cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Precipitation Trends and Water Consumption Related to Population in the Southwestern United States, 1930–83

Abstract The possible effects of climatic fluctuations on renewable water supplies in the western United States was examined, especially as it is impacted by the growth of population and water consumption in recent decades. Precipitation fluctuations in the Colorado River Basin states have differed depending upon their location, but have tended to fluctuate with a time scale of one to two decades. Longer-term regimes may also be operative. For example, the Upper Basin states (Colorado and Utah) experienced a prolonged wet interval from about the turn of this century to around 1930; from 1930 to around 1978, drier than normal years tended to outnumber wet ones; and since 1978 the Upper Basin has been exceedingly wet. Lower Basin states also experienced the early wet period and drier conditions after the mid-1940s, but they undergo somewhat different alternations of wetness and dryness. However, from the point of view of water supply, precipitation variability in the Upper Basin, particularly in Colorado, i...
Tableting properties of a directly compressible starch

Tableting properties of a directly compressible starch are investigated. This starch appears to have many advantages over starch USP with respect to fluidity and compressibility and as such would be useful in direct compression. In addition, compressible starch gives results comparable to USP starch in terms of disintegration time and dissolution rate when used at equivalent levels. The high moisture content of compressible starch does not affect the stability of aspirin when compressed together. Amylose is shown to be the effective component of starch in terms of its disintegrant effect. Doubt is cast on the role of starch grain swelling in tablet disintegration.
Identification and the narrative approach: A reply to Leeper

Abstract Contrary to the arguments of Leeper (1997), the problems that arise in VAR investigations of monetary policy do not arise with our use of the narrative approach. The apparent high predictability of our monetary-policy variable that Leeper finds is due to overfitting. And the estimated effects of our measure when variables other than output are considered are unsurprising given Leeper's specifications.
Mechanical features of 561 subscriber carrier

THE mechanical design of modern electronic equipment must meet two requirements: fabrication and assembly suited to modern production processes; and, equally important, ease of installation and maintenance. The Stromberg-Carlson 561-type subscriber carrier was designed to meet both of these objectives. A companion paper1 describes the electrical operation of this equipment. The discussion that follows deals with the mechanical problems only.
Structural role of nitrogen in phosphate glasses

Abstract In phosphorus oxynitride glasses, doubly and triply coordinated nitrogen ions replace the bridging and nonbridging oxygen ions in the PO 4 tetrahedra, thereby increasing the crosslinking between the P(O, N) 4 groups. For the alkali metaphosphate composition, this process continues until all of the PO 4 groups are converted to PO 2 N 2 groups which corresponds to the composition RPO 1.75 N 0.83 and a maximum nitrogen content of 18.12 at .%.
A flexible docking scheme to explore the binding selectivity of PDZ domains

Modeling of protein binding site flexibility in molecular docking is still a challenging problem due to the large conformational space that needs sampling. Here, we propose a flexible receptor docking scheme: A dihedral restrained replica exchange molecular dynamics (REMD), where we incorporate the normal modes obtained by the Elastic Network Model (ENM) as dihedral restraints to speed up the search towards correct binding site conformations. To our knowledge, this is the first approach that uses ENM modes to bias REMD simulations towards binding induced fluctuations in docking studies. In our docking scheme, we first obtain the deformed structures of the unbound protein as initial conformations by moving along the binding fluctuation mode, and perform REMD using the ENM modes as dihedral restraints. Then, we generate an ensemble of multiple receptor conformations (MRCs) by clustering the lowest replica trajectory. Using RosettaLigand, we dock ligands to the clustered conformations to predict the binding pose and affinity. We apply this method to postsynaptic density-95/Dlg/ZO-1 (PDZ) domains; whose dynamics govern their binding specificity. Our approach produces the lowest energy bound complexes with an average ligand root mean square deviation of 0.36 A. We further test our method on (i) homologs and (ii) mutant structures of PDZ where mutations alter the binding selectivity. In both cases, our approach succeeds to predict the correct pose and the affinity of binding peptides. Overall, with this approach, we generate an ensemble of MRCs that leads to predict the binding poses and specificities of a protein complex accurately.
Put to the Test: The Effects of External Testing on Teachers

Evidence from an extensive qualitative study of the role of external testing in elementary schools led to propositions about the effects of such tests on teachers. Data from interviews revealed that teachers experience negative emotions as a result of the publication of test scores and determine to do what is necessary to avoid low scores. Teachers believe that scores are used against them, despite the perceived invalidity of the tests themselves. From classroom observations it was concluded that testing programs substantially reduce the time available for instruction, narrow curricular offerings and modes of instruction, and potentially reduce the capacities of teachers to teach content and to use methods and materials that are incompatible with standardized testing formats.
Review of Enterococci Isolated from Canine and Feline Urine Specimens from 2006 to 2011

Canine and feline urine culture reports and medical records were reviewed at a veterinary teaching hospital from 2006 to 2011 for enterococcal growth, coinfections, antimicrobial resistance, urine sediment findings, clinical signs, and concurrent conditions. Of all of the urine specimens with significantly defined colony-forming units/mL, Enterococcus (E.) faecalis was the only enterococci isolated from cats and predominated (77.4%) in dogs followed by E. faecium (12.9%), E. durans (3.2%), and other Enterococcus spp. (6.5%). The majority of specimens with significant enterococcal growth resulted in complicated urinary tract infections in 83.9% of dogs and 81.8% of cats. Specimens with only enterococcal growth were more common than those mixed with other bacterial species. Cocci were observed in urine sediments of 8 out of 8 cats and 21 out of 25 dogs with available concurrent urinalyses. Pyuria was noted in 5 out of 8 feline and 15 out of 25 canine urine sediments, and pyuria in dogs was associated with growth of only enterococci on aerobic urine culture. Multidrug resistance was identified in 6 out of 11 cats and 7 out of 31 dogs, and E. faecium isolates from dogs were 4.5× more likely to be multidrug resistant than E. faecalis.
Towards automated derivation of biological pathways using high-throughput biological data

Characterizing biological pathways at the genome scale is one of the most important and challenging tasks in the post genomic era. To address this challenge, we have developed a computational method to systematically and automatically derive partial biological pathways in yeast using high-throughput biological data, including yeast two hybrid data, protein complexes identified from mass spectroscopy, genetics interactions, and microarray gene expression data in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The inputs of the method are the upstream starting protein (e.g., a sensor of a signal) and the downstream terminal protein (e.g., a transcriptional factor that induces genes to respond the signal); the output of the method is the protein interaction chain between the two proteins. The high-throughput data are coded into a graph of interaction network, where each node represents a protein. The weight of an edge between two nodes models the "closeness" of the two represented proteins in the interaction network and it is defined by a rule-based formula according to the high-throughput data and modified by the protein function classification and subcellular localization information. The protein interaction cascade pathway in vivo is predicted as the shortest path identified from the graph of the interaction network using Dijkstra's algorithm. We have also developed a web server of this method (http://compbio.ornl.gov/structure/pathway) for public use. To our knowledge, our method is the first automated method to generally construct partial biological pathways using a suite of high-throughput biological data. This work demonstrates the proof of principle using computational approaches for discoveries of biological pathways with high-throughput data and biological annotation data.
Reflectionless Measures and the Mattila-Melnikov-Verdera Uniform Rectifiability Theorem

The aim of these notes is to provide a new proof of the Mattila-Melnikov-Verdera theorem on the uniform rectifiability of an Ahlfors-David regular measure whose associated Cauchy transform operator is bounded. They are based on lectures given by the second author in the analysis seminars at Kent State University and Tel-Aviv University.
Apparent Molecular Size Difference Between Plasma and Renal Inactive Renins

Partially-purified inactive renins from human plasma and kidney seem to be identical in most respects except for apparent molecular size. To evaluate this difference, we determined apparent molecular weights by gel filtration with internal radiolabeled standards, using trypsin activation in the presence of benzamidine and albumin to provide reproducible detection. While there was a suggestion of a shoulder in the 50,000-dalton region of the plasma inactive renin peak, the major form (56,000) was consistently larger than that of renal inactive renin (50,000), confirming our previous observation. Since both renal and plasma inactive renins appear to be glycoproteins, based on their ability to bind to concanavalin A-Sepharose, it is possible that differences in carbohydrate composition might contribute to this discrepancy in gel filtration behavior. The striking similarity of these substances in all other respects, including inhibition of the activated forms by monospecific antirenin antibodies, makes it unlikely that they differ in primary structure.
Mother-to-infant transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 involving five envelope sequence subtypes

Genetic analysis of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) from cases of mother-to-infant transmission were analyzed in an effort to provide insights into the viral selection that may occur during transmission, aswellasthetimingandsourceoftransmittedviruses.HIV-1envgenesobtainedfromsevenmothersandtheir perinatally infected infants in Sweden were studied. Five envelope sequence clades (A to E) were found to be represented.Weusedaheteroduplextrackingassay(HTA)toassessthegeneticrelatednessbetweenearlyviral isolates from the infants and serial maternal virus populations taken during pregnancy and at delivery. HTA findings were used to select for DNA sequence analysis maternal virus populations that were either closely or more distantly related to the infant virus. In each case, nucleotide sequence analysis confirmed the genetic relationships inferred by the HTA. Only maternal peripheral blood was sampled, and large sets of maternal specimens throughout pregnancy were generally not available. However, no consistent correlation was found tosupportthehypothesisthatinfantvirusesshouldmatchblood-derivedmaternalvirusgenotypesfoundearly in pregnancy if infants were found to be infected at birth or, conversely, that infant viruses should match blood-derived maternal virus genotypes found at delivery if infants were found to be infected only some time later.
Test-Based Specifications of Components and Systems

Several program-analysis schemes now make unusual use of information derived from execution sampling. From finite test sets these techniques derive measures with wider meaning, which can then be exploited in novel ways. We call test information used beyond its actual limitations a test-based specification. The idea is quite different from the usual software specification, which is an a priori statement of what a program should do. Rather, a test-based specification is an empirical approximation to what a program actually does do. The great virtue in analysis using test-based specifications is that (in contrast to the usual software specifications) test-based analysis is decidable and automatic. A test-based specification system for component-based software development (CBSD) has been implemented over the past five years, along with an extension of fundamental testing theory to precisely describe its properties. The CBSD tools provide an ideal context for experiments to study test-based specification, providing insights into sub- domain testing, composition of test results, and especially the role that program persistent state plays in testing and analysis. This paper describes the CBSD theory and tools, lists insights gained, and suggests new ways to think about and practice testing using test-based specifications.
Synthesis of tungsten oxide (WO3) nanorods using carbon nanotubes as templates by hot filament chemical vapor deposition

Abstract Synthesis of tungsten oxide (WO3) nanorods using CNTs as templates under typical diamond growing conditions in a hot-filament chemical vapor deposition system is described. Tungsten oxide nanorods were grown on two types of CNT substrates, a Si [100] wafer with dispersed multiwalled CNT and a fresh-grown multiwalled CNT film. The templated growth resulted in an order of magnitude increase in surface area covered by the tungsten oxide compared to a planar Si [100] surface, which when combined with the flexibility of growing CNTs in various forms like pillars and sheets [K. Hata, D. N. Futaba, K. Mizuno, T. Namai, M. Yumura, S. Iijima, Science 306 (2004) 1362–1364.], can be effectively utilized in field emission, gas sensing and catalytic applications.
Influence of negative surface charge on toxin binding to canine heart Na channels in planar bilayers

The presence of negative surface charge near the tetrodotoxin/saxitoxin binding site of canine heart Na channels was revealed by analysis of the kinetics of toxin block of single batrachotoxin-activated Na channels in planar bilayers as a function of [NaCl]. The voltage-dependence of toxin binding and the toxin dissociation rate are nearly constant as [NaCl] is varied from 0.05 to 3 M. In contrast, the association rate constant of the toxins is inversely dependent on [NaCl], with the rate for the divalent toxin, saxitoxin2+, affected more steeply than that of the monovalent toxin, tetrodotoxin1+. These results for toxin-insensitive Na channels from canine heart parallel previous findings for toxin-sensitive Na channels from canine brain. The model of Green et al. (Green, W. N., L. B. Weiss, and O. S. Anderson. 1987. J. Gen. Physiol. 89:873–903), which includes Na+ competition and Gouy-Chapman screening of surface charge, provided an excellent fit to the data. The results suggest that the two canine Na channel subtypes have a similar density of negative surface charge (1 e-/400 A2) and a similar dissociation constant for Na+ competition (0.5 M) at the toxin binding site. Thus, negative surface charge is a conserved feature of channel function of these two subtypes. The difference in toxin binding affinities arises from small differences in intrinsic association and dissociation rates.
The effects of air pollutants and irritants on the upper airway.

The nose and upper airway play a sentinel role in the respiratory tract, alerting an individual to the qualities of the inspired atmosphere. The upper airway also clears contaminants from the inspired airstream and physically conditions inspired air before its entry into the lower respiratory tract. Given these anatomical and functional considerations, the nose may be the initial—or even prime—target of air pollutants. This article reviews the functional anatomy of the upper airway in humans, its vulnerabilities to various classes of air contaminants, and the relationship between chemical irritation and allergic inflammation in the upper airway.
Comparison of different ionization models for a glow discharge

The ionization rate of Ar in a DC glow discharge will be calculated by different models. The electric field will be an input that is, nonself-consistent, and models will be compared for the same electric field
Excitotoxic Septal Lesions Result in Spatial Memory Deficits and Altered Flexibility of Hippocampal Single-Unit Representations

The septal nuclei are reciprocally connected with the hippocampal formation and contribute importantly to spatial and memory processing. Using excitotoxic lesions of the septal area, we investigated whether neurodegeneration in subcortical projections to hippocampus can compromise flexible information processing by hippocampal single units. In agreement with the mild effects of excitotoxic septal lesions on hippocampal physiology compared with fimbria-fornix lesions and septal inactivation, we observed limited lesion effects on single-unit activity. The location specificity of hippocampal complex spike cells remained unchanged, but a less reliable location-dependent discharge was observed in experimental animals with a pronounced postoperative working memory deficit. Testing in the absence of ambient illumination and in a new environment revealed that the spatial correlates of complex spike cells in lesioned animals may rely on a more limited set of sensory cues. Altered sensory cues resulted in a significantly different response pattern between the control and lesion group in the new environment, a situation that normally results in place field reorganization. Such a group difference was not observed during dark testing, a condition in which place field reorganization is less prominent. A contribution of hippocampal interneurons to the observed alterations in the spatial properties of the principal cells was suggested by decreased theta modulation in the lesioned group. Because excitotoxic lesions result in memory deficits that resemble age-related memory problems in the absence of age-related degenerative processes, we suggest that septal neurodegeneration could directly contribute to those behavioral changes with advanced age that correlate with functional alterations in the hippocampal formation.
Adaptive controller using runtime partial hardware reconfiguration for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)

The goal of this work is to explore the feasibility of a multirotor controller system which can dynamically change the arm configuration of a multirotor. Currently, commercial multirotor systems have to be powered down, rewired, and programmed with a different firmware supplied by them, to configure how many arms/motors they use to fly. The focus of this work is to develop a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) based hardware/software controller which uses dynamic partial hardware reconfiguration to switch the arm/motor configuration of a multirotor during operation. We believe that this will make a multirotor more fault tolerant and adaptive. This work explains the design and development of a simple multirotor reconfiguration hardware/software system which starts with a six rotor configuration and switches to a four rotor configuration or a three rotor configuration and back.
The Effect of Two Host Species on the Longevity and Fertility of Nasonia vitripennis

The pteromalid wasp Nasonia vitripennis (Walker) maintained a different population density on 2 host species, the house fly, Musca domestica L., and the blow fly Phaenicia sericata (Meigen). This study showed that the longevity of an adult female parasitoid is significantly influenced by the species of host on which it is feeding and the species of host on which it was raised as a larva. Progeny production was also influenced by the species of host on which the wasp fed as a larva and as an adult. The difference in production of wasps on house flies raised on different food media was insignificant in comparison with the differences expressed on different species of host. Results of a large number of independent tests confirmed that average longevity and progeny production are less on the house fly than on the blow fly. It is apparent that the nutritional value of the host species is a factor which must be considered in any population study of a parasitoid wasp.
Gender Differences in Body Satisfaction: An Examination of Familial and Individual Level Variables

This study investigated gender differences in body satisfaction in college students. Participants (195 males and 340 females) self-reported weight and height (in order to calculate BMI). In addition, attachment (to mother and father), dieting behaviors, perceived parental control, global self-worth, and body satisfaction were measured and examined in relation to satisfaction with one's body. Lower BMIs were associated with a higher degree of body satisfaction and higher self-worth scores among females, but male scores were not related to BMI. Regression analysis revealed that psychological correlates, such as attachment to mother and father, parental control, and eating attitudes demonstrated a unique association among variables in prediction of body satisfaction for each gender. Implications for clinicians and researchers are discussed.
A Game-Theoretic Approach for Testing for Hardware Trojans

The microcircuit industry is witnessing a massive outsourcing of the fabrication of ICs (Integrated Circuit), as well as the use of third party IP (Intellectual Property) and COTS (Commercial Off-The-Shelf) tools during IC design. These issues raise new security challenges and threats. In particular, it brings up multiple opportunities for the insertion of malicious logic, commonly referred to as a hardware Trojan, in the IC. Testing is typically used along the IC development lifecycle to verify the functional correctness of a given chip. However, the complexity of modern ICs, together with resource and time limitations, makes exhaustive testing commonly unfeasible. In this paper, we propose a game-theoretic approach for testing digital circuits that takes into account the decision-making process of intelligent attackers responsible for the infection of ICs with hardware Trojans. Testing for hardware Trojans is modeled as a zero-sum game between malicious manufacturers or designers (i.e., the attacker) who want to insert Trojans, and testers (i.e., the defender) whose goal is to detect the Trojans. The game results in multiple possible mixed strategy Nash equilibria that allow to identify optimum test sets that increase the probability of detecting and defeating hardware Trojans in digital logic. Results also show that the minimum number of Trojan classes tested by the defender and the fines imposed to the attacker can deter rational as well as irrational attackers from infecting circuits with Trojans.
The generation of virtual needs: Recipes for satisfaction in social media networking

Abstract Successful social media networks motivate people to engage in behaviors that speak to their most basic psychological needs through citizenship in a virtual society. These environments provide individuals with the ability to build relationships (relatedness), exercise competence, and express autonomy. Recipes for satisfying these basic needs are vital to the success of virtual societies. This research contributes to existing literature by framing social media interaction using the self-determination theory (SDT); the study analyzes a sample of 570 social networking participants using the generations of baby boomers, generation X, and millennials with fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). Findings indicate that affinity, belonging, interactivity, and innovativeness are all base expectations for social media networking usage, depending on the generational cohort. Indeed, understanding the motivational needs of unique generational cohorts allows marketers to more effectively design precise adaptive strategies for their social media, which can impact engagement and thereby loyalty.
Circadian Organization in Nonmammalian Vertebrates

Remarkable progress has been made in the last quarter century in our knowledge of the concrete nature of biological clocks both at the levels of tissue and organs and at molecular levels. Studies in vertebrates have focused on the anatomic locations of sites involved in generating circadian rhythms, the ways these sites communicate with one another, and the ways that external stimuli, most notably light, affect the system. These studies have revealed a surprising complexity in the organization of circadian systems in nonmammalian vertebrates. Nonmammalian vertebrates are multioscillator in nature, that is, more than one circadian clock is involved in generating rhythmicity, and there are multiple photic input pathways as well. At least three sites have been shown to exhibit autonomous circadian rhythmicity: the pineal organ, the suprachiasmatic area of the hypothalamus, and the eyes. Circadian “organization” is accomplished by coupling together these rhythmic sites via hormonal and neural pathways so that the multiple clocks can act in a coherent fashion to drive the myriad overt rhythms that the organism possesses. In some cases, persistent rhythmicity in one site may require periodic inputs from another.
Dentin demineralization inhibition at restoration margins of Vitremer, Dyract and Compoglass.

PURPOSE To examine the in vitro caries inhibition of a resin-modified glass ionomer cement (Vitremer-3M) and two compomers (Dyract-Dentsply; Compoglass-Ivoclar). MATERIALS AND METHODS Standardized Class V preparations were placed in 40 molars, the gingival margin placed below the cementoenamel junction. Randomly, 10 Vitremer, 10 Dyract and 10 Compoglass restorations were placed according to manufacturer's instructions, in 30 teeth. Ten teeth received P-50 composite resin (3M) restorations and acted as the control. All teeth had an acid-resistant varnish placed to within 1 mm of restoration margins and they were then placed into artificial saliva for 4 weeks, the saliva being replenished every 48 hours. All teeth were subjected to an artificial caries challenge (pH 4.4) for 5 days. Sections of 100 microns were obtained, photographed under polarized light microscopy, and then digitized to quantitate demineralized areas adjacent to the restoration. RESULTS The mean (+/- S.D) area (microns 2) demineralization 100 microns from the dentin/gingival margin was: Vitremer 4965 +/- 841, Compoglass 4981 +/- 2209, Dyract 5375 +/- 516, P-50 8088 +/- 2083. ANOVA and Duncan's (P < 0.05) indicated all three fluoride-releasing materials examined in this study had significantly less demineralization adjacent to restoration margins than the P-50 composite resin control. Seventy percent of glass ionomer cement restorations demonstrated adjacent dentin inhibition zones, while no dentin inhibition zones were demonstrated with the compomer restorations.
Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy and Imaging

The concept of diffuse reflectance and its applications in dermatology is introduced in this chapter. A discussion of the general principles of diffuse reflectance, including light–tissue interaction, measurement of diffuse reflectance, and analytical and computational models to determine quantitative optical properties that ultimately give functional and physiological information about skin is first presented. Methods involving diffuse reflectance, including diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and diffuse reflectance imaging are also introduced. In addition, several application areas of diffuse reflectance in dermatology are presented, including skin cancer, port wine stain, erythema, sunscreen evaluation, and burns. Finally, a discussion of the future directions of diffuse reflectance in dermatology is presented, including current diffuse reflectance–based commercial instruments and the concept of combining diffuse reflectance with other optical methods.
Handheld and bodyworn graphical displays: presented at the International Symposium on Wearable Computing (ISWC'98)

This paper describes two display systems developed by Honeywell under a DARPA program called Handheld and Bodyworn Graphical Display. The bodyworn display is worn on the wrist and has a wireless interface to the computer. The transmitter is attached to the standard VGA connector of a wearable computer. It transmits 16 color VGA (640/spl times/480) at 30 frames/sec over a 53 Mbit/sec RF link to the bodyworn display. The display is similar to the ones used in our helmet-mounted displays but is packaged to be worn on the arm or held in your hand. The second display system incorporates a hand held computer with a "see through" display. This computer is intended to be worn around the neck like a pair of binoculars. The optics allow a distant image, which is viewed through the scope, to be superimposed with a VGA display. The development and the applications of these novel display systems will be discussed.
The End of the Western Age? The Twenty-First-Century Challenges for the West

The future of the USA and Western Europe as global leaders is examined in this chapter. American global leadership, often described as hegemonic by its enemies, is analyzed and alternatives for the future are considered. The gradual departure of Western Europe/The European Union from traditional global leadership to the exercise of “soft power” is also examined for its possible impact on the twenty-first century.
Body Image and Risk Behaviors in Youth with HIV.

Abstract Body image concerns are common among people living with HIV. Among adults with HIV, body image concerns have been shown to be related to risky sexual behaviors; little research has been conducted among youth living with HIV (YLWH). The current study examined the predictors, including body image, of sexual risk behaviors among YLWH. Adolescents from a single clinic (n = 143; age range, 16–24 years; 69% male; 95% African American) completed a computerized self-report survey to assess demographic, behavioral, and body image domains. Demographic and clinical data were abstracted from the medical record. Logistic regression analyses assessed associations between risk factors and risky sexual behaviors. Results indicated that YLWH who reported less favorable body image perceptions (p = 0.04) and more sexual partners (p = 0.05) were less likely to use condoms during their last sexual encounter. YLWH with six or more sexual partners were more likely to use drugs or alcohol during their last sexual encoun...
Specific Detection of Circulating Tumor Cells in Peripheral Blood by Targeting Gastrin Releasing Peptide Receptors

1220 Objectives The gastrin releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) is an emerging target for imaging and therapeutic applications for prostate and breast cancer. However, the use of GRPR for detecting circulating tumor cells remains under-explored. The present study focuses on the specific labeling of prostate cancer cells with a fluorescent bombesin peptide (Fluor-BBN) and the quantitation of prostate cancer cells in blood by flow cytometry from peripheral blood white blood cells. Methods Fluor-BBN was synthetized, purified and characterized according to the published procedure (Cai et al, Prostate, 2013 73(8):842-54). Prostate cancer PC-3 cells and mouse white blood cells (WBCs) were incubated with the Fluor-BBN with varies time and concentration to optimize labeling condition. Detection and quantitation of the PC-3 cells in the white blood cells were performed by flow cytometry and fluorescence microscope. A gating protocol based on Fluor-BBN labeling of GRPR and autofluorescence on PC-3 cells was developed for quantitation of the PC-3 cells in the presence of white blood cells. Nonfluorescent beads were added to the labeled cell mixture and served as an internal standard for precise cellular quantification of the PC-3 cells by flow cytometry. Results The binding of Fluor-BBN is highly specific to PC-3 cells with no binding observed to WBCs. The minimum time and concentration of Fluor-BBN for effective labeling of the PC-3 cells in WBCs was 30 min and 50 nM at 37 oC. Pre-incubation of PC-3 cells with unlabeled BBN resulted in a complete inhibition of Flour-BBN labeling, confirming that the Flour-BBN labeling was specific to GRPR. In blood samples in which PC3 cells were added, an average of 4.6 cells was detected in the most dilute sample examined (10 cells / ml); 3.9 cells were expected theoretically. Conclusions The results suggest that the GRPR is a potentially effective marker to detect and quantify prostate cancer cells in blood in vitro. These results support the use of Fluor-BBN compounds in the application of fluorescence flow cytometry or fluorescence microscope to detect, quantify, and characterize circulating tumor cells. Research Support: DoD prostate cancer research program (LM).
Juveniles on Trial: Mode of Conviction and the Adult Court Sentencing of Transferred Juveniles:

Several studies have compared the criminal court sentences given to transferred juveniles with those given to adults, but this research has reported inconsistent findings. In addition, some researc...
Urban Communities as Locations for Health, Media Literacy and Civic Voice

Abstract Partnering with nonprofit organizations to advance civic engagement and media literacy in urban communities can be daunting yet extremely transformative. The addition of health disparities which often accompany at-risk and marginalized groups only seems to up the ante. Historically, urban communities have been known for their dynamic scaffolding of racially/ethnically diverse people groups where access to care or compromised infrastructures only perpetuates multilayered health risk and disparities. For example, Boston’s urban communities, which are similar to other urban communities in the United States, has a large representation of immigrants and people of colour that report their race and ethnicity as African American, Hispanic, Haitian, Cape Verdean, Asian Pacific Islander, African and West Indian (Guyanese), respectively. Of these groups many would be defined by terms like, at-risk or marginalized and they would come from neighbourhoods with low levels of educational achievement and families who live below the federal poverty level. As a scholar who teaches at a private institution that abuts these communities my role as a community liaison seeks to highlight civic voice and engagement, with health and media literacy. I contend that offering opportunities that promote new technologies lets distinct cultural nuances emerge; particularly, when they are lay created and support organizations that serve urban people of colour. Furthermore, these individual and collective community experiences can be useful for advancing literacy, health awareness and behaviour changes. This chapter highlights a few organizations that use innovative methodologies to empower urban communities of colour – The Family Van and Sister-to-Sister. The author spotlights a real-world contextualization of the value of bridging civic engagement, new technologies and collaborative teams to advance health and media literacy. The hope is to encourage scholars to celebrate the diversity that exist in urban communities, while understanding how transformative experiential learning can shift behaviours and enrich marginalized groups.
Medical malpractice web advertising: a qualitative, cross-sectional analysis of plaintiff medical malpractice firms in Suffolk County, Massachusetts

Medical malpractice plaintiff firms play a central role in the prosecution of malpractice claims. There have been limited studies on the online advertising practices of plaintiff medical malpractice firms. The Martindale-Hubbell directory was used to identify all plaintiff medical malpractice firms in Suffolk County, Massachusetts. Each firm's website was individually mined for relevant data. Thirty-one unique medical malpractice law firms were identified. Seventy-seven percent of law firms advertised awards with the Martindale-Hubbell AV rating, AVVO, and Super Lawyer being the three most common. The second most common method of advertising was accomplished through descriptions of successful verdicts and settlements (61%). A total of 408 verdicts, settlements, and arbitrations collectively representing $1.4 billion dollars were advertised by all law firms. Median awarded values for verdicts was advertised as $4.5 million, while the median awarded values for settlements was $1.25 million. Defendants most commonly practiced obstetrics (18%), followed by primary care (14%). Law firms report treatment and diagnosis delay as the most common successful claim (50%), followed much further by misdiagnosis (8%), and communication error (4%). Our sample correlates with larger claims-based studies surrounding the most commonly sued specialties, however, median reported settlement and verdict values were significantly higher in our cohort. Considerations should be made to provide advertising guidelines for medical malpractice plaintiff firms.
MDA-MB-231 and HeLa cells attachment to nanostructured zein surfaces:

Detection and characterization of tumor cells are important for cancer diagnosis and therapy. Various surface attachment methods have been proposed for the capture and enumeration of cancer cells, ...
Microfluidic chip for non-invasive analysis of tumor cells interaction with anti-cancer drug doxorubicin by AFM and Raman spectroscopy.

Raman spectroscopy has been playing an increasingly significant role for cell classification. Here, we introduce a novel microfluidic chip for non-invasive Raman cell natural fingerprint collection. Traditional Raman spectroscopy measurement of the cells grown in a Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) based microfluidic device suffers from the background noise from the substrate materials of PDMS when intended to apply as an in vitro cell assay. To overcome this disadvantage, the current device is designed with a middle layer of PDMS layer sandwiched by two MgF2 slides which minimize the PDMS background signal in Raman measurement. Three cancer cell lines, including a human lung cancer cell A549, and human breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-231/BRMS1, were cultured in this microdevice separately for a period of three days to evaluate the biocompatibility of the microfluidic system. In addition, atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to measure the Young's modulus and adhesion force of cancer cells at single cell level. The AFM results indicated that our microchannel environment did not seem to alter the cell biomechanical properties. The biochemical responses of cancer cells exposed to anti-cancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) up to 24 h were assessed by Raman spectroscopy. Principal component analysis over the Raman spectra indicated that cancer cells untreated and treated with DOX can be distinguished. This PDMS microfluidic device offers a non-invasive and reusable tool for in vitro Raman measurement of living cells, and can be potentially applied for anti-cancer drug screening.
Fluid Dynamic Modeling of Plasma Reactors

The trend by the micro-electronic industry toward ultra large scale integrated circuits is driving the development of high plasma density sources with good plasma uniformity over a large area (up to 400 mm diameter in size). These new plasma reactor sources are used to deposit layers or to etch patterns. Characteristics of the plasma reactors under consideration are high plasma densities (≥ 1010 cm-3) to ensure large ion flux rates to surfaces, low plasma potential (10–30 eV) to minimize surface damage, and low neutral gas pressure (≤ 30 mTorr) to minimize collisions by ions as they pass from the bulk of the plasma through the sheath so as to maintain high isotropy of the ion flux to surfaces. The high ion flux isotropy is essential for generating the sharp walled trenches used in integrated circuits. One of the most promising new sources is the inductively coupled plasma (ICP) source. One attractive feature of this source is its relative simplicity, e.g., no DC magnetic fields are required for their operation. Recent studies have reported experimental characterizations [1, 2] and computer modeling [3, 4] of these devices. Most of the studies have concentrated on smaller area ICPs. Here we present modeling of the LLNL 76 cm diameter ICP [5] and compare our results with recent measurements.
Zoning's Steep Price

A chorus of voices appears to proclaim unanimously that America is in the midst of an affordable housing crisis. But an examination of housing price data from across the country reveals that, in most areas of the country, home prices appear to be fairly close to the physical costs of construction. Only in particular areas, especially New York City and California, do housing prices diverge substantially from the costs of new construction. The bulk of the evidence that we marshal suggests that zoning and other land use controls are heavily responsible for high prices where we see them; measures of zoning strictness are highly correlated with high prices.
Medicare Accountable Care Organizations and Use of Potentially Low-Value Procedures:

Objective. To evaluate the effect of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) on the use of vertebroplasty and arthroscopic partial meniscectomy, 2 procedures for which randomized controlled trials su...
National Trends in Diabetes Medication Use in the United States: 2008 to 2015.

BackgroundData on trends of diabetes medications use are sparse, outdated, and limited to prescription data. We determined trends in diabetes medication use among US individuals with diabetes durin...
Abstract A99: Management of advanced melanoma: improved survival and barriers to access in a national cohort following the approvals of checkpoint blockade immunotherapies and targeted therapies

Background: Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) and BRAFV600-targeted therapy have demonstrated substantial clinical efficacy for patients with stage 4 melanoma in clinical trials; however, their impact on survival and barriers to treatment in the “real-life” setting remains unknown. Methods: Patients who presented with cutaneous melanoma during 2004-2015 using the National Cancer Database, which comprises >70% of all newly-diagnosed cancers in the U.S., were evaluated for predictors of presenting with stage 4 disease and receiving ICB, and the associated unadjusted and risk-adjusted overall survival (OS). Results: 17,975 patients presented with stage 4 metastatic cutaneous melanoma. Overall, patients who presented after the FDA’s initial approvals (starting in 2011) for ICB and BRAFV600-targeted therapy demonstrated a 31% relative improvement in 4-yr OS (p Conclusions: In a national “real-life” treatment population, we show that the wide availability of the novel treatment modalities ICB and BRAFV600-targeted therapy has significantly improved the survival of patients with stage 4 melanoma. Our findings additionally suggest that there are opportunities for expanding coverage and access to these novel immunotherapies in community practice. Citation Format: Allison Dobry, Cheryl Zogg, Stephen Hodi, Timothy Smith, Patrick Ott, Bryan Iorgulescu. Management of advanced melanoma: improved survival and barriers to access in a national cohort following the approvals of checkpoint blockade immunotherapies and targeted therapies [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy; 2018 Nov 27-30; Miami Beach, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2020;8(4 Suppl):Abstract nr A99.
A Practical Guide for Structural Variation Detection in the Human Genome

Profiling genetic variants-including single nucleotide variants, small insertions and deletions, copy number variations, and structural variations (SVs)-from both healthy individuals and individuals with disease is a key component of genetic and biomedical research. SVs are large-scale changes in the genome and involve breakage and rejoining of DNA fragments. They may affect thousands to millions of nucleotides and can lead to loss, gain, and reshuffling of genes and regulatory elements. SVs are known to impact gene expression and potentially result in altered phenotypes and diseases. Therefore, identifying SVs from the human genomes is particularly important. In this review, I describe advantages and disadvantages of the available high-throughput assays for the discovery of SVs, which are the most challenging genetic alterations to detect. A practical guide is offered to suggest the most suitable strategies for discovering different types of SVs including common germline, rare, somatic, and complex variants. I also discuss factors to be considered, such as cost and performance, for different strategies when designing experiments. Last, I present several approaches to identify potential SV artifacts caused by samples, experimental procedures, and computational analysis. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Abstract PR06: Combinations with CDK4/6 inhibitors to treat cancers with mutations in both KRAS and CDKN2A

Oncogenic KRAS mutations commonly co-occur with loss of CDKN2A in pancreas and lung cancer. Both mutations are known to activate D-cyclin dependent kinases and therefore may confer sensitivity to drugs that inhibit CDK4 and CDK6 (CDK4/6i). Indeed, preclinical studies have shown that KRAS/CDKN2A double-mutant cancers are reasonably sensitive to CDK4/6 inhibitors and the CDK4/6i abemaciclib showed evidence of benefit in clinical studies of KRAS-mutant NSCLC (1) (http://www.ascopost.com/News/58135). However, despite the encouraging result, abemaciclib did not meet a prespecified overall survival endpoint in the JUNIPER trial, and it has been shown that failure to suppress CDK2 activity diminishes the antiproliferative activity of CDK4/6i in KRAS/CDKN2A mutant cancer cells (2). Since CDK2-specific inhibitors are not available for clinical combination strategies, it is unclear how to exploit this discovery. We employed CRISPR and shRNA genome-wide library screens to identify alternate mechanisms to potentiate the CDK4/6 inhibitor abemaciclib in this class of cancer. Depletion of Src family or Ras-MAPK pathway genes emerged as consistent hits in both lung and pancreas cancer cells with KRAS/CDKN2A mutations. Inhibitors of Src family or Ras-MAPK pathway kinases led to a strong suppression of CDK2 activity and apoptosis when combined with abemaciclib. Across a panel of cancer cell lines, ERKi LY3214996 combined with abemaciclib potently inhibited the growth of KRAS/CDKN2A mutant cancer cells. The combination of LY3214996 with abemaciclib was well tolerated in vivo and caused regressions in mice bearing human KRAS/CDKN2A mutant tumor xenografts, supporting the clinical examination of this drug combination. References 1. Patnaik A et al. Efficacy and safety of abemaciclib, an inhibitor of CDK4 and CDK6, for patients with breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, and other solid tumors. Cancer Discov 2016;6:740-53. 2. Gong X et al. Genomic aberrations that activate D-type cyclins are associated with enhanced sensitivity to the CDK4 and CDK6 inhibitor abemaciclib. Cancer Cell 2017;32:761-76 e766. This abstract is also being presented as Poster A33. Citation Format: Lacey Litchfield, Avnish Kapoor, Wenjuan Wu, Xueqian Gong, Yue Webster, Sheng-Bin Peng, Shripad Bhagwat, Farhana Merzoug, Sean G. Buchanan. Combinations with CDK4/6 inhibitors to treat cancers with mutations in both KRAS and CDKN2A [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Targeting RAS-Driven Cancers; 2018 Dec 9-12; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2020;18(5_Suppl):Abstract nr PR06.