cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Primer on Sovereign Debt Buybacks and Swaps

This paper sets forth some basic principles that could help debt managers in emerging market and other countries to plan and implement sovereign debt buyback and swap operations. It discusses the macroeconomic context in which buybacks and swaps are undertaken, the objectives of buybacks and swaps, the analytical framework for deciding whether to undertake a particular buyback or swap operation and for selecting among alternative operations, and some key issues in the determination of the strategy for executing buybacks and swaps. The focus is on developing the analytical framework for evaluating sovereign debt buyback and swap operations, since very little work has been done in this area. In this regard, the paper presents a step-wise decision-making procedure, in which discounted cash flow analysis and the use of strategic benchmarks for the debt play central roles.
Abstract 1034: ZEB2 promotes cell motility and metastasis in ER+ breast cancer cells

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA While the precise molecular mechanisms underlying metastasis remain unclear, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), the loss of an epithelial cell phenotype and acquisition of a mesenchymal cell phenotype, has been implicated in cancer cell invasion and dissemination. The ZEB family of transcription factors, which includes ZEB1 and ZEB2, has been demonstrated to mediate this transition by downregulating the expression of genes associated with an epithelial phenotype. We sought to investigate the effects of direct ZEB family overexpression on EMT in estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer cell systems. We overexpressed ZEB1 or ZEB2 in the epithelial, ER+, luminal A breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and ZR75. Overexpression of individual ZEB1 and ZEB2 levels were confirmed and localization of the ZEB factors to the nucleus was confirmed by confocal microscopy in both cell lines. ZEB2 overexpressing cells, but not ZEB1 overexpressing cells, showed increased migration and invasion in vitro compared to the vector control in both MCF-7 and ZR75 cell lines, suggesting differential function of the two ZEB family members. Additionally, MCF-7-ZEB2 xenografts exhibited increased lung metastasis compared to MCF-7-vector cells. To elucidate the effects of ZEB on our ER+ cell line we performed next generation deep sequencing on MCF-7 -vector, ZEB1 and ZEB2 overexpressing cells. Analysis of total gene regulation using the NCI Pathway Interaction Database demonstrated an increase in genes associated with RhoA activity, an important mediator of cell motility, in ZEB2 overexpressing cells. However, the ZEB overexpressing cells show no change in morphology and canonical EMT markers remained unchanged between cell lines, suggesting a potential post-translational modification affecting ZEB1 and ZEB2 function. Together these results indicate that ZEB factors drive motility in breast cancer cells but are incapable of promoting a complete EMT in ER+ cells, warranting further investigation into the mechanisms involved in ZEB action. Elucidating the pathways involved in ZEB family function is an important step in understanding the mechanisms underlying metastasis and has the potential to yield new therapeutic targets. Citation Format: Hope E. Burks, Lyndsay Rhodes, Elizabeth Martin, Theresa Phamduy, Steven Elliot, Van Hoang, Henry Segar, Aaron Buechlein, Douglas Rusch, Dave Miller, Melody Baddoo, Erik Flemington, Kenneth Nephew, Douglas Chrisey, Bridgette Collins-Burow, Matthew Burow. ZEB2 promotes cell motility and metastasis in ER+ breast cancer cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 1034. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-1034
Biomaterial-mediated delivery of degradative enzymes to improve meniscus integration and repair

Endogenous repair of fibrous connective tissues is limited, and there exist few successful strategies to improve healing after injury. As such, new methods that advance repair by promoting cell growth, extracellular matrix (ECM) production, and tissue integration would represent a marked clinical advance. Using the meniscus as a test platform, we sought to develop an enzyme-releasing scaffold that enhances integrative repair. We hypothesized that the high ECM density and low cellularity of native tissue present physical and biological barriers to endogenous healing, and that localized collagenase treatment might expedite cell migration to the wound edge and tissue remodeling. To test this hypothesis, we fabricated a delivery system in which collagenase was stored inside electrospun poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) nanofibers and released upon hydration. In vitro results showed that partial digestion of the wound interface improved repair by creating a microenvironment that facilitated cell migration, proliferation and matrix deposition. Specifically, treatment with high-dose collagenase led to a 2-fold increase in cell density at the wound margin and a 2-fold increase in integrative tissue compared to untreated controls at 4 weeks (P≤0.05). Furthermore, when composite scaffolds containing both collagenase-releasing and structural fiber fractions were placed inside meniscal tears in vitro, enzyme release acted locally and resulted in a positive cellular response similar to that of global treatment with aqueous collagenase. This innovative approach to targeted enzyme delivery may aid the many patients that exhibit meniscal tears by promoting integration of the defect, thereby circumventing the pathologic consequences of partial meniscus removal, and may find widespread application in the treatment of injuries to a variety of dense connective tissues.
Moderators of sex differences in sexual selection theory

Archer recognizes that sexual selection theory is sensitive to the effects of ecologies on sex differences, yet he does not explain the impact of such variation. For example, to what degree are there sex differences in aggression in polygynous and monogamous societies? I demonstrate how differences in mating perceptions affect the traditional dichotomy that males compete for and females choose mates.
Hairpins with Poly-C Loops Stabilize Four Types of Fluorescent Agn:DNA

Few-atom Ag clusters self-assemble on single-stranded DNA and exhibit sequence-dependent fluorescence ranging from the blue to the NIR. DNA sequence presents a very large parameter space for creati...
A possible mechanism for the inhibition of plant viruses by a peptide from Phytolacca americana.

Abstract An inhibitor of virus transmission isolated from pokeweed was tested for its ability to inhibit in vitro polypeptide synthesis in systems employing ribosomes of wheat, cowpea, and pokeweed. Only the pokeweed ribosome system was resistant to inhibition. This suggests that the inhibitor acts in vivo by blocking the messenger function of a potentially infective virus RNA.
An Analysis of Educational and Learning Needs of Cancer Patients and Unrelated Family Caregivers

Family caregiving involves the provision of care by family members and self-care by patients, with the two groups participating together in illness-related care. A convenience sample of 100 patients and 100 unrelated family caregivers were surveyed to examine their perceptions of the caregiving skills they perform, the difficulty they experience in performing certain skills, and their associated learning needs. Descriptive analysis of data revealed differences in the type of activities patients and caregivers perform, the perceived difficulty of caregiving tasks, and their need for assistance. Uncertainty about disease stage poses important implications for educators.
Interfacial shear models and their required asymptotic form for annular/stratified film condensation flows in inclined channels and vertical pipes

Abstract Internal flows of pure vapor experiencing film condensation on the bottom wall of an inclined (horizontal to vertical) channel and the inside wall of a vertical cylinder are studied. The annular flow regime considered here has turbulent (or laminar) vapor in the core and thin laminar condensate on the wall. Both smooth and wavy interfaces are considered. We propose a theory which yields a new general asymptotic form of interfacial shear, addresses solvability of the governing equations, gives the solution of the equations near the point of onset of condensation and facilitates implementation of one- or two-dimensional numerical schemes for the entire flow. The results, in a suitable limit, are shown to be in excellent agreement with a classical exact solution. We implement a one-dimensional numerical solution scheme to assess popular interfacial shear models and heat transfer correlations. These assessments, based on comparison of computational p:redictions with data from well-known experiments, identify two potentially good interfacial shear models which can be further developed for greater reliability.
Voltammetric study of the anodic activation of platinum

Abstract The gradual transition of platinum electrodes from a state of small reactivity to one of large reactivity by the repetitive formation and reduction of the oxygen layer has been investigated by cyclic voltammetry. Changes of the surface state were followed by simultaneous recording of the current/potential curves and of the ohmic and capacitive component of the impedance of the platinum/solution interface at 10000 c/s. The results demonstrate that the activation is mainly due to the oxidation of a layer of organic impurities sitting originally on the surface. The blocking of the surface is slowly removed.
Recent advances in the management of variceal bleeding.

A prospective randomized trial of selective distal splenorenal shunt (DSRS)versus H-graft interposition total shunt at Emory Hospital in 1971 showed DSRS to be superior to a total shunt in shunt patency, prevention of variceal bleeding, preserving hepatic cell function, preserving the quality of life and patient survival. These results were particularly evident in the non-alcoholic patients. In the alcoholic patients, there was a greater loss of hepatic portal perfusion. In a later phase of the study, it was found that pancreatic veins formed a pathway of collaterals to the shunt, that is a socalled pancreatic siphon. In order to prevent loss of portal and pancreatic flow through the siphon, a total spleno-pancreatic disconnection was developed, whereby the hormone diversion is expected to be diminished.
Treating gestational trophoblastic disease.

Importance of the field: Gestational trophoblastic disease is one of the few human malignancies that is curable, even in advanced stages of the disease. However, appropriate management and follow-up are essential components in curing this disease. Areas covered in this review: Observational, retrospective and prospective studies evaluating the efficacy of medical and surgical management of gestational trophoblastic disease were analyzed to provide a comprehensive review of current and new treatment modalities. We searched PubMed, Medline and the Library of Congress from January 1965 to January 2010. What the reader will gain: The reader will obtain information on how to classify gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) into low- and high-risk groups, as well as learn the medical and surgical management of low- and high-risk GTN and recurrent GTN. The effectiveness of treatment regimens and subsequent fertility is also reviewed. Take home message: GTN is highly responsive to chemotherapy. However, surgery...
On the different scenarios of disagreement between self- and informant-reports on an aged adults ability to perform activities of daily living.

Abstract Background Studies assessing physical functionality with questions on ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) commonly make use of self- and informant-report measures. Objectives Delineate the scenarios from which disagreement can arise and show evidence for the presence of disagreements when reporting on ADLs. Method Use information from a cross sectional study of community-dwelling minority aged adults and their informants to show how disagreement can arise in survey studies. Results Although disagreement between self and informant reports on ADLs exist, informants should be considered a reliable source of information. Conclusion Informant reports should be used with caution when assessing complex and private ADLs.
p16INK4a and β-catenin alterations in rat liver tumors induced by NNK

Inactivation of the p16INK4a (p16) tumor suppressor gene by promoter hypermethylation and mutation within exon 3 of beta-catenin represent two of the more common gene alterations in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). One exposure implicated in the development of liver cancer is hepatitis B or C viral infection, which causes chronic destruction and regeneration of liver parenchyma. Treatment of rats with high doses of the tobacco-specific nitrosamine 4-methylnitrosamino-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) also causes liver toxicity and a high incidence of tumors. The purpose of the current investigation was to define the prevalence of genetic alterations in p16 and beta-catenin in NNK-induced rat liver cancer to determine if the molecular mechanisms seen in human tumors are the same in this animal model. DNA isolated from 15 adenomas and 14 carcinomas was examined for methylation of p16 by methylation-specific PCR. p16 methylation was detected in five of 15 adenomas and eight of 14 carcinomas (45% of all tumors). Methylation of p16 was extensive within the 5'-untranslated region and exon 1alpha, areas shown to correlate with loss of gene transcription. Liver tumors were also screened for mutations within exon 3 of beta-catenin. Single strand conformation polymorphism and DNA sequencing revealed five mutations in four of 29 tumors (14%). Mutations were present in three adenomas and one carcinoma and were located within codons 33, 36 or 37. All mutations resulted in amino acid substitutions; three of these mutations occurred at potential serine phosphorylation sites. Our results link two important regulatory pathways altered in human HCC to cancer induced in the rat NNK model. The fact that common genetic alterations are observed between rodent and human HCC suggests that the rat NNK model could be useful for identifying additional genetic alterations critical to the initiation of HCC.
Scale Development and Construct Clarification of Servant Leadership

This article presents an integrated construct of servant leadership derived from a review of the literature. Subscale items were developed to measure 11 potential dimensions of servant leadership: calling, listening, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, growth, and community building. Data from 80 leaders and 388 raters were used to test the internal consistency, confirm factor structure, and assess convergent, divergent, and predictive validity. Results produced five servant leadership factors—altruistic calling, emotional healing, persuasive mapping, wisdom, and organizational stewardship—with significant relations to transformational leadership, leader-member exchange, extra effort, satisfaction, and organizational effectiveness. Strong factor structures and good performance in all validity criteria indicate that the instrument offers value for future research.
Pluralistic Ignorance and Health Risk Behaviors: Do College Students Misperceive Social Approval for Risky Behaviors on Campus and in Media?

Pluralistic ignorance is a psychological state in which individuals believe that their own beliefs and feelings differ from others' in a group despite the fact that they all behave similarly (Miller & McFarland, 1991). For example, college students reported that they were less comfortable with campus drinking than were other students on their campus (Prentice & Miller, 1993). We replicated this finding and investigated whether college students would show this pluralistic ignorance effect for other health-related risk behaviors (smoking, sexual behavior, and illegal drug use). In addition, we tested whether media portrayals of these behaviors also might result in pluralistic ignorance. The results show that a significant effect of pluralistic ignorance occurred for all 4 health-related risk behaviors, both in ratings of campus behaviors and in ratings of media portrayals of these behaviors. Participants indicated that other students on their campus would have higher comfort ratings with campus patterns of smoking, drinking, illegal drug use, and sexual behaviors than their own comfort ratings. Participants also indicated that other students would have higher comfort ratings with the same 4 behaviors as they are portrayed in the media than their own comfort ratings.
The role of experience in children’s discrimination of unfamiliar languages

Five- and six-year-old children (n=160) participated in three studies designed to explore language discrimination. After an initial exposure period (during which children heard either an unfamiliar language, a familiar language, or music), children performed an ABX discrimination task involving two unfamiliar languages that were either similar (Spanish vs. Italian) or different (Spanish vs. Mandarin). On each trial, participants heard two sentences spoken by two individuals, each spoken in an unfamiliar language. The pair was followed by a third sentence spoken in one of the two languages. Participants were asked to judge whether the third sentence was spoken by the first speaker or the second speaker. Across studies, both the difficulty of the discrimination contrast and the relation between exposure and test materials affected children’s performance. In particular, language discrimination performance was facilitated by an initial exposure to a different unfamiliar language, suggesting that experience can help tune children’s attention to the relevant features of novel languages.
A viewing-angle dependent split-window method for retrieving land-surface temperatures from space

The authors propose a generalized split-window method for retrieving land-surface temperature (LST) from AVHRR data. Accurate radiative transfer simulations show that the coefficients in the split-window algorithm for LST must depend on the viewing angle, if they are to achieve a LST accuracy of about 1 K for the whole scan swath range (/spl plusmn/50.3/spl deg/ from nadir) and for the ranges of surface temperature and atmospheric conditions over land, which are much wider than those over oceans. The coefficients in the split-window algorithm also vary with atmospheric column water vapor and boundary temperature. The column water vapor and boundary temperature can be estimated from HIRS/2 data or MODIS atmospheric sounding channels data. The authors obtain these coefficients from regression analysis of radiative transfer simulations, and they analyze sensitivity and error by using results from systematic radiative transfer simulations over wide ranges of surface temperature and emissivities, and atmospheric water vapor abundance and temperatures. This method is more suitable for retrieving LST from EOS's MODIS data.
Motivating exercise: The interactive effect of general action goals and past behavior on physical activity

Although exercise is recognized as a powerful tool to combat obesity, remarkably few US adults pursue adequate amounts of exercise, with one major impediment being a lack of motivation for active behaviors. Recent empirical work has demonstrated that behavior can be guided by goals to be generally active or inactive. In the present paper, an experiment is presented in which participants played or observed a video game, were primed with action or inaction goals, and practiced a stretching exercise for as long as desired. Exposure to environmental action cues led to increased time spent exercising. This effect was moderated by past behavior, such that individuals who had just engaged in an active task (played a videogame) were insensitive to attempts to motivate general action. This suggests that the effectiveness of attempts to motivate activity (“just do it”, “be active”) hinges on the recent past-behavior of the targeted individuals. An implication of this work is that participation in certain leisure activities, such as playing videogames, may be causally related to a lack of motivation for exercise.
A HIERARCHICAL COORDINATION SCHEME FOR SATELLITE FORMATION INITIALIZATION

This paper addresses the problem of initializing a constellation of spacecraft, where a group of spacecraft are instructed to position themselves into a given configuration such that one spacecraft occupies each specified location. The spacecraft must effect these transitions without colliding into each other, and with limited information about the location of the other spacecraft. To solve this problem, the control strategy is broken into three hierarchical levels. The highest level of the hierarchy, termed the Organization Level, issues mission directives to all of the spacecraft. The other two levels are collocated on each individual spacecraft. The middle level, termed the Coordination Level, decides, based on its limited information, the position that spacecraft should seek. The lowest level, termed the Execution Level, implements simple control strategies that move the spacecraft to the desired location and avoid collisions with other spacecraft. The main contribution of this paper is an innovative design of the Coordination Level using a decision making mechanism based on epistemic utility theory.
Structural Invariants of Linear Multivariable Systems

This article identifies some of the structural properties of the matrix triple $(C,A,B)$ which remain invariant under various transformation groups. The paper begins with a brief account of a recent result which states that the controllable space of $(A,B)$ can be decomposed into a direct sum of singly-generated controllability subspaces, the dimension of each subspace being determined by one of the controllability indices of $(A,B)$. In certain instances the component subspaces of this decomposition can be chosen so that their C-images also decompose system output space in a special way; matrix triples $(C,A,B)$ for which such a decomposition is possible are called prime. If $\bar {\mathcal{C}}$ is an appropriately defined group of system-coordinate and state-feedback transformations acting on prime triples, then the controllability indices of $(A,B)$ determine a complete orbital invariant under $\bar {\mathcal{C}}$.By imbedding $\bar {\mathcal{C}}$ in a richer transformation group $\mathcal{C}^ * $, whi...
Efficient processor allocation for 3D tori

Efficient allocation of distinct subsets of processors to different jobs (i.e., space sharing) is critical to the performance of parallel computers, especially large scale parallel computers. This paper presents an efficient and lookahead strategy for processor allocation in 3D torus-connected systems, such as the Cray T3D, where each job requests for an exclusive allocation of a 3D submesh. The proposed processor allocation scheme has the following features: complete recognition of all maximal free submeshes, compact representation of submeshes, fairness with FCFS scheduling discipline, higher system utilization with lookahead scheduling, no restriction on the submesh orientation, and low allocation and scheduling overhead. The performance of the proposed strategy is demonstrated through simulation. >
ECG Clues for Diagnosing Ventricular Tachycardia Mechanism

Three mechanisms underlie the initiation and maintenance of ventricular tachycardia: automaticity, triggered activity, and reentry. As straightforward as these mechanisms are, assessing which mechanism is operative in a particular patient's ventricular tachycardia can be difficult. The optimal treatment strategy for ventricular tachycardia in a given patient can be influenced by the mechanism underlying the ventricular tachycardia. Appropriately counseling patients, choosing the optimal pharmacologic agent that maximizes efficacy while minimizing undesirable side effects, risks, and toxicities, as well as recommending and timing ablative therapy all hinge on identifying the probable mechanism of ventricular tachycardia. Much has been published regarding invasive electrophysiologic maneuvers that allow for correct diagnosis of ventricular tachycardia mechanism. The aim of this clinical review is to provide insight into VT mechanisms based on ECG clues of spontaneous arrhythmia events and the response to pharmacologic manipulation prior to invasive electrophysiologic evaluation.
Sarcopenia: A critical review of its measurements and health-related significance in the middle-aged and elderly.

A summary of the work performed by Stanley Garn relating to muscle mass while he worked at the Fels Research Institute is followed by a critical review of the measurement of sarcopenia, which is a deficiency of muscle mass, and its implications for health. The only satisfactory data for total muscle mass come from one cadaver study of a small selected sample. Analyses in relation to health (mortality rates) are limited to indices of muscle mass of which the body mass index (BMI) and arm muscle area or circumference are the most important because large amounts of serial data are available for analysis. The association between low BMI values and increased mortality rates is well established. Multiple studies, some of large samples, indicate that the increased mortality in those with low BMI values at entry is not fully explained by smoking behavior or disease at entry. There are, however, contrary findings from one major study. Associations between arm muscle circumference or area with mortality rates have also been reported. Independent effects of low BMI and low arm muscle values on mortality rates could be due to effects of low fat-free mass, particularly low muscle mass, on host defense mechanisms and risk factors for disease but few relevant data have been reported. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Field Methods for Identification of Bearing Support Parameters: Part I — Identification From Transient Rotor Dynamic Response Due to Impacts

A simple procedure, with potential as a field resource, for identification of bearing support parameter from recorded transient rotor responses due to impact loads follows. The method is applied to a test rotor supported on a pair of mechanically complex bearing supports, each comprising a tilting pad bearing in series with an integral squeeze film damper. Identification of frequency dependent bearing force coefficients is good at a rotor speed of 2,000 rpm. Stiffness coefficients are best identified in the low frequency range (below 25 Hz) while damping coefficients are best identified in the vicinity of the first natural frequency (48 Hz) of the rotor bearing system. The procedure shows that using multiple-impact frequency averaged rotor responses reduces the variability in the identified parameters. The identification of frequency-dependent force coefficients at a constant rotor speed is useful to assess rotor-bearing system stability.© 2003 ASME
Are Probabilistic and Anti-Optimization Approaches Compatible?

This study is directed to a single objective: to illustrate the possible error associated with the effect of a small perturbation in the probability density on the structural reliability. This perturbation is associated with interpretation of the experimental data, which lies as a basis of the probabilistic model involved. Moreover, the small perturbation in the probability density is still associated with the same probabilistic moments possessed by an unperturbed density. It appears that the analysis of a possible error must become a part of a meaningful probabilistic analysis.
Sensitivity of Erysiphe necator and Plasmopara viticola in Virginia to QoI Fungicides, Boscalid, Quinoxyfen, Thiophanate Methyl, and Mefenoxam

The sensitivity of downy mildew (DM, Plasmopara viticola) and powdery mildew (PM, Erysiphe necator) of grape (Vitis sp.) to commonly used nondemethylation inhibitor, single-site fungicides in and near Virginia was determined from 2005 to 2007, with more limited additional sampling in subsequent years. In grape leaf disc bioassays, 92% of the P. viticola isolates were quinone outside inhibitor (QoI, azoxystrobin) resistant but none were resistant to mefenoxam. In all, 82% of the E. necator isolates were QoI resistant. Most of the QoI-resistant P. viticola and E. necator isolates contained >95% of the G143A point mutation, which confers high levels of QoI resistance. In contrast, QoI-sensitive P. viticola isolates contained less than 1% of G143A. In total, 1 of 145 and 14 of 154 QoI-resistant P. viticola and E. necator isolates (able to grow on azoxystrobin concentration ≥1 μg/ml), respectively, contained <1% G143A. In total, 61 E. necator isolates from 23 locations were tested against thiophanate methyl, and the majority grew well on leaf tissue treated with 50 and 250 μg/ml. Through 2012, none of the E. necator isolates were resistant to boscalid and quinoxyfen. However, in 2013, quinoxyfen-resistant E. necator was detected in one vineyard experiencing difficulties with powdery mildew control. No 50% effective concentration value could be calculated but these isolates tolerated labeled rates with only limited inhibition. QoI (E. necator and P. viticola) and benzimidazole (E. necator) resistance were widespread in Virginia, rendering these materials inadvisable for control of these diseases. The practical importance and current distribution of quinoxyfen resistance needs further investigation.
The Affordable Loss Principle

Ideal for a study of entrepreneurship as a phenomenon, this note explores the difference between causal models and effectuation. Whereas causal models focus on maximizing returns by selecting optimal strategies, effectuation begins with a determination of how much one is willing to lose and leveraging limited means in creative ways to generate new ends as well as new means. The effectuator then uses the very process of building the venture to bring other stakeholders on board and creatively leverages slack resources available in the world. At each stage of the process he or she chooses options that create more options in the future.
ACS Algorithm in Discrete Ordinates for Pressure Vessel Dosimetry

The Adaptive Collision Source (ACS) method can solve the Linear Boltzmann Equation (LBE) more efficiently by adaptation of the angular quadrature order. This is similar to, and essentially an extension of, the first collision source method. Previously, the ACS methodology has been implemented into the TITAN discrete ordinates code, and has shown speedups of 2-4 on a simple test problem, with very little loss of accuracy (within a provided adaptive tolerance). This work examines the use of the ACS method for a more realistic problem: pressure vessel dosimetry with the VENUS-2 MOX-fuelled reactor dosimetry benchmark. The ACS method proved to be able to obtain accurate results while being approximately twice as efficient as using a constant quadrature in a standard source iteration scheme.
Colloidal Silicalite Coating for Improving Ionic Liquid Membrane Loading on Macroporous Ceramic Substrate for Gas Separation

A thin layer of colloidal silicalite was coated on a macroporous alumina substrate to improve the effectiveness in loading and supporting ionic liquid (IL) membrane on macroporous ceramic substrate. The [bmim][BF 4 ] IL and CO 2 gas separation were used as the model system in this research. The colloidal silicalite top layer enabled the formation of a pinhole-free IL membrane with significantly reduced load of IL as compared to the bare alumina substrate because the former had a smaller and more uniform inter-particle pore size than the latter. The supported IL membrane was extensively studied for CO 2 separation in conditions relevant to coal combustion flue gases. The silicalite-supported IL membrane achieved a CO 2 /N 2 permselectivity of ~24 with CO 2 permeance of ~1.0×10 -8 mol/m 2 ·s·Pa in dry conditions at 26˚C and reached a CO 2 /N 2 separation factor of ~18 with CO 2 permeance of ~1.56×10 -8 mol/m 2 ·s·Pa for a feed mixture containing ~11% CO 2 and ~9% water vapor at 50 o C. This supported IL membrane exhibited excellent stability under a 5-bar transmembrane pressure at 103˚C and chemical resistance to H 2 O, SO 2 , and air (O 2 ). Results of this study also indicated that, in order to fully realize the advantages of using the colloidal silicalite support for IL membranes, it is necessary to develop macroporous ceramic supports with optimized pore size distribution so that the IL film can be retained in the micron-thin silicalite layer without penetrating into the base substrate.
GENO-04REGULATION OF GLIOBLASTOMA BY NOVEL LONG NONCODING RNA (lncRNA)

The human genome produces many thousands of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) – transcripts >200 nucleotides long with little evidence of protein coding potential. It is now clear that lncRNAs can have critical biological functions and roles in human disease including cancer. Because lncRNAs are particularly cell and disease specific, they are attractive as therapeutic targets. However, very few specific lncRNAs have been identified as potential targets for cancer therapy. We have recently identifiedPinky (Pnky) as a novel lncRNA that regulates the production of neurons from neural stem cells (NSCs) in the embryonic and adult brain (Ramos et al., Cell Stem Cell 2013; Ramos et al., Cell Stem Cell 2015). Pnky-deficiency in NSCs increased neuronal differentiation, depleting the NSC population. Moreover, human GBM tumors expressed the human PNKY transcript, and single cell RNA-seq data analysis indicated that PNKYis present in a specific subset of individual GBM tumor cells. In the Ink/Arf-null, EGFRvIII mouse glioma model, Pnky was also found to be highly expressed, and ongoing studies indicate a function for Pnky in this brain tumor model. Upcoming results may reveal the critical importance of Pnky and other specific lncRNAs in the proliferation of GBM. Overall, our work lays important groundwork for the development of lncRNAs as a large new class of therapeutic targets for the treatment of gliomas.
Design of a randomized controlled clinical trial assessing dietary sodium restriction and hemodialysis-related symptom profiles.

Abstract Aim In hemodialysis patients, the need to have intercurrent sodium and water intake removed by ultrafiltration increases disease burden through the symptoms and signs that occur during hemodialysis (HD). This added burden may be mitigated by reduction of dietary sodium intake. The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) recommends 2400 mg of dietary sodium daily for patients on HD, and the American Heart Association (AHA) suggests 1500 mg, evidence is lacking, however, to support these recommendations in HD. Moreover, little is known about the relationship of specific levels of dietary sodium intake and the severity of symptoms and signs during ultrafiltration. Our goal will be to determine the effects of carefully-monitored levels of sodium-intake as set forth by the NKF and AHA on symptoms and signs in patients undergoing (HD). Methods We designed a three-group (2400 mg, 1500 mg, unrestricted), double blinded randomized controlled trial with a sample of 42 HD participants to determine whether 1. Symptom profiles and interdialytic weight gains vary among three sodium intake groups; 2. The effect of HD-specific variables on the symptom profiles among the three groups and 3. Whether total body water extracellular volume and intracellular volume measured with bioimpedance varies across the three groups. We will also examine the feasibility of recruitment, enrollment, and retention of participants for the five-day inpatient stay. Conclusion Curbing dietary sodium intake may lead to improvement in intradialytic symptom amelioration and potential for better long-term outcomes. Generating empirical support will be critical to ascertain, and espouse, the appropriate level of sodium intake for patients receiving HD.
Family Physicians and Current Inpatient Practice

Background: Increasing demand for primary care physicians has led some to recommend that family physicians focus on ambulatory care, leaving inpatient care to hospital-based physicians only. This study examines the current level of family physician involvement in the care of hospitalized patients and the factors which determine that involvement. Methods: A questionnaire was sent to a random sample of 415 practicing family physician members of the American Academy of Family Physicians. An inpatient involvement score was generated based on responses to a series of hypothetical clinical scenarios involving hospitalized patients. Physician and practice characteristics were tested for associations with the involvement score. Results: The typical responding physician (n = 228) was male, married, and board certified, with an average age of 45 years and in community-based practice. The median number of annual admissions was 60. Independent predictors of inpatient involvement were younger physician age, greater enjoyment of inpatient and outpatient medicine, fewer extrahospital obligations, and less-complex disease in the hospitalized patient. Conclusions: Inpatient medicine continues to figure prominently in the work of family physicians. The strongest predictors for inpatient involvement are those controlled by the physician9s individual choices and characteristics rather than external and bureaucratic factors.
Economic Impact of Missouri’s Partnership for Hope Home and Community-Based Medicaid Waiver for Individuals With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Missouri’s Partnership for Hope (PfH) is a home and community-based services (HCBS) Medicaid waiver that targets services to the needs of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). PfH is predicated on a unique federal–state–county partnership, where counties may vote to participate in PfH by leveraging funds for services. The aim of this study was to explore the economic impact of PfH. The economic contribution and impact of PfH (October 2010–September 2013) were explored using IMPLAN software and data. Results indicate that a county and state investment of US$3.5 million each leveraged US$11.7 million in federal funds, contributed almost US$22.2 million to Missouri’s gross state product (GSP), and was responsible for more than 435 jobs for Missourians. An estimated 13.8 million of those dollars were “new” to the state’s economy. Economic impact analyses showed that PfH spending facilitated economic growth. The unique structure of PfH grants counties greater administrative author...
Patient and Caregiver Perspectives on Transition and Transfer

Little is known about the needs of adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with regard to transition, and how well those needs align with guidelines put forth by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). This study examines perspectives on transition among young IBD patients and their caregivers. Surveys were mailed to 370 adolescent IBD patients, aged 12 years and older, and their caregivers. Most respondents endorsed ages 16 to 17 years as the best age to initiate discussions about transition, and age 18 years or older as the best age to transfer care. Independent self-management by patients was selected as the primary marker of transition readiness, while worry of starting over with a new provider was a primary barrier to successful transfer. Overall, the needs of youth with IBD and their caregivers are largely aligned with AAP best practice recommendations for transition. Further examination into patient needs is essential to inform transition planning efforts and identify targets of intervention.
Great nature's second course: Introduction to the special issue on the behavioral neuroscience of sleep.

Sleep is necessary for normal psychological functioning, and psychological function in turn affects sleep integrity. Recent investigations delineate the relation of sleep to a broad array of processes ranging from learning and memory to emotional reactivity and mood, and use a variety of methodological approaches (imaging, electrophysiological, behavioral) to reveal the complex relations between sleep and the functioning of the awake brain. The articles in this issue advance our fundamental knowledge of the relation of sleep to psychological function. In addition, several of the articles discuss how sleep is affected by or affects human clinical conditions, including insomnia, epilepsy, mild cognitive impairment, bipolar disorder, and cancer. Together, the articles of this special issue highlight recent progress in understanding the behavioral neuroscience of sleep and identify promising areas for future research, including the possibility of sleep-based interventions to improve psychological health. (PsycINFO Database Record.
Genome-Wide DNA Methylation Changes During Aging

Differences in DNA methylation patterns have been observed among individuals of disparate ages in both a tissue-dependent manner and tissue-independent manner. In general, high-density regions of cytosine–guanine dinucleotides (CpG)—typically in gene promoters—are unmethylated in healthy cells of younger individuals and may acquire methylation with aging, whereas CpGs in low-density regions are methylated and may lose methylation with aging. Population-based genome-wide DNA methylation studies have identified several common features of age-related DNA methylation across tissue types, including the preferential targeting of genes involved in stem cell function. Enrichment for age-related methylation alterations among these genes suggests that the observed decline in stem cell function with age may be, in part, linked to age-related DNA methylation shifts. Methylation differences across age groups are thought to arise from a gradual process known as “epigenetic drift,” increases or decreases of methylation at specific loci that can then spread to adjacent sites. Age-related methylation differences resulting from epigenetic drift have been observed to exhibit both tissue-specific and tissue-independent patterns. As a result, the importance of deconvoluting cell-type-specific methylation patterns when analyzing methylation in complex mixtures, such as blood DNA, has gained recognition, and statistical techniques have emerged to adjust for potential confounding by cell type. Future work is needed to elucidate the mechanisms of age-related DNA methylation and how these may affect both the aging phenotype and the risk of age-related disease. Where possible, these studies should include target tissue types, rather than surrogates, and address potential variation in cell-type proportions in order to understand the tissue-dependent and tissue-independent effects. A more comprehensive understanding of age-related DNA methylation may assist in both the prevention of age-related diseases and identifying interventions that promote healthy aging.
Bilingual Development and Age of Acquisition

Age of acquisition (AoA) has come to be a central construct within the bilingual literature. However, the nature of AoA exists across many different domains. In this chapter, AoA in its various instantiations is discussed. The chapter begins by considering the nature of AoA within the monolingual and nonverbal literature. The chapter continues by discussing the nature of AoA within a bilingual context. Finally, it concludes by considering the theoretical implications of these findings.
Abstract 2074: Mangostin-encapsulated PLGA nanoparticles inhibit pancreatic cancer stem cell characteristics by suppressing sonic hedgehog pathway

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in US, with a 5-year survival rate of approximately 6%. Patients develop resistance to currently used anticancer drugs which are mainly toxic and also demonstrate severe side effects. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) / tumor initiating cells (TICs) have been proposed for tumor initiation, promotion, metastasis, and chemotherapy failure. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop novel strategies for the management of pancreatic cancer. Sonic hedgehog (Shh) pathway has been implicated in pancreatic carcinogenesis and is constitutively active in CSCs. The α-Mangostin is derived from the plant mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) which is a tropical evergreen tree. Mangosteen contains Mangnoids, such as α-Mangostin, and other phytochemicals. The main objective of the study was to demonstrate the biological activities of α-Mangostin-encapsulated PLGA nanoparticles (Mang-NPs) in human pancreatic CSCs and cells lines. We have also performed docking of α-Mangostin on to the DNA binding sites of Gli to assess whether α-Mangostin disrupts Gli-DNA binding and acts as a Gli inhibitor. Mang-NPs inhibited cell proliferation, colony formation, and induced apoptosis in pancreatic cancer AsPC-1, PANC-1 and Mia-Paca-2 cell lines, and CSCs. However, Mang-NPs had no effect on human pancreatic normal ductal epithelial cells. In addition, Mang-NPs inhibited epithelial to mesenchymal transition. α-Mangostin disrupted Gli-DNA binding activity. Western blot analysis has demonstrated that Mang-NPs inhibited pluripotency maintaining factors Nanog and c-Myc. Furthermore, Mang-NPs inhibited the expression of Gli1, Gli2, Patched1 and Patched2, and Gli transcriptional activity in pancreatic CSCs. Our data demonstrate that Mang-NPs can inhibit pancreatic CSC characteristics by disrupting Gli-DNA binding activity and may act as a Gli transcription inhibitor. Citation Format: Wei Yu, Yiming Ma, Sharmila Shankar, Rakesh K. Srivastava. Mangostin-encapsulated PLGA nanoparticles inhibit pancreatic cancer stem cell characteristics by suppressing sonic hedgehog pathway. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 2074.
Visceral to subcutaneous fat ratio predicts acuity of diverticulitis

There is an association between obesity and more complicated diverticular disease. We hypothesize that this link may be due to an increased level of visceral fat rather than an elevated body mass index alone. Adipose tissue secretes inflammatory cytokines, and chronic inflammation may account for the link between obesity and a more severe presentation of diverticular disease. We have applied a quantitative measure of visceral fat content in a series of patients admitted with diverticulitis, comparing those who required emergent versus elective surgical procedures for diverticulitis. We performed a retrospective review of all adult patients who underwent emergent or elective surgery at our institution for diverticulitis from 2010 to 2014. Data were collected on demographics, comorbidities, operative findings, complications, and length of stay. Radiologic measurements of adiposity were obtained from preoperative CT scans. Visceral fat areas and subcutaneous fat areas were measured, and the V/S ratio was calculated. Thirty-four patients underwent emergent and 32 patients underwent elective surgery. The mean age was 66.3 years for the emergent and 57.11 for the elective group (p = 0.04178). The perinephric, visceral, subcutaneous fat, and V/S ratio for the emergent group were 1.71, 185.22, 338.22, and 0.56 and were 1.11, 127.18, 295.28, and 0.46 for the elective group. The difference between the V/S ratio for each group was significant (p = 0.0238). The emergent group had an average LOS of 16.11 days compared to 5.15 for the elective group (p = <0.00001). The complication rate was significantly higher (p = 0.024) in the emergent group (n = 12, 35.2 %) compared to the elective group (n = 4, 12.5 %). Our study demonstrates a clinically significant link between visceral fat and severity of presentation of diverticulitis. Patients with higher V/S fat ratios were more likely to require emergency surgery and have more complications and a longer LOS.