cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Survival of Immature Citrus Blackfly, Aleurocanthus woglumi, and Its Parasite, Amitus hesperidum, on Excised Leaves

One known means of dispersal of the citrus blackfly, Aleurocanthus woglumi Ashby, and its parasite, Amitus hesperidum Silv., is by survival of immature stages on excised leaves. Under screenhouse conditions, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd instars of the citrus blackfly on excised leaves all died before completing development. No significant difference was found in the adult emergence from 4th instars on different host plants tested, or with fruit still attached to sweet orange leaves, the average emergence being only one percent. In contrast, 4th instars stored at high humidity had a significantly greater adult emergence (19%). Of the various cool storage conditions tested, A. hesperidum on excised leaves could be safely stored at 10°C for at least 4 weeks, resulting in delayed adult emergence and no significant loss of viability.
Congenital Bronchopulmonary Foregut Malformations: Intralobar and Extralobar Pulmonary Sequestrations Communicating with the Foregut

Two unusual variants of bronchopulmonary foregut malformations are presented. The first case was that of a 12-year-old male with a history of pectus excavatum in whom severe lobar emphysema developed secondary to an intralobar pulmonary sequestration that communicated with the esophagus. This case was unusual in that foregut communications and associated con-genital anomalies are generally believed to be restricted to extralobar pulmonary sequestrations. The second case was that of a 27-year-old woman with an extralobar pulmonary sequestration that communicated with the esophagus. The sequestration was unusual in that it arose in the anterior mediastinum and received the bulk of its blood supply from the pulmonary artery. The occurrence of mixed forms of pulmonary sequestrations supports the hypothesis that extralobar and intralobar sequestrations and sequestrations with foregut communication are related thoracic disorders that are best considered bronchopulmonary foregut malformations.
Development and UFLC-MS/MS Characterization of a Product-Specific Standard for Phenolic Quantification of Maple-Derived Foods.

The phenolic contents of plant foods are commonly quantified by the Folin–Ciocalteu assay based on gallic acid equivalents (GAEs). However, this may lead to inaccuracies because gallic acid is not always representative of the structural heterogeneity of plant phenolics. Therefore, product-specific standards have been developed for the phenolic quantification of several foods. Currently, maple-derived foods (syrup, sugar, sap/water, and extracts) are quantified for phenolic contents based on GAEs. Because lignans are the predominant phenolics present in maple, herein, a maple phenolic lignan-enriched standard (MaPLES) was purified (by chromatography) and characterized (by UFLC-MS/MS with lignans previously isolated from maple syrup). Using MaPLES and secoisolariciresinol (a commercially available lignan), the phenolic contents of the maple-derived foods increased 3-fold compared to GAEs. Therefore, lignan-based standards are more appropriate for phenolic quantification of maple-derived foods versus GAEs. A...
Research on Sedimentary Microfacies of Fuyu Formation in Chaoyanggou Oil Field

According to drill core and logging data,based on geological facies and analysis of loggingfacies,Fuyu oil field reservoir of Chaoyanggou carried out a detailed study of sedimentary facies.At the base of the study of Fuyu oil layer and single sand body,establishing Logging facies model,Identified in the study area Fuyu oil layer of the sub-phase,microfacie type.Prepared in the study area planar deposition of sedimentarymicrofacies.
Analysis of Uncertainty in Determination of Nitrate in Drinking Mineral Water by Ion Chromatography

[Objective]To understand the uncertainty evaluation of nitrate determination in drinking mineral water by ion chromatography.[Methods]Ion chromatography was used to drink mineral water on the determination of nitrate ion in practice.The mathematical model was established for influencing factors analysis: ① the class A uncertainty induced by repeated measurement;② the uncertainty from the working curve;③ the uncertainty from the standard solution.[Results]When using ion chromatography to detect nitrate ion concentration in drinking mineral water as 0.800 mg/L,the expanded uncertainty was U=0.086 mg/L,k=2,and expanded relative uncertainty was Urel=10.8%.[Conclusion]In the determination process,the main source of uncertainty comes from standard uncertainty of working curve.
The Rosa-Keystone Dunes Field: The geoarchaeology and paleoecology of a late Quaternary stabilized dune field in Eastern Beringia:

Stabilized sand sheets and dunes hold a remarkable amount of information on paleoenvironmental conditions under which late Quaternary landscapes evolved in northern subarctic regions. We provide the results of a project focused on understanding the development of lowland environments and ecosystems, including dunes and sand sheets, which were critical habitat for early human occupations in subarctic regions. Our study area is the Rosa-Keystone Dunes Field in the Shaw Creek Flats of the middle Tanana River basin, interior Alaska, one of the oldest continuously occupied areas in North America (14,000 cal. BP to present). The disturbance regimes of reactivated dunes and associated forest fire cycles between 12,500 and 8800 cal. BP fostered a unique early to mid-successional mixed vegetation community including herbaceous tundra, shrubs, and deciduous trees. This environment provided key habitats for large grazers and browsers, significant resources for early hunter-gatherer populations in central Alaska. Aft...
The Evangelist and the Venture Capitalist: A Parable for the 21st Century

This paper will show how entrepreneurs and the way they bring their ideas to market represent a model of revelation for people today. The vision entrepreneurs follow and the enthusiasm with which they execute their ideas often show a striking resemblance to theological language about building the Kingdom of God. Further, this paper argues that the metaphor of entrepreneurship resonates more closely with contemporary experience than does traditional theological doctrine. These claims are presented through the creation and analysis of a new parable for the twenty-first century -- the parable of the evangelist and the venture capitalist.
Computer-aided tongue image diagnosis and analysis

Computer-aided diagnosis is a medical procedure that assist physicians in interpretation of medical images. This work focuses on computer-aided tongue image analysis, specifically, as it relates to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Tongue diagnosis is an important component of TCM. Computerized tongue diagnosis aid medical practitioners capture quantitative features to improve reliability and consistence of diagnosis. Recently, researchers have started to develop computer-aided tongue analysis algorithms based on new advancement in digital photogrammetry, image analysis and pattern recognition technologies. A total computer-aided tongue analysis framework consists of tongue detection, tongue segmentation, tongue feature extraction, tongue classification and analysis, which are all included in our work. We propose a new hybrid image segmentation algorithm that integrates the regionbased Mean Shift method with the boundary-based Canny Edge detection method. We apply this segmentation algorithm in designing an automatic tongue detection and segmentation framework. We also develop a novel color space based feature set for tongue feature extraction to implement an automated ZHENG (TCM syndrome) classification system using state of the art machine learning techniques. To further enhance the performance of our classification system, we propose preprocessing the tongue images using the Modified Specular-free technique prior to feature extraction. We also explore the extraction of geometry features from the Petechia dot on tongue images for improved classification. Lastly, we propose a new feature set for automated tongue shape classification. Experimental results obtained demonstrate the advantage of our proposed methods to current state of the art techniques.
A Missense Mutation in the Obscurin Gene Leads to Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy due to Deregulated Calcium Cycling

Obscurins are cytoskeletal proteins composed of adhesion and signaling motifs. Genomic linkage analysis has identified a missense mutation (R4344Q) in immunoglobulin domain 58 (Ig58) that is causally linked to the development of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) in humans. To examine how R4344Q leads to HCM, we generated a knock-in mouse model that contains full-length obscurins carrying the R4344Q mutation. Mutant obscurins are readily expressed in cardiac muscles, and properly incorporated into sarcomeres. While sarcomeric assembly and organization are unaltered in 1-year old homozygous knock-in hearts, the expression levels of the Ca2+-handling protein SERCA2 are significantly increased. Consistent with this, homozygous knock-in cardiomyocytes exhibit increased rate of Ca2+-uptake and faster contractile kinetics. Exposure of ∼2-months old knock-in mice to mechanical stress via trans-aortic constriction (TAC) leads to severe cardiac hypertrophy within 4-8 weeks. Contractility and Ca2+-transients are significantly slower in knock-in cardiomyocytes subjected to TAC, which is in agreement with the reduced expression levels of key Ca2+-handling proteins, including RyR2 and SERCA2. Moreover, both RyR2 and SERCA2 exhibit decreased phosphorylation levels in knock-in TAC hearts, further indicating their altered functional properties. Structural analysis of wild type and mutant Ig58 revealed that the R4344Q mutation abolishes the formation of salt bridges between R4344 and E4360, resulting in altered distribution of the electrostatic charge over the Ig58 surface, and possibly interfering with binding of obscurins to other proteins. Consistent with this, obscurins are in a complex with the Ca2+-cycling protein phospholamban mediated by Ig58. Importantly, Ig58 containing the R4344Q mutation shows increased binding to phospholamban compared to wild type Ig58. In summary, our studies provide the first in vivo model to examine the molecular defects underlying HCM due to mutant obscurins, pointing towards a role in Ca2+ regulation.
Habit Formation and the Striatum

Data from experimental animals and human subjects has provided convergent evidence for the key role of the striatum in the formation of stimulus-response habits. Habits can be distinguished from associative memories that support goal-directed actions based on their insensitivity to reward devaluation and contingency degradation. Behavior on many instrumental learning tasks can be supported by both declarative knowledge and habits, and these contributions shift with the amount of training. This shift appears to be accompanied by the involvement of different cortico-striatal loops in controlling behavior. Factors that encourage the shift toward and maintenance of habits include learning under conditions of stress, distraction, and interval or probabilistic schedules of reinforcement.
Behavioral Analysis of the Transplantation Phenomenon within a Motor and Sensory System

Traditionally, research in neuropsychology has taken the following two directions: (1) removal of a neural structure by surgical means of ablation or electrolytic lesion and study of the concomitant deficit or loss of function, and (2) stimulation of a neural structure to study the immediately following response. These two approaches, being complementary in nature, have provided great insight into the problems of sturcture/function of the brain. In recent years, research on neural transplantation initiated by Das and his associates (Das 1975, Das and Hallas 1978) seems to offer new ways of approaching research in neuropsychology. Potentially, there are at least two different directions of research that may be pursued. First, removal of or chemical change to a neural structure in the host animal to induce functional abnormality or deficit, followed by transplantation of neural tissue to study recovery from the abnormal or deficient function. Second, transplantation of neural tissue with a high growth potential in order to replace a large volume of a specific region of the host brain by the transplant, followed by the study of the behavior of these animals, and this in turn, followed by the ablation of the transplant to study the loss or deficit in the function. The first approach has been used by Bjorklund and Stenevi (1979). But the second approach has been less widely employed other than for work in our laboratories (Wallace and Das 1982). This approach has a potential of exploring problems of “functional compensation” and “functional plasticity” of neural tissues. It can be best investigated if heterotopic conditions of transplantation are employed (e.g., transplantation of embryonic neocortical tissue into the cerebella of host animals). Such transplants are intraparenchymal and are completely integrated with the host brain, and there are no pathological reactions in the transplant or the host brain even after 2 or more years following transplantation.
Quality Improvement Project to Reduce Delayed Vaccinations in Preterm Infants.

BACKGROUND Preterm infants are especially vulnerable to infectious diseases. Although vaccinations are a safe and effective measure to protect preterm infants from vaccine-preventable diseases, delays in vaccinations are not uncommon. PURPOSE The goal of this quality improvement project was to improve on time vaccinations of preterm infants hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit. METHODS The Plan-Do-Study-Act model of quality improvement was adopted to develop, test, and implement interventions aimed at improving timely vaccination of preterm infants. The primary outcome measure of interest was the rate of on time vaccination, which was defined as the proportion of medically eligible preterm infants who received vaccinations within 2 weeks of the recommended schedule. RESULTS Baseline on time vaccination rate was only 36%. Following several Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles, a steady increase in on time vaccinations of eligible infants was observed, and a new baseline on time vaccination rate of 82% was achieved. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE Simple interventions implemented within the context of Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles are effective in improving timely vaccinations among preterm infants. IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH Future research that focuses on vaccinations in preterm infants is needed to further reinforce the safety and efficacy of vaccines. Effective methods on how to disseminate and apply this knowledge to practice should also be studied.Video Abstract available at http://links.lww.com/ANC/A27.
Navigation software system development for a mobile robot to avoid obstacles in a dynamic environment using laser sensor

The need for Autonomous machines are starting to become an increasingly sought after necessity in human society. As people become busier, they tend to be more dependent upon technology. Therefore, the need arises for Autonomous machines to help perform as many of society's tasks as possible. These Autonomous machines will also allow workers to perform these tasks in a very harsh and hazardous workplace and further than the ability of the employees. Utilizing advanced sensors such laser, sonar, and camera integrated with intelligent software system will make the mobile robot more intelligent and increase the degree of freedom to perform very sophisticated robotics tasks. In this paper, using the Matlab platform to build a mobile robot in a virtual reality equipped with laser sensor as the only source of perception to navigate in a dynamic environment was developed. The Mobile robot software system integrated with a prediction algorithm based on potential field algorithms were used to improve the robot's navigation. The developed software system was tested, and the result was compared with and without the prediction software system. The final results showed improvement of the navigation compared to the different sensors such a sonar sensor.
Discrete Gene Network Models for Understanding Multicellularity and Cell Reprogramming: From Network Structure to Attractor Landscapes Landscape

In this chapter, we introduced the basic concepts of cell attractors and showed that Waddington’s metaphoric epigenetic landscape has a formal basis in the attractor landscape. This conceptual framework helps to understand core properties of cell differentiation and ultimately, multicellularity. Specifically, we developed the concept of relative stability of network states on the epigenetic landscape, thus providing the elevation in the landscape picture a formal, quantifiable basis. We proposed methods to quantify the relative stability of attractor states in discrete gene networks models. We show in two examples that even with incomplete information about network structures, the use of Boolean networks can capture the essential outlines of cell fate dynamics and more importantly, permit the estimation of relative stability and the attractor transition barriers. These measures hold great promise for the rational design of the perturbation protocols for cell reprogramming in regenerative medicine. As the knowledge of the structure of GRNs for the development of various tissues will undoubtedly increase in the next decade, the utilization of such network information for therapeutic reprogramming may benefit from the concepts developed here.
Nealy, E. C. (2017).

Therapists working with transgender and gender non-conforming youth (TGNCY) and their families are challenged by a dearth of scholarship that address the therapists' and the families’ needs for hea...
A scoping review of environmental health nursing research.

Objective The purpose of this scoping review was to determine the extent and focus of published environmental health nursing research. Design and sample The search was limited to peer reviewed, English-language environmental health nursing research with at least one nursing author, published between 1995 and 2015 in a nursing journal, and catalogued in CINAHL. Results Publication of the 548 identified articles occurred in 118 different nursing journals. Annual number of publications increased from nine articles in 1995 to 50 in 2013 and 2014. Most (63%) of the studies occurred in the Unnited States; the remaining studies took place in 33 other countries. Three primary focus areas were identified: disasters/disaster preparedness, occupational health, and the home environment. Other focus areas included environmental exposures, environmental risk perception, secondhand smoke, and environmental health education. The primary populations studied were nurses/nursing students (40%) and adults (26%). Most common research designs employed were cross-sectional (42%) and qualitative methods (20%). Conclusions Findings from this scoping review support a global expansion of published environmental health nursing research addressing a variety of environmental health topics. Additional studies are needed that use more complex research methods and address timely topics such as climate change and sustainability.
A model for the theoretical basis of cultural competency to guide psychotherapy.

Over the past four decades, the mental health field has struggled to define cultural competency and its efficacy in psychotherapy. Recent cultural competency and treatment adaptation studies have pointed to predominant evidence that cultural competency yields positive experiences and outcomes in tre
Predictors of school absenteeism severity at multiple levels: A classification and regression tree analysis

Abstract School attendance is an important foundational competency for children and adolescents, but rates of problematic school absenteeism have remained high and steady. Efforts to conceptualize problematic school absenteeism across its myriad psychiatric symptoms, risk factors, and intervention types have centered recently on multi-tiered systems of support models that arrange these variables into prevention, early intervention, and intensive intervention tiers. Unfortunately, research into absenteeism severity levels to demarcate these tiers remains sparse. The present study utilized nonparametric classification and regression tree analysis to examine multiple demographic and academic risk factors simultaneously in a very large and diverse community sample. Academic variables included grade level, letter grades, grade point average, individualized education plan eligibility, and participation in school sports. Demographic variables included youth age, gender, and ethnicity. The study aimed to identify risk categories for school absenteeism severity at the 1%+, 10%+, and 15%+ levels and across elementary, middle, and high school levels. Results indicated a more homogeneous set of risk factors at the 10%+ and 15%+ levels than the 1%+ level, in particular with respect to low GPA, age 15.5 + years, African American or American Indian ethnicity, and grades 1, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, or 12. The results have implications for identifying highest risk youth to further improve assessment, prevention, and intervention practices for this population.
Three systems underpinning marketing behavior

The new marketing systems paradigm proposed by El-Ansary, Shaw, and Lazer in their thoughtful AMS Review Article is taken to heart herein by reframing disparate pieces of scholarship and emerging research in the field through a systems lens. Three systems are proposed to undergird marketing theories, thought, and behavior: (1) a purposive-driven, goal-directed behavior systems point of view that the actors contemplating, entering, engaging, and resolving marketing exchanges undergo, (2) biological systems (neuroscience, endocrinological, and genetic) grounding marketing exchanges, and (3) cooperative and competitive systems in which goal-directed behavior and biological systems are realized in an integrative way. It is straining, however, to characterize the state of the field as constituting an identity crisis in my opinion, because the majority of marketing scholars, practitioners, and students do not appear to be concerned with or even aware of such a crisis in that the history of marketing thought does not interest them. Perhaps once the field moves from descriptive frameworks to testable theories, and experiences an integration of ideas potentially building towards more comprehensive theories in marketing, we will see hope for a general theory of marketing.
Computation of an Axisymmetric Supersonic Back-Step Flow Using a Pointwise k-k 2/ε Turbulence Model

A recently introduced k — k 2/e turbulence model is used to compute supersonic flow over axisymmetric backward-facing steps with several step heights. experimental data are by Roshko and Thomke (1966). This case involves a separated flow region downstream of the step as well as an oblique shock interacting with the boundary layer in the reattachment region. It is, therefore, considered a challenging test for turbulence models. The model, in its present form, predicts the extent of the flow separation rather well, however, except for the case with the smallest step height, its prediction of the wall pressure distribution is fair at best.
SPECIFIC TARGET CELL LYSIS BY SUPERNATANTS DERIVED FROM ALLOIMMUNE MURINE CYTOTOXIC T LYMPHOCYTES: POSSIBLE ROLE OF A LYMPHOTOXIN-T CELL RECEPTOR COMPLEX

ABSTRACT Lymphocytes or purified T cells obtained from spleens or peritoneal exudate (PEL) of alloimmune C57B1/6 or BALB/c mice, when placed on monolayers of lectin (PHA) coated allogeneic fibroblasts, rapidly release (6–8 hr) into the supernatant antigen specific cell lytic material(s). These supernatants could induce rapid (10 hr) and specific lysis of the sensitizing allogeneic target cells during in vitro 51 Cr release assays. Analysis of the lytic supernatant revealed the following properties: a) antisera which could neutralize murine lymphotoxin (LT) activity in vitro could inhibit this effect; b) absorption of supernatants on the specific target cells at 4°C removed both the specific lytic activity and nonspecific LT activity detectable on L-929 cells in vitro ; c) polyspecific goat anti mouse Ig sera had no effect on this lytic activity, and removal of T cells by anti θ serum + C’ removed the capacity of the remaining cells to release these materials; and d) this material(s) was highly unstable. Furthermore, biochemical fractionation of lytic supernatants by molecular sieving revealed the specific cell lytic activity eluted in the void volume or in the region of the high MW LT complex. Because the lytic effects could not be shown to be due to classical Ab + C', and since purified alloimmune T lymphocytes yielded the most active supernatants, we feel the data is consistent with the concept that the short-lived specific cell lytic material in these supernatants is a high MW complex containing LT or LT-like molecules in functional association with specific T cell antigen binding receptor (s) molecules.
Cognitive Wellness for Diverse Populations

This chapter discusses beliefs, perceptions, and programmatic methods that should be considered when developing a cognitive wellness program for diverse populations. Perceptions of cognitive health and behaviors that may enhance cognitive well-being are presented first, followed by examples of programs that have included minority older adults in substantial numbers. A final section provides a list of considerations that researchers, organizations, and community programs can utilize for developing cognitive wellness programs for diverse older adult populations.
Surface coatings for microfluidic-based biomedical devices

Abstract: Stable and well-characterized surfaces are essential for medical and diagnostic applications using microfluidic devices. Surface coating strategies can be classified into two major categories: covalent and adsorptive coatings. For covalent coating methods, the most common strategies are discussed based on the chemical characteristics of the device material. Furthermore, major classes of adsorptive coating strategies are presented, compared to their covalent counterparts, and discussed in relation to their respective importance in medical and diagnostic applications.
Toward scalable, reproducible, and open ocean acoustic research

As our ability to collect long-term acoustical signals grows we face the challenges of analyzing large datasets, ensuring our findings are reproducible, and sharing our work with collaborators. In this talk, we will give an overview of frameworks and tools that can facilitate those tasks. We will show how the Jupyter Notebook environment serves as a hub for quick prototyping, literate programming, interactive analysis and visualization, and a gateway to cloud computing. We will provide examples of processing of larger-than-memory ocean acoustic recordings from the comfort of our own laptop. We will further outline best practices for sharing code and data, and discuss the needs and approaches to achieve scalable, reproducible, and open acoustic research.
Multicomponent Obesity Prevention Intervention in Low-Income Preschoolers: Primary and Subgroup Analyses of the NET-Works Randomized Clinical Trial, 2012–2017

Objectives. To evaluate a multicomponent obesity prevention intervention among diverse, low-income preschoolers.Methods. Parent–child dyads (n = 534) were randomized to the Now Everybody Together f...
Mechanical strength of cold-sintered zinc oxide under biaxial bending

Zinc oxide is densified to 97% by the cold sintering process using an aqueous zinc acetate solution as the secondary transport phase. The mechanical response of the cold-sintered zinc oxide ceramics is investigated through the ball-on-three-balls biaxial bending technique. The analysis demonstrates that ZnO cold-sintered samples follow a Weibull distribution with a characteristic strength (σ0 ~ 65 MPa) and Weibull modulus (m ~ 8). Phase purity and residual secondary phases were analyzed via X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. This report provides an initial demonstration of the mechanical properties of cold-sintered parts in the as-pressed and unmodified state and serves for comparison with conventionally prepared ceramics.
Leukocyte dynamics in cutaneous acute graft-versus-host disease by noninvasive laser confocal video microscopy: a cross-sectional pilot study (Conference Presentation)

Inflammatory tissue response is one of the first and most common manifestations of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD), a potentially deadly immune-mediated disease that occurs in 30-60% of patients after stem cell transplantation. A fundamental challenge in developing effective treatment strategies for aGVHD is the lack of tools to study disease biology in real-time in post-transplant patients. The inflammatory tissue response causes increased expression of specialized endothelial proteins on vessel walls making leukocytes to roll, adhere and eventually extravasate into the tissue at a higher rate than in normal conditions. Although the importance of leukocyte-endothelial interactions to detect and track inflammation has been well shown in murine models, there are no published clinical studies in humans. In this study, we explore the feasibility to detect presence of aGVHD in post-transplant patients through the imaging of in vivo leukocyte motion. We used a clinical confocal microscope (Vivascope 1500) to acquire videos of 5 aGVHD patients and 5 controls (no aGVHD) within 50±30 days post-transplant. The microscope is capable of real-time imaging of individual cells in the postcapillary vessels at 9 frames per second. Through video analysis, we extracted five quantitative parameters: number and velocity of rolling leukocytes, number of adherent leukocytes (stationary >30 s), blood flow velocity, and number of vessels. In a limited number of subjects, we show that parameters characteristic of the dynamic motion in skin capillaries can be observed noninvasively in post-transplant patients. Further studies are needed to test the diagnostic potential of these parameters.
Programmable pulse synthesizer for the generation of Joule-level picosecond laser pulses of arbitrary shape

We report the demonstration of a pulse synthesizer based on spatial beam splitting and pulse stacking for the generation of picosecond laser pulses of Joule-level energy with arbitrary shape. An array of liquid crystals is used to control the amplitude of ten individual sub-pulses, and sliding retroreflectors are used to adjust their temporal separations. The synthesizer was used in combination with a λ=1.03 µm diode-pumped cryogenically-cooled Yb: YAG chirped pulse amplification laser to synthesize 1.3 J pulses or pulse trains of arbitrary shapes up to 9 ns duration with a temporal resolution as short as 8 ps. This pulse synthesizer offers the opportunity to incorporate a self-learning system to search for the optimal laser pulse shapes for various applications including optimized plasma conditions in laser-plasma based soft x-ray lasers and plasma sources for extreme ultraviolet lithography.
The Molecular Analysis for Therapy Choice (NCI-MATCH) Trial: Lessons for Genomic Trial Design.

BACKGROUND The proportion of tumors of various histologies that may respond to drugs targeted to molecular alterations is unknown. NCI-MATCH, a collaboration between ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group and the National Cancer Institute, was initiated to find efficacy signals by matching patients with refractory malignancies to treatment targeted to potential tumor molecular drivers regardless of cancer histology. METHODS Trial development required assumptions about molecular target prevalence, accrual rates, treatment eligibility, and enrollment rates as well as consideration of logistical requirements. Central tumor profiling was performed with an investigational next-generation DNA-targeted sequencing assay of alterations in 143 genes, and protein expression of protein expression of phosphatase and tensin homolog, mutL homolog 1, mutS homolog 2, and RB transcriptional corepressor 1. Treatments were allocated with a validated computational platform (MATCHBOX). A preplanned interim analysis evaluated assumptions and feasibility in this novel trial. RESULTS At interim analysis, accrual was robust, tumor biopsies were safe (<1% severe events), and profiling success was 87.3%. Actionable molecular alteration frequency met expectations, but assignment and enrollment lagged due to histology exclusions and mismatch of resources to demand. To address this lag, we revised estimates of mutation frequencies, increased screening sample size, added treatments, and improved assay throughput and efficiency (93.9% completion and 14-day turnaround). CONCLUSIONS The experiences in the design and implementation of the NCI-MATCH trial suggest that profiling from fresh tumor biopsies and assigning treatment can be performed efficiently in a large national network trial. The success of such trials necessitates a broad screening approach and many treatment options easily accessible to patients.
The Role of Philippine Courts in Establishing the Environmental Rule of Law

In 2010, the Supreme Court led the Philippines to become the first nation with rules of procedure specific to environmental cases. While the Philippines has made great strides in adopting environmental laws and providing access to courts, more work is needed to ensure consistent decisions and to build capacity in both lower courts and government agencies. As shown in the case of Metropolitan Manila Development Authority v. Concerned Residents of Manila Bay, the Court will need to find a balance between making environmental laws a reality and taking on more than it can (and should) handle.
Modeling of Subcutaneous Implantable Microchip Intention of Use

The adoption of the Radiofrequency identification (RFID) as a subcutaneous implantable microchip (RSIM) in human is very low. The broader objective of this research is to model the behavioral intention according to the challenges of RSIM use. RSIM has been widely used in the medical applications, access control, authentication and maintaining personal information. However, there is undoubtedly much of health, ethical, legal, religious, security and technical concerns that slowed down its implementation. This study is designed to build the behavioral intention model of RSIM use based on the technology acceptance model (TAM) as a priori hypothetical model and will be validated by structural equation modeling (SEM) as supported by the survey collected data. The investigation includes testing nine proposed hypotheses based on data to be collected using survey instrument designed for confirmatory purposes to examine the intention of using RSIM by randomly selected 200 subjects.
JUUL E-Cigarette Quit Attempts and Cessation Perceptions in College Student JUUL E-Cigarette Users.

Purpose:This study describes the frequency of JUUL e-cigarette (referred to as JUUL) quit attempts and identifies characteristics associated with confidence in quitting and perceived difficulty qui...
Discrete Minimum Time Control via Iterative Optimization and Sliding Window Algorithm

In this paper we propose a new objective function for the discrete minimum time control problem, where constraints in control are allowed. With this objective function, the control problem is transformed into a tractable optimization problem where traditional numerical algorithms can be applied. We proved that under some conditions, the optimal solution of the newly transformed problem yields the minimum time of the original problem. We propose a Sliding Window Algorithm which dynamically adjusts a time window aiming to catch the optimal solution, and for problems with constraints we propose a constrained interior search algorithm. Numerical examples are provided to show the effectiveness of our algorithms.
Channeling globality : The 1997-98 el niño climate event in Peru

We examine the unfolding of a planetary climate event, the 1997–98 El Nino, in a single country, Peru. Rather than seeing the worldwide attention to the event as an instance of globalization, we look at the actors who, in our terms, channeled globality by evoking a worldwide scale to build connections between disparate elements in cultural and political projects. We document how participants in Peruvian media and in everyday conversations attended selectively to certain international images and ideas as they related to the El Nino event and reworked them in distinctively Peruvian fashion. We also examine the specific context and tactics that allowed the state to succeed in channeling globality to further its ends.
A Survey of Defensive Deception: Approaches Using Game Theory and Machine Learning

Defensive deception is a promising approach for cyber defense. Via defensive deception, a defender can anticipate and prevent attacks by misleading or luring an attacker, or hiding some of its resources. Although defensive deception is garnering increasing research attention, there has not been a systematic investigation of its key components, the underlying principles, and its tradeoffs in various problem settings. This survey focuses on defensive deception research centered on game theory and machine learning, since these are prominent families of artificial intelligence approaches that are widely employed in defensive deception. This paper brings forth insights, lessons, and limitations from prior work. It closes with an outline of some research directions to tackle major gaps in current defensive deception research.
The Paired T-Fastener Technique: A Bolster-Free Gastropexy for Laparoscopic Gastrostomy Tube Placement.

Purpose: Gastropexy during laparoscopic gastrostomy tube (GT) insertion can be technically challenging. T-fasteners are an effective method of gastropexy. However, the use of external bolsters requ...
WAVE Pilot Study: Comparison of High School Soccer Players and Parents' Confidence, Expectations, and Practices in Food and Nutrition to Support Youth Sports Performance

Objective: The WAVE Pilot Study, a 2yr obesity prevention intervention for high-school soccer players (14-19y) aim to understand the knowledge and skills needed by high school soccer players and parents to support sports performance. Methods: Forty-two parent and child dyads independently completed a self-administered survey about their confidence, expectations, and applications of food and nutrition knowledge and skills, healthy life habits, including screen time. Parent-child agreements were compared to identify potential needs for the WAVE Pilot Study to meet. Results: The top three skills that children (n=55) rated themselves lacking include: gardening (63%), cooking (47%), and grocery shopping (40%). Parents (n=42) rated themselves lacking in gardening skills (46%), sports nutrition knowledge (38%), and meal planning ideas for before/during/after game (31%). The highest agreement in the dyads was parental role modeling of healthy eating (57%). The two lowest dyad agreements were: 1) parents setting r...
New insights into disruption of iron homeostasis by environmental pollutants

Among the numerous health conditions environmental pollutants can cause, chronic exposure to pollutants including persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and heavy metals has been shown to disturb a specific biological homeostatic process, the iron metabolism in human body. Disorders of iron metabolism are among the common diseases of humans and encompass a broad spectrum of diseases with different clinical manifestations, ranging from anemia to iron overload, and possibly to neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. Hepcidin-ferroportin (FPN) signaling is one of the key mechanisms responsible for iron supply, utilization, recycling, and storage, and recent studies demonstrated that exposure to environmental pollutants including POPs and heavy metals could lead to disruption of the hepcidin-FPN axis along with disordered systemic iron homeostasis and diseases. This article introduces and highlights the accompanying review article by Drs. Xu and Liu in this journal, which elaborates in detail the adverse effects of environmental pollutants on iron metabolism, and the mechanisms responsible for these toxicological outcomes. It also points out the knowledge gaps still existing in this subject matter. Research that will fill these gaps will improve our understanding of the issue and provide useful information to prevent or treat diseases induced by environmental pollutants.
A20-mediated RIP ubiquitination in glioblastoma resistance to TRAIL treatment

1596 Background: TRAIL (Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand) has emerged as a novel cancer therapeutic agent because it selectively induces apoptosis in human cancer cells. However, the vast majority of human glioblastoma cells are TRAIL-resistant. Further more, we have shown that RIP (receptor-interacting protein) plays a crucial role in the TRAIL resistance. Here, we further report the role of A20-mediated RIP ubiquitination in the TRAIL resistance in human glioblastomas. Methods and Results: TRAIL interacts with cell surface death receptors DR4/5, leading to the assembly of death-inducing signal complex (DISC), where caspase-8 is activated and thus initiates intracellular apoptotic signal. The DISC was isolated from human glioblastoma cells by treating the cells with mixed Flag-TRAIL and anti-Flag M2 antibody, followed by immunoprecipitation with anti-M2 antibody agarose. Western blots detected RIP and A20 in the DISC in TRAIL-resistant but not sensitive glioblastoma cells. The DISC was further treated with SDS buffer to dissociate the proteins in the complex; RIP was then immunoprecipitated; and Western blots detected the higher molecular weight ubiquitin-conjugated RIP proteins in the DISC. As the controls, the cells were lysed and then immunoprecipitated with mixed Flag-TRAIL/M2 antibody and agarose. Intriguingly, Western blot analysis revealed an unstimulated complex formed by DR4/5, RIP and A20 prior to TRAIL treatment. The complex was treated with SDS buffer; RIP was then immunoprecipitated from the complex; and Western blots failed to detect the higher molecular weight ubiquitin-conjugated RIP. Further examination showed the recruitment of IKK-γ (inhibitor of κB or NEMO) to the DISC and subsequent activation of NF-κB (nuclear factor-κB) in TRAIL-resistant glioblatoma cells. These results indicate that DR4/5, RIP and A20 form a complex prior to TRAIL treatment and this complex mediates TRAIL-induced RIP ubiquitination and NF-κB activation in TRAIL resistant glioblastoma cells. Examination by RT-PCR and Western blots demonstrated that A20 was highly expressed in the majority of human glioblastoma tumors (7/10 samples) as compared to normal human brain tissues. Conclusion: This study indicates that A20 is highly expressed in the majority of human glioblatomas. A20 forms an unstimulated complex with DR4/5 and RIP and mediates TRAIL-induced RIP ubiquitination in TRAIL resistance. Targeting of A20-mediated RIP ubiquitination pathway may provide a novel therapeutic approach that can overcome the TRAIL resistance in human glioblastomas.
Eye and Iris Sensors

We explain how iris recognition can provide an unalterable, reliable biometric solution without encumbering the subject. We describe the structure of the human eye and the benefits of removing ambiguity to prevent human identification systems from rejecting valid subjects or validating imposters. Such failures in identification can be disastrous, especially in counterterrorism and law enforcement applications. We describe the fundamental processes required for an iris recognition system and describe current techniques used for acquiring and encoding iris images. We discuss the difficulties of encoding poorly presented or occluded iris images along with the unmet needs, on-going research in iris segmentation, and the need to develop reliable, noninvasive identification systems. We then address the potential for applying iris recognition technology to persons in motion and the challenges of this technology. Accurate, reliable identification of humans is a goal as ancient as humanity. As technology and services have developed, humans regularly engage in transactions in which rapid and reliable personal identification is required. Examples include passport control, computer login control, automatic teller machines and other financial transaction authorizations, premises access control, and security systems for meeting the critical needs of homeland security. Speedy, reliable, automated identification procedures are especially necessary for law and counterterrorism enforcement. Keywords: biometrics; iris recognition; image segmentation; encoding; feature extraction; preprocessing
N -Heterocyclic Carbene Complexes in Cyclisation Reactions

Cycloaddition reactions hold a prominent place in the arsenal of synthetic methods currently available to organic chemists. Although some cycloadditions can be promoted simply by heat, light, Lewis acids, high pressure or sonication, many cycloadditions require the use of a transition metal to catalyse the reaction. Transition metal catalysed cycloaddition is an attractive approach as it provides an opportunity to obtain regio- and/or enantio-pure cyclic products. The use of N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) as ligands is a rapidly expanding field. As will be discussed in this chapter, these ligands have been used in conjunction with several metals in the synthesis of a wide range of carbocycles and heterocycles through cycloaddition reactions.
Facilitating Research With the Social Science Research Network (SSRN): An Editor's Perspective

This is a PDF file of 'Facilitating Research with the Social Science Research Network: An Editor's Perspective' slides from a presentation at the Financial Services Institute Symposium hosted by St. John's University on September 8, 2006 in Manhattan, New York. The purpose of this presentation on the Social Science Research Network (SSRN) is to provide faculty and business professionals an initial overview of the research services and features of the SSRN eLibrary at www.ssrn.com. As an Editor and Subscriber of SSRN, Professor Ricciardi shares his insights concerning SSRN with conference attendees from a research, editorial, and teaching perspective. This presentation covers six main issues:  What is an introductory resource for learning about the Social Science Research Network (SSRN)?  What is the Social Science Research Network (SSRN)?  What are some important aspects of SSRN for understanding and utilizing the SSRN website?  What are some key tips for authors submitting a working paper or accepted paper abstract for distribution within a SSRN eJournal?  What is my perspective as an Editor for the SSRN eJournals in Behavioral/ Experimental Finance, Economics & Accounting?  What are some basic SSRN tools for facilitating your research agenda? Note: SSRN is experimenting with enabling the distribution of different types of files: slides, spreadsheets, video, etc. This is an upload of a PDF file of PowerPoint slides. We are interested in our users desires to distribute files that go beyond word processing text files. You can communicate with me on these issues via my email address below. We invite you to submit your own presentation slides.