cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biodegradable PLGA based nanoparticles for sustained regional lymphatic drug delivery

The purpose of this work is to evaluate biodegradable drug carriers with defined size, hydrophobicity, and surface charge density for preferential lymphatic uptake and retention for sustained regional drug delivery. PLGA-PMA:PLA-PEG (PP) nanoparticles of defined size and relative hydrophobicity were prepared by nanoprecipitation method. These were compared with PS particles of similar sizes and higher hydrophobicity. PLGA-PMA:PLGA-COOH (PC) particles at 80:20, 50:50, and 20:80 ratios were prepared by nanoprecipitation for the charge study. Particle size and zeta potential were characterized by dynamic light scattering and laser doppler anemometry, respectively. Particles were administered in vivo to rats subcutaneously. Systemic and lymph node uptake was evaluated by marker recovery. Lymphatic uptake and node retention of PP nanoparticles was shown to be inversely related to size. Lymphatic uptake and node retention of PP particles, as compared to PS particles, was shown to be inversely related to hydrophobicity. Lastly, lymphatic uptake and node retention of PC nanoparticles were directly related to the anionic charge on the particles. In vivo lymphatic uptake and retention in a rat model indicates that the 50 nm PP particles are ideal for sustained regional delivery into the lymphatics for prevention/treatment of oligometastases.
Analysis of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes Detected in Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Isolated from Food Animals

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is the most prevalent penta-resistant serovar isolated from animals by the U.S. National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System. Penta-resistant isolates are often resistant to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, streptomycin, sulfamethoxazole, and tetracycline. To investigate MDR in Salmonella Typhimurium (including variant 5-), one isolate each from cattle, poultry, and swine with at least the ampicillin, chloramphenicol, streptomycin, sulfamethoxazole, and tetracycline phenotype were selected for each year from 1997 to 2007 (n = 33) for microarray analysis of antimicrobial resistance, incompatibility IncA/C, and HI1 plasmid genes. Cluster analysis based on these data separated 31 of the isolates into two groups A and B (15 and 16 isolates, respectively). Isolates in group A were phage type DT104 or U302 and were mostly swine isolates (7/15). Genes detected included intI1, bla(PSE-1), floR, aadA, sulI, tet(G), and tetR, which are often found in Salmonella Genomic Island I. Isolates in group B had numerous IncA/C plasmid genes detected and were mostly cattle isolates (9/16). Genes detected included bla(CMY-2), floR, aac(3), aadA, aphA1, strA, strB, sulI, sulII, dfrA, dhf, tet(A)(B)(C)(D), and tetR, which are often found on MDR-AmpC IncA/C plasmids. The IncA/C replicon was also detected in all group B isolates. The two remaining isolates did not cluster with any others and both had many HI1 plasmid genes detected. Linkage disequilibrium analysis detected significant associations between plasmid replicon type, phage type, and animal source. These data suggest that MDR in Salmonella Typhimurium is associated with DT104/Salmonella Genomic Island I or IncA/C MDR-AmpC encoding plasmids and these genetic elements have persisted throughout the study period.
Highly turbulent counterflow flames: A laboratory scale benchmark for practical systems

We propose a highly turbulent counterflow flame as a very useful benchmark of complexity intermediate between laminar flames and practical systems. By operating in a turbulent Reynolds number regime of relevance to practical systems such as gas turbines and internal combustion engines, it retains the interaction of turbulence and chemistry of such environments, but offers several advantages including: (a) the achievement of high Reynolds numbers without pilot flames, which is particularly advantageous from a modeling standpoint; (b) control of the transition from stable flames to local extinction/reignition conditions; (c) compactness of the domain by comparison with jet flames, with obvious advantages from both a diagnostic and, especially, a computational viewpoint; and (d) the reduction or, altogether, elimination of soot formation, thanks to the high strain rates and low residence times of such a system, and the establishment of conditions of large stoichiometric mixture fraction, as required for robust flame stabilization. We demonstrate the phenomenology of such highly strained turbulent flames under conditions spanning unpremixed, partially premixed and premixed regimes. The system lends itself to the validation of DNS and other computational models. It is also well-suited for the examination of practical fuel blends – a need that is becoming more and more pressing in view of the anticipated diversification of the future fossil fuel supply.
Tsx Produces a Long Noncoding RNA and Has General Functions in the Germline, Stem Cells, and Brain

The Tsx gene resides at the X-inactivation center and is thought to encode a protein expressed in testis, but its function has remained mysterious. Given its proximity to noncoding genes that regulate X-inactivation, here we characterize Tsx and determine its function in mice. We find that Tsx is actually noncoding and the long transcript is expressed robustly in meiotic germ cells, embryonic stem cells, and brain. Targeted deletion of Tsx generates viable offspring and X-inactivation is only mildly affected in embryonic stem cells. However, mutant embryonic stem cells are severely growth-retarded, differentiate poorly, and show elevated cell death. Furthermore, male mice have smaller testes resulting from pachytene-specific apoptosis and a maternal-specific effect results in slightly smaller litters. Intriguingly, male mice lacking Tsx are less fearful and have measurably enhanced hippocampal short-term memory. Combined, our study indicates that Tsx performs general functions in multiple cell types and links the noncoding locus to stem and germ cell development, learning, and behavior in mammals.
Credit Constraints, Job Mobility, and Entrepreneurship: Evidence from a Property Reform in China

This paper provides new evidence on the impact of private property rights on entrepreneurship. I explore this issue in the context of a housing reform in urban China that allowed state employees renting state-owned housing the opportunity to buy their homes at subsidized prices. Using the reform as an exogenous change in the capital constraints and mobility costs that inuence individuals’ entry
Survival of Hepatitis C Virus in Syringes: Implication for Transmission among Injection Drug Users

Background We hypothesized that the high prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) among injection drug users might be due to prolonged virus survival in contaminated syringes. Methods We developed a microculture assay to examine the viability of HCV. Syringes were loaded with blood spiked with HCV reporter virus (Jc1/GLuc2A) to simulate 2 scenarios of residual volumes: low void volume (2 microL) for 1-mL insulin syringes and high void volume (32 microL) for 1-mL tuberculin syringes. Syringes were stored at 4 degrees C, 22 degrees C, and 37 degrees C for up to 63 days before testing for HCV infectivity by using luciferase activity. Results The virus decay rate was biphasic (t1/2alpha= 0.4 h and t1/2beta = 28 hh). Insulin syringes failed to yield viable HCV beyond day 1 at all storage temperatures except 4 degrees , in which 5% of syringes yielded viable virus on day 7. Tuberculin syringes yielded viable virus from 96%, 71%, and 52% of syringes after storage at 4 degrees, 22 degrees, and 37 degrees for 7 days, respectively, and yielded viable virus up to day 63. Conclusions The high prevalence of HCV among injection drug users may be partly due to the resilience of the virus and the syringe type. Our findings may be used to guide prevention strategies.
Effect of acclimation period on the relationship of acute copper toxicity to water hardness for fathead minnows

The acute (96-h) toxicity of copper sulfate to fathead minnows was tested in a 2 × 2 factorial experiment, with factors being low (ca. 1 meq/L) and high (ca. 4 meq/L) water hardness during an acclimation period and low and high hardness during the exposure period. Acclimation hardness was found to have no significant effects on copper lethality, except that the 24-h LC50 at high exposure hardness was 44% higher for fish subject to low acclimation hardness than fish subject to high acclimation hardness. In contrast, exposure hardness was found to have major effects, with LC50s being two to three times greater at high exposure hardness than at low, regardless of the acclimation hardness. These results suggest that the extent of the acclimation period is not a general, severely confounding factor for previous reports of the effects of hardness on copper toxicity to fish, although it may assume some importance for some species and test conditions.
The Roman Revolution of Constantine: CONSTANTINE'S RESCRIPT TO HISPELLUM

C onstantine replied to the petition from hispellum and the other Umbrian cities sometime after late December 333, and most likely before mid-September 335. During this period he was either in or near Constantinople, or he was campaigning in the Balkans. Unless there had been a long delay in his response, the cities had presumably sent their petition shortly before. ITALY FOREVER Hispellum and these other cities in Umbria were reacting in part to fairly recent changes in the administration of Italy. Already during Augustus' reign the peninsula had been divided into eleven geographical regiones . The region that included Rome was, of course, the first region, and through his patronage and favoritism Augustus made clear that no other city in the empire, in particular one of the great cities in the East such as Alexandria or Antioch, would become a rival: “hereafter Rome would never be anywhere but in Rome.” In central Italy north of Rome the upper Tiber River divided Etruria (sometimes known as Tuscia) as the seventh region from Umbria to its east as the sixth region. Since central and southern Italy shared in the elevated prestige of Rome, from the beginning the cities of peninsular Italy had long had a favored standing within the empire. “Italy tended to be treated by the emperors as something of an extension of the city of Rome.” Augustus and his successors funded municipal buildings, temples, walls, and aqueducts, provided aid after natural disasters, and built or repaired roads everywhere.
Characterization of a Novel Function-Blocking Antibody Targeted Against The Platelet P2Y1 Receptor

Objective—Platelet hyperactivity is associated with vascular disease and contributes to the genesis of thrombotic disorders. ADP plays an important role in platelet activation and activates platelets through 2 G-protein–coupled receptors, the Gq-coupled P2Y1 receptor (P2Y1R), and the Gi-coupled P2Y12 receptor. Although the involvement of the P2Y1R in thrombogenesis is well established, there are no antagonists that are currently available for clinical use. Approach and Results—Our goal is to determine whether a novel antibody targeting the ligand-binding domain, ie, second extracellular loop (EL2) of the P2Y1R (EL2Ab) could inhibit platelet function and protect against thrombogenesis. Our results revealed that the EL2Ab does indeed inhibit ADP-induced platelet aggregation, in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, EL2Ab was found to inhibit integrin GPIIb-IIIa activation, dense and α granule secretion, and phosphatidylserine exposure. These inhibitory effects translated into protection against thrombus for...
Youthful Alcohol Use, Abuse, and Alcoholism

The fact that American teen-agers drink alcohol is obvious to the most casual observer. What has not been generally understood is that the teen-age population, for the most part, drinks in an orderly fashion and is engaging in a systematic, culturally organized induction into adulthood.
A database server for next-generation scientific data management

The growth of scientific information and the increasing automation of data collection have made databases integral to many scientific disciplines including life sciences, physics, meteorology, earth and atmospheric sciences, and chemistry. These sciences pose new data management challenges to current database system technologies. The thesis work presented in this paper proposes a database server for next-generation scientific data management. The proposed sever realizes two core requirements in scientific databases, mainly, (1) Annotation management, and (2) Complex dependencies involving human actions. In the paper, we discuss the challenges involved in each of these requirements and present the key contributions and main results in each of the two fronts.
Patient-Centered Research Happens in Practice-based Research Networks

The articles included in this special issue illustrate once again why practice-based research networks (PBRNs) provide the best laboratory in which to conduct experiments and evaluate care outcomes that are relevant to both typical primary care patients and their physicians. We found great insights
Podocyte-specific overexpression of metallothionein mitigates diabetic complications in the glomerular filtration barrier and glomerular histoarchitecture: a transmission electron microscopy stereometric analysis.

Background We previously demonstrated that cellular and extracellular components of the blood–urine barrier in renal glomeruli are susceptible to damage in OVE transgenic mice, a valuable model of human diabetic nephropathy that expresses profound albuminuria. Methods To test our hypothesis that glomerular filtration barrier damage in OVE mice may be the result of oxidative insult to podocytes, 150-day-old bi-transgenic OVENmt diabetic mice that overexpress the antioxidant metallothionein specifically in podocytes were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for albuminuria mitigation and by unbiased transmission electron microscopy (TEM) stereometry for protection from chronic structural diabetic complications. Results Although blood glucose and HbA1c levels were indistinguishable in OVE and OVENmt animals, albuminuria was significantly reduced (average >7-fold) in OVENmt mice through 8 months of age. Interestingly, the Nmt transgene provided significant glomerular protection against diabetic nephropathic complications outside of the podocyte. Glomerular filtration barrier damage was reduced in OVENmt mice, including significantly increased area occupied by endothelial luminal fenestrations (~13%), significantly reduced glomerular basement membrane (GBM) thickening (~17%) and significantly less podocyte effacement (~18%). In addition, OVENmt mice exhibited significantly reduced glomerular volume (~50%), fewer glomerular endothelial cells (~33%), fewer mesangial cells (~57%) and fewer total glomerular cells (~40%). Conclusions These results provide evidence of oxidative damage to podocytes induces primary diabetic nephropathic features including severe and sustained albuminuria, specific glomerular filtration barrier damage and alterations in glomerular endothelial and mesangial cell number. Importantly, these diabetic complications are significantly mitigated by podocyte targeted metallothionein overexpression. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The risks and benefits of cytomegalovirus transmission in child day care.

CONGENITAL CYTOMEGALOVIRUS DISEASE Congenital infection with cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the leading viral cause of birth defects, and it is the major cause of severe, multiple birth defects in the US. Approximately 40 000 infants, or 1% of all births, are congenitally infected each year; 4000 of these infants are born with the severe defects that define the disease, and another 6000 will have developmental problems later in life. The remaining 30 000 infected infants have no recognizable damage. Defects frequently noted at birth include microcephaly, intracranial calcifications, hearing and vision damage, neurologic damage, and growth retardation. Developmental problems noted later may include partial loss of vision or hearing and learning disabilities.1 Infection of the fetus can result from both primary and recurrent maternal infection, although recurrent infections only rarely produce recognizable congenital disease with severe consequences. This distinction is important because public health intervention is based entirely on preventing primary CMV infection during pregnancy. Cytomegalovirus The cause of this damage, CMV, is a common virus that produces a life-long infection. Reactivation of earlier infections is possible, as is reinfection with a different strain of the virus. Usually, both primary and recurrent infections result in either inapparent or mild illness, although some adolescents and adults may develop mononucleosis. In some persons with an impaired immune system, however, infection can be devastating and life-threatening. Persons with AIDS, some transplant patients, cancer patients, and fetuses lack the ability to control infection with CMV. Person-to-person transmission of the virus occurs through bodily fluids including breast milk, semen and vaginal secretions, blood, and particularly, saliva and urine.
Solar UV Radiation and Cancer in Young Children

Background: Studies have shown that higher solar UV radiation exposure (UVR) may be related to lower risk of some cancers in adults. Recently, an ecologic study reported lower risks of some cancers among children living in higher UVR cities and countries. In a large population-based case–control study in California, we tested the hypothesis that childhood cancers may be influenced by UVR. Methods: Cancers in children ages 0 to 5 years were identified from California Cancer Registry records for 1988 to 2007 and linked to birth certificate data. Controls were sampled from the birth certificates at a ratio of 20:1. Based on birth address, we assigned UVR exposure in units of Watt-hours/m2 using a geostatistical exposure model developed with data from the National Solar Radiation Database. Results: For cases with UVR exposure of 5,111 Watt-hours/m2 or above, we estimated a reduction in odds of developing acute lymphoblastic leukemia (OR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.81–0.99), hepatoblastoma (OR: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.48–1.00), and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (OR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.50–1.02) adjusting for mother's age, mother's race, and child's year of birth. We also observed a small increase in odds for intracranial/intraspinal embryonal tumors (OR: 1.29, 95% CI: 1.01–1.65). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that UVR during pregnancy may decrease the odds of some childhood cancers. Future studies should explore additional factors that may be correlated with UVR exposure and possibly include biomarkers of immune function and vitamin D. Impact: This study shows protective associations of UVR with some childhood cancers. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 1–11. ©2013 AACR .
Measles hospitalizations, United States, 1985-2002.

Cases of measles that require hospitalization are a good marker of the burden of clinically severe measles in the United States. Measles hospitalizations routinely are monitored by the National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (NNDSS). Our objectives were to describe measles hospitalizations reported to the NNDSS in 1985-2002, to use hospital discharge data from independent data sets (the National Hospital Discharge Survey [NHDS] [data available for 1985-1999] and the Health Care Investment Analysts [HCIA] hospital discharge database [data available for 1985-1996]) to provide additional estimates of total measles hospitalizations, and to compare trends in measles-associated hospitalizations. In 1985-2002, a total of 13,621 patients with measles reported to the NNDSS were hospitalized (annual average, 757; range, 19-5856 patients). In 1985-1996, a total of 13,472 measles hospitalizations were reported from NNDSS, compared with 28,047 estimated from the NHDS and 19,352 extrapolated from HCIA data. In the NNDSS, the annual total number declined after 1992 to ≤45 measles hospitalizations per year; this trend was closely paralleled by both the NHDS and the HCIA data. We demonstrate a decline in reported measles hospitalizations since the 1989-1991 measles resurgence, with the lowest numbers ever reported in the NNDSS. These numbers are corroborated by the very low numbers of measles hospitalizations in the NHDS and HCIA data.
Picosecond response of metal-semiconductor-metal ultraviolet photodiodes

We studied the ultrafast response in metal-semiconductor-metal ultraviolet photodiodes fabricated on GaN. The best performance of a device with 1-/spl mu/m finger width and spacing showed a 3.5-ps response. The pulse width broadened significantly as the optical energy increased.
Proinflammatory Mediators and Genetic Background in Oncogene Mediated Tumor Progression

RET/PTC3 (RP3) is an oncogenic fusion protein which is frequently expressed in papillary thyroid carcinomas and has been detected in thyroid tissue from patients diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. The constitutive activation of the tyrosine kinase domain in the carboxyl-terminal end of RP3 induces signaling pathways within thyrocytes and causes cellular transformation. One of the signaling pathways activated in RP3-expressing cells involves the activity of the transcription factor NF-kappaB and the production of downstream targets including GM-CSF and macrophage chemotactic protein 1. These factors are known to be immunostimulatory, making RP3 a molecular adjuvant and potentially promoting tissue-specific immunity. However compelling, these in vitro data do not reliably predict gene function in vivo or the cumulative effects of time-dependent processes such as angiogenesis, inflammation, or the influence of genetic background. To address these issues, we analyzed the production of proinflammatory mediators in mouse thyroid organs and demonstrate consistency with in vitro studies performed previously that Il1alpha, Il1beta, Il6, and Tnfalpha and the enzyme Cox2 are produced by RP3-transgenic thyroid tissue, but absent from nontransgenic thyroids. Furthermore, we find that that the genetic background of the host is important in the observed RP3-induced inflammation and tumor progression. These findings provide support for the notion that oncogene-induced cytokine secretion is important for the development and progression of thyroid carcinomas in genetically permissive hosts.
Development and application of an experimental system for the study of thin composites undergoing large deformations in combined bending-compression loading

To increase understanding of damage evolution in advanced composite material systems, stereo digital image correlation has been integrated with a compression?bending mechanical loading system to obtain full-field deformations on both compression and tension surfaces throughout the loading process. The integrated system is employed to simultaneously quantify full-field deformations along the length of the specimen. Specifically, the integrated system is employed to experimentally study the progressive failure behavior of thin, woven glass?epoxy composite specimens undergoing both cyclic and monotonic compression?bending loading resulting in large out-of-plane bending deformations with end conditions that allow free out-of-plane rotation. Experimental results obtained using the measurement system for specimens undergoing both linear and highly non-linear deformations during monotonic loading are presented. Results clearly show (a) the presence and magnitude of anticlastic (double) specimen curvature near mid-length for all fiber angles, (b) the distinct differences in the strain fields between the tension and compression surfaces at the critical location, (c) the corresponding disparity in local material failure mechanisms between the tension (e.g. matrix cracking) and compression (e.g. fiber buckling) surfaces in the critical regions and (d) the highly localized character of the strain fields, focused in regions of increased damage.
Structural Barriers to Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: The Urgent Need for Scaling Up

Noncommunicable diseases are now recognized by the United Nations and WHO as a major public health crisis. Cancer is a main part of this problem, and health care systems are facing a great challenge to improve cancer care, control costs, and increase systems efficiency. The disparity in access to care and outcomes between high-income countries and low- and middle-income countries is staggering. The reasons for this disparity include cost, access to care, manpower and training deficits, and a lack of awareness in the lay and medical communities. Diagnosis and treatment play an important role in this complex environment. In different regions and countries of the world, a variety of health care systems are in place, but most of them are fragmented or poorly coordinated. The need to scale up cancer care in the low- and middle-income countries is urgent, and this article reviews many of the structural mechanisms of the problem, describes the current situation, and proposes ways for improvement. The organization of cancer services is also included in the analysis.
Multiple Social Identifications and the Family Firm

Through the lens of social identity theory, this article investigates the influence of the social variable of the family as a catalyst for beneficial outcomes via a stewardship orientation within the firm. The family firm provides a unique perspective in that it possesses a broader range of influential social groupings. However, multiple identifications may not associate with only positive outcomes, as conflict may arise when such identities compete. We contend that the leadership within a family firm can capitalize on the benefits associated with multiple identifications and reduce conflict in the family firm based upon members‟ perceptions of transformational leadership.
Reliability of TMS metrics in patients with chronic incomplete spinal cord injury.

Test–retest reliability analysis in individuals with chronic incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI). The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability of neurophysiological metrics acquired with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in individuals with chronic incomplete tetraplegia. Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA. TMS metrics of corticospinal excitability, output, inhibition and motor map distribution were collected in muscles with a higher MRC grade and muscles with a lower MRC grade on the more affected side of the body. Metrics denoting upper limb function were also collected. All metrics were collected at two sessions separated by a minimum of two weeks. Reliability between sessions was determined using Spearman’s correlation coefficients and concordance correlation coefficients (CCCs). We found that TMS metrics that were acquired in higher MRC grade muscles were approximately two times more reliable than those collected in lower MRC grade muscles. TMS metrics of motor map output, however, demonstrated poor reliability regardless of muscle choice (P=0.34; CCC=0.51). Correlation analysis indicated that patients with more baseline impairment and/or those in a more chronic phase of iSCI demonstrated greater variability of metrics. In iSCI, reliability of TMS metrics varies depending on the muscle grade of the tested muscle. Variability is also influenced by factors such as baseline motor function and time post SCI. Future studies that use TMS metrics in longitudinal study designs to understand functional recovery should be cautious as choice of muscle and clinical characteristics can influence reliability.
Effect of Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide (VIP) on the Lower Esophageal Sphincter Pressure (LESP)

SummaryThe effect of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) on the lower esoph-ageal sphincter (LES) was studied in anesthetized opossums. Intravenous administration of VIP caused a dose-related fall in LES pressure. A dose of 8 μg/kg produced a “maximal” fall of 36.8 ± 2.9 mm Hg (80.5 ± 4.5%) in sphincter pressure. The effect of VIP (8 μg/kg) was not antagonized by tetro-dotoxin in the doses which antagonized neural activity in the LES. β-Adrenergic antagonist, propranolol, also failed to antagonize this inhibitory effect of VIP. These studies show that VIP exerts an inhibitory effect on the LES. Moreover, this inhibitory effect may be due to a direct action on the sphincter muscle.The authors thank Elizabeth Howard and Kim Bain for technical assistance and Jean Harber for preparation of the manuscript.These studies were supported by Grant AM18403 from the National Institute of Arthritis, Metabolism, and Digestive Diseases, and Center Award HL14187.
Seronegative granulomatous polyangiitis with central retinal artery occlusion as the initial manifestation.

Purpose:To report a case of central retinal artery occlusion in a patient with autopsy-verified granulomatous polyangiitis (GP) with negative cytoplasmic antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody.Methods:Case report.Results:A 61-year-old Hispanic man with history of tuberculosis was admitted to the hospit
Psychometric properties of startle and corrugator response in NPU, affective picture viewing, and resting state tasks

The current study provides a comprehensive evaluation of critical psychometric properties of commonly used psychophysiology laboratory tasks/measures within the NIMH RDoC. Participants (N = 128) completed the no-shock, predictable shock, unpredictable shock (NPU) task, affective picture viewing task, and resting state task at two study visits separated by 1 week. We examined potentiation/modulation scores in NPU (predictable or unpredictable shock vs. no-shock) and affective picture viewing tasks (pleasant or unpleasant vs. neutral pictures) for startle and corrugator responses with two commonly used quantification methods. We quantified startle potentiation/modulation scores with raw and standardized responses. We quantified corrugator potentiation/modulation in the time and frequency domains. We quantified general startle reactivity in the resting state task as the mean raw startle response during the task. For these three tasks, two measures, and two quantification methods, we evaluated effect size robustness and stability, internal consistency (i.e., split-half reliability), and 1-week temporal stability. The psychometric properties of startle potentiation in the NPU task were good, but concerns were noted for corrugator potentiation in this task. Some concerns also were noted for the psychometric properties of both startle and corrugator modulation in the affective picture viewing task, in particular, for pleasant picture modulation. Psychometric properties of general startle reactivity in the resting state task were good. Some salient differences in the psychometric properties of the NPU and affective picture viewing tasks were observed within and across quantification methods.
Tax Policies that Encourage Tenant Medical Office Building Green Utility Retrofits

This paper exams the financial impact of upgrading an existing medical office building with an energy efficient design or equipment from a tenant/lessee perspective. The empirical study highlights the importance of utility cost, credit availability and producer price index for office construction on the amount of medical office building spending put in place. The independent variables prime interest rate, cost of natural gas per therm and electricity cost per KWH are significant variables. A cost-benefit model is developed that inputs several personal income tax rates, incorporates a debt-service coverage ratio, analyzes investment tax credit and rebate scenarios and varies the level of energy savings. The cost-benefit case study results provide insight into which factors enable higher net construction spending when considering a green energy retrofit project. Both the regression model and the case study model focused on the tenant who rents medical office space using a triple net lease. The tenant paradigm limits the analysis to energy savings, the tax implications of having these savings and benefits associated with borrowing when financing the green retrofit. The availability of low cost borrowing and increased investment tax credit (ITC) rates increases net retrofit construction spending.
Public-Interest Labor Law

Five developments since the advent of modern labor legislation that are important to workers, unions, and employers – although they do not directly involve the balance of power between unions and their members – are the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employment discrimination law (especially Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964), the common law of wrongful discharge in most of the fifty states of the Union, and issues relating to drug and alcohol testing and sometimes smoking as well. The Employee Retirement Income Security Act ERISA is the first comprehensive pension labor law enacted by Congress, although section 302(c)(5) of the National Labor Relations Act provides for the establishment of financial trust funds for the benefit of employees. ERISA does not require the establishment of a pension plan, but it does require disclosure and reporting of financial and other information through the establishment of standards of “conduct, responsibility, and obligation for fiduciaries of employee benefit plans.” It is administered by the Department of Labor and the Internal Revenue Service. The full extent of coverage and protection under the statute is beyond the scope of this chapter, but some of its elements should be mentioned.
Student research highlight: Secure and resilient distributed machine learning under adversarial environments

Machine learning algorithms, such as support vector machines (SVMs), neutral networks, and decision trees (DTs) have been widely used in data processing for estimation and detection. They can be used to classify samples based on a model built from training data. However, under the assumption that training and testing samples come from the same natural distribution, an attacker who can generate or modify training data will lead to misclassification or misestimation. For example, a spam filter will fail to recognize input spam messages after training crafted data provided by attackers [1].
Randomized Isoperimetric Inequalities

We discuss isoperimetric inequalities for convex sets. These include the classical isoperimetric inequality and that of Brunn-Minkowski, Blaschke-Santalo, Busemann-Petty and their various extensions. We show that many such inequalities admit stronger randomized forms in the following sense: for natural families of associated random convex sets one has stochastic dominance for various functionals such as volume, surface area, mean width and others. By laws of large numbers, these randomized versions recover the classical inequalities. We give an overview of when such stochastic dominance arises and its applications in convex geometry and probability.
γ-Ray Flux Observations

As mentioned in the Introduction, there are now five pieces of evidence for positive γ-ray observations in the nuclear transition region, but only two reports of γ-ray lines: the Galactic Center feature and the solar flare lines. Even though our interest here is the observation of γ-ray lines, there is an intimate relation between line and continuum fluxes. For example, the galactic γ-rays > 30 MeV may be a mixture of π0γ’s and Compton scattered photons. We therefore review briefly the current significant results in γ-ray observations above ~50keV that we feel bear most significantly on γ-ray line astronomy. (It should be pointed out that current terminology would refer to the lower part of this energy range as hard X-rays.) We do not, however, review here the great amount of experimental work that has been done in studying the so-called hard X-ray sources, for which the reader should refer to reviews by Peterson (1973), Laros (1973), Gruber (1974), Peterson (1975), and the current literature. The prime reason for this omission is that the experiments did not emphasize the measurement of discrete γ-ray lines since the detectors have inherently low energy resolution. We therefore will describe, in order, the results of experiments to detect γ-rays from the Sun (Section V-5.1) and point or localized cosmic sources (Section V-5.2), including the galactic disk. Evidence for a celestial diffuse source of γ-rays from beyond our galaxy is discussed in Section V-5.3 and the apparently isotropic Vela γ-ray bursts are described in Section V-5.4.
Three-circle theorem and dimension estimate for holomorphic functions on Kähler manifolds

The classical Hadamard three-circle theorem is generalized to complete Kahler manifolds. More precisely, we show that the nonnegativity of the holomorphic sectional curvature is a necessary and sufficient condition for the three-circle theorem. Two sharp monotonicity formulae are derived as corollaries. Among applications, we obtain sharp dimension estimates (with rigidity) of holomorphic functions with polynomial growth when the holomorphic sectional curvature is nonnegative. When the bisectional curvature is nonnegative, the sharp dimension estimate was due to Ni.
Listeria innocua Transformed with an Antibiotic Resistance Plasmid as a Thermal-resistance Indicator for Listeria monocytogenesa

Listeria innocua PFEI is a chloramphenicol- and erythromycin-resistant organism obtained by electotransforming L. innocua ATCC 33091 with the plasmid pGK12. L. innocua ATCC 33091 and L. innocua PFEI were more heat resistant between 56 and 66°C than Listeria monocytogenes F5069 and Scott A when evaluated in sterile phosphate buffer or milk. Decimal reduction times of each L. innocua strain were 1.5 to 3 times longer in either heating menstruum than were D-values of the most heat resistant L. monocytogenes strain studied (F5069). L. innocua PFEI retained the plasmid during heating so that, of 300 survivors evaluated, 100% were resistant to chloramphenicol and 98% were resistant to erythromycin. Thus, L. innocua ATCC 33091 or PFEI would be useful indicator organisms to evaluate the lethality of thermal processes with respect to L. monocytogenes . L. innocua PFEI has the advantages that it could easily be selected and enumerated among a large, complex, background microflora, but it may not be appropriate for application in a food processing environment.
Iridium Pincer Catalysts for Silane Dehydrocoupling: Ligand Effects on Selectivity and Activity

Catalytic reactions of bisphosphinite pincer-ligated iridium compounds p-XR(POCOP)IrHCl (POCOP) [2,6-(R2PO)2C6H3, R = iPr, X = H (1); R = tBu, X = COOMe (2); = H (3); = NMe2 (4)] with primary and secondary silanes have been performed. Complex 1 is primarily a silane redistribution precatalyst, but dehydrocoupling catalysis is observed for sterically demanding silane substrates or with aggressive removal of H2. The bulkier compounds (2–4) are silane dehydrocoupling precatalysts that also undergo competitive redistribution with less hindered substrates. Products generated from reactions utilizing 2–4 include low molecular weight oligosilanes with varying degrees of redistribution present or disilanes when employing more sterically demanding silane substrates. Selectivity for redistribution versus dehydrocoupling depends on the steric and electronic environment of the metal but can also be affected by reaction conditions.
Detection of equine arteritis virus by two chromogenic RNA in situ hybridization assays (conventional and RNAscope®) and assessment of their performance in tissues from aborted equine fetuses

Equine arteritis virus (EAV) is the causative agent of equine viral arteritis, a respiratory and reproductive disease of equids. EAV infection can induce abortion in pregnant mares, fulminant bronchointerstitial pneumonia in foals, and persistent infection in stallions. Here, we developed two RNA in situ hybridization (ISH) assays (conventional and RNAscope® ISH) for the detection of viral RNA in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues and evaluated and compared their performance with nucleocapsid-specific immunohistochemistry (IHC) and virus isolation (VI; gold standard) techniques. The distribution and cellular localization of EAV RNA and antigen were similar in tissues from aborted equine fetuses. Evaluation of 80 FFPE tissues collected from 16 aborted fetuses showed that the conventional RNA ISH assay had a significantly lower sensitivity than the RNAscope® and IHC assays, whereas there was no difference between the latter two assays. The use of oligonucleotide probes along with a signal amplification system (RNAscope®) can enhance detection of EAV RNA in FFPE tissues, with sensitivity comparable to that of IHC. Most importantly, these assays provide important tools with which to investigate the mechanisms of EAV pathogenesis.
Basis tensor gauge theory: Reformulating gauge theories with basis tensor fields

We reformulate gauge theories in analogy with the vierbein formalism of general relativity. More specifically, we reformulate gauge theories such that their gauge dynamical degrees of freedom are local fields that transform linearly under the dual representation of the charged matter field. These local fields, which naively have the interpretation of nonlocal operators similar to Wilson lines, satisfy constraint equations. A set of basis tensor fields is used to solve these constraint equations, and their field theory is constructed. A new local symmetry in terms of the basis tensor fields is used to make this field theory local and maintain a Hamiltonian that is bounded from below. The field theory of the basis tensor fields is what we call the basis tensor gauge theory.
Levels of Antiepileptic Drugs and the Ketogenic Diet

Introduction of the ketogenic diet did not change the plasma levels of antiepileptic drugs in an open study of 51 children (mean age 6.6 years) with refractory epilepsy studied at Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
UAV remote sensing of spatial variation in banana production

Remote sensing through Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) can potentially be used to identify the factors influencing agricultural yield and thereby increase production efficiency. The use of UAV remains largely underutilised in tropical agricultural systems. In this study we tested a fixed-wing UAV system equipped with a sensor system for mapping spatial patterns of photosynthetic activity in banana plantations in Costa Rica. Spatial patterns derived from the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) were compared with spatial patterns of physical soil quality and banana fruit production data. We found spatial patterns of NDVI were significantly positively correlated with spatial patterns of several metrics of fruit yield and quality: bunch weight, number of hands per bunch, length of largest finger, and yield. NDVI was significantly negatively correlated with banana loss (discarded due to low quality). Spatial patterns of NDVI were not correlated with spatial patterns of physical soil quality. These results indicate that UAV systems can be used in banana plantations to help map patterns of fruit quality and yield, potentially aiding investigations of spatial patterns of underlying factors affecting production and thereby helping to increase agricultural efficiency.
Block Copolymer Directed Nanostructured Surfaces as Templates for Confined Surface Reactions

Despite advances in nanomaterials synthesis, the bottom-up preparation of nanopatterned films as templates for spatially confined surface reactions remains a challenge. We report an approach to fabricating nanoscale thin film surface structures with periodicities on the order of 20 nm and with the capacity to localize reactions with small molecules and nanoparticles. A block copolymer (BCP) of polystyrene-block-poly[(allyl glycidyl ether)-co-(ethylene oxide)] (PS-b-P(AGE-co-EO)) is used to prepare periodically ordered, reactive thin films. As proof-of-principle demonstrations of the versatility of the chemical functionalization, a small organic molecule, an amino acid, and ultrasmall silica nanoparticles are selectively attached via thiol–ene click chemistry to the exposed P(AGE-co-EO) domains of the BCP thin film. Our approach employing click chemistry on the spatially confined reactive surfaces of a BCP thin film overcomes solvent incompatibilities typically encountered when synthetic polymers are funct...
Can We Conduct A Social Construction Based Epistemology for CS1 and CS2 Students? (Abstract Only)

Social construction based learning approaches have been employed in computing education, but none of them has actually evaluated the effectiveness of the student reflection mechanism, which plays a key role in the learner's assimilation and accommodation process that builds upon the student's existing knowledge as part of the action learning within these approaches. Adapting the inquiry based knowledge building of the social construction model, this poster presents a process of student reflection that uses a unique, non-traditional method of interactive question-answer dialogue for engaging CS1 and CS2 students in a reflective assessment before the actual action learning cycle begins. This process of reflection helps students analyze their conceptual understandings and identify problems or limitations within their respective cognitive models prior to the actual process of knowledge refining or creation. In order to ensure that students have successfully reflected upon their conceptual beliefs, a software tool based assessment is then carried out. The answers from the social interaction based reflective assessment are compared with the results obtained through the software based traditional assessment in order to validate the student reflection process in the form of a social construction based epistemology. This research experiment also presents an authentic and relevant problem basis in the form of conceptual gaps for students to address within the action learning pedagogy of social construction. Results from the conducted comparative analysis in this case study show encouraging evidences confirming the validity of student comprehensions and assumptions by evaluating the knowledge discovery process through an epistemic investigation.
"This Is My Family outside of My Family": Care-Based Relating in a Model Early College High School.

Early college (EC) is a novel educational model in the US that combines high school and college in an effort to increase underrepresented students’ access to higher education by providing engaging, hands-on instruction in a supportive learning environment. For this phenomenological inquiry, we sought to understand the role of care-based relating in a model early college by examining how relationships are manifested and experienced at this school. Through 30-45 minute interviews, eleven participants (three sophomores, three seniors, and five teachers) described EC teachers’ high level of commitment to students’ academic success through: (a) responsive instruction in classroom and group contexts; (b) additional learning support for individual students; and (c) varied experiences from traditional school contexts. EC teachers found these efforts fostered student commitment to learning. Additionally, teachers and students noted the extraordinary commitment of EC teachers to the physical, social, and emotional wellbeing of learners demonstrated through: (a) family-like relationships; (b) promoting social and emotional wellbeing through timely advice and intervention; (c) joining students through tragic and intense personal and out-of-school realities; and (d) forming longitudinal connections with students and their families. However, this commitment resulted in teachers taking on significant burden when there was a lack of structural supports available for all learners. Findings hold implications for educational policy and school structuring that can promote educational equity and success through meaningful relationships, responsive practices, wrap-around services for students with out-of-school challenges, and teacher-support structures to ensure the longitudinal development and wellness of teachers, preventing burnout and attrition.