cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Further studies on the mechanism of suppression of human lymphocyte transformation by human alpha fetoprotein

Abstract We investigated the possibility that noncovalent binding of negatively charged molecules such as prostaglandins (PGs) might be partly responsible for human alpha fetoprotein (HAFP) heterogeneity with respect to charge and the suppression of human lymphocyte responses, since PGs are potent suppressors of lymphocyte transformation. Indomethacin, an inhibitor of PG synthesis, had no effect upon the transformation of adherent-cell-depleted human lymphocytes, nor did it interfere with the capacity of HAFP to inhibit lymphocyte transformation. When a partially suppressive dose of HAFP was added to mitogen-stimulated lymphocytes together with varying doses of prostaglandin E 1 or E 2 (PGE 1 or PGE 2 ), no evidence of inhibitory synergy was demonstrable; their combined suppressive action was either less than or approximately equal to the sum of their respective inhibitory effects. Addition of PGE 2 to a nonsuppressive dose of an impotent HAFP preparation resulted in no greater lymphocyte suppression than that achieved by PGE 2 alone. Analysis of the kinetics of suppression of lymphocyte transformation by PG and HAFP yielded unequivocal evidence for their disparate mechanisms of action. Suppression of lymphocyte transformation by PGE 2 is evident by 24 to 40 hr of culture, persists throughout the entire culture period (including peak deoxyribonucleic acid [DNA] synthesis at 72 to 88 hr and beyond), and does not vary in profundity at any time. By contrast, HAFP-induced suppression of lymphocyte DNA synthesis is lacking at 24 to 40 hr, reaches a peak at 72 to 88 hr, and is waning by 96 to 112 hr. Cultures containing HAFP synthesize more DNA than control cultures during the 120 to 136 hr culture period. These observations, together with our earlier demonstration of a subpopulation of human lymphocytes resistant to HAFP inhibition, suggest that, after the first 24 to 40 hr of culture, HAFP may enhance the proliferation of a suppressor population which gradually dampens the proliferative response. HAFP is capable of suppressing the proliferative response of periodate-treated lymphocytes; this confirms that it does not act via competition with the cell membrane for a mitogen-binding site. Immunofluorescence studies indicate that human peripheral blood lymphocytes lack membrane-associated HAFP or HAFP receptors of high affinity. Our results indicate that PG, either present as a putative contaminant in HAFP isolates or endogenously synthesized by lymphocytes (or monocytes), plays no role in lymphocyte suppression by HAFP.
Antialiasing through stochastic sampling

Stochastic sampling techniques, in particular Poisson and fittered sampling, are developed and analyzed. These approaches allow the construction of alias-free approximations to continuous functions using discrete calculations. Stochastic sampling scatters high frequency information into broadband noise rather than generating the false patterne produced by regular sampling. The type of randomness used in the sampling process controls the spectral character of the noise. The average sampling rate and the function being sampled determine the amount of noise that is produced. Stochastic sampling is applied adaptively so that a greater number of samples are taken where the function varies most. An estimate is used to determine how many samples to take over a given region. Noise reducing filters are used to increase the efficacy of a given sampling rate. The filter width is adaptively controlled to further improve performance. Stochastic sampling can be applied spatiotemporally as well as to other aspects of scene simulation. Ray tracing is one example of an image synthesis approach that can be antialiased by stochastic sampling.
Use of an Intraperitoneal Ventricular Assist Device With a Polytetrafluoroethylene Barrier Decreases Infections

Background Infection rates for ventricular assist devices (VADs) are improving but the presence of infections remains problematic. Intraperitoneal pump placement may decrease the rate of infection. Methods This study is a single-institution, retrospective comparison of infections for an extraperitoneal vs an intraperitoneal position with a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) sheet separating the VAD from visceral organs. Implants were performed by a single surgical team from January 1, 2002 to May 31, 2006 ( n = 65) for bridge-to-transplant or destination therapy. Patients with paracorporeal pumps (17 patients) or implant times of n = 7; 4 died, 3 ongoing, 0 with pocket infections) were excluded. Thirty-five pulsatile left VADs were analyzed, whereas 6 rotary VADs were excluded from analysis. Twenty-three pulsatile VADs were placed in an extraperitoneal pocket (pocket patients) in 18 patients (5 patients had more than one left VAD implant), whereas 12 patients had intraperitoneal (IP patients) VAD placement. Results Infection with the implanted VAD occurred in 8 of 23 pocket implants (mean support 310 ± 249 days) and 0 of 12 IP implants (mean support 220 ± 131 days; pocket vs IP infections: p = 0.003). Staphylococcus and Enterococcus accounted for most of the infections. Four infections in the pocket group recurred during VAD support. Two infected pocket patients had dehiscence of the mid-line wound. Conclusions Infections of implanted VADs are associated with serious morbidity (e.g., prolonged antibiotic therapy, recurrent device infections and wound dehiscence). Placing VADs in an intraperitoneal position with a PTFE barrier to protect the viscera may reduce the prevalence of these infections.
Screening and Labor Market Flows in a Model with Heterogeneous Workers

WE CONSTRUCT A MONETARY model in which workers are heterogeneous and productivity is worker-specific, resulting in time-varying deviations between the average productivity of employed and unemployed workers. We assume the worker-specific component of productivity, which we label as the worker’s efficiency level, is unobservable ex ante by firms, and job search is nondirected. By interviewing an unemployed worker, firms can observe the worker’s efficiency level. Workers with low overall productivity may be interviewed but not hired as firms screen these workers out during the interview process. We show that screening amplifies the volatility of the exit rate from unemployment, capturing the idea that firms become more selective in a recession, reducing the vacancy yield relative to a model with homogeneous levels of efficiency. Following a negative productivity shock, the
Innocent left ventricular outflow tract membrane masquerading as vegetation

Innocent left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) membranes are a rare entity and found incidentally on echocardiography. The authors report a case of innocent LVOT membrane in a patient who was admitted with ischaemic stroke. Initial transthoracic echocardiography showed a possible valvular vegetation which was thought to be the cause of embolic stroke. Anticoagulation with coumadin and antibiotics were started. Subsequent Transesophageal echocardiography showed that it was more consistent with innocent LVOT membrane and not vegetation. Anticoagulation and antibiotics were discontinued, and on a follow-up over 5 years later, the membrane was stable in size and location without any complications.
InAlAs/InGaAs MHEMT degradation during DC and thermal stressing

Reliability studies of InAlAs/InGaAs metamorphic high electron mobility transistors (MHEMTs) grown on GaAs substrates for high frequency/power applications are reported. The MHEMTs were stressed at a drain voltage of 3 V for 36hrs, as well as undergoing a thermal storage test at 250°C for 48hrs. Under both stress conditions, the drain current density decreased about 12.5%. The gate current, however, increased more after the thermal storage as opposed to DC bias. The main degradation mechanism during thermal storage was reaction of the Ohmic contact with the underlying semiconductor. Transmission electron microscopy verified that gate sinking occurred in devices that underwent DC bias stressing.
RNA Polymerase II Carboxy-Terminal Domain Phosphorylation Is Required for Cotranscriptional Pre-mRNA Splicing and 3′-End Formation

We investigated the role of RNA polymerase II (pol II) carboxy-terminal domain (CTD) phosphorylation in pre-mRNA processing coupled and uncoupled from transcription in Xenopus oocytes. Inhibition of CTD phosphorylation by the kinase inhibitors 5,6-dichloro-1β-d-ribofuranosyl-benzimidazole and H8 blocked transcription-coupled splicing and poly(A) site cleavage. These experiments suggest that pol II CTD phosphorylation is required for efficient pre-mRNA splicing and 3′-end formation in vivo. In contrast, processing of injected pre-mRNA was unaffected by either kinase inhibitors or α-amanitin-induced depletion of pol II. pol II therefore does not appear to participate directly in posttranscriptional processing, at least in frog oocytes. Together these experiments show that the influence of the phosphorylated CTD on pre-mRNA splicing and 3′-end processing is mediated by transcriptional coupling.
Optimists, Pessimists, and Managerial Disclosures

The objective of this paper is to explore the effects of analyst bias on the voluntary disclosure decisions of corporate managers. It is shown that when a manager believes that an analyst following his firm might be exhibiting undue optimism, he will grant the analyst access to his private information not only if it is favorable, but, potentially, also if it is sufficiently unfavorable. In contrast, when the manager believes that the analyst may be exhibiting undue pessimism, he will withhold access not only when the information is unfavorable, but, possibly, also when it is sufficiently favorable. These strategies differ not only from each other, but also from the optimal strategy in a setting without analyst bias. These differences make clear that any analysis of managerial disclosure strategies must take into account the possible biases of analysts and, by extension, the nature of the information currently in the possession of investors in the marketplace. The analysis also explores the effect of changes in the economy's parameters on the probability of managerial disclosure. Some of these results again differ from those obtained in a setting without analyst bias and have the potential of generating future empirical work.
Heat-seeking honeypots: design and experience

Many malicious activities on the Web today make use of compromised Web servers, because these servers often have high pageranks and provide free resources. Attackers are therefore constantly searching for vulnerable servers. In this work, we aim to understand how attackers find, compromise, and misuse vulnerable servers. Specifically, we present heat-seeking honeypots that actively attract attackers, dynamically generate and deploy honeypot pages, then analyze logs to identify attack patterns.Over a period of three months, our deployed honeypots, despite their obscure location on a university network, attracted more than 44,000 attacker visits from close to 6,000 distinct IP addresses. By analyzing these visits, we characterize attacker behavior and develop simple techniques to identify attack traffic. Applying these techniques to more than 100 regular Web servers as an example, we identified malicious queries in almost all of their logs.
Similar patterns of frequency-dependent selection on animal personalities emerge in three species of social spiders.

Frequency dependent selection is thought to be a major contributor to the maintenance of phenotypic variation. We tested for frequency dependent selection on contrasting behavioral strategies, termed here ‘personalities’, in three species of social spiders, each thought to represent an independent evolutionary origin of sociality. The evolution of sociality in the spider genus Anelosimus is consistently met with the emergence of two temporally-stable discrete personality types: an ‘aggressive’ or ‘docile’ form. We assessed how the foraging success of each phenotype changes as a function of its representation within a colony. We did this by creating
Observations and dynamics of semiannual and annual sea levels near the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean boundary

Abstract Monthly sea level records from the western coasts of Thailand and Indonesia are examined together with atmospheric pressure, wind data, and a linear model to document and understand eastern equatorial Indian Ocean semiannual and annual sea level fluctuations. The semiannual sea level fluctuations are approximately constant in amplitude and phase for six sea level stations on a 4000-km stretch of coastline extending from 8.12°S to 7.83°N. Semiannual zonal equatorial winds in the Indian Ocean basin remotely generate these sea level fluctuations. In sharp contrast to the semiannual sea level, the phase and amplitude of the annual sea level fluctuations vary strongly along the coast. The annual fluctuations are forced predominantly by the coastal alongshore monsoon wind. For the six months from April to September this monsoon wind has a southeasterly component toward India, raising coastal sea level in the Northern Hemisphere and lowering it in the Southern Hemisphere; during the other six months win...
A Numerical Study on Tropical Cyclone Intensification. Part I: Beta Effect and Mean Flow Effect

Abstract The effect of planetary vorticity gradient (beta) and the presence of a uniform mean flow on the intensification of tropical cyclones are studied using a limited-area primitive equation model. The most intense storm evolves on a constant-f plane with zero-mean flow and its structure is symmetric with respect to the vortex center. The presence of an environmental flow induces an asymmetry in a vortex due to surface friction. When f varies the vortex is distorted by the beta gyres. Fourier analysis of the wind field shows that a deepening cyclone is associated with a small asymmetry in the low-level wavenumber-one wind field. A small degree of asymmetry in the wind field allows a more symmetric distribution of the surface fluxes and low-level moisture convergence. On the other hand, a weakening or nonintensifying cyclone is associated with a larger asymmetry in its wavenumber-one wind field. This flow pattern generates asymmetric moisture convergence and surface fluxes and a phase shift may exist b...
Commentary: The Intellectual Properties of Literacy

This paper presents the case for considering literacy and learning as possessing a distinct set of intellectual properties that set apart literacy in the context of learning from other sorts of intellectual property that we commonly associate with commercial endeavors. It argues for the value of thinking about intellectual properties as a means of preparing the young both for economic life in the age of information, and for appreciating the importance of protecting the state of learning as a special sphere of intellectual activity and thus intellectual property.The example is given of how students' own contribution of intellectual properties, as a result of their learning, can add something of value to their communities.
Network truth-maintenance for deduction and modelling

Truth functional connectives which attempt to maintain consistency in the network. The use of context layers in addition to dependencies allows more accurate world-modelling than previous dependency-based modelling schemes. Focus of attention in deductive search and planning is accomplished by the propagation of control information through the network in addition to normal truth values.
Total Immersion: Taking a Congressional Simulation to the Next Level

Now a professor at Utah State University, I have conducted more than thirty congressional simulations. In my presentation at the 2013 APSA Teaching and Learning Conference, I will share the lessons of my experience with others using political simulations, or considering the possibility. Some of my simulations have been modeled after the U.S. Senate, and others after the U.S. House, some with a President and/or interest group lobbyists, and some without, and with many other variations in course rules and academic requirements. Through all these permutations in format, one of my principle pedagogical objectives has always been to envelop the students so thoroughly in the experience that the simulation became a fundamental part of their daily lives and identities. In the course, I expect the students to learn about representation, the legislative process, the importance of procedural rules, and policy issues. Beyond that, I want them to learn on a more personal and emotional basis about negotiation, compromise, coalition-building, trust, loyalty, and making difficult decisions under pressure.
Ferroelectric Polymers and Their Energy-Related Applications

The discovery of ferroelectric phenomenon in polymers in early 1970s has aroused tremendous research interests in these soft materials with intriguing physical properties, and led to a broad range of applications. Since then the understanding of physical origin of ferroelectricity in these macromolecules has been fast deepened by virtue of the rapid development of ferroelectric polymer science, which in turn has enabled better design of ferroelectric polymers with improved performance. Over the last two decades, as boosted by the increasing demand for advanced energy technologies, great progress has been made in understanding and developing new ferroelectric polymers toward energy-related applications. This trend article summarizes the important aspects and recent advances in the research area of ferroelectric polymers, covering from understanding of material fundamentals, through synthesis and processing techniques, to applications in energy conversion and storage.
Release of cytochrome c and activation of pro-caspase-9 following lysosomal photodamage involves Bid cleavage.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) protocols employing lysosomal sensitizers induce apoptosis via a mechanism that causes cytochrome c release prior to loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm). The current study was designed to determine how lysosomal photodamage initiates mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis in murine hepatoma 1c1c7 cells. Fluorescence microscopy demonstrated that the photosensitizer N-aspartyl chlorin e6 (NPe6) localized to the lysosomes. Irradiation of cultures preloaded with NPe6 induced the rapid destruction of lysosomes, and subsequent cleavage/activation of Bid, pro-caspases-9 and -3. Pro-caspase-8 was not activated. Release of cytochrome c occurred at about the time of Bid cleavage and preceded the loss of ΔΨm. Extracts of purified lysosomes catalyzed the in vitro cleavage of cytosolic Bid, but not pro-caspase-3 activation. Pharmacological inhibition of cathepsin B, L and D activities did not suppress Bid cleavage or pro-caspases-9 and -3 activation. These studies demonstrate that photodamaged lysosomes trigger the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway by releasing proteases that activate Bid.
Temperature Uniformity Optimization Using Three-Zone Lamp and Dynamic Control in Rapid Thermal Multiprocessor

Rapid thermal processing (RTP) can play an important role in in situ single-wafer thermal multiprocessing, since it allows for a rapid wafer throughput rate. Conventional dedicated RTP equipment, where temperature uniformity is achieved by optimized reflector and chamber geometries for a specific process, typically cannot provide uniformity for different processes, or for a range of processing conditions. In this work we present a new flexible lamp system, in which tungsten-halogen lamps are configured in three concentric rings that are independently and dynamically controlled. The resultant circularly symmetric flux, which can be varied and controlled both temporally and spatially, offers significantly improved temperature uniformity. This is demonstrated using thermocouples as well as actual processes such as implant annealing, thermal oxidation and chemical vapor deposition of silicon. Through added flexibility and more precise control, this approach offers a powerful tool for multiprocessing and rapid process prototyping.
C-H activation by a diselenido dinickel(II) complex.

Addition of selenium to the nickel(I) complex, [Ni(Me4[12]aneN4)(CO)]PF6, effects a redox reaction leading to the diselenido dinickel(II) complex, {[(Ni(Me4[12]aneN4)]2(Se2)}(PF6)2, in 70% crystalline yield. The product's structure features a μ-η(2):η(2)-Se2 ligand with Se-Se bond length of 2.379(13) A. Upon mild heating, {[(Ni(Me4[12]aneN4)]2(μ-η(2):η(2)-Se2)}(PF6)2 oxidizes 9,10-dihydroanthracene or 1,4-cyclohexadiene forming the terminal hydroselenide, [Ni(Me4[12]aneN4)(SeH)]PF6, and anthracene or benzene, respectively. [Ni(Me4[12]aneN4)(SeH)]PF6 cleanly converts back to the diselenido dinickel(II) adduct upon addition of a phenoxy radical.
Radiator free space power generation

The use of a Brayton cycle using both a radiator and cross-flow heat exchange with the propellant is studied. A dimensionless parameter is defined which determines the operational thermodynamic efficiency that will minimize radiator mass. It is shown that in some circumstances, when the power requirements are below a certain threshold, the radiator can be eliminated entirely. The power generation system is applied to a gas core nuclear propulsion system, as well as a modified solid core concept to determine the performance of these systems relative to the traditional solid core system. It is found that for the gas core system, the need for radiators to reject waste heat is eliminated, and the modified solid core performance benefit gets better for higher AK missions. For high power systems, the radiators cannot be eliminated, however the minimum mass radiator is found to correspond to the same temperature ratio as that of a Carnot cycle, 75% of the maximum
There is no simple answer to a rare complication of inferior petrosal sinus sampling.

Bilateral inferior petrosal sinus sampling is the most reliable test to differentiate Cushing's disease from ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) production. Catheters, whether preshaped polyethylene or coaxial Tracker systems, are supple and atraumatic. Retrograde venograms are gentle
Adaptation of the State-Trait Inventory for Cognitive and Somatic Anxiety for Use in Children: A Preliminary Analysis

Objective Anxiety has both state/trait and cognitive/somatic dimensions, and these distinctions may be particularly relevant for children with medical problems. This two-part study adapted the State-Trait Inventory for Cognitive and Somatic Anxiety (STICSA) and confirmed its factor structure in a sample of children in a primary care clinic. Methods STICSA items were adapted for reading level and piloted in a small group of children. Next, 250 children (12.3 ± 2.7 years) completed the adapted version, the STICSA-C. Results Separate confirmatory factor analyses conducted on the State and Trait forms of the STICSA-C confirmed the two-factor structure of the original measure (i.e., cognitive and somatic anxiety) and suggested an improved parsimonious model. Conclusions Support was found for use of the STICSA-C as a reasonably good internally consistent measure for assessing cognitive and somatic anxiety in pediatric samples. Further investigation of its reliability and validity with replication in pediatric populations is warranted.
Letter by Reddy et al Regarding Article, “Cannabis Use and Outcomes in Patients With Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage”

We read with great interest the article by Behrouz et al.1 In light of recent movements for widespread legalization of recreational marijuana, the adverse effects of cannabis remain a pressing area of research. Behrouz et al1 present a retrospective cohort analysis of 213 patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH), of whom 25.9% tested positive for cannabinoids (CB+). The authors noted that CB+ aSAH had an increased risk of delayed cerebral ischemia. Behrouz et al1 claim to be the first to investigate the incidence of cannabis use in patients with aSAH and its impact on patient outcomes. However, we recently published a similar study2 utilizing the Nationwide …
Abstract A45: Consumption of artificially and sugar-sweetened carbonated beverages and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoid neoplasms: The Cancer Prevention Study-II Nutrition Cohort

Background: The sweetener aspartame received regulatory approval for use in carbonated beverages 30 years ago, but debate continues over its safety. Only two prospective studies have examined the relationship between artificially-sweetened beverages and incidence of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), with one study finding no association and the other suggesting possible increased risk. Objective: We examined the associations of consumption of artificially- and sugar- sweetened carbonated beverages and total aspartame intake with risk of incident NHL, overall and by major histologic subtypes in the Cancer Prevention Study-II (CPS-II) Nutrition Cohort. Methods: Included in this analysis were 100,442 men and women, average age 69.2 (SD ± 6.1) years. Participants reported consumption of diet and regular soda in 1999 and 2003, in addition to information on medical history, lifestyle and anthropometric factors. During a 10 year follow-up, 1,196 self-reported NHL cases were verified through medical record or state cancer registry linkage. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate multivariable-adjusted relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: Average daily consumption of diet and regular soda at baseline was less than a half serving/day. In men and women combined, we observed no association between consumption of one or more servings/day of diet (RR=0.92, 95% CI 0.73, 1.17, p trend=0.14) or regular (RR=1.10, 95 % CI 0.77, 1.58, p trend=0.62) soda and total NHL risk, compared to no consumption (p heterogeneity by sex>0.1); both models controlled for consumption of the other beverage. Aspartame intake was not associated with NHL risk (RR=1.02, 95% CI 0.84, 1.24 p trend=0.69, comparing top to bottom quintile of intake). Associations with NHL subtypes (multiple myeloma, DLBCL, CLL/SLL, follicular, other B cell lymphoma) were similarly null except for an inverse trend for consumption of artificially sweetened soda with risk of multiple myeloma (RR=0.70, 95% CI 0.42, 1.17 for 5+ servings/week vs. none, p trend=0.05). Conclusion: In this cohort of older men and women, daily consumption of artificially- or sugar- sweetened sodas is not associated with increased risk of NHL. Further research in younger cohorts is needed to examine associations with higher amounts of consumption. Citation Format: Marjorie L. McCullough, Lauren Teras, Roma Shah, Ryan Diver, Mia M. Gaudet, Susan M. Gapstur. Consumption of artificially and sugar-sweetened carbonated beverages and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoid neoplasms: The Cancer Prevention Study-II Nutrition Cohort. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Twelfth Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research; 2013 Oct 27-30; National Harbor, MD. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Can Prev Res 2013;6(11 Suppl): Abstract nr A45.
The Optimal Procedure for Retransplantation After Single Lung Transplantation

Background Retransplantation has emerged as a therapeutic option for patients experiencing respiratory failure after single lung transplantation. However, outcomes associated with the surgical option (ipsilateral, contralateral, or bilateral lung retransplantation) has not been well evaluated. Methods The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network database (1994 to 2012) was queried for all lung transplant procedures performed after an initial single lung transplantation. Donor and recipient demographics, before and after transplant characteristics, and outcomes were stratified by retransplant procedural choice and by interval between transplants. Risk factors for mortality were evaluated by Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. Results Of 325 prior single lung transplant recipients, 50 underwent ipsilateral, 175 contralateral, and 100 bilateral lung retransplantation. The number of retransplant procedures performed per year increased from 3 in 1994 to 31 in 2012, with an increasing proportion of contralateral retransplantation and declining proportions of ipsilateral and bilateral retransplantation. Survival was significantly better in the contralateral and bilateral retransplant groups than in the ipsilateral retransplant group at 30 days (94% and 89% versus 80%), 1 year (72% and 67% versus 50%), and 5 years (41% and 42% versus 20%). Ipsilateral retransplantation (hazard ratio 1.48; p = 0.042), mechanical ventilation before retransplant (hazard ratio 2.39; p p = 0.027) were associated with increased mortality. Conclusions After an initial single lung transplant, both the incidence of retransplantation and postoperative survival have increased with time. Although ipsilateral lung retransplantation may be the best available alternative in particular circumstances, this analysis suggests that contralateral or bilateral lung retransplantation may be preferable in patients for whom those options are medically sensible.
Establishment and Growth of Begonias in the Landscape as Affected by Root Ball Condition at Transplanting

Abstract Begonias (Begonia semperflorens) were transplanted into an open-sided clear polyethylene covered shelter to evaluate the effect of root ball condition on establishment and growth. Three root ball classes were evaluated: non root-bound (NRB; 6 week old plants), root-bound (RB; 10 week old plants), and root-bound with the bottom 1 cm of the root ball removed (RBM). Non root-bound plants had greater growth rates for both height and faster rates of accumulation for cumulative root dry mass and new root dry mass relative to the other treatments tested. Cumulative shoot dry mass, new shoot dry mass, and total biomass accumulation rates were slower among RB plants compared to other rootball conditions. Mean canopy size, shoot dry mass, and biomass of NRB were significantly less at transplant; however all parameters were comparable among treatments 12 weeks later. Final mean shoot to root ratios were lower for the NRB treatment relative to RBM. Results indicate smaller, NRB transplants establish faster i...
High lying E0 strength in {sup 12}C

The excitation region in ${}^{12}\mathrm{C}$ from $7\mathrm{MeV}l{E}_{x}l60\mathrm{MeV}$ was studied with inelastic scattering of 240-MeV \ensuremath{\alpha} particles at small angles including 0\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} where $E0$ strength is enhanced. The strengths of known ${0}^{+}$ states at ${E}_{x}=7.655\mathrm{MeV}$ and ${E}_{x}=10.3\mathrm{MeV}$ were obtained and $E0$ strength was observed to be distributed between ${E}_{x}=14\mathrm{MeV}$ and ${E}_{x}=30\mathrm{MeV}$ with a centroid of $21.5\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.4\mathrm{MeV}$ and an rms width of $3.1\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2\mathrm{MeV}$ containing $14.5\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}4.0%$ of the isoscalar $E0$ energy-weighted sum rule. Angular distributions and strengths of the ${E}_{x}$$=4.439\mathrm{MeV}{2}^{+},$ $9.641\mathrm{MeV}{3}^{\ensuremath{-}},$ and $10.844\mathrm{MeV}{1}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ states were also obtained.
Why are we not winning? An exploration of causes for continued disengagement among graduates of low-income community leadership development programs

AbstractThis mixed method study examines the causes of continued disengagement among graduates of a low-income community leadership development (CLD) program. Interviews were conducted with 55 CLD program graduates, 19 program facilitators, and 12 community members. Surveys were completed by 80 program graduates including the 55 who participated in interviews. Three main themes emerged with regard to community engagement: self-motivation, program leadership, and community readiness. Participants had mixed feelings on each of the themes. Overall our findings suggest that there are personal (self-motivation), programmatic (leadership and structure), and community (readiness) factors influencing the motivation to participate in CLD and transition to skills application in the community. This implies a need for CLD programs to focus on developing a holistic, inclusive, and collaborative process where low-income residents can partner with community leaders in identifying the creative solutions necessary to solv...
CancerDiscover: an integrative pipeline for cancer biomarker and cancer class prediction from high-throughput sequencing data

Accurate identification of cancer biomarkers and classification of cancer type and subtype from High Throughput Sequencing (HTS) data is a challenging problem because it requires manual processing of raw HTS data from various sequencing platforms, quality control, and normalization, which are both tedious and time-consuming. Machine learning techniques for cancer class prediction and biomarker discovery can hasten cancer detection and significantly improve prognosis. To date, great research efforts have been taken for cancer biomarker identification and cancer class prediction. However, currently available tools and pipelines lack flexibility in data preprocessing, running multiple feature selection methods and learning algorithms, therefore, developing a freely available and easy-to-use program is strongly demanded by researchers. Here, we propose CancerDiscover, an integrative open-source software pipeline that allows users to automatically and efficiently process large high-throughput raw datasets, normalize, and selects best performing features from multiple feature selection algorithms. Additionally, the integrative pipeline lets users apply different feature thresholds to identify cancer biomarkers and build various training models to distinguish different types and subtypes of cancer. The open-source software is available at https://github.com/HelikarLab/CancerDiscover and is free for use under the GPL3 license.
Tools and Techniques for Gastrointestinal Hemostasis

Acute gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding can be amongst the most challenging GI conditions for care givers and is optimally managed in a multidisciplinary fashion. Team members can be highly variable and may include an emergency room physician, interventional radiologist or vascular surgeon, gastroenterologist, intensivist, and surgeon or surgical endoscopist. It is vital to have clear, concise, and current communication among team members to optimize outcome for the patient. Each member has a critical role from initiating resuscitation promptly in the emergency room, to endoscopic diagnostic and therapeutic management, to endovascular or interventional radiologic strategies if endoscopic therapies fail, and finally to post-procedure support and monitoring of the patient. This chapter provides an in-depth look at the tools used to gain endoscopic hemostasis in the GI tract. Basic elements of the proper evaluation and preparation of a patient for endoscopic therapy of GI bleeding are also covered.
Anesthesia for Electroconvulsive Therapy: an Update

The purpose of this review is to discuss the safety and therapeutic effects of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), research advances in neurobiology of depression and antidepressant mechanisms of general anesthetics, and make recommendations applicable to anesthesia practice in the ECT suite. Recent epidemiological studies reported 0.08–0.75% 30-day mortality after ECT, with falls and cardiopulmonary complications as the most frequent adverse events. Advanced age (65 years and older) and ischemic heart disease are risk factors for adverse events after ECT. Animal and human research proposed two novel hypotheses of depression: a neurotrophic one and one of impaired connectivity. Studies utilizing biomarkers and functional imaging suggest that the antidepressant effect of ECT and ketamine is a result of the improved neuroplasticity in the brain via stimulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Recent randomized controlled studies evaluating various doses of ketamine for anesthesia for ECT are inconclusive. One well-designed study did not demonstrate the beneficial effect of ketamine on depression and cognition. Ketamine as a sole anesthetic in ECT seems to be safe, but its effect on long-term outcomes after ECT is unclear. Risks and benefits of ECT should be carefully considered, particularly in patients older than 65 years, and with ischemic heart disease. Anesthesia should be adjusted to assure a good- quality seizure during ECT. Along with previously recommended methohexital and etomidate, ketamine may be also safely used for anesthesia in ECT.
The Urban Factor in Natal Native Policy, 1843-1873

The idea behind this article is a simple one. It is that, despite South Africa's major themes of frontier, African and settler history and its social tradition of realism, the interaction between white people and their ways and black people and theirs was nowhere more vivid, articulate and transforming than in the rising towns from early times. We will focus this perspective upon the beginning of nineteen century Natal.
Cognitive Theory, Conscience, and Law

The claim of conscience is one that relies on a "transcendent" norm, some ultimate sense of "rightness" that is not reducible to mere social norm or social construction. Is it still possible, however, for us responsibly to appeal to a sense of conscience when cognitive theory - the science of the brain and mind - describes human consciousness as a function of our biology? May we retain, then, a notion of conscience as an appeal to some transcendent value that is not simply the product of our physical constitution? In this Article, I defend the viability of a notion of conscience, not through avoidance of the insights of cognitive theory but through a demonstration of the space that this theory leaves open for conscience on the basis of cognitive science's own criteria. In my presentation of cognitive theory, I concentrate on its portrayal of human categorization. Cognitive theory demonstrates the reliance of categorization - including legal categorization - on the structuring of the human mind and brain. The more general insight is that we humans have no direct access to reality. Our understanding of reality, whatever it is, is mediated through our structured conceptual systems in the mind. My reservations about cognitive theory turn on whether human and legal categorization lead to the degree of predictability it contends they do. I do not deny that reasoning is structured but maintain that this structuring permits more play than cognitive theory argues. At the heart of my criticism lies an objection that cognitive theory permits an insufficient role for creative metaphor. Creative metaphor is true to cognitive theory in that it operates throughout human categorization, not just in poetry. Contrary to the claims of cognitive theory, however, creative metaphor does not simply build on existing categorization, it also disrupts and transforms categorization. This space for creative metaphor is located outside existing conceptual structures and provides an opening for an appeal to values and norms that, precisely, transcend existing conceptual structures. This is the space for conscience.
Electrocatalytic Properties of Binuclear Cu(II) Fused Porphyrins for Hydrogen Evolution

Binuclear copper(II) porphyrins in which two copper(II) porphyrin macrocycles are doubly fused at the meso-beta positions are shown to be active electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (2H+ + 2e– → H2). Structural characterization, including use of electron paramagnetic resonance and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies, verifies the fused species contains two copper(II) metal centers in its resting state. In comparison to the nonfused copper(II) porphyrin complex, the fused species is reduced at significantly less applied bias potentials (ΔE1/2 ∼ 570 mV for the first reduction process). Electrochemical characterization in the presence of substrate protons confirms the production of hydrogen with near-unity Faradaic efficiency, and kinetic analysis shows the catalyst achieves a maximum turnover frequency above 2 000 000 s–1. The enhancement in catalytic performance over analogous nonfused copper(II) porphyrins indicates extended macrocycles provide an advantageous structural motif and design el...
CURRENT DIASTOLIC GUIDELINES UNDERESTIMATE THE PREVALENCE OF DIASTOLIC DYSFUNCTION IN CIRRHOTIC PATIENTS

The 2016 diastolic function guidelines emphasize elevated left atrial and pulmonary pressures. Cirrhosis causes a chronic hyperdynamic state and therefore may cause diastolic dysfunction (DD) without elevated left atrial pressures. We hypothesize 2016 guidelines will identify fewer patients with DD
Coins falling in water

When a coin falls in water, its trajectory is one of four types, determined by its dimensionless moment of inertia and Reynolds number : (A) steady; (B) fluttering; (C) chaotic; or (D) tumbling. The dynamics induced by the interaction of the water with the surface of the coin, however, makes the exact landing site difficult to predict a priori. Here, we describe a carefully designed experiment in which a coin is dropped repeatedly in water to determine the probability density functions (p.d.f.s) associated with the landing positions for each of the four trajectory types, all of which are radially symmetric about the centre drop-line. In the case of the steady mode, the p.d.f. is approximately Gaussian distributed with small variances, indicating that the coin is most likely to land at the centre, right below the point from which it is dropped. For the other falling modes, the centre is one of the least likely landing sites. Indeed, the p.d.f.s of the fluttering, chaotic and tumbling modes are characterized by a ‘dip’ around the centre. In the tumbling mode, the p.d.f. is a ring configuration about the centreline whereas in the chaotic mode, the p.d.f. is generally a broadband distribution spread out radially symmetrically about the centreline. For the steady and fluttering modes, the coin never flips, so the coin lands with the same side up as when it was dropped. The probability of heads or tails is close to 0.5 for the chaotic mode and, in the case of the tumbling mode, the probability of heads or tails is based on the height of the drop which determines whether the coin flips an even or odd number of times during descent.
Isolation of Neisseria dumasiana from a deep bite wound infection in a dog.

Background Neisseria spp. is a common inhabitant of the oral flora of cats and dogs; it is a potential cause of cutaneous infections in people secondary to animal bites. Neisseria dumasiana is a new species identified in the oral cavity of dogs. It has not been linked to cutaneous infections in people. Objective To describe the clinical and microbiological features of Neisseria dumasiana isolated from the skin of a dog. Animal A 3-year-old male neutered mixed breed dog from Florida, USA. Methods and materials The dog had no travel history within or outside the United States; the dog was presented with draining tracts on the dorsum. Five months before the initial examination the dog was involved in a fight with another dog. Results An aerobic bacterial culture was performed and isolated multiple small, grey, moist, circular, convex and nonhaemolytic colonies. A Gram stain showed Gram-negative coccobacilli present in pairs. The bacteria were oxidase- and catalase-positive and negative for indole and fermentation of fructose, xylose, sucrose, mannitol and sorbitol. Polymerase chain reaction, using 16S rDNA sequencing, was positive for Neisseria dumasiana. Clinical and microbiological resolution occurred within three months of treatment. Conclusions and clinical importance To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of a deep cutaneous dermatitis associated with Neisseria dumasiana in a dog. This case should stimulate veterinary clinicians and microbiologists to consider Neisseria spp. among the differential diagnoses of nonhealing wounds in dogs, particularly those associated with bite wounds.
Computation and consequences of high order amplitude- and parameter-dependent tune shifts in storage rings for high precision measurements

Nonlinear effects of the various electric field and magnetic field components of storage rings to confine the particles and bend their trajectory can cause substantial amplitude-dependent tune shif...
Bayesian Multi-scale Modeling of Factor Matrix without using Partition Tree

The multi-scale factor models are particularly appealing for analyzing matrix- or tensor-valued data, due to their adaptiveness to local geometry and intuitive interpretation. However, the reliance on the binary tree for recursive partitioning creates high complexity in the parameter space, making it extremely challenging to quantify its uncertainty. In this article, we discover an alternative way to generate multi-scale matrix using simple matrix operation: starting from a random matrix with each column having two unique values, its Cholesky whitening transform obeys a recursive partitioning structure. This allows us to consider a generative distribution with large prior support on common multi-scale factor models, and efficient posterior computation via Hamiltonian Monte Carlo. We demonstrate its potential in a multi-scale factor model to find broader regions of interest for human brain connectivity.
Misreporting as Strategic Experimentation: Theory and Evidence

We propose a two-period model wherein two firms select the level of misreporting in the presence of an unknown enforcement threshold of the regulator. Two key considerations underpin firms' misreporting decisions: intertemporal learning and inter-firm information externality. Our analysis focuses on two outcomes: a firm's strategic responsiveness of misreporting to the peer's past action, and the equilibrium level of misreporting. Factors found to influence either or both outcomes include regulatory uncertainty, the observability of peer's misreporting, accounting comparability between firms, and regulatory spillover. By developing empirical measures for the theoretical constructs, we provide evidence that supports model predictions.
Program profiling based on Markov models and EM emanations

As one of the fundamental approaches for code optimization and performance analysis, profiling software activities can provide information on the existence of malware, code execution problems, etc. In this paper, we propose a methodology to profile a system with no overhead. The approach leverages electromagnetic (EM) emanations while executing a program, and exploits its flow diagram by constructing a Markov model. The states of the model are considered as the heavily executed blocks (called hot paths) of the program, and the transition between any two states is possible only if there exists a branching operation which enables execution of corresponding states without any intermediate state. To identify the state of the program, we utilize a supervised learning method. To do so, we first collect signals for each state, extract features, and generate a dictionary. The features are considered as the activated frequencies when the program is executed. The assumption here is that there exists at least one unique frequency component that is only active for one unique state. Moreover, to degrade the e↵ect of interruptions and other signals emanated from other parts of the device, and to obtain signals with high Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR), we average the output of Short-Time Fourier Transform (STFT). After extracting features, we apply Principle Component Analysis (PCA) for dimension reduction which helps monitoring systems in real time. Finally, we describe experimental setup and show results to demonstrate that the proposed methodology can detect malware activity with high accuracy.