cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Expression of a xanthine permease and phosphate transporter in cultures and field populations of the harmful alga Aureococcus anophagefferens: tracking nutritional deficiency during brown tides.

Summary Targeted gene expression using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was employed to track patterns in the expression of genes indicative of nitrogen or phosphorus deficiency in the brown tide-forming alga Aureococcus anophagefferens. During culture experiments, a xanthine/uracil/vitamin C permease (XUV) was upregulated ∼20-fold under nitrogen-deficient conditions relative to a nitrogen-replete control and rapidly returned to nitrogen-replete levels after nitrogen-deficient cells were resupplied with nitrate or ammonium. It was not responsive to phosphorus deficiency. Expression of an inorganic phosphate transporter (PTA3) was enriched ∼10-fold under phosphorus-deficient conditions relative to a phosphorus-replete control, and this signal was rapidly lost upon phosphate resupply. PTA3 was not upregulated by nitrogen deficiency. Natural A. anophagefferens populations from a dense brown tide that occurred in Long Island, NY, in 2009 were assayed for XUV and PTA3 expression and compared with nutrient concentrations over the peak of a bloom. Patterns in XUV expression were consistent with nitrogen-replete growth, never reaching the values observed in N-deficient cultures. PTA3 expression was highest prior to peak bloom stages, reaching expression levels within the range of P-deficient cultures. These data highlight the value of molecular-level assessments of nutrient deficiency and suggest that phosphorus deficiency could play a role in the dynamics of destructive A. anophagefferens blooms.
Plasmonic-Enhanced Photodetectors for Focal Plane Arrays

Plasmonic enhancement of a quantum-dot infrared photodetector (QDIP) using a corrugated metal surface (CMS) that is fully compatible with conventional focal plane array manufacturing is demonstrated. A CMS consisting of a 2.5-μm period, 2-D square array of 1.1-μ m-high GaAs circular posts passivated with a thick Au film is fabricated into the heavily doped, top GaAs contact layer of an InAs QDIP. For substrate-side illumination, the CMS exhibits strong coupling to surface plasma waves bound to the Au/GaAs interface providing enhancement of the QDIP. At 77 K, the CMS-processed QDIP exhibits up to ~15-fold detectivity enhancement compared with the original detector.
Spatial and temporal patterns of ground-level ozone within North-Central Pennsylvania forests.

Abstract Ozone is the most important air pollutant impacting forests of the northeastern United States, including Pennsylvania. Spatial and temporal patterns of ambient, ground-level ozone were studied during 2002–2004 within north-central Pennsylvania hardwood forests. Ground-level ozone was monitored at 20 remote, forested sites using passive (non-electric) ozone samplers. Ten monitoring sites were established at (relatively) low-elevation ( 550 m) on mountains. Real-time electronic ozone analyzers were co-located with the passive samplers at three sites that had access to electricity. Spatial maps were developed illustrating gradients of ozone across the region. During all 3 years, ambient ozone levels were positively correlated with elevation (2002, ρ = 0.813, P < 0.001; 2003, ρ = 0.877, P < 0.001; and 2004, p = 0.518, P < 0.019). Native forests at higher, mountainous sites may be at risk from higher ambi...
Image Reconstruction from Sparse Data in Echo-Planar Imaging

While echo-planar imaging (EPI) has emerged as one of the fastest of the common magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods, there remains a need to further reduce EPI scan times. We present a method for obtaining accurate image reconstruction from EPI data along highly sparse horizontal lines in Fourier space. This method iteratively minimizes the total variation (TV) of the estimated image using gradient descent, subject to the constraint that the Fourier transform of the image matches the known samples in Fourier space. Using this method, we demonstrate accurate image reconstruction from Fourier space samples obtained along as few as 20% of the horizontal lines used in a typical full EPI scan. This corresponds to at least a factor of five decrease in the required scan time. The algorithm should also increase EPI scan efficiency by allowing for greatly improved image resolution and signal to noise ratio in a scan of a given time. By adding Gaussian noise to the Fourier samples, we demonstrate that the algorithm has the added benefit of regularizing the reconstructed image, making it very effective for noisy data. Although our results are discussed in the context of two-dimensional MRI, they are directly applicable to higher dimensional imaging and to other non-uniform grids in Fourier space.
First-trimester placental ultrasound and maternal serum markers as predictors of small-for-gestational-age infants

Objective The objective of the study was to combine early, direct assessment of the placenta with indirect markers of placental development to identify pregnancies at greatest risk of delivering small-for-gestational age infants (SGA10). Study Design We prospectively collected 3-dimensional ultrasound volume sets, uterine artery pulsatility index, and maternal serum of singleton pregnancies at 11-14 weeks. Placental volume (PV), quotient (placental quotient [PQ] = PV/gestational age), mean placental diameter (MPD) and chorionic diameters, and the placental morphology index (PMI = MPD/PQ and adjusts the lateral placental dimensions for quotient) were measured offline. Maternal serum was assayed for placental growth factor and placental protein-13. These variables were evaluated as predictors of SGA10. Results Of the 578 pregnancies included in the study, 56 (9.7%) delivered SGA10. SGA10 pregnancies had a significantly smaller PV, PQ, MPD, and mean placental diameter and higher PMI compared with normal pregnancies ( P P P = .06). Placental growth factor was significantly lower in SGA10 pregnancies ( P = .02) and remained significant in adjusted models but failed to significantly improve the predictive performance of the models as measured by area under the curve ( P > .3). Placental protein-13 was not associated with SGA10 ( P = .99). Conclusion Direct assessment of placental size and shape with 3-dimensional ultrasound can serve as the foundation upon which to build a multivariable model for the early prediction of SGA.
Balancing search and target response in cooperative unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) teams

This paper considers a heterogeneous team of cooperating unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) drawn from several distinct classes and engaged in a search and action mission over a spatially extended battlefield with targets of several types. During the mission, the UAVs seek to confirm and verifiably destroy suspected targets and discover, confirm, and verifiably destroy unknown targets. The locations of some (or all) targets are unknown a priori, requiring them to be located using cooperative search. In addition, the tasks to be performed at each target location by the team of cooperative UAVs need to be coordinated. The tasks must, therefore, be allocated to UAVs in real time as they arise, while ensuring that appropriate vehicles are assigned to each task. Each class of UAVs has its own sensing and attack capabilities, so the need for appropriate assignment is paramount. In this paper, an extensive dynamic model that captures the stochastic nature of the cooperative search and task assignment problems is developed, and algorithms for achieving a high level of performance are designed. The paper focuses on investigating the value of predictive task assignment as a function of the number of unknown targets and number of UAVs. In particular, it is shown that there is a tradeoff between search and task response in the context of prediction. Based on the results, a hybrid algorithm for switching the use of prediction is proposed, which balances the search and task response. The performance of the proposed algorithms is evaluated through Monte Carlo simulations.
Parent-Child Relationship Disorders: What Do the Child Vulnerability Scale and the Parent Protection Scale Measure?

While scales exist to aid clinicians in the assessment of parent-child relationship disorders, there are minimal data regarding their clinical usefulness. This study examined the ability of parent responses to questions regarding the child's health, behavior, and development to predict total scores on the Child Vulnerability Scale and the Parent Protection Scale. Of 120 potential participants, 103 parents (92% mothers, 69% white, 54% married, 44% lower socioeconomic status) with children aged 2-5 years completed the Child Health and Family Functioning Questionnaire. Logistic regression yielded a correct prediction rate of 77% for perceived child vulnerability and 76% for parental overprotection. Our data provide support for the independence of parental perceptions of increased child vulnerability and parental overprotection as well as for the content validity of the Child Vulnerability Scale and the Parent Protection Scale.
Ethnic variation in weight loss, but not co-morbidity remission, after laparoscopic gastric banding and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

Abstract Background Demographic factors such as ethnicity may affect bariatric surgery outcomes. We examined weight loss and co-morbidities outcomes in African American, Caucasian, and Hispanic patients who underwent laparoscopic gastric banding (LAGB) and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). The primary aim was to investigate demographic differences in weight loss and co-morbidities outcomes. Methods We retrospectively examined weight change and co-morbidities outcomes in our prospective database. A total of 1,903 patients underwent LAGB or RYGB between January 1, 2005 and March 31, 2012. Of those, 1828 completed their 1-year follow-up visit (9–15 mo) and had complete data. We excluded patients who were missing ethnicity information, resulting in a final cohort of 1,684 patients. Multivariate analyses and χ 2 tests were used to examine demographic variables in body mass index (BMI) change, percent excess weight loss (%EWL), and remission of co-morbidities. We also examined weight loss outcomes at 2- and 3-year follow-up. Results Overall, those who underwent RYGB had a lower BMI and greater %EWL at 1, 2, and 3 years compared to those who had undergone LAGB. Overall, African American patients had a higher postoperative BMI than either Caucasian or Hispanic patients. African American patients also showed less %EWL than Caucasian and Hispanic patients. When we examined within surgery type, ethnic differences between African American and Caucasian patients were present across all 3 years in RYGB, but there were no ethnic differences by year 3 in LAGB. Additionally, African American and Hispanic patients no longer differed by year 3 in RYGB and by year 2 in LAGB. There were no significant ethnic differences in remission of diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and sleep apnea at 1 year. Conclusion Our study found significant ethnic differences in the postoperative BMI and %EWL, which were more pronounced in patients undergoing RYGB than LAGB at the 3-year time point. These weight loss differences did not translate to a lower rate of co-morbidities remission.
QUANTITATIVE INTERFEROMETRY OF ONION EPIDERMAL NUCLEI IN DEVELOPMENT AND IN SENESCENCE

Summary Nuclei of onion (Allium cepa L.) bulb scale inner epidermal cells were found to increase in area, dry mass per unit area, and total dry mass with increasing age and distance of the scales from the centre of the bulb. The above nuclear characteristics reached maxima which were, respectively 4.1, 1.4, and 5.0 × those of the youngest scale studied (the oldest unemerged leaf). A sharp increase in these three characteristics in scale 2 is interpreted as reversible change due to senescence. The outermost turgid scale, i.e. the oldest, exhibited the increased nuclear dry mass concentration and decreased nuclear area and nuclear dry mass which characterize nuclear pyenosis. The outermost scale is therefore interpreted as exhibiting irreversible change due to senescence.
Classifying Language-Minority Students: A Closer Look at Individual Student Data.

This article presents an exploratory case study of site-level classification practices for language-minority students. The study examines individual classification data of 439 language-minority student cases from one California urban school district and two of its schools. The review process involved a thorough examination of data integrity, sources of inconsistencies, and implications. The aim of this work was to deconstruct and decode the unknowns associated with school and district site-level student classification practices to inform language-minority student policy and practice. Results of this study show that classifying language-minority students is particularly problematic, in part due to individual student data management systems at the school site level. This metrical work highlights the effects of how local sites classify their language-minority students and how critical this is for the students subjected to classification as well as policy and practice.
The Met66 allele of the functional Val66Met polymorphism in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene confers protection against neurocognitive dysfunction in systemic lupus erythematosus

Background: A common functional polymorphism of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene ( BDNF Val66Met) was previously associated with diminished episodic memory performance in healthy people. As cognitive function is commonly impaired in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the association of the BDNF Val66Met with neurocognitive function was studied. Objective: To study the association of the BDNF Val66Met with neurocognitive function in a cohort of patients with SLE. Methods: Cognitive function was assessed in 59 patients with SLE with no previous or current central nervous system involvement. Cognitive tests were grouped into five domains (memory, attention/executive function, visuospatial skills, motor function and psychomotor speed) and used to obtain domain Z scores, reflecting the difference between averaged scores of performance on individual tests and published norms in each domain. Genotyping was carried out using a 5′-nuclease assay with 99.9% accuracy. Unpaired t test was used to assess the relationship between genotypes and cognitive function, whereas the effect of possible confounders was assessed in a multivariate analysis. Results: Patients carrying the Met66 allele scored significantly higher on psychomotor, attention/executive and motor function tests, resulting in significantly higher domain Z scores for the psychomotor (p = 0.005) and motor (p = 0.002) domains. Conclusions: The BDNF Met66 allele was associated with better cognitive functioning in the psychomotor and motor domains, even after controlling for differences in ethnicity, sex, depression status and prednisone treatment. These data suggest that the BDNF Met66 allele confers protection against the decline of motor and psychomotor cognitive functions in patients with longstanding SLE.
APPLICATION OF AN ADAPTIVE STEP-SIZE ALGORITHM IN MODELS OF HYPERINFLATION

An adaptive step-size algorithm [Kushner and Yin, Stochastic Approximation and Recursive Algorithms and Applications, 2nd ed., New York: Springer-Verlag (2003)] is used to model time-varying learning, and its performance is illustrated in the environment of Marcet and Nicolini [American Economic Review 93 (2003), 1476–1498]. The resulting model gives qualitatively similar results to those of Marcet and Nicolini, and performs quantitatively somewhat better, based on the criterion of mean squared error. The model generates increasing gain during hyperinflations and decreasing gain after hyperinflations end, which matches findings in the data. An agent using this model behaves cautiously when faced with sudden changes in policy, and is able to recognize a regime change after acquiring sufficient information.
Statistical thermodynamics of nucleic acid melting transitions with coupled binding equilibria

Equations are developed to describe the shift in the temperature of the helix–coil transition when small molecules bind to nucleic acids. Included are high polymers, oligonucleotides, and oligomer–polymer interactions. The equations prescribe simple ways of plotting experimental data to evaluate transition and binding parameters.
Presence of the metabolic syndrome is associated with shorter time to castration-resistant prostate cancer

Abstract Background Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a set of risk factors that includes obesity and insulin resistance and has been implicated in the development of prostate cancer. Its impact on androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) efficacy has not been studied. Patients and methods Retrospective study of prostate cancer patients seen from 1998 to 2005 in a medical oncology clinic. MS, as defined by modified Adult Treatment Panel III criteria, was assessed at the time of initiation of ADT. The study end points were time to prostate-specific antigen (PSA) progression and overall survival (OS) from time of starting ADT. Results Eighty-two patients treated with ADT and data to assess for presence of MS were identified. Median age in men with and without MS was 70 years and 49% of the patients evaluated met criteria for MS. Median time to PSA progression for patients with MS was 16 versus 36 months without MS (P = 0.003). The median OS for patients with MS was 36.5 months after commencing ADT compared with 46.7 months for those patients without MS (P = 0.061). Conclusions This preliminary data suggest that MS is a risk factor for earlier development of castration-resistant prostate cancer and support the need for a prospective evaluation of this finding.
Adenovirus RIDα uncovers a novel pathway requiring ORP1L for lipid droplet formation independent of NPC1

Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC) is caused by mutations in NPC1 or NPC2, which coordinate egress of low-density-lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol from late endosomes. We previously reported that the adenovirus-encoded protein RIDα rescues the cholesterol storage phenotype in NPC1-mutant fibroblasts. We show here that RIDα reconstitutes deficient endosome-to-endoplasmic reticulum (ER) transport, allowing excess LDL-cholesterol to be esterified by acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase and stored in lipid droplets (LDs) in NPC1-deficient cells. Furthermore, the RIDα pathway is regulated by the oxysterol-binding protein ORP1L. Studies have classified ORP1L as a sterol sensor involved in LE positioning downstream of GTP-Rab7. Our data, however, suggest that ORP1L may play a role in transport of LDL-cholesterol to a specific ER pool designated for LD formation. In contrast to NPC1, which is dispensable, the RIDα/ORP1L-dependent route requires functional NPC2. Although NPC1/NPC2 constitutes the major pathway, therapies that amplify minor egress routes for LDL-cholesterol could significantly improve clinical management of patients with loss-of-function NPC1 mutations. The molecular identity of putative alternative pathways, however, is poorly characterized. We propose RIDα as a model system for understanding physiological egress routes that use ORP1L to activate ER feedback responses involved in LD formation.
Gain-scheduling control of a cable-driven MRI-compatible robotic platform for intracardiac interventions

In this paper, we design and implement a gain-scheduling controller for a parallel structure robotic platform (that we name ROBOCATH) developed to be used in intracardiac interventions under beating-heart conditions. The primary mission for this manipulator is to safely steer the cardiac catheters inside the left ventricle to reach any desired target points under magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guidance. In this paper, we first derive a reduced-order dynamic model of the robot based on the Lagrange method to capture the nonlinear dynamics of the platform. The model is then used for the design of a state feedback linear parameter varying (LPV) controller to command the robot to position the catheter in any desired state. During the controller design process, appropriate selection of scheduling parameters not only helps hide the nonlinearities of the system dynamics but also leads to a set of decoupled models for the structure, where each degree of freedom could be treated separately. The performance of the controller is compared with a variable-gain proportional-derivative-integral (PID) controller designed in our earlier work. The experimental results show that the proposed control scheme has significant advantages in terms of implementation, set point tracking and actuator saturation over the baseline PID controller.
Soluble Guanylate Cyclase Activator Reverses Acute Pulmonary Hypertension and Augments the Pulmonary Vasodilator Response to Inhaled Nitric Oxide in Awake Lambs

Background— Inhaled nitric oxide (NO) is a potent and selective pulmonary vasodilator, which induces cGMP synthesis by activating soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) in ventilated lung regions. Carbon monoxide (CO) has also been proposed to influence smooth muscle tone via activation of sGC. We examined whether direct stimulation of sGC by BAY 41-2272 would produce pulmonary vasodilation and augment the pulmonary responses to inhaled NO or CO. Methods and Results— In awake, instrumented lambs, the thromboxane analogue U-46619 was intravenously administered to increase mean pulmonary arterial pressure to 35 mm Hg. Intravenous infusion of BAY 41-2272 (0.03, 0.1, and 0.3 mg · kg−1 · h−1) reduced mean pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance and increased transpulmonary cGMP release in a dose-dependent manner. Larger doses of BAY 41-2272 also produced systemic vasodilation and elevated the cardiac index. Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester abolished the systemic but not the pulmonary vasodilator...
Personality Structure and Process, Variance Between and Within: Integration by Means of a Developmental Framework

Hooker and McAdams (2003) offer a six-foci model of personality organized around the concepts of structure and process. The structure and process distinction is essentially one of emphasizing within- or between-person variance, yet both types of variance are valuable, especially in personality development. Cattell (1966) understood the distinction and incorporated it into his concept of the data box. Hooker and McAdams’s model shares aspects of Cattell’s scheme but is more explicitly developmental. We argue that the concept of the developmental trajectory fits neatly into both the Cattell and Hooker–McAdams models and affords a data analytic framework for understanding both within- and between-person variance, allowing greater integration of process and structure approaches.
Using CT to Peer into the Past: 3D Visualization of the Brain and Ear Regions of Birds, Crocodiles, and Nonavian Dinosaurs

Until relatively recently, information on the internal skull structures of fossil taxa relied on fortuitous breaks, aggressive removal of rock matrix (Galton 1989, 2001), sectioning with a saw (Osborn 1912), or serial ground thin-sectioning (Stensio 1963), all of which potentially risk damage to the fossil specimen (or even consume it entirely in the case of ground thin-sections). In some cases, casts of internal structures, such as the brain cavity and labyrinth of the inner ear, were preserved as ‘natural endocasts’ by infilling with more resistant matrix (e.g., Newton 1888). In most cases, however, physical endocasts are made after matrix removal by coating internal cavities with latex and then removing the cured replica, referred to as a latex endocast (Radinsky 1968; Jerison 1973; Hopson 1979). The process of making latex endocasts poses further risks to the fossil, and for many fragile specimens, such an approach has been unfeasible.
INHERITANCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL VARIATION IN BODY SIZE: SUPERPARASITISM OF SEEDS AFFECTS PROGENY AND GRANDPROGENY BODY SIZE VIA A NONGENETIC MATERNAL EFFECT.

Maternal effects provide the most common mechanism by which environmental variation in one generation affects the phenotype of individuals in subsequent generations. In egg-laying animals, however, we typically observe that maternal effects can have large influences on early growth (egg size and early development), but these effects gradually disappear and become undetectable by the time progeny mature due to developmental plasticity in progeny. We describe a system in which an environmentally induced reduction in body size is inherited by progeny via a nongenetic maternal effect. The seed beetle, Callosobruchus maculatus, completes development inside a discrete resource package (a seed) selected by its mother. Due to superparasitism in response to low host availability, progeny frequently develop at high densities, resulting in intense larval competition and pupation at a smaller body size. Females reared at higher density (and thus emerging smaller) lay smaller eggs than females reared at lower density. Progeny from these smaller eggs mature at a smaller size than progeny reared from the larger eggs laid by females reared at lower density. Crosses between high and low density lines demonstrated that treatment differences in body size are maternally inherited, confirming that the inheritance of body size variation in part involves an environmentally based maternal effect.
Four Cases of Esophageal Carcinoma Initiated Only with Hoarseness as the Earliest Symptom

It is strongly emphasized in this paper that every laryngologist should suspect presence of esophageal carcinoma whenever clinical diagnosis of recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis was made. One hundred and thirty-eight cases with chief complaints of hoarseness were diagnosed as unilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis at the Department of Otolaryngology, Mitsui Memorial Hospital. Those investigations were carried out over the periods of recent 6 years. Among them, 4 cases with unilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis were found to present esophageal carcinoma of either cervical or thoracic portion. Those 4 cases commonly did not show any type of dysphagic problem throughout their clinical courses. Only problem they disclosed at the time of initial visiting our clinic was hoarseness rather than dysphagia.The recurrent laryngeal nerve is located anatomically close to the esophagus so that if carcinoma of the esophagus develops externally outside the esophagus to involve the recurrent laryngeal nerve, hoarseness may be the earliest symptom to suggest presence of esophageal carcinoma. On the contrary, if carcinoma of the esophagus grows internally inside the esophageal tract, dysphagia may be a starting symptom. All 4 cases we experienced in our institution revealed carcinoma of the esophagus extending outside it to paralyze the recurrent laryngeal nerve. Cobalt therapy was provided for 3 cases of them. Complete recovery of paralyzed vocal cord was noted in 1 case whose carcinoma was located in the limited area of pyriformis sinus. However, other 1 case resulted in no recovery of paralyzed vocal cord even on the process of radiotherapy. Among remaining two cases, one was lost for follow-up and the other was surgically treated in terms of total laryngoesophagectomy with permanent creation of tracheostoma.
Using a two-dimensional watershed model to estimate flood magnitude and frequency under changing climate

A two-dimensional physical based hydrodynamic watershed model, HydroSed2D, was used to estimate the impact of climate change on flood magnitude and frequency in the Upper Santa Cruz River Watershed (USCRW) in the Southern Arizona. Hourly precipitation data from a Regional Climate Model (RCM), Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF), for three periods, 1990-2000, 2031-2040 and 2071-2079, were used to quantify the impact of climate change on flood. Precipitation outputs from RCM-WRF model were bias-corrected using observed gridded precipitation data for three periods before directly used in the watershed model. The calibrated watershed model was applied to USCRW for simulating surface flow routing for the selected three periods. Simulated discharges are analyzed to obtain future flood magnitude and frequency curves. Results indicate that flood discharges for different return periods are increased: the discharges of 100-year and 200-year return period are increased by 3,000 and 4,000 cfs, respectively.
Method for Member Selection of Cross-functional Teams in New Product Development Considering Index Aspiration

With respect to the problem of member selection of cross-functional teams in new product development with index aspiration,a method for decision analysis is proposed.Firstly,with respect to the aspiration of the comprehensive qualities index and professional skills index which are given by teams,the satisfaction functions of index aspiration are given and the satisfaction degree at each index to every candidate from teams is obtained.Then,the biggest overall satisfaction degree of comprehensive qualities index and professional skills index to the selected member from teams is regarded as the objective function,the model of member selection of cross-functional teams in new product development is constructed and the member formation of teams are obtained.Finally,an example shows the feasibility and validity of this method.The paper can further improve the methods for member selection of cross-functional teams in new product development and have a practical application value.
The legal and historical basis of US science policy

This article provides an introduction to the legal basis of science policy in the United States, including the ways in which the legal basis itself as well as the organization, activities and programs which constitute U.S. science policy have evolved since the U.S. Constitution was adopted in 1789.
Negotiating Legacies: Audre Lorde, W. E. B. DuBois, Marlon Riggs, and Me

In this article, Townsand Price-Spratlen discusses the role that Audre Lorde, W. E. B. DuBois, and Marlon Riggs have played in forming his orientation towards "praxis" as a queer scholar of African descent. He describes his praxis formation as "negotiating legacies," "an introspective process in which we attempt to learn the lessons of history by seeking to understand the contexts and contributions of our ancestors." Using Lorde's The Cancer Journals, DuBois's The Souls of Black Folk, and Riggs's Tongues Untied, the author illustrates how each of these figures contributed to various phases of his personal and professional development. Through this article, Price-Spratlen provides an example to others of how they may negotiate their own individual legacies.
Cross-Battery Assessment? XBA PSW? A case of mistaken identity: A commentary on Kranzler and colleagues' “Classification agreement analysis of Cross-Battery Assessment in the identification of specific learning disorders in children and youth”

When education works, it works to the benefit of all. It creates productive, innovative citizens eager to contribute to a well-functioning democracy. In contrast, educational failure has lifelong c...
Inverse design of a polarization-independent dirac-cone zero-index metamaterial

We apply a novel computational method to systematically design Dirac cones in photonic crystals. In particular, we demonstrate an unprecedented Dirac-cone zero-index metamaterial (DC-ZIM) that exhibits zero-index for any polarization of light.
Wilhelm Raabe: The Fiction of the Alternative Community

(1989). Wilhelm Raabe: The Fiction of the Alternative Community. The Germanic Review: Literature, Culture, Theory: Vol. 64, No. 4, pp. 183-183.
siRNA-Mediated Silencing of αII Spectrin Gene Expression in Cells Containing DNA Interstrand Cross-Links and Its Relationship to Fanconi Anemia.

Abstract Fanconi anemia (FA) is characterized by bone marrow failure, a predisposition to cancer and, at the cellular level, a hypersensitivity to DNA interstrand cross-linking agents that correlates with a defect in ability to repair cross-links produced by these agents. We have previously shown that the structural protein, nonerythroid a spectrin (αSpII∑*), binds to DNA containing interstrand cross-links and plays an important role in the repair of this type of damage and that there is a deficiency in this protein in cells from FA-A, FA-B, FA-C, FA-D1, FA-F and FA-G cells. We have also shown that after damage to normal cells, αSpII∑* co-localizes in nuclear foci with FANCA, FANCF and the DNA interstrand cross-link repair protein XPF. In FA-A cells, where there is a deficiency in αSpII∑*, damage-induced nuclear foci formation is significantly reduced. In order to further assess the functional importance of αSpII∑* in the repair process and the DNA repair defect in FA cells, studies were carried out on siRNA-mediated silencing of αII spectrin gene expression. Three siRNA oligonucleotide templates were synthesized, which were targeted for different αII spectrin gene sequences. The 21-mer siRNAs produced were purified and normal human lymphoblastoid cells were transfected with these siRNAs. αII spectrin mRNA and protein levels in transfected cells were determined by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis, respectively. By 48 hours after transfection, levels of αII spectrin mRNA and protein were approximately 34% and 30% of mock transfected cells, respectively. Cells were then damaged with 8-MOP plus UVA light so as to produce DNA interstrand cross-links and localization of αII spectrin and FANCA in the nuclei was examined by immunofluorescence microscopy. The results showed that, in cells transfected with αII spectrin siRNA, there was a marked reduction in the number of αII spectrin and FANCA foci in the nuclei of the siRNA transfected cells compared to the mock transfected cells. There was also markedly reduced survival of the siRNA transfected cells after damage compared to mock transfected cells. These results show that there is a correlation between a reduction of αII spectrin levels in these cells and decreased formation of FANCA as well as αII spectrin nuclear foci after damage with a DNA interstrand cross-linking agent and that this in turn correlates with decreased survival and DNA repair in these cells after DNA damage. These results support our model that αII spectrin is needed in the DNA repair process where it acts as a scaffold in the recruitment and alignment of FANC and repair proteins at sites of DNA damage and that, in FA cells, where there is a deficiency in αII spectrin, this recruitment and repair are defective. α∑
Monoclonal antibodies in the treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas are a heterogeneous group of malignancies that result from the clonal expansion of mature lymphocytes that are unable to terminally differentiate. Each lymphoma is derived from a lymphocyte that is frozen at a particular stage of development and often retains many of the immunophenotypic, morphologic, and molecular markers of the corresponding lymphocyte stage. Thus, lymphocyte development is well marked by the expression of a series of differentiation antigens, termed “cluster of differentiation” (CD) antigens. These characteristics serve as the basis for the World Health Organization (WHO) Classification of Lymphoid Neoplasms [1]. These proteins are also valuable markers for diagnosing and classifying lymphomas, as well as reliable targets for therapy.
Safety parameter considerations of anodal transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in rats

A commonly referenced transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) safety threshold derives from tDCS lesion studies in the rat and relies on electrode current density (and related electrode charge density) to support clinical guidelines. Concerns about the role of polarity (e.g. anodal tDCS), sub-lesion threshold injury (e.g. neuroinflammatory processes), and role of electrode montage across rodent and human studies support further investigation into animal models of tDCS safety. Thirty-two anesthetized rats received anodal tDCS between 0 and 5mA for 60min through one of three epicranial electrode montages. Tissue damage was evaluated using hemotoxylin and eosin (HE rather computational modeling suggests average brain current density as a better predictor for anodal tDCS. Nonetheless, under the assumption that rodent epicranial stimulation is a hypersensitive model, an electrode current density of 20.0A/m2 represents a conservative threshold for clinical tDCS, which typically uses an electrode current density of 2A/m2 when electrodes are placed on the skin (resulting in a lower brain current density).
How rich media and discussion boards in online classes can foster student learning and an understanding of online social activism: A special focus on Black Lives Matter

In the digital age, how individuals protest and call for social change has completely changed. Gone are the days when activism hinged upon marching, boycotting, picketing, pamphleting, and small groups working with neighborhoods, nonprofits, and government officials to spark change. Further, public discussions and change no longer must happen in the epicenter of where the unjust action occurred. The democratizing nature of the Internet means anyone with access to a computer, smartphone, tablet, or electronic device with online capabilities can participate in and work to evoke change. Comprehensively, this assignment provides the instructor with the ability to teach students about online activism, including what it is, how it is done and how to create online content to engage others who might be in support of or stand in opposition to a cause they personally support. The assignment provides instructors with the ability to create a vigorous and rigorous course structure that challenges students to demonstrate their cognitive knowledge of online activism by remembering lessons and course readings, researching and understanding what materials can be found online to substantiate their personal beliefs, and evaluate peers’ ability to articulate their beliefs, as well as create content to validate their thoughts and standpoints.
Framing leadership: The social construction of leadership within the academic field of communication studies

The study and advancement of leadership instruction is tied to many academic disciplines and is continually evolving. Within Communication Studies, instructional approaches are informed by past voi...
Trifluoromethyl Oxetanes: Synthesis and Evaluation as a tert‐Butyl Isostere

The synthesis of a new trifluoromethyl oxetane was developed using a Corey-Chaykovsky epoxidation/ring-expansion reaction of trifluoromethyl ketones. The reaction was shown to proceed under mild conditions and displays a broad substrate scope. The trifluoromethyl oxetane was also evaluated as a tert-butyl isostere in the context of the γ-secretase modulator (GSM) program. We demonstrate that the trifluoromethyl oxetane-containing GSM has decreased lipophilicity, improved lipophilic efficiency (LipE) and metabolic stability relative to the corresponding tert-butyl GSM analogue, thus highlighting several benefits of trifluoromethyl oxetane as a more polar tert-butyl isostere.
Incorporation of Quorum Sensing Inhibitors onto Reverse Osmosis Membranes for Biofouling Prevention in Seawater Desalination

Abstract Membrane biofouling, caused by bacterial biofilm formation is a significant obstacle for membrane filtration processes because it reduces pure water permeability. Recent studies have shown that bacterial communication pathways, known as quorum sensing (QS), trigger biofilm development. QS inhibiting compounds (QSIs) have been identified as an important key to disrupt QS pathways and ultimately reduce biofilm production. In this study, two known QSIs, vanillin and cinnamaldehyde, were physically attached onto polyamide thin-film composite reverse osmosis (RO) membranes to enhance membrane in situ antibiofouling potential. QSI attachment altered the membrane surface contact angle to reflect the property of the QSI, but there were no significant changes in salt rejection and pure water permeability. Under biofouling conditions, the QSI-modified RO membranes experienced a minimal loss in permeate flux compared with one of the control membranes in a high-pressure RO system. QSI attachment significantl...
Increasing the sustainability of rural water service: findings from the impact evaluation baseline survey in Nicaragua

evaluation that aims to measure the causal impact of a large-scale rural water supply and services program (PROSASR) in Nicaragua. The overall objective of the evaluation is to assess the causal impact of the provision of technical assistance packages on improvements in the functionality and durability of water systems in rural Nicaraguan communities. Prior to the implementation of the intervention, baseline data were gathered to assess the current levels of functionality and durability of water supply and sanitation (WSS) services, organizational structure and preparedness of WSS system providers, and rural communities and households served by rural water systems. Baseline results suggest that randomized program assignment at the community level resulted in balanced characteristics between treatment and control groups. In a secondary exploratory analysis, community, household, and system indicators were used to identify key determinants of the sustainability of rural water systems. These results will help determine the roadmap for constructing a consistent follow-up survey (2018) to conclude the evaluation and obtain practical policy and program recommendations to improve the program's effectiveness.
Premature Gonadal Insufficiency

Early gonadal failure, if left untreated, results in sex hormone deficiency with infertility and ultimately, long-term health consequences. Research in clinical detection, treatment, and mechanism of action has primarily focused on the female with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI); few data are available concerning the male with early testicular failure. In addition to iatrogenic causes, the differential diagnosis of premature gonadal dysfunction includes genetic and autoimmune etiologies. Although the majority of cases are still termed “sporadic” or “idiopathic,” research is underway to identify the pathways important for gonadal development and function to characterize the potential genetic and environmental factors that predispose patients to early gonadal dysfunction. This chapter reviews the current state of knowledge concerning these processes and available treatment options.
Competent Voices: Noncitizen Defendants and the Right to Know the Immigration Consequences of Plea Agreements

The article discusses the Sixth Amendment’s right to effective assistance of counsel in relation to the criminal prosecution of undocumented workers arrested at the 2009 Postville, Iowa immigration raids, and the pending Supreme Court case Padilla v. Kentucky. In the paper, the author advocates for members of the legal profession to be sensitive to the need to preserve the due process rights of vulnerable populations, such as noncitizens, who often distrust our criminal justice system. In particular, noncitizens without immigration status often carry a sense of guilt arising from their unlawful status, which affects their choices and interactions with the criminal courts. Also, the recent upsurge of immigration enforcement has led to an increased distrust of the U.S. justice system by immigrant communities in general. Therefore, a Supreme Court decision declaring that noncitizens have a right to meaningful representation will rebuild the trust of noncitizens in our legal institutions, while an opposite finding will demolish their trust. Similarly, the acknowledgement the primacy of immigration concerns in plea agreements should precipitate the modification of Rule 11(b)(1) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedures, a procedural change that will hopefully place us on a path that rebuilds noncitizen trust of the American criminal justice system.
Unpeeling a homoclinic banana in the fitzhugh–nagumo system

The FitzHugh--Nagumo equations are known to admit fast traveling pulse solutions with monotone tails. It is also known that this system admits traveling pulses with exponentially decaying oscillato...
Bayesian Kalman filtering in the presence of unknown noise statistics using factor graphs

We propose an optimal Bayesian Kalman filtering framework that provides optimal performance relative to the posterior distribution of unknown noise parameters obtained from incorporating data into the prior distribution. The structure of the proposed filter is similar to that of classical Kalman filtering except the use of posterior effective noise statistics. We introduce a factor-graph-based approach to compute the likelihood function required for computing the posterior effective statistics. The performance of the proposed method is verified by applying it to a target tracking example.
An optimized VM Allocation Strategy to Make a Secure and Energy-Efficient Cloud Against Co-residence Attack

As cloud computing is gaining increasing popularity, it also raises numerous security challenges. One of such challenges is the co-residence attack, in which attackers take advantage of the resource sharing in multi-tenant cloud to perform diverse attacks against their co-residents on the same physical server. In this paper, we propose to defend against such co-residence attacks in Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) through a secure, workload-balanced, and energy-efficient Virtual Machine (VM) allocation strategy. Specifically, we model the VM allocation problem as an optimization problem where the goal is to minimize (1) the security risks introduced by the co-residence of VMs from multiple users, (2) the overall power consumption and (3) the unbalanced workload among different physical servers. As this optimization problem is NP-hard, we further apply the Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) algorithm, an evolutionary algorithm inspired by natural ant activities, to identify the optimal allocation strategy. Experiment results demonstrated that the proposed scheme can make the multi-tenant cloud secure and power efficient.
Navigating the Multiple Roles of the MPA Director: Perspectives and Lessons

This article explores how the changing landscape of higher education affects the roles that a director of a Master of Public Administration (MPA) program plays in leading and managing academic prog...
Civilian versus military trauma dogma: who do you trust?

Combat trauma differs from its peacetime counterpart by involving a different spectrum of injuries, occurring in austere environments, dealing with mass casualties, and embodying inherent treatment delays. Thus, civilian trauma practices may be inappropriate in certain combat settings. A review of historical as well as current civilian and military data is presented for four trauma topics (military antishock trousers, wound debridement, colon wounds, fluid resuscitation) in which civilian and military principles have clashed. The following recommendations are made. (1) Military antishock trousers are still useful in a combat setting. (2) Soft-tissue wound management should be directed by the wound rather than by the weapon. (3) Cautious avoidance of colostomy may be indicated in certain wartime colon wounds. (4) The majority of combat casualties require early vigorous fluid resuscitation. When civilian trauma experience challenges military dogma, it must be carefully considered before being applied to a combat setting.
DESIGN OF AN INTEGRATED MEDICAL DATABASE

This paper presents an integrated approach to Database Design. It describes an efficient procedure to generate the logical structure of a database. A model for the physical implementation is also developed. The methodology has been used in a real world medical application. A description of that study is included.