cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Experimental evaluation of a model for oxygen exchange in a pulsating intravascular artificial lung.

Intravascular oxygenation and carbon dioxide removal remains a potentially attractive means for respiratory support in patients with acute or chronic respiratory failure. Our group has been developing an intravascular hollow fiber artificial lung that uses a pulsating balloon located within the fiber bundle to augment gas transfer. We previously reported on a simple compartmental model for simulating O2 exchange in pulsating intravascular artificial lungs. In this study we evaluate the O2 exchange model with gas exchange and PO2 measurements performed on an idealized intravascular artificial lung (IIVAL) tested in a water perfusion loop. The IIVAL has well-defined bundle geometry and can be operated in balloon pulsation mode, or a steady perfusion mode for determining the mass transfer correlation required by the model. The O2 exchange rates and compartmental O2 tensions measured with balloon pulsation in the IIVAL are within 10% of model predictions for flow and pulsation conditions relevant to intravascular oxygenation. The experiments confirmed that a significant buildup of PO2 occurs within the fiber bundle, which reduces the O2 exchange rate. The agreement between experiments and predictions suggests that the model captures the cardinal processes dictating gas transfer in pulsating intravascular artificial lungs. © 2000 Biomedical Engineering Society. PAC00: 8780-y, 8710+e
Multiplicative SMILES-based optimal descriptors: QSPR modeling of fullerene C60 solubility in organic solvents

Abstract Optimal descriptors calculated with simplified molecular input line entry system have been used for modeling solubility of fullerene C60 in organic solvents. This approach provides improvement over the previous models. Statistical characteristics of the developed model are: n = 92, R2 = 0.9372, Q2 = 0.9339, s = 0.270, F = 1342 (training set); n = 28, R2 = 0.9151, R pred 2 = 0.9032 , s = 0.334, F = 280 (test set).
Differentiation-based multi-resolution approach for lossless image compression

Summary form only given. A differentiation-based multi-resolution approach for lossless image compression was presented. The technique used six appropriately weighted adjacent pixels to estimate the predicted pixel intensity. It can also be considered as an additional rule for the seven predictors used by lossless JPEG. The prediction error was decomposed by integer wavelet transform to improve the prediction. The minimum weighted entropy determines the optimal decomposition level of the differentiation-based wavelet transform. The performance of the proposed approach was evaluated and compared with the lossless JPEG and lossless adaptive linear predictor schemes. These two techniques are capable of estimating the present pixel value from the previous pixel values. The computational complexities were greatly reduced due to known values of the predictor coefficients used by the encoder and decoder.
Feline caliciviruses (FCVs) isolated from cats with virulent systemic disease possess in vitro phenotypes distinct from those of other FCV isolates.

During the past decade, several outbreaks of severe systemic disease associated with Feline calicivirus (FCV) have occurred in the USA and the UK. This new disease has caused high mortality in the affected animals and has been termed virulent systemic (VS)-FCV disease. Currently, there are no genetic or in vitro diagnostic methods to distinguish viruses isolated from cases of VS-FCV disease from other isolates. Here, five in vitro properties, as well as the capsid and proteinase–polymerase (pro–pol) sequences, of a set of FCV isolates that included seven isolates from five distinct VS-FCV outbreaks (‘VS isolates’) were investigated. Although all of the FCV isolates investigated had similar kinetics of growth under single-cycle conditions, VS isolates infected tissue-culture cells more efficiently under multiple-cycle growth conditions. Moreover, it was found that cells infected with VS isolates showed cytopathic effects earlier than cells infected with non-VS isolates, although no difference in relative ATP levels were noted at times when morphological changes were first seen. Both VS- and other (non-VS) isolates of FCV demonstrated similar temperature stabilities. Phylogenetic analyses and alignments of the capsid and pro–pol regions of the genome did not reveal any conserved changes that correlated with virulence, and the VS isolates did not segregate into a unique clade. These results suggest that VS isolates have arisen independently several times since first being described and can spread more efficiently in tissue culture than other isolates when infected at low multiplicity.
Adaptive Signal Scaling Driven Critical Path Modulation for Low Power Baseband OFDM Processors

Modern wireless communication systems are designed for worst-case channel noise and interference conditions. This results in circuits that over-perform and consume more power than necessary most of the time when channel conditions are not worst-case. In this paper, we propose a power savings methodology that allows "graceful degradation" of baseband system performance when channel conditions are good without compromising overall bit-error rate. This adaptation is achieved by "dynamically modulating the active circuit critical paths via signal scaling" and by simultaneously modulating the supply voltage of the baseband signal processing circuitry. The proposed approach uses continuous monitoring of the error vector magnitude (EVM) of the demodulated signal to drive the adaptation procedure. The proposed architecture can reduce power consumption in the baseband processor of an OFDM receiver by as much as 30%. As opposed to other schemes, the proposed technique requires no modification of existing signal processing hardware.
Prognosis and management of invasive well-differentiated thyroid cancer

Invasive thyroid cancer is often asymptomatic and can take the surgeon and the patient by surprise. Maintenance of a high level of suspicion in patients who present with symptoms, an abnormal examination, recurrent disease, or documented metastatic disease lead the clinician to obtain appropriate cross-sectional imaging that helps to define the full extent of the disease. Specific guidelines are provided for the management of the various structures in the neck that are at risk for involvement by disease extension outside the gland or extracapsular extension outside a lymph node with involvement by metastatic disease. This article reviews the prognosis, diagnosis, management, and implications of invasive thyroid cancer affecting the various structures of the central and lateral compartments of the neck.
Rational Behavior or the Norm of Cooperation? Filibustering Among Retiring Senators

This paper contributes to the growing empirical literature on filibusters by examining the factors that are associated with individual-level filibustering behavior. We focus particularly on the behavior of senators in the latter part of their careers, using impending retirement as analytical leverage to determine whether decisions to engage or not in dilatory parliamentary practices are driven more by narrowly drawn considerations of instrumental utility or by compliance with institutional norms of deference and cooperation. Using data from 1975 to 1993 and employing multivariate models that allow us to control for other relevant factors, we find only limited support for a narrowly rational model of Senate “followership.” In the course of our enquiry, we clarify the notion of legislative norms, integrate our study with recent interdisciplinary scholarship on the evolution of cooperative behavior and consider how leadership can be exercised in environments largely bereft of formal leadership resources.
cDNA cloning, biochemical characterization and inhibition by plant inhibitors of the α-amylases of the Western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera

We report the characterization and cDNA cloning of two alpha-amylase isozymes from larvae of the Western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte). Larvae raised on artificial media have very low levels of amylase activity, and much higher levels are found in larvae raised on maize seedlings. At pH 5.7, the optimum pH for enzyme activity, the alpha-amylases are substantially but not completely inhibited by amylase inhibitors from the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) and from wheat (Triticum aestivum). Using the reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), we cloned two cDNAs with 83% amino acid identity that encode alpha-amylase-like polypeptides. Expression of one of the two cDNAs in insect cells with a baculovirus vector shows that this cDNA encodes an active amylase with a mobility that corresponds to that of one of the two isozymes present in larval extracts. The expressed enzyme is substantially inhibited by the same two inhibitors. We also show that expression in Arabidopsis of the cDNA that encodes the amylase inhibitor AI-1 of the common bean results in the accumulation of active inhibitor in the roots, and the results are discussed with reference to the possibility of using amylase inhibitors as a strategy to genetically engineer maize plants that are resistant to Western corn rootworm larvae.
Toward an Agenda for Behavioral Public Finance

Public finance is one of the oldest sub-fields in economics and social science, behavioral economics among the youngest. While the field of behavioral finance has received much attention, behavioral public finance has received far less. Yet the absence of any simple arbitrage mechanism in the public sphere, such as markets and competition in private domains, suggests that the effects of deviations from rationality may pervade public finance. This article surveys the potential new field of behavioral public finance and notes three broad areas for further inquiry and development: (1) the role of form and framing in the design of public finance mechanisms, (2) the significance of time inconsistency and problems of self-control in employing welfarist models of public policy and (3) alternative models of taxpayer compliance. The three areas illustrate, however tentatively, the need for researchers and policy-makers to use realistic assumptions of human judgment and decision-making in considering important questions in public finance.
The Law and Economics of Cybersecurity

Part I. Problems: 1. Private versus social incentives in cybersecurity, law and economics Bruce K. Kobayashi 2. A model for when disclosure helps security: what is different about computer and network security? Peter Swire 3. Peer production of survivable critical infrastructures Yochai Benkler 4. Cyber security: of heterogeneity and autarchy Randal C. Picker 5. Network responses to network threats: the evolution into private cybersecurity associations Amitai Aviram 6. The dark side of private ordering for cybersecurity Neal K. Katyal 7. Holding Internet Service Providers accountable Doug Lichtman and Eric P. Posner 8. Global cyberterrorism, jurisdiction, and international organization Joel T. Trachtman.
The US Constitution and monetary powers: an analysis of the 1787 constitutional convention and the constitutional transformation of the US monetary system

The monetary powers embedded in the US Constitution were revolutionary and led to a watershed transformation in the nation's monetary structure. They included determining what monies could be legal tender, who could emit fiat paper money, and who could incorporate banks. How the debate at the 1787 constitutional convention over these powers evolved and led the founding fathers to the specific powers adopted is presented and deconstructed. Why they took this path rather than replicate the successful colonial system and why they codified such powers into supreme law rather than leaving them to legislative debate and enactment are addressed.
Global regularity of logarithmically supercritical 3-D LAMHD-alpha system with zero diffusion

Abstract We study the three-dimensional Lagrangian-averaged magnetohydrodynamics-alpha system with zero diffusion. Despite the dissipation strength at the logarithmically supercritical level, using dyadic decomposition techniques we show that given initial data sufficiently smooth, the solution pair remains smooth for all time. This settles the global regularity case suggested by the authors in [27] .
Gender Equality and Democratization in the Mexican States

Why are women better off in some places than in others? Cross-national studies of the status of women have demonstrated astonishing diversity in the well-being of women across countries. In the Scandinavian countries, for example, women enjoy near equality in many indicators of well-being, such as literacy rates, enrollment rates, educational attainment, health and life expectancy. In other parts of the world women are much less likely than men to have access to education and healthcare. Girls are less likely to be born, less likely to survive childhood, and more likely to die young. What explains this tremendous variance in gender equality? Recent cross-national research has shown that gender equality is the result not only of modernization, but also democracy and women’s participation in politics (Beer 2009).
The Fourth Arm of Justice: The Art and Science of Revenge

This paper explores retribution both from the perspective of justice, as well as the reciprocity norms on which assessments of justice and injustice are based. It has suggests three primary mechanisms for retribution: retributory recompense, retributory retaliation, and retributory impression management. Retribution and revenge are sensitive topics. Like beating one's spouse, few people like to confess to such behaviors or to such desires. Although concern with justice is seen as legitimate, concern with frequently vengeance is not. As noted by Jacoby (1983), Maidanek survivors who testified at the deportation hearings for Hermine Ryan, an officer of Maidanek, were asked by the defense if they were "out for revenge." Recognizing that seeking revenge would be seen as illegitimate, the survivors replied that they only wanted justice. Although frequently implied, justice and revenge are not mutually exclusive. A desire for retribution does not require rationalization. "A victim wants to see an assailant punished not only for reasons of pragmatic deterrence but also as a means to repairing a damaged sense of civic order and personal identity. Deterrence and retribution are hardly identical, but the former invariably involves an element of the latter (Jacoby, 1983:9)." In this paper, I attempt to take the perspective of the employee reacting against a perceived injustice, attempting to resolve the injustice through retribution. I remain largely silent on the perspective of the employer, not because it is not of interest, but because the current research more adequately addresses the employer's perspective and ability to enact various forms of justice. Retributive justice is one form of justice that can be enacted by not only the powerful, but also the powerless. By taking the perspective of the employee and by looking at the relatively less-studied form of justice, we may obtain a more complete understanding of behavior in organizations.
Broadband Absorbing Exciton–Plasmon Metafluids with Narrow Transparency Windows

Optical metafluids that consist of colloidal solutions of plasmonic and/or excitonic nanomaterials may play important roles as functional working fluids or as means for producing solid metamaterial coatings. The concept of a metafluid employed here is based on the picture that a single ballistic photon, propagating through the metafluid, interacts with a large collection of specifically designed optically active nanocrystals. We demonstrate water-based metafluids that act as broadband electromagnetic absorbers in a spectral range of 200–3300 nm and feature a tunable narrow (∼100 nm) transparency window in the visible-to-near-infrared region. To define this transparency window, we employ plasmonic gold nanorods. We utilize excitonic boron-doped silicon nanocrystals as opaque optical absorbers (“optical wall”) in the UV and blue-green range of the spectrum. Water itself acts as an opaque “wall” in the near-infrared to infrared. We explore the limits of the concept of a “simple” metafluid by computationally ...
Blink rate: a possible measure of fatigue

The literature on blink rate as a measure of fatigue is reviewed. The evidence of increases in blink rate as a function of time on task is compelling. However, variables other than time on task also affect blink rate. These variables range from perceptual demandingness of the task to cognitive variables. Other aspects of blinking, such as flurries of blinks, timing with respect to information-processing demands, and blink closure duration, are reviewed as additional variables sensitive to task demands and fatigue effects.
Diagnosing Infection in the Setting of Periprosthetic Fractures

Abstract Background The diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infection is particularly challenging in patients with periprosthetic fractures. The purpose of this study was to investigate the utility of commonly used diagnostic tests for periprosthetic joint infection in patients with a periprosthetic fracture. Methods Of 121 patients treated with a periprosthetic fracture (97 hips, 24 knees, mean age: 72.9), 14 (11.6%) met Musculoskeletal Infection Society criteria for infection. Diagnostic variables were evaluated using logistic regression models for the prediction of infection and receiver operating characteristics curves. Results The synovial white blood cell (WBC) count and differential were the best diagnostic tests, with good test performance (area under the curve, 84%) and optimal cutoffs of 2707 WBC/uL and 77% polymorphonuclear cells. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein were found to have overall lower test performance but remained relatively sensitive at standard cutoff values of 30 mm/h and 10 mg/L, respectively. Conclusion The synovial fluid WBC count and differential are the best tests with optimal cutoff values that are similar to those used for patients without a periprosthetic fracture.
Comparison between granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in the mobilization of peripheral blood stem cells

Peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) have become the preferred source of stem cells for autologous transplantation because of the technical advantage and the shorter time to engraftment. Mobilization of CD34+ into the peripheral blood can be achieved by the administration of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), or both, either alone or in combination with chemotherapy. G-CSF and GM-CSF differ somewhat in the number and composition of PBSCs and effector cells mobilized to the peripheral blood. The purpose of this review is to give a recent update on the type and immunologic properties of CD34+ cells and CD34+ cell subsets mobilized by G-CSF or GM-CSF with emphasis on (1) relative efficacy of CD34+ cell mobilization; (2) relative toxicities of G-CSF and GM-CSF as mobilizing agents; (3) mobilization of dendritic cells and their subsets; (4) delineation of the role of adhesion molecules, CXC receptor 4, and stromal cell-derived factor-1 signaling pathway in the release of CD34+ cell to the peripheral blood after treatment with G-CSF or GM-CSF.
Asymmetric Mosaic Spread During Relaxation in SiGe/ Si Strained Layer Superlattices Grown on Miscut Substrates

The evolution of defects in SiGe/Si strained layer superlattices (SLS)-with thickness and composition near the critical thickness -was investigated. The structures were grown on 2° miscut (001) substrates by ultrahigh vacuum chemical vapor deposition. The samples were then annealed between 700 °C and 900 °C. After annealing, the satellite peak intensity from double axis diffraction decreased and triple axis diffraction showed that this decreased intensity was due to increased mosaic structure. Interestingly, for some of the annealed samples, the (004) reciprocal space maps showed an asymmetric mosaic spread, indicating a preferential tilt. This result stems from a preferential propagation of certain types of misfit dislocations due to the substrate miscut.
A Comparison of Season-Long Cotton-Pest-Control Programs in California During 1966

Five season-long insecticidal control programs were compared for their impact on pest and beneficial insects in a 240-acre cotton field. The pest species encountered were Lygus Hesperus Knight; the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hubner); and the bollworm, Heliothis zea (Boddie). The beneficial insects assessed were a minute pirate bug, Orius tristicolor (White); a big-eyed bug, Gcoeoris pallnes Stal; a collops beetle, Gollops vittatus (Say); a damsel bug, Nabis americoferus Carayon; and a green lacewing, Chrysopa carnea Stephens. L. hespems was suppressed most effectively by 5 applications of toxaphene-malathion, 4 applications of Bidrin® (3-hydroxy- N, N -dimethyl- cis -crotonamide dimethyl phosphate), and 5 applications of toxaphene-DDT, All chemicals were applied when an average of 2 or more L. hesperus per 50 net sweeps was encountered. In another toxaphene-DDT program, 3 treatments applied each time an average of 10 L. hesperus per 50 net sweeps was found resulted in moderate reduction of this species. The abundance of L. hesperus in the control exceeded the recommended treatment level of 10 bugs per 50 net sweeps in 7 out of 13 weekly samples taken from June 6 to August 30. During the period of L. hesperus control, predator abundance was severely reduced in the toxaphene-malathion and the 2 Bidrin programs. It was moderately reduced where 5 applications of toxaphene-DDT were made and less severely so in the limited toxaphene-DDT program (3 applications). In August, an outbreak of cabbage looper occurred in all the chemical programs. By contrast, the control which had retained its predator populations suffered the lowest infestation and the least damage. One of the Bidrin programs was not treated and was extensively defoliated by cabbage looper. The other Bidrin program was treated at weekly intervals with Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner and was not seriously damaged. Two applications of toxaphene-DDT gave the most effective chemical control of cabbage looper. In late August and September, bollworm was significantly reduced in the programs receiving I and 3 applications of toxaphene-DDT, but unaffected by 3 applications of toxaphene-carbaryl and 4 of B. thuringiensis . The Bidrin program, which had been heavily defoliated by cabbage looper, was not treated for bollworm, yet the bollworm infestation remained below that found in the control. Four evaluations of boll set made during the season at periodic intervals showed no significant differences between any of the chemical programs and the control. However, in the final boll count made following the period of bollworm infestation the degree of bollworm damage was lowest in the 2 toxaphene-DDT programs followed by the Bidrin program, which had not been treated for bollworm. Correspondingly, at harvest, the highest yields were produced in the 2 toxaphene-DDT programs followed by the latter Bidrin program. But, only the toxaphene-DDT program which had received the least number of applications produced a significantly greater amount of cotton than the control.
Service-Oriented Network Discovery and Selection in Virtualization-Based Mobile Internet

Network virtualization has been propounded as a key diversifying feature of the future internetworking paradigm and will play a crucial role in the next generation Internet. The Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) could serve as a key enabler for network virtualization and greatly facilitate network discovery and selection in the mobile Internet. In this paper, we study the problem of network discovery and selection in virtualization-based future mobile Internet. We first advocate a new perspective of network discovery and selection that fits the network virtualization, and then explore application of the SOA principle for realizing this new perspective. We develop a service-oriented system for network discovery and selection in the mobile Internet and propose a scalable information update mechanism for achieving real-time network discovery and selection. Numerical analysis results are also provided to show the effectiveness of the proposed system and mechanism.
Sulfa residues in pork: an update.

Sulfamethazine (SMZ) is an antibacterial drug used in approximately 75% of all hogs marketed in the U.S. The tolerance for residues of SMZ in uncooked tissues is .1 ppm, and the withdrawal time is 15 d. The rate of illegal residues in swine from the use of SMZ has continued to fluctuate between 4% and 5% from 1980 through 1987. This was not acceptable. The Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) also has received from the National Center for Toxicological Research a report showing that SMZ produces a dose-related increase in follicular cell adenomas of the thyroid gland in rats and mice. The FDA has discovered three major causes of SMZ residues by investigating violators. The number one cause was a lack of sequencing, flushing, and cleaning of mixer equipment. Failure to follow withdrawal times was another major cause, and the third major reason was the use of a soluble powder solution. At least 16% of SMZ residue violations have resulted in no follow-up due to lack of animal identification. The FDA district offices are conducting on-farm investigations of swine producers who have caused SMZ violations. Repeat violators and those that produce higher residue levels will receive a higher priority. The FDA currently is attempting to obtain more state support, particularly for investigation of first-time violators. The CVM is serious about resolving the SMZ residue problem.
MDCT Radiation Dose

Emergence of multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) scanners in radiology practice has increased the number of CT studies being performed for different clinical applications. This has raised concerns about risk of radiation-induced cancer with low-dose exposure associated with CT scanning. This chapter describes radiation dose quantities, scanning parameters that can be adjusted to optimize CT dose, and strategies for CT dose reduction.
Employee Motivation and Work Satisfaction in a Public Enterprise

Data on employee motivation, work satisfaction, and organizational climate were collected from a recently nationalized public sector organization to study the implications of organizational variables for efficient working, with particular reference to workers' participation in management. While the managerial employees showed strong motivation for influence and influence-backed motivation for personal achievement, the workers showed strong motivation for social achievement backed by need for personal achievement. The author feels that the patterns discerned in the analysis are likely to create interpersonal problems and conflicts, and would come in the way of workers' participation in management. Prayag Mehta is Senior Fellow at the National Labour Institute, New Delhi. He has been a visiting lecturer at the Harvard School of Education, a visiting faculty at the University of North Carolina, and a consultant to the UNESCO on Communication and Development. The present study examines the implications of employee motivation, work satisfaction, and organizational climate for the functioning of the public sector enterprises with particular reference to workers' participation in management. The data on employee motivation in a large public enterprise were collected with the help of a semi-projective instrument consisting cf a set of six pictures. The subjects wrote stories in response to each picture, following standard instructions. The stories were analysed for personal achievement motivation or need for personal achievement (nPA), social achievement motivation or need for social achievement (nSA) and desire for influence (Inf) as well as for the combination of these three motivations. Each of the six stories was examined for each of the seven types of motivation, resulting in seven total scores for each individual. Details of the scoring system and certain conceptual issues are discussed elsewhere (Mehta, 1976a). Employee Motivation
Characteristics, length of stay, and hospital bills associated with severe odontogenic infections in Houston, TX.

Abstract Background There were 2 main purposes of this retrospective chart review study. The first was to describe the demographic, social, and financial characteristics of patients with severe odontogenic infections. The second was to assess the relationships among several demographic, social, and treatment variables and length of stay (LOS) in the hospital and hospital bill (charges). Methods The authors conducted a retrospective chart review for patients admitted to the hospital and taken to the operating room for treatment of severe odontogenic infections at 3 hospitals in Houston, TX (Ben Taub, Memorial Hermann Hospital, and Lyndon B. Johnson) from January 2010 through January 2015. Results The authors included data from severe odontogenic infections in 298 patients (55% male; mean age, 38.9 years) in this study. In this population, 45% required admission to the intensive care unit, and the mean LOS was 5.5 days. Most patients (66.6%) were uninsured. The average cost of hospitalization for this patient population was $13,058, and the average hospital bill was $48,351. At multivariable analysis, age ( P = .011), preadmission antibiotic use ( P = .012), diabetes mellitus ( P = .004), and higher odontogenic infection severity score ( P Conclusions Severe odontogenic infections were associated with substantial morbidity and cost in this largely unsponsored patient population. The authors identified variables associated with increased LOS and charge of hospitalization. Practical Implications Clinicians should consider these findings in their decision-making processes and prioritize early treatment of odontogenic infections potentially to decrease the number of patients admitted to the hospital, LOS, and overall costs of treatment for these infections.
Abstract A25: Systems biology approach to delineating DNA damage response and R-loop dependencies in Ewing sarcoma

Ewing sarcoma is a rare, yet highly aggressive family of bone and soft tissue tumors that afflicts children and young adults. It is the prototypical example of mesenchymal tumors driven by a fusion oncogene involving the EWSR1 gene, most frequently EWS-FLI1. Ewing sarcoma is exquisitely sensitive to genotoxic agents, and more recently PARP1 inhibitors, predominantly when detected at an early stage. However, the molecular basis for this sensitivity is relatively under-explored. Further, the long term side effects of these drugs pose a critical barrier to effective treatment. In this study, we proposed to delineate the pathways dictating Ewing sarcoma chemosensitivity and identify alternative avenues for targeted therapy. R-loops are three nucleic acid DNA structures consisting of an RNA:DNA hybrid and a displaced complementary DNA loop. The importance of R-loops in both being causative as well as disruptive in DNA damage as well as DNA damage response has emerged through recent studies. Our previous work has demonstrated that Ewing sarcoma cell lines have high levels of endogenous damage as well as replication stress. We observe that Ewing cell lines have elevated levels of persistent R-loops and impaired homologous recombination repair of double strand breaks. In the present study, we use a multimodal, systems biology approach involving high-throughput RNAi based survival data, time-course RNA-seq in response to two chemotherapeutics, Chromatin immunoprecipitation-seq and DNA:RNA hybrid immunoprecipitation-seq datasets across multiple Ewing sarcoma and control cell lines. Our data led to the identification of a subset of genes whose expression patterns in response to DNA damage is dysregulated in Ewing sarcoma. Predominantly, among these genes is a network of RNA binding proteins that highlights the importance of RNA metabolism in DNA damage response. We also observe a concomitant alteration in damage-dependent transcription. Finally, we identified several compensatory mechanisms that are upregulated in Ewing sarcoma (RNASEH2, FEN1, Fanconi Anemia, etc.) in order to manage the exacerbated genomic stress conditions and targeting any of these pathways leads to severe tumor cell cytotoxicity. We therefore propose the use of these pathways as potential candidates for targeted therapy. Citation Format: Aparna Gorthi, Eva Loranc, Cao Lin, Alexander JR Bishop. Systems biology approach to delineating DNA damage response and R-loop dependencies in Ewing sarcoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Engineering and Physical Sciences in Oncology; 2016 Jun 25-28; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(2 Suppl):Abstract nr A25.
I want to help! But will you let me lead? The impact of an other-focused orientation

In this study, we sought to better understand the precursors to successful team outcomes in self-managed teams. More specifically, we looked at the impact of other-oriented psychological process of...
Guilty Pleasures, or Nobrow Treasures?

Chapter 9, David McAvoy’s “Guilty Pleasures, or Nobrow Treasures? Popular Judgment and the Affective Economy of Taste,” moves on from surfwear to the surfers of the Internet, trumpeting their lowbrow pleasures at the speed of light all over today’s digitally supercharged landscape. In the age of nobrow, if the pleasure gained from pure consumption justifies that consumption, where is the guilt in guilty pleasure? The nobrow map of our guilty pleasures includes the affective economies of snorting coke in nightclub restrooms, watching glorified karaoke competition, or posting unbelievably popular YouTube videos of unboxing purchases (way north of a billion views and counting).
Operative Risk Stratification of the Geriatric Patient

The preoperative evaluation of the geriatric patient requires a thorough assessment of the patient’s overall health in addition to their cognitive and functional assessment. While risk stratification has historically focused on assessment of individual organ systems, the assessment of the geriatric patient requires a more comprehensive evaluation. In addition to evaluation of patient’s comorbid conditions, the presence of malnutrition, frailty, and cognitive dysfunction are all predictors of poor outcome following surgery. A thorough geriatric evaluation allows a more complete discussion with the patient and allows the prediction of mortality, functional recovery, and potential for return to home following discharge from the hospital.
Light-responsive organic flashing electron ratchet

Ratchets are nonequilibrium devices that produce directional motion of particles from nondirectional forces without using a bias, and are responsible for many types of biological transport, which occur with high yield despite strongly damped and noisy environments. Ratchets operate by breaking time-reversal and spatial symmetries in the direction of transport through application of a time-dependent potential with repeating, asymmetric features. This work demonstrates the ratcheting of electrons within a highly scattering organic bulk-heterojunction layer, and within a device architecture that enables the application of arbitrarily shaped oscillating electric potentials. Light is used to modulate the carrier density, which modifies the current with a nonmonotonic response predicted by theory. This system is driven with a single unbiased sine wave source, enabling the future use of natural oscillation sources such as electromagnetic radiation.
Deuteration as a Means to Tune Crystallinity of Conducting Polymers

The effects of deuterium isotope substitution on conjugated polymer chain stacking of poly(3-hexylthiophene) is studied experimentally by X-ray diffraction (XRD) in combination with gel permeation chromatography and theoretically using density functional theory and quantum molecular dynamics. For four P3HT materials with different levels of deuteration (pristine, main-chain deuterated, side-chain deuterated, and fully deuterated), the XRD measurements show that main-chain thiophene deuteration significantly reduces crystallinity, regardless of the side-chain deuteration. The reduction of crystallinity due to the main-chain deuteration is a quantum nuclear effect resulting from a static zero-point vibrational energy combined with a dynamic correlation of the dipole fluctuations. The quantum molecular dynamics simulations confirm the interchain correlation of the proton–proton and deuteron–deuteron motions but not of the proton–deuteron motion. Thus, isotopic purity is an important factor affecting stabilit...
Suriname: An Exposed Interior

Examining the Amazon’s often overlooked non-Latin corner, this chapter first describes the economic, social, political, and environmental context of the country of Suriname and its Amazon rainforest interior. It then lays out the country’s environmental legislation and regulations, and the effectiveness of their enforcement, particularly by indigenous and other authorities. In their assessment of this legal and policy structure, the authors examine how rainforest conservation organizations handle the many conflicts, opportunities, and challenges they face.
Constructive Solutions to a Decentralized Team Problem with Application in Flow Control for Networks

The paper considers a decentralized stochastic team problem with a partially-nested information pattern, that arises in the context of flow control. Basically, we consider a network with a number of users having access to differently delayed versions of the same information, with each one deciding on his own rate of transmission, but participating in a common cost quantifying the outcome of their joint actions. This leads to a Linear-Quadratic-Gaussian (LQG) team problem, with partially nested information. We study the derivation of the optimal solution in a two user network and show that the solution exists in both finite and infinite-horizon cases. The controller, which turns out to be certainty-equivalent, is constructed recursively using a dynamic programming type approach. We also present an algorithm to construct the optimal solution for the most general case with multiple (more than two) users. Finally, we present various simulation results to illustrate the performance of the optimal controller under different scenarios.
Designing Technological Interventions for Patients with Discordant Chronic Comorbidities and Type-2 Diabetes

Patients with Discordant Chronic Comorbidities (DCCs) are dealing with two or more chronic illnesses with opposing treatment instructions. These conditions can make it difficult for patients and health care providers to prioritize and manage the treatment of each individual disease. No technological interventions exist to help these patients prioritize and manage the treatments of all their conditions simultaneously. In this paper, we use the barriers patients face and solutions they wish to utilize in managing their conditions and treatments to motivate the design of a mobile application that can be used to help patients successfully manage their conditions. This mobile application allows patients to better understand their conditions and treatments, successfully manage their medications and other treatments, stay connected with their medical and social support networks, and take steps to achieve goals related to their overall health and well-being.
Post-CMOS Fabrication Technology Enabling Simultaneous Fabrication of 3-D Solenoidal Micro-Inductors and Flexible I/Os

In this paper, co-fabrication and characterization of micro-inductors with mechanically flexible interconnects (MFIs) as I/Os is presented. A double-lithography and double-reflow process is used to obtain different heights of reflowed photoresist domes for the micro-inductors and the MFIs. The developed process allows fabrication of MFIs with different heights, pitches, and materials. The fine-pitch copper MFIs allow for dense connections between chips using interconnect bridging or stitching technologies (embedded multi-die interconnect bridge, heterogeneous interconnect stitching technology, etc.), while the large nickel tungsten (NiW) MFIs enable connections with the base substrate. The interconnect stitch chip can also host integrated passive devices, allowing close integration with active chips. Furthermore, the stitch chip can be fabricated out of low-loss substrate, enabling high-quality passives along with low-loss electrical interconnections. Copper micro-inductors with two different numbers of turns were fabricated on glass to minimize substrate losses; inductance, resistance, and Q-factor values of 0.45 nH, $4~\Omega $ , and 25 were obtained at 33 GHz for the five-turn inductor with a self-resonant frequency of >40 GHz. The compliance of the fabricated 9- $\mu \text{m}$ -thick Cu MFI was measured to be 1.1 mm/N, while that of the 7- and 10- $\mu \text{m}$ -thick NiW MFIs were measured to be 10 and 2.6 mm/N, respectively.
A Problem in Age-Distribution

The age-distribution in a population is more or less variable. Its possible fluctuations are not, however, unlimited. Certain age-distributions will practically never occur; and even if we were by arbitrary interference to impress some extremely unusual form upon the age-distribution of an isolated population, in time the “irregularities” would no doubt become smoothed over. It seems therefore that there must be a limiting “stable” type about which the actual distribution varies. and towards which it tends to return if through any agency disturbed therefrom. It was shown on a former occasion 1 how to calculate the “fixed” age-distribution, which. if once established, will (under constant conditions) maintain itself.
Nerve Physiology: Mechanisms of Injury and Recovery

Peripheral nerve injuries are common conditions with broad ranging groups of symptoms depending on the severity and nerves involved. Although much knowledge exists on the mechanisms of injury and regeneration, reliable treatments that ensure full functional recovery are scarce. This review aims to summarize various ways these injuries are classified in the light of decades of research on peripheral nerve injury and regeneration. Peripheral Nerve Anatomy The peripheral nervous system is comprised of three types of cells: neuronal cells, glial cells, and stromal cells. Peripheral nerves convey signals between the spinal cord and the rest of the body. Nerves are comprised of various combinations of motor, sensory, and autonomic neurons. Efferent neurons (motor and autonomic) receive signals through their dendrites from neurons of the central nervous system, primarily using the neurotransmitter acetylcholine among others. Afferent (sensory) neurons receive their signals through their dendrites from specialized cell types, such as Paccinian corpuscles for fine sensation and others. These signals are sent to the CNS to provide sensory information to the brain and possibly interneurons in the spinal cord when a reflex response is necessary1. Key roles are played by cells other than neurons in the maintenance and function of the peripheral nerves. Schwann cells ensheath nerves in a layer of myelin and provide trophic support through the release of important neurotrophs such as Nerve Growth Factor (NGF). Myelin improves conduction velocity by limiting the sites of ionic transfer along the axon to the nodes of Ranvier, resulting in a faster, “jumping” action potential propagation that is termed saltatory conduction. The most heavily myelinated fibers are the large motor neurons (Type Aα), followed by afferent muscle spindles (Type Aβ). Nerve conduction velocities in theses neurons are approximately 30-120m/s. Unmyelinated neurons (Type C), such as the sensory neurons involved in transmitting pain and temperature and postganglionic sympathetics are the slowest, conducting at approximately 1-2 m/s (Table 1)2,3. Table 1 Nerve Fiber Types and Properties
What is the Gain from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

This project seeks to characterize the causal mechanisms involved in the relationship of participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP – formerly known as food stamps) to obesity. This topic has generated a series of papers that tend to find a positive correlation between food stamp program participation and obesity, primarily for women. A crucial issue in analyzing this topic is accounting for non-random participation in the program among eligible individuals. We build and estimate a factor structure model to analyze the effect of SNAP recipiency on obesity propensity. This model captures the possibility of endogeneity and heterogeneity of the responses to program participation, and quantifies any bias in the selection of participants on observable and unobservable characteristics to SNAP recipiency and obesity propensity. Using data from the Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals, we find that individuals who elect to receive food stamps are the ones who are most likely to "gain". Observed characteristics that increase the propensity of obesity are strongly positively correlated, regardless of food stamp receipt. Individuals who are participating in the food stamp program already are more likely to be obese than eligible non-participants. Unobserved individual characteristics that increase the likelihood of SNAP participation also increase the propensity to be obese for the marginal program participant. Accounting for the common factors that influence both obesity and SNAP participation significantly reduces the estimated treatment effect of program participation on weight problems.
Perspectives on the design of nanoparticle systems for catalysis

An overview of the Faraday Discussion, "Designing Nanoparticle Systems for Catalysis", is presented. Examples are taken from the papers presented at the meeting and from the literature to illustrate the main discussion points.
New and Emerging Therapies for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a pulmonary vasculopathy that causes right ventricular dysfunction and exercise limitation and progresses to death. New findings from translational studies have suggested alternative pathways for treatment. These avenues include sex hormones, genetic abnormalities and DNA damage, elastase inhibition, metabolic dysfunction, cellular therapies, and anti-inflammatory approaches. Both novel and repurposed compounds with rationale from preclinical experimental models and human cells are now in clinical trials in patients with PAH. Findings from these studies will elucidate the pathobiology of PAH and may result in clinically important improvements in outcome.
How to get things done when you don't feel like it

If you want to be successful, then it serves you better to rise to the occasion no matter what. That means learning how to push through challenges and deliver valuable results.
Adapting the Breast Cancer Surgery Decision Quality Instrument for Lower Socioeconomic Status: Improving Readability, Acceptability, and Relevance.

Introduction. Breast cancer is the second most common malignancy in women. The Decision Quality Instrument (DQI) measures the extent to which patients are informed and involved in breast surgery de...