cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Physiological and Therapeutic Significance of Separate Pathways for Prostaglandin Synthesis

There are two isozymes, prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase-1 and -2 (PGHS-1 and PGHS-2; also referred to as cyclooxygenase-1 and -2; COX-1 and COX-2) which catalyze the conversion of arachidonate to prostaglandin H2 (Smith, W. L. and DeWitt, 1995). These are central enzymes in two separate prostaglandin biosynthetic pathways. PGHS-1, an enzyme constitutively expressed in most tissues and in platelets, is a member of a biosynthetic pathway that responds instantaneously to stimulation by circulating hormones and produces prostaglandins that exit and act via cell surface receptors. The PGHS-1 pathway is also responsible for the production of prostaglandins in platelets and endothelial cells that acutely regulate vascular homeostasis and thrombus formation. PGHS-2, an enzyme which is expressed only in response to inflammatory, mitogenic, or other specialized stimuli, is the center of an inducible biosynthetic pathway that produces prostaglandins mediating specialized physiological responses such as inflammation, mitogenesis, or ovulation. Prostaglandins produced by PGHS-2 act extracellularly, but in addition, may signal within the nucleus. In this review, we will compare the structures, enzymology and regulation of expression of these two enzymes, and we will present evidence that indicates these pathways are physically as well as functionally separated, and likely coupled to different phospholipases or fatty acid substrate pools. The physiological as well as pharmacological significance of these separate system will also be examined.
Bree's diagram of a functionally graded thick-walled cylinder under thermo-mechanical loading considering nonlinear kinematic hardening

Abstract In this paper, elasto-plastic analysis of a thick-walled cylinder made of functionally graded materials (FGMs) subjected to constant internal pressure and cyclic temperature gradient loading is carried out using MATLAB. The material is assumed to be isotropic and independent of temperature with constant Poisson's ratio and the material properties vary radially based on a power law volume function relation. The Von Mises’ yield criterion and the Armstrong-Frederick nonlinear kinematic hardening model were implemented in this investigation. To obtain the incremental plastic strain, return mapping algorithm (RMA) was used. At the end, the Bree's interaction diagram is plotted in terms of non-dimensional pressure and temperature which represents an engineering index for optimum design under thermo-mechanical loading.
Millennials at the back gates: how young adults’ digital news practices present a new media logic for news gathering and gatekeeping as user-oriented activities in a participatory news ecosystem

ABSTRACTThe participatory nature of the contemporary news ecosystem makes it increasingly important to examine how digital news users are active participants in selecting, authenticating, contextua...
Healthcare professionals', students', patients' and donors' perceptions of stem cell research and therapy: a systematic review protocol.

Introduction Stem cell research (SCR) and the biomedical potential of developing therapies are crucial topics in biomedicine. Like other biotechnologies, stem cells are context specific entities understood through local conceptualisations of culture, politics, nationhood, as well as their perceived therapeutic efficacy. There is a need to recognise how these developments are understood within the healthcare community and by those who may use them. This protocol describes a systematic literature review that aims to explore healthcare professionals’, healthcare students’, patients’, and donors’ perceptions of SCR and therapy (SCR/T) and the factors that influence their perceptions. Methods and analysis Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses guidelines a systematic review will be undertaken. Web of Science, Scopus, Medline+Journals @Ovid and Ariti Library will be systematically searched for studies on healthcare professionals’, healthcare students’, patients’ and donors’ perceptions of SCR and developing therapies. All articles will be screened by a researcher for inclusion and evaluation based on 12 criteria for evaluating qualitative research. At least 20% of articles will also be reviewed by a second researcher and any disagreement will be solved via consensus. Data extracted from the articles will be analysed using thematic synthesis enabling the identification of concepts across studies and the development of new theory. Ethics and dissemination As part of a larger research project, ethical approval has been provided by the Institutional Research Board (IRB) at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. This review will be able to determine the impact that certain perceptions of SCR/T will have on the development of future medical knowledge and practice. The results of the study will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and disseminated at relevant conferences. PROSPERO registration number CRD42018103627.
X-Ray Spectra

Moseley (1913) made a systematic investigation of the characteristic x-ray spectra of the elements. The elements investigated were used as targets in x-ray tubes and the radiation from each target was analyzed with the aid of a single crystal spectrometer. A potassium ferrocyanide crystal was mounted on the spectrometer table and the spectrum was recorded on a photographic plate. The spectrometer and the photographic plate were placed in an evacuated chamber to avoid absorption of the long wavelength x-rays in the air. The spectral lines observed were grouped into two series, a short wavelength group known as the K series and a comparatively long wavelength group known as the L series. The wide separation of these two series of lines is illustrated in Figure 10-1 for the case of silver in which the K series wavelengths extend from 0.486 to 0.563 A and the L series lines are in the wavelength range 3.3 to 4.7 A. Other investigators have found two other series of lines of still longer wavelengths in the heavier elements, Z > 66, classified as M series and N series.
Drug target discovery via network modeling: a mathematical model of the E. coli folate network response to trimethoprim

Abstract The antibiotic trimethoprim targets the bacterial dihydrofolate reductase enzyme and subsequently affects the entire folate network. We present an expanded mathematical model of trimethoprim’s action on the Escherichia coli folate network that greatly improves upon Kwon et al. (2008). The improvement upon the Kwon Model lends greater insight into the effects of trimethoprim at higher resolution and accuracy. More importantly, the presented mathematical model enables drug target discovery in a way the earlier model could not. Using the improved mathematical model as a scaffold, we use parameter optimization to search for new drug targets that replicate the effect of trimethoprim. We present the model and model-scaffold strategy as an efficient route for drug target discovery.
Emphasizing Technology Over Instruction: Adapting a 20-Year-Old Survey to Examine the Climate of K–12 Instructional Technology Leadership in Public School Districts:

Current research on computer technology integration in K–12 school classrooms indicates that student learning outcomes remain flat despite heavy investment. Examining school leadership conceptions ...
Failure analysis study on a fractured bolt

Abstract The aim of this work is the determination of the cause of a bolt fracture. The group was formed by a screw and a castellated self-braking nut with a plastic brake. Chemical, mechanical and microstructural material characterizations were carried out, fulfilling all material specifications. A microscopic observation revealed fatigue striations, which are typical signs of a progressive fracture. The fracture has been produced in the penultimate thread, one of the most critical zones of the screw. Hydrogen embrittlement also could have occurred, decreasing the fatigue resistance of the screw, but also its life of service.
Sharing International Experiences to Develop Inclusion in a German Context: Reflections of an American Inclusive Educator

In November 2015, the Goethe Universities Institute of Special Education and the Faculty of Education, in cooperation with the German Institute for International Education Research, hosted a symposium whose theme was Inclusion and Transformation: Possibilities of an Educational Systems Change. As part of the International Perspectives section, I was invited to share experiences regarding the challenges of changing educational systems toward providing more inclusive schools, with a particular focus on classroom pedagogy. In some ways, this renewed focus on inclusive education at regional, national, and international levels served as a form of stocktaking. I found myself asking: What do we know? What successes have we had? How do we know? What else can be done? As a career-long inclusive educator who can now look back at over a quarter-century, I have experienced the constant morphing of the educational landscape as it shifts according to changes in laws, governmental priorities, policies at federal/state/local levels, leadership, personnel, research, cultural values, and so on. In sum, the “progress” of inclusive education has been subjected to a recursive trajectory of ebbs and flows, pinnacles and pitfalls, and a perpetual feeling of two-steps-forwards-and-one-step back (or two steps back, and in some cases—alas!—three).
Post-Silicon Microarchitecture

Microprocessors are designed to provide good general performance across a range of benchmarks. As such, microarchitectural techniques which provide good speedup for only a small subset of applications are not attractive when designing a general-purpose core. We propose coupling a reconfigurable fabric with the CPU, on the same chip, via a simple and flexible interface to allow post-silicon development of application-specific microarchitectures. The interface supports observation and intervention at key pipeline stages of the CPU, so that exotic microarchitecture designs (with potentially narrow applicability) can be synthesized in the reconfigurable fabric and seem like components that were hardened into the core.
Investigation of Heartland Virus Disease Throughout the United States, 2013-2017.

Background Heartland virus (HRTV) was first described as a human pathogen in 2012. From 2013 to 2017, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) implemented a national protocol to evaluate patients for HRTV disease, better define its geographic distribution, epidemiology, and clinical characteristics, and develop diagnostic assays for this novel virus. Methods Individuals aged ≥12 years whose clinicians contacted state health departments or the CDC about testing for HRTV infections were screened for recent onset of fever with leukopenia and thrombocytopenia. A questionnaire was administered to collect data on demographics, risk factors, and signs and symptoms; blood samples were tested for the presence of HRTV RNA and neutralizing antibodies. Results Of 85 individuals enrolled and tested, 16 (19%) had evidence of acute HRTV infection, 1 (1%) had past infection, and 68 (80%) had no infection. Patients with acute HRTV disease were residents of 7 states, 12 (75%) were male, and the median age (range) was 71 (43-80) years. Illness onset occurred from April to September. The majority reported fatigue, anorexia, nausea, headache, confusion, arthralgia, or myalgia. Fourteen (88%) cases were hospitalized; 2 (13%) died. Fourteen (88%) participants reported finding a tick on themselves in the 2 weeks before illness onset. HRTV-infected individuals were significantly older (P Conclusions Health care providers should consider HRTV disease testing in patients with an acute febrile illness with either leukopenia or thrombocytopenia not explained by another condition or who were suspected to have a tickborne disease but did not improve following appropriate treatment.
Efficient Estimation of a Sparse Delay-Doppler Channel

Multiple wireless sensing tasks, e.g., radar detection for driver safety, involve estimating the "channel" or relationship between signal transmitted and received. In this paper, we focus specifically on the delay-doppler channel. This channel model has recently become relevant on the heels of the mmWave breakthrough, because the signals used experience a significant doppler effect. Additionally, high resolution delay-doppler estimation is often desirable, and one standard approach to achieving this is to use signals of large bandwidth, which is feasible in the mmWave realm. This approach, however, results in a tension with the desire for efficiency because, in particular, large bandwidth immediately implies that the signals in play live in a space of very high dimension N (e.g., ~ 106 in some applications), as per the Shannon-Nyquist sampling theorem.To address this, in this paper we propose a novel randomized algorithm for channel estimation in the k-sparse setting (e.g., k objects in radar detection), with sampling and space complexity on the order of k(log N)2, and arithmetic complexity on the order of k(log N)3 + k2, for N sufficiently large.To the best of our knowledge, the algorithm is the first of this nature. It seems to be extremely efficient, yet it is just a simple combination of three ingredients, two of which are well-known and widely used, namely digital chirp signals and discrete Gaussian filter functions, and the third being recent developments in Sparse Fast Fourier Transform algorithms.
Combining Institutional and Distributed Frameworks in Studies of School Leadership

The premise of this article is that studies of distributed leadership could benefit from further incorporation of institutional approaches to better understand complex reform demands facing school ...
Identifying intracellular signaling modules and exploring pathways associated with breast cancer recurrence.

Exploring complex modularization of intracellular signal transduction pathways is critical to understanding aberrant cellular responses during disease development and drug treatment. IMPALA (Inferred Modularization of PAthway LAndscapes) integrates information from high throughput gene expression experiments and genome-scale knowledge databases to identify aberrant pathway modules, thereby providing a powerful sampling strategy to reconstruct and explore pathway landscapes. Here IMPALA identifies pathway modules associated with breast cancer recurrence and Tamoxifen resistance. Focusing on estrogen-receptor (ER) signaling, IMPALA identifies alternative pathways from gene expression data of Tamoxifen treated ER positive breast cancer patient samples. These pathways were often interconnected through cytoplasmic genes such as IRS1/2, JAK1, YWHAZ, CSNK2A1, MAPK1 and HSP90AA1 and significantly enriched with ErbB, MAPK, and JAK-STAT signaling components. Characterization of the pathway landscape revealed key modules associated with ER signaling and with cell cycle and apoptosis signaling. We validated IMPALA-identified pathway modules using data from four different breast cancer cell lines including sensitive and resistant models to Tamoxifen. Results showed that a majority of genes in cell cycle/apoptosis modules that were up-regulated in breast cancer patients with short survivals (< 5 years) were also over-expressed in drug resistant cell lines, whereas the transcription factors JUN, FOS, and STAT3 were down-regulated in both patient and drug resistant cell lines. Hence, IMPALA identified pathways were associated with Tamoxifen resistance and an increased risk of breast cancer recurrence. The IMPALA package is available at https://dlrl.ece.vt.edu/software/ .
Natural host range, incidence on overwintering cotton and diversity of cotton leafroll dwarf virus in Georgia USA

Abstract In 2018–19, cotton leafroll dwarf virus (CLRDV) was reported from several cotton-producing states in the southern United States. An extensive survey was conducted in the spring, summer, and fall of 2019 to identify weeds and overwintering cotton as sources for primary inoculum for the next season crop. Foliage samples of 57 different weed species were collected from fields formerly planted to cotton and analyzed using RT-PCR with CLRDV specific primers. CLRDV was detected from 23 weed species belonging to 16 different botanical families. Overwintering cotton stalks (48%) and regrowth leaves (75%) both harbored CLRDV. A phylogenetic analysis conducted using nucleotide and amino acid sequences of complete ORF 0, ORF 3, and ORF 4 determined that the CLRDV from all weeds and overwintered cotton stalks from Georgia clustered with CLRDV isolates collected in the USA but differed from isolates reported from South America and Asia. Pairwise nucleotide and amino acid identity showed 91–100% sequence similarity for complete ORF3. For ORF4, pairwise identity among the nucleotide ranged from 92-100%, while amino acids ranged from 90.2-100% with isolates reported from the USA and South America, with the exception of three Asian CLRDV isolates and two weed isolates from Georgia. Similarly, CLRDV isolates from Georgia weeds shared 91.6–93% nucleotide and 88–90.8% amino acid for silencing suppressor compared to most of the isolates from North America and South America. The role of alternative hosts on disease incidence and spread has not been studied in cotton-producing countries where the disease is prevalent. This is the first comprehensive study that identifies weeds and overwintering cotton as a potential green bridge for the year-round survival of CLRDV.
Estimated Retirement Benefits in the Social Security Statement

Since 1999, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has mailed an annual Social Security Statement to individuals aged 25 or older showing their reported earnings history. The Statement also provides workers with estimates of benefit amounts available under the Social Security programs. This note focuses on estimates of retirement benefits in the annual Social Security Statement. Estimated benefits are adjusted for economy-wide average wage growth from about the time of Statement issuance to about the time of retirement. In addition, the Social Security Statement uses certain assumptions about current and future individual earnings to estimate retirement benefits. This note evaluates whether the Statement's assumptions produce accurate estimates, using data from a sample of recently eligible retired workers in SSA's Modeling Income in the Near Term (MINT) microsimulation model.
Narrative identity in the psychosis spectrum: A systematic review and developmental model.

Abstract Individuals with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders face profound challenges as they attempt to maintain identity through the course of illness. Narrative identity—the study of internalized, evolving life stories—provides a rich theoretical and empirical perspective on these challenges. Based on evidence from a systematic review of narrative identity in the psychosis spectrum (30 studies, combined N = 3859), we argue that the narrative identities of individuals with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders are distinguished by three features: disjointed structure, a focus on suffering, and detached narration. Psychotic disorders typically begin to emerge during adolescence and emerging adulthood, which are formative developmental stages for narrative identity, so it is particularly informative to understand identity disturbances from a developmental perspective. We propose a developmental model in which a focus on suffering emerges in childhood; disjointed structure emerges in middle and late adolescence; and detached narration emerges before or around the time of a first psychotic episode. Further research with imminent risk and early course psychosis populations would be needed to test these predictions. The disrupted life stories of individuals on the psychosis spectrum provide multiple rich avenues for further research to understand narrative self-disturbances.
Human Arm Motion Prediction in Reaching Movements

There is an increasing interest in accurately predicting natural human arm motions for areas like human-robot interaction, wearable robots, and ergonomic simulations. This paper studies the problem of predicting natural fingertip and joint trajectories in human arm reaching movements. Compared to the widely-used minimum jerk model, the 5-parameter logistic model can represent natural fingertip trajectories more accurately. Based on 3520 human arm motions recorded by a motion capture system, regression learning is used to predict the five parameters representing the fingertip trajectory for a given target point. Then, the elbow swivel angle is predicted using regression learning to resolve the kinematic redundancy of the human arm at discrete fingertip positions. Finally, discrete joint angles are solved based on the predicted elbow swivel angles and then fitted to a continuous 5-parameter logistic function to obtain the joint trajectory. This method is verified using 48 test motions, and the results show that this method can generate accurate human arm motions.
Water and Health

The health of human communities has been, and continues to be, intimately connected to sources of clear water and effective systems of sanitation. This chapter explores several key developments in the history of clean water supply and the control of pollutants, including the engineering marvels of the classical world in Rome that brought clean water into the cities, the path-breaking work of John Snow who identified a contaminated well in London responsible for a local cholera outbreak, and the “Clear Water Act” in the United States that mandated the monitoring of clean water standards. Access to clean water also implicates questions of equity. The last reading presents a statement on behalf of the World Health Organization advocates for access to clean water supplies for women and traditionally underserved communities.
Response Efficacy Perception and Taking Action to Prepare for Disasters with Different Lead Time

AbstractThis study investigated how disaster types, namely those with shorter and longer warning lead times, contextualized individuals’ preparatory actions, especially those associated with their ...
Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Suicidal Self-Harming Youth: Emotion Regulation, Mechanisms, and Mediators

Objective This study evaluated mechanisms, mediation, and secondary/exploratory outcomes in our randomized controlled trial evaluating dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) compared to individual and group supportive therapy (IGST). We expand on previously reported results indicating a DBT advantage at posttreatment on planned suicide/self-harm outcomes, and greater self-harm remission (absence of self-harm, post hoc exploratory outcome) during active-treatment and follow-up periods. Method This was a multi-site randomized trial of 173 adolescents with prior suicide attempts, self-harm, and suicidal ideation. Randomization was to 6 months of DBT or IGST, with outcomes monitored through 12 months. Youth emotion regulation was the primary mechanistic outcome. Results Compared to IGST, greater improvements in youth emotion regulation were found in DBT through the treatment-period [t(498) = 2.36, p = .019] and 12-month study period (t(498) = 2.93, p = .004). Their parents reported using more DBT skills: posttreatment t(497) = 4.12, p Conclusion Results support the significance of emotion regulation as a treatment target for reducing self-harm, and indicate a DBT advantage on substance misuse, externalizing behavior, and self-harm-remission, with 49.3% of youths in DBT achieving self-harm remission during follow-up. Clinical trial registration information Collaborative Adolescent Research on Emotions and Suicide; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ ; NCT01528020
A planar-lumped model for coupled microstrip line discontinuities

A convenient model is presented for analyzing coupled microstrip line discontinuities. Similar to the planar magnetic wall model for single microstrip lines, a planar-lumped model is developed for coupled microstrip lines. Fields underneath the two strips and those fringing at the outer edges are modeled by equivalent planar waveguides. Electric and magnetic field coupling in the gap region is modeled by a lumped network. Model parameters are evaluated such that (C) and (L) matrices of the model are identical with those of coupled lines. This modeling approach is applied to a coupled microstrip section with chamfered right-angled bends to single microstrip lines, and results are in good agreement with experimental values. >
Color and Image Display

Color graphics are simple in principal, but can be complicated in practice because of the differences among various color output devices. This chapter explains the basics of 8- and 24-bit color graphics in Interactive Data Language (IDL). Because the interaction between color and the various devices can be complicated, several IDL authors have written general purpose image display routines that automatically handle different bit depths (8 and 24) and different devices (video displays and printers). Users interested in advanced image processing should consult the manual Image Processing in IDL that is provided by RSI as part of the IDL documentation and the other books recommended. If a users wishes to develop their own color and image display programs then the following procedures must be used: COLOR_CONVERT procedure can be used to convert color intensities among the different color systems (RGB, HSV, and HLS). DEVICE procedure has a large number of keywords that are used to control the behavior of the various graphics devices. TVLCT procedure is used to load a color table to an 8-bit device, or to read the current color table. LOADCT procedure; allows the user to select and load a variety of pre-deﬁned 8-bit color tables. XLOADCT procedure. XLOADCT allows the user to interactively view, select, and load a variety of pre-deﬁned 8-bit color tables.
Assessing Social Communication Abilities of School-Aged Children

This article explains the importance of assessing social communication abilities of school-age children. It summarizes the effect of social communication on academic abilities, reviews terminology ...
SER‐7b, a constitutively active Gαs coupled 5‐HT7‐like receptor expressed in the Caenorhabditis elegans M4 pharyngeal motorneuron

Serotonin plays a key role in the regulation of pharyngeal pumping in nematodes. We have isolated a Caenorhabditis elegans cDNA (C09B7.1b, ser-7b) with greatest identity to the 5-HT7 receptor family. Membranes from COS-7 cells expressing SER-7b exhibit saturable [3H]-LSD binding (Kd = 45 nm) that is inhibited by serotonin (5-HT) and tryptamine, but not by other physiological biogenic amines. Expression of SER-7b in COS-7 cells results in dramatic increase in basal cAMP levels over untransfected cells that is dependent on expression level. 5-HT further elevates cAMP levels in a dose-dependent manner (pEC50 = 7.5 ± 0.5). Mammalian 5-HT7 receptor inverse agonists reduce constitutive activity, with methiothepin the most potent (pIC50 = 7.8 ± 0.1). Ser-7::GFP transcriptional fusions reveal that SER-7b appears to be expressed solely in the M4 pharyngeal motorneuron after hatching. This is the first report of a Gαs coupled biogenic amine receptor in nematodes and the localization of SER-7b in the M4 pharyngeal motorneuron suggests that SER-7b may play a role in the regulation of pharyngeal pumping.
Resource allocation in wireless networks

Wireless services are one of the strongest growth areas in telecommunications today. Dynamic channel allocation schemes have garnered a considerable amount of attention as methods for achieving efficient use of system resources. Various combinations of permanent channel assignment, channel borrowing, shared pools of channels, channel ordering, channel reassignment, and dynamic adjustment of parameters have been suggested. In this paper, we suggest a categorization of dynamic channel allocation policies. We hope that this categorization will help distill the concepts involved and encourage the research that is necessary to extend these concepts to future integrated service wireless systems.
Affected-sib-pair mapping of a novel susceptibility gene to insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM8) on chromosome 6q25-q27.

Affected-sib-pair analyses were performed using 104 Caucasian families to map genes that predispose to insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). We have obtained linkage evidence for D6S446 (maximum lod score [MLS] = 2.8) and for D6S264 (MLS = 2.0) on 6q25-q27. Together with a previously reported data set, linkage can be firmly established (MLS = 3.4 for D6S264), and the disease locus has been designated IDDM8. With analysis of independent families, we confirmed linkage evidence for the previously identified IDDM3 (15q) and DDM7 (2q). We also typed additional markers in the regions containing IDDM3, IDDM4, IDDM5, and IDDM8. Preliminary linkage evidence for a novel region on chromosome 4q (D4S1566) has been found in 47 Florida families (P < .03). We also found evidence of linkage for two regions previously identified as potential linkages in the Florida subset: D3S1303 on 3q (P < .04) and D7S486 on 7q (P < .03). We could not confirm linkage with eight other regions (D1S191, D1S412, D4S1604, D8S264, D8S556, D10S193, D13S158, and D18S64) previously identified as potential linkages.
High-speed complex number multiplier and inner-product processor

Complex number arithmetic computations are one of the key arithmetic components in modern digital communication and optical systems. Complex number multiplication and complex number inner-product play a unique role in these applications. In this paper, a complex-number multiplier and complex-number inner-product processor based on a Redundant Binary (RB) representation are presented. This work is an extension of a previous real fixed-point inner-product hardware design. With the proposed algorithms, the complex number multiplication is reduced to parallel RB multiplications, and the complex number inner-product is produced using a RB addition tree. This proposed inner-product processor can be reconfigured or controlled to perform different computations such as inner-product processing or parallel multiplies for real and/or complex numbers. The design results, not only in simplified arithmetic operations, but also in a highly parallel and simple architecture when compared with other methods.
Evaluating students' satisfaction using two SAP ERP user interfaces

Companies worldwide use Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems to effectively manage business processes across organizational departments and information among global subsidiaries. Colleges have incorporated ERP systems into their business curricula to provide students with a better understanding of business process theory and information sharing concepts. In this paper, we discuss students' satisfaction with using two end-user interfaces for SAP's ERP software in an online/distance education classroom. The first interface was a front-end graphical user interface (GUI) with a client/server architecture using online transaction processing (OLTP) and an Oracle database management system. The second interface was completely simulated using a JAVA-based program running in a browser. From a computer science viewpoint, we were interested in better understanding the human-computer interaction of students with the two different interfaces. Specifically, we wanted to determine which interface best secured students' satisfaction as users, while learning business process theory and information sharing concepts. Reasons for students' dissatisfaction with using SAP's GUI, and benefits from using a completely simulated environment, are discussed. Other colleges considering implementing SAP's ERP software into their online/distance education curricula may benefit from "lessons learned" from this human-computer interaction experience.
Abstract 4097: Vacuolar ATPase subunit a2 is associated with immunosuppression in cancer

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Macrophage polarization contributes to distinct human pathologies. In tumors, a polarized M2 phenotype called tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), are associated with promotion of invasion and angiogenesis. In cancer cells, vacuolar ATPase (V-ATPase), a multi-subunit enzyme, is expressed on the plasma/vesicular membranes and critically influences the metastatic behavior. In addition, the soluble, cleaved N-terminal domain of a2 isoform of V-ATPase (a2NTD) is associated with in vitro induction of pro-tumorigenic properties in monocytes. Monocytes induced with recombinant a2NTD showed polarization towards M2 macrophage subtype by expressing high levels of mannose receptor-1, Arginase-1, IL-10, MMP-9, VEGF and TGF-β. Additionally, co-culture of these macrophages enhances invasion and angiogenesis of tumor cells and suppression of T cell activation. This activity of the a2 isoform of V-ATPase (a2V) caused us to further investigate its role in cancer progression by evaluating the effects of a2V knock down on tumor cells. In this study, we have successfully deleted a2V gene in mouse 4T1 breast cancer cells using shRNA mediated knock down. These knock down cell lines are co-cultured with macrophages to evaluate previously observed immuno-modulatory effect of a2NTD. In addition, a2V knock down cells are injected into the Balb/c mice to generate tumors. The effect of a2V gene deletion on tumor progression and immune responses are evaluated in mice. We show that in the absence of a2V (finally a2NTD) growth and progression of tumor are suppressed by dominated host immune responses. Citation Format: Gajendra K. Katara, Arpita Kulshrestha, Mukesh Jaiswal, Alice Gilman-Sachs, Kenneth D. Beaman. Vacuolar ATPase subunit a2 is associated with immunosuppression in cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 4097. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-4097
A generalized lapped orthonormal transform for asymmetrically overlapped windows

The theory of lapped transforms is extended to include asymmetrical overlaps between adjacent intervals. Thus, this result will permit lapped transforms to be used between two intervals of greatly differing size. >
p-version least-squares finite element formulation of a system of convection-reaction nonlinear equations—Fixed bed o-xylene oxidation

Abstract A steady-state one-dimensional plug-flow heterogeneous model, similar to the one employed by Calderbank et al. [Chem. Engng Sci. 32, 1435–1443 (1977)]is utilized to simulate o-xylene oxidation in a catalytic fixed bed reactor. The mathematical model describing the reaction consists of five first-order nonlinear differential equations and five nonlinear algebraic equations. The algebraic equations are converted into differential equations using mass and energy balance equations in the gas phase. A p-version least-squares finite element formulation (LSFEF) is constructed for the system of resulting nonlinear coupled differential equations using C ° equal order interpolation for all variables. The least-squares error functional is constructed (integrated sum of squares of the errors or the residuals resulting from the individual equations) without linearization, approximations or assumptions. The minimization of this least-squares error functional results in finding a solution vector {δ} which makes the partial derivatives of the error functional with respect to {δ}, a null vector. This is accomplished by using Newton's method with a line search. The p-version LSFEF results are compared with experimental and numerical results reported by Calderbank et al. and Chandrasekharan and Calderbank [Chem. Engng Sci. 34, 1323–1331 (1979)]. p-Convergence studies of the least-square error functional and the dependent variables are also presented.
Phase-sensitive detection as a means to recover fluoresence signals from interfering backgrounds in analytical cytology measurements

A phase-sensitive flow cytometer has ben developed to measure fluorescence emission signals from particles and cells labeled with fluorophores based on excited-state lifetimes and to quantify fluorescence lifetimes directly as a parameter in real time. This instrument combines flow cytometry (FCM) and frequency-domain, fluorescence lifetime spectroscopy measurement principles to provide unique features for making analytical cytology measurements in flow, while maintaining conventional FCM measurement capabilities. In this study we present the underlying theory of the phase-sensitive detector, along with the principles of phase-sensitive detection with respect to resolving fluorescence emission signal from background interferences caused by (1) Rayleigh scatter, (2) unbound/free dye, and (3) low-level intrinsic cellular autofluorescence, all based on differences in phase-shifts of the signals input to a phase-sensitive detector with respect to a fixed reference signal. Investigative studies directed at detecting and eliminating particle- and cell-associated and steady-state background interferences in fluorescence measurements are underway. Examples to illustrate the application of this new technology to biological problems encountered in flow cytometry applications will be presented.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Opioids in the perifornical lateral hypothalamus suppress ethanol drinking.

The opioid system is known to enhance motivated behaviors, including ethanol drinking and food ingestion, by acting in various reward-related brain regions, such as the nucleus accumbens, ventral tegmental area and medial hypothalamus. There is indirect evidence, however, suggesting that opioid peptides may act differently in the perifornical lateral hypothalamus (PF/LH), causing a suppression of consummatory behavior. Using brain-cannulated Sprague-Dawley rats trained to voluntarily drink 7% ethanol, the present study tested the hypothesis that opioids in the PF/LH can reduce the consumption of ethanol, with animals receiving PF/LH injections of the δ-opioid receptor agonist D-Ala2-met-enkephalinamide (DALA), the μ-receptor agonist [D-Ala2, N-MePhe4, Gly-ol]-enkephalin (DAMGO), the κ-receptor agonist (±)-trans-U-50,488 methanesulfonate (U-50,488H), or the general opioid antagonist methylated naloxone (m-naloxone). The consumption of ethanol, lab chow, and water was monitored for 4 h after injection. The results showed that the three opioid receptor agonists injected into the PF/LH specifically and significantly reduced ethanol intake, while causing little change in chow or water intake, and the opposite effect, enhanced ethanol intake, was observed with the opioid antagonist. Of the three opioid agonists, the δ-agonist appears to produce the most consistent and long-lasting suppression of consumption. This effect was not observed with injections 2 mm dorsal to this area, focusing attention on the PF/LH as the main site of action. These results suggest that the opioid peptides have a specific role in the PF/LH of reducing ethanol drinking, which is distinct from their more commonly observed appetitive actions in other brain areas. The additional finding, that m-naloxone in the PF/LH stimulates ethanol intake in contrast to its generally suppressive effect in other regions, focuses attention on this hypothalamic area and its distinctive role in contributing to the variable effects sometimes observed with opioid antagonist therapy for alcoholism.
Migration of elemental mercury through soil from simulated burial sites

Abstract The potential migration of metallic mercury from shallow land burial sites into groundwater has been investigated by means of laboratory column tests and radioactive tracers. It was found that mercury will dissolve in water on concentrations of 20–80 ppb and high concentrations of EDTA in water will increase mercury solubility by complex formation. Standing mercury was found to penetrate up to 3–4 cm into dry soil columns under its own head. Flow tests with soil-equilibrated water, EDTA solutions or kaolin suspensions all showed little demonstrable migration or entrainment beyond the top 2 cm of the columns.
Evaluation of the toxicity of polyvinylacetate phthalate in experimental animals.

Abstract Polyvinylacetate phthalate (PVAP) is used in the pharmaceutical industry as an ingredient in coating systems for oral solid dosage forms and in inks for monogramming capsules. PVAP has been evaluated in both sexes of several species in a number of toxicological studies including acute, repeated dosing, subchronic, chronic and reproductive and developmental. The acute oral toxicity is low in rats and mice (LD50 > 8000 mg/kg body weight), although it appears to be more toxic in the dog. The gastrointestinal tract appears to be the target organ and effects seen (irritation, laxation, colitis with erosions and submucosal fibrosis in the dog and ulcers, polyps, and cecal wall thickening in rats) were dose dependent. There were no consistent treatment-related adverse effects on reproductive performance or development (not teratogenic). The no-observed-adverse-effect levels (NOAELs) ranged from 100 mg/kg body weight/day in the rabbit developmental toxicity study, to 500 mg/kg body weight/day in 24 month rat and dog studies, to 1000 mg/kg body weight/day in a one-generation reproduction study in the rat.
In-situ sensory technique for in-service quality monitoring: measurement of the complex Young's modulus of polymers

Applications of polymeric adhesives in joining different materials have necessitated quantitative health inspection of adhesive joints (coverage, state of cure, adhesive strength, location of voids, etc.). A new in-situ sensory method has been proposed in this paper to inspect the amount and distribution of the critical constituents of polymers and to measure the characteristic parameters (complex Young's modulus and damping). In this technique, ferromagnetic particles have been embedded in a polymeric matrix, similar to a particle- reinforced composite. The dynamic signatures extracted from the tests as a result of magnetic excitation of the embedded ferromagnetic particles are used to evaluate the complex Young's modulus of the host polymers. Moreover, the amplitude of the frequency response is utilized to identify the amount and distribution of embedded particles in polymeric materials or adhesive joints. The results predicted from the theoretical model agree well with the experimental results. The theoretical analyses and the experimental work conducted have demonstrated the utility of the sensory technique presented for in-service health interrogation.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
3D-model building of the jaw impression

A novel approach is proposed to obtain a record of the patient's occlusion using computer vision. Data acquisition is obtained using intra-oral video cameras. The technique utilizes shape from shading to extract 3D information from 2D views of the jaw, and a novel technique for 3D data registration using genetic algorithms. The resulting 3D model can be used for diagnosis, treatment planning, and implant purposes. The overall purpose of this research is to develop a model-based vision system for orthodontics to replace traditional approaches. This system will be flexible, accurate, and will reduce the cost of orthodontic treatments.
Partitioning the Energetics of Walking and Running: Swinging the Limbs Is Expensive

Explaining the energetics of walking and running has been difficult because the distribution of energy use among individual muscles has not been known. We estimated energy use by measuring blood flow to the hindlimb muscles in guinea fowl. Blood flow to skeletal muscles is controlled locally and varies directly with metabolic rate. We estimate that the swing-phase muscles consume 26% of the energy used by the limbs and the stance-phase muscles consume the remaining 74%, independent of speed. Thus, contrary to some previous suggestions, swinging the limbs requires an appreciable fraction of the energy used during terrestrial legged locomotion. Models integrating the energetics and mechanics of running will benefit from more detailed information on the distribution of energy use by the muscles.
Polyamines mediate coronary transcapillary macromolecular transport in the calcium paradox.

Abstract This study addresses the role of polyamines and their rate limiting enzyme, ornithine decarboxylase in regulation of macromolecular transport of two macromolecules, fluorescein and horseradish peroxidase, across coronary capillaries. Rat hearts were isolated and retrogradely perfused through the aorta (Langendorff method), stabilized by 10 min perfusion with Krebs-Henseleit medium containing Ca2+, followed by 5 min perfusion with Krebs-Henseleit medium without Ca2+ and an additional 30 s to 2 min with Krebs-Henseleit medium containing 1 mg/ml horseradish peroxidase. α-Difluoromethylornithine, the only known function of which is inhibition of ornithine decarboxylase, and putrescine were added as needed. Perfusion with Krebs-Henseleit medium without Ca2+ caused a two-fold increase in fluorescein transport but a decrease in horseradish peroxidase transport. Reperfusion with Krebs-Henseleit medium caused an four-fold increase in fluorescein transport and a ten-fold increase in horseradish peroxidase positive intraendothelial cell vesicles over control values. α-Difluoromethylornithine inhibited these increases and putrescine negated the α-difluoromethylornithine effect. Other morphological measures of horseradish peroxidase transport and associated membrane activities including modulation of endothelial cells luminal and abluminal pits were effected in the same manner. Transport of macromolecules through coronary capillaries, over the short term studied, appears to be regulated by the ornithine decarboxylase/polyamine pathway.
Some connections between inverse scattering and solution hierarchies

Canonical asymptotic expressions for AKNS wave matrices involving tau functions based on continuous spectrum are related to the appropriate dressing gauge transformations via hierarchy considerations and asymptotics for continuous spectrum situations. In a continuous spectrum context determinant constructions of dressing kernels and tau functions, completeness relations, Marcenko equations, the structure of kernels, and the Grassmannian formulation are investigated.
Sleep Loss and Fatigue in Residency Training: A Reappraisal

Reduced sleep time is commonplace for many interns and residents. Recent studies, however, suggest that sleep loss and fatigue result in significant neurobehavioral impairments in healthy young adults. We reviewed studies addressing the effects of sleep loss on cognition, performance, and health in surgical and nonsurgical residents. We describe the effectiveness of countermeasures for sleepiness, including recent work-hour restrictions. A more complete understanding of the issues of sleep loss during residency training can inform innovative strategies to minimize the effects of sleepiness and fatigue on patient care and resident safety.
Charge distribution on a fiber

Abstract The charge distribution of a single line of equal charges was determined using a small laboratory computer. Two basic assumptions were made about the distribution and symmetry of the charges on a straight line. Using Coulomb's law, a matrix was set upas a function of the unknown charges and the relative distances between each charge. The results show that the charge at the ends is almost double the value of those in the center. The tension is uniform, i.e., the net force on each internal charge is zero, along the entire length of the fiber, and the potential field differs only slightly from that of a uniform charge distribution.