperative stroke among the elderly CAS patients, half of the CAS procedures postCREST were performed in subjects ≥70 years. Careful consideration of the choice of carotid revascularization procedures is warranted in the light of the CREST study.
Application of Airdrop Systems Modeling Software

A modular framework has been developed that permits a standardized integration of numerical simulation software and experimental data relevant to airdrop and aerial delivery operations. The software, called the Simulation Control Module (SCM), has been developed to coordinate the operation of separate analysis modules required to simulate the multicomponent physics of fluid-structure interaction (FSI) problems. The SCM provides a mechanism with which to couple and connect different analysis modules in different ways. This new flexibility allows different flow and structural solvers to be mixed and matched according to user preference. A series of benchmark problems, based upon previously published cases, have been formalized in order to allow the verification of the accuracy and performance of candidate analysis software. This test suite consists of the following: a flat circular disk; a simplified simple rigid canopy; and a coupled FSI simulation of a T-10 canopy.
Influence of Light and Temperature on the Production of Sexuales of Therioaphis maculata and T. riehmi

The production of sexuales of Therioaphis maculata (Buckton) (holocyclic strain) and of T. riehmi (Borner) was similar when the photophase ranged between 8 and 14 hours. However, the species differed in: the photophase that produced 50% oviparae (10 hours for T. riehmi, vs. 12 hours for T. maculata); the proportion of “intermediate” oviparae produced (greater for T. maculata); the proportion of males produced (greater for T. riehmi); and the relationship between photophase and the production of males (similar to relationship between oviparae and photophase for T. maculata and not similar for T. riehmi). These differences may explain related differences between the 2 species noted in the field. When the photophases ranged from 8 to 13 hours, most families of both species consisted of mixed forms. Births of oviparous and virginoparous forms often alternated. Males of both species had a tendency to be born toward the middle of the reproductive period of their mothers. When a 16-hr scotophase was interrupted with 2 hr of supplemental light, sexuales were produced or not produced depending on the time after the beginning of the scotophase that the supplemental light was introduced. No sexuales were produced in either species when the light period was introduced near the mid-point of the scotophase. Production of oviparae of T. maeulata was not completely inhibited by higher temperatures (26.7° compared with 21.1°C) but was greatly reduced.
Cerebral CT of lethal ethylene glycol intoxication with pathologic correlation.

The effect of various toxic substances on the brain has often been found to be relatively characteristic of, if not specific for, a given toxin. Carbon monoxide poisoning, for instance, has a predilection for the globus pallidus and cere­ bral white matter [1] . Methanol intoxication has an affinity for the putamen [2] . While the CT findings are not specific, insofar as other entities may produce occasionally similar findings and variations may occur within each toxin group, they are consistent enough to establish overall patterns. These pat­ terns are generally reflected in conventional cranial CT scans. Although the gross pathologic and histologic changes of ethylene glycol intoxication have been documented previ­ ously, the CT manifestations have only been alluded to in two prior case reports. Since they were sublethal, neither of these had direct pathologic correlation. A general pattern can be seen emerging from these few cases. The purpose of this paper is to describe a cranial CT pattern we believe is fairly typical, though not diagnostic, of ethylene glycol poisoning, as well as to correlate these findings with the pathologic changes discovered on the subsequent autopsy.
LTspice model of a solar thermoelectric generation system

Transient heat transfer analysis by means of analytical methods is known to be cumbersome. This paper seeks to develop an LTspice model of a real-world solar thermoelectric generation system. The thermal parameters of the proposed model were extracted from a multitude of parts' geometries and properties. These parameters were then converted into their electrical equivalences through the “thermal-to-electrical analogy.” In addition, real site data were fed into the Spice model via the built-in piecewise linear command in order to implement the real system's thermal behavior. An interesting RC analogy was derived from this model in order to demonstrate how thermoelectric generation systems respond to square wave-like solar radiation. Although temperature variations on the cold side of this LTspice model are roughly 80% accurate, simulation results and the actual experiment remain in good agreement.
Automatic in vivo cell detection in MRI

Due to recent advances in cell-based therapies, non-invasive monitoring of in vivo cells in MRI is gaining enormous interest. However, to date, the monitoring and analysis process is conducted manually and is extremely tedious, especially in the clinical arena. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel computer vision-based learning approach that creates superpixel-based 3D models for candidate spots in MRI, extracts a novel set of superfern features, and utilizes a partition-based Bayesian classifier ensemble to distinguish spots from non-spots. Unlike traditional ferns that utilize pixel-based differences, superferns exploit superpixel averages in computing difference-based features despite the absence of any order in superpixel arrangement. To evaluate the proposed approach, we develop the first labeled database with a total of more than 16 thousand labels on five in vivo and four in vitro MRI scans. Experimental results show the superiority of our approach in comparison to the two most relevant baselines. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to utilize a learning-based methodology for in vivo cell detection in MRI.
Structural Characterization of the Full Length CrgA Protein Found in Mycobacterium Tuberculosis

Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, or Mtb is a pathogen of Tuberculosis. Mtb has a unique stage called latency, when Mtb temporarily shuts down cell division. During this stage, antibiotics are not able to kill the bacteria, so a treatment has to continue for 6 months. Today multidrug resistant Mtb even necessitates a much longer treatment, up to 2 years. The development of new drugs is critically important.CrgA plays a pivotal role in the Mtb cell division apparatus, the divisome. It is known to recruit and interact with other Mtb proteins associated with cell division. Recently, the transmembrane domain structure of CrgA has been determined using solid state NMR spectroscopy. The goal of this work is to characterize a high resolution structure of CrgA and then characterize CrgA protein-protein complexes with a view toward drug development. In addition, the N-terminus and the interhelical loop need to be characterized to identify additional protein binding sites.The full length CrgA is overexpressed in E. coli yielding 40mg per liter of culture. The purified protein is reconstituted in the synthetic lipid bilayers to induce the native structure. To define the secondary structure of the N-terminus and the interhelical loop, two different 2D magic angle spinning solid state NMR experiments are performed with specific amino acid labeling strategies. DARR experiments provide the information about 13C chemical shifts and 13C-13C correlations and both 13C & 15N isotropic chemical shifts are obtained from NCA experiments. Recently, it has been recognized that CrgA functions as a dimer based on bacterial two hybrid assays. From an analysis of the membrane exposed glycine residues, binding interfacial sites for the dimer-dimer interface have been suggested as well as possible sites for interaction for its protein recruitment partners.
Race-specific trends in HPV vaccinations and provider recommendations: persistent disparities or social progress?

Abstract Objectives Although racial and ethnic differences in HPV vaccination initiation are well established, it is unclear whether these disparities have changed over time. The role of health provider recommendations in reducing any racial and ethnic inequalities is also uncertain. This study addresses these gaps in the literature. Study design Repeated cross-sectional design. Methods Using data from the National Immunization Survey-Teen (2008–2013), we estimated a series of binary logistic regressions to model race-specific trends in (1) provider recommendations to vaccinate against HPV and (2) HPV vaccine initiation for males ( n = 56,632) and females ( n = 77,389). Results Provider recommendations to vaccinate and HPV vaccination uptake have increased over time for adolescent males and females and across all racial and ethnic groups. Among girls, minority youths have seen a sharper increase in provider recommendations and HPV vaccination uptake than their White counterparts. Among boys, minority teens maintain higher overall rates of HPV vaccine uptake, however, Hispanics have lagged behind non-Hispanic Whites in the rate of increase in provider recommendations and HPV vaccinations. Conclusions Our results suggest that racial and ethnic disparities in provider recommendations and HPV vaccinations have waned over time among males and females. While these trends are welcomed, additional interventions are warranted to increase overall rates of vaccination across race, ethnicity, and gender.
Challenges in matching parallel architectures and matrix algorithms

Direct solution methods based on Gauss elimination and its variants are considered. These are of particular interest because they readily expose memory limitations and communication bottlenecks of parallel architectures, are integral components of other, more highly parallel matrix algorithms, and can solve poorly conditioned problems on which other methods fail. The parallel implementation and performance of a class of direct methods is examined on three architectures; namely, the CRAY X-MP/48, ELXSI 6400, and NCUBE/ten. >
A second-order accurate fluid-in-cell (FLIC) method for the 2D shallow water equations with topography

Abstract The fluid-in-cell (FLIC) approach of Gentry et al. (1966) is extended to second-order accuracy in space and applied to solve the 2D shallow water equations with topography. The FLIC method can be interpreted in a finite volume sense, it therefore conserves both water mass and momentum. Like the original FLIC method the second-order FLIC method presented here is able to handle wetting-drying fronts without any special treatment. Moreover, the resulting method is shock capturing and well-balanced, satisfying both the C- and extended C-properties exactly.
High service temperature, self-mendable thermosets networked by isocyanurate rings

Abstract A new mending chemistry exhibiting stability at extreme temperatures and holding mechanical properties as well as mechanical stability comparable to widely used engineering plastics is reported here. This mendable thermoset polymer is synthesized using commodity reactants through the formation of an isocyanurate-oxazolidone network which exhibit a high service temperature as shown by their Tg of 270 °C and Td of 365 °C. We demonstrate that this network polymer is repeatedly self-mendable in the presence of a macroscopic crack, yielding considerable recovery of the polymer's strength after thermal annealing. This self-mending behavior is derived from a high density of mechano-responsive isocyanurate rings which are introduced as cross-links in the network. After mechanically initiated cycloreversion, the recovery of isocyanurate rings in a solid state is thermally initiated. This research is the first demonstration of an isocyanurate ring as a repairing moiety. We developed a new class of intrinsic self-mendable polymers withstanding high temperatures, which will greatly impact the application of thermoset polymers in the field of structural laminates and electronics packaging.