cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clinical applications of PDT in urology: present and near future

The treatment of non-invasive bladder carcinoma using Photofrin (sodium porfimer) and laser photodynamic therapy (PDT) is described. The patients described who were treated with this modality had positive cytology and biopsy-proven transitional cell carcinoma, no histologic evidence of muscle invasion, and negative excretory urograms.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Increased template activity in injured tissue.

Abstract Nuclei and chromatin, isolated from control and injured (1 hr at 37°C in saline) mouse kidneys, were tested for template activity by measuring RNA synthesis with E. coli RNA polymerase. The template activity of both the nuclei and the chromatin isolated from the ischemic kidneys was increased. Removing protein with 0.7 M NaCl from the chromatin eliminated this difference in template activity. The size of the RNA produced on the control and ischemic templates was the same as measured by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The difference in template activity persisted under conditions in which reinitiation of the RNA polymerase was blocked. These results are consistent with an increased number of E. coli RNA polymerase binding sites in injured cells.
Oversampled Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing in Doubly Selective Fading

A new oversampled orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) system operating in doubly selective fading environment is proposed in this paper. The oversampled OFDM structure employs oversampling in time domain and linear signal processing in frequency domain. The time-frequency processing enables a two dimensional Doppler-frequency grid that allows each data symbol be transmitted at multiple subcarriers and various Doppler spreads simultaneously, without sacrificing spectral efficiency. As a result, both Doppler diversity and multipath diversity inherent in doubly selective fading are achieved with simple linear operations. A Doppler domain block decision feedback equalizer is designed to suppress the intercarrier interference (ICI) caused by time varying fading, as well as to collect the diversity benefits enabled by the oversampled OFDM system. Simulation results show that the new system outperforms conventional OFDM system with the same spectral efficiency by as much as 8 dB.
E. coli mutant pleiotropically defective in the export of secreted proteins

A hybrid beta-galactosidase molecule containing a substantial portion of the amino-terminal sequence of the maltose-binding protein is inserted in the cytoplasmic membrane of E. coli; in this location, the protein has very low enzymatic activity. The strain producing it is, therefore, Lac-. Selection for derivatives of the fusion strain that are able to grow on lactose yields mutants in which the hybrid protein has become cytoplasmic, and thus has higher enzymatic activity. Among such derivatives, we have isolated a temperature-sensitive conditional lethal mutant that accumulates the precursor of the maltose-binding protein in the cytoplasm, and also accumulates precursors of alkaline phosphatase, lambda receptor protein and the ompF gene gene product. A number of periplasmic proteins are, however, properly localized at the nonpermissive temperature. The temperature-sensitive lesion has been genetically mapped to 2.5 min on the E. coli map, within or near a cluster of genes responsible for cell division and septation. The principle behind the genetic selection employed here should be useful in obtaining other secretion mutants to characterize the cell's secretion machinery.
SAPHIRE (scintillator avalanche photoconductor with high resolution emitter readout) for low dose x-ray imaging: spatial resolution.

An indirect flat panel imager (FPI) with programmable avalanche gain and field emitter array (FEA) readout is being investigated for low-dose and high resolution x-ray imaging. It is made by optically coupling a structured x-ray scintillator, e.g., thallium (Tl) doped cesium iodide (CsI), to an amorphous selenium (a-Se) avalanche photoconductor called high-gain avalanche rushing amorphous photoconductor (HARP). The charge image created by the scintillator/HARP (SHARP) combination is read out by the electron beams emitted from the FEA. The proposed detector is called scintillator avalanche photoconductor with high resolution emitter readout (SAPHIRE). The programmable avalanche gain of HARP can improve the low dose performance of indirect FPI while the FEA can be made with pixel sizes down to 50 {mu}m. Because of the avalanche gain, a high resolution type of CsI (Tl), which has not been widely used in indirect FPI due to its lower light output, can be used to improve the high spatial frequency performance. The purpose of the present article is to investigate the factors affecting the spatial resolution of SAPHIRE. Since the resolution performance of the SHARP combination has been well studied, the focus of the present work is on the inherent resolution of the FEA readoutmore » method. The lateral spread of the electron beam emitted from a 50 {mu}mx50 {mu}m pixel FEA was investigated with two different electron-optical designs: mesh-electrode-only and electrostatic focusing. Our results showed that electrostatic focusing can limit the lateral spread of electron beams to within the pixel size of down to 50 {mu}m. Since electrostatic focusing is essentially independent of signal intensity, it will provide excellent spatial uniformity.« less
Dynamic behavior of a bluff-body diffusion flame

The results of an investigation of the dynamic behavior of a bluff-body stabilized diffusion flame are reported. The dynamic characteristics of flames established by different air and fuel flow rate conditions are investigated using 500 frames/s cine pictures and two spectrophotpmeters tuned to the CH emission at 431.5 nm. Each spectrophotometer viewed a 1.8x64-mm area of the flame with the long dimension symmetrically located along the diameter. Downstream of the recirculation zone the flame consists of large, discrete "fireballs" or flame turbules separated by axial regions where the flame is not visible. The flame turbules are quasiperiodic with a frequency that decreases as they move downstream. Flame turbule time widths are typically between 1.5 and 12 ms depending on fuel and air flow rates and axial location and their average velocity is approximately equal to the annulus air injection velocity.
Conservation Tillage and Cover Crop Influences on Cotton Production on a Southeastern U.S. Coastal Plain Soil

Understanding cover crop and tillage system interactions within specific environments can help maximize productivity and economic returns of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) produced on sandy coastal plain soils of the southeastern USA. A strip-plot design with three replications was used to evaluate the cover crops Austrian winter pea [Pisum sativum L. ssp. arvense (L.)], balansa clover (Trifolium michelianum Savi), crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.), hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth subsp. villosa), oil seed radish (Raphanus sativus L.), black oat (Avena strigosa Schreb.), and rye (Secale cereale L.) and tillage (strip and none) influences on cotton grown on a Bonifay fine sand (loamy, siliceous, subactive, thermic Grossarenic PlinthicPaleudults)nearWaynesboro,GAfrom1999to2003.Drought influenced production 3 of 4 yr. Cover crop biomass was greatest from rye, intermediate from black oat, oilseed radish, hairy vetch, and Austrian winter pea. Hairy vetch and Austrian winter pea contained more than 80 kg N ha 21 while other cover crops averaged ,40 kg N ha 21 . Cotton yields following black oat and rye had returns above variable costs ha 21 $461 and $406, respectively. Strip-tillage increased yields by 192 kg ha 21 and annual returns by $112 ha 21 over no-tillage, most likely due to improved available water. Combining strip-tillage with black oat was the best combination for maximizing profit. Using black oat with strip-tillage could increase cotton profit by $50 to $75 ha 21 compared to systems using rye on the 1.45 million ha of cotton where conservation systems have been adopted.
Contrasting Effects of Clonidine and 5-Hydroxytryptophan on Spinal Sympathetic Pathways

The effects of clonidine HCI were compared with those of 5-HTP on transmission through two spinal sympathetic pathways, segmental spinal reflex pathways and descending intraspinal excitatory pathways, in unanesthetized spinal cats. Evoked sympathetic discharges were recorded from upper thoracic preganglionic rami. Clonidine (5-50 microgram/kg) produced a parallel, dose-dependent depression of transmission through each pathway. The intraspinal pathway was five time more sensitive than the spinal reflex pathway (ED50's, 6 and 30 microgram/kg), and the spinal reflex pathway could not be depressed by more than 60% even by higher doses. In contrast, 5-HTP was more effective in depressing the spinal reflex than the intraspinal pathway (ED50's 32 and 44 mg/kg), and both pathways could be depressed completely. Small doses of tolazoline or yohimbine rapidly antagonized the effects of clonidine but not 5-HTP. Clonidine and 5-HTP appear to depress the excitability of sympathetic preganglionic neurons by activating alpha2- and 5-HT receptors, respectively. Each mechanism may contribute independently to regulation of the sympathetic outflow.
EFFECTS OF NONCONTINGENT REINFORCEMENT ON PROBLEM BEHAVIOR AND STIMULUS ENGAGEMENT: THE ROLE OF SATIATION, EXTINCTION, AND ALTERNATIVE REINFORCEMENT

This study examined the effects of noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) with and without extinction on problem behavior and stimulus engagement (consumption of reinforcement) of 4 participants. Reductions in problem behavior using NCR have frequently been attributed to both satiation of the reinforcer and extinction. In the current study, aspects of the NCR treatment effects were difficult to explain based solely on either a satiation or an extinction account. Specifically, it was found that stimulus engagement remained high throughout the NCR treatment analysis, and that problem behavior was reduced to near-zero levels during NCR without extinction. The implications of these findings are discussed with respect to the satiation and extinction hypotheses frequently described in the applied literature. Findings from basic studies examining the effects of response-independent schedules are presented, and are used as the basis for a matching theory account of NCR-related effects. It is proposed that reductions in problem behavior observed during NCR interventions may be a function of the availability of alternative sources of reinforcement.
Polyisobutylene‐based polyurethanes. V. Oxidative‐hydrolytic stability and biocompatibility

The oxidative/hydrolytic stability of polyurethanes (PUs) containing exclusively polyisobutylene (PIB), or mixed PIB/ polytetramethylene oxide (PTMO), or mixed PIB/polyhexamethylene carbonate (PC) soft segments was investigated. The tensile strengths and elongations of various PUs were determined before and after agitating in 35% HNO 3 or 20% H 2 O 2 /0.1 M CoCl 2 solutions and retentions were quantified. The presence of PIB imparts significant oxidative/hydrolytic resistance. The tensile strength and elongation of PUs containing 70% PIB, or those of mixed PIB/PC soft segments with 50% PIB, remained essentially unchanged upon exposure to HNO 3 ; in contrast, PUs containing mixed PIB/PTMO soft segments with 50% PIB underwent significant degradation. The tensile strength of PUs with mixed PIB/PC (60/10%) soft segment increased after exposure to HNO 3 , most likely because of oxidative crosslinking of PC segments. PIB/ PTMO- and PIB/PC-based PUs and commercially available PUs (Elast-Eon ® and Carbothane ® ) were exposed to H 2 O 2 /CoCl 2 solutions for up to 14 weeks. Although the experimental PIB/PC-based PUs exhibited negligible change in mechanical properties and no surface damage, Elast-Eon ® and Carbothane ® showed significant surface damage. PIB-based polyureas and Bionate ® were implanted in rats for 4 weeks in vivo, and their biocompatibility was investigated. The biocompatibility of PIB-based materials was superior to Bionate ® .
Banked multiported register files for high-frequency superscalar microprocessors

Multiported register files are a critical component of high-performance superscalar microprocessors. Conventional multiported structures can consume significant power and die area. We examine the designs of banked multiported register files that employ multiple interleaved banks of fewer ported register cells to reduce power and area. Banked register files designs have been shown to provide sufficient bandwidth for a superscalar machine, but previous designs had complex control structures that would likely limit cycle time and add to design complexity. We develop a banked register file with much simpler and faster control logic while only slightly increasing the number of ports per bank. We present area, delay, and energy numbers extracted from layouts of the banked register file. For a four-issue superscalar processor, we show that we can reduce area by a factor of three, access time by 20%, and energy by 40%, while decreasing IPC by less than 5%.
New Insight into Photoalignment of Liquid Crystals on Coumarin-Containing Polymer Films

Polymers containing 6- and 7-substituted coumarin moieties were prepared as photoalignment films through linearly polarized UV irradiation to a varying fluence for an investigation of liquid crystal orientation. Model coumarin monomers and dimers were also synthesized and characterized as part of a novel approach to the interpretation of liquid crystal orientation in terms of monomer conversion. The experimental results for monomer conversion as a function of fluence were used to validate the first-order kinetics with an exponentially decaying rate constant as the reaction proceeds. A kinetic model was constructed to describe the evolutions of the orientational order on the parts of the reacted and the unreacted coumarin moieties. The model was instrumental to the visualization of liquid crystal orientation on photoalignment films at the early and the late stages of dimerization. Furthermore, the observed crossover in liquid crystal orientation on the polymer film comprising 7-substituted coumarin moietie...
The ultrastructure of mouse lung; a note on the fine structure of mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum of the bronchiolar epithelium.

A few aspects of the fine structure of bronchiolar epithelium have already been presented (4). The two types of cells, ciliated and non-ciliated, differed in their cytoplasmic structure. The ciliated cells contained only a few mitochondria, and a few vesicles of the endoplasmic reticulum, whereas non-ciliated cells showed numerous large mitochondria and a very well developed endoplasmic reticulum. It was also shown (4) that the mitochondria of non-ciliated bronchiolar cells appeared either as long and filamentous or as spherical, even within one and the same cell, and that the endoplasmic reticulum could assume the form of paired double membranes as well as of vesicles or tubules. The difference in appearance of the endoplasmic reticulum in ciliated as compared with non-ciliated cells and the varying forms of the reticulum in the non-ciliated cells had been recognized earlier by other authors (1). The present brief report further illustrates the spherical mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum of non-ciliated bronchiolar epithelial cells. The methods of tissue processing and the technique used to select a small bronchiole for sectioning are the same as in earlier reports (2, 3, 4).
Measurement study of low-bitrate internet video streaming

In this paper, we analyse the results of a seven-month real-time streaming experiment, which was conducted between a number of unicast dialup clients, connecting to the Internet through access points in more than 600 major U.S. cities, and a backbone video server. During the experiment, the clients streamed low-bitrate MPEG-4 video sequences from the server over paths with more than 5,000 distinct Internet routers. We describe the methodology of the experiment, the architecture of our NACK-based streaming application, study end-to-end dynamics of 16 thousand ten-minute sessions (85 million packets), and analyze the behavior of the following network parameters: packet loss, round-trip delay, one-way delay jitter, packet reordering, and path asymmetry. We also study the impact of these parameters on the quality of real-time streaming.
Fast-Tracking: Eliminating Roadblocks to Successful Early Discharge

With continually increasing health care costs and limited medical resources, there has been increasing focus on shortening hospital stays. Many medical and nonmedical reasons can lead to a delay in hospital discharge after thoracic surgery despite technically successful procedures; common obstacles include inadequate pain control, prolonged air leaks, and social issues. Preoperative patient education, minimally invasive surgical techniques, aggressive pain control, and early resumption of physical activity and discontinuation of chest tubes and catheters are important in successful early discharge. Although many of these components can be combined in clinical pathways to optimize care with the input of various members of the patient care team, the thoracic surgeon must reassess outcomes constantly to ensure the maintenance of the quality of care.
Multiple mechanisms determine ER network morphology during the cell cycle in Xenopus egg extracts

In metazoans the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) changes during the cell cycle, with the nuclear envelope (NE) disassembling and reassembling during mitosis and the peripheral ER undergoing extensive remodeling. Here we address how ER morphology is generated during the cell cycle using crude and fractionated Xenopus laevis egg extracts. We show that in interphase the ER is concentrated at the microtubule (MT)-organizing center by dynein and is spread by outward extension of ER tubules through their association with plus ends of growing MTs. Fusion of membranes into an ER network is dependent on the guanosine triphosphatase atlastin (ATL). NE assembly requires fusion by both ATL and ER-soluble N-ethyl-maleimide–sensitive factor adaptor protein receptors. In mitotic extracts, the ER converts into a network of sheets connected by ER tubules and loses most of its interactions with MTs. Together, these results indicate that fusion of ER membranes by ATL and interaction of ER with growing MT ends and dynein cooperate to generate distinct ER morphologies during the cell cycle.
Elasticity-Based Rural Traffic Forecasting Models

This technical note presents a summary and comparison of recent research on elasticity-based rural traffic forecasting models. The results of previous efforts are supplemented with the preliminary findings of analyses directed at the development of rural traffic forecasting models for state highways in Texas. Although no acceptable models were developed for state highways in Texas, the discussion of the model development process should be useful to others by illustrating problems frequently encountered in modeling efforts that utilize traffic data characterized by a high degree of variability. The results from preliminary efforts to develop elasticity-based forecasting models for rural highways in Texas suggest that both county-level population and county-level employment may be important in explaining changes in the average daily traffic on some classes of rural highways. County-level population was also found to be a significant explanatory variable in related research efforts cited in this technical note.
Comment on ‘On sensitivity kernels for ‘wave-equation’ transmission tomography’ by de Hoop and van der Hilst

SUMMARY The finite-frequency sensitivity kernels developed by Dahlen et al. are an appropriate tool for inverting traveltimes of non-triplicated P, S, PP and SS waves, measured by cross-correlation with a synthetic pulse. The critique of this theoretical methodology in a recent paper by de Hoop & van der Hilst is based upon the incorrect notion that one can account for errors in the
A simultaneous multichannel monophasic action potential electrode array for epicardial repolarization mapping

The application of the monophasic action potential (MAP) contact electrode technique to repolarization mapping is limited by the number of simultaneous recording sites. The authors have developed an electrode array which records epicardial MAPs from up to 16 sites. The array consists of a square 4/spl times/4 matrix of Ag/AgCl active elements spaced 5 mm apart. Four reference electrodes are used-one for each quadrant along with a single saline sponge. MAP recordings were obtained from five anesthetized open-chest pigs. Simultaneous diagnostic quality MAPs were obtained from up to 13 out of 16 ventricular sites. The ratio of MAPd90 and VERP was consistent in all but one recording. In conclusion, simultaneous multichannel mapping of diagnostic-quality MAPs can be achieved. Maintaining proper electrode pressure and contact is difficult yet essential.
Using Social Network Sites to Improve Communication Between Political Campaigns and Citizens in the 2012 Election

During the 2012 United States election the prevalence of political campaigning permeated throughout social network sites. It was not uncommon for political candidates on all levels of government to integrate an array of social network sites in their campaign communication strategies. Despite their vast use in elections and the recognition of their significance in the media, there is a lack of empirical research that examines the complex relationship between political campaigns and social network sites. The present research responds to this gap in the literature as it seeks to understand how two congressional campaigns employed social network sites to facilitate campaign communication. Following the collection of data from qualitative interviews with campaign staff, analysis revealed that social network sites were used to improve the effectiveness of their campaigns’ messages, to generate online engagement and offline activism, and to improve understanding the needs and opinions of the electorate.
Compressive light field imaging with weighted random projections

Traditional light field imagers do not exploit the inherent spatio-angular correlations in light field of natural scenes towards reducing the number of measurements and minimizing the spatio-angular resolution trade-off. Here we describe a compressive light field imager that utilizes the prior knowledge of sparsity/compressibility along the spatial dimension of the light field to make compressive measurements. The reconstruction performance is analyzed for three choices of measurement bases: wavelet, random, and weighted random using a simulation study. We find that the weighted random bases outperforms both the coherent wavelet basis and the incoherent random basis on a light field data set. Specifically, the simulation study shows that the weighted random basis achieves 44% to 50% lower reconstruction error compared to wavelet and random bases for a compression ratio of three.
Identifying performance bottlenecks on modern microarchitectures using an adaptable probe

Summary form only given. The gap between peak and delivered performance for scientific applications running on microprocessor-based systems has grown considerably in recent years. The inability to achieve the desired performance even on a single processor is often attributed to an inadequate memory system, but without identification or quantification of a specific bottleneck. In this work, we use an adaptable synthetic benchmark to isolate application characteristics that cause a significant drop in performance, giving application programmers and architects information about possible optimizations. Our adaptable probe, called sqmat, uses only four parameters to capture key characteristics of scientific workloads: working-set size, computational intensity, indirection, and irregularity. This paper describes the implementation of sqmat and uses its tunable parameters to evaluate four leading 64-bit microprocessors that are popular building blocks for current high performance systems: Intel Itanium2, AMD Opteron, IBM Power3, and IBM Power4.
Application of filter sharpening to cascaded integrator-comb decimation filters

A new architecture for the implementation of high-order decimation filters is described. It combines the cascaded integrator-comb (CIC) multirate filter structure with filter sharpening techniques to improve the filter's passband response. This allows the first-stage CIC decimation filter to be followed by a fixed-coefficient second-stage filter, rather than a programmable filter, thereby achieving a significant hardware reduction over existing approaches. Furthermore, the use of fixed-coefficient filters in place of programmable-coefficient filters improves the overall throughput rate. The resulting architecture is well suited for single-chip VLSI implementation with very high data-sample rates. We discuss an example with specifications suitable for use in a wideband satellite communication subband tuner system and for signal analysis.
The contribution of individual subunits to the coupling of the voltage sensor to pore opening in Shaker K channels: effect of ILT mutations in heterotetramers.

Voltage-gated ion channels couple conformational change(s) of the voltage-sensing domain to those of the opening of an intracellular gate to allow ionic conduction. Much larger positive potentials are required to couple these conformational changes to the opening of the gate of Shaker K+ channels with the concurrent mutations V369I, I372L, and S376T (ILT) at the N-terminal end of the S4 segment. We used cut-open oocyte voltage clamp to study the biophysical and thermodynamical properties of heterotetrameric concatemerized channels with different stoichiometries of ILT mutations. The voltage-sensing domains of ILT mutant channels require smaller depolarization to activate but their intracellular gate does not immediately follow the movement of the voltage-sensing domain, requiring larger depolarization to open. Our results demonstrate that each subunit contributes equally to the rightward shift of the conductance–voltage relationship and that a single ILT-containing subunit is sufficient to induce a large enthalpic and entropic barrier, limiting opening of the intracellular gate.
Capacity Building for the Common Good: PSU's Interdisciplinary Minor in Civic Leadership

Since the early 1990s, Portland State University has furthered its commitment to civic engagement education by adopting an integrated approach to its general education curriculum. As an outgrowth to this initiative, the minor in Civic Leadership was developed in 2004-05. This interdisciplinary minor was designed with the intent to further integrate and sustain institutional engagement with the Portland Metropolitan community and beyond. This article discusses the history, structure, and roles of academic and community partners associated with the Civic Leadership minor, and elaborates the philosophical foundation of the interdisciplinary curriculum that aims to build student capacity for the common good.
Contextual bayesian classification of remotely sensed data

We consider the problem of Bayesian contextual classification with spatial correlation structure. We assume there is training data from pixels which are physically far from the pixel with observation z0 to be classified and its immediate neighbors, so that they can be considered independent. We adopt the assumption of local spatial continuity. We classify an unknown observation z0 into one of K normal populations by choosing that population which maximizes the predictive classification probability, which is shown to be proportional to a matrix T-density in z0 and its neighbors, and centered at a matrix of generalized means of the training data set. Results are studied using simulated data.
The Role of Contextual Variables in Evaluation Decision Making Perceptions of Potential Loss, Time, and Self-Efficacy on Nurse Managers' Need for Information

This experimental study examined the interactions of potential loss, time, and self-efficacy of the program manager on need for information in an evaluation decision. The theoretical framework was ...
Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Is Required for Colonic Tumor Promotion by Dietary Fat in the Azoxymethane/Dextran Sulfate Sodium Model: Roles of Transforming Growth Factor-α and PTGS2

Purpose: Colon cancer is a major cause of cancer deaths. Dietary factors contribute substantially to the risk of this malignancy. Western-style diets promote development of azoxymethane-induced colon cancer. Although we showed that epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR) controlled azoxymethane tumorigenesis in standard fat conditions, the role of EGFR in tumor promotion by high dietary fat has not been examined. Experimental Design: A/J × C57BL6/J mice with wild-type Egfr ( Egfrwt ) or loss-of-function waved-2 Egfr ( Egfrwa2 ) received azoxymethane followed by standard (5% fat) or western-style (20% fat) diet. As F1 mice were resistant to azoxymethane, we treated mice with azoxymethane followed by one cycle of inflammation-inducing dextran sulfate sodium to induce tumorigenesis. Mice were sacrificed 12 weeks after dextran sulfate sodium. Tumors were graded for histology and assessed for EGFR ligands and proto-oncogenes by immunostaining, Western blotting, and real-time PCR. Results: Egfrwt mice gained significantly more weight and had exaggerated insulin resistance compared with Egfrwa2 mice on high-fat diet. Dietary fat promoted tumor incidence (71.2% versus 36.7%; P < 0.05) and cancer incidence (43.9% versus 16.7%; P < 0.05) only in Egfrwt mice. The lipid-rich diet also significantly increased tumor and cancer multiplicity only in Egfrwt mice. In tumors, dietary fat and Egfrwt upregulated transforming growth factor-α, amphiregulin, CTNNB1, MYC, and CCND1, whereas PTGS2 was only increased in Egfrwt mice and further upregulated by dietary fat. Notably, dietary fat increased transforming growth factor-α in normal colon. Conclusions: EGFR is required for dietary fat-induced weight gain and tumor promotion. EGFR-dependent increases in receptor ligands and PTGS2 likely drive diet-related tumor promotion. (Clin Cancer Res 2009;15(22):6780–9)
On the Origin of “Scales of Measurement”

Stevens proposed that measurement in psychology should employ one of four scales, nominal, ordinal, interval and ratio, each characterized by a mathematical operation that defines the group of which the scale is an example. Isomorphic with the mathematical scale, there is an appropriate psychological operation which if employed warrants the use of the corresponding scale. The development of this proposal is traced.
Computerized Information Systems for Social Workers in Health Care

Social workers' contributions to preventive medicine; discharge planning; and effective integration of hospital, family, and community resources are becoming increasingly important within the changing context of health care delivery. Information technology can be a powerful tool for developing efficient, accurate, and comprehensive patient records. In spite of the potential that information technology offers health care social workers, the actual use of computerized patient data has been limited and slow to develop. This article describes the development of a prototype information system that supports the diverse tasks of health care social workers in ambulatory care, shows how a shared computerized database can improve coordination of patient care among multiple health care disciplines, and addresses emerging issues as a growing number of social workers in health care use computerized information systems.
Child care and parent labor force participation: a review of the research literature

Early care and education (ECE) enables parental employment and provides a context for child development. Theory suggests that lower child care costs, through subsidized care or the provision of free or low-cost arrangements, would increase the use of ECE and parents’ employment and work hours. This paper reviews the research literature examining the effects of child care costs and availability on parental employment. In general, research suggests that reduced out-of-pocket costs for ECE and increased availability of public ECE increases ECE attendance among young children, and has positive impacts on mothers’ labor force participation and work hours. However, there is considerable heterogeneity in findings. Among U.S. studies that report the elasticity of employment to ECE price, estimates range from −0.025 to −1.1, with estimates clustering near 0.05–0.25. This indicates that a 10 % reduction in the price of child care would lead to a 0.25–11 % increase in maternal employment, likely near 0.5–2.5 %. In general, studies using more recent data or data from non-U.S. countries find smaller elasticities than those using U.S. data from the 1990s. These differences may be due to historical and cross-national differences in ECE attendance, labor force attachment, and educational attainment among mothers with young children, as well as heterogeneity in the methodological approaches and data used across studies. More research in the U.S. using contemporary data is needed, particularly given recent changes in U.S. ECE policy.
Determination of trace lead in leaching solution of tailings solid waste by hydride generation-inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry

A simple and high sensitivity method for the determination of trace lead in leaching solution of tailings solid waste was established.After the sample was oscillated and leached with water and treated with nitric acid,trace lead in the leaching solution was determined by a novel self-designed hydride generator coupled with inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry(ICP-AES)in HCl(φ=4%)with 10g/L NaBH4-NaOH-K3Fe(CN)6as reductant.A self-made lead stabilizer was added into the reductant to solve the instability of determination system.The detection limit was 1.0μg/L.The standard addition recovery was 90.5%-106.5%,and the relative standard deviation(RSD)was less than 6%.The determination process was rapid and simple without memory effect,so the proposed method was suitable for the determination of trace lead in tailings solid waste.
A Comparative Study on Practice Condition between Chinese and Japan Taijiquan Practitioners:Taking the Haidian District of Beijing and Yokchama of Japan as Example

According to some statistics,the number of the people training Taijiquan today counts to several hundreds of millions worldwide.Indeed,Taijiquan is a major symbol of Chinese culture.In Japan,Taiqi has been asserting its presence from early times in the modern history.Ever since the introduction of Taijiquan to Japan,Taijiquan population has been steadily increasing every year.Obviously due to the difference in culture and lifestyle,Chinese Taijiquan students and Japanse Taijiquan students train in different environments.This paper aims to better understand the "essence of Taijiquan education" by assessing the training environments of Taijiquan students in both nations.The Analysis was done using the statistical data based on survey,and the data from other scholarly articles.100 surveys were taken in each of Haiding district and Kazumitsu city.In conducting the analysis,special emphasis was placed on student's life-style,living environment,and the elements of the Taijiquan training to which I,as a trainer,attach particular importance.**It is my hope that this study will provide useful information about the merits and demerits of the Taiqi education today,and thereby help promote the future of Taijiquan.
The accessibility of peptides bound to the mouse MHC class II molecule IEd studied by fluorescence

The accessibility of fluorescently labeled (antigenic) peptides bound to the detergent-solubilized mouse MHC class II protein IE d has been studied by fluorescence techniques. Based on the efficiency of fluorescence quenching by the aqueous quenchers iodide and TEMPOL, different degrees of accessibility of the peptide-attached fluorescein moiety are distinguished in the lEd-bound state, which depend on the nature of the peptide and on the site of attachment. These different extents of sequestration from the aqueous phase are reflected in the fluorescence properties of the corresponding NBD-labeled peptides bound to IE d. The results provide information on the topology of class II bound peptides.
The OSG open facility: A sharing ecosystem

The Open Science Grid (OSG) ties together individual experiments’ computing power, connecting their resources to create a large, robust computing grid, this computing infrastructure started primarily as a collection of sites associated with large HEP experiments such as ATLAS, CDF, CMS, and DZero. In the years since, the OSG has broadened its focus to also address the needs of other US researchers and increased delivery of Distributed High Through-put Computing (DHTC) to users from a wide variety of disciplines via the OSG Open Facility. Presently, the Open Facility delivers about 100 million computing wall hours per year to researchers who are not already associated with the owners of the computing sites, this is primarily accomplished by harvesting and organizing the temporarily unused capacity (i.e. opportunistic cycles) from the sites in the OSG. Using these methods, OSG resource providers and scientists share computing hours with researchers in many other fields to enable their science, striving to make sure that these computing power used with maximal efficiency. Furthermore, we believe that expanded access to DHTC is an essential tool for scientific innovation and work continues in expanding this service.
The Ideological and Political Dimensions of the Anti-Smoking and Anti-Drinking Video Advertisements in the Republic of Moldova

Based on the critical approach in health communication, along with Habermas's theory of legitimation and Ellul's theory of propaganda, this qualitative study analyzes the political and ideological dimensions of the video advertisements used in the 2012 anti-smoking and 2014 anti-drinking campaigns in the Republic of Moldova. This analysis shows that these health videos support male domination and exclusion of the poor and legitimate the current political leadership with its declared pro-European orientation. This study uniquely contributes to the critical approach in health communication by focusing on the post-Soviet context in which statehood and national identity are unstable and societies are torn between the Russian and (post-)Soviet influences on one hand and European aspirations on the other. Drawing on critical scholarship in global health communication, this article calls for greater respect and recognition of Moldova's local culture and definition of health.
Stochastic state estimation for smart grids in the presence of intermittent measurements

Future smart grids are envisioned to have significant distributed generation penetration. In this paper, we develop a dynamic nonlinear model for the power distribution networks, in-corporating power flow equations along with load and distributed generation forecasts. As traditional state estimation approaches based on Weighted Least Squares (WLS) are inadequate in dynamic system models, we consider an extended Kalman filter (EKF) for state estimation. Unlike prior efforts, we analyze impact of communication network on state estimation process by considering intermittent measurements. The intermittent measurements denoted by packet drops are modeled as a Bernoulli random process. A stochastic analysis for boundedness of state estimation error is presented. The analysis establishes system conditions for which stochastic stability of state estimates can be assured. An upper bound on critical packet drop rate is derived. We also relate the bound on critical packet drop rate with randomness in load fluctuations. Finally, we verify our analysis by simulating a single phase radial distribution network model as an example.
Highly sensitive quantification for human plasma-targeted metabolomics using an amine derivatization reagent.

Abstract Amino acids and their related metabolites play important roles in various physiological processes and have consequently become biomarkers for diseases. However, accurate quantification methods have only been established for major compounds, such as amino acids and a limited number of target metabolites. We previously reported a highly sensitive high-throughput method for the simultaneous quantification of amines using 3-aminopyridyl- N -succinimidyl carbamate as a derivatization reagent combined with liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Herein, we report the successful development of a practical and accurate LC-MS/MS method to analyze low concentrations of 40 physiological amines in 19 min. Thirty-five of these amines showed good linearity, limits of quantification, accuracy, precision, and recovery characteristics in plasma, with scheduled selected reaction monitoring acquisitions. Plasma samples from 10 healthy volunteers were evaluated using our newly developed method. The results revealed that 27 amines were detected in one of the samples, and that 24 of these compounds could be quantified. Notably, this new method successfully quantified metabolites with high accuracy across three orders of magnitude, with lowest and highest averaged concentrations of 31.7 nM (for spermine) and 18.3 μM (for α-aminobutyric acid), respectively.
Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction: An Opportunity for Reflection.

Clinical research is not easy to conduct, and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a difficult syndrome to study. Fortunately for patients, many physicians, scientists, and research teams are committed to investigating this complex and challenging syndrome and are driven by the facts that HFpEF is increasing in prevalence, portends an adverse prognosis with high morbidity and mortality, and lacks efficacious therapies proven in large‐scale randomized trials to improve clinical outcomes. A major contributor to the difficulty in reducing the burden of HFpEF has been that the underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms are poorly understood. Thus, when favorable targets for therapeutic intervention are identified, it is with cautious optimism that researchers proceed with pilot and early‐phase trials to test the safety and possible efficacy of new therapies.
Intensity of commonly-reported classroom-based physical activity opportunities in public schools.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the intensity levels of PA opportunities offered in public school classrooms. Schools (N = 101) in school districts (N = 25) reported PA opportunities offered in classrooms using an online data collection tool over a two-year period (2014–2016). Using a randomized sampling technique, 20–30% of teachers in each school were selected each week to report PA in their classroom. These responses resulted in N = 18,210 usable responses. A researcher determined the intensity of PA opportunities using the 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities as a guideline; two additional researchers confirmed the coded categories. A descriptive analysis of PA opportunities was conducted to describe the proportion of opportunities whose intensity levels were light (LPA), moderate (MPA), vigorous (VPA), sedentary (SED), and those of unknown intensity. Chi-square analyses were utilized to examine differences between proportions of intensity levels offered by semester. Kruskal-Wallace tests were utilized to examine differences in proportion of physical activity opportunity intensity offered by grade level. Most PA opportunities were MPA (58.7%), followed by VPA (17.6%) and LPA (11.5%). Few responses were SED (0.5%), and 11.6% were of indeterminate intensity. A greater proportion of more physically intense activities reported during the fall versus spring semesters (p
Engaging Critical Pedagogy in the Classroom: A Student-Centered Approach to Advertising Education.

In this article, we explore the ways in which diversity education in advertising can be transformed through a critical pedagogical approach. Critical pedagogy is a student-centered learning approac...
Evaluation of the US Food and Drug Administration sentinel analysis tools in confirming previously observed drug-outcome associations: The case of clindamycin and Clostridium difficile infection.

Purpose The Food and Drug Administration's Sentinel System developed parameterized, reusable analytic programs for evaluation of medical product safety. Research on outpatient antibiotic exposures, and Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) with non-user reference groups led us to expect a higher rate of CDI among outpatient clindamycin users vs penicillin users. We evaluated the ability of the Cohort Identification and Descriptive Analysis and Propensity Score Matching tools to identify a higher rate of CDI among clindamycin users. Methods We matched new users of outpatient dispensings of oral clindamycin or penicillin from 13 Data Partners 1:1 on propensity score and followed them for up to 60 days for development of CDI. We used Cox proportional hazards regression stratified by Data Partner and matched pair to compare CDI incidence. Results Propensity score models at 3 Data Partners had convergence warnings and a limited range of predicted values. We excluded these Data Partners despite adequate covariate balance after matching. From the 10 Data Partners where these models converged without warnings, we identified 807 919 new clindamycin users and 8 815 441 new penicillin users eligible for the analysis. The stratified analysis of 807 769 matched pairs included 840 events among clindamycin users and 290 among penicillin users (hazard ratio 2.90, 95% confidence interval 2.53, 3.31). Conclusions This evaluation produced an expected result and identified several potential enhancements to the Propensity Score Matching tool. This study has important limitations. CDI risk may have been related to factors other than the inherent properties of the drugs, such as duration of use or subsequent exposures.
Occurrence and phase distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urban storm-water runoff.

A total of 42 storm-water overland-flow samples were collected from four sampling sites (a highway off-ramp, a gas station, and a low- and high-traffic-volume parking lot). For each sample, the suspended-sediment and water phases were separated and analyzed for 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The gas station site produced the highest total PAH loading (2.24 g/yr/m 2 ), followed by the high-traffic-volume parking lot (5.56 X 10 -2 g/yr/m 2 ), the highway off-ramp (5.20 × 10 -2 g/yr/m 2 ), and the low-traffic-volume parking lot (3.23 × 10 -2 g/yr/m 2 ). In several samples, one or more PAHs were detected in the aqueous phase at concentrations above its aqueous solubility. This result suggests the presence of colloidal-size particles capable of sorbing PAHs to an appreciable extent, or the presence of an oil-and-grease microemulsion. Based on rainfall and PAH data from seven discrete storm events, PAH concentrations were usually highest during the “first flush” of storm-water runoff and tapered off rapidly as time progressed. It is apparent from these analyses that storm-water runoff from parking lots, highways, and gas stations is a significant source of PAHs to the environment. Because some of the PAHs are carcinogens or suspected carcinogens, best management practices such as oil/grit separators should be implemented at “hot spots” in urban areas to mitigate potential PAH pollution.