cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optimal Myopic Sensing and Dynamic Spectrum Access in Centralized Secondary Cognitive Radio Networks with Low-Complexity Implementations

Cognitive radio (CR) techniques allow unlicensed secondary users (SUs) to opportunistically access underutilized primary channels that are licensed to primary users (PUs). We consider a multi-primary channel scenario in which the SUs cooperatively try to find these primary channel spectrum holes by limited spectrum sensing. The objective is to design the optimal sensing and accessing policy that maximizes the total secondary system throughput on the primary channels accrued over time, while satisfying a constraint on the probability of colliding with licensed transmissions. Although the problem can be formulated as a Partially Observable Markov Decision Process (POMDP), the optimal solutions are often intractable. As a result, we find the optimal myopic channel sensing policy that maximizes instantaneous total secondary system throughput on the primary channels at each time. The contributions of this paper include: 1) developing a universal optimal myopic channel sensing policy that is applicable for any number of primary channels, any number of SUs and any channel coefficients (assumed known); 2) formulation of a centralized spectrum sensing and decisionmaking architecture for cognitive secondary systems that allow exploitation of all available spectrum white spaces across the whole primary spectrum. We compare our combined sensing and accessing strategies with other proposed strategies and show that our proposed strategy outperforms them in terms of the resulting total secondary system throughput under the same constraints on collision with primary users.
Experience with Endometrial Irrigations in Menopausal Women

The use of estrogens for contraception, treatment of peri-menopausal symptoms and induction of end-organ effects has proliferated within the past 20 years, and the benefits derived from the use of these drugs have been outstanding. Whether or not estrogenic drugs, increasing longevity with decreasing mortality from other diseases or other environmental factors are responsible for the apparent increased incidence of endometrial carcinoma which has been seen in Connecticut, the burden of responsibility for diagnosis of this disease in its earliest, most curable stages, is upon the practising physician and public health officials.
Transcytotic vesicle fusion with plasma membrane

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses transcytotic vesicle fusion with plasma membrane. Cell-free assays provide superior experimental systems in which to identify and characterize the components and the molecular mechanisms that underlie membrane transport events. General parameters and specific components required for protein transport have been defined in a number of reconstituted systems. Such in vitro assays have been developed to analyze traffic from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the Golgi between Golgi cisternae, from the trans-Golgi network (TGN) to the plasma membrane (PM), from the endosome to the TGN from the PM to an endosomal compartment, s and among the endosomal compartments. Within the early endosome, the proteins are sorted and packaged into specialized carriers, the transcytotic vesicles, which are then translocated across the cell and specifically fuse with the opposite PM.
A Review of the Cleft Lip/Palate Literature Reveals That Differential Diagnosis of the Facial Skeleton and Musculature is Essential to Achieve All Treatment Goals.

Background After 40 years of monitoring cleft palate treatment results with extensive objective records of cephaloradiographs, dental casts, and photographs, it became apparent that patients with the same cleft type who received the same treatment at approximately the same age were obtaining different results. Method An extensive review of cleft palate surgical, orthodontic, facial, and palatal longitudinal growth studies was undertaken to determine the critical physical difference between these patients that determined why some treatments succeeded while others failed. Results Treatment should be based on performing staged palatal surgery between 18 and 24 months when the palatal surface area to cleft space size is approximately 15% to 20%. Presurgical orthopedics with a gingivoperiosteoplasty causes midfacial deformities. Conclusion Even though patients have the same cleft type and have received the same surgical treatment, usually between 18 and 24 months, the ratio of cleft and palatal size of 15% to 20% is critical to obtain good palatal development.
Yeast and Fungal Prions: Amyloid-Handling Systems, Amyloid Structure, and Prion Biology

Yeast prions (infectious proteins) were discovered by their outre genetic properties and have become important models for an array of human prion and amyloid diseases. A single prion protein can become any of many distinct amyloid forms (called prion variants or strains), each of which is self-propagating, but with different biological properties (eg, lethal vs mild). The folded in-register parallel β sheet architecture of the yeast prion amyloids naturally suggests a mechanism by which prion variant information can be faithfully transmitted for many generations. The yeast prions rely on cellular chaperones for their propagation, but can be cured by various chaperone imbalances. The Btn2/Cur1 system normally cures most variants of the [URE3] prion that arise. Although most variants of the [PSI+] and [URE3] prions are toxic or lethal, some are mild in their effects. Even the most mild forms of these prions are rare in the wild, indicating that they too are detrimental to yeast. The beneficial [Het-s] prion of Podospora anserina poses an important contrast in its structure, biology, and evolution to the yeast prions characterized thus far.
Listening to the Silences: A Teacher’s First Year in Words and Music

Listening to the Silences is an ethnodrama – an example of verbatim theatre that evokes a teacher’s first year in the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) based on the words voiced during a series of four interviews sessions conducted by the author. The protagonist, Indiana Ingelside, spent her first year in CPS in an African American school in one of Chicago’s poorest neighborhoods. The show is intended to help the audience reflect on the beginning teacher’s experiences of working in that setting. The script evokes the challenges of teaching within environments shaped by social policies that do not address, and frequently exacerbate, the poverty, racism, and other forms of injustice that shape the lives of children and families of color. The article begins with the complete playscript and then concludes with an afterword that describes what the author learned from developing and producing the show. Photos from the Philadelphia workshops are included.
Enemies or Friends? Newcomer Immigrant Students Developing Conceptions of Diversity in High School

Drawing insights from a qualitative study with 15 newcomer immigrant students, this article examines the students’ developing understandings of the meaning of diversity in school. Although contradi...
Induction of Low-Level Hydrogen Peroxide Generation by Unbleached Cotton Nonwovens as Potential Wound Dressing Materials

Greige cotton is an intact plant fiber. The cuticle and primary cell wall near the outer surface of the cotton fiber contains pectin, peroxidases, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and trace metals, which are associated with hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) generation during cotton fiber development. Traditionally, the processing of cotton into gauze involves scouring and bleaching processes that remove the components in the cuticle and primary cell wall. The use of unbleached, greige cotton fibers in dressings, has been relatively unexplored. We have recently determined that greige cotton can generate low levels of H₂O₂ (5-50 micromolar). Because this may provide advantages for the use of greige cotton-based wound dressings, we have begun to examine this in more detail. Both brown and white cotton varieties were examined in this study. Brown cotton was found to have a relatively higher hydrogen peroxide generation and demonstrated different capacities for H₂O₂ generation, varying from 1 to 35 micromolar. The H₂O₂ generation capacities of white and brown nonwoven greige cottons were also examined at different process stages with varying chronology and source parameters, from field to nonwoven fiber. The primary cell wall of nonwoven brown cotton appeared very intact, as observed by transmission electron microscopy, and possessed higher pectin levels. The levels of pectin, SOD, and polyphenolics, correlated with H₂O₂ generation.
Shedding Light on Stakeholder Power in a Regulated Market: A Study of Variation in Electric Utilities’ Climate Change Disclosures:

Extant theory posits that corporations disclose environmental information to maintain economic and legitimacy resources. Frequently, studies find that corporations prioritize the maintenance of economic resources when formulating their disclosure strategies. These studies generally assume competitive markets. Many polluting industries, however, do not operate in competitive markets. Accordingly, current assumptions of competitiveness may obscure potential explanations of disclosure. To remedy this oversight, I investigate how utilities vary their climate disclosures in response to regulatory, movement, and shareholder pressures within more monopolistic and oligopolistic markets. By using a mixed-effects model, I find that embeddedness in regulatory processes and movement targeting correlate to an increase in substantive disclosures. Interestingly, within monopolistic electricity markets, shareholder pressures do not lead to variation in substantiveness. As markets become more competitive, I find that shar...
Cancer models: The next best thing.

A patient's tumour cells can be transplanted into a mouse to provide a model for analysis and drug testing. A panel of paediatric solid tumour models has been extensively characterized and made freely available. See Letter p.96 Preclinical models of paediatric solid tumours that could help identify predictive biomarkers of a patient's sensitivity to therapy have been lacking. Over five years, the authors have developed an open access collection of orthotopic xenografts of 12 types of paediatric tumour. Genomic and epigenetic characterization reveals that xenografts retain characteristics of the tumour of origin. A high-throughput drug screen provides a resource for the community to identify potentially efficacious drug combinations.
Astroglial correlates of neuropsychiatric disease: From astrocytopathy to astrogliosis

Complex roles for astrocytes in health and disease continue to emerge, highlighting this class of cells as integral to function and dysfunction of the nervous system. In particular, escalating evidence strongly implicates a range of changes in astrocyte structure and function associated with neuropsychiatric diseases including major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, and addiction. These changes can range from astrocytopathy, degeneration, and loss of function, to astrogliosis and hypertrophy, and can be either adaptive or maladaptive. Evidence from the literature indicates a myriad of changes observed in astrocytes from both human postmortem studies as well as preclinical animal models, including changes in expression of glial fibrillary protein, as well as changes in astrocyte morphology and astrocyte-mediated regulation of synaptic function. In this review, we seek to provide a comprehensive assessment of these findings and consequently evidence for common themes regarding adaptations in astrocytes associated with neuropsychiatric disease. While results are mixed across conditions and models, general findings indicate decreased astrocyte cellular features and gene expression in depression, chronic stress and anxiety, but increased inflammation in schizophrenia. Changes also vary widely in response to different drugs of abuse, with evidence reflective of features of astrocytopathy to astrogliosis, varying across drug classes, route of administration and length of withdrawal.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Is Associated With Short-Term Complications Following Total Knee Arthroplasty

Abstract Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major global health issue and a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Patients with COPD are at increased risk of complications following surgery. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the postoperative total knee arthroplasty (TKA) outcomes in these patients in comparison to a non-COPD matching cohort. Specifically, we asked the following questions: (1) “Is COPD associated with adverse perioperative outcomes?” and (2) “Does COPD increase the risk of short-term complications following TKA?” Methods The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was used to identify 111,168 patients who underwent TKA between 2008 and 2014. A total of 3975 patients with COPD were identified. Both COPD and non-COPD cohorts were compared in terms of the following outcomes: hospital length of stay, discharge disposition, and 30-day postoperative complications. Results COPD was a predictor for a prolonged length of stay and a discharge to an extended care facility (P 48 hours, cardiac arrest, progressive renal insufficiency, deep infection, return to operating room, and a readmission within 30 days postoperatively. Conclusion Patients with COPD are more likely to experience postoperative complications following TKA when compared to non-COPD patients. Pulmonary evaluation and optimization are crucial to minimize adverse events from occurring in this difficult-to-treat population.
Comparison of Compressive Myofascial Release and the Graston Technique for Improving Ankle-Dorsiflexion Range of Motion

Context: Restricted dorsiflexion (DF) at the ankle joint can cause acute and chronic injuries at the ankle and knee. Myofascial release and instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) tec...
Randomized Trial Comparing Open Radical Cystectomy and Robot-assisted Laparoscopic Radical Cystectomy: Oncologic Outcomes

Abstract Background Open radical cystectomy (ORC) has proven to be an important component in the treatment of high-risk bladder cancer (BCa). ORC surgical morbidity remains high; therefore, minimally invasive surgical techniques have been introduced in an attempt to improve patient outcomes. Objective To compare cancer outcomes in BCa patients managed with ORC or robotic-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC). Design, setting, and participants A prospective, randomized trial was completed between 2010 and 2013. Patients were randomized to ORC/pelvic lymphadenectomy (PLND) or RARC/PLND, with all undergoing open/extracorporeal urinary diversion. Median follow-up was 4.9 (IQR: 3.9–5.9) yr after surgery among surviving patients. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis Secondary outcomes to the trial included recurrence-free, cancer-specific, and overall survival. Results and limitations The trial randomized 118 patients who underwent RC/PLND and urinary diversion. Sixty were randomized to RARC and 58 to ORC. Four RARC-assigned patients refused randomization and received ORC; however, an intention to treat analysis was performed. No differences were observed in recurrence (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.27; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.69–2.36; p = 0.4) or cancer-specific survival (p = 0.4). No difference in overall survival was observed (p = 0.8). However, the pattern of first recurrence demonstrated a nonstatistically significant increase in metastatic sites for those undergoing ORC (sub-HR [sHR]: 2.21; 95% CI: 0.96–5.12; p = 0.064) and a greater number of local/abdominal sites in the RARC-treated patients (sHR: 0.34; 95% CI: 0.12–0.93; p = 0.035). The major limitation to this study is that the trial was not powered to determine differences in cancer recurrences, survival outcomes, or patterns of recurrence. Conclusions The secondary outcomes from our randomized trial did not definitively demonstrate differences in cancer outcomes in patients treated with ORC or RARC. However, differences in observed patterns of first recurrence highlight the need for future studies. Patient summary Of 118 patients randomly assigned to undergo radical cystectomy/pelvic lymphadenectomy and urinary diversion, half were assigned to open surgery and half to robot-assisted techniques. We found no difference in risk of recurring or dying of bladder cancer between the two groups.
Epochal Change: Sweltering Climate at the Paleocene–Eocene Boundary (55 Million Years Ago)

The Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) was a short-term global warming event with rapid onset. A negative carbon isotope excursion dated to 55.5 million years (Ma) suggests a massive injection of biogenic methane into the ocean/atmosphere system. The clathrate gun hypothesis (Kennet et al. 2003) proposes that changes in the temperature of intermediate seawater led to a destabalization of methane hydrates, produced by anaerobic chemotrophic archeabacteria, on upper continental slopes. Rising temperatures and changing sea levels sustained the release of CH4 from seafloor reservoirs and positive feedback resulted in rapid warming. The PETM coincided with significant changes in marine and land biota, including the most severe mass extinction of benthic foraminifera in the past 90 Ma. Concurrent were rapid rates of speciation in planktic foraminifera, dinoflagellate blooms, and increase of diversity in nonmarine molluscan fauna in the western interior of North America. The dispersal of northern hemisphere plants and land mammals, including perissodactyla, artiodactyla, and primates, at this time marked a fundamental faunal reorganization at the end of the Paleocene.
COMPARATIVE METABOLISM OF SELECTED FUNGICIDES

ABSTRACT. Fungicides constitute one of the major groups of pesticides in use today and while their total annual production is only about one-third that of either insecticides or herbicides, their chemical, biochemical and toxicological properties are equally as varied and intriguing. From a metabolism standpoint, the fungicides generally undergo reactions in animals that are typical of other xenobiotics. However, many of the organic fungicides are vastly different chemically from other pesticides and drugs, and it is these differences that provide substance for a separate evaluation of the comparative metabolism of fungicides in large animals. Of necessity, rat metabolism data are included for comparative purposes, but unless similar data were published pertaining to nonrodent species for a particular compound, that compound was not included in the present review .
Framing food safety controversy in China: Online media vs. networked audience

This study identifies and examines the news frames about lean meat powder, a food safety incident in China, carried by two types of online media outlets—the leading government-owned news website (people.com.cn) and the most popular and enterprise-owned website (sina.com.cn), as well as the audience frames present in a dominant Chinese social media or microblogging site (Sina Weibo). Five frames, attribution of responsibility, human impact, economic consequences, solutions and public confidence, are predefined. The visibility of each frame is detected, and four frames are established in people.com.cn, four frames in sina.com.cn, and also four frames at Weibo. The similarities and differences in the visibility of these frames among the three platforms are then compared. The differences between the two websites and the correlations between media and audience are also discussed. Based on the results, the two most visible frames in people.com.cn are solutions and human impact and the top two observable frames in sina.com.cn are solutions and attribution of responsibility, while public confidence and attribution of responsibility are shown obviously in Weibo. The biggest gap between the two types of websites exists in of the presence of the attribution of responsibility and solutions frames. Besides, the results reveals that the correlation between enterprise-owned news website and the microblogging is stronger.
Introduction to Fluorescence Spectroscopy with Applications to Biological Systems

Optical technologies can provide novel opportunities and tools for the life sciences. In turn, biological applications continue to stimulate novel optical technologies. The purpose of this article is to present several applications to biological systems of the techniques of fluorescence spectroscopy. This presentation is divided into seven parts. In the first part we review the fundamental principles of fluorescence spectroscopy, starting with the consideration of fluorophores and of the characteristics of fluorescence spectroscopy. The techniques that produce absorption spectra, excitation spectra, fluorescence under continuous excitation and response to pulsed excitation are also examined. In the second part we present the technique of Fluorescence Anisotropy together with the information it can provide. In the third part we present the technique of Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) and its applications to distance-distribution analysis in biological systems. In the fourth part we deal with the excitation of fluorescent systems by multiple photons and present its advantage in some instances over the one-photon excitation. In the fifth part we present the technique of fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and we show how it may provide information regarding concentration and diffusion of fluorescent molecules. The sixth part deals with single molecule detection whose application may avoid ensemble averaging. The final part deals with the tools that may increase the quantum efficiency and radiative emission rate by placing emitting fluorophores close to metals. We offer some conclusions at the end.
Patent Ductus Arteriosus

The ductus arteriosus is a normal and vital fetal structure that arises from the left sixth aortic arch. It connects the main pulmonary artery to the descending thoracic aorta just distal and opposite to the origin of the left subclavian artery (Fig. 14.1). The pulmonary end usually tapers and is narrower than the aortic end.
Cell-Permeable Bicyclic Peptidyl Inhibitors against NEMO-IκB Kinase Interaction Directly from a Combinatorial Library

Macrocyclic peptides are capable of binding to flat protein surfaces such as the interfaces of protein–protein interactions with antibody-like affinity and specificity, but generally lack cell permeability in order to access intracellular targets. In this work, we designed and synthesized a large combinatorial library of cell-permeable bicyclic peptides, in which the first ring consisted of randomized peptide sequences for potential binding to a target of interest, while the second ring featured a family of different cell-penetrating motifs, for both cell penetration and target binding. The library was screened against the IκB kinase α/β (IKKα/β)-binding domain of NF-κB essential modulator (NEMO), resulting in the discovery of several cell-permeable bicyclic peptides, which inhibited the NEMO-IKKβ interaction with low μM IC50 values. Further optimization of one of the hits led to a relatively potent and cell-permeable NEMO inhibitor (IC50 = 1.0 μM), which selectively inhibited canonical NF-κB signaling in...
Screw-Powered Propulsion in Granular Media: An Experimental and Computational Study

Screw-Propelled Vehicles (SPV's) have been widely used for terrestrial applications such as transportation over mud, snow, and amphibious environments. Similar vehicles have also been applied to industrial processes such as dewatering. Typical designs rely on a large pontoon shaft and relatively small blades to prevent unwanted sinkage or blade damage. These types of vehicles were considered during the design of the first lunar rover, given their success in aqueous and arctic media and simplicity compared to tracked vehicles. Studies have looked at the mobility of SPV's on the surface of granular media but there are not any computational and experimental studies on propulsive buried screws. Understanding the role of screw design and its angular velocity on thrust force is key to the advancement and control of SPV's. This study presents experimental and computational results of a submerged, double-helix Archimedes screw generating propulsive force against a bed of soda-lime glass beads. Thus, this research forms the basis for design of a future miniaturized exploration vehicle for space applications. In our study, we used two different screw designs (5 cm radius, 10 cm length, 63 and 44 degrees helix angle corresponding to 4 cm and 8 cm pitch, respectively) submerged in 2mm glass beads (90% roundness with sizes 1.8 mm to 2.2 mm), For both screws, a similar trend is observed between rotational speed and thrust force. We used EDEM, a Discrete Element Modeling (DEM) software for computational studies of the screw interactions with granular media. There is 5-20% discrepancy between our computational and experimental results. We will discuss possible sources of error and the potential for using DEM as a design tool for SPV's.
Characterizing grassland fire activity in the Flint Hills region and air quality using satellite and routine surface monitor data.

Abstract Prescribed grassland fires in the Flint Hills region of central Kansas and northern Oklahoma are a common tool for land management. Local to regional scale impacts on air quality from grassland fires in this region are not well understood, which is important as these types of prescribed fires may increase in the future to preserve broader areas of native grasses in the central U.S. Routine air quality and deposition measurements from sites in and near the Flint Hills were examined for coincident increases during periods of increased prescribed grassland fires. Prescribed fire activity in this region was quantified using satellite detections and multiple publicly available data products of area burned information. March and April comprise over half (41 to 93%) of all annual fire detections in the Flint Hills region seen from satellites between 2007 and 2018 excluding drought years. Annual total fire detections in this region range between 1 and 12 thousand and account for approximately 3% of all fire detections in the contiguous U.S. Annual acres burned ranged from 0.2 to 2 million acres based on U.S. EPA's National Emission Inventory, which accounts for 4 to 38% of grasslands in the area. A comparison of weekly standardized anomalies suggests a relationship between periods of increased grassland fire activity and elevated levels of PM2.5 organic carbon, elemental carbon, and potassium. Daily 1-hr maximum ozone (O3), ammonia (NH3), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and oxidized nitrogen gases measured at Konza Prairie also had increased levels when prescribed grassland fire activity was highest. This detailed characterization of prescribed fire activity in the Flint Hills and associated air quality impacts will benefit future efforts to understand changes in atmospheric composition due to changing land management practices.
Distributions of Extracellular Peptidases Across Prokaryotic Genomes Reflect Phylogeny and Habitat.

Proteinaceous compounds are abundant forms of organic nitrogen in soil and aquatic ecosystems, and the rate of protein depolymerization, which is accomplished by a diverse range of microbial secreted peptidases, often limits nitrogen turnover in the environment. To determine if the distribution of secreted peptidases reflects the ecological and evolutionary histories of different taxa, we analyzed their distribution across prokaryotic lineages. Peptidase gene sequences of 147 archaeal and 2 191 bacterial genomes from the MEROPS database were screened for secretion signals, resulting in 55 072 secreted peptidases belonging to 148 peptidase families. These data, along with their corresponding 16S rRNA sequences, were used in our analysis. Overall, Bacteria had a much wider collection of secreted peptidases, higher average numbers of secreted peptidases per genome, and more unique peptidase families than Archaea. We found that the distribution of secreted peptidases corresponded to phylogenetic relationships among Bacteria and Archaea and often segregated according to microbial lifestyles, suggesting that the secreted peptidase complements of microbial taxa are optimized for the environmental microhabitats they occupy. Our analyses provide the groundwork for examining the specific functional role of families of secreted peptidases in relationship to the organisms and the corresponding environments in which they function.
Mystical techniques, mental processes, and states of consciousness in Abraham Abulafia’s Kabbalah: A reassessment:

This article reevaluates the mystical techniques and experiences peculiar to Abraham Abulafia’s Kabbalah and attempts to offer an alternative approach to their dominant understanding, which largely...
EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF NEW-TYPE DEVICE HYDRAULIC INCREASING PRESSURE BY ITSELF

The paper presented a new type downhole device of hydraulic increasing pressure by itself, the hydraulic energy of downhole can be utilized effectively with this device. The itself increasing flow experiment and the transient jet dynamic pressure experiment by downhole annular fluids were described in the paper, respectively, and the design program of the optimal itself increasing flow was drawn out. The results of the experiment were shown that the transient jet impulse from the holes tapping conditions is more than 2 times of that of the none holes.
Southern California margin benthic foraminiferal assemblages across a modern environmental gradient record recent centennial-scale changes in oxygen minimum zone

Abstract. Microfossil assemblages provide valuable records to investigate variability in continental margin biogeochemical cycles, including dynamics of the oxygen minimum zone (OMZ). Analyses of modern assemblages across environmental gradients are necessary to understand relationships between assemblage characteristics and environmental factors. Here, we analyzed five cores from the San Diego Margin (32°42'00'' N, 117°30'00'' W, 300–1175 m water depth) for core top benthic foraminiferal assemblages to understand relationships between community assemblages and spatial hydrographic gradients and down core to identify changes in the oxygen minimum zone through time. Comparisons of benthic foraminiferal assemblages from two size fractions (63–150 and > 150 μm) exhibit similar trends across the spatial/environmental gradient, or in some cases exhibit more pronounced spatial trends in the > 150 μm fraction. We identify two hypoxic associated species (B. spissa and U. peregrina), one oxic associated species (G. subglobosa) and one OMZ edge-associated species (B. argentea). A range of species diversity exists within the modern OMZ (1.5–2.6 H, Shannon Index), suggesting that diversity is not driven by oxygenation alone. Down core analysis of indicator species reveal variability in upper margin of the OMZ (528 m water depth) while the core of the OMZ (800 m) and below the OMZ (1175 m) remained stable in the last 1.5 ka. We document expansion of the upper margin of the OMZ beginning 400 ybp on the San Diego Margin that is synchronous with other regional records of oxygenation.
Varieties of Precarity: How Insecure Work Manifests Itself, Affects Well-Being, and Is Shaped by Social Welfare Institutions and Labor Market Policies:

Precarious Lives addresses one of the most important developments in employment relations in the neoliberal era: increase in labor precarity and the subsequent decline in employee well-being. Drawi...
Abstract #2772: Enhanced sensitivity of tumor cells to the EGFR/VEGFR inhibitor ZD6474 by FUS1 and FHIT-nanoparticle-mediated gene therapy in human lung cancer

Dysregulation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and vascular endothelial growth factor/receptor (VEGF/VEGFR) signaling and the apoptotic pathways is the hallmark of human lung cancer and plays an important role in tumor cell proliferation, survival, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Inhibition of these oncogenic EGFR, VEGF, VEGFR activities and restoration or activation of the pro-apoptotic factors and tumor suppressor genes in tumor cells are proving to be effective therapeutic strategies for lung cancer. ZD6474 is an orally available small-molecule that inhibits both EGFR and VEGFR2 tyrosine kinases. The FUS1 and FHIT are novel tumor suppressor genes identified in the humanchromosome 3p21.3 and 3p14.2 regions, respectively and have been shown to suppress tumor cell growth by the induction of apoptosis and the down-regulation ofmultiple oncogenic tyrosine kinase activities in human non-small-celllung cancer (NSCLC) cells in vitro and in vivo. In this study we evaluated the combined antitumor effects of molecular therapeutic agents ZD6474 and FUS1 or FHIT-nanoparticles targeting the EGFR/VEGFR and apoptosis pathways in NSCLC cells. We found that expression of wild type FUS1or FHIT by DOTAP-Cholesterol nanoparticle-mediated gene transfer sensitized NSCLC cells to ZD6474 treatment, as shown by significantly enhanced inhibitionof tumor cell growth by XTT cell proliferation assay. FUS1-nanoparticles combined with ZD6474 inhibited tumor cell-induced colony formation in H1299 cells. The co-treatment with ZD6474 and FUS1 or FHIT-nanoparticles showed the down-regulation of EGFR signaling pathway as indicated by the reduced expression of the phosphorylated EGFR and AKT on the Western blots. We also evaluated the antitumor effects of combination therapy using three-dimensional lung cancer organotypic culture and found an increased level of apoptosis by in situ TUNEL staining and decreased activities of p-EGFR by fluorescence imaging analysis in NSCLC cells co-treated with ZD6474 and FUS1 or FHIT-nanoparticles compared with untreated and non-specific vector-treated controls. Our findings imply that a combination treatmentwith FUS1 or FHIT-nanoparticles and ZD6474 may be a useful strategyfor enhancing lung cancer therapy. This abstract is supported by grants of NIH NCI (SPORE P50CA70907 and RO1CA116322). Citation Information: In: Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res; 2009 Apr 18-22; Denver, CO. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; 2009. Abstract nr 2772.
Environmental Law & Feminism

Environmental degradation and gender-based discrimination date back millennia. The modern legal movements to curb these two forms of human behavior, however, are still young and emergent. Environmentalism and feminism both respond to harms brought about by systemic failures that enable or even advance patterns of subordination. For environmentalism, the focus is on constraining unbridled ecosystem destruction. For feminism, the focus is on discovering and unraveling the systems and hierarchies that subordinate women. Although pervasive connections between feminism and environmental law have been recognized since the emergence of modern environmental law, little was done during the first few decades of legal development to cultivate or respond to these linkages. The onset of climate change and the maturing of climate law, however, is bringing renewed attention to the under-explored relationship between environmental law and feminism. This chapter explores the important, but poorly understood, historic and contemporary relationship between environmental law and legal feminism. It shows how, until recently, these two areas remained largely fragmented even as understanding of the convergences between the fields grew. It then traces how the evolution of ecofeminism, the environmental justice movement, and the climate justice movement are advancing thinking at the intersection of environmental law and feminism and the law. In particular, it suggests that as both environmental law and feminist legal theory increasingly seek to situate ongoing challenges within larger structures of power and inequality, they draw closer together creating opportunities for intellectual exchange and coalition building.
Remote hydroacoustic-infrasonic detection and characterization of Anak Krakatau eruptive activity leading to, during, and following the December 2018 flank collapse and tsunami

A climactic eruption phase on December 22, 2018, triggered the collapse of the southwest flank and summit of Anak Krakatau stratovolcano, generating a tsunami which struck the coastlines of Sumatra and Java. We employ a selection of remote moored hydroacoustic (H08S, 3307 km; H01W, 3720 km) and infrasonic (IS06, 1156 km; IS07, 3475 km; IS52, 3638 km) stations of the International Monitoring System (IMS) to investigate eruptive activity preceding, during, and after the climactic eruption phase. We observe 6 months of co-eruptive intermittent infrasound at IS06 and powerful infrasound from the climactic eruption on IS06 and IS52. The climactic eruption phase was not detected hydroacoustically, but we observe a ~ 12-day swarm of hydroacoustic signals beginning 24 days before the flank collapse event that we attribute to sustained submarine eruptive activity at Anak Krakatau. We perform hydroacoustic waveform and envelope multiplet analysis to assess event similarity during the hydroacoustic swarm. Hydroacoustic waveforms are not well-correlated, but envelopes with a main pulse duration of ~ 20-s are correlated, with 88.7% of 247 events grouping into two multiplets using a threshold correlation coefficient of 0.75. The repetitive envelopes indicate a repetitive impulsive volcanic process, either underwater submarine explosions or volcanic earthquakes in the solid Earth coupled to the water column from the Sunda Shelf. This study further underscores the potential of remote acoustic technology for detecting and characterizing eruptions at submarine or partially submerged volcanoes.
A plant by any other name: . . . Foundations for materialist sociological plant studies:

Despite the fact that plants make up 80% of biomass on Earth, sociology rarely examines human–plant relationships. Human societies are inherently dependent on plants, most obviously as the basis of...
Development of A UAS-Based Ultra-Wideband Radar for Fine-Resolution Soil Moisture Measurements

Soil moisture plays a key role in land-atmosphere interactions and is an important variable in hydrological modeling. Satellite-based microwave sensors have been demonstrated for estimating surface soil moisture, but the spatial resolution is poor. Retrieval of soil moisture over inhomogeneous terrain is difficult. There is a need for fine-resolution soil moisture data to support both scientific modeling research and operational applications.The Remote Sensing Center at the University of Alabama has developed a compact, ultra-wideband microwave radar operating over the frequency range of 2-6 GHz for airborne soil moisture measurements. A highly linear, highly configurable chirp is generated by a direct digital synthesizer (DDS) driven voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) with phase-locked loop (PLL). This system enables us to generate an ultra-linear chirp of up to 10 GHz bandwidth. We have also developed a custom ultrawideband antenna to collect data over incidence angles between 0 and 50 degrees with an adequate signal-to-noise ratio and meet the bandwidth requirements. The radar performance is verified using simulated targets in the laboratory, and the measured impulse response is close to the ideal response.We have integrated the radar with a hybrid multirotor unmanned aircraft system (UAS) that can be operated within FAA limits. The long endurance and low-speed capability of the hybrid multirotor aircraft minimizes motion-related errors. We have operated the radar and collected data at test sites near Tuscaloosa, AL. Radar measurements are being calibrated and validated against detailed in-situ measurements collected using soil moisture probes. In this paper, we will discuss the design and development of the radar, measurements, and field results.
The relationship between five measures of trunk strength

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between five common methods of measuring isometric trunk strength and endurance: Isometric flexion and extension tests, an upright lifting task, and timed isometric flexion and extension endurance tests. Fifty-six healthy individuals (aged 18‐65 years) with no history of back problems or disease volunteered for this study. Data were analyzed using a Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient and Student’s T-test. Significant relationships ( p< 0.0001) were found between the B-200 isometric extension and upright pull (r =0 .75); B200 isometric flexion and upright pull (r =0 .78); and B-200 isometric flexion and B-200 isometric extension (r =0 .80). Men demonstrated greater strength than women in B-200 isometric flexion and extension, as well as in the upright pull measures ( p< 0.05). A variety of measures are frequently used to evaluate trunk “strength” in force production and endurance. Although strong correlation was observed among measures of force, no significant relationships were demonstrated between endurance and force measures. This suggests that a subject who demonstrates a strong performance on strength test of force may not necessarily display an equally strong performance on a strength test of endurance. Hence, to obtain a full picture of a person’s performance capabilities, measures of both force and endurance should be incorporated into evaluation protocols.
Photoexcretion and Fate of Glycolate in a Hot Spring Cyanobacterial Mat

Photosynthesis by Synechococcus lividus, the sole oxygenic phototroph inhabiting the surface of the 55°C cyanobacterial mat in Mushroom Spring, Yellowstone National Park, causes superoxic and alkaline conditions which promote glycolate photoexcretion. At O2 concentrations characteristic of the top 2 mm of mat during the day, up to 11.8% of NaH14CO3 fixed in the light was excreted, and glycolate accounted for up to 58% of the excreted photosynthate. Glycolate was neither incorporated nor metabolized by S. lividus, but it was incorporated by filamentous microorganisms in the mat. Incubation of mat samples with NaH14CO3 resulted in labeling of both S. lividus and filaments, but the addition of nonradioactive glycolate increased the level of 14C in the aqueous phase and decreased the extent of labeling of filaments. This suggests that cross-feeding of glycolate from S. lividus to filamentous heterotrophs occurs and that underestimation of the extent of photoexcretion is probable. Images
Recursive DNS Architectures and Vulnerability Implications.

DNS implementers face numerous choices in architecting DNS resolvers, each with profound implications for security. Absent the use of DNSSEC, there are numerous interim techniques to improve DNS forgery resistance. We explore how different resolver architectures can affect the risk of DNS poisoning. The contributions of this work include: (A) We create a comprehensive, accurate model of DNS poisoning. We show how this model is more sensitive than other previous explanations of DNS poisoning. (B) We further catalog the major architectural choices DNS implementers can make in query management. We note real-world instances where these choices have weakened the security of resolvers, and measure the impact on security using our model. Our study revealed numerous, previously unknown vulnerabilities in common DNS servers.
Knowledge: The basic business commodity: The university and corporate relationship

Abstract The economics of education has been long neglected. But, at last, the contribution of educational investment to the economic well-being of nations has been recognized. Knowledge is fast becoming the basic input in world business; sophisticated university processes create knowledge, which in turn leads to industrial power and growth. The educational excellence of a nation, in fact, may be the only quality that will give an advantage to it and its industries and firms. As business accomodates knowledge, traditional wage labor is replaced by salaried career labor, recruited from colleges and universities. As a consequence, the structure of the business organization must be altered—and probably already has been to some extent. Ten of these changes are examined by the author.
Effects of elevated CO2 and temperature stress on ecosystem processes

Publisher Summary This chapter examines the effects of temperature stress and elevated CO 2 on ecosystem processes, including primary production, nutrient cycling, and landscape water and energy balance. Environmental stress varies depending on whether it is applied to a cultivated production system or to an ecosystem. In its broadest sense, environmental stress is any factor that lowers primary production below its optimum. In this context, any nonoptimum temperature can be considered stressful. However, a more narrow view of environmental stress would require an environmental condition (for example, freezing/chilling temperatures, heat stress) to cause damage to plants. Severe damage to plants, causing either mortality or an irreversible loss in productivity, will have clear impacts on ecosystem processes. Also of interest from an ecosystem perspective is recurring environmental stress, which can result in either physiological hardening in plants (which may be irreversible within a given growing season) or genetic responses of populations over time, such that the ecosystem equilibrates to nonoptimum conditions through a loss of productivity. One important aspect of the global change debate is the potential rapidity with which global climate is predicted to change and its effects on ecological systems.
A framework for document-driven workflow systems

We propose and demonstrate the feasibility of a framework for document-driven workflow systems that requires no explicit control flow and the execution of the process is driven by input documents. The framework can assist workflow designers to discover the data dependencies between tasks in a process and achieve more efficient control flow design. The framework also provides an architecture to separate the workflow system from application data and facilitate inter-organizational processes. Document-driven workflow systems are more flexible than traditional control flow processes, easier to verify and work better for ad hoc workflows. We also implemented a prototype workflow system using the framework entirely in a RDBMS using Transact-SQL in Microsoft SQL Server 2000. A detailed comparison with control driven workflows has also been done.
Effects of Dietary Calcium and Age on Parathyroid Hormone, Calcitonin and Serum and Milk Minerals in the Periparturient Dairy Cow

Ten pregnant heifers and 10 pregnant cows (three or more pregnancies) were assigned to groups of five and fed either the recommended (low) amount of calcium or excess (high) calcium in their diet for 4 wk before parturition to determine the influence of prepartum calcium intake and age on hormonal control of peripartum calcium homeostasis. After parturition all groups received a diet with calcium adequate for lactation. Jugular blood samples from 21, 14, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 d prepartum through 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 14 and 21 d postpartum were assayed for concentration of parathyroid hormone, calcitonin, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. Heifers and cows receiving high calcium diets had higher calcium and lower parathyroid hormone in blood serum before parturition than animals receiving the low calcium diets. Cows, but not heifers, fed high calcium diets exhibited severe hypocalcemia at parturition, remained hypocalcemic for 3 d and had low serum calcitonin. Regardless of dietary group, concentrations of parathyroid hormone and magnesium in serum increased after the first week of lactation. Feed intake during lactation, corrected for metabolic body weight, was similar for both dietary treatments and ages. Milk production per kilogram metabolic body weight was highest during the first week of lactation for cows fed low calcium diets before parturition. There was no correlation between hypocalcemia and loss of calcium in colostrum or milk. Feeding low dietary calcium to cows in the prepartum period was effective in the prevention of severe hypocalcemia at parturition. In contrast, dietary treatment of heifers had no effect on serum calcium concentration at parturition.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)