cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Factors associated with objectively measured exercise participation after hospitalization for acute coronary syndrome

Abstract Background Guidelines recommend exercise for secondary prevention of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), however adherence to guidelines is low. A paucity of data examining factors associated with objectively-measured exercise post-discharge in ACS survivors exists. The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with exercise during the 5 weeks after ACS discharge. Methods A sample of 151 ACS patients treated at a university hospital were enrolled into an observational cohort study and wore an accelerometer for 35 days post-discharge. Days on which participants accumulated ≥30 min of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in bouts ≥10 min were considered exercise days. Participants were categorized as non-exercisers (0 exercise days) or exercisers (≥1 exercise day). A multi-variable logistic regression model was used to examine the association between exercise and socio-demographics, depression, SF-12 physical and mental health scores, disease severity, length of hospitalization, and percutaneous coronary intervention. Results 39.7% of participants were non-exercisers. Factors associated with non-exercise were age (OR: 1.11; 95% CI: 1.06–1.17, p Conclusion In ACS patients in whom exercise participation was objectively measured for 5 weeks post-discharge, demographic and poor physical health factors were associated with non-exercise. These findings identify populations (e.g. older adults, women) at especially high risk for being physically inactive in whom more intense intervention may be warranted.
Transformation with Artificial Chromosomes in Oxytricha trifallax and Their Applications.

Oxytricha trifallax, like other ciliates, has separate germline and somatic nuclei. The diploid germline genome in the micronucleus is composed of long conventional chromosomes, the macronucleus, contains a polyploid somatic genome which is naturally fragmented into thousands of kilobase-sized chromosomes. Here, we develop a method to stably incorporate artificial chromosomes into the macronucleus. We report two cases of successful transformation and demonstrate the use of somatic transformation to investigate gene regulation and gene function in Oxytricha. We show that the transformed artificial chromosomes are maintained through multiple asexual divisions. Furthermore, they support the transcriptional regulation of the native chromosome from which they were derived and are translated to produce functional proteins. To test if transformed chromosomes are amenable to practical applications, we generated a tagged version of a representative gene (AL1) and used it to co-precipitate associated proteins. This revealed an association with nucleic acid binding proteins, specifically RNA-binding proteins, and RNA immunoprecipitation of AL1 revealed its association with multiple RNAs. The use of artificial chromosomes in Oxytricha enables an array of genetic and molecular biological assays, as well as new avenues of inquiry into the epigenetic programming of macronuclear development and genome rearrangement.
Electro-Thermal Analysis and Edge Termination Techniques of High Current β-Ga 2 O 3 Schottky Rectifiers

The performance and limitations of β-Ga 2 O 3 Schottky rectifiers is studied via simulation using the Florida Object Oriented Device and Process (FLOODS) TCAD simulator. The effect of forward bias and power is examined for various bulk and epitaxial layer thicknesses as well as for heat sink geometries. Thicker bulk/substrate results in higher maximum temperature values whereas a thinner epitaxial-layer results in higher forward currents and hence a higher maximum temperature values via Joule heating. A Cu finned heat sink geometry results in a 26.76% reduction in the maximum temperature. Edge termination techniques are examined for β-Ga 2 O 3 Schottky rectifiers in order to maximize the breakdown voltage, identify the location of breakdown and mitigate the maximum electric field. Best results have been observed for A1203 as the dielectric material in a field-plate structure while the effect of field-plate dimensions is also studied.
Quantum chemical predictions of water-octanol partition coefficients applied to the SAMPL6 logP blind challenge.

Theoretical approaches for predicting physicochemical properties are valuable tools for accelerating the drug discovery process. In this work, quantum chemical methods are used to predict water–octanol partition coefficients as a part of the SAMPL6 blind challenge. The SMD continuum solvent model was employed with MP2 and eight DFT functionals in conjunction with correlation consistent basis sets to determine the water–octanol transfer free energy. Several tactics towards improving the predictions of the partition coefficient were examined, including increasing the quality of basis sets, considering tautomerization, and accounting for inhomogeneities in the water and n-octanol phases. Evaluation of these various schemes highlights the impact of modeling approaches across different methods. With the inclusion of tautomers and adjustments to the permittivity constants, the best predictions were obtained with smaller basis sets and the O3LYP functional, which yielded an RMSE of 0.79 logP units. The results presented correspond to the SAMPL6 logP submission IDs: DYXBT, O7DJK, and AHMTF.
For "Us": Towards an Intersectional Leadership Conceptualization by Black Women for Black Girls.

This article is based on a STEM education case study that illumines the work that three Black women school leaders do specifically on behalf of Black girls, and in examining their asset-based appro...
Comparison of Auditory, Language, Memory, and Attention Abilities in Children With and Without Listening Difficulties

Objectives School-age children with and without parent-reported listening difficulties (LiD) were compared on auditory processing, language, memory, and attention abilities. The objective was to extend what is known so far in the literature about children with LiD by using multiple measures and selective novel measures across the above areas. Design Twenty-six children who were reported by their parents as having LiD and 26 age-matched typically developing children completed clinical tests of auditory processing and multiple measures of language, attention, and memory. All children had normal-range pure-tone hearing thresholds bilaterally. Group differences were examined. Results In addition to significantly poorer speech-perception-in-noise scores, children with LiD had reduced speed and accuracy of word retrieval from long-term memory, poorer short-term memory, sentence recall, and inferencing ability. Statistically significant group differences were of moderate effect size; however, standard test scores of children with LiD were not clinically poor. No statistically significant group differences were observed in attention, working memory capacity, vocabulary, and nonverbal IQ. Conclusions Mild signal-to-noise ratio loss, as reflected by the group mean of children with LiD, supported the children's functional listening problems. In addition, children's relative weakness in select areas of language performance, short-term memory, and long-term memory lexical retrieval speed and accuracy added to previous research on evidence-based areas that need to be evaluated in children with LiD who almost always have heterogenous profiles. Importantly, the functional difficulties faced by children with LiD in relation to their test results indicated, to some extent, that commonly used assessments may not be adequately capturing the children's listening challenges. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.12808607.
Recurrent Left Pleural Effusion Following Left Atrial Appendage Closure With the Watchman Device.

Abstract A 75-year-old woman with recent left atrial appendage closure with the Watchman device (Boston Scientific, Natick, Massachusetts) presented with recurrent left pleural effusion. The conste...
ISSUES OF NONRESPONSE AND IMPUTATION IN THE SURVEY OF INCOME AND PROGRAM PARTICIPATION

This paper describes the extent and nature of the household-, person-and item-level nonresponse that the U.S. Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) is likely to encounter, based on experience obtained from the 1978 Income Survey Development Program Research Panel. Some issues involved in developing nonresponse adjustment and imputation strategies for the SIPP are reviewed, and two promising imputation procedures are examined. Alternative, closely related, information was collected for certain questions which were expected to experience sizeable degrees of nonresponse; one procedure uses this information in imputing for the missing responses to those questions. The other procedure uses responses to a question on one wave of the panel in imputing for missing responses to the same question on another wave.
The Final Illness of Herbert Hoover

Herbert Hoover, the archetypal self-made man, was the 31st president of the United States. His term in office was overwhelmed by the Great Depression and he was defeated by Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the 1932 November presidential election. His post-presidential years were spent writing and serving 4 subsequent presidents. Near the end of his life, he underwent a cholecystectomy for symptomatic gallstones and a colectomy for colon cancer. His health care was complicated by the development of cirrhosis and recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding. After his 90th birthday, he died in October 1964 from massive bleeding due to a Dieulafoy lesion of the gastric cardia. This manuscript will review the details of his health and the physicians who cared for Hoover during his final years.
Factors correlated with intracranial interictal epileptiform discharges in refractory epilepsy

OBJECTIVE This study was undertaken to evaluate the influence that subject-specific factors have on intracranial interictal epileptiform discharge (IED) rates in persons with refractory epilepsy. METHODS One hundred fifty subjects with intracranial electrodes performed multiple sessions of a free recall memory task; this standardized task controlled for subject attention levels. We utilized a dominance analysis to rank the importance of subject-specific factors based on their relative influence on IED rates. Linear mixed-effects models were employed to comprehensively examine factors with highly ranked importance. RESULTS Antiseizure medication (ASM) status, time of testing, and seizure onset zone (SOZ) location were the highest-ranking factors in terms of their impact on IED rates. The average IED rate of electrodes in SOZs was 34% higher than the average IED rate of electrodes outside of SOZs (non-SOZ; p < .001). However, non-SOZ electrodes had similar IED rates regardless of the subject's SOZ location (p = .99). Subjects on older generation (p < .001) and combined generation (p < .001) ASM regimens had significantly lower IED rates relative to the group taking no ASMs; newer generation ASM regimens demonstrated a nonsignificant association with IED rates (p = .13). Of the ASMs included in this study, the following ASMs were associated with significant reductions in IED rates: levetiracetam (p < .001), carbamazepine (p < .001), lacosamide (p = .03), zonisamide (p = .01), lamotrigine (p = .03), phenytoin (p = .03), and topiramate (p = .01). We observed a nonsignificant association between time of testing and IED rates (morning-afternoon p = .15, morning-evening p = .85, afternoon-evening p = .26). SIGNIFICANCE The current study ranks the relative influence that subject-specific factors have on IED rates and highlights the importance of considering certain factors, such as SOZ location and ASM status, when analyzing IEDs for clinical or research purposes.
Patient-Provider Communication, Decision-Making, and Psychosocial Burdens in Palliative Radiotherapy: A Qualitative Study on Patients' Perspectives.

Abstract Context Patient-provider communication impacts how patients with cancer make decisions about treatment. Objectives To examine patient perceptions of discussions, decision-making, and psychosocial burdens related to receiving palliative radiotherapy (RT), in order to inform best practices for communication about palliative RT. Methods We conducted an exploratory qualitative study using oral questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Seventeen patients receiving their first course of palliative RT for lung or bone metastases at a comprehensive cancer center were interviewed. Patient interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analyzed using NVivo software. Results Themes that impacted patients’ decisions to initiate RT included a desire to minimize pain, optimism about what RT could provide for the future, perception of having “no other choice,” disappointment about cancer progression, and unfamiliarity with RT. Most patients preferred shared decision-making regarding RT initiation and reported patient empowerment, effective communication, and team collaboration as contributing to shared decision-making. Most patients preferred their physicians to make decisions about RT treatment intensity and described trust in their physicians, institutional reputation, and RT expertise as motivators for this preference. Patients who possessed a proactive decisional mindset about initiating RT as opposed to having “no other choice” were less likely to report experiencing psychosocial burdens. Conclusion Most patients prefer shared decision-making regarding RT initiation but prefer their radiation oncologists to make decisions regarding treatment intensity. Communication that empowers patients in their desired level of engagement for RT decision-making may help patients make informed decisions, contribute toward a proactive decisional mindset, and reduce their perception of psychosocial burdens.
Epoch-based commit and replication in distributed OLTP databases

Many modern data-oriented applications are built on top of distributed OLTP databases for both scalability and high availability. Such distributed databases enforce atomicity, durability, and consi...
Simulated Performance of the Micro-Pocket Fission Detector in the Advanced Test Reactor Critical Facility

The Micro-Pocket Fission Detector (MPFD) is a small-form-factor real-time fission chamber. MPFD performance has been simulated in the Advanced Test Reactor Critical Facility located at Idaho Nation...
Epitaxial integration of BaTiO3 on Si for electro-optic applications

BaTiO3 (BTO) is a highly promising material for the fabrication of electro-optic (EO) modulators due to the large effective Pockels coefficient of the material, particularly in an epitaxial form. It also has the added benefit of being readily integrated on a Si material platform via a SrTiO3 template. These two characteristics make epitaxial BTO ideal for use in next generation silicon photonics applications. Being a ferroelectric, BTO has a unique crystallographic direction in which the ferroelectric polarization points. For EO modulators, because the polarization direction controls the coupling between light and an external electric field, it is important to understand how different growth methods and subsequent processing affect the direction of the ferroelectric polarization. Certain electro-optic devices may require polarization to be in the plane of the film (in-plane switching liquid crystal devices), while other applications may require it to be normal to the plane of the film (Mach–Zehnder modulator). Here, we review the growth of epitaxial BTO on Si by a variety of deposition methods including molecular beam epitaxy, pulsed laser deposition, and RF sputtering. We summarize the resulting BTO film structure and quality based on the reported characterization results. We also discuss EO measurements of basic devices made from this material platform where such data are available.
Extubation Failure in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients: Risk Factors and Impact on In-Hospital Mortality.

Purpose:We sought to identify clinical factors that predict extubation failure (reintubation) and its prognostic implications in critically ill COVID-19 patients.Materials and Methods:Retrospective...
Copper Oxide Nanoparticle-Induced Acute Inflammatory Response and Injury in Murine Lung Is Ameliorated by Synthetic Secoisolariciresinol Diglucoside (LGM2605)

Metal-oxide nanoparticles (MO-NPs), such as the highly bioreactive copper-based nanoparticles (CuO-NPs), are widely used in manufacturing of hundreds of commercial products. Epidemiological studies correlated levels of nanoparticles in ambient air with a significant increase in lung disease. CuO-NPs, specifically, were among the most potent in a set of metal-oxides and carbons studied in parallel regarding DNA damage and cytotoxicity. Despite advances in nanotoxicology research and the characterization of their toxicity, the exact mechanism(s) of toxicity are yet to be defined. We identified chlorination toxicity as a damaging consequence of inflammation and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activation, resulting in macromolecular damage and cell damage/death. We hypothesized that the inhalation of CuO-NPs elicits an inflammatory response resulting in chlorination damage in cells and lung tissues. We further tested the protective action of LGM2605, a synthetic small molecule with known scavenging properties for reactive oxygen species (ROS), but most importantly, for active chlorine species (ACS) and an inhibitor of MPO. CuO-NPs (15 µg/bolus) were instilled intranasally in mice and the kinetics of the inflammatory response in lungs was evaluated 1, 3, and 7 days later. Evaluation of the protective action of LGM2605 was performed at 24 h post-challenge, which was selected as the peak acute inflammatory response to CuO-NP. LGM2605 was given daily via gavage to mice starting 2 days prior to the time of the insult (100 mg/kg). CuO-NPs induced a significant inflammatory influx, inflammasome-relevant cytokine release, and chlorination damage in mouse lungs, which was mitigated by the action of LGM2605. Preventive action of LGM2605 ameliorated the adverse effects of CuO-NP in lung.
Public Opinion and Ideology

The term “public opinion” connotes both a phenomenon of mass political behavior and a field of study with both scholarly and applied aspects. This chapter will attempt to summarize major findings about public opinion, including its origins, correlates, content, and consequences. Particular attention will be given to the narrower concept of “ideology” and the applicability of that concept to the mass public.
The Future of the Digital Divide

The major book findings are summarized, including that nations are distinctive in the structure of their internal digital divides and that the most important common correlates of ICT utilization at the state-level are urban location, economic prosperity, education, and infrastructure. Geographical patterns of ICT usage characterize nations and are analyzed. Government ICT policies that encompass internal digital divide issues are commonplace for nations yet need dynamic updating due to technological and societal changes. The trends towards hyperconnectivity and Big Data will alter digital divides as well as models to study them. A notable pilot project underway is the Google loon, which might bring high-speed broadband to the world’s disadvantaged people no matter how remote or neglected. In the developing world, high relative costing of broadband is dropping but still constitutes a major barrier. The case of Poland’s large advance towards cutting-edge ICT demonstrates tenacious commitment and the initiatives from a key leader. Beyond the scope of our quantitative model is the intangible influence and potential betterment from outstanding government leadership.
Agitate! Educate! Organize! American Labor Posters by Lincoln Cushing and Timothy W. Drescher

(2010). Agitate! Educate! Organize! American Labor Posters by Lincoln Cushing and Timothy W. Drescher. Design and Culture: Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 122-124.
Implementation of a MRAC for a Two Axis Direct Drive Robot Manipulator using a Digital Signal Processor

This paper is concerned with the digital implementation of a Model Reference Adaptive Control (MRAC) algorithm on a Texas Instrument TMS32010 Digital Signal Processor (DSP). The MRAC was designed to control a two axis direct drive SCARA type robot manipulator. The primary purpose of the adaptive controller is to compensate for the inertial variations due to changes in configurtion and payload. Experimental results presented clearly illustrate the need for adaptive control over conventional PID controller for the type of arm structure used in the experiments. Discussion on the use of DSP in controls is presented in terms of their capabilities and the influence their performance will have on the sampling time of digital control systems.
Computational Aspects of Clearing Continuous Call Double Auctions with Assignment Constraints and Indivisible Demand

We investigate the computational complexity of clearing markets in a continuous call double auction. In the simplest case, when any part of any bid can be matched with any part of any ask, the market can be cleared optimally in log-linear time. We present two generalizations, motivated by electronic marketplaces for the process industry, where: (a) there exist assignment constraints on which bids can be matched with which asks, and (b) where demand is indivisible. We show that clearing markets with assignment constraints can be solved efficiently using network flow algorithms. However clearing markets with indivisible demand, with or without assignment constraints, requires solving NP-hard optimization problems such as the generalized assignment problem, the multiple knapsack problem and the bin packing problem.
THE PRICE-ROGERS ELECTION: POLITICS OR RELIGION?

IN an interesting recent article Neil de Marchi2 has argued that the rejection of Thorold Rogers for the post of Drummond Professor of Political Economy in 1868 was primarily due to the political activities of Rogers. By utilizing some contemporary comments on the election I shall argue that Thorold Rogers's appearance at a Baptist chapel was of as much importance as his political views.3 Both Bonamy Price and Thorold Rogers were vigorous supporters of Free Trade, of University reform, and of religious toleration. To the country clergymen who composed the most influential group of nonresidents, the difference between the two candidates was really one of degree and not of kind. A preliminary indication of the feeling of this group was visible when on 15 January each side published a list of those members of convocation who had committed themselves. At this point, both sides were evenly matched with approximately 160 supporters for Bonamy Price and 155 for Thorold Rogers. The composition of the two groups, however, was strikingly different. The clergyman Rogers had not one 'Reverend' among his supporters although some six college chaplains did back him. By contrast, Bonamy Price had some fifty-six 'Reverends' supporting him, almost one-third of his list! Clearly, to the minds of the Oxford Convocation, the Revd. Thorold Rogers was not a typical representative of the Church of England. Furthermore, while the overwhelming majority of Rogers's supporters were Fellows of colleges, not one of Price's backers signed his name as such. As consolation, Price could point to some twenty M.P.s, Right Honourables, and Viscounts. Convocation, it appears, had been partitioned by the election into the Residents vs. non-Residents.4 Things took a nasty turn shortly after the two lists of supporters were publicly known. It may be expected that religious orthodoxy was an
α-Keto Acid Dehydrogenase Complexes XX. A KINETIC STUDY OF THE PYRUVATE DEHYDROGENASE COMPLEX FROM BOVINE KIDNEY

Abstract The mammalian pyruvate dehydrogenase complex contains a core, consisting of dihydrolipoyl transacetylase, to which pyruvate dehydrogenase and dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenase (a flavoprotein) are joined. The lipoyl moiety is bound covalently to the transacetylase and, presumably, rotates between the catalytic centers of the three different enzymes that comprise the complex. The kinetic mechanism of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex from bovine kidney mitochondria has been investigated. Initial velocity patterns were a series of parallel lines, regardless of which substrate was varied at fixed levels of a second substrate. Product inhibition patterns showed that acetyl-CoA is competitive versus CoA and NADH is competitive versus NAD, and that both acetyl-CoA and NADH are uncompetitive versus pyruvate. These results are consistent with the patterns predicted from rate equations derived by Cleland for three-site ping-pong mechanisms. However, noncompetitive (rather than uncompetitive) inhibition patterns were observed for acetyl-CoA versus NAD and for NADH versus CoA. Evidence is presented which suggests that these anomalous product inhibition patterns are due to physical association of the flavoprotein with the transacetylase so that combination of acetyl-CoA with the transacetylase hinders combination of NAD with the flavoprotein and combination of NADH with the flavoprotein hinders combination of CoA with the transacetylase.
Efficient implementation of high dimensional model representations

Physical models of various phenomena are often represented by a mathematical model where the output(s) of interest have a multivariate dependence on the inputs. Frequently, the underlying laws governing this dependence are not known and one has to interpolate the mathematical model from a finite number of output samples. Multivariate approximation is normally viewed as suffering from the curse of dimensionality as the number of sample points needed to learn the function to a sufficient accuracy increases exponentially with the dimensionality of the function. However, the outputs of most physical systems are mathematically well behaved and the scarcity of the data is usually compensated for by additional assumptions on the function (i.e., imposition of smoothness conditions or confinement to a specific function space). High dimensional model representations (HDMR) are a particular family of representations where each term in the representation reflects the individual or cooperative contributions of the inputs upon the output. The main assumption of this paper is that for most well defined physical systems the output can be approximated by the sum of these hierarchical functions whose dimensionality is much smaller than the dimensionality of the output. This ansatz can dramatically reduce the sampling effort in representing the multivariate function. HDMR has a variety of applications where an efficient representation of multivariate functions arise with scarce data. The formulation of HDMR in this paper assumes that the data is randomly scattered throughout the domain of the output. Under these conditions and the assumptions underlying the HDMR it is argued that the number of samples needed for representation to a given tolerance is invariant to the dimensionality of the function, thereby providing for a very efficient means to perform high dimensional interpolation. Selected applications of HDMR's are presented from sensitivity analysis and time-series analysis.
Management, technology and agility: the emergence of a new era in manufacturing.

This paper explores the impacts of technological innovations and organizational innovations on the competitiveness of manufacturing enterprises, in a US context, but with reference to developments in Japan. The adoption of technological innovations and the utilization of technical resources are seen not as objective processes, but as part of managerial decision–making based on management's value systems and agendas. The next stage in the development of manufacturing industry is seen as the emergence of the highly–responsive and 'agile' manufacturing enterprise, sometimes taking the form of 'virtual companies' to exploit transient or niche markets as they emerge. The key to this agility in a manufacturing enterprise is a more flexible approach to inter–firm cooperation, and the development of the creative skills of the management and the workforce.
Assays for B Cell and Germinal Center Development

The study of B cell development is highly relevant for a better understanding of human disorders in which B cells are involved. B cell development in humans appears to proceed largely along a linear pathway and occurs in three compartments: bone marrow, peripheral blood, and lymphoid tissue. The focus of this unit is on the detailed immunophenotypic evaluation of cell suspensions obtained from these compartments. These protocols are based on routine methodology, commonly used by clinical flow laboratories. Special emphasis will be placed on the approach to the study of B cell development, including current knowledge regarding immunophenotypic identification of B cell subsets. Multiparameter flow cytometry provides powerful analytical tools, as long as attention is paid to careful design and proper execution of flow cytometric acquisition and analysis. The goal of this unit is to provide a guide to the flow cytometric study of B cell development in humans. Keywords: B cells; B cell development; bone marrow; peripheral blood; lymphoid tissue; germinal center; flow cytometry; immunohistochemistry
Large Key Sizes and the Security of Password-Based Cryptography

We expose a potential vulnerability in the common use of password-based cryptography. When employing a user-chosen password to generate cryptographic keys which themselves are larger than the digest size of the underlying hash function, a part of the resulting key is produced deterministically and this, in turn, may lead to an exploitable weakness.
Cloning of rat fibrillin-2 cDNA and its role in branching morphogenesis of embryonic lung

Fibrillin-2 is an extracellular matrix protein. It is associated with elastic fibers in several tissues and is believed to serve as a ligand for alphavbeta3 integrin, the latter being a known morphogen. In this study, the role of fibrillin-2 in lung development was investigated. Also, rat fibrillin-2 cDNA was isolated and sequenced and its spatiotemporal expression determined. It had approximately 88% homology with human fibrillin-2 and had Ca(2+) binding epidermal growth factor-like domains, transforming growth factor-beta binding protein motifs, and two RGD binding sites. Northern blot analysis revealed an approximately 10-kb transcript, and fibrillin-2 expression was developmentally regulated, and it paralleled that of tropoelastin. At day 13 of gestation, fibrillin-2 was expressed in the mesenchyme and at the epithelial:mesenchymal interface. From day 13 to 19 of gestation, its expression intensified and was confined around the tracheobronchial airways, while it lessened during the postnatal period. Immunoprecipitation revealed an approximately 350-kDa band by SDS-PAGE. Treatment with fibrillin-2 antisense oligodeoxynucleotide induced dysmorphogenesis of the lung explants. They were smaller and had rudimentary lung bud branches, collapsed conducting airways, and loose expanded mesenchyme. Concomitantly, fibrillin-2 mRNA, antibody reactivity in the explants, and fibrillin-2-specific radioincorporation were reduced. Anti-alphav and -laminin antibody reactivity and their respective incorporated specific radioactivities were unaltered. These data indicate that fibrillin-2 modulates organogenesis of the lung in the context of epithelial:mesenchymal interactions. Conceivably, the collapse of the conducting airways may also be related to the perturbed biology of the fibrillin-2 interacting protein, i.e., elastin, the latter being critical for the normal biophysiology of the lungs.
Parental marital conflict and divorce, parent–child relationships, and social support among Latino‐American young adults

Based on research documenting the harmful consequences of parental conflict and divorce, this self-report study examined parental conflict, divorce, and social outcomes of Latino-American young adults. Undergraduate students (N = 431) from divorced and intact families completed measures of parental conflict, quality of parent–adult child relationships, and perceptions of social support. As hypothesized, conflict was associated with poorer parent–adult child relationships, divorce was associated with poorer father–adult child relationships and higher quality mother–adult child relationships, and quality of relationships with parents was positively related to perceived social support. Contrary to expectations, perceptions of social support were not related to parental conflict. Results are discussed in terms of features of Latino families, including extended family networks as important sources of social support.
WORKING WITH INDUSTRIAL PROJECTS CAPSTONE EXPERIENCES: PROOF OF CONCEPT PROJECTS

DOI: 10.14684/intertech.13.2014.16-19 The undergraduate research programs at our University attract more and more attentions from local companies. Engineering companies participate in the programs by providing projects for engineering technology students to work on. Some of the projects may be improvement of current products, development of new products, and/or just some ideas. A production company may not have the extra engineering power to work on those projects or the results of such research may not be implemented immediately. Most of the projects may not require a fully working engineering product as result. We call this type projects proof of concept projects. There was only one company in working with us when we started incorporating undergraduate student research into MET curriculum in fall of 2008, while in 2012-2013 our students are working on five projects from four companies. The success of the project based classes provided bases for new curriculum development as well. Index Terms - Capstone, senior experience, undergraduate .research.
Descriptive Experiences and Sexual vs. Nurturant Aspects of Cuddling between Adult Romantic Partners

Touch is a critical factor in intimate bonds between romantic partners. Although cuddling is a key expression of intimacy, it has received little empirical attention. Past research suggests that cuddling has some sexual aspects (e.g., it increases testosterone [T]), but there are theoretical reasons to expect cuddling to also involve nurturant intimacy (which should decrease T). In this article, we examined the phenomenon of partner cuddling to: (1) provide a descriptive examination; (2) determine if cuddling involved only nurturant intimacy or also sexual intimacy; and (3) test whether cuddling was perceived as nurturant but experienced as sexual. Via an online questionnaire, 514 participants (338 women) responded to quantitative and qualitative questions about cuddling with their romantic partners. Results suggested that cuddling occurred frequently and for relatively long durations, and was viewed very positively. Findings also showed that cuddling was perceived as nurturant and non-sexual but was experienced as at least somewhat sexual, which may explain why past research had found that cuddling increased T. Correlational analyses linked cuddling frequency and enjoyment positively with partnered sexual activities, but negatively with solitary sexuality. Results were discussed relative to evolutionary theories of distinct but overlapping neurobiological systems underlying pair bonding that involve sexual and nurturant intimacy.
California Lomatiums, Part VIII. Analysis of Essential Oils of Lomatium marginatum (Benth.) Coult. & Rose var. purpureum Jepson. Isolation of (Z)-b-lomatene, a New Sesquiterpene Hydrocarbon

Abstract The genus Lomatium has played a significant role in the lives of the natives to the Western United States for their value as food, medicinals and rituals. The essential oils from the fruits, stems and leaves, as well as the roots of Lomatium marginatum var. purpureum, were analyzed. (Z)-β-lomatene, a new sesquiterpene hydrocarbon, which is a major component of the fruit, stem and leaf oils, was isolated and its structure established from its NMR data. In addition to (Z)-β-lomatene, (Z)-3-hexenol and β-caryophyllene were the major components of the stem and leaf oil, and (Z)-falcarinol was the major component of the root oil. The oils had very low concentration of muscle relaxant phthalides.
High Precision Method for Sequential Micro-Contact Printing of Multiple Aligned Patterns

High quality surface patterns of macromolecules are a key component of many microfluidic and microstructured devices. The technique of microcontact printing uses an elastomeric stamp to selectively transfer molecules to a pretreated substrate, and it has emerged as one of the most ubiquitous and versatile ways of creating micropattnered surfaces. This technique is especially well suited for transferring a single chemical pattern, but many chemically and biologically relevant surfaces require multiple complementary molecular patterns. The research demonstrated here utilizes a high-precision passive alignment system to generate these patterns using sequential microcontact printing steps. The technique relies on mechanical alignment and does not require optical alignment of each stamp; the resulting data shows a placement variation of less than 5 μm.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
TGF-β and Iron Differently Alter HBV Replication in Human Hepatocytes through TGF-β/BMP Signaling and Cellular MicroRNA Expression

The nature of host-virus interactions in hepatitis B virus infection is incompletely understood. Since soluble factors, e.g., cytokines and metals, may exacerbate liver injury in chronic hepatitis, we considered that defining the effects of receptor-mediated signaling upon viral replication will be significant. Consequently, we studied effects of iron or TGF-β-induced TGF-β/BMP signaling in the HepG2 2.2.15 cell model of hepatitis B virus replication. We found iron and TGF-β increased hepcidin mRNA expression or TGF-β receptor kinase activity, respectively, which indicated that 2.2.15 cells responded appropriately to these substances. However, iron increased but TGF-β decreased hepatitis B virus mRNA and DNA expression. TGF-β induced expression at the mRNA level of multiple TGF-β/BMP pathway genes. This change was not observed in iron-treated cells. On the other hand, presence of SMAD proteins in iron or TGF-β-treated cells, including of SMAD4, did confirm convergence of TGF-β/BMP signaling pathways under these conditions. Since transcription factors in TGF-β/BMP signaling pathways could not have directly targeted hepatitis B virus itself, we studied whether iron or TGF-β exerted their effects through alternative mechanisms, such as by involvement of antiviral cellular microRNAs. We discovered cellular microRNA expression profiles were significantly different in iron or TGF-β-treated cells compared with untreated control cells. In many cases, exposure to iron or TGF-β changed microRNA expression in opposite directions. Introduction in cells of sequences representing such differentially expressed microRNAs, e.g., hsa-miR-125a-5p and -151-5p, even reproduced effects on virus replication of iron- or TGF-β. We surmised that TGF-β/BMP pathway members, i.e., SMADs, likely governed iron or TGF-β-induced microRNA expression. Iron may have mediated Drosha/DGCR8/heme-mediated processing of microRNAs. In turn, cellular microRNAs regulated replication of hepatitis B virus in iron or TGF-β-treated cells. This knowledge should advance studies of mechanisms in viral-host interactions, hepatic injury, and therapeutic developments for hepatitis B.
HOUSING TENURE CHANGE IN AMERICAN SUBURBS

Home ownership is an important part of what most Americans hope to achieve during their lives, and home ownership in the suburbs has special appeal in the United States. This paper uses national data from the Annual Housing Survey to describe movement patterns of suburban households with an emphasis on entry into and exit from home ownership. The research describes the flows among tenure statuses from 1978-1 983, discusses the characteristics of the mobile households, and examines reasons given for the moves. Over the time period moving into and staying in an owned home became less likely, while the movers' characteristics show an increasing dichotomy between those who end their moves as owners and those who end as renters. The paper discysses the economic and social implications of this decreasing access to home ownership as well as suggesting directions for future research based on the foundation provided by this paper. These directions include work at different scales and research which makes use of mo...
Effects of oleic acid and bile salts on canine villous motility

The effects on canine villous motility of mucosal Tyrodes solution containing oleic acid (10 mM) and/or either taurocholic or cholic acid (15 mM) in the presence or absence of IV atropine (1 mg/kg) was used to assess the neural mediation of the effects of luminal nutrients. Villous motility was measured over 12 min periods by in vivo videomicroscopy of segments of jejunum. Neither bile salt had effects alone but villous motility increased after oleic acid was added to taurocholate and decreased after oleic acid was added to cholate. Villous motility increased when taurocholate and oleic acid were present initially and returned to control levels when removed. Villous motility was not affected by cholate and oleic acid but villous motility decreased when they were removed from the Tyrodes solution. Atropine blocked the increase in villous motility caused by taurocholate and oleic acid. Bile salts can modify the effect of oleic acid on villous motility and a cholinergic step is involved in the stimulation of motility.
A low-dissipation and time-accurate method for compressible multi-component flow with variable specific heat ratios

A low-dissipation method for calculating multi-component gas dynamics flows with variable specific heat ratio that is capable of accurately simulating flows which contain both high- and low-Mach number features is proposed. The technique combines features from the double-flux multi-component model, nonlinear error-controlled WENO, adaptive TVD slope limiters, rotated Riemann solvers, and adaptive mesh refinement to obtain a method that is both robust and accurate. Success of the technique is demonstrated using an extensive series of numerical experiments including premixed deflagrations, Chapman-Jouget detonations, re-shocked Richtmyer-Meshkov instability, shock-wave and hydrogen gas column interaction, and multi-dimensional detonations. This technique is relatively straight-forward to implement using an existing compressible Navier-Stokes solver based on Godunov's method.
The effective reflection coefficients in forward scatter from a dielectric slightly rough surface

Expressions for the effective reflection coefficients are derived using Rice's theory for forward scattering of electromagnetic waves from a dielectric slightly rough surface. In the limiting case of a perfect conductor (e = -i∞), the coefficients agree with the classical expressions derived by Rice.
A novel switching phenomenon in quenched NBSe3

Abstract We have induced switching in nominally pure crystals of NbSe 3 by heating and quenching. The quenched switching samples display a number of novel characteristics including switching at temperatures up to 57K, a linear dependence of the threshold field on temperature, large statistical fluctuations of the threshold fields and long switching times on the order of a few ms. We propose that the quenched samples contain a large concentration of lattice defects, that these defects act as “ultrastrong pinning centers”, and that the unusual aspects of switching in quenched samples are due to an unusually large concentration of these centers.
Expression of apolipoprotein E inhibits aggregation of the C-terminal fragments of μ-amyloid precursor protein

An important role of apolipoprotein E in the amyloidogenesis of Alzheimer's disease is suggested by an accumulation of apolipoprotein E in β-amyloid plaques and a genetic association between Alzheimer's disease and one of the allelic variants (APOE4) of apolipoprotein E. Overexpression of a C-terminal region of β-amyloid precursor protein brings about aggregation of the C-terminal fragments in COS cells. This COS cell culture system was used to study effects of apolipoprotein E on aggregation of the C-terminal fragments. When both apolipoprotein E and the C-terminal fragments were overexpressed in COS cells, Western blot analyses revealed significant inhibition of aggregation of the C-terminal fragments. No significant differences between apolipoprotein E3 and E4 in the inhibitory activities were found by this method. Apolipoprotein E may inhibit formation of amyloid fibrils.
From napkin to new technology: 21st-century challenges for the surgeon-inventor.

It is useful to enumerate some relevant definitions. Intellectual property Intellectual property is defined as a product of the “mind or intellect.” It can encompass anything from a new heart valve to “Triumph the Insult Comic Dog.” Owners are granted exclusivity over various intangibles such as inventions, discoveries, artistic works, words, symbols, and designs. Common types of intellectual property are patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets. Patents “A patent is a man’s right to the product of his mind” (Ayn Rand). A patent is defined as “a set of exclusive rights granted by a government to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for a pubic disclosure of an invention.” An important exception to the protection afforded by patents is that of a new discovery. Patents are further divided into “utility” and “design” patents. Utility patents An invention must be new, useful, and “nonobvious.” A utility patent protects any new invention or functional improvement on an existing invention. To meet the novelty requirement, the invention must not have been known or used by others in this country before the applicant invented it, and it also must not have been patented or described in a printed publication in the United States or a foreign country. If the inventor’s work is not novel, the inventor is not adding to the public knowledge, so the inventor should not be granted a patent. Meeting the useful requirement is easy for most inventions. An invention is useful if it can be applied to some beneficial use in society. To meet the nonobvious requirement, the invention must be sufficiently different from existing technology and knowledge so that, at the time the invention was made, the invention as a whole would not have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in that field. Design patents To qualify for a design patent, a design must be new, original, and ornamental. Design patents are considered rather narrow intellectual property protection because they are limited to the ornamental appearance of an article. Given the limited protection provided by this category, most infringements of these patents are unenforceable. Technology transfer Technology transfer is a term used to describe the transfer of technology from one environment to another [1]. For all the academic surgeons reading this, a visit to your Office of Technology Transfer is almost a certain step along the path to “patenthood.” The role played by this department cannot be overemphasized and is the key to bringing a good idea from the drawing board to commercialization. My colleagues in private practice will experience a less bureaucratic but also less structured process involving direct interaction with our industry partners.