cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Matched Filter Stochastic Background Characterization for Hyperspectral Target Detection

Algorithms exploiting hyperspectral imagery for target detection have continually evolved to provide improved detection results. Adaptive matched filters can be used to locate spectral targets by modeling scene background as either structured (geometric) with a set of endmembers (basis vectors) or as unstructured (stochastic) with a covariance or correlation matrix. These matrices are often calculated using all available pixels in a data set. In unstructured background research, various techniques for improving upon scene-wide methods have been developed, each involving either the removal of target signatures from the background model or the segmentation of image data into spatial or spectral subsets. Each of these methods increase the detection signal-to-background ratio (SBR) and the multivariate normality (MVN) of the data from which background statistics are calculated, thus increasing separation between target and non-target species in the detection statistic and ultimately improving thresholded target detection results. Such techniques for improved background characterization are widely practiced but not well documented or compared. This paper provides a review and comparison of methods in target exclusion, spatial subsetting and spectral pre-clustering, and introduces a new technique which combines these methods. The analysis provides insight into the merit of employing unstructured background characterization techniques, as well as limitations for their practical application.
Submicrometer-wide amorphous and polycrystalline anatase TiO2 waveguides for microphotonic devices

We demonstrate amorphous and polycrystalline anatase TiO(2) thin films and submicrometer-wide waveguides with promising optical properties for microphotonic devices. We deposit both amorphous and polycrystalline anatase TiO(2) using reactive sputtering and define waveguides using electron-beam lithography and reactive ion etching. For the amorphous TiO(2), we obtain propagation losses of 0.12 ± 0.02 dB/mm at 633 nm and 0.04 ± 0.01 dB/mm at 1550 nm in thin films and 2.6 ± 0.5 dB/mm at 633 nm and 0.4 ± 0.2 dB/mm at 1550 nm in waveguides. Using single-mode amorphous TiO(2) waveguides, we characterize microphotonic features including microbends and optical couplers. We show transmission of 780-nm light through microbends having radii down to 2 μm and variable signal splitting in microphotonic couplers with coupling lengths of 10 μm.
Cytochemical reaction for cationic proteins as a marker of primary granules during development in chick heterophils

The ammoniacal silver reaction (ASR) for cationic proteins was used as a cytochemical marker for the primary or A granules in the cytoplasm of developing heterophils of chick bone marrow. The presence of the electrondense particulate reaction product of silver, which is localized in the fully formed rod-shaped A granules, provides a marker by which the A granules could be distinguished from the B granules of similar size and by which the formation and maturation of both granule types could be followed through the developmental stages. Progressive developmental stages were ascertained on the basis of decreasing cell size, increasing condensation and margination of the chromatin, and the number and morphology of the granules: the stages were divided into promyelocyte, myelocyte, metamyelocyte and heterophil. During the promyelocyte stage, the first appearance of the electron-dense, membrane-bound, spherical granules (0.3–1.0 μm in diameter) is observed in the vicinity of an extensive Golgi complex. They occur in a cytoplasm containing rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum, ribosomal clusters, centrioles, mitochondria, microtubules, as well as the membranes, saccules, vesicles and vacuoles of the Golgi complex. These granules are considered as primary but their presence as the only granule type appears very brief. The ASR reaction product is first detected on the surface of these primary granules in late promyelocytes or myelocytes.
Maintaining network connectivity and performance in robot teams

In this paper, we present an experimental study of strategies for maintaining end-to-end communication links for tasks such as surveillance, reconnaissance, and target search and identification, where team connectivity is required for situational awareness. Our main contributions are threefold: (a) We present the construction of a radio signal strength map that can be used to plan multi-robot tasks, and also serve as useful perceptual information. We show how a nominal model of an urban environment obtained by aerial surveillance, is used to generate strategies for exploration. (b) We present reactive controllers for communication link maintenance; and (c) we consider the differences between monitoring signal strength versus data throughput. Experimental results, obtained using our multi-robot testbed in three representative urban environments are presented with each of our main contributions. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Semiparametric Global Cross-ratio Models for Bivariate Censored Data

Abstract. Multivariate correlated failure time data arise in many medical and scientific settings. In the analysis of such data, it is important to use models where the parameters have simple interpretations. In this paper, we formulate a model for bivariate survival data based on the Plackett distribution. The model is an alternative to the Gamma frailty model proposed by Clayton and Oakes. The parameter in this distribution has a very appealing odds ratio interpretation for dependence between the two failure times; in addition, it allows for negative dependence. We develop novel semiparametric estimation and inference procedures for the model. The asymptotic results of the estimator are developed. The performance of the proposed techniques in finite samples is examined using simulation studies; in addition, the proposed methods are applied to data from an observational study in cancer.
SUSY spectrum and the Higgs mass in the BLMSSM

Abstract The predictions for the mass of the light CP-even Higgs are investigated in the context of a simple extension of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model where the baryon and lepton numbers are local gauge symmetries. This theory predicts the existence of light charged and neutral leptons which give extra contributions to the Higgs mass at the one-loop level. We show the possibility to satisfy the LEP2 bound and achieve a Higgs mass around 125 GeV in a supersymmetric spectrum with light sfermions and small left–right mixing in the stop sector. We make a brief discussion of the unique leptonic signals at the Large Hadron Collider. This theory predicts baryon number violation at the low scale and one could avoid the current LHC bounds on the supersymmetric mass spectrum.
The Dielectric Permittivity of Calcite and Arid Zone Soils with Carbonate Minerals

Measurement of soil dielectric properties, e are widely used to estimate water content in soils from remote sensing and from in situ soil sensors such as time domain reflectometry (TDR). The mineral permittivity also plays an important role in geochemical dissolution and precipitation. Models used to estimate water content from soils often assume a value of 5 for the mineral permittivity e s . However, calcite (CaCO 3 ), a major constituent of some arid and semi-arid soils, has a permittivity of 8 to 9, nearly twice the permittivity of quartz (e s = 4.6). We studied four soils, with micaceous mineralogy, but with two soils having approximately 40% calcite. We also measured the permittivity of Iceland Spar calcite (e s = 9.1) and a microcrystalline calcite (e s = 8.3), and use atomistic modeling to account for differences in permittivity based on the crystal density. We found permittivities for our soils to be in the range of 5.8 to 6.6, higher calcite contents resulting in increased permittivity. The estimated permittivity of the calcite in the soils was 7.4 to 7.9, lower than the highly crystalline samples. We estimate, for a soil with a porosity of 0.5 that assuming a permittivity of 5 instead of 6.6 will result in an overestimation of water content of about 1% at saturation. This demonstrates that a large quantity of pedogenic calcite (40%) in soil is unlikely to cause substantial error in the determination of water content using standard calibration equations. However, the lower dielectric permittivity predicted for pedogenic calcite may have consequences for the interpretation and understanding of geochemical processes.
Identifying and reducing risk of medical errors.

From assessment and planning to evaluation and outcomes, case management is a proactive process that provides access to quality, safe, effective, and timely care. Each step in the case management process, especially when undertaken by a qualified professional provider, may also provide an added and significant benefit—the potential to reduce or to prevent the risk of medical errors.
Solubility of hydrogen in solid Ni−Co and Ni−Cu alloys

The solubility of hydrogen was measured in solid Ni, Co, and Cu, and in the Ni−Co and Ni−Cu systems. A unique sampling technique was used in which equilibrated specimens were quenched by dropping into mercury. The measurements were made as a function of temperature in the range from 700° to 1225°C and of hydrogen pressure, up to 1 atm. Dissolved hydrogen in all metals and alloys obeyed Sieverts' Law. An attempt was made to correlate the hydrogen solubility with solution models based on the electronic structure of the alloys. A nonlinear correlation was found with the electronic specific heat coefficient which relates to the density of states at the Fermi surface.
Computational study of topological effects on intramolecular electron transfer in mixed-valence compounds

The constrained density functional theory (CDFT) was used to investigate the topological effects on intramolecular electron transfer processes that have been reported in previous experimental work [Inorg. Chem., 1997, 36 (22), pp 5037–5049]. The computation mainly focused on three isomers of diferrocenylbenzenes (ortho, para, and meta) and 5-substituted derivatives of m-diferrocencylbenzenes with R = NH2, Cl, CH3, CN, NO2, NeCH3) 3 3+ , and N 2 + . The influence of a third group R′ (R′ = NH2 and N 2 + ) was introduced to the ortho and para isomers. The calculations were compared with the experimental results. The relation between the substituted functional groups and the effectiveness of intramolecular electron transfer was discussed on the basis of CDFT computational results.
The Hypothesis that the Genetic Code Originated in Coupled Synthesis of Proteins and the Evolutionary Predecessors of Nucleic Acids in Primitive Cells

Although analysis of the genetic code has allowed explanations for its evolution to be proposed, little evidence exists in biochemistry and molecular biology to offer an explanation for the origin of the genetic code. In particular, two features of biology make the origin of the genetic code difficult to understand. First, nucleic acids are highly complicated polymers requiring numerous enzymes for biosynthesis. Secondly, proteins have a simple backbone with a set of 20 different amino acid side chains synthesized by a highly complicated ribosomal process in which mRNA sequences are read in triplets. Apparently, both nucleic acid and protein syntheses have extensive evolutionary histories. Supporting these processes is a complex metabolism and at the hub of metabolism are the carboxylic acid cycles. This paper advances the hypothesis that the earliest predecessor of the nucleic acids was a β-linked polyester made from malic acid, a highly conserved metabolite in the carboxylic acid cycles. In the β-linked polyester, the side chains are carboxylic acid groups capable of forming interstrand double hydrogen bonds. Evolution of the nucleic acids involved changes to the backbone and side chain of poly(β-d-malic acid). Conversion of the side chain carboxylic acid into a carboxamide or a longer side chain bearing a carboxamide group, allowed information polymers to form amide pairs between polyester chains. Aminoacylation of the hydroxyl groups of malic acid and its derivatives with simple amino acids such as glycine and alanine allowed coupling of polyester synthesis and protein synthesis. Use of polypeptides containing glycine and l-alanine for activation of two different monomers with either glycine or l-alanine allowed simple coded autocatalytic synthesis of polyesters and polypeptides and established the first genetic code. A primitive cell capable of supporting electron transport, thioester synthesis, reduction reactions, and synthesis of polyesters and polypeptides is proposed. The cell consists of an iron-sulfide particle enclosed by tholin, a heterogeneous organic material that is produced by Miller-Urey type experiments that simulate conditions on the early Earth. As the synthesis of nucleic acids evolved from β-linked polyesters, the singlet coding system for replication evolved into a four nucleotide/four amino acid process (AMP = aspartic acid, GMP = glycine, UMP = valine, CMP = alanine) and then into the triplet ribosomal process that permitted multiple copies of protein to be synthesized independent of replication. This hypothesis reconciles the “genetics first” and “metabolism first” approaches to the origin of life and explains why there are four bases in the genetic alphabet.
Educational Innovation, Sociopolitical Culture, and Depressed Rural Communities.

In order to iniestigate the problems of educational innovation in depressed rural communities, and the efficacy of strategies for change employed by state and federal authorities in the United States, data were gathered in four areas of rural Appalachia and three rural communities in New York. An analysis of these data, and a mien of other relet ant data, indicate that the assumptions underlying prevailing strategies for change are often poorly in tune with the social and political realities of depressed rural communities. These findings point to a need for more realistic innovation strategies as well as a need for more research on this problem.
Northern Distribution of the Seaweed Limpet Lottia insessa (Mollusca: Gastropoda) along the Pacific Coast1

The marine seaweed limpet Lottia insessa (Hinds) is a habitat specialist on the kelp Egregia menziesii along the northeastern Pacific coast. The geographic range of L. insessa is commonly reported to extend from Alaska to Baja California, Mexico, but the northern distribution of this limpet has been poorly documented. We examined L. insessa specimens from museum collections and surveyed distribution of this species in the field. Results indicate that this species is common in California but is rarely found farther north. Some museum specimens collected from northern localities were misidentified individuals of other limpet species. The northern limit to continuous distribution of persistent L. insessa populations ends at Cape Arago in southern Oregon, a known biogeographic boundary for a variety of marine species. We suggest that individuals occasionally found in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska may have been vagrants that were transported to those locations during anomalous oceanographic events such as El Nino-Southern Oscillations, a phenomenon that has also been observed in other marine organisms. This study clarifies location of the northern range boundary of L. insessa and provides baseline data on its current distributional patterns, which are important for assessing effects of climate change on potential range shifts in the future.
A Mixed Methods Investigation of Mixed Methods Sampling Designs in Social and Health Science Research

A sequential design utilizing identical samples was used to classify mixed methods studies via a two-dimensional model, wherein sampling designs were grouped according to the time orientation of ea...
Electrical Discharge Machining of Tungsten Carbide‐Cobalt Composites

Increasing the current, the frequency, or the pulse duration up to certain values increased the speed of cutting and rate of removal. The amount of liquid smearing the cavities prcduced by dislodging the WC grain and microcracks increased with increasing cobalt content and/or WC grain size. Depletion of carbon and formation of W2C and WC1−x were detected on the surface. An analysis of debris showed that, in addition to melting the cobalt matrix, metallic vapors are formed and condense to hollow noncrystalline spheres which deformed and condense to hollow noncrystalline spheres which deform and crystallize if crushed.
Relevance, essentiality and toxicity of trace elements in human health

Abstract The metals Mn, Fe, Cu, and Zn, and the non-metal Se are considered “trace elements” (TE) because of their essentiality and very limited quantity in humans. The biological activities of Cu, Fe, Mn, and Se are strongly associated with the presence of unpaired electrons that allow their participation in redox reactions. In biological systems these metals are mostly bound to proteins, forming metalloproteins. Many of the metals in metalloproteins are part of enzymatic systems, have structural and storage functions, or use the protein to be transported to their target site in the organism. In humans Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Se accomplish decisive functions to maintain human health. Deficiency in any of these TE leads to undesirable pathological conditions that can be prevented or reversed by adequate supplementation. In sufficiently nourished persons, supplementation should be carefully controlled, given the toxic effects ascribed to TE when present in quantities exceeding those required for accomplishing their biological functions. The dietary reference intakes provided by national regulatory agencies are guides to define intake, supplementation and toxicity of Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Se, as well other elements considered micronutrients for humans.
CENTRAL-UPWIND SCHEMES FOR THE SAINT-VENANT SYSTEM

We present one- and two-dimensional central-upwind schemes for approximating solutions of the Saint-Venant system with source terms due to bottom topography. The Saint-Venant system has steady-state solutions in which nonzero flux gradients are exactly balanced by the source terms. It is a challenging problem to preserve this delicate balance with numerical schemes. Small perturbations of these states are also very dicult to compute. Our approach is based on extending semi-discrete central schemes for systems of hyperbolic conservation laws to balance laws. Special attention is paid to the discretization of the source term such as to preserve stationary steady-state solutions. We also prove that the second-order version of our schemes preserves the nonnegativity of the height of the water. This important feature allows one to compute solutions for problems that include dry areas.
Reduced plasma ACE2 activity in dialysis patients: another piece in the conundrum of factors involved in hypertension and cardiovascular morbidity?

the reduction in plasma ACE2 activity reported in ESRD patients treated by dialysis, particularly in female subjects, could limit Ang II degradation leading to increased levels of this peptide, which could contribute to the high prevalence of hypertension and cardiovascular morbidity that afflicts the dialysis population
Magnesium sulfate for neuroprotection after traumatic brain injury: a randomised controlled trial

Summary Background Traumatic brain injuries represent an important and costly health problem. Supplemental magnesium positively affects many of the processes involved in secondary injury after traumatic brain injury and consistently improves outcome in animal models. We aimed to test whether treatment with magnesium favourably affects outcome in head-injured patients. Methods In a double-blind trial, 499 patients aged 14 years or older admitted to a level 1 regional trauma centre between August, 1998, and October, 2004, with moderate or severe traumatic brain injury were randomly assigned one of two doses of magnesium or placebo within 8 h of injury and continuing for 5 days. Magnesium doses were targeted to achieve serum magnesium ranges of 1·0–1·85 mmol/L or 1·25–2·5 mmol/L. The primary outcome was a composite of mortality, seizures, functional measures, and neuropsychological tests assessed up to 6 months after injury. Analyses were done according to the intention-to-treat principle. This trial is registered with Clinicaltrials.gov, number NCT00004730. Findings Magnesium showed no significant positive effect on the composite primary outcome measure at the higher dose (mean=55 average percentile ranking on magnesium vs 52 on placebo, 95% CI for difference −7 to 14; p=0·70). Those randomly assigned magnesium at the lower dose did significantly worse than those assigned placebo (48 vs 54, 95% CI −10·5 to −2; p=0·007). Furthermore, there was higher mortality with the higher magnesium dose than with placebo. Other major medical complications were similar between groups, except for a slight excess of pulmonary oedema and respiratory failure in the lower magnesium target group. No subgroups were identified in which magnesium had a significantly positive effect. Interpretation Continuous infusions of magnesium for 5 days given to patients within 8 h of moderate or severe traumatic brain injury were not neuroprotective and might even have a negative effect in the treatment of significant head injury.
Global biogeography of Prochlorococcus genome diversity in the surface ocean

Prochlorococcus, the smallest known photosynthetic bacterium, is abundant in the ocean's surface layer despite large variation in environmental conditions. There are several genetically divergent lineages within Prochlorococcus and superimposed on this phylogenetic diversity is extensive gene gain and loss. The environmental role in shaping the global ocean distribution of genome diversity in Prochlorococcus is largely unknown, particularly in a framework that considers the vertical and lateral mechanisms of evolution. Here we show that Prochlorococcus field populations from a global circumnavigation harbor extensive genome diversity across the surface ocean, but this diversity is not randomly distributed. We observed a significant correspondence between phylogenetic and gene content diversity, including regional differences in both phylogenetic composition and gene content that were related to environmental factors. Several gene families were strongly associated with specific regions and environmental factors, including the identification of a set of genes related to lower nutrient and temperature regions. Metagenomic assemblies of natural Prochlorococcus genomes reinforced this association by providing linkage of genes across genomic backbones. Overall, our results show that the phylogeography in Prochlorococcus taxonomy is echoed in its genome content. Thus environmental variation shapes the functional capabilities and associated ecosystem role of the globally abundant Prochlorococcus.
Freedom of Speech II

This chapter, a revision 16 years later of the original chapter designated in SSRN as Freedom of Speech I, summarizes the history of free speech in the U.S., 1791 to 1940 and updates the discussion of the exaggerated reality and the ideological uses of free speech from the earlier version. The focus of Freedom of Speech II is on contemporary free speech issues. A set of legal doctrines and rules that expanded and protected speech rights emerged from the 1930s and, after a regression in the 1950s, resumed in the 1960s and early 1970s, when the civil rights and antiwar movements demanded and received enhancement and heightened enforcement of speech rights. These doctrines and rules constitute what the chapter calls the "liberal paradigm," which has been contracted and retrenched in the conservative period starting in the mid-1970s. The retrenchment has been principally characterized by new limits on speech in public places, withdrawal from the "content barrier," rejection of claims to access to the mass media that had been recognized in the liberal paradigm, and cutbacks in voting and democracy rights, amounting to a dismantling of the basic system of free speech. In the same period, however, some speech rights were expanded - for example, campaign finances gained constitutional status as protected speech, and corporations were granted new speech rights. Overall, in the last few decades, the Supreme Court has narrowed and restricted the speech rights available to people of ordinary means, enlarged the speech rights available to wealthy people and corporations, and erected a free-speech barrier to public access to the media and to important electoral, economic and social reforms.
PHYLOGENIES AND THE ANALYSIS OF EVOLUTIONARY SEQUENCES, WITH EXAMPLES FROM SEED PLANTS.

Studies of character evolution have frequently relied on ahistorical correlations rather than on phylogenies. However, correlations do not estimate the number of times that a trait evolved, and they are insensitive to the direction or the temporal sequence of character transformation. In contrast, cladograms can provide this information. A cladistic test of the hypothesis that the evolution of dioecy is favored in animal-dispersed plants indicates that dioecy may have originated somewhat more often in such lineages. Nevertheless, differences in rates of speciation or extinction must largely account for the observed species-level correlation between dispersal and breeding system. In considering the evolution of individual traits, cladograms help identify the context in which a feature evolved and specify which organisms should be compared in evaluating the causes of character change. Determining whether a feature and a performance advantage were strictly historically correlated or followed one another in sequence helps to distinguish whether the trait is an adaptation or an exaptation for the function. For example, cladograms of seed plants suggest that double fertilization arose incidentally prior to the origin of angiosperms and that the resulting product was later co-opted and elaborated as a nutritive tissue for the developing embryo. The order of character assembly in a lineage also bears on the evolution of functional and developmental interdependencies. In particular, it may be possible to trace the evolution of a character's "burden" from an initial period, during which change is more likely, through later stages, wherein successful modification is less likely owing to the evolution of dependent characters. The evolution of vessels and of floral phyllotaxis in angiosperms may exemplify this pattern. Recognition that the likelihood of character transformation may change during the evolution of a group warns against character weighting in phylogenetic analysis.
Is feminism trending? Pedagogical approaches to countering (Sl)activism

ABSTRACTAs they say in social media, feminism is ‘trending’; feminist conversations, grassroots movements, and activism mark a fourth wave of feminist practice and theory defined by digital spaces. This article considers the effectiveness of using social media as both a course assignment and as a conduit for civic engagement. I analyse survey results of college students who used the blogging platform Tumblr in their Introduction to Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies courses. Data collected from the participant sample indicate that Tumblr users are connected to viewpoints different from their own and are instilled with a sense of activism they wish to incorporate in their offline lives. In conclusion, social media is a promising tool for social justice, feminist, and/or leadership-focused praxis.
Community diagnosis report of comprehensive chronic disease prevention pilot in Qingxin District of Qingyuan City

[Objective]To understand the prevalence of chronic disease,health risk factors status and health knowledge level of residents in community of Qingxin District of Qingyuan City.[Methods]From February-September 2012,a total of 10 581 residents of 4 020 families were randomly selected for questionnaire survey,the content included quality of life of the elderly over 60 years,national healthy lifestyle,etc.Physical examination was performed on residents over 15 years.[Results]The prevalence rate of chronic disease among residents was 11.10%,Main chronic diseases were bone and joint diseases,cerebrovascular diseases,diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.The standardized prevalence rate of hypertension and diabetes among residents over 35 years was 21.41% and 3.60%,respectively.Among residents over 15 years,the total smoking rate was 33.18%,the drinking rate was 13.06%,the BMI was between 13.16-42.26 kg / m2,the rate of overweight or obesity was 30.13%,and the active exercise rate was 35.18%.The residents eating breakfast everyday accounted for 90.50%,87.76% did not eat milk and dairy products,2.92% drank milk up to 200-400 ml daily.The daily fresh vegetable intake per capita was 302.14 g and intake of salt per capita was 9.68 g.The awareness rate of hypertension-related health knowledge and diabetes-related health knowledge was 46.67% and 63.43%,respectively.[Conclusion]For the major health problems and the residents of unhealthy lifestyles in the community of this district,it is necessary to further strengthen community health education and promotion,to promote appropriate intervention techniques,and carry out chronic diseases community intervention and control management which should be taken as the focus of chronic disease prevention and research in future.
Tenotomy decreases reporter protein synthesis via the 3′-untranslated region of the β-myosin heavy chain mRNA

We tested the hypothesis that the β-myosin heavy chain (β-MHC) 3′-untranslated region (UTR) mediates decreased protein expression after tenotomy of the rat soleus. We also tested the hypothesis tha...
Birds of a Feather Do Not Always Flock Together A Critical Analysis of Latina Engineers and Their Involvement in Student Organizations

While an abundance of literature addresses undergraduate students’ lack of success in engineering programs, fewer studies examine the persistence of minority females, especially of Latinas. This study employed a qualitative method of inquiry to gain insight into the reasons why Latina undergraduate engineering majors sought membership in student organizations. Data analysis emerged the following findings: (a) fulfilling academic and social needs, (b) seeking a sense of belonging, and (c) choosing not to coalesce on the basis of race. The categorization of the aforementioned broad themes provides greater insight into the reasons why Latinas sought membership in certain student organizations.
Co-Administration of Hydroxyurea and a Specific AKT2 Inhibitor Has Beneficial Effects on Acute Vaso-Occlusive Events and Survival in Sickle Cell Disease Mice

Abstract We recently demonstrated that the basal levels of AKT phosphorylation were significantly increased in neutrophils and platelets isolated from sickle cell disease (SCD) patients compared with those cells from healthy donors and that specific inhibition of AKT2 impaired neutrophil-endothelial cell and neutrophil-platelet interactions in venules of Berkeley (SCD) mice (Li et al. J Clin Invest 2014). Although hydroxyurea (HU), an inducer of fetal hemoglobin, is the main therapy for treatment of SCD, it is unclear whether the short-term treatment with HU has immediate benefits on acute vaso-occlusive events in SCD. Using real-time fluorescence intravital microscopy, we demonstrated that co-administration of HU (100 microg/g body weight, iv injection) and Akti XII (3 microg/g body weight, iv injection), an AKT2 inhibitor, efficiently reduced neutrophil adhesion and platelet-neutrophil aggregation in cremaster muscle venules of TNF-α-challenged Berkeley mice. Importantly, compared with HU or Akti XII treatment alone, treatment with both agents significantly improved blood flow rates and survival in the mice. Further, similar results were obtained in Berkeley mice challenged with hypoxia (8% oxygen for 3 hours) and subsequent reoxygenation (room air for 3 hours). As determined by histochemistry of cremaster muscle sections following intravital microscopy of Berkeley mice, the expression of endothelial E-selectin and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) was significantly decreased by treatment with either HU or Akti XII. Leukocyte transmigration in the lung section of Berkeley mice was also inhibited by either agent, and the inhibitory effect was potentiated by co-administration of HU and Akti XII. Using the plasma and isolated cells of Berkeley mice, we found that the level of plasma nitric oxide species (NOx) was significantly elevated by treatment with HU but not Akti XII and that AKT2 phosphorylation levels in activated neutrophils and platelets were reduced by treatment with Akti XII but not HU. Taken together, these results suggest that short-term treatment of Berkeley mice with either HU or Akti XII inhibits inflammatory conditions: treatment with HU significantly increases plasma NOx levels, treatment with Akti XII decreases AKT2 phosphorylation in neutrophils and platelets without affecting plasma NOx levels, and administration of either agent reduces the surface expression of ICAM-1 and E-selectin on activated endothelial cells. Thus, our results provide evidence that co-administration of HU and a specific AKT2 inhibitor has immediate benefits on acute vaso-occlusive events and survival in SCD mice exceeding those seen for single therapy. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
The evolution of jaw protrusion mechanics is tightly coupled to bentho-pelagic divergence in damselfishes (Pomacentridae).

Most species-rich lineages of aquatic organisms have undergone divergence between forms that feed from the substrate (benthic feeding) and forms that feed from the water column (pelagic feeding). Changes in trophic niche are frequently accompanied by changes in skull mechanics, and multiple fish lineages have evolved highly specialized biomechanical configurations that allow them to protrude their upper jaws toward the prey during feeding. Damselfishes (family Pomacentridae) are an example of a species-rich lineage with multiple trophic morphologies and feeding ecologies. We sought to determine if bentho-pelagic divergence in the damselfishes has been tightly coupled to changes in jaw protrusion ability. Using high-speed video recordings and kinematic analysis we examined feeding performance in ten species that include three examples of convergence on herbivory, three examples of convergence on omnivory and two examples of convergence on planktivory. We also utilized morphometrics to characterize the feeding morphology of an additional 40 species that represent all 29 damselfish genera. Comparative phylogenetic analyses were then used to examine the evolution of trophic morphology and biomechanical performance. We find that pelagic-feeding damselfishes (planktivores) are strongly differentiated from extensively benthic-feeding species (omnivores and herbivores) by their jaw protrusion ability, upper jaw morphology and the functional integration of upper jaw protrusion with lower jaw abduction. Most aspects of cranial form and function that separate these two ecological groups have evolved in correlation with each other and the evolution of the functional morphology of feeding in damselfishes has involved repeated convergence in form, function and ecology.
Inhibition of androgen independent prostate cancer cells by small molecules

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 12-16, 2008; San Diego, CA 1315 Hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) although does not require androgen for growth is still often dependent on the activity of Androgen Receptor (AR), which becomes functional in the absence of natural ligand androgen. We hypothesized that inhibition of AR pathway would be effective way of inhibition of PC growth even on androgen refractory stage of the disease. The aim of our work is to find AR inhibitors active against HRPC. Methods: CWR22RV1 cells were chosen as a model of androgen independent PC. The reporter system consisting of luciferase under the control of AR dependent promoter was used as a readout assay for screening of small molecules capable of inhibiting AR activity. 34K small molecule library was used for the selection of primary hits. The following assays were run to exclude non-specific inhibitors and false-positive hits: (i) inhibition of transcription factors, other than AR, including several other nuclear receptors, (ii) inhibition of expression of AR endogenous targets (PSA), (iii) effect on the growth of a panel of prostate and non-prostate tumor cell lines. Results: We have selected several compounds, belonging to different chemical classes, which effectively inhibit the AR transactivation function and are specifically toxic for PC cells in vitro . Interestingly among best hits we were able to distinguish two subgroups, one which cause rather quick death of PC cells (1-3 days) and another causing rather slow effect mostly resulting in growth arrest. Looking on the molecular mechanism of the compounds toxicity for PC cells we have found that chemicals of the first group cause disappearance of AR protein while “slow” compounds do not affect AR expression. Computer modelling allowed us to propose that the second group of compounds interferes with AR-DNA binding. Experiments testing this hypothesis will be performed and changes of gene expression caused by both group of compounds will be compared with the effect of AR suppression by siRNA Conclusion: Specific inhibitors of AR toxic for androgen refractory PC cells have been isolated and will be used for the development of a new type of a drug against androgen-refractory PC.
Radiology of the stomach in infants and children

Imaging the stomach in infants and children requires techniques which are age- and patient condition-specific. Radiography, fluoroscopy, ultrasound, plain radiography, and scintigraphy are the primary modalities for imaging the pediatric stomach, while computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) typically play complimentary roles. Imaging is useful in the workup of congenital, developmental, iatrogenic, inflammatory, neoplastic, emergent, and postoperative stomach conditions in children.
Public histories of incarceration: reflecting on museums and social change

ABSTRACTCalifornia has a long history of criminalizing youth of color. Gang injunctions and the policies which structure the “school to prison pipeline” are contemporary expressions of this. As members of the graduate student curatorial team at the University of California Riverside, our contribution to the Humanities Action Lab’s national exhibition States of Incarceration was to chart the genealogy of sites of surveillance and policing of bodies of color, from the Sherman Indian School in Riverside, CA, to the streets of 1940s Los Angeles, to the public schools and diverse urban neighborhoods of the twenty-first century. In Detention: The War on Youth treats the policies, practices, and sites of policing and surveillance of youthful bodies as the building blocks of a carceral state which has as its end goal the social control of particular kinds of racialized bodies. As our nation’s carceral project continues to expand, we, as public historians, are called to respond to the crisis. We must continue to m...
Kirmānī Shaykhism and the Ijtihād: A Study of Abū al-Qāsim Khān Ibrāhīmī’s Ijtihād wa Taqlīd

Shaykhīsm in general, and the Shaykhī School of Kirman in particular, have long been topics of interest for a number of western scholars, among them, perhaps most notably, the late Henry Corbin (d....
The Great Rebalancing Act: Can Investment be a Lever in Asia?

Ensuring stable growth in the postcrisis world economy will require a rebalancing of economic activity in several countries. In Asia’s export-dependent economies, this entails relying more on private domestic demand as a driver of growth. While some countries need to raise consumption, several need to raise investment or reorient it from tradable to nontradable sectors. These changes in investment could be facilitated by financial reforms that enhance domestically oriented firms’ access to credit, stronger incentives for corporate restructuring, policies to bolster the business climate and reduce uncertainty, and by improvements in infrastructure that raise the returns to private investment.
Serum-free Erythroid Differentiation for Efficient Genetic Modification and High-Level Adult Hemoglobin Production.

In vitro erythroid differentiation from primary human cells is valuable to develop genetic strategies for hemoglobin disorders. However, current erythroid differentiation methods are encumbered by modest transduction rates and high baseline fetal hemoglobin production. In this study, we sought to improve both genetic modification and hemoglobin production among human erythroid cells in vitro. To model therapeutic strategies, we transduced human CD34+ cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with lentiviral vectors and compared erythropoietin-based erythroid differentiation using fetal-bovine-serum-containing media and serum-free media. We observed more efficient transduction (85%–93%) in serum-free media than serum-containing media (20%–69%), whereas the addition of knockout serum replacement (KSR) was required for serum-free media to promote efficient erythroid differentiation (96%). High-level adult hemoglobin production detectable by electrophoresis was achieved using serum-free media similar to serum-containing media. Importantly, low fetal hemoglobin production was observed in the optimized serum-free media. Using KSR-containing, serum-free erythroid differentiation media, therapeutic adult hemoglobin production was detected at protein levels with β-globin lentiviral transduction in both CD34+ cells and PBMCs from sickle cell disease subjects. Our in vitro erythroid differentiation system provides a practical evaluation platform for adult hemoglobin production among human erythroid cells following genetic manipulation.
Dazed: measuring the cognitive load of solving technical interview problems at the whiteboard

Problem-solving on a whiteboard is a popular technical interview technique used in industry. However, several critics have raised concerns that whiteboard interviews can cause excessive stress and cognitive load on candidates, ultimately reinforcing bias in hiring practices. Unfortunately, many sensors used for measuring cognitive state are not robust to movement. In this paper, we describe an approach where we use a head-mounted eye-tracker and computer vision algorithms to collect robust metrics of cognitive state. To demonstrate the feasibility of the approach, we study two proposed interview settings: on the whiteboard and on paper with 11 participants. Our preliminary results suggest that the whiteboard setting pressures candidates into keeping shorter attention lengths and experiencing higher levels of cognitive load compared to solving the same problems on paper. For instance, we observed 60ms shorter fixation durations and 3x more regressions when solving problems on the whiteboard. Finally, we describe a vision for creating a more inclusive technical interview process through future studies of interventions that lower cognitive load and stress.
Epidemiology of Recurrent Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries in National Collegiate Athletic Association Sports: The Injury Surveillance Program, 2004-2014

Background:An anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture is a serious injury that can be career-ending in collegiate athletics. A rerupture after primary ACL reconstruction occurs in 1% to 11% of all...
Assessing long-term sustainment of clinic participation in NIATx200: Results and a new methodological approach.

Abstract Background Sustainability frameworks differentiate between sustainability capacity and sustainment of organizational change. Multiple studies have examined sustainability capacity. Methodological approaches to assess long-term sustainment have not been explored. This study addresses this gap by describing the development of a long-term sustainment methodology and evaluating its application utilizing data from substance abuse clinics participating in a quality improvement collaborative. Methods The study involved clinics (n = 121) in three states (MI, NY and WA) participating in the 2007–2009 NIATx200 quality improvement (QI) intervention. It extended the primary analysis to focus on clinics' long-term sustainment of wait time, retention and admission improvements. Long-term sustainment was defined as two years post end of the active implementation period (Calendar Years 2010 and 2011). The analysis defined case exclusion criteria and spline “knot” time intervals; allowed for Cp statistic use to address clinic data volatility; established the structure of sustainment plots and explored differences between NIATx implementation strategies. Results Example spline and sustain plots highlight the application of the long-term sustainment methodology for NIATx200 clinics. In clinics with available longitudinal outcome data, 40.8% (n = 31 of 76 clinics) sustained improvements in wait time, 26.7% (n = 20 of 75 clinics) in retention, and 28.1% (n = 32 of 114 clinics) for admissions. Clinic assignment to a NIATx200 implementation strategy did not significantly influence a clinics' long-term sustainment except for lower wait time changes in the interest circle interventions. Thirty clinics (24.8%) sustained improvements for two outcomes and six clinics (5.0%) did so for all three outcomes. The clinics that sustained multiple outcome improvements were assigned to the interest circle (n = 12), learning session (n = 10), combination (n = 8), and coaching (n = 6) implementation strategies. Guidance for applying the long-term sustainment methodology in other quality improvement settings is described. Conclusions Research about sustainability capacity and sustainment of change has become increasingly important in dissemination and implementation research. Assessment of long-term sustainment in a multi-organizational quality improvement collaborative (QIC) is needed to identify when program drift and intervention decay occurs. If “cut-points” indicate when effects diminish, specific sustainability modules could be developed and introduced within the structure of a QIC to improve organizational long-term sustainment. Coaches and change teams could be trained to focus on organizational change sustainment and strengthen the likelihood of institutionalization. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00934141 Registered July 6, 2009. Retrospectively registered.
Superhard diamondlike BC 5 : A first-principles investigation

We perform first-principles density-functional calculations to identify the possible crystal structure of a superhard diamondlike ${\text{BC}}_{5}$ phase, which was recently synthesized under high-pressure and high-temperature conditions. Interestingly, we find only a small total-energy difference between the energetically most favorable ordered configuration and the fully disordered state of ${\text{BC}}_{5}$ modeled using a 54-atom special quasirandom structure, indicating a weak ordering tendency. It is thus likely that the ${\text{BC}}_{5}$ phase synthesized under experimental conditions is disordered in nature. Such a conclusion is further corroborated by the fact that the disordered ${\text{BC}}_{5}$ structure displays volume-per-atom, bulk modulus and its pressure derivative, and simulated x-ray diffraction spectrum in good agreements with experiments.
Somatocrinin, the growth hormone releasing factor.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the isolation of tumor-derived and hypothalamic GRFs, structure-activity relationships of synthetic replicates of GRFs, in vitro studies on the mechanism of action of GRF, and antagonism between GRF and somatostatin. Clinical interest in GRF extends over its use as a diagnostic tool and a treatment of hypothalamic dwarfism. GRF helps to promote anabolism in chronic debilitating diseases, as long as the dietary intake is adequate, and to promote the healing of wounds and bone fractures. The availability of GRF with its highly specific effect in stimulating GH secretion should permit investigations of the proposed role of GH in diabetic retinopathy. Structural analogs of GRF acting as competitive antagonists may be of major clinical significance in the treatment of accidents of juvenile diabetes.