cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Detection of CWD Prions in Urine and Saliva of Deer by Transgenic Mouse Bioassay

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a prion disease affecting captive and free-ranging cervids (e.g. deer, elk, and moose). The mechanisms of CWD transmission are poorly understood, though bodily fluids are thought to play an important role. Here we report the presence of infectious prions in the urine and saliva of deer with chronic wasting disease (CWD). Prion infectivity was detected by bioassay of concentrated, dialyzed urine and saliva in transgenic mice expressing the cervid PrP gene (Tg[CerPrP] mice). In addition, PrPCWD was detected in pooled and concentrated urine by protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA). The concentration of abnormal prion protein in bodily fluids was very low, as indicated by: undetectable PrPCWD levels by traditional assays (western blot, ELISA) and prolonged incubation periods and incomplete TSE attack rates in inoculated Tg(CerPrP) mice (373±3days in 2 of 9 urine-inoculated mice and 342±109 days in 8 of 9 saliva-inoculated mice). These findings help extend our understanding of CWD prion shedding and transmission and portend the detection of infectious prions in body fluids in other prion infections.
Effect of Polarized Release of CXC-Chemokines from Wild-Type and Cystic Fibrosis Murine Airway Epithelial Cells

The respiratory epithelium lining the airway relies on mucociliary clearance and a complex network of inflammatory mediators to protect the lung. Alterations in the composition and volume of the periciliary liquid layer, as occur in cystic fibrosis (CF), lead to impaired mucociliary clearance and persistent airway infection. Moreover, the respiratory epithelium releases chemoattractants after infection, inciting airway inflammation. However, characterizing the inflammatory response of primary human airway epithelial cells to infection can be challenging because of genetic heterogeneity. Using well-characterized, differentiated, primary murine tracheal cells grown at an air–liquid interface, which provides an in vitro polarized epithelial model, we compared inflammatory gene expression and secretion in wild-type and ΔF508 CF airway cells after infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The expression of several CXC-chemokines, including macrophage inflammatory protein–2, small inducible cytokine subfamily member 2, lipopolysaccharide-induced chemokine, and interferon-inducible cytokine–10, was markedly increased after infection, and these proinflammatory mediators were asymmetrically released from the airway epithelium, predominantly from the basolateral surface. Equal amounts of CXC-chemokines were released from wild-type and CF cells. Secreted mediators were concentrated in the thin, periciliary fluid layer, and the dehydrated apical microenvironment of CF airway epithelial cells amplified the inflammatory signal, potentially resulting in high chemokine concentration gradients across the epithelium. Consistent with this observation, the enhanced chemotaxis of wild-type neutrophils was detected in CF airway epithelial cultures, compared with wild-type cells. These data suggest that P. aeruginosa infection of the airway epithelium induces the expression and polarized secretion of CXC-chemokines, and the increased concentration gradient across the CF airway leads to an exaggerated inflammatory response.
Assessment of ternary iron-cyclodextrin-2-naphthol complexes using NMR and fluorescence spectroscopies

Recent research has indicated that ternary complexes can be formed among carboxymethyl-beta-cyclodextrin, certain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (e.g. anthracene and 2-naphthol), and Fe(2+) in aqueous solution. The formation of these ternary complexes has been suggested as the reason for improved reaction efficiency in iron catalyzed Fenton degradation (H(2)O(2)+Fe(2+)-->*OH+OH(-)+Fe(3+)) of PAHs and other pollutants. In the present work, several other cyclodextrins were examined to determine their ability to form similar ternary complexes with 2-naphthol and Fe(2+). Fluorescence and NMR techniques were employed in this study. Results showed that hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin, beta-cyclodextrin, and alpha-cyclodextrin were able to encapsulate 2-naphthol molecules, but their binding with Fe(2+) was weak. On the contrary, sulfated-beta-cyclodextrin has significant binding with Fe(2+), but it showed little inclusion of 2-naphthol molecules. Consequently, none of these four cyclodextrins formed significant amounts of ternary complexes in aqueous solution. The techniques used in this study provide useful methods for assessing the ability of cyclodextrins to form ternary complexes with guest compounds and metal ions.
Variation in assimilating functions occurs in spontaneous Candida albicans mutants having chromosomal alterations

In this study, four clinical isolates and over 100 colony morphology mutants, previously derived spontaneously from strain 3153A during growth on glucose medium, were examined for their utilization of 21 carbon and 3 nitrogen sources at various growth temperatures. The results demonstrated extensive variability in the pattern of assimilation among the mutants and strains, including both the gain and loss of assimilating functions. The persistent alterations in assimilation patterns observed in sequentially produced subclones illustrated an extensive ability of C. albicans populations to constantly produce new combinations of assimilating functions. The variability among spontaneous mutants derived from a single strain explains the well documented variability among natural isolates. From these results we established a relationship between the previously documented broad spectrum of spontaneous chromosomal aberrations in these mutants to the expression of genes controlling the utilization of alternative carbon and nitrogen sources. The existence of cryptic genes, responsible for growth on alternative substrates, was previously deduced from the analysis of other mutants obtained as a response to the restrictive condition on media containing non-assimilating carbon sources. Thus, mutants with altered assimilation functions can arise either on glucose medium or by selection on restricted media. Extensive differences between the patterns of chromosomal aberrations and the distribution of correlated phenotypes in the two groups of mutants indicated that the same phenotypes may be produced by two different mechanisms involving the same or different genes.
A modification of the in vivo mixed lymphocyte reaction and rapamycin's effect in this model

Abstract Rapamycin, a novel macrocyclic immunosuppressive agent, suppresses murine T cell activation in vitro by mechanisms distinct from cycloporin A (CsA). This study was designed to examine rapamycin and CsA in the host vs graft popliteal lymph node (PLN) model, an in vivo system of T cell-dependent lymphocyte activation. The PLN procedure was modified by using irradiated CTLL-2 cells of C57BL 6 origin, instead of primary mouse splenocytes, as the allogeneic stimulus in C3H HeN recipient mice. PLN cell proliferation was determined by [3H]-thymidine uptake. We found that the host lymphocyte proliferative response to CTLL-2 cells (H-2b) is greater than the response to mouse Balb c splenocytes (H-2d). Rapamycin (ip or po) produced a dose-related inhibition of the in vivo mixed lymphocyte reaction. By contrast, the effects of CsA and FK-506 were not dose related within the same dose range (0.006–12 mg/kg). These data indicate that rapamycin is an effective immunosuppressive agent and confirm its ability to affect the allogeneic T cell response in vivo. Furthermore, the pharmacological data suggest that this PLN model utilizing irradiated CTLL-2 cells as an allogeneic stimulus provides a reproducible system to examine mixed lymphocyte reactions in vivo.
Solution processed microcavity structures with embedded quantum dots

Abstract The authors report the fabrication of a one-dimensional microcavity structure embedded with colloidal CdSe/ZnS core/shell quantum dots using solution processing. The microcavity structures were fabricated by spin coating alternating layers of polymers of different refractive indices (poly-vinylcarbazole—PVK, and poly-acrylic acid—PAA) to form the distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs). Greater than 90% reflectivity was obtained using ten periods of the structure. The one-dimensional microcavity was formed by sandwiching a λ / n thick defect layer between two such DBRs. The emission of the quantum dots from the microcavity structure demonstrated directionality following the cavity mode dispersion and spectral narrowing. Room temperature time-resolved photoluminescence measurements carried out on this structure showed significant reduction in the photoluminescence decay time which is attributed primarily to nonradiative mechanism originating in the presence of the PVK host matrix. The photoluminescence decay time of the quantum dots was found to be ∼1000 ps while for the quantum dots embedded in the polymer host and the microcavity were 400 and 150 ps, respectively.
Bending in low-lying states of N2O+: A qualitative and ab initio molecular orbital study

Abstract Qualitative molecular orbital (MO) theory predicts that the potential energy curve for bending in the electronic ground state (12A″) of N2O+ should exhibit either a point of inflection or a secondary minimum at small angles. The curve calculated by ab initio MO theory exhibits a marked basis set dependence: a minimal and a double-zeta basis set give curves which exhibit a point of inflection near 85° whereas a split valence + polarization basis set gives a curve which exhibits a secondary minimum near 80°. The shape of the potential curve for the 14A″ state below 100°, analysis of the wavefunctions for the 12A″ and 14A″ states, and further exploration of the 12A″ surface all suggest that the isotopic scrambling observed in a photoionization study of N2O in the energy region below the N2O+ (Ā2Σ+) state is more likely to have occurred in the 12A″ state than in the 14A″ state.
Thermal response of hard dental tissues to 9- through 11- um CO2-laser irradiation

The morphology and the chemistry of dental enamel and dentin can be modified by irradiation with a CO2 laser to increase the acid resistance of the intrinsic mineral. The changes induced in hard dental tissues after laser irradiation are predominately determined by the photothermally induced temperature rise in the tissue. Therefore the temperature rise in the irradiated enamel and dentin must be determined under controlled laser conditions. Surface and subsurface temperatures were monitored after multiple-pulse CO2-laser irradiation at ?=9.3, 9.6, 10.3, and 10.6 µm with 1- to 20-J/cm2 pulses of 50- to 500-µs duration using radiometry and microthermocouples. Surface temperatures were significantly higher after 9.3- and 9.6-µm irradiation than for the more commonly utilized 10.6-mm CO2-laser wavelength. Permanent changes in the temperature response of enamel and dentin were observed at fluences greater than 2 J/cm2 and 100-µs duration for dentin and 5 J/cm2 for enamel. CO2-laser irradiation changes the thermal and the optical properties of these tissues, substantially changing the energy deposition for subsequent laser pulses. These changes affect both the amount of energy absorbed and the depth of absorption. The more efficient absorption at ?=9.3 and 9.6 µm may be advantageous for both cariespreventive treatments and ablation of exposed hard dental tissues while minimizing heat deposition in the tooth.
Microscale experimental and modeling wear studies of rail steels

Abstract Rail steel with bainite microstructure was developed to further increase steel hardness for improved durability and wear. Even though bainitic steel has higher bulk hardness, it showed worse wear performance than pearlitic steel, which was attributed to the superior work hardening capabilities of conventional pearlitic steel under severe operating stress conditions. As the effects from the wheel/rail contact are confined to the topmost surface and sub-surface layers, convenient and well-instrumented wear experiments at the microscale were performed and compared with model results. Specifically, a finite element model was developed to simulate microscale wear, including repeated sliding contact to investigate tangential plastic strain. It was found that a simple scratch wear technique along with a computational model could investigate rail wear as well as used as a design tool in developing new rail steels.
A methodology for certification of modeling and simulation applications

Certification of modeling and simulation (M&S) applications poses significant technical challenges for M&S program managers, engineers, and practitioners. Certification is becoming increasingly more important as M&S applications are used more and more for military training, complex system design evaluation, M&S-based acquisition, problem solving, and critical decision making. Certification, a very complex process, involves the measurement and evaluation of hundreds of qualitative and quantitative elements, mandates subject matter expert evaluation, and requires the integration of different evaluations. Planning and managing such measurements and evaluations requires a unifying methodology and should not be performed in an ad hoc manner. This paper presents such a methodology. The methodology consists of the following body of methods, rules, and postulates: (a) employment of subject matter experts, (b) construction of a hierarchy of indicators, (c) relative criticality weighting of indicators using the analytic hierarchy process, (d) using a rule-based expert knowledge base with an object-oriented specification language, (e) assignment of crisp, fuzzy, and nominal scores for the indicators, (f) aggregation of indicator scores, (g) graphical representation of the indicator scores and weights, (h) hypertext certification report, and (i) interpretation of the results. The methodology can be used for certification of any kind of M&S application either throughout the M&S development life cycle or after the development is completed.
The Chicago Response to Urban Problems Building University-Community Collaborations

University-community relationships are sometimes marked by division and hostility. Key problems in the relationship include the assumed objectivity of the academy and the real estate interests of universities. The history and description of these relationships in Chicago indicates that there are other historical trends that have led to fruitful partnerships, including the strength and diversity of community groups and change and diversity in university students and personnel. This article uses the examples of the UIC Neighborhoods Initiative at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the Policy Research Action Group to show how strong, viable collaborations can occur. Their experiences point to a new research model and some key lessons learned on how to use collaborative partnerships to enhance the way society deals with today's urban problems.
Non-AIDS-Defining Malignancies in the HIV-Infected Population

With the advent of effective combination antiretroviral therapy, HIV infection has been transformed from a fatal disease to a chronic condition. There is renewed clinical interest in long-term morbidities, including malignancies that occur disproportionately within this population. Non-AIDS-defining cancers (NADCs) are a significant source of morbidity and mortality in the aging HIV-infected population. There are data to suggest that incidence rates are elevated among HIV-infected individuals for many cancer sites, particularly those with a confirmed or suspected infectious etiology. The complex interplay between behavioral risk factors, coexistence of viral infections, immunodeficiency and antiretroviral therapy makes it difficult to analyze why certain cancers develop more frequently in HIV-infected individuals. The challenge to clinicians caring for HIV-infected patients is to develop and implement effective means to screen, treat, and prevent NADCs in the future. This review presents data on whether NADCs are increased in the HIV-Infected population, as well as ongoing research on epidemiology, prevention and pathogenesis of this evolving aspect of the HIV epidemic.
Measuring film thickness using infrared imaging

Infrared imaging was used to measure the thickness of a Krylon® flat black spray paint coating applied to the surface of steel test coupons. Thermal signals were generated in the test samples by applying a cyclic tensile load at various frequencies, which generated a corresponding thermo-elastic temperature change. Since the substrate is a better thermo-elastic generator than the paint, the heat generated in the metal conducts through the paint during each cycle of loading and is easily distinguished from the paint signal. Test samples were prepared with a stepped progression of controlled paint thickness, and infrared images taken using a Delta Therm 1000 IR imaging system. The infrared signal intensity as well as the phase lag relative to the applied loading were directly related to the paint thickness. The experimental results are described well using existing heat conduction models. Though the proposed method was proven using thermoelastic heating, any heat source below the paint can be used to provide the necessary reference signal. Furthermore, the method can also be used for any coating type and is not limited to paint coatings.
Variations in aspartic acid racemization in uniformly preserved plants about 11000 years old

Abstract Amino acid racemization forms a basis for determining the chronology and paleotemperature of old plant constituents. Disparity in the extent of aspartic acid racemization was found in different taxa of plants subjected to the same environmental history and found in close proximity within an ancient packrat midden. One taxon showed different rates of aspartic acid racemization in two different anatomical sites. Temperature, pH and time being virtually identical in this one micro-environment within the midden, the differences in racemization rates may have been ultimately derived from physiological variants among the plants. Thus, at least, aspartic acid racemization data should be used selectively.
Engineering faculty drawing the line: a taxonomy of boundary work in academic engineering

In this paper, I import the conceptual tool of boundary work from other disciplines to the study of academic engineers and I expand on existing research on boundary work based on interviews from 10 engineering faculty members at a research-oriented university. Analyzing participants’ interview responses for language associated with boundary metaphors yields a rich lexicon of terms related to the complicated characterization and categorization of ideas and values that they associate with engineering. Through this analysis, I introduce the concept of boundary markers as conceptual objects that delineate the edge of a boundary. I define and describe a taxonomy of the different sorts of boundary work participants do as recognition, mapping, reproduction, and resistance. I argue that boundaries have characteristics of continuity, mobility, and functionality. This paper can enhance our understanding of academic engineering and engineering education by making visible – via a cognitive tool developed from their c...
Squamous cell carcinoma of the buccal mucosa

The purpose of this study was to establish treatment criteria for patients with early-stage squamous cell carcinoma of the buccal mucosa. Thirty-one patients were analyzed in a retrospective fashion. Distribution of patients according to tumor stage was relatively even. Within 5 years recurrent disease developed in nearly 80% of evaluable patients. There was a 100% overall incidence of local disease recurrence for patients with stage I and II tumors treated with wide local excision alone and followed up for more than 2 years. On the basis of these data, we conclude that wide local excision for early-stage buccal carcinoma is associated with a high local failure rate. Possible causes for failure and alternative treatment approaches are discussed.
Mitochondrial Plasmids of the Gaeumannomyces-Phialophora Complex and Their Detection by Primed, in Situ Fluorescence Labeling

Henson, J. M., and Caesar-TonThat, T. C. 1995. Mitochondrial plasmids of the Gaeumannomyces-Phialophora complex and their detection by primed, in situ fluorescence labeling. Experimental Mycology 19, 263-274. Double-stranded, linear DNA mitochondrial plasmids were detected in most Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici and var. avenae isolates, but were infrequently detected in G. graminis var. graminis , and only detected once in other Gaeumannomyces or Magnaporthe species. Plasmids were 4-11 kb and were apparently blocked at their 5′ termini, as they were resistant to 5′ → 3′ exonuclease digestion. Two plasmids that shared homology were further characterized. Apparently they were not derived from the mitochondrial or nuclear genomes as they did not hybridize strongly to them. An internal fragment was cloned from one plasmid and used as a primer for primed, in situ labeling with cryosectioned hyphae. Plasmid-bearing strains had fluorescent signal in a pattern expected of a mitochondrial location for plasmids, whereas plasmid-less strains did not fluoresce. This is the first use of cryosectioned hyphae and mitochondrial probes with in situ fluorescence labeling in fungi.
The influence of ethanol exposure on insulin-like growth factor (IGF) type II receptors in fetal rat tissues

The effect of ethanol (ETOH) exposure on the IGF type II receptor concentration was examined in 18 and 20 day fetal rat tissues. Pregnant dams were fed an ETOH (36% of calories derived from ETOH; 6.6% v/v) liquid diet. Control fetuses were offspring of dams either pair-fed a control liquid diet or ad libitum-fed a standard pelleted lab chow. Fetal brain, heart, kidney, liver, lung and skeletal muscle were removed and whole homogenates from individual animals were analyzed. Results of immunoquantification of IGF type II receptors in whole tissue homogenates show that there is a trend towards increased receptor concentration between 18 and 20 days in all tissue and this trend is significant for lung, liver and muscle. There were no significant differences in receptor concentration between treatment groups. These studies suggest that during the later stages of fetal development, there is an increase in total IGF type II receptors and this increase is undisturbed by ETOH exposure.
Feeding low calcium and zinc molt diets sustains gastrointestinal fermentation and limits Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis colonization in laying hens

The objective of these experiments was to determine whether alternative molting diets would minimize Salmonella enterica serovar Entertitidis (S. Enteritidis) colonization in molting hens. Hens were randomly assigned to four treatment groups of 12 hens either full-fed (nonmolt, NM), molted by feed withdrawal (molt, M), a low calcium (LC containing 800 mg calcium), or LC diet supplemented with 110 mg zinc/kg of diet (LC-ZN) in two trials. All hens were challenged orally with 10 5 SE on day 4 of experiment. Hen body weight loss was significantly (P < 0.05) increased and ovarian weight was significantly (P < 0.05) decreased in hens fed the LC or LC-ZN diets compared to NM. Cecal lactic acid concentrations were significantly (P < 0.05) increased in hens fed alternative molting diets. Feed withdrawal molted hens exhibited significantly (P < 0.05) more S. Enteritidis positive and S. Enteritidis crop, cecal, and organ colonization than NM, LC and LC-ZN hens. Alternative molt diets retain sufficient fermentative activity to limit S. Enteritidis colonization and therefore may have potential to avoid the risk of increasing S. Enteritidis colonization associated with feed withdrawal.
Edge cosymmetric graphs

This study explores the structure of graphs which together with their complements are edge symmetric.
Modification of morphine withdrawal by interferon

Abstract Naloxone was administered to morphine dependent rats to elicit the opioid abstinence syndrome. Recombinant leukocyte A interferon treatment one hour prior to naloxone injection eliminated almost all of the abstinence behavioral signs observed.
Strategies for mitigating risk to buildings from abnormal load events

Building structures customarily are designed to withstand loads from their occupants and the natural environment. The normal design process provides a measure of structural integrity that is also available to withstand events that traditionally have been outside the design envelope, including accidents, misuse, and sabotage. Changes in design and construction practices over the past several decades have lessened inherent robustness in certain modern structural systems, making them vulnerable to such events. Social and political factors also have led to an increase in hazardous events that may pose a risk to buildings. Finally, public awareness of building safety has increased as a result of well-publicised natural and man-made disasters. Building practices to mitigate the risk of abnormal loads and ensuing unacceptable damage or collapse can be improved using concepts of structural reliability and risk analysis. This paper summarises the basis for such practices, from the perspective of a structural engineer.
Overexpression of Follistatin-Like 3 in Gonads Causes Defects in Gonadal Development and Function in Transgenic Mice

Activin has numerous biological activities including regulation of follicular development, spermatogenesis, and steroidogenesis within the gonads. Activities of activin are regulated by follistatin (FST), an activin binding protein, and perhaps follistatin-like 3 (FSTL3; also known as FLRG and FSRP). FSTL3 is a recently described member of the FST family having an overall structure and activity profile similar to that of FST, including binding and neutralization of activin. FSTL3 is most highly expressed in the placenta and testis, whereas FST is highest in the ovary and kidney, suggesting that FSTL3 has biological actions that do not entirely overlap those of FST. To investigate the role of local FSTL3 as a potential regulator of activin action in gonad development and function, we examined FSTL3 expression in the mouse testis. FSTL3 protein was localized to Leydig cells, spermatagonia, and mature spermatids in normal male mice. We then created transgenic mice using a human FSTL3 cDNA driven by the mouse...
Risk aversion and practical expected value: a simulation of the St. Petersburg game

Daniel Bernoulli 's classic St. Petersburg paradox is revisited in an attempt to resolve the intriguing issue; how should individual risk preference be differentiated? The authors argue that, unlik...
Fatigue in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma receiving sunitinib on an intermittent versus continuous dosing schedule in a randomized phase II trial.

A phase II trial in advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) found no benefit in efficacy or safety between patients receiving oral sunitinib 50 mg/day for 4 weeks followed by 2-week off-treatment (Schedule 4/2) and those receiving 37.5 mg continuous daily sunitinib. We hypothesized that fatigue would have a more variable “on-off” effect with the 4/2 schedule. A total of 292 patients completed two fatigue-related items on Days 1 and 29 of each treatment cycle. Mean absolute slopes were compared across treatments. A planned analysis of item “I feel fatigued” demonstrated that the mean absolute slope was greater in Schedule 4/2 compared to continuous dosing (0.042 vs. 0.032, P = 0.003), and analysis based on the change from Day 1 to Day 29 (0.52 vs. 0.21, P = 0.002) and, separately, Day 29 to the next Day 1 (−0.38 vs. −0.05, P < 0.001) showed the changes to be significantly larger in Schedule 4/2 than continuous dosing. “I have a lack of energy” showed a similar pattern graphically, however, the planned analysis was not statistically significant based on the absolute slopes but was when Day 1 to Day 29 and Day 29 to Day 1 changes were analyzed separately. The 4/2 arm was associated with a greater degree of variability in fatigue reflecting a possible “on-off” effect whereby patients receiving the 4/2 schedule reported less fatigue at the beginning of each cycle compared to Day 29. The findings can inform care for individuals with advanced RCC receiving intermittent dosing of sunitinib.
The Community College Route to the Bachelor’s Degree:

It is well established that students who begin post-secondary education at a community college are less likely to earn a bachelor’s degree than otherwise similar undergraduates who begin at a 4-year school, but there is less consensus over the mechanisms generating this disparity. We explore these using national longitudinal transcript data and propensity-score methods. Inferior academic preparation does not seem to be the main culprit: We find few differences between students’ academic progress at each type of institution during the first 2 years of college and (contrary to some earlier scholarship) students who do transfer have BA graduation rates equal to similar students who begin at 4-year colleges. However, after 2 years, credit accumulation diverges in the two kinds of institutions, due in part to community college students’ greater involvement in employment, and a higher likelihood of stopping out of college, after controlling for their academic performance. Contrary to some earlier claims, we fin...
A look at the impact of raising standards in developmental mathematics

AbstractIn this paper, we assess the effect of higher entry and exit standards at a community college in New York City. A complex set of university and college-wide policy modifications led to an increase in placement test cut-scores as well as increased requirements to complete remediation. The implementation of this policy change allows us to utilize quasiexperimental techniques. Utilizing cross-tabulations and logistic regressions from a total of 481 students, our results indicate that an increase in standards was associated with a significant decline in developmental sequence completion and credit-bearing course completion. On the basis of our findings, we conclude that the institution of higher standards alone is not a successful strategy; and in fact, can be expected to adversely affect student progression. Instead, we suggest that an increase in standards should include an increase in student supports to mitigate negative effects on students. We discuss these findings using the opposing forces fram...
Rome and Rhodes in the Second Century B.C.: A Historiographical Inquiry

Ancient Rhodes reached a pinnacle of power in the early second century B.C. For twenty years—from Apamea to Pydna—her fleet was unrivalled in the Aegean and her mainland possessions encompassed most of Lycia and Caria. Ally and helpmate of Rome in the war on Antiochus III, Rhodes gained much profit from the association, in prestige and territorial acquisitions. But her heyday was brief, her fall swift and calamitous. After Pydna, Rhodes felt the heavy hand of Rome: she forfeited most of her mainland holdings; her economy suffered ruinous setback; the island republic was humbled and humiliated. So dramatic a reversal of fortune demands explanation.
DCL: protocols and primitives for distributed and concurrent computing in networked environments

We present design and implementation strategies for providing general purpose distributed computing primitives on computer networks. This suite of primitives is intended to be a framework within which distributed and concurrent applications may be built in networked environments, in the absence of a distributed operating system. The proposed constructs are derived from typical application requirements, and include group communications, synchronization and recovery, and integrated distributed primitives such as mutual exclusion and consensus. We define an extensible suite of general purpose distributed computing primitives, discuss algorithms for their implementation, and present performance results and experiences. >
Dracula ant phylogeny as inferred by nuclear 28S rDNA sequences and implications for ant systematics (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Amblyoponinae)

Ants are one of the most ecologically and numerically dominant families of organisms in almost every terrestrial habitat throughout the world, though they include only about 1% of all described insect species. The development of eusociality is thought to have been a driving force in the striking diversification and dominance of this group, yet we know little about the evolution of the major lineages of ants and have been unable to clearly determine their primitive characteristics. Ants within the subfamily Amblyoponinae are specialized arthropod predators, possess many anatomically and behaviorally primitive characters and have been proposed as a possible basal lineage within the ants. We investigate the phylogenetic relationships among the members of the subfamily, using nuclear 28S rDNA sequence data. Outgroups for the analysis include members of the poneromorph and leptanillomorph (Apomyrma, Leptanilla) ant subfamilies, as well as three wasp families. Parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian analyses provide strong support for the monophyly of a clade containing the two genera Apomyrma + Mystrium (100% bpp; 97% ML bs; and 97% MP bs), and moderate support for the monophyly of the Amblyoponinae as long as Apomyrma (Apomyrminae) is included (87% bpp; 57% ML bs; and 76% MP bs). Analyses did not recover evidence of monophyly of the Amblyopone genus, while the monophyly of the other genera in the subfamily is supported. Based on these results we provide a morphological diagnosis of the Amblyoponinae that includes Apomyrma. Among the outgroup taxa, Typhlomyrmex grouped consistently with Ectatomma, supporting the recent placement of Typhlomyrmex in the Ectatomminae. The results of this present study place the included ant subfamilies into roughly two clades with the basal placement of Leptanilla unclear. One clade contains all the Amblyoponinae (including Apomyrma), Ponerinae, and Proceratiinae (Poneroid clade). The other clade contains members from subfamilies Cerapachyinae, Dolichoderinae, Ectatomminae, Formicinae, Myrmeciinae, and Myrmicinae (Formicoid clade).
Radium distribution and indoor radon in the Pacific Northwest

Aerial gamma-ray data were compiled to produce a map showing the distribution of radium ({sup 226}Ra) in near-surface materials in the Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, and parts of Montana, Wyoming, California, Nevada, and Utah). A comparison of measurements of indoor concentration levels of radon ({sup 222}Rn) in homes with the apparent surface concentration of radium shows that aerial gamma-ray data provide a first order estimate of the relative amounts of indoor radon for township-sized areas where soils have low to moderate permeability. Townships with average indoor radon levels above the general trend of the data are almost all characterized by soils that have higher intrinsic permeabilities.
Interactive Multi-Objective Inverse Groundwater Modeling - Formulation and Addressing User Fatigue

This paper builds on work done on using interactive multi-objective genetic algorithms (IMOGA) to solve the groundwater inverse problem (Singh & Minsker, 2005) by searching for optimal hydraulic conductivity fields conditioned on field measurements of hydraulic heads and conductivities. The biggest challenge faced when using such interactive systems is that of user fatigue because the user is expected to evaluate many solutions during the search process. This paper discusses a two-step approach to reduce user fatigue. First the user is shown only a fraction of the total population in every generation. To ensure minimum redundancy during evaluation, the solutions are clustered using unsupervised clustering and the expert is shown unique samples from distinct clusters. Next the unranked solutions are ranked using a surrogate model that ‘learns’ from the user preferences. This is implemented using a supervised classification algorithm to cluster the solutions based on the 2-D images of hydraulic conductivity. We test ‘content-based’ and ‘spectral’ algorithms for the clustering and classification as these have been shown to be similar to how humans process images. The work on applying and testing these algorithms is ongoing and this paper discusses some preliminary results. Complete results will be shown at the EWRI conference.
Interactive visualization of three-dimensional vector fields with flexible appearance control

We present an interactive texture-based algorithm for visualizing three-dimensional steady and unsteady vector fields. The goal of the algorithm is to provide a general volume rendering framework allowing the user to compute three-dimensional flow textures interactively and to modify the appearance of the visualization on the fly. To achieve our goal, we decouple the visualization pipeline into two disjoint stages. First, flow lines are generated from the 3D vector data. Various geometric properties of the flow paths are extracted and converted into a volumetric form using a hardware-assisted slice sweeping algorithm. In the second phase of the algorithm, the attributes stored in the volume are used as texture coordinates to look up an appearance texture to generate both informative and aesthetic representations of the vector field. Our algorithm allows the user to interactively navigate through different regions of interest in the underlying field and experiment with various appearance textures. With our algorithm, visualizations with enhanced structural perception using various visual cues can be rendered in real time. A myriad of existing geometry-based and texture-based visualization techniques can also be emulated.
Ch-ch-changes: hormones link stem cell differentiation with metabolic flux.

Emerging evidence strongly suggests that stem cells and their differentiated progeny display distinct metabolic profiles, but how metabolic changes are coupled with organogenesis has remained unclear. Homem et al. (2014) now reveal a hormone-dependent pathway that couples metabolic changes with stem cell differentiation, thereby terminating neurogenesis in the Drosophila brain.
Cytoskeletal proteins in cortical development and disease: actin associated proteins in periventricular heterotopia

The actin cytoskeleton regulates many important cellular processes in the brain, including cell division and proliferation, migration, and cytokinesis and differentiation. These developmental processes can be regulated through actin dependent vesicle and organelle movement, cell signaling, and the establishment and maintenance of cell junctions and cell shape. Many of these processes are mediated by extensive and intimate interactions of actin with cellular membranes and proteins. Disruption in the actin cytoskeleton in the brain gives rise to periventricular heterotopia (PH), a malformation of cortical development, characterized by abnormal neurons clustered deep in the brain along the lateral ventricles. This disorder can give rise to seizures, dyslexia and psychiatric disturbances. Anatomically, PH is characterized by a smaller brain (impaired proliferation), heterotopia (impaired initial migration) and disruption along the neuroependymal lining (impaired cell-cell adhesion). Genes causal for PH have also been implicated in actin-dependent processes. The current review provides mechanistic insight into actin cytoskeletal regulation of cortical development in the context of this malformation of cortical development.
CURRENT NONCONSERVATION IN THE LIGHT CONE QUANTIZATION OF THE SCALAR FIELD

As an extension of an earlier work which demonstrated the existence of a current anomaly in the 't Hooft model, the case of a gauge field coupled to a scalar field is considered. It is found that for quantization on the two-dimensional light-cone the same contradiction of the gauge field equations occurs in the scalar case as was found for the spinor field. The calculations are performed in both co-ordinate space and momentum space with verification by the latter approach emerging as a simple consequence of some recently discovered modifications required of propagators in light-cone co-ordinates.
An Analysis of Discouraged Small Businesses: An International Perspective

We use a unique firm-level survey database compiled by the World Bank in order to examine the drivers of discouraged small businesses in various developing economies around the world. Our results confirm that older or larger firms are less likely to be discouraged. We find that level of c ompetition and their relationships with banks and other financial institutions have a significant impact on the probability of a firm in being discouraged. Our results also provide evidence that ther e are significant differences among discouraged firms in the relatively developed economies and those in the relatively underdeveloped economies within our data. For instance, firm size is the ma in characteristic associated with the probability of a firm being discouraged for firms in relatively developed economies. While for firms in relatively underdeveloped economies, additional factors like firm size, firm age, relationships of firms with banks and other financial inst itutions, level of competition, and the firm’s financial status, play an important role. Further a nalysis on firm size and the developmental status of the countries in our data suggests that a lower probability of being discouraged is, in fact, associated with factors like having stronger relationships with financial institutions among either the relatively smaller sized firms, or those ope rating in relatively underdeveloped economies. Finally, we provide evidence that countries with higher growth rates appear to have a lower proportion of discouraged borrowers overall.
Enhanced Cytotoxic CD8 T Cell Priming Using Dendritic Cell–Expressing Human Papillomavirus-16 E6/E7-p16INK4 Fusion Protein with Sequenced Anti–Programmed Death-1

The incidence of human papillomavirus (HPV)-related head and neck squamous cell carcinoma has increased in recent decades, though HPV prevention vaccines may reduce this rise in the future. HPV-related cancers express the viral oncoproteins E6 and E7. The latter inactivates the tumor suppressor protein retinoblastoma (Rb), which leads to the overexpression of p16(INK4) protein, providing unique Ags for therapeutic HPV-specific cancer vaccination. We developed potential adenoviral vaccines that express a fusion protein of HPV-16 E6 and E7 (Ad.E6E7) alone or fused with p16 (Ad.E6E7p16) and also encoding an anti-programmed death (PD)-1 Ab. Human monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DC) transduced with Ad.E6E7 or Ad.E6E7p16 with or without Ad.αPD1 were used to activate autologous CD8 CTL in vitro. CTL responses were tested against naturally HPV-infected head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells using IFN-γ ELISPOT and [(51)Cr]release assay. Surprisingly, stimulation and antitumor activity of CTL were increased after incubation with Ad.E6E7p16-transduced DC (DC.E6E7p16) compared with Ad.E6E7 (DC.E6E7), a result that may be due to an effect of p16 on cyclin-dependent kinase 4 levels and IL-12 secretion by DC. Moreover, the beneficial effect was most prominent when anti-PD-1 was introduced during the second round of stimulation (after initial priming). These data suggest that careful sequencing of Ad.E6E7.p16 with Ad.αPD1 could improve antitumor immunity against HPV-related tumors and that p16 may enhance the immunogenicity of DC, through cyclin-dependent pathways, Th1 cytokine secretion, and by adding a nonviral Ag highly overexpressed in HPV-induced cancers.
Verification and Validation of Roof Bolter Simulation Models for Studying Events between a Machine and its Operator

This paper presents the results of a study to verify and validate a computer model that represents and analyzes motions and hazardous events in a simulated threedimensional workplace. The purpose of the computer model is to support research that is investigating the safe speed range for the vertical movement of roof bolter boom arms to reduce worker injuries in underground coal mines. The information obtained for this paper is based upon a project that is investigating means to reduce workers risks of injury from exposure to mining machinery. The methodology being employed by the project includes human factors design considerations, anthropometric modeling and simulation tools, laboratory validation, engineering interventions, and collaboration with industry and an equipment manufacturer. The results of this study were used to (1) determine the input parameters that are unique to the mining environment and needed to develop a credible, computer-based, human-machine interactive model, (2) develop test methods to measure the required parameters, and (3) to refine the human-machine interactive computer model.
When are natural and urban environments restorative? The impact of environmental compatibility on self‐control restoration

Abstract This research investigates the role of environmental cues found in consumer contexts on the restoration of self-control resources. In doing so, we challenge the often-repeated claim that natural environments benefit consumer well-being more than urban environments by focusing on environmental compatibility: the match between environmental characteristics and an individuals' motivational orientation. Across three studies, we find that individuals high in neuroticism experience greater self-control restoration when exposed to environmental cues associated with more anxiety while the reverse is true for individual who are low in neuroticism. Importantly, these results occur regardless of whether the environmental cues are inherent in urban consumer contexts, like a bookstore, or natural consumer contexts, like a safari vacation experience. We find preliminary process evidence that consumers low in neuroticism require fewer attentional resources when processing environmentally compatible cues, leading to self-control restoration.
Self-Regeneration of Pd–LaFeO3 Catalysts: New Insight from Atomic-Resolution Electron Microscopy

Aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy was used to study atomic-scale processes in Pd-LaFeO(3) catalysts. Clear evidence for diffusion of Pd into LaFeO(3) and out of LaFe(0.95)Pd(0.05)O(3-δ) under high-temperature oxidizing and reducing conditions, respectively, was found, but the extent to which these processes occurred was quite limited. These observations cast doubt that such phenomena play a significant role in a postulated mechanism of self-regeneration of this system as an automotive exhaust-gas catalyst.
Postweaning growth and carcass traits in crossbred cattle from Hereford, Angus, Norwegian Red, Swedish Red and White, Friesian, and Wagyu maternal grandsires

The objective of this study was to characterize breeds representing diverse biological types for postweaning growth and carcass composition traits in terminal crossbred cattle. Postweaning growth and carcass traits were analyzed on 434 steers and 373 heifers obtained by mating F1 cows to Charolais sires. Maternal grandsires represented Hereford, Angus, and MARC III (1/4 Hereford, 1/4 Angus, 1/4 Pinzgauer, and 1/4 Red Poll) dams to Hereford or Angus (British Breeds), Norwegian Red, Swedish Red and White, Wagyu, or Friesian breeds. Breed groups were slaughtered serially in each of 2 yr (2002 and 2003). Postweaning ADG, slaughter weight, hot carcass weight, dressing percentage, percentage Choice, LM area, marbling score, USDA yield grade, fat thickness, retail product yield (percentage), retail product weight, fat yield (percentage), fat weight, bone yield (percentage), and bone weight were analyzed. Maternal grandsire breed was significant (P < 0.05) for all traits except dressing percentage, percentage Choice, and LM area. Marbling score for animals with Norwegian Red, Wagyu, Swedish Red and White, British Breeds, and Friesian inheritance was 550, 544, 532, 530, and 515, respectively (SEM = 8). Retail product weight for these animals was 224, 211, 227, 223, and 223 kg, respectively (SEM = 2 kg). Maternal granddam breed was not significant for any of the traits analyzed. Grandsire breed effects can be optimized by selection and use of appropriate crossbreeding systems.