cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A study of the competitive nitrosations of pyrrolidine, ascorbic acid, cysteine and p‐cresol in a protein‐based model system

The effects of competitive C- and S-nitrosations on the formation of nitrosopyrrolidine were studied in a protein-based model system. The results obtained were compared with those of the analogous reactions performed in solution. The competitive nitrosations were studied at pH 5-25 and 37°C and the results obtained were found to be similar in both systems: ascorbic acid, cysteine and p-cresol each reduced the formation of nitrosopyrrolidine, in decreasing amounts, by competing with pyrrolidine for the available nitrite. A second pathway of nitrosopyrrolidine formation was found which may have involved transnitrosation by the protein-bound nitrite.
Application of a biotin functionalized QD assay for determining available binding sites on electrospun nanofiber membrane.

The quantification of surface groups attached to non-woven fibers is an important step in developing nanofiber biosensing detection technologies. A method utilizing biotin functionalized quantum dots (QDs) 655 for quantitative analysis of available biotin binding sites within avidin immobilized on electrospun nanofiber membranes was developed. A method for quantifying nanofiber bound avidin using biotin functionalized QDs is presented. Avidin was covalently bound to electrospun fibrous polyvinyl chloride (PVC 1.8% COOH w/w containing 10% w/w carbon black) membranes using primary amine reactive EDC-Sulfo NHS linkage chemistry. After a 12 h exposure of the avidin coated membranes to the biotin-QD complex, fluorescence intensity was measured and the total amount of attached QDs was determined from a standard curve of QD in solution (total fluorescence vs. femtomole of QD 655). Additionally, fluorescence confocal microscopy verified the labeling of avidin coated nanofibers with QDs. The developed method was tested against 2.4, 5.2, 7.3 and 13.7 mg spray weights of electrospun nanofiber mats. Of the spray weight samples tested, maximum fluorescence was measured for a weight of 7.3 mg, not at the highest weight of 13.7 mg. The data of total fluorescence from QDs bound to immobilized avidin on increasing weights of nanofiber membrane was best fit with a second order polynomial equation (R2 = .9973) while the standard curve of total fluorescence vs. femtomole QDs in solution had a linear response (R2 = .999). A QD assay was developed in this study that provides a direct method for quantifying ligand attachment sites of avidin covalently bound to surfaces. The strong fluorescence signal that is a fundamental characteristic of QDs allows for the measurement of small changes in the amount of these particles in solution or attached to surfaces.
Planning ADE: Implications from the Literature on Student Perspectives

As the use of instructional technology continues to escalate, it is not surprising that universities are attempting to reach new student markets by using technology. Many of the benefits and barriers to asynchronous distance education (ADE) have been examined over the years; however, few have explored these constructs from the student’s perspective. This manuscript points out some benefits of ADE: lower costs, increased flexibility, greater convenience, higher return on investments, and expanded opportunities. It also addresses possible obstacles: administrative policy and infrastructure issues, quality of technical instruction, inadequate support services, and intrinsic factors affecting student performance. An analysis of these pros and cons is a vital part of planning effective ADE. Suggestions for methods to improve the viability and quality of ADE from the student’s perspective are offered using examples from the discipline of health education.
A Juvenile-Onset, Progressive Cataract Locus on Chromosome 3q21-q22 Is Associated with a Missense Mutation in the Beaded Filament Structural Protein–2

Juvenile-onset cataracts are distinguished from congenital cataracts by the initial clarity of the lens at birth and the gradual development of lens opacity in the second and third decades of life. Genomewide linkage analysis in a multigenerational pedigree, segregating for autosomal dominant juvenile-onset cataracts, identified a locus in chromosome region 3q21.2-q22.3. Because of the proximity of the gene coding for lens beaded filament structural protein–2 (BFSP2) to this locus, we screened for mutations in the coding sequence of BFSP2. We observed a unique C→T transition, one that was not observed in 200 normal chromosomes. We predicted that this led to a nonconservative R287W substitution in exon 4 that cosegregated with cataracts. This mutation alters an evolutionarily conserved arginine residue in the central rod domain of the intermediate filament. On consideration of the proposed function of BFSP2 in the lens cytoskeleton, it is likely that this alteration is the cause of cataracts in the members of the family we studied. This is the first example of a mutation in a noncrystallin structural gene that leads to a juvenile-onset, progressive cataract.
Total phase change entropies and enthalpies. An update on fusion enthalpies and their estimation

Abstract This compendium summarizes the fusion enthalpies of approximately 1000 new measurements. A group additivity method developed to estimate the total phase change entropies and enthalpies of organic solids is updated, applied to the new data and the results are compared. The uncertainties associated with the 1016 new measurements, ±18.5 J mol −1 K −1 and ±7.6 kJ mol −1 for total phase change entropies and enthalpies, respectively, are similar in magnitude to those reported previously. Experimental and estimated fusion entropies and fusion enthalpies along with references are available as supplementary material.
Flutamide Induced Methemoglobinemia

Q 4- p 3- c 2- z Flutamide is a nonsteroidal antiandrogen used widely in the management of metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pros- tate. Methemoglobinemia is a potential adverse reaction of flutamide because of its structural similarity to aniline.' However, to our knowledge only 2 such cases have been reported previously.l.2 We measured serial concentrations of methemoglobin in the blood of a patient with prostatic car- cinoma following discontinuation and subsequent resump- tion of flutamide therapy. CASE REPORT An 82-year-old man with a history of smoking and emphy- sema was diagnosed with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Treatment consisted of 7.5 mg. leuprolide by intra- muscular injection every month and 250 mg. flutamide orally 3 times daily. 'ho months later the patient was evaluated for progressive dyspnea but was not cyanotic. Arterial blood gases revealed a methemoglobin content of 4.5% (normal 0.4 to 1.5). Other laboratory findings included a hemoglobin of 10 gm./dl. and normal serum levels of glucose-6-phosphatase dehydrogenase and nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phos- phate 5p reductase. The methemoglobin level decreased slowly after discontinuation of flutamide. Since the pulmo- nary status remained unaffected flutamide therapy was re- sumed. The arterial methemoglobin content increased abruptly and reached a level of 3.6% within 1 week (see figure). DISCUSSION Methemoglobin is produced when the iron of hemoglobin is oxidized to its ferric form, and becomes incapable of binding and transporting oxygen. Methemoglobinemia occurs when more than 1% of hemoglobin exists as methemoglobin. The condition may be congenital but is most frequently acquired. Several drugs and chemicals can induce methemoglobin- emia. Clinical cyanosis is usually not evident until the con- centration of methemoglobin exceeds 15%. At higher concen- trations patients experience dyspnea, fatigue, dizziness, headache, lethargy, and ultimately coma, seizures, circula- tory failure and death. In symptomatic patients specific treatment consists of administration of methylene blue at 1 to 2 mg.kg. body weight intravenously for 5 minutes.3 Meth- ylene blue and its reduced state, leukomethylene blue, form
A CROSS-SPECIES APPLICATION OF BOTT'S HYPOTHESIS ON ROLE SEGREGATION AND SOCIAL NETWORKS

Elizabeth Bott's hypothesis that the degree of role- segregation between husbands and wives is a function of the density in family networks is applied to a review of social relations among representa- tive species from seven genera of Old World primates. On the whole, the hypothesis is supported. In seeking to apply Bott's ideas to primate re- search, her theory is formalized and stated more abstractly, with the result that its structural dynamics are highlighted. These structural processes revolve around three phenomena: (a) the negative causal effect of network overlap on density of each actor's networks; (b) the positive causal effect of network density on the degree of social support provided by, and a norma- tive elaboration of, each actor's networks; and (c) the causal effect of social support and normative elaboration on the segregation of each actor's ac- tivities.
Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) inhibition of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-mediated adhesion of monocytes to endothelial cells by suppression of cell surface expression of adhesion molecules and of nuclear factor-κB activation

Recruitment of leukocytes by endothelial cells and their subsequent migration from the vasculature into the tissue play major roles in inflammation. In the present study, we investigated the effect of curcumin, an antiinflammatory agent, on the adhesion of monocytes to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (EC). Treatment of EC with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) for 6 hr augmented the adhesion of monocytes to EC, and this adhesion was due to increased expression of intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecule-1 (ELAM-1). Pretreatment of EC for 1 hr with curcumin completely blocked their adhesion to monocytes, as well as the cell surface expression of ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and ELAM-1 in EC. Although curcumin inhibited adhesion even when administered 1 hr after TNF treatment, maximum inhibition occurred when added either 1 hr before or at the same time as TNF. As the induction of various adhesion molecules by TNF requires activation of the transcription factor NF-kappaB, the effect of curcumin on the activation of this factor in the EC was also investigated. A 30-min treatment with TNF activated NF-kappaB; the activation was inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner by pretreatment with curcumin, indicating that NF-kappaB inhibition may play a role in the suppression of expression of adhesion molecules in EC. Our results demonstrate that the antiinflammatory properties of curcumin may be attributable, in part, to inhibition of leukocyte recruitment.
Clinical and pathological features of three-year survivors of malignant pleural mesothelioma following extrapleural pneumonectomy

OBJECTIVE: Surgery-based multimodality therapy is associated with long-term survival in a significant number of pleural mesothelioma patients. We explored factors associated with 3-year survival in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma, who underwent extrapleural pneumonectomy, to help refine patient selection criteria for surgery and other therapies. METHODS: With Institutional Review Board approval, we reviewed records in the International Mesothelioma Program Patient Data Registry to identify all patients, who underwent extrapleural pneumonectomy for malignant pleural mesothelioma between 1 January 1988 and 31 May 2007. Vital status as of 31 May 2010 was confirmed. Fisher's exact test was used to compare dichotomous variables for patients who survived at least 3 years with those who did not. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to estimate the cumulative survival probability for all 3-year survivors. RESULTS: Among 636 patients who underwent extrapleural pneumonectomy, 117 (18%) survived at least 3 years following surgery, including 26 remaining alive and four lost to follow-up. Of the 3-year survivors, 39 (33%) were female, 61 (52%) had left-sided disease, and the median age was 56 years (range 27-77). Relatively more 3-year survivors were younger than, or at the median age (p=0.0005), or female (p=0.0007), had epithelial tumor histology (p<0.0001) and/or had normal white blood cell count (p=0.0001), hemoglobin (p<0.0001), or platelet count (p<0.0001) preoperatively. The median survival of the 117 patients who survived 3-years was 59 months. Among these patients, a significant association between age and survival was found only for women. CONCLUSIONS: A significant proportion of patients undergoing extrapleural pneumonectomy for pleural mesothelioma experienced extended survival. Although favorable prognostic features were more common, the cohort of 3-year survivors included a substantial number of patients with late-stage disease. The longest survival (median greater than 7 years) was experienced by women under the median age of 56 years. These data support the role of macroscopic cytoreduction through extrapleural pneumonectomy in the context of multimodality therapy to extend survival for malignant pleural mesothelioma. Further efforts to treat micrometastatic disease and improve patient selection are warranted.
Environmental Justice and Social Power Rhetoric in the Moral Battle over Whaling

This study examines the ideological battle between the Makah Indian Tribe and anti-whaling activists over the Tribe's quest to resume its 2000-year-old tradition of hunting gray whales for traditional and ceremonial purposes. Through qualitative discourse analysis of 268 newspaper articles, this study analyzes the competing rhetoric surrounding the indigenous whaling issue and exposes fundamental differences in how the opposing campaigns frame their arguments. This study contributes to the literature on social movements and environmental justice in two primary ways. First, this article exposes the social power dynamics and experientially based assumptions inherent in the "framing contests" of competing social movements that comprised those from diverse racial, cultural, and sociocconomic backgrounds. Second, this article expands existing work in the field of environmental justice to include American Indian issues and concerns.
Subgrid Scale Physics in 1-Month Forecasts. Part II: Systematic Error and Blocking Forecasts

Abstract The capability of blocking prediction is investigated with respect to four models of different subgrid scale parameterization packages, which were described in Part I. In order to assess the capability, blocking indices are defined, and threat and bias scores are set up for the predicted blocking index against the observation. Applying this evaluation scheme to the dataset of one-month forecasts for eight January cases, we conduct a study on the performance of blocking simulation. First, it is immediately disclosed that the systematic biases in this forecast set are overwhelmingly large, so that the blocking index has to be adjusted to this bias. One, of the major issues, suggested by Tibaldi and Molteni, is whether the systematic bias is generated by the failure of blocking forecasts. Overall, this study supports this assertion, despite the different definitions of blocking. The study also reveals that the A-model is inferior to the other three models, such as the E-model, with regard to blockin...
Time-varying Reeb graphs for continuous space--time data

The Reeb graph is a useful tool in visualizing real-valued data obtained from computational simulations of physical processes. We characterize the evolution of the Reeb graph of a time-varying continuous function defined in three-dimensional space. We show how to maintain the Reeb graph over time and compress the entire sequence of Reeb graphs into a single, partially persistent data structure, and augment this data structure with Betti numbers to describe the topology of level sets and with path seeds to assist in the fast extraction of level sets for visualization.
The Geometry of Finitely Presented Infinite Simple Groups

Let G be the family of finitely presented infinite simple groups introduced by Higman, generalizing R.J. Thompson’s group of dyadic homeomorphisms of the Cantor set. For each G ∈ G and each integer n ≥ 1, an (n −1)-connected n-dimensional simplicial complex is constructed, on which G acts with finite stabilizers and with an n-simplex as fundamental domain. This yields homological and combinatorial information about G. As a by-product, one obtains a solution to a problem of Neumann and Neumann.
Tree cover and carbon mapping of Argentine savannas: Scaling from field to region

Abstract Programs which intend to maintain or enhance carbon (C) stocks in natural ecosystems are promising, but require detailed and spatially explicit C distribution models to monitor the effectiveness of management interventions. Savanna ecosystems are significant components of the global C cycle, covering about one fifth of the global land mass, but they have received less attention in C monitoring protocols. Our goal was to estimate C storage across a broad savanna ecosystem using field surveys and freely available satellite images. We first mapped tree canopies at 2.5 m resolution with a spatial subset of high resolution panchromatic images to then predict regional wall-to-wall tree percent cover using 30-m Landsat imagery and the Random Forests algorithms. We found that a model with summer and winter spectral indices from Landsat, climate and topography performed best. Using a linear relationship between C and % tree cover, we then predicted tree C stocks across the gradient of tree cover, explaining 87% of the variability. The spatially explicit validation of the tree C model with field-measured C-stocks revealed an RMSE of 8.2 tC/ha which represented ~ 30% of the mean C stock for areas with tree cover, comparable with studies based on more advanced remote sensing methods, such as LiDAR and RADAR. Sample spatial distribution highly affected the performance of the RF models in predicting tree cover, raising concerns regarding the predictive capabilities of the model in areas for which training data is not present. The 50,000 km2 has ~ 41 Tg C, which could be released to the atmosphere if agricultural pressure intensifies in this semiarid savanna. In this study, we demonstrated the benefit of using high resolution imagery for regional tree cover and C analysis, increasing available training data when there is paucity of field data.
Abstract 3708: Safety and Efficacy of Antiplatelet Monotherapy (clopidogrel) in Stent Assisted Elective Coil Embolization of Cerebral Aneurysms

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Thromboembolic events are the most common complication seen in elective coil embolization of cerebral aneurysms. Previous studies have shown that administration of oral clop...
I Got You Baby

A 31-year-old female is post uncomplicated vaginal delivery of a full term, healthy baby 1 day ago. According to the history from the patient’s obstetrician, the patient typed O-negative blood group, as tested from an outside laboratory, and received Rh immune globulin (RhIg) at 28 weeks of gestation. A type and screen sample (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, EDTA anticoagulant) from the mother and cord blood are submitted to the blood bank along with a request for postpartum RhIg.
Survey of int Region DNA Rearrangements in C3H and BALB/cfC3H Mouse Mammary Tumor System

Rearrangement of the int-1 and int-2 regions of mouse chromosomes was compared in the C3H and BALB/cfC3H hyperplastic alveolar nodule and its hyperplastic outgrowth (HPO) model systems by examining the DNA of the different stages of the neoplastic progression, with use of the Southern blot technique. Rearrangement of int region DNAs associated with proviral amplification occurred more frequently in spontaneous tumors (19 of 27) than in tumors from HPOs (7 of 37) and rarely occurred in HPOs (1 of 29). However, the int-1 rearrangement maintained in 1 BALB/cfC3H HPO line through 11 transplant generations suggests that the int-1 rearrangement is neither sufficient nor necessary for progression to mouse mammary carcinoma.
“I won’t change who I am for anyone”: Muslim women’s narrative identities

In the United States today, Muslim women are portrayed as weak, submissive, one-dimensional, and occupying a place of contradiction. These master narratives of Muslim women as uncivilized or anti-American lead them to be misunderstood at best and victims of hate crimes at worst. In this environment, a space emerges to explore counterstories, or narratives that depict a group as desirable in the face of a detrimental dominant narrative. In order to study how Muslim women construct their identities in this environment, a thematic analysis of stories told by Muslim women in an online setting was conducted. Findings reveal four prominent constructions or responses to this narrative: (1) I am multidimensional, (2) I am strong, (3) I change the world, and (4) I am special. Implications for the study of counterstories and future directions for research are discussed.
A high-speed, high-frequency, air-core PM machine for aircraft application

High number of magnetic poles in an electric machine allows reduction in radial thickness of stator and rotor yoke and thus heavy alloy. If frequency is allowed to increase with pole-count (constant speed), power level can be maintained. Thus, high frequency, together with high pole count, can improve power density of rotating electric machines. The proposed high frequency concept is applied to designing a 1 MW motor, with power density and efficiency goals of > 13kW/kg and > 96%, respectively.
Dual CARS and SHG image acquisition scheme that combines single central fiber and multimode fiber bundle to collect and differentiate backward and forward generated photons

In coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) and second harmonic generation (SHG) imaging, backward and forward generated photons exhibit different image patterns and thus capture salient intrinsic information of tissues from different perspectives. However, they are often mixed in collection using traditional image acquisition methods and thus are hard to interpret. We developed a multimodal scheme using a single central fiber and multimode fiber bundle to simultaneously collect and differentiate images formed by these two types of photons and evaluated the scheme in an endomicroscopy prototype. The ratio of these photons collected was calculated for the characterization of tissue regions with strong or weak epi-photon generation while different image patterns of these photons at different tissue depths were revealed. This scheme provides a new approach to extract and integrate information captured by backward and forward generated photons in dual CARS/SHG imaging synergistically for biomedical applications.
Comparison of intrarenal and extrarenal converting-enzyme inhibition by SQ 20 881 on canine renal blood flow.

1. Successive infusions of SQ 20 881 given intra-arterially (i.a.) to the kidney at 0.4 and 0.8 microgram min-1 kg-1 for 50 min each did not alter renal blood flow and renal vascular resistance in spite of 40--47% blockade of the angiotensin I (ANG I i.a.)-induced vasoconstrictor response. 2. SQ 20 881 administered intravenously (i.v., 0.5 mg/kg) after the higher intra-arterial dose did not further decrease the renal response to ANG I (i.a.), but caused an increase in renal blood flow and a decrease in renal vascular resistance. 3. These results indicate that SQ 20 881 has limited efficacy in blocking the renal response to ANG I (i.a.). Under the conditions of these experiments, the renal vasodilator response to SQ 20 881 appears to be due to inhibition of extrarenal rather than intrarenal converting enzyme.
Vitamin D and the immunomodulation of rotator cuff injury.

Tendon-to-bone healing after rotator cuff repair surgery has a failure rate of 20%–94%. There has been a recent interest to determine the factors that act as determinants between successful and unsuccessful rotator cuff repair. Vitamin D level in patients is one of the factors that have been linked to bone and muscle proliferation and healing, and it may have an effect on tendon-to-bone healing. The purpose of this article is to critically review relevant published research that relates to the effect of vitamin D on rotator cuff tears and subsequent healing. A review of the literature was conducted to identify all studies that investigate the relationship between vitamin D and tendon healing, in addition to its mechanism of action. The data were then analyzed in order to summarize what is currently known about vitamin D, rotator cuff pathology, and tendon-to-bone healing. The activated metabolite of vitamin D, 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, affects osteoblast proliferation and differentiation. Likewise, vitamin D plays a significant role in the tendon-to-bone healing process by increasing the bone mineral density and strengthening the skeletal muscles. The 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 binds to vitamin D receptors on myocytes to stimulate growth and proliferation. The form of vitamin D produced by the liver, calcifediol, is a key initiator of the myocyte healing process by moving phosphate into myocytes, which improves function and metabolism. Investigation into the effect of vitamin D on tendons has been sparse, but limited studies have been promising. Matrix metalloproteinases play an active role in remodeling the extracellular matrix (ECM) of tendons, particularly deleterious remodeling of the collagen fibers. Also, the levels of transforming growth factor-β3 positively influence the success of the surgery for rotator cuff repair. In the tendon-to-bone healing process, vitamin D has been shown to successfully influence bone and muscle healing, but more research is needed to delve into the mechanisms of vitamin D as a factor in skeletal tendon health and healing.
The Role of Formal and Informal Institutions in the Policy Process

Central and Eastern European countries have undergone a very rapid process of transition starting in the early to mid-1990s, not only to abandon the old communist ways of conducting politics but also to satisfy requirements for European Union (EU) membership. The institutional and legislative changes that have taken place have not necessarily been uniform, mainly because domestic settings have varied across the region. Thus, this chapter investigates the variation of institutions, actors and cultures of decision making in four new EU member states in order to gauge the effect they may have had on the transformation of gender equality policy. Moreover, the degree of pressure that the EU has placed on each country to adapt during the period of accession based on the level of misfit between existing domestic legislation and EU directives is questioned in this chapter. Has the external pressure been uniform across the region and across the two different policy areas, namely equal employment and reconciliation policy? Both the EU pressure and domestic factors can affect the ultimate outcome on policy adoption and implementation in Central and Eastern Europe.
A Meta-Analysis of Early Versus Delayed Surgery for Valvular Infective Endocarditis Complicated by Embolic Ischemic Stroke.

ObjectiveAn embolic ischemic stroke occurs in 10% to 40% of patients with valvular infective endocarditis (IE) and confers significant morbidity. The optimal timing of valve surgery in this populat...
A hough transform based approach to acoustic shot localization

The paper presents a novel sensor fusion technique to acoustic multi-shooter localization using a network of sensors detecting the time and angle of arrival of high-energy acoustic events. The unique challenge is that the sensors do not to classify the acoustic signal as shockwave or muzzle blast, and would trigger on non-gunshot related noise, as well. While this allows for low cost and power-efficient hardware designs, the computational burden of classifying sensory data, rejecting false positive detections, as well as associating sensor detections with multiple simultaneous gunshots events, is shifted to the sensor fusion implementation. The novelty of this work is that it relies on an innovative use of the Hough transform (HT), an image processing algorithm that locates shapes in raster images, to solve an acoustic source localization problem. The first contribution of the work is a proof-of-concept HT based approach that, given a set of timestamped angle of arrival detections, associates detections with wavefronts of acoustic shockwaves, and estimates the corresponding bullet trajectories. The second contribution is an algorithm that associates detections with muzzle blast wavefronts, and estimates the corresponding shooter positions. Preliminary results on the performance of data association, as well as on the accuracy of trajectory and shooter position estimation are presented using synthetic data.
Clustering Throughput Optimization on the GPU

Large datasets in astronomy and geoscience often require clustering and visualizations of phenomena at different densities and scales in order to generate scientific insight. We examine the problem of maximizing clustering throughput for concurrent dataset clustering in spatial dimensions. We introduce a novel hybrid approach that uses GPUs in conjunction with multicore CPUs for algorithmic throughput optimizations. The key idea is to exploit the fast memory on the GPU for index searches and optimize I/O transfers in such a way that the low-bandwidth host-GPU bottleneck does not have a significant negative performance impact. To achieve this, we derive two distinct GPU kernels that exploit grid-based indexing schemes to improve clustering performance. To obviate limited GPU memory and enable large dataset clustering, our method is complemented by an efficient batching scheme for transfers between the host and GPU accelerator. This scheme is robust with respect to both sparse and dense data distributions and intelligently avoids buffer overflows that would otherwise degrade performance, all while minimizing the number of data transfers between the host and GPU. We evaluate our approaches on ionospheric total electron content datasets as well as intermediate-redshift galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Our hybrid approach yields a speedup of up to 50x over the sequential implementation on one of the experimental scenarios, which is respectable for I/O intensive clustering.
Connectedness to Campus and Likelihood of Help-Seeking for Suicidality among College Women.

ABSTRACTThe goal of the present study was to examine the link between connectedness to campus and the likelihood of help-seeking from a mental health professional/school counselor for thoughts of suicide among college women. An online survey was administered to college students to assess perceived likelihood of seeking help, feelings of connectedness to campus, sense of togetherness with peers, and presence of a supportive group of friends on campus. Findings indicated that feeling connected to campus was positively associated with perceived likelihood of help-seeking for suicidal ideation. Furthermore, this association was stronger among participants reporting either a sense of togetherness with peers or a supportive group of friends. Efforts to increase students’ sense of connection to the larger campus community and build peer relationships may promote help-seeking for suicidal ideation among college women.
Primo Levi and the Identity of a Survivor

In a 1966 interview with theater critic Edoardo Fadini, Primo Levi compared himself to a mythical centaur.1 Like the half-human and half-horse hybrid creature from Greek mythology, Levi saw himself...
The Failure of Null Hypothesis Significance Testing When Studying Incremental Changes, and What to Do About It.

A standard mode of inference in social and behavioral science is to establish stylized facts using statistical significance in quantitative studies. However, in a world in which measurements are no...
The Role of Ethylene in Regulating Growth of Deepwater Rice

Submergence induces rapid elongation of rice coleoptiles (Oryza sativa, L.) and of deepwater rice intemodes. This adaptive feature helps rice to grow out of the water and to survive flooding. The growth response of submerged deepwater rice plants is mediated by ethylene and gibberellin (GA). Ethylene promotes growth, at least in part, by increasing the responsiveness of the intemodal tissue to GA. We examined the possibility that increased responsiveness to GA was based on a reduction in endogenous abscisic acid (ABA) levels. Submergence and treatment with ethylene led, within 3 h, to a 75% reduction in the level of ABA in the intercalary meristem and the growing zone of deepwater rice intemodes. Our results indicate that the growth rate of deepwater rice intemodes is determined by the ratio of an endogenous growth promoter (GA) and a growth inhibitor (ABA). The growth response in deepwater rice intemodes is based on an increased cell production rate in the intercalary meristem and on increased cell elongation. Our investigations were aimed at establishing the temporal sequence of these GA-regulated processes. Treatment with GA promoted cell elongation in the intercalary meristem within 2 h. After 4 h of treatment with GA, the fraction of meristematic cells in the G2 phase had declined, indicating that cells in the G2 phase had entered mitosis. Subsequent activation of DNA replication led to an overall increase in the cell production rate. An increase in the final cell length contributed to the growth response after 7 h of GA application. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that GA promotes first cell elongation in the intercalary meristem and that cell division is stimulated as a result of cell growth.
Entrepreneurship: An Overview

Entrepreneurial activity can be influenced by many factors linked to individual characteristics and cultural and contextual settings. Yet not all countries experience similar levels or types of entrepreneurial activity; rather, this varies significantly across country incomes and regions. In this chapter, we discuss the current debates regarding the operationalization and measurement of entrepreneurship in the literature. We also examine trends in male and female entrepreneurship around the world. Resources and personal characteristics necessary for taking on entrepreneurial activity may be the same for both the male and female entrepreneurs, but challenges they face in different contexts vary and can stem from the social, cultural, and regulatory environments.
Mycobacterium longobardum Infection in the Hand.

Mycobacterium longobardum is a slow-growing, nontuberculous mycobacterium that was first characterized in 2012. We report a case of M. longobardum infection in the right middle finger of a diabetic man. He underwent surgery for a presumed diagnosis of an epidermal inclusion cyst. Molecular diagnosis of the surgical specimens demonstrated M. longobardum through RNA polymerase β-subunit encoding gene sequencing. After surgery, the patient was treated with antibiotics and eventually cured of the infection. To the best of our knowledge, this is only the second reported case of a pathogenic M. longobardum infection worldwide and the first such case in the hand. The purposes of this case study are to alert treating providers to consider nontuberculous mycobacterium infection when an inflammatory process persists, discuss signs and symptoms of the disease, and provide general treatment guidelines.
Are women with obesity and infertility willing to attempt weight loss prior to fertility treatment

Summary Objective To assess attitudes towards weight loss interventions in patients seeking infertility treatment. Methods We evaluated prior weight loss experiences, attitudes towards future interventions by body mass index (BMI), and willingness to delay fertility treatment for weight loss interventions stratified by BMI using logistic regression amongst women ≤45years old with infertility over three months or recurrent pregnancy loss. Results The average age of our convenience sample of respondents (148 of 794 eligible women, 19%) was 34.5 years old, with a mean BMI of 26.7±7.4kg/m 2 , including 37 with a BMI >30kg/m 2 (25%). Most women had attempted conception over 1year. The majority of women with overweight or obesity were attempting weight loss at the time of survey completion (69%). While 47% of these women reported interest in a supervised medical weight loss program, 92% of overweight women and 84% of women with obesity were not willing to delay fertility treatment more than 3 months to attempt weight loss. Conclusion Most women with obesity and infertility in our population are unwilling to postpone fertility treatment for weight loss interventions.
Microfluidic systems for microalgal biotechnology: A review

Abstract Microalgae have a demonstrated potential as producers of high-quality renewable biofuel feedstocks as well as other high-value chemicals. However, significant improvements from microalgal biology and strain development to downstream processing are required to achieve economically viable microalgae-derived biofuels and bioproducts. Mainstream techniques used in microalgal research are based on conventional cell culture and cell handling systems, which are bulky, labor-intensive, time-consuming, and also limited in throughput. Microfluidic lab-on-a-chip systems can offer cost- and time-efficient alternatives to advance microalgal biofuel and bioproduction research by providing high precision and high efficiency cell/reagent handling capabilities, enabling high-throughput assays in a fully automated fashion. Here, we review recent advances in the development and application of microfluidic lab-on-a-chip systems for microalgal biotechnology, especially microalgae-based biofuels, including microsystems for single-cell resolution high-throughput cell identification and separation, highly efficient cell transformation, high-throughput parallel cell cultivation, cell harvesting, and cell analysis applications. Other microfluidic applications such as microalgae-based fuel cells and microalgae-based biosensing platforms are also reviewed towards the end. We conclude by suggesting possible future directions on how microfluidic lab-on-a-chip systems can be utilized to overcome current challenges and improve the current status in microalgal biotechnology.
Photoinduced Copper-Catalyzed Coupling of Terminal Alkynes and Alkyl Iodides.

We have developed a photoinduced copper-catalyzed alkylation of terminal alkynes with primary, secondary, or tertiary alkyl iodides as electrophiles. The reaction has a broad substrate scope and can be successfully performed in the presence of ester, nitrile, aryl halide, ketone, sulfonamide, epoxide, alcohol, and amide functional groups. The alkylation is promoted by blue light (λ≈450 nm) and proceeds at room temperature in the absence of any additional metal catalysts. The use of a terpyridine ligand is essential for the success of the reaction and is shown to prevent photoinduced copper-catalyzed polymerization of the starting materials.
The Right of Publicity: Privacy Reimagined for a Public World (Introduction)

THE RIGHT OF PUBLICITY: PRIVACY REIMAGINED FOR A PUBLIC WORLD (Harvard University Press 2018), 256 pages, considers the opportunities and risks that today’s right of publicity laws pose. The right of publicity has become a negative force ― suppressing speech, blocking otherwise lawful uses of copyrighted works, forcing commercialization of the dead, and stripping people of ownership of their own identities. But this need not be so. The right of publicity has an important and powerful core insight that originated with the right of privacy ― that we should have some control over how others use our names and likenesses. Rothman shows how the right has lost its way. Rothman contends that the right got off track when it transformed from a personal right, rooted in the individual (the "identity-holder"), into a powerful intellectual property right, external to the person, that can sold or taken by a nonidentity-holding "publicity-holder." The wrong turns by the right of publicity have been driven and continued by a host of mythologies that have sprung up surrounding both it and its predecessor, the right of privacy. The first part of the book uses extensive archival research to debunk the common, though erroneous, stories about the two rights. The second part develops how today’s right of publicity came to be understood as an intellectual property right, different in nature from the right of privacy. In this part of the book, Rothman challenges the common justifications for having an IP-like right of publicity that is separate and apart from a right of privacy. In the final part of the book, Rothman tackles the three most pressing challenges posed by today’s right of publicity ― its threat to individual ownership and control of one’s own identity, its threat to free speech, and its conflicts with copyright law. Rothman concludes by providing a number of recommendations for putting the right of publicity back on course. The downloadable document is an excerpt of the Introduction to the book. The complete work is currently available from Harvard University Press and other book sellers.
Short-term psychotherapy of depressive disorders: current status and future directions

Depressive disorders can affect all aspects of a person's functioning and are often associated with significant psychosocial impairment. Such psychosocial problems promote studies of the efficacy of short-term psychotherapy for depressive disorders. This report summarizes the literature on acute-phase, short-term psychotherapy for adult outpatients with major depressive disorder and is an updated component of a larger review commissioned by the United States Public Health Services Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR review on "Short-term Psychotherapy for Depression," Jarrett and Maguire [1991]; Jarrett and Down [in press] during the preparation of the Clinical Practice Guidelines in primary care (Depression Guideline Panel 1993). The short-term psychotherapies reviewed here and studied most often include behavior therapy, cognitive therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, and brief dynamic psychotherapy, which all aim to reduce depressive symptoms. We comment on the state of the literature and raise some of the questions which await data.
Use of antimicrobial agents in renal failure.

SUMMARY Many antimicrobial agents are excreted primarily by the kidneys, and hence, to avoid toxicity and maintain efficacy, dosage adjustments are necessary. After estimating a patient's creatinine clearance, an appropriate dosage adjustment is easily accomplished. The adjustments for aminoglycosides are simplified by the use of a suggested once-daily, or once every other day dosage regimen.
The Mechanization of Mathematics

The mechanization of mathematics refers to the use of computers to find, or to help find, mathematical proofs. Turing showed that a complete reduction of mathematics to computation is not possible, but nevertheless; the art and science of automated deduction has made progress. This paper describes some of the history and surveys the state of the art.
Noncooperative General Exchange

Publisher Summary This chapter describes a new method of making a game out of general equilibrium. It is based on the noncooperative side of game theory, in the spirit of Nash and Cournot. The traders do not collude, but they do influence prices through their buy and sell orders. The noncooperative equilibria (NE) of the game are conceptually not too far removed from the classical competitive equilibria, the relationship between the two being especially close when there are many traders of each type and hence relatively stable prices. But when there are thin markets, substantial Pareto inefficiency in the NE, with trading sharply reduced in volume or otherwise displaced from the competitive pattern, is typically found. The chapter presents a sampling from a class of related models, suitable both for general-purpose microeconomic theory and for studying the phenomena of money and financial institutions.
High-Sensitivity, Immersion, Ultrasonic Testing of Steel Forgings

Present industry-wide standards covering ultrasonic inspections of forgings such as ASTM Recommended Practice for Ultrasonic Examination of Heavy Steel Forgings (A 388-80) specify the contact method of inspection. Sensitivity settings vary as to inspection technique-longitudinal or shear wave (straight or angle beam). Normally, the sensitivity is established using a back reflection or test sample technique in order to resolve equivalent flat-bottom hole (EFBH) sizes of 3.175 mm (0.125 in.) at the centerline or bore surface of the forging. The assumption is made that most indications will be oriented parallel to the direction of the longitudinal axis of cylindrical forgings and in a circumferential plane of ring forgings. On occasion, discontinuities occur in forgings that are different than normal, requiring changes in normal procedures and techniques. Size, orientation, location, and distribution require special considerations. This paper outlines how a high-sensitivity, immersion, ultrasonic technique is utilized to inspect a group of gear component and miscellaneous forgings suspected of having internal hydrogen flakes. The technique is successful in locating the discontinuities and distinguishing between the flakes and other types of discontinuities, specifically nonmetallic inclusions.
Study on the therapeutic index and synergistic effect of Chitosan-zinc oxide nanomicellar composites for drug-resistant bacterial biofilm inhibition.

Abstract The synergistic effectiveness of chitosan with zinc oxide nanomicelles (CZNPs) on broad spectrum of multidrug resistance (MDR) was previously evidenced in our labs, requiring elucidation of the therapeutic index (TI) for safe in vivo use. This in vitro assessment estimated the effective dose (ED50) of micellar CZNPs for eradication of the MDR Enterococcus faecium 1449 model and the corresponding cytotoxic dose (LD50) against rat small intestinal epithelial cells as functions of TI. In order to visually determine the mechanistic effects of micellar CZNPs on bacterial biofilm size reduction, LIVE/DEAD viability assay was used in conjunction with advanced fluorescence imaging and 3D confocal microscopy. Biofilm quantification was performed through the measure of the fluorescence intensity, using the Biotek Synergy Neo2 for calculating the ED50. To generate the LD50, the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) cytotoxicity assay was implemented. Quantification results revealed, at the same concentration (200 µg/mL), micellar CZNPs had average biofilm reduction of approximately 50.22% at 24 h (ED50 = 199.13 µg/mL, LD50 = 240.20 µg/mL, TI = 1.2062), compared to chitosan (15.66%) and ZnO (13.94%) alone. Conclusively, the ED50 of micellar CZNPs on MDR bacterial biofilms (199.13 µg/mL) as a function of TI reveals a promising nanotherapeutic agent in comparison to either Chitosan or ZnO alone.