cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Degradation of Phenolic Contaminants in Ground Water by Anaerobic Bacteria: St. Louis Park, Minnesota

Coal-tar derivatives from a coal-tar distillation and wood-treating plant that operated from 1918 to 1972 at St. Louis Park, Minnesota contaminated the near-surface ground water. Solutions of phenolic compounds and a water-immiscible mixture of polynuclear aromatic compounds accumulated in wetlands near the plant site and entered the aquifer. The concentration of phenolic compounds in the aqueous phase under the wetlands is about 30 mg/1 but decreases to less than 0.2 mg/1 at a distance of 430 m immediately downgradient from the source. Concentrations of naphthalene (the predominant polynuclear compound in the ground water) and sodium (selected as a conservative tracer) range from about 20 mg/1 and 430 mg/1 in the aqueous phase at the source to about 2 mg/1 and 120 mg/1 at 430 m downgradient, respectively. Phenolic compounds and naphthalene are disappearing faster than expected if only dilution were occurring. Sorption of phenolic compounds on aquifer sediments is negligible but naphthalene is slightly sorbed. Anaerobic biodegradation of phenolic compounds is primarily responsible for the observed attenuation. Methane was found only in water samples from the contaminated zone (2-20 mg/1). Methane-producing bacteria were found only in water from the contaminated zone. Methane was produced in laboratory cultures of contaminated water inoculated with bacteria from the contaminated zone. Evidence for anaerobic biodegradation of naphthalene under either field or laboratory conditions was not obtained.
Catalyzing Collaborative Learning: how automated task distribution may prompt students to collaborate

Collaborative learning must prompt collaborative behavior among students. Once initiated, collaboration then must facilitate awareness between students of each other's activities and knowledge. Col...
Femtosecond pulsed laser ablation and deposition of thin films of polytetrafluoroethylene

Abstract A Ti:Sapphire (IR, 800 nm) femtosecond pulsed laser was used to deposit thin films (
Simulation-Based Validation of Protocols for Distributed Systems

Protocol correctness in distributed systems means that a protocol achieves its intended goal without inducing any ill-effects on the application. The correctness issue becomes more important in Information Assurance applications where a protocol is designed to deal with hostile and unpredictable behavior of the processes and/or the network. The purpose of this paper is to provide a simulation-based methodology to validate the correctness of a candidate protocol. The methodology is based on state-machine modeling of the protocol in a context of its application-level goal and operating environment. The paper offers a 3-tier approach wherein a validation model captures the external constraints to be satisfied at the protocol interface, the environment perturbations the protocol is subjected to, and the protocol internal rules and procedures. Discrete-event simulators, developed in a suitable modeling language (such as PROMELA), check if a protocol meets the safety and liveness conditions prescribed at external interface to the protocol under a given operating environment. The modularity and designer-friendliness of our validation approach allow simulating di erent candidate protocols with ease and exibility. The paper illustrates our methodology with validation exercises on an alternating-bit data transfer protocol and a 2-phase commit based majority voting protocol.
Peace Research and the Industrial Revolution

Having quantitatively grown so fast, peace research urgently needs to clarify its research object and to dissociate itself from other approaches. A discussion of theory is not luxury. The internati...
Test results for prototypes of the twin aperture dipoles for the LHC insertion region

The Superconducting Magnet Division at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) is building 20 insertion region dipoles of various types for the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN. These 9.45 m-long, 8 cm aperture magnets use the same coil design as the arc dipoles for the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) at BNL. The most challenging of these dipoles are the twin aperture magnets. The two apertures are separated by 188 to 234 mm, and the dipole fields in both the apertures point in the same direction. In order to test the design and determine various operating parameters of these magnets, two three m-long prototypes were built and tested at BNL. Tests were done to measure spontaneous quench performance, conductor temperature at quench, coil stress behavior during cool-downs, warm-ups and excitation ramps, and quench protection heater performance. Extensive magnetic field measurements were done with a 3.58-meter long integral coil, as well as a one-meter long coil at the axial center of the magnet. Dynamic effects, such as time decay and snapback at injection, and harmonics due to cable magnetization and eddy currents were studied with a time resolution of 2 s.
Speech enhancement by Kalman filtering with residual noise clipping

In this paper, we develop an improved speech enhancement system based on Kalman filtering (KF) that processes the linear prediction (LP) residual of voiced speech. For input frames where voiced speech is present, the LP residuals are clipped to maintain the peaks where the major excitation pulses are located. The proposed algorithm differs from the conventional Kalman filtering algorithms in that it includes this quasi-periodic term in the process equation for voiced speech frames. The quality of the resulting enhanced speech is evaluated by means of signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) and ITU-PESQ scores. Experimental results indicate that the proposed algorithm achieves consistent improvement in output speech quality when compared to conventional KF methods.
Work in progress ’ Game development, social responsibility, and teaching

Video games are part of a powerful cultural industry that influences many people; therefore, educators and society cannot ignore that video games are here to stay. Professors should educate future developers to create games that entertain their audience and are socially responsible. This paper describes some assignments that can be used to teach social responsibility in game development.
Severe Abdominal Pain and Diarrhea in an Elderly Woman Receiving Chemotherapy for Colon Cancer

1. What are this patient’s most striking clinical and laboratory findings? 2. How do you explain this patient’s most striking clinical and laboratory findings? 3. What is this patient’s most likely diagnosis? 4. What factors predispose patients to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) toxicity? 5. What is the clinical utility of evaluating a patient for dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) deficiency? 6. What laboratory tests can be used to detect DPD deficiency? 7. What are the therapeutic options for this patient?
A coupling of multi‐zone curved Galerkin BEM with finite elements for independently modelled sub‐domains with non‐matching nodes in elasticity

When the different parts of a structure are modelled independently by BEM or FEM methods, it is sometimes necessary to put the parts together without remeshing of the nodes along the part interfaces. Frequently the nodes do not match along the interface. In this work, the symmetric Galerkin multi-zone curved boundary element is a fully symmetric formulation and is the method used for the boundary element part. For BEM–FEM coupling it is then necessary to interpolate the tractions in-between the non-matching nodes for the FEM part. Finally, the coupling is achieved by transforming the finite element domains to equivalent boundary element domains in a block symmetric formulation. This system is then coupled with a boundary element domain with non-matching nodes in-between. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Apigenin inhibits VEGF and HIF-1 expression via PI3K/AKT/p70S6K1 and HDM2/p53 pathways

Apigenin is a nontoxic dietary flavonoid that has been shown to possess anti-tumor properties and therefore poses special interest for the development of a novel chemopreventive and/or chemotherapeutic agent for cancer. Ovarian cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer death among women. Here we demonstrate that apigenin inhibits expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in human ovarian cancer cells. VEGF plays an important role in tumor angiogenesis and growth. We found that apigenin inhibited VEGF expression at the transcriptional level through expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha (HIF-1alpha). Apigenin inhibited expression of HIF-1alpha and VEGF via the PI3K/AKT/p70S6K1 and HDM2/p53 pathways. Apigenin inhibited tube formation in vitro by endothelial cells. These findings reveal a novel role of apigenin in inhibiting HIF-1 and VEGF expression that is important for tumor angiogenesis and growth, identifying new signaling molecules that mediate this regulation.
A Sociological Perspective on Television Violence and Aggression

A sociological interpretation of the empirical outcomes of studies on violent media draws the debate out beyond the realm of individual psychological effects and identifies pertinent social groupings that go beyond socioeconomic status. Five attributes identify special vulnerability to negative influence: predisposition for aggressive or antisocial behavior, rigid or indifferent parenting, unsatisfactory social relationships, low psychological well-being, or having been diagnosed as suffering from DBDs—disruptive behavior disorders. Interpretation of effect sizes derived from seven meta-analyses encompassing different forms of media violence and resultant different varieties of aggressive and antisocial behavior supports a robust hypothesis of media influence. Causation, implied by outcomes of pooled experimental and survey designs, is consistent across these aggregations. The media take up a role as oppressors of an underclass with limited access to opportunities for improvement.
Development and social problems: the impact of the offshore oil industry on suicide and homicide rates

Abstract There are few studies in the literature concerning economic development that examine the impact of offshore oil and gas extraction on communities and even fewer that use annual data, examine more than one community and account for the degree of involvement of the community in the oil industry. This study rectifies these problems. The results support hypotheses derived from social disorganization and relative deprivation theories by demonstrating that higher levels of and rapid changes in development are associated with higher homicide and suicide rates, especially in communities that are more involved in resource extraction. The utility of the methods and the implications of the results for theory and future research are discussed.
PROFESSIONAL DESIGN COMPONENT FOR CIVIL ENGINEERING CURRICULUMS

The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology has adopted a revised set of accreditation criteria that is designed to assure that graduates of accredited programs are prepared to enter the practice of engineering. The proposal also specifies that engineering programs must demonstrate that their graduates have an understanding of professional practice issues in addition to the ability to design civil engineering projects by taking various realistic constraints under consideration. The findings of this study indicate that engineering undergraduate and graduate students as well as practitioners perceive that three constraints that represent the traditional technical aspect of engineering are of great importance for design projects. They include engineering codes and standards, economic factors, and manufacturability (constructability). In contrast, two constraints received lower ratings. They include social ramifications and political factors. Overall, 60% of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology recommended design constraints are rated by students and practitioners with a composite score ≥3.0. This may be interpreted as strong support for the \IEngineering Criteria 2000\N design requirements.
Agminated Atypical (Dysplastic) Nevi: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Background Patients with the atypical mole syndrome have multiple dysplastic nevithat appear to be randomly distributed on certain preferred anatomical sitessuch as the upper back. These dysplastic nevi are thought to be acquired melanocyticnevi that begin appearing at puberty. To our knowledge, the presence of agminatedatypical (dysplastic) nevi has not been reported. Observation We describe a patient with the atypical mole syndrome who has more than100 melanocytic nevi, many of which are clinically atypical and one of whichproved to be a melanoma. Among his many melanocytic nevi is a cluster of approximately50 nevi that are distributed in an area measuring 5 × 3 cm. The histopathologicfeatures of these nevi are consistent with the diagnosis of "dysplastic nevus." Conclusions To our knowledge, agminated atypical (dysplastic) nevi have not beendescribed previously. The presence of agminated atypical (dysplastic) neviin a patient with the atypical mole syndrome can be theorized to arise becauseof loss of heterozygosity.
Effects of Above Average Summer Sun Exposure on Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D and Calcium Absorption

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of summer sun exposure on serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], calcium absorption fraction, and urinary calcium excretion. Subjects were 30 healthy men who had just completed a summer season of extended outdoor activity (e.g. landscaping, construction work, farming, or recreation). Twenty-six subjects completed both visits: after summer sun exposure and again approximately 175 d later, after winter sun deprivation. We characterized each subject's sun exposure by locale, schedule, and usual attire. At both visits we measured serum 25(OH)D, fasting urinary calcium to creatinine ratio, and calcium absorption fraction. Median serum 25(OH)D decreased from 122 nmol/liter in late summer to 74 nmol/liter in late winter. The median seasonal difference of 49 nmol/liter (interquartile range, 29-67) was highly significant (P < 0.0001). However, we found only a trivial, nonsignificant seasonal difference in calcium absorption fraction and no change in fasting urinary calcium to creatinine ratio. Findings from earlier work indicate that our subjects' sun exposure was equivalent in 25(OH)D production to extended oral dosing with 70 micro g/d vitamin D(3) (interquartile range, 41-96) or, equivalently, 2800 IU/d (interquartile range, 1640-3840). Despite this input, at the late winter visit, 25(OH)D was less than 50 nmol/liter in 3 subjects and less than 75 nmol/liter in 15 subjects.
Phylogenetic constraints on fine-scale patterns of habitat use by eight primate species in eastern Ecuador

Lowland forests of western Amazonia contain the most species-rich primate communities in the Neotropics, which begs the question of what mechanisms operate to promote species coexistence. This study examines habitat occupancy and its relationship to phylogeny in a primate community in Amazonian Ecuador. First, as potential factors that shape community structure, we determined whether (1) mean height in the forest canopy differed among species; (2) within each species, habitat occupancy was disproportional to habitat availability; and (3) species diverged in habitat occupancy. We then tested hypotheses regarding ecological distance and its relationship to phylogenetic distance among species pairs within this community. We tested these hypotheses primarily with data derived from 15 censuses of primate species on two 100-ha plots in eastern Ecuador. In these censuses, we observed eight primate species over nearly 200 encounters. We observed larger species at greater heights in the forest canopy than smaller ones. Although they occupied habitat types at frequencies proportionate to their availability in the study area, species diverged in habitat occupancy. Although a clear relationship was not observed between phylogenetic and ecological distances among species pairs, this study suggests that ecological differences among the species in this community facilitate their coexistence.
Resolution of spatial and temporal visual attention in infants with fragile X syndrome

Fragile X syndrome is the most common cause of inherited intellectual impairment and the most common single-gene cause of autism. Individuals with fragile X syndrome present with a neurobehavioural phenotype that includes selective deficits in spatiotemporal visual perception associated with neural processing in frontal‐parietal networks of the brain. The goal of the current study was to examine whether reduced resolution of spatial and/or temporal visual attention may underlie perceptual deficits related to fragile X syndrome. Eye tracking was used to psychophysically measure the limits of spatial and temporal attention in infants with fragile X syndrome and age-matched neurotypically developing infants. Results from these experiments revealed that infants with fragile X syndrome experience drastically reduced resolution of temporal attention in a genetic dose-sensitive manner, but have a spatial resolution of attention that is not impaired. Coarse temporal attention could have significant knock-on effects for the development of perceptual, cognitive and motor abilities in individuals with the disorder.
Experimentally Induced Whirling Disease I. Dose Response of Fry and Adults of Rainbow Trout Exposed to the Triactinomyxon Stage of Myxobolus cerebralis

Abstract The intensity and prevalence of whirling disease was tested by exposure of 2-monthold fry and 1-, 2-, and 3.5-year-old adults of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss to a known number of laboratory-produced Myxobolus cerebralis at the actinosporean triactinomyxon stage. Fry exposed to graded concentrations of infectivity (triactinomyxons) for 3 h were individually examined for spores of Myxobolus cerebralis 5 and 6 months later. Exposure of fish to the lowest doses, 1 and 10 triactinomyxons per fish, did not result in detectable myxosporean spores. Fish that became lightly infected by a dose of 100 triactinomyxons per fish experienced a decrease in the incidence of infection between 5 and 6 months after exposure. A linear relationship was found between the numbers of recovered myxosporean spores and doses of 100–10,000 triactinomyxons per fish, and the spore burden appeared to plateau at doses of 10,000–100,000 triactinomyxons per fish. Adult fish continuously exposed to the highest dose of triactin...
Distribution Fights, Coordination Games, and Lobster Management

Les AA. montrent comment les pecheries industrielles de homard du Maine (Etats-Unis) ont reussi, depuis plus d'un siecle, a maintenir en meme temps une exploitation elevee, et un renouvellement des ressources maritimes. Ils decrivent le processus politique qui a produit le corpus le plus important de regulations formelles et de legislation dans l'industrie du homard du Maine (la solution centralisee). A partir des apports du cadre conceptuel du choix rationnel pour la comprehension de la formation des normes et des institutions sociales, il soutient que le processus politique qui a permis ces mesures de conservation des ressources ne correspond specifiquement a aucun des modeles theoriques elabores jusqu'a present. Mettant notamment en evidence les roles complexes et changeants des factions dans l'industrie du homard, dans la bureaucratie, et dans le pouvoir legislatif du Maine, il montre que les regulations les plus importantes sont un resultat secondaire des conflits distributionnels dans l'industrie du homard.
Research Article: Evidence on Why Bike-Friendly Cities Are Safer for All Road Users

Biking is increasingly being recognized as a highly sustainable form of transportation. Consequently, a growing number of American cities have seen tremendous growth in bicycle travel, in part beca...
Functional analysis and treatment of bizarre vocalizations exhibited by an adult with schizophrenia: a replication and extension

A functional analysis suggested that the bizarre vocalizations exhibited by a woman with a diagnosis of schizophrenia were maintained by attention. A treatment consisting of awareness training, competing response training, differential reinforcement of the competing response, and attention extinction was effective in reducing bizarre vocalizations. The use of self-management based treatment components with this population and target behavior is discussed. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Electron Tomography of HIV-1 Infection in Gut-Associated Lymphoid Tissue

Critical aspects of HIV-1 infection occur in mucosal tissues, particularly in the gut, which contains large numbers of HIV-1 target cells that are depleted early in infection. We used electron tomography (ET) to image HIV-1 in gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) of HIV-1–infected humanized mice, the first three-dimensional ultrastructural examination of HIV-1 infection in vivo. Human immune cells were successfully engrafted in the mice, and following infection with HIV-1, human T cells were reduced in GALT. Virions were found by ET at all stages of egress, including budding immature virions and free mature and immature viruses. Immuno-electron microscopy verified the virions were HIV-1 and showed CD4 sequestration in the endoplasmic reticulum of infected cells. Observation of HIV-1 in infected GALT tissue revealed that most HIV-1–infected cells, identified by immunolabeling and/or the presence of budding virions, were localized to intestinal crypts with pools of free virions concentrated in spaces between cells. Fewer infected cells were found in mucosal regions and the lamina propria. The preservation quality of reconstructed tissue volumes allowed details of budding virions, including structures interpreted as host-encoded scission machinery, to be resolved. Although HIV-1 virions released from infected cultured cells have been described as exclusively mature, we found pools of both immature and mature free virions within infected tissue. The pools could be classified as containing either mostly mature or mostly immature particles, and analyses of their proximities to the cell of origin supported a model of semi-synchronous waves of virion release. In addition to HIV-1 transmission by pools of free virus, we found evidence of transmission via virological synapses. Three-dimensional EM imaging of an active infection within tissue revealed important differences between cultured cell and tissue infection models and furthered the ultrastructural understanding of HIV-1 transmission within lymphoid tissue.
Abstract 251: 20-HETE Contributes to the Hypertension in a Model of Postmenopausal Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common reproductive disorder in premenopausal women. PCOS is characterized by hyperandrogenemia that does not abate after menopause. Hyperandrogenemic postmenopausal women (PMW) are hypertensive, but the mechanisms responsible have not been elucidated. Hypertension (HT) in PMW is less well controlled than in age-matched men, which suggests that different mechanisms may be mediating the HT in PMW. We have developed a model, the hyperandrogenemic postcycling female (PMHAF) rat, aged 13-14 mos, that exhibits many of the characteristics found in hyperandrogenemic PMW. In the present study we tested the hypothesis that 20-HETE contributes to the HT in PMHAF rats. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were implanted with dihydrotestosterone (7.5mg/90d) or placebo pellets beginning at 4 wks of age, and pellets were changed every 85 d. At 13-14 mos of age, preglomerular renal microvessels were isolated from PMHAF and placebo control rats (n=6/grp) and 20-HETE and ω-hydroxylase activity were measured by LC-MS. mRNA for CYP4A enzymes were measured by real time RT-PCR. Basal 20-HETE levels in the renal vasculature increased by 60% in PMHAF vs placebo controls (0.398±0.22 vs 0.245 ±0.68 pmol/mg; p
In Defense of Political Constructivism: On Rawls and His Critics

Political constructivism is the idea that citizens write the terms of political cooperation, or, stated more provocatively, that no authority transcends political legislation. The most famous political constructivist in contemporary political theory is John Rawls, and his writings on this topic have attracted an inordinate amount of criticism. This essay begins by considering the charge that political constructivism is, at bottom, relativistic and thus incapable of moral guidance, advanced by Allen W. Wood, Charles Larmore, Christine Korsgaard, and Onora O’Neill. Then, the essay reconstructs two Rawlsian arguments in favor of political constructivism. Philosophically, political constructivism provides the best available methodology for self-legislating, socially embedded, and fallible human (political) agents. Furthermore, political constructivism helps political liberals forge domestic and international alliances with decent but non-liberal religious activists.
Abstract P200: The Circadian Pattern of Cardiac Autonomic Modulation and its Correlates in Adolescents- Penn State Child Cohort (PSCC) Study

Objective: To examine the circadian pattern of cardiac autonomic modulation (CAM) and its correlates in a population-based sample of adolescents. Methods: We used the data from 400 adolescents who completed the follow up exam in the PSCC study. CAM was assessed by heart rate variability (HRV) analysis of beat-to-beat normal R-R intervals from a 24-hour (7:00 PM to 7:00 PM) ECG, on a 30-minute basis (48 segments/person). The HRV indices included frequency domain: [high and low frequency powers (HF, LF), and LF/HF ratio] and time domain: [standard deviation of normal RRs (SDNN), and the square root of the mean squared difference of successive normal RRs (RMSSD), and heart rate (HR)]. We used a cosine periodic model to estimate each participant’s circadian parameters: mean (M), amplitude (Â), and crescent time (θ). We then used mixed-effects models to calculate group level circadian pattern as the overall M, Â of the oscillation, and θ of the highest oscillation. Results: The mean age was 16.9 yrs (SD=2.2), with 54% male and 77% white. The mean BMI percentile is 61, with 16% were obese (BMI percentile ≥ 95). Overall, the parasympathetic modulation gradually increases from late afternoon throughout the evening, and reaches the peak amplitude around 3:00 AM, at which it gradually decrease throughout most of the daytime until late afternoon. The age, sex and race showed varying differences on the CAM circadian parameters. In contrast, obesity in adolescents had adverse effects on all three circadian parameters. Using HF (a reliable index of parasympathetic modulation) as an example, the circadian pattern of the entire sample, and stratified by obesity are shown in Figure 1. Conclusion: Circadian pattern of CAM can be quantified by three cosine parameters (M, Â, and θ). Obesity in adolescents is already associated with a CAM profile indicative of sympathetic overflow and reduced parasympathetic modulation, at all levels of the CAM circadian rhythm.
Molecular pathogenesis and current pathology of pulmonary hypertension

Following its initial description over a century ago, pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) continues to challenge researchers committed to understanding its pathobiology and finding a cure. The last two decades have seen major developments in our understanding of the genetics and molecular basis of PAH that drive cells within the pulmonary vascular wall to produce obstructive vascular lesions; presently, the field of PAH research has taken numerous approaches to dissect the complex amalgam of genetic, molecular and inflammatory pathways that interact to initiate and drive disease progression. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of PAH pathology and the role that genetic factors and environmental influences share in the development of vascular lesions and abnormal cell function. We also discuss how animal models can assist in elucidating gene function and the study of novel therapeutics, while at the same time addressing the limitations of the most commonly used rodent models. Novel experimental approaches based on application of next generation sequencing, bioinformatics and epigenetics research are also discussed as these are now being actively used to facilitate the discovery of novel gene mutations and mechanisms that regulate gene expression in PAH. Finally, we touch on recent discoveries concerning the role of inflammation and immunity in PAH pathobiology and how they are being targeted with immunomodulatory agents. We conclude that the field of PAH research is actively expanding and the major challenge in the coming years is to develop a unified theory that incorporates genetic and mechanistic data to address viable areas for disease modifying drugs that can target key processes that regulate the evolution of vascular pathology of PAH.
Emergence Model for Field Populations of Overwintering Heliothis zea and H. virescens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

The rate of emergence of a field population of overwintering corn earworm, Heliothis zea (Boddie), and tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens (F.), was observed in the College Station, Tex., area. The population was manipulated into a state of diapause in the laboratory before being placed in individual artificial pupal chambers in a plot of bare soil. The temperature of the chambers was monitored hourly, and the chambers were inspected daily to determine whether emergence had occurred. A computer model was developed to simulate pupal developmental response during diapause and pupation based on hourly temperatures over time. The predicted time of emergence using the model compared favorably with observed values from the field and the laboratory.
Quantitative Determination of Ethanolamine Phosphate and Free Amino Acids of Normal and Neoplastic Tissue

Summary1. Quantitative measurements have been made by Dowex-50 chromatographic columns of the free amino acid content of the free cells of: rat thymi and testes, rabbit thymi, Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells, mouse sarcoma cells, S-37 and S-180, Bagg reticulum cell sarcoma and Walker carcinoma. 2. The results indicate that taurine, ethanolamine phosphate, glycine and glutamic acid are the most abundant of the amino acids determined. 3. Proline, aspartic acid, serine and threonine occur in rather small quantity. 4. Alanine seemed to vary in quantity in the various cells. 5. The results were discussed in terms of the metabolic reactions which lead to the origin and fate of certain of these metabolites.
Techniques in Obtaining Overwintering Larvae of European Pine Shoot Moth for Mass Rearing

Techniques were developed for forcing over wintering larvae of Rhyacionia buoliana (Schiffermiuller) from infested shoots and avoiding larval transport of molds into rearing dishes. Shoots were first surface sterilized by a 5-minute dip in 5–20% bleach solution, then exposed to constant light at cage temperatures of 76–79°F. After cold storage of 2 weeks or less, larvae commenced La issuing on the 4th day, with 90% issuing ill the next 5–7 days. With storage storage, larvae issued sooner.
Quantifying the Polarization of Exciton Transitions in Double-Walled Nanotubular J-Aggregates

A fully consistent model for the exciton band structure of double-walled 3,3′-bis(2-sulfopropyl)-5,5′,6,6′-tetrachloro-1,1′-dioctylbenzimidacarbocyanine (C8S3) J-aggregates was developed using reduced linear dichroism (LDr) spectroscopy on flow aligned samples. Chemical oxidation was utilized to “turn off”outer wall optical absorption and produce stable aggregate samples with a simplified absorption profile associated only with the nanotube inner wall. The oxidized aggregates were aligned in a flow cell to collect LDr spectra; these spectra reveal a series of both polarized and isotropic transitions. Four spectral transitions, assigned to be purely parallel or perpendicular to the aggregate long axis, that fit both the experimental LDr and isotropic spectra were used create a model for oxidized J-aggregate excitonic absorption. The LDr spectral study was repeated using pristine J-aggregates, and the spectrum for the full double-walled J-aggregates could be fit using six total transitions: four from the ox...
Asian American Adolescents: Development and Mental Health

Chapter 4 discusses the development and mental health of Asian American adolescents in relation to the ethnography to follow on Korean American girls. It provides a brief overview of the history of Asian American adolescent development and mental health with particular attention to six significant stressors in Asian American adolescent development and mental health.
Obsessive compulsive disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder, a neurobiological disease associated with abnormalities in the basal ganglia, responds with some success to behavior modification and also to new pharmacological therapies.
Sign of Leser-Trélat with a metastatic mucinous adenocarcinoma.

We describe a middle-aged woman with the sudden onset of multiple seborrheic keratoses in association with a metastatic mucinous adenocarcinoma to the liver from an unknown primary neoplasm. This case illustrates the significance of the sign of Leser-Trelat and its association with cancer.
Abstract 2360: GP350 containing exosomes as DNA vaccine carriers

Background: Plasmid DNA vaccination is a safe and economical vaccine modality that has been demonstrated to elicit cellular and humoral immunity in preclinical models and human clinical trials. We have previously shown that enriched mature naive B cells, and not myeloid/DC lineages, are capable of expanding Ag specific CD8 T cells in vivo in mice, and in vitro with human cells. In this study, we sought a means to directly deliver plasmid DNA to B cells as a means to specifically activate this antigen-presenting cell type. Methods: Exosomes were isolated from EBV+ lymphoblastic cell lines (LCL) and from HEK293T cells that had been transfected to express the EBV protein GP350. Plasmid DNA was labeled with a fluorescent peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probe for detection by imaging and conventional cytometry. Exosomes were transfected with fluorescently labeled plasmid DNA and incubated with either human CD21 transgenic mouse splenocytes or human PBMC and assayed for uptake and activation by FACS. Plasmid DNA transfected exosomes were coincubated with human PBMC and evaluated for their ability to expand antigen-specific CD8+ T cells by different methods. Results: EBV LCL and HEK293T derived exosomes were successfully transfected with plasmid DNA as verified by image assisted flow cytometry. Transient transfection of HEK293T cells with plasmids encoding a transgene led to release of exosomes containing the transgene product. EBV LCL and HEK 293T-GP350 derived exosomes increased delivery of plasmid DNA to both human B lymphocytes and transgenic hCD21 mouse B lymphocytes, when compared to naked DNA alone, in an hCD21 dependent fashion. At 24h, plasmid DNA containing B lymphocytes exhibited increased activation and upregulation of CD80/86 costimulatory molecules. Further, human B lymphocytes treated with exosome-plasmid DNA complexes led to antigen mRNA production and expansion of Ag specific CD8 T cells without the need for APC subset enrichment. Studies comparing the immunogenicity of GP350-exosome mediated delivery versus naked DNA delivery are underway in different mouse models. Conclusion: GP350 containing exosomes can successfully increase delivery of plasmid DNA to B lymphocytes even in the presence of other phagocytic cells like macrophages or dendritic cells. This led to detectable antigen production and expansion of cognate Ag specific CD8 T cell expansion without the need for B cell enrichment. Studies examining in vivo immunogenicity of exosomal plasmid DNA delivery are underway, but results to date suggest this approach may be a simple method to boost vaccine efficacy through increased delivery of DNA directly to relevant antigen-presenting B cells. Citation Format: Viswa Teja Colluru, Douglas G. McNeel. GP350 containing exosomes as DNA vaccine carriers. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 2360.
Coupled Optical Parametric Oscillators Based on Oppositely-Oriented Nonlinear Crystal Twins

We have investigated a novel configuration of coupled optical parametric oscillators: signal twins and idler twins are simultaneously generated by both of two oppositely-oriented nonlinear crystal twins. Our theory is supported by our experiment.
Posterior Segment Trauma

Mechanical ocular trauma involving the posterior segment may result in damage to the choroid, vitreous body, retina, macula, and optic nerve, leading to permanent visual impairment or severe visual loss. Complicated cases such as traumatic choroidal hemorrhage, retinal detachment, traumatic macular hole, retinal detachments, and intraocular foreign bodies often bring great challenges to clinicians. Vitreoretinal surgery is usually required in the acute and secondary management of the posterior ocular trauma.
Identifying factors of psychological distress on the experience of pain and symptom management among cancer patients

Epidemiological evidence suggests the impact psychological distress has on symptomatic outcomes (pain) among cancer patients. While studies have examined distress across various medical illnesses, few have examined the relationship of psychological distress and pain among patients diagnosed with cancer. This study aimed to examine the impact psychological distress-related symptoms has on pain frequency, presence of pain, and pain-related distress among oncology patients. Data were collected from a sample of White and Black adults (N = 232) receiving outpatient services from a comprehensive cancer center. Participants were surveyed on questions assessing psychological distress (i.e., worry, feeling sad, difficulty sleeping), and health (pain presence, pain frequency, comorbidities, physical functioning), behavioral (pain-related distress), and demographic characteristics. Patients reporting functional limitations were more likely to report pain. Specifically, those reporting difficulty sleeping and feeling irritable were similarly likely to report pain. Data further showed age and feeling irritable as significant indicators of pain-related distress, with younger adults reporting more distress. It must be recognized that psychological distress and experiences of pain frequency are contingent upon a myriad of factors that are not exclusive, but rather coexisting determinants of health. Further assessment of identified predictors such as age, race, socioeconomic status, and other physical and behavioral indicators are necessary, thus allowing for an expansive understanding of the daily challenges and concerns of individuals diagnosed with cancer, while providing the resources for clinicians, researchers, and policy makers to better meet the needs of this patient population.
Affect, Meta-affect, and Affect Regulation During Complex Learning

Complex learning of difficult subject matter with educational technologies involves a coordination of cognitive, metacognitive, and affective processes. While extensive theoretical and empirical research has examined learners’ cognitive and metacognitive processes, research on affective processes during learning has been slow to emerge. Because learners’ affective states can significantly impact their thoughts, feelings, behavior, and learning outcomes, inquiry into how these states emerge and influence engagement and learning is of vital importance. In this chapter, we describe several key theories of affect, meta-affect, and affect regulation during learning. We then describe our own empirical research that focuses on identifying the affective states that spontaneously emerge during learning with educational technologies, how affect relates to learning outcomes, and how affect can be regulated. The studies that we describe incorporate a variety of educational technologies, different learning contexts, a number of student populations, and diverse methodologies to track affect. We then describe and evaluate an affect-sensitive version of AutoTutor, a fully-automated intelligent tutoring system that detects and helps learners regulate their negative affective states (frustration, boredom, confusion) in order to increase engagement, task persistence, and learning gains. We conclude by discussing future directions of research on affect, meta-affect, and affect regulation during learning with educational technologies.
Comparison of multi-institutional Varian ProBeam pencil beam scanning proton beam commissioning data.

Purpose Commissioning beam data for proton spot scanning beams are compared for the first two Varian ProBeam sites in the United States, at the Maryland Proton Treatment Center (MPTC) and Scripps Proton Therapy Center (SPTC). In addition, the extent to which beams can be matched between gantry rooms at MPTC is investigated. Method Beam data for the two sites were acquired with independent dosimetry systems and compared. Integrated depth dose curves (IDDs) were acquired with Bragg peak ion chambers in a 3D water tank for pencil beams at both sites. Spot profiles were acquired at different distances from the isocenter at a gantry angle of 0° as well as a function of gantry angles. Absolute dose calibration was compared between SPTC and the gantries at MPTC. Dosimetric verification of test plans, output as a function of gantry angle, monitor unit (MU) linearity, end effects, dose rate dependence, and plan reproducibility were compared for different gantries at MPTC. Results The IDDs for the two sites were similar, except in the plateau region, where the SPTC data were on average 4.5% higher for lower energies. This increase in the plateau region decreased as energy increased, with no marked difference for energies higher than 180 MeV. Range in water coincided for all energies within 0.5 mm. The sigmas of the spot profiles in air were within 10% agreement at isocenter. This difference increased as detector distance from the isocenter increased. Absolute doses for the gantries measured at both sites were within 1% agreement. Test plans, output as function of gantry angle, MU linearity, end effects, dose rate dependence, and plan reproducibility were all within tolerances given by TG142. Conclusion Beam data for the two sites and between different gantry rooms were well matched.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Rosacea Fulminans: A Comprehensive Review

Rosacea fulminans is a rare inflammatory condition of the central face marked by the abrupt onset of erythematous coalescing papules, pustules, nodules, and draining sinuses. Due to infrequent reporting in the literature, the pathophysiology, classification, and nomenclature of this condition remain controversial. This comprehensive review evaluated a total of 135 cases of rosacea fulminans for clinical and histopathologic features and reported treatment strategies. Patients were 91% female with an average age of onset of 31.3 years. Only 19% of cases reported duration of symptoms longer than 3 months, and reports of recurrence were uncommon. A majority of patients had history of rosacea or flushing, and common triggers included hormonal shifts, emotional stress, and medications. Extrafacial or systemic involvement was rare. Though oral and topical antibiotics were frequently utilized to treat rosacea fulminans, there was a clear shift in reported treatments for rosacea fulminans following the introduction of isotretinoin use in 1987, marked by increased reliance on isotretinoin in addition to topical and systemic corticosteroids. Newer treatments were associated with superior improvement compared with antibiotic monotherapy, most notably dramatically reduced rates of scarring, though reduced rates of disease recurrence were not evident. Several patterns revealed through this review reinforce the classification of rosacea fulminans as a severe yet distinct variant of rosacea and highlight key distinguishing clinical features and treatment options for optimal management.
Student- and Teacher-Centered Learning in a Supplemental Learning Biology Course.

Students who chose to enroll in a supplemental course associated with a large biology lecture performed better on lecture exams than those students who chose not to enroll in the supplemental course. Sections of the supplemental course were taught with instructor-centered methods prior to some exams, student-centered methods prior to other exams, and a mixture of studentand instructor-centered methods prior to the first and final exams; the treatment (instructoror student-centered learning) sequence varied between sections. This reciprocal repeatedmeasures design allowed for comparison of students’ performance on exams following a series of instructorcentered, student-centered, and mixed sessions. The relative benefits of studentand instructor-centered instructional methods, or a mixture of the two methods, varied among supplemental sections. The section with the highest overall score showed the most improvement following mixed instructional methods, the two intermediate sections showed the most improvement in exam performance following student-centered instruction, and the section with the lowest overall score did not show consistent improvement. Those sections that improved in response to student-centered or mixed instruction methods maintained their improved exam performance throughout the remainder of the semester.
Local Regulation of Thyroid Hormone Signaling

Thyroid hormone (TH) plays important signaling roles in mammalian growth, development, and thermogenesis. Traditionally its actions were thought to be regulated predominately through modulation of free plasma concentrations, intracellular breakdown by deiodinase enzymes and nuclear processing by thyroid receptors. In the past decade, however, there has been some departure from this classical model, whereby regulatory changes at different levels of organization simultaneously modulate its bioavailability and bioactivity. Here I review the recent literature to emphasize how subtle changes at these various levels of regulation can underlie tissue-specific and temporal (development and disease) changes in mammalian systems. For instance, it has become increasingly clear that TH acts both centrally to control sympathetic output and peripherally to regulate metabolism in target tissues. An interesting caveat is that central actions by TH may simultaneously alter its effects at peripheral tissues. In addition to T3, other TH derivatives (e.g., rT3 and T2) have also been shown to possess physiological activity, meaning intracellular processing by deiodinase enzymes is likely more complex than previously thought. Importantly, these TH derivatives can act both through the traditional genomic thyroid receptor pathways for transcriptional control, or more direct, fast-acting, nongenomic mechanisms. This fine-tuning means tissue-specific, ontogenic, and pathological changes in TH processing at any one level can have different consequences for TH bioavailability and bioactivity depending on parallel changes in upstream and/or downstream pathways.
Changes in Transportation-Related Air Pollution Exposures by Race-Ethnicity and Socioeconomic Status: Outdoor Nitrogen Dioxide in the United States in 2000 and 2010

Background: Disparities in exposure to air pollution by race-ethnicity and by socioeconomic status have been documented in the United States, but the impacts of declining transportation-related air...