cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Imaging and estimation of tissue elasticity by ultrasound.

AbstractUltrasound (US) elasticity imaging is an extension of the ancient art of palpation and of earlier US methods for viewing tissue stiffness such as echopalpation. Elasticity images consist of either an image of strain in response to force or an image of estimated elastic modulus. There are 3 m
Innovation outsourcing: Risks and quality issues

Innovation is the creation of new idea, practice, object, or even product by an individual or company. A competitive organization needs to continuously offer new line of products and services to the market for their customers. In order to cut down their R&D costs, companies seek external or even global vendors to pursue their research and development (R&D) tasks. This paper discusses the issues related to innovation outsourcing, including uncertainty, risks, productivity and quality issues.
Strategic self-attribution and Type A behavior

Abstract A variety of laboratory and survey studies indicate that Jenkins Activity Survey-defined Type A individuals differ from their Type B counterparts in the self-attributions they make for negative events and outcomes in their lives. However, these differences are inconsistent. Some studies find Type As taking credit for negative outcomes whereas other investigations find Type As externalizing responsibility for negative outcomes. The present experiment was designed to clarify these previous findings by asking Type A and B subjects to make attributions for hypothetical events that varied orthogonally in threat to self-esteem and in threat to control. Based on a control model of Type A behavior, it was predicted that Type As would be more likely than Type Bs to attribute events that threatened their control to internal factors which were potentially modifiable. In contrast, Type As should make more external attributions than Type Bs for those events that threatened their self-esteem. Accordingly, Jenkin's Activity Survey-defined Type A and B male college students were administered an attributional style questionnaire developed for this study. Results indicated that relative to Type Bs, Type As made greater internal but unstable attributions for negative events, particularly those which were high in threat to control. Both Type As and Bs made external attributions for negative events that were high in self-esteem threat but low in control threat. The implications of these findings for self-evaluative models of Type A behavior and Type A as a stress engendering behavior are discussed.
Maria Gaetana Agnesi

M. G. Agnesi (1718-1799), mathematicienne. Sa vie et son oeuvre. Le role des femmes intellectuelles au 18e siecle
The effect of carbon content on the minority carrier lifetime in lattice-matched p+-Si/p-SiGeC/n-Si/n+-Si diodes

Abstract We investigate the effect of carbon content on the minority carrier lifetime in lattice-matched SiGeC diode structures grown by MBE. A new technique recently proposed by Cerdeira and Estrada ( [5] , Cerdeira A, Estrada M. Solid-State Electronics 1997;42:727) is used to extract lifetimes in the fabricated samples. The observed non-degradation of lifetime with the addition of carbon is an important result, suggesting the potential usefulness of SiGeC alloys in high speed device applications.
IMMOBILIZATION OF ARSENIC IN COAL COMBUSTION FLY ASH LEACHATES

ABSTRACT Characterization of baghouse fly ash produced from lignite in fluidized-bed combustion tests indicated that the presence of arsenic in the ash leachate was an environmental concern. The capacity of three chemical additives (lime, calcium sulfate, and nitric acid) to immobilize the arsenic in the fly ash was evaluated. Lime was judged to be the preferred means of arsenic immobilization because it required the lowest weight percent addition to significantly reduce the arsenic concentration in the leachate. Calcium arsenate solution chemistry and various arsenic immobilization mechanisms are also discussed.
Thermal-Aware IR Drop Analysis in Large Power Grid

Due to the positive feedback loop between power grid Joule heating and the linear temperature dependence of resistivity, non-uniform temperature profiles on the power grid in high-performance IC influence the IR drop in the power grid. Lack of accurate evaluation of thermal effect on the IR drop in the power grid may lead to over-design; or worse, underestimates the IR drop due to increased local temperature. This paper presents a method to compute the temperature-dependent IR drop on the power grid extremely fast. We propose a novel thermal model and a mathematical formulation to compute the temperature profiles on the power grid efficiently. Compared to the traditional thermal lumped model, which gives a much larger thermal network than the original power grid (20 times more nodes), our model takes advantage of power grid properties, and reduces the size of the thermal equivalent network dramatically (only 13% of the size of the power grid). Iterative methods [16] are used to efficiently update the IR drops based on the new temperature profile. Experimental results show that without considering temperature impact, the worst IR drop analysis can have error up to 10%.
GB Virus Type C: a Beneficial Infection?

Although the median time from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection to the development of malignancies or opportunistic infections defined as AIDS is 7 to 10 years (4), AIDS may develop within a year of infection or it may not develop for more than 20 years following documented HIV seroconversion. Numerous studies have identified host and viral factors that are associated with the HIV disease course, including host HLA types and genetic polymorphisms of genes encoding HIV coreceptor or coreceptor ligands (reviewed in reference 8). Recently, studies found that HIV-positive people who are coinfected with a common, nonpathogenic human flavivirus referred to as GB virus type C (GBV-C) survive significantly longer than do HIV-positive individuals without GBV-C infection (10).
Work in progress - collaboration between middle school and college to enhance both

The Lummi tribal school (a native american school) teaches grades K-12. The Lummi tribe has less of a presence in colleges today than they would like and are working to change this. As part of this effort, the Western Washington University Engineering Technology Department and the middle school science students at the Lummi school have teamed up to benefit both sets of students. Western Washington University's Engineering Technology Department is providing facilities and college students to mentor small groups of Lummi middle school students in creating an underwater remote operated vehicle to take to a local competition. The goal of this collaboration is to encourage the Lummi students to pursue science and engineering fields as well as to give them exposure to a college environment. The college students gain project management, teaming, and leadership skills that will help them with their future pursuits in industry.
Generalized dilations and numerically solving discrete-time homogeneous optimization problems

We introduce generalized dilations, a broader class of operators than that of dilations, and consider homogeneity with respect to this new class of dilations. For discrete-time systems that are asymptotically controllable and homogeneous (with degree zero) we propose a method to numerically approximate any homogeneous value function (solution to an infinite horizon optimization problem) to arbitrary accuracy. We also show that the method can be used to generate an offline computed stabilizing feedback law.
CA6-01: A System-based Intervention to Improve Postpartum Diabetes Screening Among Women with Gestational Diabetes

Background/Aims Postpartum diabetes screening is recommended for women with gestational diabetes (GDM); up to 36.0% of them will have glucose abnormalities after delivery. To improve the <60% rate of postpartum diabetes screening in Kaiser Permanente Northwest, we conducted a multi- faceted process improvement project.
Heterotopic pregnancy in a natural conception cycle presenting as acute abdomen: A case report and literature review

Abstract Heterotopic pregnancy is the simultaneous development of an intrauterine pregnancy and an ectopic pregnancy. Although it is common with assisted reproductive technology (ART), this fatal condition rarely occurs in natural conception cycles, with a rate of just one in 30,000 pregnancies. A high index of suspicion can help in timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment. We report a case of heterotopic pregnancy in a 28-year-old woman presenting with signs and symptoms of acute abdomen at 8 weeks of amenorrhea. The diagnostic problems and literature were reviewed.
Effect of low and high temperature anneal on process-induced damage of gate oxide

We have investigated the ability of high and low temperature anneals to repair the gate oxide damage due to simulated electrical stress caused by wafer charging resulting from plasma etching, etc. Even 800/spl deg/C anneal cannot restore the stability in interface trap generation. Even 900/spl deg/C anneal cannot repair the deteriorated charge-to-breakdown and oxide charge trapping. As a small consolation, the ineffectiveness of anneal in repairing the process-induced damage allows us to monitor the damages even at the end of the fabrication process. >
Influence of Dietary Protein on the Activity of Microsomal Epoxidase in the Growing Rat

Investigations of the influence of dietary protein level on the activity of hepatic microsomal epoxidase were undertaken to explain the effects of low protein diets on heptachlor toxicity. These studies showed that low protein diets resulted in lower levels of microsomal epoxidase when compared to controls fed adequate protein. The in vitro determination of epoxidase correlates closely with the observation that low protein diets cause a reduction in toxicity of hepta chlor to weanling rats. J. Nutr. 101: 9-12, 1971.
The application of boundary-layer theory to power-law pseudoplastic fluids: Similar solutions

Two- and three-dimensional boundary-layer equations have been developed for pseudoplastic non-Newtonian fluids which can be characterized by a power-law relationship between shear stress and velocity gradient. The types of potential flows necessary for similar solutions to the boundary-layer equations have been determined. For two-dimensional flow the results are similar to those obtained for Newtonian fluids. For three-dimensional flow, however, the possibility of similar solutions depends on the nature of the expression which describes effective viscosity of the fluid. At most, similar solutions are possible only for the case of flow past a flat plate where the potential velocity vector is not perpendicular to the leading edge of the plate; this is a much more restrictive condition than is obtained for Newtonian fluids.
Akrti: a system for drawing data structure

A system for graphically displaying data structures created by programs during execution is described. Each built-in data type is displayed in a standard way. No additional programming on the part of the user is required to use the system. Special hints may be used, at run time, to declare record/point data structures as abstract data types (e.g. binary tree, linked list, stack, etc.). The drawing system uses these hints to invoke built-in algorithms to draw each abstract data type. If a record/point data structure does not fit into one of the special types, then it will be drawn as a graph. Picture attributes such as colors, orientation, and spacing can be changed by the user. Output can be displayed on either traditional terminals or through a window system. >
Assessment of an optical flow field-based polyp detector for CT colonography

Most current computer-aided detection (CAD) algorithms for the fully automatic detection of colonic polyps from 3D CT data suffer from high false positive rates. We developed and evaluated a post-processing algorithm to decrease the false positive rate of such a method. Our method attempts to model the way a radiologist recognizes a polyp while scrolling a cross-sectional plane through 3D CT data by quantifying the change in location of the edges in the 2D plane. It uses a classifier for identification based on the Mahalanobis distance. The new method increased the ROC curve area from 0.89 to 0.98 (an increase from 34.5% to 85.0% in specificity for 100% sensitivity) in a population of 8 patients.
Research in Second Language Processing and Parsing edited by VANPATTEN, BILL, & JILL JEGERSKI

A review of the book "Research in Second Language Processing and Parsing," by Bill VanPatten and Jill Jegerski is presented.
Basic fibroblast growth factor decreases elastin gene transcription in aortic smooth muscle cells.

The extracellular matrix (ECM) protein elastin plays an essential role in the cardiovascular system by imparting elasticity to blood vessel wall. In this study, we examined the effect of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on the expression of elastin in aortic smooth muscle cells (SMC) to gain insight into events associated with cardiovascular diseases. The results show that bFGF treatment of SMC causes a significant decrease in elastin mRNA and secreted tropoelastin levels. Nuclear run-on analyses demonstrate that the downregulation is due to a decrease in the level of elastin gene transcription. Transient transfections of SMC with wild-type and mutated elastin gene promoter/chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) constructs show that a previously identified activator protein-1-cAMP response element (AP1/CRE) (−564 to −558-bp) within the elastin promoter mediates the bFGF-dependent downregulation of elastin gene transcription in SMC. Addition of bFGF to SMC activates the extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) resulting in their translocation into the nucleus and subsequent induction of Fra-1. The addition of PD-98059, an inhibitor of ERK1/2 kinase, abrogates the bFGF-dependent decrease of elastin mRNA in SMC. The described inhibitory effect of bFGF on elastin gene expression in SMC may significantly contribute to the inefficient repair of elastin in early stages of vascular wall injury. J. Cell. Biochem. 85: 592–600, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Obtaining Frequency Sensitivities to Variations Analytically from Parameterized Nonlinear Oscillator Phase Macromodels

System-level variability analysis and design centering for oscillators relies on fast and accurate methods for obtaining the parametric sensitivities of higher-level performances (such as center frequency) directly from phase macromodels. We present an efficient and elegant method, involving no numerical simulation, for finding parametric sensitivities of oscillator frequencies directly from nonlinear phase domain macromodels. We validate the method, termed FS-PPV, on numerically extracted ring and LC oscillator PPV macromodels, as well as on a purely analytical exact PPV macromodel for idealized ring oscillators. We apply FS-PPV to find statistical distributions of oscillator center frequencies and validate these distributions against Monte-Carlo simulations. FS-PPV achieves speedups of more than 3000times over brute-force Monte-Carlo based parameter variation analysis.
Competition in the third millennium Efficiency or effectiveness

Abstract Neoclassical economic wisdom holds that competition is, exclusively, an efficiency-seeking enterprise. For neoclassical theory, therefore, competition in the third millennium will be, can only be, efficiency seeking. In contrast, conventional business wisdom is that competition in the third millennium will primarily be an effectiveness-seeking enterprise. This article uses resource-advantage (R-A) theory to explore whether efficiency or effectiveness — or both — will drive competition in the third millennium.
A Repeated Grammatical Error Does Not Make it Right

Grammatical correctness in professional communications can be maintained if scholars and students are reminded of appropriate forms of expression. A recurrent error is the use of the word data as a...
Prevalence of vertebral fractures on chest radiographs of elderly African American and Caucasian women

Summary The prevalence of vertebral fractures on routine chest radiographs of elderly Caucasian women was only 1.3 times higher than in African American (AA) women, a difference considerably smaller than reported in population studies. AAs with medical problems may have higher risk of vertebral fractures than previously suspected.
Revisiting Ethics: Updating Earlier Beliefs With a Queer Exemplar

In this article, the authors update key constructs in the area of ethics within qualitative research in literacy. Issues such as newer interpretive theory, media incursion into data security, and n...
Aging-aware timing analysis and optimization considering path sensitization

Device aging, which causes significant loss on circuit performance and lifetime, has been a main factor in reliability degradation of nanoscale designs. Aggressive technology scaling trends, such as thinner gate oxide without proportional down-scaling of supply voltage, necessitate an aging-aware analysis and optimization flow during early design stages. Since only a small portion of critical and near-critical paths can be sensitized and may determine the circuit delay under aging, path sensitization should also be explicitly addressed for more accurate and efficient optimization. In this paper, we first investigate the impact of path sensitization on aging-aware timing analysis and then present a novel framework for aging-aware timing optimization considering path sensitization. By extracting and manipulating critical sub-circuits accounting for the effective circuit delay, our proposed framework can reduce aging-induced performance degradation to only 1.21% or one-seventh of the original performance loss with less than 2% area overhead.
Suicide Attributed to Work

Workers' compensation laws provide death benefits for the survivors of those who commit suicide as a result of a work-incurred physical or psychological injury. A study of claims resulting from suicidal acts reveals that included in the indicted work conditions were sudden changes in organization, conflict of loyalties resulting from work change, reactions to pain and suffering following a physical work injury, and the economic and status deprivation resulting from disability and unemployment. Those treating subjects whose jobs were the sources of stress failed to recognize their patients' desperation and urged them to stay at their jobs.
What does cooking mean to you?: Perceptions of cooking and factors related to cooking behavior

Despite the importance of cooking in American life and evidence suggesting that meals cooked at home are healthier, little is known about perceptions of what it means to cook in the United States. The objective of this study was to describe perceptions of cooking and factors important to how cooking is perceived and practiced among American adults. Seven focus groups (N = 53; 39 female; 35 Black, 16 White, 2 Asian) were conducted from November 2014 to January 2015 in Baltimore City, Maryland. Participants were recruited from two neighborhoods; one with higher median income and access to healthy food and the other with lower income and low access to healthy food. Focus groups were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Participants' perceptions of cooking varied considerably, regardless of neighborhood income or food access, and spanned a continuum from all scratch cooking to anything made at home. Perceptions of cooking incorporated considerations of whether or how food was heated and the degree of time, effort and love involved if convenience foods were used. Key barriers to cooking included affordability, lack of time, and lack of enjoyment. Key facilitators of frequent cooking included extensive organization and time management to enable participants to incorporate cooking into their daily lives. Cooking is a complex concept and not uniformly understood. Efforts to encourage healthy cooking at home should consider the broad spectrum of activities Americans recognize as cooking as well as the barriers and facilitators to preparing food at home. Public health messages to encourage more frequent cooking should account for the heterogeneity in perspectives about cooking. More research should explore differences in perceptions about cooking in other diverse populations.
Seasonal variation in field-determined growth rates of the hispid cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus)

Growth rates are estimated for a population of hispid cotton rats near Lawrence, Kansas. Seasonal and sexual differences exist in growth, with all cotton rats showing higher growth rates in summer than in winter. In fall and winter the heavier animals tended to lose mass whereas lighter cotton rats gained, reducing the variability within the population. This phenomenon might account for seasonal differences in mass distributions within rodent populations. Seasonal variation in growth is related to cotton rat environment and energetics. Growth rates of cotton rats from Kansas are compared with published growth rates for cotton rats in Florida. Some of the growth rates we found are the highest yet reported for cotton rats. If ecologically meaningful growth rates can be determined for free-living animals, mass classes may be useful as categories for stage-based studies of cotton rat population dynamics.
Ge Heteroepitaxy on (100) Si Substrates by Ion Assisted Deposition

Ge films have been grown by ion-assisted deposition on Si(100) substrates. Initial studies were conducted to determine the growth and morphology of Ge using a modified crucible arrangement and ionization chamber. It was observed that a narrow substrate temperature range existed for the deposition of smooth Ge films without ion assistance. Ionization and acceleration appear to induce additional damage to the film without improving crystalline quality.
Assessment of the Psychometric Properties of an Opinion Leadership Scale

Continued interest in diffusion theory and product innovation research necessitates the sound measurement of such constructs as opinion leadership. The author assesses the psychometric properties o...
Biology and Control of Trogoderma granarium Everts

The khapra beetle, Trogoderma grananum Everts, was first found established in California in 1953 and was subsequently detected in Arizona and New .Mexico, as well as in Baja California, Mexico, but has not been found in other states. In connection with the suppression program in progress since 1955, an experimental culture of khapra beetle has been reared in the laboratory under quarantine conditions to develop information as rapidly as possible concerning the biology and control of this insect. Data given here concern food preferences, effect of environmental conditions on the biology of the beetle, and the reaction of starved larvae to low temperatures and fumigation. Results of experiments are given for contact insecticides as grain protestants. Data are presented on fumigation studies as follows: (1) penetration of methyl bromide into the soil;(2) effect of exposures of 2, 8, 24, and 8 hours and temperatures of 50° 70° and 90° on the control of khapra-beetle larvae by the use of acrylonitrile, ethylene chlorobromide, ethylene dibromide, hydrocyanic acid, and methyl bromide; and (3) fumigation of khapra-beetle larvae at 70° with a 24-hour exposure in the presence of no load and of one-half load of wheat of either 7 or 14% moisture content, using acrylonitrile, ethylene chlorbromide, ethylene dibromide, hydrocyanic acid, and methyl bromide.
Bring the system down — To a chip

Nanoscale CMOS Silicon on Insulator (SOI) technology is a design environment suitable for integrated circuits and systems. Watt-level stacked power amplifiers (PAs) implemented in CMOS SOI technology operating from RF to mm-wave frequencies have been demonstrated. The challenge is to improve PA efficiencies to the level achieved by GaAs and GaN technologies. CMOS SOI technology also offers a unique opportunity to implement ultra-low power circuits, integrated antennae and post-processed integrated sensors and actuators. Examples of CMOS SOI circuits and integrated devices are presented and characteristics of future single-chip systems are discussed.
Literary Depictions of Henry Berry Lowry: Mythic, Romantic and Tragic

Henry Berry Lowry is central to the culture of the Lumbee Indians, the largest body of Native Americans east of the Mississippi River.1 In virtually all studies of the tribe, the outlaw who mysteriously disappeared in 1872 garners elaborate mention.2 To argue that the man known as "Henry Bear" embodies and projects the values of his people, their aspirations as well as their achievements, is not to be hyperbolic. Over a hundred years ago he emerged as their hope and their hero, and today he remains a symbol of their commitments and ideals. The future, too, assures him of expanding impact, for as the Lumbees continue to enrich both the Native American world and mainstream
A Correlation Study on Elementary Schoolmaster Leadership with its Diploma and Experience

The schoolmaster leadership involves both the internal and external aspects,and the correlational study of it with the diploma and experience is an important research issue cared about by the scholars.A survey was made with the questionnaire of schoolmaster leadership on the basis of the Criterion of the Schoolmaster Leading of American Education Leading Legislation.The results show that the internal leadership is significantly lower than the external leadership;there is no significant relationship between schoolmasters' diploma and their leading capacity;there exists a complicated relationship between their experience and their leading capacity with a three-year limit.
Research on the New Method of Measuring Filter Cake Thickness

The thickness of the mud filter cake, which is presently measured using contact methods, is a very important feature of the drilling fluids. When using the contact methods, the measuring devices will come into contact with the filter cake, leading to a transformation of the cake, which may affect the accuracy of measurement. The non-contact methods, on the contrary, have the advantage of measuring accurately the cake thickness by dismiss eliminating the cake transformation. This paper discusses several commonly used non-contact methods that have not been adopted by drilling fluid industry, and a feasibility of using these methods is discussed herein. This paper presents the possibility of using light, electron, and machine in combination to measure the cake thickness in a non-contact way.
The Design for Improvement of Body Crack of Mini-truck

After analyzing the reasons behind the crack of mini-truck structure,the article holds that the main reason can be firstly attributed to unreasonable design of car body joint structure,and secondly the default of over partial stress and technique.Therefore,this article puts out structural improvement measures.Car tests prove that improvement measures are effective.
Phosphorylation of the oxidase-related 48K phosphoprotein family in the unusual autosomal cytochrome-negative and X-linked cytochrome-positive types of chronic granulomatous disease

Activation of 32P-loaded neutrophils with phorbol myristate acetate causes the labeling of a family of three 48K proteins that focus near neutral pH. The relationship between these phosphoproteins and the activation of the respiratory burst has been supported by the previous finding that phosphorylation was defective in the two most common types of chronic granulomatous disease (CGD): X-linked cytochrome-negative (X/-) and autosomal cytochrome-positive (A/+). In this report, these studies have now been extended to the rare A/- and X/+ forms of the disease. In all three patients with A/- CGD examined, the two most acidic 48K proteins failed to undergo enhanced phosphorylation in response to phorbol stimulation, a finding similar to that seen in X/- patients. In contrast, neutrophils from two patients with X/+ CGD appeared to phosphorylate the neutral 48K proteins in a normal fashion. It thus appears that the different phosphorylation patterns seen in chronic granulomatous disease are a reflection of the genetic heterogeneity of this disorder. These findings lend further support to the conclusion that the 48K phosphoprotein family is related to the respiratory burst, although not necessarily in a straightforward manner.
Human polymorphonuclear leukocyte phagocytosis in pregnancy. Development of inhibition during gestation and recovery in the postpartum period.

The phagocytosis of S. aureus by normal human PMN leukocytes was inhibited by pregnancy serum. Control sera from normal adult nulliparous women, from men, and from cord blood all functioned normally in support of phagocytosis. However, particle ingestion was reduced significantly (p To determine at what stage in pregnancy the inhibition of phagocytosis could first be detected, sera were obtained from multiple pregnant donors and pooled according to week of gestation. Significantly fewer bacteria were ingested in each of the serum pools obtained after week 16 of pregnancy and the inhibitory effect persisted through gestation. Following delivery, less inhibition was detected as early as 2 days post partum. Phagocytosis assays were performed in six matched maternal and cord serum pairs. Five of the six maternal sera showed inhibition of phagocytosis; one pregnancy and all cord sera functioned normally in support of bacterial ingestion by normal granulocytes. Since neutrophils are essential to the development of rheumatoid arthritis and certain other inflammatory disorders, the subsidence of these diseases during gestation and their exacerbation post partum could be related, at least in part, to the inhibitory effects of pregnancy serum on leukocyte functions.
Protective immunity induced in squirrel monkeys with recombinant apical membrane antigen-1 of Plasmodium fragile

Saimiri sciureus boliviensis monkeys were immunized with the Plasmodium fragile form of the merozoite apical membrane antigen-1 produced using the baculovirus expression system and combined with Montanide ISA 720 adjuvant. Following three immunizations, monkeys were challenged with 10,000 P. fragile trophozoite parasites. Antibody titers determined by fluorescence microscopy indicated an enhanced response following the second immunization. Four of five control animals had parasite counts > 5% 18-26 days following challenge. Four of five immunized monkeys had reduced levels of maximum parasitemia or delays in accumulated parasite counts, suggestive of protection. Rechallenge of the animals with P. falciparum resulted in three of four adjuvant control animals developing patent parasitemia whereas none of five immunized animals were infected, suggesting some level of heterologous protection.
CHAPTER 22 – Structures of Heterotrimeric G Proteins and Their Complexes

The alpha subunits of heterotrimeric G proteins belong to the superfamily of intracellular GTP hydrolases that use the energy derived from the binding of guanosine triphosphate (GTP) to effect signal transduction. The energy derived from GTP binding is used to stabilize an activated state of the G protein that is able to bind and regulate certain molecules, called effectors, in the cell. This capability is diminished or lost when the G protein hydrolyzes GTP. It is regained when a new molecule of GTP is bound, a process that is catalyzed by ligand-activated, seven-transmembrane helical G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Intracellular targets of G protein regulation include a small group of second-message-generating molecules such as potassium and calcium ion channels, phospholipase Cβ isoforms (PLCβ), adenylyl cyclases (ACs), cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase, and regulators of other signaling pathways, such as the p115 Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor (p115RhoGEF). The sequence of GTP binding, hydrolysis, product release, and reformation of the G protein-GTP complex constitutes a signaling cycle. Steps within this cycle are subject to regulation that shapes the temporal characteristics of the signal, from ligand-receptor recognition to G-protein-effector interaction. The three-dimensional structures of many of the components of this cycle have been described in several functionally relevant states. These structures provide insight into the molecular mechanics of G-protein-mediated signal transduction. This chapter briefly describes the three-dimensional structures of G proteins and the molecular processes that constitute the signaling pathway.
Analysis of within Subjects Variability in Mouse Ultrasonic Vocalization: Pups Exhibit Inconsistent, State-Like Patterns of Call Production

Mice produce ultrasonic vocalizations (USV) in multiple communicative contexts, including adult social interaction (e.g., male to female courtship), as well as pup calls when separated from the dam. Assessment of pup USV has been widely applied in models of social and communicative disorders, dozens of which have shown alterations to this conserved behavior. However, features such as call production rate can vary substantially even within experimental groups and it is unclear to what extent aspects of USV represent stable trait-like influences or are vulnerable to an animal's state. To address this question, we have employed a mixed modeling approach to describe consistency in USV features across time, leveraging multiple large cohorts recorded from two strains, and across ages/times. We find that most features of pup USV show consistent patterns within a recording session, but inconsistent patterns across postnatal development. This supports the conclusion that pup USV is most strongly influenced by "state"-like variables. In contrast, adult USV call rate and call duration show higher consistency across sessions and may reflect a stable "trait". However, spectral features of adult song such as the presence of pitch jumps do not show this level of consistency, suggesting that pitch modulation is more susceptible to factors affecting the animal's state at the time of recording. Overall, the utility of this work is threefold. First, as variability necessarily affects the sensitivity of the assay to detect experimental perturbation, we hope the information provided here will be used to help researchers plan sufficiently powered experiments, as well as prioritize specific ages to study USV behavior and to decide which features to consider most strongly in analysis. Second, via the mouseTube platform, we have provided these hundreds of recordings and associated data to serve as a shared resource for other researchers interested in either benchmark data for these strains or in developing algorithms for studying features of mouse song. Finally, we hope that this work informs both interpretation of USV studies in models of developmental disorder, and helps to further research into understanding the neural processes that contribute to the production and predictability of USV behavior.
RT-POD: A Framework for Real-Time Systems Participation in Own Defense

As mission-critical distributed real-time and embedded systems have become more prevalent and are increasingly developed and deployed using an open-systems model, their potential exposure to adversarial attack has increased as well. Furthermore, real-time constraints in such systems add further vulnerabilities to attack, where an adversary need only interfere with the timing of events in a system, rather than having to modify the events themselves. To address this challenge, it is necessary to examine fundamental relationships between real-time and security properties, and to provide a system infrastructure framework designed to mitigate or even avoid the consequences of adversarial attack in real-time systems. This paper makes two main contributions to the state of the art in security for real-time systems. First, it describes particular vulnerabilities of real-time systems to denial-of-service attacks, and categorizes those attacks according to the kind of attack and the mechanisms it affects. Second, it describes the design of RT-POD, a middleware framework for mitigation and possible avoidance of real-time failures in the face of denial of service attacks.
Geocoding and Reverse Geocoding

This article introduces the principles and methods of geocoding/reverse geocoding. Specifically, the components of geocoding/reverse geocoding procedures are covered. Primary geocoding methods based on address point, parcel, street centerline, and area unit data are included. Three popular metrics for evaluating geocoding/reverse geocoding quality are discussed: positional accuracy, match rate, and repeatability. Moreover, a review of various geocoding/reverse geocoding applications is also given. Since location privacy has received significant attention, relevant privacy issues in geocoding/reverse geocoding are also covered. Finally, the recent trends and challenges are listed to shed light on future research directions in this field. In summary, this work aims to help users and researchers develop a better understanding of geocoding/reverse geocoding such that they can use it effectively and contribute to its future development.
Circadian Expression of Clock Genes in Parkinson’s Disease - Implications for Disrupted Sleep and Daytime Sleepiness (S19.008)

OBJECTIVE 1) To examine circadian rhythms of clock genes Per1,2,3, and Bmal1 in whole blood in participants with Parkinson’s Disease (PD); 2) to examine relationship between clock gene expression and disease severity, sleep quality and daytime sleepiness in PD. BACKGROUND Alterations of the circadian system may be one mechanism leading to disrupted sleep/wake cycles in PD. This hypothesis is supported by recent reports of impaired circadian secretion of melatonin, an endogenous marker of circadian rhythmicity, in PD. Clock genes, molecular markers of circadian timekeeping, have not been studied in PD patients with sleep dysfunction. METHODS Twenty PD participants on dopaminergic therapy, 10M/10F, age 63.2±1.8 yrs, average PD duration of 6.7±1.4 yrs, total UPDRS score 34.1±2.1, participated in this study. Real-time reverse transcription PCR was used to measure transcript levels of clock genes every 2 hours over a 24-hour period under modified constant routine conditions. Additional measures included metrics of sleep and alertness. RESULTS A significant variability of gene expression levels and acrophases was observed. A definitive acrophase was observed for each clock gene in all participants. Amplitudes of gene expressions did not correlate with PD severity or sleep metrics. Acrophases (i.e., timing or phase) of Per1,2 were advanced and of Bmal1 were delayed when compared to published data in healthy controls. The phase delay of Bmal1 was positively correlated with daytime sleepiness. The phase of Per1,2,3 and Bmal1 was significantly different in participants with various levels of daytime somnolence and sleep quality. CONCLUSIONS Core circadian clock genes express circadian oscillations in PD. The phase and amplitude of these clock genes may affect physiology in PD. The phase of Bmal1 is associated with daytime sleepiness in PD. Further longitudinal studies employing larger cohorts of PD participants are needed to better define interactions between molecular circadian markers and sleep/wake regulation in PD. Disclosure: Dr. Videnovic has received personal compensation for activities with Acorda Therapeutics and Wilson9s Therapeutics. Dr. Videnovic has received research support from PhotoPharmics. Dr. Marconi has nothing to disclose. Dr. Zee has received personal compensation for activities with Vanda, Merck & Co., Inc., and Jazz Pharmaceuticals as a consultant. Dr. Zee holds stock and/or stock options in Teva Neuroscience. Dr. Zee has received research support from Jazz Pharmaceutica Dr. Klerman has nothing to disclose. Dr. Turek has nothing to disclose.
A simulation approach to the decision making structures analysis to support curriculum quality for higher education sustainability (WIP)

Sustainable development is one of the most important international initiatives that have emerged as an answer to the challenges of globalization. Higher education institutions play a crucial role in sustainable development because they educate the future decision-makers for local, regional, and global societies. The curriculum of a college/university must meet the challenges of the current and future world to support demands of globalization and of the national job market. Such demands may dictate many requests for adjusting the college/university curricula. We propose a simulation approach to analyze the curriculum quality within three decision-making structures (flat, 3-points, and balanced). These structures support various requests for changing and maintaining the overall quality of the curriculum. We created a set of formalized logical schemas of the simulated decision-making structures. We identified three levels of the disciplinary best practices (national, regional, and local) that can be incorporated into the curriculum and used as a set of the quality criteria. To illustrate how the proposed simulation approach works, we created a case study for a very fast-growing four-year Georgia Gwinnett College, a member of the University System of Georgia, USA.
Abstract 1141: LPA stimulates glycolytic shift of ovarian cancer cells via gip2 oncogenes

Ovarian cancer patients show increased levels of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) in their serum and ascitic fluid. Our previous studies have established a critical role for LPA in inducing proliferation as well as migration of ovarian cancer cells. In the present study, we focused on identifying novel therapeutic targets in the oncogenic signaling pathway regulated by LPA. Using a commercial pathway reporter array of 45 transcription factors, we found that hypoxia-induced factor-1 alpha (HIF-1 alpha) was the most activated transcription factor induced by LPA. Both stable as well as transient silencing of Galphai2, a downstream signaling mediator for LPA, abrogates LPA induced increase in HIF-1 alpha expression. In addition, our results indicate that LPA stimulated an increase in the expression of Hexokinase-2 (HK2) and Glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), which are targets of HIF-1 alpha, are also mediated via Galphai2 signaling pathway. To determine the outcome LPA induced increase in HK2 and GLUT1 on glycolytic rates, we measured the extracellular acidification rate (ECAR) in ovarian cancer cells following treatment with LPA, using an XFe analyzer. In both SKOV3-ip and OVCA429 cells, LPA increased ECAR in a dose-dependent manner. Silencing Galphai2 as well as HIF-1 alpha in ovarian cancer cells reduced ECAR indicative of reduced glycolytic rate. The current study, points to the identification of LPA(R)-Galphai2-HIF-1 alpha-GLUT1 signaling axis as potential metabolism-targets in ovarian cancer treatment. Citation Format: Ji Hee Ha, Rangasudhagar Radhakrishnan, Danny Dhanasekaran. LPA stimulates glycolytic shift of ovarian cancer cells via gip2 oncogenes. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 1141. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-1141
Escritora-ama de casa?: The Political Tactics of Carmen de Burgos’ Culinary Writing

Spanish writer Carmen de Burgos’ popular fiction and essays reveal her to be one of Spain’s most influential early feminists, a fact complicated by her publication of cookbooks La cocina moderna (1...
Interplay of material thermodynamics and surface reaction rate on the kinetics of thermochemical hydrogen production

Production of chemical fuels using solar energy has been a field of intense research recently, and two-step thermochemical cycling of reactive oxides has emerged as a promising route. In this process, the oxide of interest is cyclically exposed to an inert gas, which induces (partial) reduction of the oxide at a high temperature, and to an oxidizing gas of either H_2O or CO_2 at the same or lower temperature, which reoxidizes the oxide, releasing H_2 or CO. Thermochemical cycling of porous ceria was performed here under realistic conditions to identify the limiting factor for hydrogen production rates. The material, with 88% porosity and moderate specific surface area, was reduced at 1500 °C under inert gas with 10 ppm residual O_2, then reoxidized with H_2O under flow of 600 sccm g^(−1) of 20% H_2O in Ar to produce H_2. The fuel production process transitions from one controlled by surface reaction kinetics at temperatures below ∼1000 °C to one controlled by the rate at which the reactant gas is supplied at temperatures above ∼1100 °C. The reduction of ceria, when heated from 800 to 1500 °C, is observed to be gas limited at a temperature ramp rate of 50 °C min^(−1) at a flow of 1000 sccm g^(−1) of 10 ppm O_2 in Ar. Consistent with these observations, application of Rh catalyst particles improves the oxidation rate at low temperatures, but provides no benefit at high temperatures for either oxidation or reduction. The implications of these results for solar thermochemical reactors are discussed.
Griffin v. California : Still Viable After All These Years

The essence of the Court's brief opinion was expressed in a few lines: [C]omment on the refusal to testify is a remnant of the "inquisitorial system of criminal justice" . . . which the Fifth Amendment outlaws. It is a penalty imposed by courts for exercising a constitutional privilege. It cuts down on the privilege by making its assertion costly.3 Grffin was a response to prosecutorial argument of the sort made in Linebarger v. Oklahoma.4 In that burglary case where the defendant, who had a prior burglary conviction, did not testify, witnesses reported that the prosecutor's (unrecorded) argument involved pointing his finger at the defendant and exclaiming, "Larry Gail Linebarger, why don't you take the stand in your own defense? Because you know you are guilty."5 In a recent article in the Michigan Law Review, Donald Ayer levels a series of attacks on the Grifin decision.6 Specifically, he maintains that the decision is at once too broad, because it requires "almost automatic reversal where there are any remarks explicitly focused on the defendant's silence and the inference of guilt to be
Gradient Augmented Level Set Method for Phase Change Simulations

Abstract A numerical method for the simulation of two-phase flow with phase change based on the Gradient-Augmented-Level-set (GALS) strategy is presented. Sharp capturing of the vaporization process is enabled by: i) identification of the vapor–liquid interface, Γ ( t ) , at the subgrid level, ii) discontinuous treatment of thermal physical properties (except for μ), and iii) enforcement of mass, momentum, and energy jump conditions, where the gradients of the dependent variables are obtained at Γ ( t ) and are consistent with their analytical expression, i.e. no local averaging is applied. Treatment of the jump in velocity and pressure at Γ ( t ) is achieved using the Ghost Fluid Method. The solution of the energy equation employs the sub-grid knowledge of Γ ( t ) to discretize the temperature Laplacian using second-order one-sided differences, i.e. the numerical stencil completely resides within each respective phase. To carefully evaluate the benefits or disadvantages of the GALS approach, the standard level set method is implemented and compared against the GALS predictions. The results show the expected trend that interface identification and transport are predicted noticeably better with GALS over the standard level set. This benefit carries over to the prediction of the Laplacian and temperature gradients in the neighborhood of the interface, which are directly linked to the calculation of the vaporization rate. However, when combining the calculation of interface transport and reinitialization with two-phase momentum and energy, the benefits of GALS are to some extent neutralized, and the causes for this behavior are identified and analyzed. Overall the additional computational costs associated with GALS are almost the same as those using the standard level set technique.