cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The end of intelligence research

The 1990s have been declared the decade of the brain but this appears to have had little impact on intelligence research. How will neuroscience research help understand intelligence? Psychometric research has pointed brain researchers in some interesting directions. The advent of brain imaging technologies like positron emission tomography (PET) can help answer basic questions about brain/intelligence relationships. The expensive cost of these tools, however, is not a compelling excuse for lack of access by intelligence researchers. A society of intelligence researchers could help focus resources for access to the complex and expensive tools now required to advance the field. Careful consideration of how neuroscience can impact intelligence research is necessary to help define the end points of intelligence research.
STOICHIOMETRY AND PLANKTONIC GRAZER COMPOSITION OVER GRADIENTS OF LIGHT, NUTRIENTS, AND PREDATION RISK

Mechanisms that explain shifts in species composition over environmental gradients continue to intrigue ecologists. Ecological stoichiometry has recently provided a new potential mechanism linking resource (light and nutrient) supply gradients to grazer performance via elemental food-quality mechanisms. More specifically, it predicts that light and nutrient gradients should determine the relative dominance of P-rich taxa, such as Daphnia, in grazer assemblages. We tested this hypothesis in pond mesocosms (cattle tanks) by creating gradients of resource supply and predation risk, to which we added diverse assemblages of algal producer and zooplankton grazer species. We then characterized the end-point composition of grazer assemblages and quantity and elemental food quality of edible algae. We found that somatically P-rich Daphnia only dominated grazer assemblages in high-nutrient, no-predator treatments. In these ecosystems, P sequestered in producers exceeded a critical concentration. However, other grazers having even higher body P content did not respond similarly. These grazers were often abundant in low-nutrient environments with poorer food quality. At face value, this result is problematic for ecological stoichi- ometry because body composition did not correctly predict response of these other species. However, two potential explanations could maintain consistency with stoichiometric prin- ciples: species could differentially use a high-P resource (bacteria), or body composition might not always directly correlate with nutrient demands of grazers. Although our data cannot differentiate between these explanations, both suggest potential avenues for future empirical and theoretical study.
Network-based multiple locus linkage analysis of expression traits

Motivation: We consider the problem of multiple locus linkage analysis for expression traits of genes in a pathway or a network. To capitalize on co-expression of functionally related genes, we propose a penalized regression method that maps multiple expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) for all related genes simultaneously while accounting for their shared functions as specified a priori by a gene pathway or network. Results: An analysis of a mouse dataset and simulation studies clearly demonstrate the advantage of the proposed method over a standard approach that ignores biological knowledge of gene networks. Contact: weip@biostat.umn.edu Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Solving Problems in Robotics with Semantic Networks

Robot problems are examined in the context of semantic networks which are used to represent the state of a problem and the operators useful for solving it. Graph transformation algorithms are discussed as an aid to problem solving. Although these form only a small subset of the first-order predicate calculus based systems, considerations such as subgoal circularity, partially specified states and multiple manipulators sharing the same environment may warrant this simplification.
Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 ICP4 Promotes Transcription Preinitiation Complex Formation by Enhancing the Binding of TFIID to DNA

Infected-cell polypeptide 4 (ICP4) of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) activates the expression of many HSV genes during infection. It functions along with the cellular general transcription factors to increase the transcription rates of genes. In this study, an HSV late promoter consisting of only a TATA box and an INR element was immobilized on a magnetic resin and incubated with nuclear extracts or purified TFIID in the presence and absence of ICP4. Analysis of the complexes formed on these promoters revealed that ICP4 increased the formation of transcription preinitiation complexes (PICs) in a TATA box-dependent manner, as determined by the presence of ICP4, TFIID, TFIIB, and polymerase II on the promoter. With both nuclear extract and purified TFIID, it was determined that ICP4 helped TFIID bind to the promoter and the TATA box. These observations differed from those for the activator Gal4-VP16. As previously observed by others, Gal4-VP16 also increased the formation of PICs without helping TFIID bind to the promoter, suggesting that ICP4 and VP16 differ in their mechanism of activation and that ICP4 functions to facilitate PIC formation at an earlier step in the formation of PICs. We also observed that the DNA binding activity of ICP4 was not sufficient to help TFIID bind to the promoter and that the region of ICP4 that was responsible for this activity is located between residues 30 and 274. Taken together these results demonstrate that a specific region of ICP4 helps TFIID bind to the TATA box and that this in turn facilitates the formation of transcription PICs.
Lessons learned in deploying a wireless, intranet application on mobile devices

Wireless mobile applications provide a new set of design challenges for application designers. While many programmers are familiar with creating traditional desktop applications, they are not familiar with the challenges of the wireless mobile domain. Instead of having keyboards, mice, and high-resolution screens, the mobile application designer is constantly reminded that the handheld, mobile application is a very different (not deprived) input/output device. We describe our attempt to use these devices in creating a wireless corporate information application. The paper can be broken into several key efforts. First, we examine the hardware/networking requirements of the problem. Second, we examine our development environment for application coding and testing. Finally, we describe design issues encountered while developing applications for this environment.
Patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing total joint arthroplasty increase hospital burden.

Background: More than 3 million people in the United States have atrial fibrillation, most of whom are being managed with anticoagulation therapy for life. The goal of the present study was to examine the effect of chronic anticoagulation therapy on patients with atrial fibrillation who undergo total joint arthroplasty. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all patients undergoing aseptic primary or revision total joint arthroplasty at our facility from March 2007 to August 2011. One hundred and sixty-one patients with atrial fibrillation (Group A) were compared with 161 matched controls (Group B). A total of 112 hips and 210 knees underwent 239 primary arthroplasties and eighty-three revisions. The groups were compared with use of conditional logistic regression (with matching on the basis of the involved joint [hip or knee], type of procedure [revision or primary], age, and sex) with regard to the length of hospital stay, postoperative hemoglobin levels, transfusion requirements, and readmissions. Results: The preoperative length of stay (1.7 versus 0.2 days; p < 0.0001), postoperative length of stay (4.6 versus 3.2 days; p = 0.0002), and total length of stay (6.3 versus 3.4 days; p < 0.0001) were significantly longer for patients with atrial fibrillation (Group A). Hemoglobin levels were lower (but not significantly so) for Group A at baseline (13.1 versus 13.8 mg/dL), on Postoperative Day 2 (10.1 versus 10.6 mg/dL), on Postoperative Day 3 (9.8 versus 10.2 mg/dL), on Postoperative Day 4 (9.6 versus 10.1 mg/dL), on Postoperative Day 5 (9.7 versus 9.9 mg/dL), and at discharge (9.9 versus 10.3 mg/dL). Group A had a significantly higher prevalence of blood transfusion (15.5% versus 3.7%; p = 0.0005) and periprosthetic joint infection (5.6% versus 0.62%; p = 0.0196). A diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (odds ratio, 4.09; 95% confidence interval, 2.05 to 8.18; p < 0.0001) significantly increased the odds of total joint arthroplasty complication and the need for hospital readmission. Conclusions: Patients with preoperative atrial fibrillation undergoing total joint arthroplasty had an increased length of hospital stay, increased transfusion requirements, and an increased risk of periprosthetic joint infection and unplanned hospital readmission. Level of Evidence: Prognostic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Genetic code based coding and mathematical formualation for DNA computation

DNA computation is to use DNA molecules for information storing and processing. Challenges currently faced by DNA computation are (1) lack of theoretical computational models for applications, and (2) high error rate for implementation. This paper attempts to address these problems from genetic coding and mathematical modeling aspects. The proposed genetic coding approach provides a promising alternative to reduce high error rate. The mathematical formulation lays down groundwork for studying theoretical aspects of DNA computation
Reports of parental maltreatment during childhood in a United States population-based survey of homosexual, bisexual, and heterosexual adults.

Objective: The study objective was to determine the nature and prevalence of childhood maltreatment experiences among lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults and to compare findings to those obtained from similar heterosexual adults. Method: Data from the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS), which measured both childhood experiences with parental emotional and physical maltreatment and adult sexual orientation, were used to compare childhood maltreatment experiences of 2917 heterosexual, homosexual, and bisexual individuals, age 25–74 years, separately by gender. Results: Homosexual/bisexual men reported higher rates than heterosexual men of childhood emotional and any physical maltreatment (including major physical maltreatment) by their mother/maternal guardian and major physical maltreatment by their father/paternal guardian. In contrast, homosexual/bisexual women, as compared to heterosexual women, reported higher rates of major physical maltreatment by both their mother/maternal guardian and their father/ paternal guardian. Differences among individuals with differing sexual orientations were most pronounced for the more extreme forms of physical maltreatment. Conclusions: Adult minority sexual orientation is a risk indicator for positive histories of experiencing parental maltreatment during childhood. While the reasons for this are beyond the scope of the current
Bonding characteristics of self-etching adhesives to intact versus prepared enamel.

Purpose: This study tested the null hypothesis that the preparation of the enamel surface would not affect the enamel microtensile bond strengths of self-etching adhesive materials. Materials and Methods: Ten bovine incisors were trimmed with a diamond saw to obtain a squared enamel surface with an area of 8 × 8 mm. The specimens were randomly assigned to five adhesives: (1) ABF (Kuraray), an experimental two-bottle self-etching adhesive; (2) Clearfil SE Bond (Kuraray), a two-bottle self-etching adhesive; (3) One-Up Bond F (Tokuyama), an all-in-one adhesive; (4) Prompt L-Pop (3M ESPE), an all-in-one adhesive; and (5) Single Bond (3M ESPE), a two-bottle total-etch adhesive used as positive control. For each specimen, one half was roughened with a diamond bur for 5 seconds under water spray, whereas the other half was left unprepared. The adhesives were applied as per manufacturers' directions. A universal hybrid composite resin (Filtek Z250, 3M ESPE) was inserted in three layers of 1.5 mm each and light-cured. Specimens were sectioned in X and Y directions to obtain bonded sticks with a cross-sectional area of 0.8 ± 0.2 mm2. Sticks were tested in tension in an Instron at a cross-speed of 1 mm per minute. Statistical analysis was carried out with two-way analysis of variance and Duncan's test at p <. 05. Ten extra specimens were processed for observation under a field-emission scanning electron microscope. Results: Single Bond, the total-etch adhesive, resulted in statistically higher microtensile bond strength than any of the other adhesives regardless of the enamel preparation (unprepared = 31.5 MPa; prepared = 34.9 MPa, not statistically different at p 05. When applied to ground enamel, mean bond strengths of Prompt L-Pop were not statistically different from those of Clearfil SE Bond and ABF. One-Up Bond F did not bond to unprepared enamel. Commercial self-etching adhesives performed better on prepared enamel than on unprepared enamel. The field-emission scanning electron microscope revealed a deep interprismatic etching pattern for the total-etch adhesive, whereas the self-etching systems resulted in an etching pattern ranging from absent to moderate. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE For the recently introduced all-in-one self-etching dental adhesives, instrumentation of enamel may be critical for their ability to optimally bond to enamel.
Observations on the Life History of Enema pan (F.) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae) and Its Association with Bamboo, Guadua Kunth (Poaceae: Bambusoideae), in Southwestern Amazonia

ABSTRACT Here we describe the association of Enema pan (F., 1775) (Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae: Oryctini) with bamboo plants in the genus Guadua Kunth (Poaceae: Bambuseae) in a lowland rainforest in southeastern Peru. Mounds at the base of Guadua stems and underground tunnels over one meter long are constructed by adults. Males were found inside these tunnels and in mounds at the base of bamboo stems where they shred and feed on bamboo sap. Males were observed perching at the top of opened mounds only at night, waving their antennae. This study provides the first description of the burrows of E. pan and its association with bamboo plants in southwestern Amazonia.
Taking Institutions Seriously: Using the IAD Framework to Analyze Fisheries Policy

ABSTRACT We argue that the fisheries management literature often does a poor job of analyzing issues related to institutional design and performance. The article begins by examining four competing institutional arrangements used to manage fisheries: bureaucracy, markets, community, and comanagement. The differences are used to highlight the importance of understanding critical issues related to institutional analysis. The article then examines some of the common problems or pitfalls that analysts fall victim to when examining institutional design and performance. We conclude by summarizing the Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework, one approach to institutional analysis that avoids these common pitfalls.
A new method for direct simulations of flexible filament suspensions in non‐zero Reynolds number flows

A new method for direct simulations of flexible filament suspensions in a non-zero Reynolds number flow is developed. For fluid domain, simulations are based on a lattice Boltzmann equation. For solid domain, a slender solid body is discretized into a chain of consecutive spherical segments contacting each other. A constraint force algorithm is proposed to warrant constant bonding distance between two neighbouring segments and non-slip velocity conditions at the contacting points so that the flexible filament moves and rotates as a whole body. The fibre could be bent and twisted in the model. Non-linear inertial interactions between fluid and flexible filament can be naturally studied by using this model embedded in the lattice Boltzmann scheme. The present flexible fibre method is tested by using a rigid particle method when the fibre stiffness is very large and by comparing the present results with theoretical and experimental results. It is demonstrated that the present results have a reasonable accuracy and that the computational results are consistent with the existed experimental results at non-zero Reynolds number flows.
Creating low-cost energy-management systems for homes using non-intrusive energy monitoring devices

This paper demonstrates how non-intrusive energy monitoring systems can be used to create powerful low-cost energy-management systems for use in homes. The paper describes the basic operation of non-intrusive devices, and it places particular emphasis on their ability to detect equipment degradation using only aggregate current measurements. The method used for detection of loads is described in detail. Also several field tested diagnostics that were developed to detect equipment degradations are presented.
Nostalgia as a catalyst for conservation in the Carolina Lowcountry

Critics argue that nostalgia involves viewing the past through a mental scrim that filters out all negative elements; thus, nostalgia is often dismissed as mere escapism. Yet nostalgic thinking is not always false or sentimentalized, impotent or distracting. We can come away from nostalgic remembering being inspired rather than heartbroken. To love what was and resolve to preserve what is endangered has become the animating element of nostalgic-driven conservation in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. The irony at the heart of environmentalism in the Lowcountry is that a presumptively “liberal” movement has benefited from the prevailing conservative narrative generated by a nostalgic yearning for the region’s presumably once pristine landscape. Nostalgia, in other words, can help inspire the preservation of threatened environmental places and human folkways by tapping not only pride of place but also the pride in the past that has long distinguished the Lowcountry region. At the most elemental level, conservatism and conservation intersect in their shared inclination toward nostalgia, especially the conviction that there is something transcendently superior about earlier modes of life and attitudes toward nature. Conservationists in other regions of the country and in other places have adopted quite different tactics from those used in the Lowcountry. While this essay explores one region’s experiences with conservation, it provides insights into how nostalgia may be central in understanding place-making, sense of place, and preservation of place.
Contemporary outcomes of outpatients referred for cardiac transplantation evaluation to a tertiary heart failure center: impact of surgical alternatives.

Abstract Background The growing epidemic of congestive heart failure in the setting of limited donor-organ availability has mandated continued development and increased utilization of medical and surgical alternatives to cardiac transplantation. We sought to assess current disposition and outcomes of patients recently referred for transplant evaluation to a single high-throughput tertiary referral center. Methods and results We performed a retrospective observational review of consecutive patients with advanced heart failure who were assessed initially in an outpatient setting by a heart failure cardiologist, with a view to transplant or nontransplant surgical alternatives between 1995 and 2000. Of 1174 consecutive referrals (mean age 55.1 [±12.7], 74% male), 588 (50%) were recommended for medical treatment (mean age 55.3 [±12.4], 72% male) and 200 (17%) for nontransplant surgery, principally coronary artery bypass grafting, mitral valve repair, infarct exclusion, partial left ventriculectomy, or combinations thereof (mean age 57.8 [±10.6], 76% male). A minority, 418 (36%), were initially listed for cardiac transplantation (mean age 53.5 [±13.9], 80% male). Of these, 74 (18% of listed) died waiting (34 on left ventricular assist device support), 45 were delisted (27 for improved clinical status), and 217 (18% of referred group) have been transplanted. The 3-year survival (Kaplan-Meier) was equivalent (82%) in the transplanted and nontransplant surgery groups (excluding partial left ventriculectomy patients). Conclusion In current clinical practice less than one fifth of transplant referrals are ultimately transplanted, reflecting both a limited donor supply and the application of alternative, nontransplant strategies. Medium-term survival in patients suitable for alternative surgical strategies equals that of cardiac transplantation.
The Wintertime Southern Hemisphere Split Jet: Structure, Variability, and Evolution

A persistent feature of the Southern Hemisphere upper-level time-mean flow is the presence of a split jet across the South Pacific east of Australia during the austral winter. The split jet is composed of the subtropical jet (STJ) on its equatorward branch and the polar front jet (PFJ) on its poleward branch. The NCEP‐NCAR reanalysis is used to investigate the structure and evolution of the split jet. Results show that the presence/ absence of the PFJ determines the degree of split flow, given that the STJ is a quasi-steady feature. A splitflow index (SFI) is developed to quantify the variability of the split jet, in which negative values represent strong split flow and positive values nonsplit flow. Correlations with teleconnection indices are investigated, with the SFI positively correlated to the Southern Oscillation index and negatively correlated to the Antarctic oscillation. The SFI is used to construct composites of heights, temperature, and wind for split-flow and non-split-flow days. The composites reveal that relatively cold conditions occur in the South Pacific in association with nonsplit-flow regimes, and split-flow regimes occur when relatively warm conditions prevail. In the latter situation cold air bottled up over Antarctica helps to augment the background tropospheric thickness gradient between Antarctica and the lower latitudes with a resulting increase in the thermal wind and the PFJ. It is surmised that frequent cold surges out of Antarctica moving into the South Pacific are associated with non-split-flow regimes. In this context, the variability of the split jet responds to large-scale baroclinic processes and is further modulated by synoptic-scale disturbances.
Energy Savings in Cleanrooms from Demand-Controlled Filtration

In cleanrooms, very low particle concentrations are maintained by recirculation of air at a high rate (e.g., 600 room air volumes/hr) through highly efficient air filters. Results are reported in a Class M3.5 (Class 100) cleanroom with 28 m2 (300 ft2) floor area, where significant energy savings were realized by controlling the rate of air recirculation through the filters in response to real-time measurements of particle concentrations. An inexpensive, $2500, optical particle counter was used to measure particle concentrations. The effect of varying the recirculation airflow rate on particle concentrations was investigated. Changes in recirculation fan speeds of 10 percent or greater did not cause a noticeable particle release from filters or resuspension from indoor surfaces. With new automatic control systems in operation, there were occasional, usually fewer than 10/day, nonconsecutive l-min episodes in which the particle concentration exceeded Class M3.5 (Class 100) status. Depending upon the choice ...
Patient, Treatment and Discharge Factors associated with Hospital Readmission within 30 days after Surgery for Vulvar Cancer

Abstract Objectives The majority of hospital readmissions are unexpected and considered adverse events. The goal of this study was to examine the factors associated with unplanned readmission after surgery for vulvar cancer. Methods Patient demographic, treatment, and discharge factors were collected on 363 patients with squamous cell carcinoma in situ or invasive cancer who underwent vulvectomy at our institution between January 2001 and June 2014. Clinical variables were correlated using χ 2 test and Student's t -test as appropriate for univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis was then performed. Results Of 363 eligible patients, 35.6% had in situ disease and 64.5% had invasive disease. Radical vulvectomy was performed in 39.1% and 23.4% underwent lymph node assessment. Seventeen patients (4.7%) were readmitted within 30days, with length of stay ranging 2 to 37days and 35% of these patients required a re-operation. On univariate analyses comorbidities, radical vulvectomy, nodal assessment, initial length of stay, and discharge to a post acute care facility (PACF) were associated with hospital readmission. On multivariate analysis, only discharge to a PACF was significantly associated with readmission (OR 6.30, CI 1.12–35.53, P =0.04). Of those who were readmitted within 30days, 29.4% had been at a PACF whereas only 6.6% of the no readmission group had been discharged to PACF ( P =0.003). Conclusions Readmission affected 4.7% of our population, and was associated with lengthy hospitalization and reoperation. After controlling for patient comorbidities and surgical radicality, multivariate analysis suggested that discharge to a PACF was significantly associated with risk of readmission.
Pronounced Detrusor Hypercontractility in Infants with Gross Bilateral Reflux

AbstractIn this study the prevalence of bladder dysfunction in 18 children with gross bilateral reflux was investigated via cystometric recordings. In all except 1 infant maximal voiding detrusor pressure was 100cm. or greater water (range 86 to 244). Pronounced instability during filling (overt instability) with pressure waves above baseline (mean 65cm. water, range 42 to 194) was found in 9 infants. Another 5 children had evidence to suggest an uninhibited bladder, not manifested as unstable contractions during filling but as covert instability, meaning that the first unstable contraction was transformed into a premature and forceful voiding contraction. The high detrusor pressures found in 18 children with gross bilateral reflux during the voiding phase but also during the filling phase in half of the children suggest that a hypercontractile detrusor may be a contributory factor for the development of reflux even in this age group.
Effects of Different Geographic Isolates of Glomus on the Water Relations of Agropyron Smithii

The influence of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae on the water relations of the rangeland grass Agropyron smithii was compared for two different geographic isolates of both Glomus macrocarpum var. macrocarpum and G. microcarpum. Spores of these fungi were collected from two sites in Wyoming that differed in total annual precipitation and were used to inoculate greenhouse-grown plants. Leaf resistances to water vapor loss (R^) were about 11% lower in all mycorrhizal vs. nonmycorrhizal plants at high soil and plant water potentials (>-0.2 MPa) and up to 47% lower at soil and plant water potentials near -6 MPa. Plants infected with G. microcarpum had R^ values that were up to 26% lower (1520 vs. 1120 m s_1) than G. macrocarpum-infected plants at the lowest xylem pressure potentials. However, changes in xylem pressure potentials over a soil water potential range from 0 to -6 MPa were not statistically different between plants infected with the two fungal congeners. Plants infected with G. microcarpum from the dry Wyoming site had statistically different responses to drying soil than did plants infected with G. microcarpum collected from the more mesic site with an approximate 9% difference in R^ (1120 m s~l vs. 1220 m s~*) at a xylem pressure potential near - 6 MPa. As was the case for the fungal congeners, xylem pressure potentials of the host A. smithii did not differ between the two G. microcarpum isolates over the range of soil drying.
Beginning again: the task of design research

Among architects and educators today the proposal for design research is generally understood as follows: the design of buildings is not only a professional practice but also a form of inquiry, a member of the growing family of research disciplines at work in the world today. The older siblings are well known, the highly regarded research fields in the natural sciences: physics, chemistry, and biology, for example. In the next generation are the social sciences: economics, political science, and sociology. Also related are the fields in which the basic sciences are applied: medicine, engineering, and information technology. This last group is more akin to architecture, for these academic disciplines are also professions. The problem with architecture is that it has also family ties to disciplines beyond the sciences, to painting, sculpture, urban design, and landscape architecture, even literature and poetry. Furthermore, artistic practices are not only non-scientific, they are purposeless, or so they seem, for we tend to see beauty as its own reward; we call it aesthetic pleasure. But these categories — natural science, social science, the arts — together with the terms that designate them are no less subject to debate than the words “design” and “research” with which we began.
A novel arrayed waveguide grating on InP with applications in coarse wavelength division multiplexing

We have designed and fabricated a novel four-channel S-shaped Arrayed Waveguide Grating centered at 1.54 microns on InP with applications in Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexing. The waveguide consists of InP cladding layers and an InGaAsP guiding layer. The waveguides were fabricated by photolithography and Reactive Ion Etching.
Abstract 1141: p19Arf represses Pdgfrβ-driven pericyte proliferation in vivo

p19Arf, encoded by the mouse Arf gene, is a critical tumor suppressor with roles regulating cell cycle arrest in embryo development and suppressing oncogenesis. Previous studies established that p19Arf controls pericyte-like cells in the hyaloid vascular system (HVS) in the primary vitreous of the developing eye. Arf-deficient mice have hyperplasic expansion of pericytes in the vitreous, a developmental defect driven by excessive Pdgfrβ signaling. We have used complementary studies of cultured cells and mouse embryos to further explore the functional interactions between p19Arf and Pdgfrβ. To address whether Pdgfrβ acts as a mitogenic or a survival factor in the Arf-deficient mouse eye, we quantified cell proliferation and apoptosis at 13.5 days post coitum (dpc) in ArfGFP/GFP embryos that had or lacked Pdgfrβ. Cell proliferation, measured by BrdU incorporation, was increased by two-fold in the vitreous in the presence of Pdgfrβ. The presence or absence of Pdgfrβ did not change the small number of apoptotic cells in the vitreous of the eye. To explore mechanisms by which Arf expression impeded Pdgfrβ signaling, we used the 10T1/2 pericyte-like cell culture model to show that retroviral expression of p19Arf significantly repressed Pdgfrβ protein. Conversely, shRNA-mediated knockdown of p19Arf enhanced Pdgfrβ in serial-passaged mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEFs). In vivo measurements of Arf mRNA extracted from vitreous samples isolated by laser capture microdissection (LCM) from mouse embryos at 13.5 dpc demonstrated increased Pdgfrβ mRNA in Arf-deficient embryos as compared to wild-type. To confirm that p19Arf repressed Pdgfrβ transcription, we demonstrated that both mature and primary Pdgfrβ RNA transcripts were repressed in 10T1/2 cells. Co-transfection of p19Arf with a luciferase reporter plasmid driven by the Pdgfrβ promoter demonstrated that a 1.6kb segment of DNA conferred Arf-dependent regulation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) showed that p19Arf reduced RNA Pol II binding to the proximal Pdgfrβ promoter. Overall our data show that, in the absence of Arf, Pdgfrβ drives excess proliferation in cells that would normally express Arf in the developing eye. p19Arf acts to repress Pdgfrβ transcription, in part by blocking RNA Pol II binding to the proximal Pdgfrβ promoter. We are currently using additional ChIP assays to identify how the presence or absence of Arf influences the binding of several transcription factors known or suspected of regulating Pdgfrβ expression, and we are exploring the importance of the Arf-Pdgfrβ pathway deregulation in cancer models. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1141. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1141
A Chemical Mechanism for Excitation-Contraction Coupling in Skeletal Muscle

The early process of excitation-contraction coupling in skeletal muscle primarily involves the participation of a network of transverse tubules (T-tubules) and a coupling structure at which the T-tubular membrane encounters the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) membrane (T-SR junction). The transverse tubular system (T-system) is open to the extracellular space and connects with the surface membrane where the action potential propagates along the fiber. Currently it is known that the action potential also propagates radially into the deepest regions of the T-system(1–4) and that somehow the electrical activation of the T-system membrane promotes the release of Ca2 + from the SR membrane(1,5–8) which is about 20 nm apart(9) There are three models proposing mechanisms to explain the coupling at the T-SR junction in skeletal muscle that are currently considered: (i) The Ca2+ -induced Ca2+ release hypothesis (10,11) suggests that an entry of Ca2+ ions from the extracellular space results in an amplified release from the SR. (ii) The direct coupling hypothesis implies that the depolarization of the T-system membranes initiates a perturbation that mechanically propagates across the 20 nm gap to induce the release of Ca2+ from the SR(12) (iii) The chemical coupling hypothesis(13) states that the depolarization of the T-system membrane modulates the synthesis of a chemical transmitter (IP3), which diffuses across the gap, binds to a postjunctional receptor (Ca2+ -channel), and induces the release of Ca2+ from the SR.(13,14)
Impact of natural versus mechanical ventilation on simulated indoor air quality and energy consumption in offices in fourteen U.S. cities

Abstract This study simulated the impacts of natural versus mechanical ventilation in offices on indoor concentrations of key pollutants, as well as energy usage. A typical office building was modeled in EnergyPlus in fourteen U.S. cities to assess the energy use and airflows delivered by an ideal variable air volume (VAV) system in a range of climates. Two mechanical ventilation strategies (minimum; minimum + economizer control) were modeled, as well as two analogous natural ventilation strategies, which used a fan-driven recirculation hybrid system to maintain setpoints if necessary. Outputted hourly ventilation, recirculation, and infiltration rates were used in an indoor air model with city-specific outdoor monitoring data to compute indoor concentrations of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, formaldehyde, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and fine particles (PM2.5). Natural ventilation decreased energy use, due to a wider temperature setpoint band for natural ventilation scenarios and somewhat lower fan energy use. Indoor concentrations and indoor/outdoor (I/O) ratios of all pollutants were similar for analogous strategies, except PM2.5, which was reduced by filtration in the supply air. Median PM2.5 I/O ratios were a factor of 1.2, 2.2, and 6.3 larger for natural versus mechanical ventilation strategies with MERV 8, 11, and 16 filters, respectively. The filtration impact was so strong that PM2.5 I/O ratios differed little between mechanical minimum and economizing strategies, especially as filter efficiency increased. These results can be used to understand tradeoffs of energy and indoor air pollution trends of natural versus mechanical ventilation.
Social capital and community representation: How multiform networks promote local democracy in Los Angeles:

This paper examines the variant roles that specific forms of networked-based social capital play in supporting the democratic functions of a neighbourhood governance network in Los Angeles. A signi...
Reorientational Motions In Ferroelastic and Ferroelectric Crystals

We report coasurements of NMR relaxation times of 13C in NaCN and KCN. In particular, we measured the Zeeman relaxation time T1 at 24 MHz and dipolar relaxation time T1D in each of the three solid phases in NaCN and KCN: (I) disordered, (II) elastically ordered, and (III) electrically ordered. We discuss our results in terms of CN− molecular motion present.
Seismic response of liquefiable sloping ground: Class A and C numerical predictions of centrifuge model responses

Abstract Numerical simulations of the LEAP centrifuge tests are performed to validate the numerical modeling approach and to provide insight on our capacity to simulate and predict the equivalent field responses. Measured and recorded dissipation patterns, accelerations, and displacements for a sloping ground of medium dense Ottawa Sand subjected to a sinusoidal acceleration input motion are compared to Class A and C [12] numerical predictions performed in FLAC using the constitutive model PM4Sand. The constitutive model calibration process is based on two cases of cyclic strength for the sand and is performed against the available laboratory data as well as published data for Ottawa sand. Computed results are illustrated for selected cases and compared to measurements. Key observations, mechanisms, and time histories are reasonably captured and bounded by the simulations showing that FLAC, PM4Sand as well as the overall employed methodology have the capability to predict the response of liquefiable sloping ground. The soil properties are found to be playing the most important role in capturing the finer details of the response, and parametric investigations of the soil stiffness and permeability are further needed to refine the predictions.
Depicting Thin, Average, and Plus Size Models in Fashion Advertisements: Exploring Social Comparisons, Body Image Satisfaction, Purchase Intentions, and Memory

The aim of this experiment was to investigate how fashion advertisements containing traditionally thin, average, and plus size fashion models influence consumers' body image satisfaction, social comparisons, purchase intentions, and memory of the models.
William J. “Jack” Schull (1922–2017): Gentleman, Scientist

I can hardly write a disinterested memoir of Jack Schull. Like many others, I owe the nature of my career, and whatever successes I’ve had, to him. Still, perhaps heartfelt paeans need some motivation to ring true. Yet, although I can (and will) mention a few things about him, I fear that doing so risks being like today’s citation counts, which mistake a person’s list for a person’s worth. To me, the thing for which he is most widely respected, admired, and perhaps envied is simply being Jack.
Studies on structure/function relation of pH gating of Cx43

Intracellular acidification leads to uncoupling of gap junctional channels. However, the molecular bases responsible for such phenomena are not well understood. Recently, we have shown that there are at least two structural domains of Cx43 that are relevant to pH gating: the carboxyl terminal domain, and a region of the cytoplasmic loop that includes histidine 95. In this chapter, we summarize our recent results and discuss the data in terms of a “ball-and-chain” model of channel gating.
FRiPAL: Face recognition in privacy abstraction layer

Data-driven mobile applications are becoming increasingly popular in civilian and law enforcement. RapidGather, for instance, is an smartphone application that collects data from individual, and spreads rapid emergency responses. Image data is widely used in such applications, and machine learning methods could be utilized to analyze the image data. However, people would hesitate to share the data without protecting their privacy. In this paper, we propose to utilize dimensionality reduction techniques for privacy-preserving machine learning in face recognition for the image data. To demonstrate the proposed approach, we implement a client server system, FRiPAL. With extensive experiments, we show that FRiPAL is efficient, and could preserve the privacy of data owners while maintaining the utility for data users.
Distributional Learning in College Students with Developmental Language Disorder.

Purpose This study examined whether college students with developmental language disorder (DLD) could use distributional information in an artificial language to learn about grammatical category me...
Implementing observer-based design methodology for deadbeat-direct torque and flux control with back-EMF self-sensing using rapid control prototyping

This paper aims to present a model-based design implementation of deadbeat-direct torque and flux control (DB-DTFC) with back-EMF self-sensing for a SPMSM using rapid control prototyping (RCP) in a real-time control environment. Current and flux observers are key technologies for achieving DB-DTFC. However, the implementation of DB-DTFC using RCP tools can lead to an incorrect execution sequence and deteriorated performance. Simulation analyses identify the implementation issues in the observer-based models, and experimental results document the outcomes. The RCP-oriented observer modeling methods that yield a correct implementation and proper performance of DB-DTFC with back-EMF self-sensing are developed and evaluated using RCP auto-code generation.
Alcohol expectancies, heavy drinking, and indicators of alcohol use disorders in a community-based sample of lesbian and bisexual women

Abstract Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the associations among alcohol expectancies, heavy episodic drinking (HED), and indicators of alcohol abuse and dependence in a community sample of lesbian and bisexual women. Methods: We used adjusted logistic regression models to assess associations between alcohol expectancies and alcohol-related outcomes. Results: Drinking expectancies were positively related to outcomes. Expectancies of “forgetting worries when depressed” were positively related to HED, whereas expectancies of increased aggression and ability to express anger were positively related to indicators of alcohol abuse and dependence. Associations did not differ by sexual identity or race/ethnicity. Conclusion: These findings suggest that alcohol expectancies are an important factor in determining risk for alcohol misuse/abuse among lesbian and bisexual women that could inform prevention, intervention, and treatment efforts.
Structural, Chemical, and Mechanical Properties of Pressure Garments as a Function of Simulated Use and Repeated Laundering

Pressure garments are widely employed for management of postburn scarring. Although pressure magnitude has been linked to efficacy, maintenance of uniform pressure delivery is challenging. An understanding of garment fabric properties is needed to optimize pressure delivery for the duration of garment use. To address this issue, compression vests were manufactured using two commonly used fabrics, Powernet or Dri-Tek Tricot, to achieve 10% reduction in circumference for a child-sized mannequin. Applied pressure was tracked on five anatomical sites over 23 hours, before laundering or after one and five laundering cycles. Load relaxation and fatigue of fabrics were tested before laundering or after one and five laundering cycles, and structural analysis via scanning electron microscopy was performed. Prior to laundering, pressure vests fabricated using Powernet or Dri-Tek Tricot generated a maximum pressure on the mannequin of 20 and 23 mm Hg, respectively. With both fabrics, pressure decreased during daily wear. Following five laundering cycles, Dri-Tek Tricot vests delivered a maximum of 7 vs 15 mm Hg pressure for Powernet at the same site. In cyclic tensile and load relaxation tests, exerted force correlated with fabric weave orientation with greatest force measured parallel to a fabric's long axis. The results demonstrate that Powernet exhibited the greatest applied force with the least garment fatigue. Fabric orientation with respect to the primary direction of tension was a critical factor in pressure generation and maintenance. This study suggests that fabrication of garments using Powernet with its long axis parallel to patient's body part circumference may enhance the magnitude and maintenance of pressure delivery.
Interaction of Interleukin 3 with Pluripotent Hematopoietic Stem Cells

Committed hematopoietic progenitor cells are derived from pluripotent stem cells which have the capacity for both self-renewal and the generation of progeny which can differentiate along lineage-specific pathways. Although much is known about the humoral factors involved in regulating the proliferation and differentiation of committed hematopoietic progenitor cells, the role of humoral factors in the proliferation of pluripotent hematopoietic stem cells is largely undefined. Cerny demonstrated that products secreted by activated T lymphocytes stimulated the in vitro proliferation of pluripotent hematopoietic stem cells (1) and subsequently it was observed that medium conditioned by mitogen-stimulated spleen cells promoted the in vitro clonal growth of multipotent hematopoietic progenitors (2,3,4). These observations suggested that lymphokines might be involved in the regulation of pluripotent hematopoietic stem cells.
Divergent Roles for Airway Epithelial MMP7 and Retinoic Acid in Experimental Asthma (140.5)

The innate immune response of airway epithelial cells to aeroallergen likely initiates the development of T cell responses that are central to allergic inflammation. Although proteolytically active allergens induce the expression of interleukin (IL)-25/IL-17E, we show that epithelial matrix metalloproteinase 7 (MMP7) is expressed in human asthma, and is required for maximal activity of this cytokine in promoting T helper type 2 cell differentiation. Allergen-challenged MMP7 -/- mice showed reduced airway hyperreactivity, allergic inflammatory cytokine, and increased expression of retinal dehydrogenase (RALDH)-1. Inhibition of RALDH-1 restored the asthma phenotype in MMP7 -/- mice and inhibited lung T regulatory cell responses while exogenous administration of retinoic acid attenuated the asthma phenotype. Thus, MMP7 coordinates allergic lung inflammation by activating IL-25 while simultaneously inhibiting retinoid-dependent T regulatory cell development.