cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Kinetics of denaturation of DNA

The kinetics of denaturation of DNA have been studied by relaxation techniques. Examination of the terminal relaxation times for a variety of DNA's under a variety of conditions has shown that DNA denaturation is principally a hydrodynamically limited process. Measurements within the helix–coil transition have demonstrated that the experimentally measured terminal relaxation times are a function of the following: (1) position in the helix–coil transition; (2) ionic strength of the solvent; (3) solvent viscosity; (4) DNA concentration; (5) molecular weight; (6) number and position of single-strand breaks. The dependence of the terminal relaxation time on the above mentioned factors can be attributed to hydrodynamic effects. Thus a hydrodynamic model for DNA unwinding is required. The model which best fits the data involves the assumption of a rotational frictional coefficient independent of molecular weight. This assumption is suggested by the fact that the relaxation time is proportional to the first power of the molecular weight.
Generation of variable order elements by superelement generation

Abstract A technique for generating variable-order elements using superelement generation is presented. Compatibility requirements for the elements are discussed. FORTRAN routines for implementing the technique are provided.
Steady state anisotropy two-photon microscopy resolves multiple, spectrally similar fluorophores, enabling in vivo multilabel imaging

The use of spectrally distinguishable fluorescent dyes enables imaging of multiple targets. However, in two-photon microscopy, the number of fluorescent labels with distinct emission spectra that can be effectively excited and resolved is constrained by the confined tuning range of the excitation laser and the broad and overlapping nature of fluorophore two-photon absorption spectra. This limitation effectively reduces the number of available imaging channels. Here, we demonstrate that two-photon steady state anisotropy imaging (2PSSA) offers the capability to resolve otherwise unresolvable fluorescent tracers both in live cells and in mouse tumor models. This approach expands the number of biological targets that can be imaged simultaneously, increasing the total amount of information that can be obtained through imaging.
Quasi-optics of the group delay of guided magnetic waves

The wave-packet of a magnetic wave on reflection at an interface between a ferrimagnetic medium and free space is shown to undergo no lateral shift but only a time delay. The time delay introduced on reflection is included to obtain a quasi-optical description for the group delay of a magnetic wave guided by a planar slab of ferrimagnet in free space for the case of the magnetizations (a) normal to the surfaces of the slab, and, (b) parallel to the surfaces of the slab and to the direction of propagation. The group delay of the guided magnetic wave is caused partly by the group delay produced in the bulk of the ferrimagnet and partly by the group delay produced on reflections. The characteristics of these two contributions to the resultant group delay of the guided magnetic wave are examined.
Equilibrated moisture content of several carbon phenolics and their relationship to resin, fiber, and interface properties

This study focuses on the relationship between relative humidity and the equilibrated moisture content of several variants of two distinctly different carbon phenolic composites. One of the materials gives a typical exponential relationship between RH and equilibrated moisture content while the second gives an inverse sigmoidal relationship with the largest increase in moisture between 45-60 percent relative humidity. The possible relationship between the shape of the curves and the nature of the material constituents is discussed.
A longitudinal analysis of the effects of a DRD4 polymorphism on marijuana use

The current study used a variable- and person-centered approach to examine whether a DRD4 polymorphism explained within-individual differences in frequency of marijuana use from adolescence into emerging adulthood. Data were analyzed from 1897 respondents from the genetic subsample of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) at waves I (ages 13–17), II (ages 14–18), and III (ages 21–25). Latent class growth model results revealed that marijuana use was characterized by four trajectories (non-users/experimenters, increasers, desisters, and chronic users), and that the DRD4 polymorphism differentiated increasers from non-users/experimenters. Overall, the results suggested that the DRD4 polymorphism may be relevant to differences in the developmental trajectories of marijuana use.
Akt expression may predict favorable prognosis in cholangiocarcinoma

Background: Overexpression of signaling proteins including epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), Akt, mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) occurs in cholangiocarcinoma cell lines. However, the prognostic value of these markers is unknown. No prior study correlated the expression of these signaling proteins with clinical outcome. Further, co-expression of these proteins has not been reported. Co-expression may reflect cross-talk between signaling pathways. The aim of this clinicopathological study was to investigate the overexpression and co-expression of EGFR and related signaling proteins in cholangiocarcinoma and explore their relationship to clinical outcome. Methods: Twenty-four consecutive cases of cholangiocarcinoma treated from 1996 to 2002 at Roswell Park Cancer Institute were included. Immunohistochemical staining of paraffin-embedded tissue sections was performed using antibodies against Akt, p-Akt, MAPK, p-MAPK, COX-2, EGFR and p-EGFR. Two pathologists independently scored the protein expression. Results: Cyclooxygenase-2, Akt, and p-MAPK were commonly expressed in biliary cancers (100%, 96% and 87% of malignant cells, respectively). EGFR (60%) and p-EGFR (22%) overexpression was also detected. There was a significant association between EGFR and p-EGFR (P = 0.027) and between Akt and p-Akt (P = 0.017) expression in tumor tissue. A noteworthy association was shown between MAPK and p-Akt (P = 0.054). Multivariate analysis using the Cox proportional hazard model identified the use of chemotherapy (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.039, P = 0.0002), radiation (HR = 0.176, P = 0.0441) and Akt expression (HR = 0.139, P = 0.006) as the best predictors of overall prognosis. Conclusion: Epidermal growth factor receptor signaling intermediates are commonly expressed in cholangiocarcinoma. Expression of Akt and use of systemic chemotherapy or radiation may correlate with improved survival.
Distribution of skeletofusimotor axons in lumbrical muscles of the monkey.

The nerve supply to 25 poles of muscle spindles in the monkey was reconstructed by light microscopy of serial 1-μm thick transverse sections of lumbrical muscles. Twenty of 60 motor axons that supplied the spindle poles were identified as skeletofusimotor (β). Twenty-eight percent of the spindle poles were innervated by β axons, in addition to γ axons. Every β-innervated spindle pole transected an endplate zone of extrafusal muscle. Most β axons coinnervated extrafusal fibers rich in mitochondria and the nuclear bag1 or nuclear chain intrafusal fibers. All but two β axons innervated one type of intrafusal fiber only. The intramuscular organization of β motor system in lumbrical muscles of the monkey was similar to that of the cat tenuissimus muscle. The function of β-innervated spindles may be preferentially to monitor mechanical disturbances arising from the activity of extrafusal muscle units with which they share motor innervation.
Optic nerve population responses to transretinal electrical stimulation.

Abstract Responses of the fast conducting ( F ) ganglion cell population of the rabbit retina were studied in separation from other populations by determining periods of fast fiber refractoriness in the optic nerve. Stimulation was by brief electrical pulses across the retina which were also used to determine inhibitory phases following light stimuli. The F-cell population proved to be remarkably uniform in its responsiveness to electrical pulses. The typical response is a precisely timed period of synchronous activity (bursts of high frequency discharges) followed or preceded by a phase of network inhibition depending on current polarity. Outward (anodal) current elicits first a period of strong inhibition, as does the “on” of diffuse light; while inward (cathodal) current and “off” activate an excitatory input to the F-cells . Excitation and inhibition alternate rhythmically so that synchronous bursts of firing are separated by silent periods of 25–40 msec in duration. Results of combining two transretinal stimuli suggest that the rhythmic alteration is due to the interactions of an excitatory and an inhibitory system and that the electrical pulse primarily activitates the one or the other system depending upon current direction.
Dramaturgy of accult practitioners in the treatment of disease and dysfunction entities

Abstract This paper provides a dramaturgical analysis of the beliefs and practices of rural and suburban fortune-tellers in the treatment of disease and dysfunction entities. Based upon in-depth interviews with 21 non-Gypsy fortune-tellers, the client records of a key informant and the second author's first-hand familiarity with select aspects of fortune-telling, the paper examines the role of the fortune-teller as a quasi-practitioner. Fortune-tellers were found to employ five dramaturgical devices which (1) reaffirm conventional treatment norms through an informal symbiotic relationship with physicians; (2) provide the ‘client’ with destigmatizing classifications; and (3) offer an occult etiology which requires spiritual expertise for treatment ‘success’. Occult treatment for the conditions tends to mimic the dramaturgy of conventional practitioners through the use of occult rhetoric, labels, client typifications, props and treatment scripts. The management of venereal disease and sexual impotence is examined in detail to illustrate the occult approach to disease and dysfunction entities.
Associated forms of internal browning of potato tubers in northern Indiana

In periodic samplings of potato tubers through the season, diffuse to blotchy internal brown spot and heart necrosis symptoms were found to appear during the period of rapid tuber enlargement while the vines were still green and vigorous. Injury observed as vines were turning color was of the corky ring spot type and was associated with roughness and knobby second growth in the same lots of potatoes. After the vines were dead, necrosis with scattered cavities was found of a form described in Europe as internal rust spot of the canker type. Two or more of these types of necrotic internal browning were found in intimate association in sample lots of most varieties studied. It is suggested that these types are related in origin but differ in pattern as a result of differences in physiological age of tuber tissues at the time that injury occurs
Three papules in a row.

QUESTION: A 14-year-boy is seen in the office with his mother because he noticed 3 new bumps on his abdomen (figure 1). He has no itching and is feeling well. His mother is concerned that he got this from their new cat. The cat is losing clumps of hair and scratching her skin a lot. Figure 1 Three bumps appeared on the abdomen of the 14-year-old patient What is the diagnosis? What are the treatment options? What should be done for the cat? ANSWER: These 3 papules are molluscum contagiosum. The papules show the characteristic features of being shiny and raised with central umbilication. They also look stuck on the surface so that they can be peeled off with a fingernail. These papules measure 4 to 5 mm. The papules of molluscum contagiosum generally range from 1 to 5 mm. Molluscum contagiosum is caused by 3 different DNA poxviruses. The infection is spread through person-to-person contact, autoinoculation, or contact with fomites (objects that can harbor pathogens, such as clothing). Molluscum contagiosum is more common in children but also occurs in young adults. In adults, it may be sexually transmitted and found in the genital area. In children, it usually is not sexually transmitted and is not by itself indicative of sexual abuse. Molluscum contagiosum can regress spontaneously. Most parents of patients with the infection and infected adults want the lesions treated because they fear further spread of lesions to themselves and others. This family wanted the 3 papules to be removed. Severe infections of molluscum contagiosum occur because of immunosuppression in persons infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). They can be widespread over the face or become giant lesions of 5 to 10 mm. In this patient, the lesions were not acquired by sexual contact and were unrelated to his new cat. This boy is otherwise healthy and is not HIV-positive.
Dynamic Multicore Resource Management: A Machine Learning Approach

A machine learning approach to multicore resource management produces self-optimizing on-chip hardware agents capable of learning, planning, and continuously adapting to changing workload demands. Machine learning is the study of computer programs and algorithms that learn about their environment and improve automatically with experience.This approach thus contrasts with today's predominant approach of directly specifying at design time how the hardware should accomplish the desired goal. This results in more efficient and flexible management of critical hardware resources at runtime.
Loss of cannabinoid receptor CB1 induces preterm birth.

Background Preterm birth accounting approximate 10% of pregnancies in women is a tremendous social, clinical and economic burden. However, its underlying causes remain largely unknown. Emerging evidence suggests that endocannabinoid signaling via cannabinoid receptor CB1 play critical roles in multiple early pregnancy events in both animals and humans. Since our previous studies demonstrated that loss of CB1 defers the normal implantation window in mice, we surmised that CB1 deficiency would influence parturition events. Methods and Findings Exploiting mouse models with targeted deletion of Cnr1, Cnr2 and Ptgs1 encoding CB1, CB2 and cyclooxygenase-1, respectively, we examined consequences of CB1 or CB2 silencing on the onset of parturition. We observed that genetic or pharmacological inactivation of CB1, but not CB2, induced preterm labor in mice. Radioimmunoassay analysis of circulating levels of ovarian steroid hormones revealed that premature birth resulting from CB1 inactivation is correlated with altered progesterone/estrogen ratios prior to parturition. More strikingly, the phenotypic defects of prolonged pregnancy length and parturition failure in mice missing Ptgs1 were corrected by introducing CB1 deficiency into Ptgs1 null mice. In addition, loss of CB1 resulted in aberrant secretions of corticotrophin-releasing hormone and corticosterone during late gestation. The pathophysiological significance of this altered corticotrophin-releasing hormone-driven endocrine activity in the absence of CB1 was evident from our subsequent findings that a selective corticotrophin-releasing hormone antagonist was able to restore the normal parturition timing in Cnr1 deficient mice. In contrast, wild-type females receiving excessive levels of corticosterone induced preterm birth. Conclusions CB1 deficiency altering normal progesterone and estrogen levels induces preterm birth in mice. This defect is independent of prostaglandins produced by cyclooxygenase-1. Moreover, CB1 inactivation resulted in aberrant corticotrophin-releasing hormone and corticosterone activities prior to parturition, suggesting that CB1 regulates labor by interacting with the corticotrophin-releasing hormone-driven endocrine axis.
Development of sensor arrays for continuous groundwater monitoring

Industrial development has led to the release of numerous hazardous materials into the environment, posing a potential threat to surrounding waters. Environmental analysis of sites contaminated by several chemicals calls for continuous monitoring of multiple analytes. Monitoring can be achieved by using imaging bundles for the fabrication of sensors. Imaging bundles are formed by melting and drawing together several thousand individual optical fibers. The fibers are drawn coherently so that the position of an individual fiber of the bundle at one end (distal) corresponds to the identical position at the other end (proximal). By coupling imaging fibers to a charge coupled device (CCD), one has the ability to spatially discriminate the distal end of the fiber.
Status report on the radio frequency accelerating system of the APS at Argonne

Argonne National Laboratory is designing a 7-GeV Advanced Photon Source (APS). The RF systems of the APS include 10-MHz and 120-MHz systems for the Positron Accumulator Ring (PAR), a multicell 352-MHz system for the booster synchrotron, and a system of mode-damped, single-cell 352-MHz cavities for the storage ring. The authors describe the design of the PAR cavities, the configuration of the booster system, test results of the junction circulator developed for the cavities, and results of higher-order mode damping as applied to the storage ring cavities. >
Human Schlafen 5 (SLFN5) is a Regulator of Motility and Invasiveness of Renal Cell Carcinoma Cells

We provide evidence that human SLFN5, an interferon (IFN)-inducible member of the Schlafen (SLFN) family of proteins, exhibits key roles in controlling motility and invasiveness of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cells. Our studies define the mechanism by which this occurs, demonstrating that SLFN5 negatively controls expression of the matrix metalloproteinase 1 gene (MMP-1), MMP-13, and several other genes involved in the control of malignant cell motility. Importantly, our data establish that SLFN5 expression correlates with a better overall survival in a large cohort of patients with RCC. The inverse relationship between SLFN5 expression and RCC aggressiveness raises the possibility of developing unique therapeutic approaches in the treatment of RCC, by modulating SLFN5 expression.
Factors Associated with Candidemia Caused by Non-albicans Candida Species Versus Candida albicans in the Intensive Care Unit

Background. Candida albicans has been the most common cause of fungal bloodstream infections (BSIs) in intensive care units (ICUs); however, infections due to non-albicans Candida species have been increasing in prevalence. We examined factors associated with BSIs due to non-albicans Candida species, compared with C. albicans BSIs, in an ICU patient population. Methods. For our case-comparator study, we identified consecutive adult ICU patients with BSIs due to non-albicans Candida species or C. albicans at 2 tertiary care hospitals during the period 1995-2005. Data collected included demographic characteristics, comorbidities, exposure to antibiotics and antifungals, and ICU-related factors, such as total parenteral nutrition, blood product transfusions, invasive procedures, central venous catheter use, hemodialysis, and mechanical ventilation. We built a multivariable logistic regression model that identified variables that differentiate BSIs due to non-albicans Candida species from BSIs due to C. albicans. Results. There were 67 patients with BSIs due to non-albicans Candida species and 79 patients with C. albicans BSIs. Variables were adjusted for time at risk. In multivariable models, factors associated with an increased risk of BSIs due to non-albicans Candida species, compared with C. albicans BSIs, included fluconazole exposure (odds ratio, 11.6; 95% confidence interval, 2.28-58.8), central venous catheter exposure (odds ratio, 1.95; 95% confidence interval, 1.10-3.47), and mean number of antibiotics per day (odds ratio, 2.31; 95% confidence interval, 0.71-7.54). Total parenteral nutrition exposure was associated with a decreased risk (odds ratio, 0.16; 95% confidence interval, 0.05-0.47) of BSIs due to non-albicans Candida species, compared with C. albicans BSIs. Duration of stay in the ICU was not significantly different between the 2 groups. Specific antibiotics, such as vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam, were not independently associated with BSI due to non-albicans Candida species. Conclusions. Receipt of fluconazole and central venous catheter exposure were associated with an increased risk of BSI due to non-albicans Candida species, and total parenteral nutrition was associated with a decreased risk of BSI due to non-albicans Candida species, compared with BSI due to C. albicans. Patients without characteristics of infection due to non-albicans Candida species might benefit from empirical antifungal therapy with fluconazole.
Evaluation of speech recognizers for speech training applications

The use of speech recognition technology for speech training represents an important and potentially very large application of speech technology. However, speech training places unique demands on recognizer performance that have not been well-characterized. In this research, a database and testing procedures were developed to evaluate two facets of recognizer performance integral to speech training: utterance identification and speech quality assessment. Using these materials, three commercial speech recognizers that employ different types of recognition algorithms were evaluated. In general, the recognizer, based on hidden Markov models (HMM's), provided better identification scores for normal and disordered speech than the two template-based recognizers. A recognizer's identification performance on normal speech often predicted its identification performance on disordered speech. For each recognizer, analysis using phonological features revealed classes of speech sounds that are poorly discriminated. Procedures were developed to provide human ratings of the quality of disordered speech for comparison to recognizer performance. Recognizers were compared to speech-language pathologists with respect to the ability to judge speech quality. In contrast, with identification performance, the two speech recognizers based on template comparisons provided better measures of speech quality than the HMM-based recognizer. >
Abstract B41: Investigating ARID3B regulation of ovarian cancer metastasis

Over 60% of ovarian cancer cases are detected with widespread metastases. In an effort to define the associated molecular mechanisms of metastasis in ovarian cancer, recent findings have implicated a novel DNA-binding protein, ARID3B, as a contributor to ovarian cancer growth and metastasis. We recently demonstrated that increased expression of ARID3B promotes metastatic growth of ovarian cancer cells in a xenograft mouse model. The purpose of this study is to identify target genes of ARID3B, with the goal of elucidating a mechanism for this metastatic support. ChIP-on-chip analysis comparing ovarian cancer cells in the presence and absence of exogenous overexpression of ARID3B revealed a multitude of potential gene targets. These targets have been functionally sorted into 21 distinct groups and among these groups, 21 genes were selected for further analysis. Validation of these targets via RT-PCR has identified c-Myc, a known regulator of metastasis, as a putative target of ARID3B. Our results reveal an increase in c-Myc mRNA levels in response to ARID3B, implicating c-Myc as putative direct target of ARID3B. We used chromatin immunoprecipitation to study the potential interaction of ARID3B with the c-Myc promoter. The specifics of the regulation of c-Myc are currently under investigation. In conjunction with gene regulation, metastasis-associated phenotypes were examined, as well. ARID3B overexpression increases extracellular matrix adhesion and vitronectin haptotaxis. Specifically, we investigated the contribution c-Myc to ARID3B induced adhesion and motility as a means for promoting metastatic progression. We accomplished this via adhesion and haptotaxis assays using ovarian cancer cells exogenously overexpressing ARID3B, followed by siRNA knockdown of c-Myc. Further study will serve to define how ARID3B regulation of c-Myc contributes to ovarian cancer progression. Should c-Myc prove to be a biologically relevant target, ARID3B regulation of c-Myc could represent an important mechanism for the associated advancement of ovarian cancer metastasis. Citation Format: Katrina Gellerman, Serene Samyesudhas, Stancy Joseph, Karen Cowden Dahl. Investigating ARID3B regulation of ovarian cancer metastasis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Invasion and Metastasis; Jan 20-23, 2013; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(3 Suppl):Abstract nr B41.
SIMPLE: A Strategic Information Mining Platform for Licensing and Execution

Intellectual Properties (IP), such as patents and trademarks, are one of the most critical assets in today’s enterprises and research organizations. They represent the core innovation and differentiators of an organization. When leveraged effectively, they not only protect a business from its competition, but also generate significant opportunities in licensing, execution, long term research and innovation. In certain industries, e. g., Pharmaceutical industry, patents lead to multi-billion dollar revenue per year. In this paper, we present a holistic information mining solution, called SIMPLE, which mines large corpus of patents and scientific literature for insights. Unlike much prior work that deals with specific aspects of analytics, SIMPLE is an integrated and end-to-end IP analytics solution which addresses a wide range of challenges in patent analytics such as the data complexity, scale, and nomenclature issues. It encompasses techniques for patent data processing and modeling, analytics algorithms, web interface and web services for analytics service delivery and end-user interaction. We use real-world case studies to demonstrate the effectiveness of SIMPLE.
Does Afternoon Precipitation Occur Preferentially over Dry or Wet Soils in Oklahoma

AbstractSoil moisture is an integral part of the climate system and can drive land–atmosphere interactions through the partitioning of latent and sensible heat. Soil moisture feedback to precipitation has been documented in several regions of the world, most notably in the southern Great Plains. However, the impact of soil moisture on precipitation, particularly at short (subdaily) time scales, has not been resolved. Here, in situ soil moisture observations and satellite-based precipitation estimates are used to examine if afternoon precipitation falls preferentially over wet or dry soils in Oklahoma. Afternoon precipitation events during the warm season (May–September) in Oklahoma from 2003 and 2012 are categorized by how favorable atmospheric conditions are for convection, as well as the presence or absence of the Great Plains low-level jet. The results show afternoon precipitation falls preferentially over wet soils when the Great Plains low-level jet is absent. In contrast, precipitation falls prefere...
Racial Differences in Trust and Lung Cancer Patients' Perceptions of Physician Communication

Purpose Black patients report lower trust in physicians than white patients, but this difference is poorly studied. We examined whether racial differences in patient trust are associated with physician-patient communication about lung cancer treatment. Patients and Methods Data were obtained for 103 patients (22% black and 78% white) visiting thoracic surgery or oncology clinics in a large Southern Veterans Affairs hospital for initial treatment recommendation for suspicious pulmonary nodules or lung cancer. Questionnaires were used to determine patients’ perceptions of the quality of the physicians’ communication and were used to assess patients’ previsit and postvisit trust in physician and trust in health care system. Patients responded on a 10-point scale. Results Previsit trust in physician was statistically similar in black and white patients (mean score, 8.2 v 8.3, respectively; P =.80), but black patients had lower postvisit trust in physician than white patients (8.0 v 9.3, respectively; P =.02). Black patients, compared with white patients, judged the physicians’ communication as less informative (7.3 v 8.5, respectively; P = .03), less supportive (8.1 v 9.3, respectively; P = .03), and less partnering (6.4 v 8.2, respectively; P = .001). In mixed linear regression analysis, controlling for clustering of patients by physician, patients’ perceptions of physicians’ communication were statistically significant (P = .005) predictors of postvisit trust, although patient race, previsit trust, and patient and visit characteristics were not significant (P = .05) predictors. Conclusion Perceptions that physician communication was less supportive, less partnering, and less informative accounted for black patients’ lower trust in physicians. Our findings raise concern that black patients may have lower trust in their physicians in part because of poorer physician-patient communication.
Coordinate Regulation of Sugar Flux and Translation by PAS Kinase

PAS kinase is a serine/threonine kinase regulated in cis by a PAS domain. A genetic study of the two PAS kinase genes in budding yeast gave evidence of the involvement of these enzymes in the control of sugar metabolism and translation. Using a biochemical screen for PAS kinase substrates, three translation factors were identified as direct phosphorylation targets. PAS kinase was also found to phosphorylate UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase and glycogen synthase, the enzymes catalyzing the two final steps in the glycogen biosynthetic pathway. Genetic, biochemical, and physiological data provide evidence that both of these enzymes are inhibited by PAS kinase-dependent phosphorylation, thereby downregulating carbohydrate storage. These studies provide evidence of a cell-autonomous signaling system that both controls and connects the balance of fuel consumption/storage to protein synthesis.
‘Mediated Immediacy’ in the Thought of John E. Smith: A Critique

When trying to understand the nature of religious experience as ‘mediated immediacy’ I am reminded of Professor J. N. Findlay's description of Hegel's thought as a kind of ‘philosophical Buchenwald’ specialising in intellectual tortures. Nevertheless, recent literature on the subject of religious experience reveals an increasing number of thinkers expressing confidence in the viability of this notion, John E. Smith of Yale being the most outstanding. This is not to say that all the thinkers categorised by ‘mediated immediacy’ have no important differences. They do. Infact, Smith might not even accept the phrase as accurately describing his position, despite the fact that J.B. Stearns applied it to his thought in a recent article.
Variability in the Reproductive Biology of the Atlantic Sharpnose Shark in the Gulf of Mexico

Abstract The reproductive biology of the Atlantic Sharpnose Shark Rhizoprionodon terraenovae in the Gulf of Mexico was investigated by examining 1,306 specimens (693 females, 613 males) collected from the Florida Keys to waters off Brownsville, Texas. The results of this study confirm the annual reproductive cycle established for this species; however, there was a significant amount of variability within the cycle. Ovulatory and postovulatory females were present from March to October, indicating that mating and ovulation were occurring over a more protracted period than previously described (e.g., May to July). The occurrence of postpartum females from April to September, the varying sizes of the embryos across several months, and the occurrence of mature spermatozoa in the testes of adults from March to November also corroborate the evidence of reproductive plasticity in this species. This observed variability in the reproductive cycle indicates that the Gulf of Mexico Atlantic Sharpnose Shark populatio...
A comment on the theory of excitation migration in disordered lattices

Abstract The transport of an excitation on a lattice randomly occupied by guests is considered, emphasizing the dependence on the initial condition. Exact equations are derived for the transport, which can be written as a generalized master equation or as a continuous-time random-walk equation.
Convergence of the moment generating function of standardized quantiles

A sequence of independent, identically distributed random variables is considered. Given a simple local condition on the distribution of these random variables, we give necessary and sufficient conditions on the tails of the distribution for the moment generating function of a standardized quantile of the first n observations to converge to the moment generating function of an appropriate normal distribution as n →infinity;. This result is actually a special case of a more general result which can also be used to show convergence in distribution and convergence of moments of standardized quantiles.
Core-Periphery Trading Networks

This paper provides a theory of endogenous network formation in over-the-counter markets based on trade competition and inventory risk balancing. A core-periphery network structure arises as an equilibrium outcome. A small number of agents emerge as core dealers to intermediate among a large number of peripheral agents. The equilibrium level of dealer entry (the size of the core) depends on the combined effect of two countervailing forces: (i) network competition among dealers in their pricing of immediacy to peripheral agents, and (ii) the benefits of a concentrated set of dealers for lowering inventory risk through their ability to quickly offset purchases against sales. The size of the dealer core grows with the total number of agents, and reaches a finite limit size in a market with infinitely many agents. The dealer sector also increases as agents become more risk tolerant. Having more dealers competing to provide liquidity lowers the equilibrium bid-ask spread, individual dealer inventory levels and turnover, but increases market-wide dealer inventory cost. From the viewpoint of market efficiency, surprisingly, dealers tend to under-compete in liquid markets, and over-compete in illiquid markets. This suggests regulation that is differentiated by asset liquidity.
THE IMPLICATIONS OF CORPORATE ACQUISITIONS FOR THE CAREERS OF ACQUIRING AND TARGET CEOS

This paper addresses the postacquisition career fates of acquiring and target CEOs from a theoretical vantage emphasizing their dynamic interrelationship. The new concept of dyadic relative status—...
Current situation and prospects of development technology for low permeability oil and gas fields in the world

Matured technology for developing low permeability oil and gas fields includes water injection, fracturing and gas injection, etc. Fine reservoir description and protection are critical to reservoir development. The development of new technology for low permeability reservoir exploration and development is fast and gradually matured, including multi-lateral well, seismic fracture image and diagnosis, new fracturing technique, and gas injection. The study of the current situation of exploration and development for low permeability oil and gas fields in the world is helpful to optimal utilization of such resources, improving exploration and development result, and providing theoretical and practical basis for high level, high benefit, sustainable development of low permeability oil and gas fields.
Implementing Augmented Reality in the Classroom

Augmented reality (AR) is a tool that holds much promise in terms of its application for educational purposes. However, despite the fact that the hardware needed to access AR is becoming ubiquitous in classroom environments, AR’s use in educational settings is diffusing at a slow pace. Several challenges are present for educators interested in adopting AR in their instructional environments but they are not insurmountable. Increasing hardware availability as well as software advances are affording more instructors access to the tools needed to design, develop, and implement AR in and around their classroom. This paper first identifies a conceptual definition of AR that can be easily applied across contexts and then outlines several guidelines for instructors looking to implement AR learning experiences at a classroom level. DOI:10.2458/azu_itet_v3i2_miller
Preoperative imaging anatomy of nasal-ethmoid complex for functional endoscopic sinus surgery

Endoscopic sinus surgery has become an increasingly popular surgical procedure. Functional endoscopic sinus surgery is based on the hypothesis that the ostiomeatal complex is the key area in the pathogenesis of chronic sinusitis. This article discusses the concept of functional endoscopic sinus surgery, the anatomy of the ostiomeatal complex, and the imaging anatomy of the ostiomeatal complex.
The Risks and Benefits of Immediate Versus Delayed Autologous Breast Reconstruction

Surgeons may opt to reconstruct the breast immediately following mastectomy or conversely plastic surgeons may postpone reconstruction following mastectomy. There is a complex decision making process which guides the determination to proceed with immediate versus delayed reconstruction. The underwriting factor which guides the decision to either delay or proceed with immediate reconstruction is the potential need for post-mastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT). The author reviews the risks and benefits of immediate versus delayed autologous reconstruction including oncologic safety, reconstructive outcomes, and institutional policy versus head-to-head comparison.
Solution-processed SnO2 nanowires for sensitive and fast-response H2S detection

Abstract Solution-processed nanocrystalline semiconductors possess ease of processing, physical flexibility and large area coverage, which are beneficial for developing high performance gas sensors with low cost. Here we reported low-temperature chemiresistive gas sensors based on SnO 2 nanowires that were synthesized and dispersed in solution. The gas sensors were fabricated via a room-temperature spin-coating route and their sensing properties toward H 2 S at low temperatures were investigated. The sensors exhibited sensitive response upon H 2 S gas exposure at 70 °C with fast response (2 s at 50 ppm) and the response was fully recoverable upon H 2 S gas release. The highly sensitive response, combined with the benefit of room-temperature fabrication, make the solution-processed SnO 2 nanowires attractive candidates for the construction of gas sensors.
Watchful Waiting Strategy May Reduce Low-Value Diagnostic Testing

Background: PCPs need effective communication strategies to address patient requests for low-value testing while sustaining patient-provider partnerships. Watchful waiting – allowing a negotiated period of time to pass before making a firm testing decision – shows promise as a tool for addressing patient requests for low-value testing. Methods: Observational analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial of a communication intervention designed to boost patient-centeredness and reduce low-value test ordering among 61 resident primary care physicians. Intervention effectiveness was assessed during follow-up encounters of unannounced standardized patients (SPs) who requested low-value tests. We examined associations between five physician counseling behaviors and overall patient-centeredness (Measure of Patient-Centered Communication) and requested test ordering. Results: During 155 SP encounters, residents most commonly used reassurance (96% of encounters), evidence-based recommendations (97%), and watchful waiting (68 %). Resident advice to pursue watchful waiting was associated with 39% lower likelihood of test ordering (adjusted marginal effect of −38.6% [95% CI −43.6 to −33.6]). When all communication behaviors were examined together, only watchful waiting was significantly associated with test ordering (marginal effect of −38% [95% CI −44.3% to −31.7%]). Overall patient-centeredness was not associated with low-value testing. Conclusion: Resident physician counseling to pursue watchful waiting was associated with less ordering of requested low-value diagnostic tests, while overall patient-centeredness was not.
Secure ADS-B framework “ADS-Bsec”

In this paper, we leverage previous work on securing Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) to propose a secure ADS-B framework that substantially enhances the original safety and security solutions. The enhancements are obtained by feeding real flight data along with malicious data at the secure ADS-B sender and observing the outcome at the secure ADS-B receiver that we developed as part of our research on ADS-Bsec. To evaluate our ideas, we built a trajectory predictor module based on Base of Aircraft Data (BADA) and, together with well-defined departure and arrival airports, generated a synthetic, yet realistic aircraft data set. The experiments focus on describing how our system reacts to known ADS-B attacks, and the results obtained so far and presented in this paper are consistent with our expectations of enhancements in both safety and security of ADS-B operations.
Abstract 4077: Adipose-derived stem cells after Paclitaxel treatment demonstrate decreased function and suppression of breast cancer cell viability

Background: Following neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer resections, poor soft tissue wound healing can pose a major clinical challenge. Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) in clinically applied stromal vascular fractions are considered to play a positive role in wound healing (SVF) as evidenced by their increasing use in breast reconstructive procedures. Our study evaluated the potential confounding effects of Paclitaxel (PTX) on ASC proliferation and differentiation capacities and if PTX treated ASCs may subsequently influence tumor cell viability. Methods: IRB-approved human ASCs were isolated and treated with PTX at different concentrations. Proliferation, cell viability, and cell migration rates were measured by growth curves, MTT assays and scratch assays. ASCs were cultured in derivative-specific differentiation media with or without PTX (1uM) for 3 weeks. Adipogenic, osteogenic and endothelial differentiation levels were measured by quantitative RT-PCR, Oil-Red-O, Alizarin Red staining and cord formation on Matrigel, respectively. MDA-MB-231 (breast cancer cell line) and ASCs were co-cultured at equal cell numbers. ASC conditional media were collected every 3 days from ASC no-PTX treatment and PTX treated - washout groups. Results: PTX decreased proliferation of ASCs in a dose- and time-dependent manner. PTX treatment down-regulated the capacity of ASCs for adipogenic, osteogenic and endothelial differentiation (p Conclusion: Our results indicate that: 1) PTX inhibited ASC proliferation and decreased the multipotency differentiating capacity; and 2) Direct contact or treatment with conditional media from PTX treated ASCs suppressed tumor cell growth. In evaluating autologous ASCs for reconstructive procedures, this study may provide insight into poor soft tissue wound healing immediately following the removal of chemotherapy as well as decreased recurrence in breast cancer patients. Citation Format: William M. Harris, Michael Plastini, Telisha Ortiz, Nikolas Kappy, Jefferson Benites, Shaohua Chang, A. Lelani Fahey, Martha S. Matthews, Alexandre Hageboutros, Jeffrey P. Carpenter, Spencer Brown, Ping Zhang. Adipose-derived stem cells after Paclitaxel treatment demonstrate decreased function and suppression of breast cancer cell viability. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 4077. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-4077
A Real-Time Technique for Positioning a Wheelchair-Mounted Robotic Arm for Household Manipulation Tasks

Wheelchair mounted robotic arms can help people with disabilities perform their activities of daily living (ADL). The autonomy of such a system can range from full manual control (both wheelchair and robotic arm controlled by the human) to fully autonomous (with both the wheelchair and the robotic arm under autonomous control). Many ADLs require the robot to pick up an object from a cluttered environment - such as a glass of water from a table where several other objects exist. In this paper, we concentrate on the task of finding the optimal position of the base of the robotic arm (which is normally a rigid point on the wheelchair) such that the end effector can easily reach the target (regardless whether this is done through human or robot control). We introduce the ease-of-reach score ERS, a metric quantifying the preferences for the positioning of the base. As the brute force computation of ERS is computationally expensive, we propose an approach of estimating the ERS through a mixture of Gaussians. The parameters of the component Gaussians are learned offline and depend on the nature of the environment such as properties of the the obstacles. Simulation results show that the estimated ERS closely matches the actual value and the speed of estimation is fast enough for real-time operation.
A Non-Narcotic Pathway for the Management of Postoperative Pain Following Pediatric Robotic Pyeloplasty

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this study is twofold: first, to describe the non-narcotic pathway (NNP) for the management of postoperative pain after robotic pyeloplasty (RP); second, to compare perioperative outcomes for children undergoing RP whose postoperative pain was managed with and without the NNP. Patients and Methods: A retrospective review was performed on 96 consecutive patients from October 2011 to December 2015 who underwent RP by three primary surgeons at a single pediatric institution. Children managed with an NNP received alternating doses of scheduled intravenous acetaminophen and ketorolac every 3 hours throughout the postoperative course. Perioperative outcomes were compared after grouping patients according to the type of postoperative pain management pathway. Continuous variables were compared using the Mann–Whitney U test, and categorical variables were compared using the two-tailed chi-squared test. Results: A total of 49 (51.0%) patients were managed with the NNP, and 47 (49.0%...
Catastrophic optical bulk degradation (COBD) in high-power single- and multi-mode InGaAs-AlGaAs strained quantum well lasers

High-power single-mode (SM) and multi-mode (MM) InGaAs-AlGaAs strained quantum well (QW) lasers are critical components for both telecommunications and space satellite communications systems. However, little has been reported on failure modes and degradation mechanisms of high-power SM and MM InGaAs-AlGaAs strained QW lasers although it is crucial to understand failure modes and underlying degradation mechanisms in developing these lasers that meet lifetime requirements for space satellite systems, where extremely high reliability of these lasers is required. Our present study addresses the aforementioned issues by performing long-term life-tests followed by failure mode analysis (FMA) and physics of failure investigation. We performed long-term accelerated life-tests on state-of-the-art SM and MM InGaAs-AlGaAs strained QW lasers under ACC (automatic current control) mode. Our life-tests have accumulated over 25,000 test hours for SM lasers and over 35,000 test hours for MM lasers. FMA was performed on failed SM lasers using electron beam induced current (EBIC). This technique allowed us to identify failure types by observing dark line defects. All the SM failures we studied showed catastrophic and sudden degradation and all of these failures were bulk failures. Our group previously reported that bulk failure or COBD (catastrophic optical bulk damage) is the dominant failure mode of MM InGaAs-AlGaAs strained QW lasers. Since degradation mechanisms responsible for COBD are still not well understood, we also employed other techniques including focused ion beam (FIB) processing and high-resolution TEM to further study dark line defects and dislocations in post-aged lasers. Our long-term life-test results and FMA results are reported.