cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Feature Extraction of the Weak Damping Low-frequency Oscillation Mode Based on WAMS and Inverse Iteration/Rayleigh Quotient Iteration

The method for analysis on-line and control of low frequency oscillations in power system dispatch operations is based on the pattern matching,the extraction of the natural oscillation mode is the key step of the method.This paper proposes a practical method for extraction of the natural oscillation mode in interconnection power system.According to the statistics of small disturbance events with WAMS system,the system natural oscillation modes were determined,the estimate value of the oscillation modes eigenvalue is obtained through the prony analysis,it is used to be the initial transfer point of Inverse Iteration/Rayleigh Quotient Iteration.Through that the natural oscillation mode in the large-scale interconnected system is obtained,then the detailed modal analysis is taken.Finally,using actual case demonstrates the feasibility of the proposed method.
Evaluating Postoperative Parameters in Guinea Pigs (Cavia porcellus) Following Routine Orchiectomy

Abstract The goals of this study were to evaluate changes in gastrointestinal parameters, physiologic variables, and electronic von Frey (EVF) mechanical thresholds following routine orchiectomy to determine if these parameters can serve as appropriate, repeatable criteria to monitor postoperative changes in guinea pigs. A randomized, double-blinded study was performed with 14 intact male guinea pigs. All guinea pigs underwent routine orchiectomy and were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 postoperative treatment groups. Each guinea pig received meloxicam 0.5mg/kg subcutaneously and buprenorphine 0.03mg/kg subcutaneously immediately following surgery. They were then administered either: meloxicam 0.5mg/kg subcutaneously at 24 and 48 hours postoperatively (meloxicam group) or saline subcutaneously at 24 and 48 hours postoperatively (control group). Basic physiologic parameters (heart rate, respiratory rate, rectal temperature, and body weight), urine and fecal output, food and water consumption, and EVF mechanical thresholds around incision sites were recorded for 48 hours preoperatively and postoperatively. Significant increases in heart rate and rectal temperature and significant decreases in respiratory rate, body weight, and EVF mechanical thresholds were identified postoperatively in both treatment groups. Significant decreases in consumption were noted postoperatively in both treatment groups, but no change in fecal or urine output was identified. Most of these values were easily obtained and showed significant changes from preoperative values in both study groups.
Virtual Operator Modeling Method for Excavator Trenching

Abstract This research investigated how machine operator expertise, strategies, and decision-making can be integrated into operator models that simulate authentic human behavior in construction machine operations. Physical prototype tests of construction machines require significant time and cost. However, computer-based simulation is often limited by the fidelity in which human operators are modeled. A greater understanding of how highly skilled operators obtain high machine performance and productivity can inform machine development and advance construction automation technology. Operator interviews were conducted to build a framework of tasks, strategies, and cues commonly used while controlling an excavator through repeating work cycles. A closed loop simulation demonstrated that an operator model could simulate the trenching work cycle with multiple operator strategies, and adapt to different vehicle and work site settings. A virtual operator model that captures human expert behaviors can be used to assess vehicle characteristics and efficiency, and inform the design of automation systems.
An indium based mercury ultramicroelectrode: Fabrication and characterization

Abstract A mercury ultramicroelectrode (Hg-UME) has been prepared by electrochemical deposition of mercury on an iridium substrate. The iridium UMEs can be prepared with radii of 1–20 μm using a molten salt etching solution of NaCl and NaNO 3 . The Ir and Hg UMEs have been characterized by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry, and microscopically, and are shown to exhibit diffusional behavior in accord with microelectrode theory and geometry. The mercury is well adhering and stable for long periods of time, with no indication of amalgam formation. The iridium based Hg-UME appears to be a stable and rugged mercury electrode with potential uses for in situ and in vivo electrochemical analysis.
Abstract 2787: Expression of Olfactomedin 4 is regulated by methylation in the benign prostate epithelial cell-RWPE1 and PC-3 prostate cancer cells

Expression of Olfactomedin 4 gene (OLFM4) plays a critical tumor suppressor role in human and murine prostate cancer. We have previously reported that loss or reduced OLFM4 expression is associated with the progression of human prostate cancer. We and others have further determined that deletions within the OLFM4 gene are present in about 10 to 25% of human prostate cancer samples. However, we have observed that loss of expression of OLFM4 were found in more than 58% of the samples obtained from advanced prostate cancer patients. Therefore, we sought to study the role of epigenetic factors in the regulation of OLFM4 gene expression in normal and prostate cancer cell lines. Methylation of CpG sites in the promoter region of key genes is an important epigenetic mechanism in cancer development. We examined the methylation status of CpG sites in the OLFM4 promoter region in the benign immortalized prostate epithelial cell line (RWPE1), androgen-responsive cancer cells (LNCaP, VCaP), and androgen-independent cancer cells (PC-3 and DU145). There are eight CpG sites (-681, -666, -562, -486, -91, +4, +34) in the promoter regions of OLFM4 gene. The pattern of methylation status was detected and compared between RWPE1 cell and cancer cell lines LNCaP, VCaP, PC-3 and Du145. To test whether hypermethylation of CpG sites of OLFM4 gene can block the expression of OLFM4 gene, RWPE1 cells were treated with 5-azadeoxycytidine (5-Aza.) (5 μM) from 24h to 96h and PC-3 cells were treated with 5-azadeoxycytidine (5-Aza.) (5 μM) for 3 days and 7 days. The methylation status of CpG sites was compared in the presence or absence of 5-Aza. at different time points. The addition of 5-Aza. consistently reduced the percent methylation of the CpG sites. Correspondingly, the expression of the OLFM4 gene was induced after treatment with 5-Aza. in both RWPE1 and PC-3 cells. These results suggest that expression of OLFM4 is regulated by the methylation status of OLFM4 gene in the RWPE1 and PC-3 prostatic cell lines. Citation Format: Hongzhen Li. Expression of Olfactomedin 4 is regulated by methylation in the benign prostate epithelial cell-RWPE1 and PC-3 prostate cancer cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 2787.
EEG Monitoring of Neonatal Seizures

Sixty-three neonates were investigated using prolonged video/EEG monitoring to identify seizures and determine the diagnostic efficiency of clinical observation and short duration EEGs at the Department of Paediatric Neurology, Prince of Wales Children’s Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Stereotactic Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy for Recurrent High-Grade Gliomas.

Background The value of maximal safe cytoreductive surgery in recurrent high-grade gliomas (HGGs) is gaining wider acceptance. However, patients may harbor recurrent tumors that may be difficult to access with open surgery. Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) is emerging as a technique for treating a variety of brain pathologies, including primary and metastatic tumors, radiation necrosis, and epilepsy. Objective To review the role of LITT in the treatment of recurrent HGGs, for which current treatments have limited efficacy, and to discuss the possible role of LITT in the disruption of the blood-brain barrier to increase delivery of chemotherapy locoregionally. Methods A MEDLINE search was performed to identify 17 articles potentially appropriate for review. Of these 17, 6 reported currently commercially available systems and as well as magnetic resonance thermometry to monitor the ablation and, thus, were thought to be most appropriate for this review. These studies were then reviewed for complications associated with LITT. Ablation volume, tumor coverage, and treatment times were also reviewed. Results Sixty-four lesions in 63 patients with recurrent HGGs were treated with LITT. Frontal (n = 34), temporal (n = 14), and parietal (n = 16) were the most common locations. Permanent neurological deficits were seen in 7 patients (12%), vascular injuries occurred in 2 patients (3%), and wound infection was observed in 1 patient (2%). Ablation coverage of the lesions ranged from 78% to 100%. Conclusion Although experience using LITT for recurrent HGGs is growing, current evidence is insufficient to offer a recommendation about its role in the treatment paradigm for recurrent HGGs. Abbreviations BBB, blood-brain barrierFDA, US Food and Drug AdministrationGBM, glioblastoma multiformeHGG, high-grade gliomaLITT, laser interstitial thermal therapy.
Comparative Ability of Oropsylla montana and Xenopsylla cheopis Fleas to Transmit Yersinia pestis by Two Different Mechanisms.

Background Transmission of Yersinia pestis by flea bite can occur by two mechanisms. After taking a blood meal from a bacteremic mammal, fleas have the potential to transmit the very next time they feed. This early-phase transmission resembles mechanical transmission in some respects, but the mechanism is unknown. Thereafter, transmission occurs after Yersinia pestis forms a biofilm in the proventricular valve in the flea foregut. The biofilm can impede and sometimes completely block the ingestion of blood, resulting in regurgitative transmission of bacteria into the bite site. In this study, we compared the relative efficiency of the two modes of transmission for Xenopsylla cheopis, a flea known to become completely blocked at a high rate, and Oropsylla montana, a flea that has been considered to rarely develop proventricular blockage. Methodology/Principal findings Fleas that took an infectious blood meal containing Y. pestis were maintained and monitored for four weeks for infection and proventricular blockage. The number of Y. pestis transmitted by groups of fleas by the two modes of transmission was also determined. O. montana readily developed complete proventricular blockage, and large numbers of Y. pestis were transmitted by that mechanism both by it and by X. cheopis, a flea known to block at a high rate. In contrast, few bacteria were transmitted in the early phase by either species. Conclusions A model system incorporating standardized experimental conditions and viability controls was developed to more reliably compare the infection, proventricular blockage and transmission dynamics of different flea vectors, and was used to resolve a long-standing uncertainty concerning the vector competence of O. montana. Both X. cheopis and O. montana are fully capable of transmitting Y. pestis by the proventricular biofilm-dependent mechanism.
Segmental upper mid-basilar artery sacrifice in a child using a Micro Vascular Plug device for treatment of a basilar arteriovenous fistula compressing the brainstem.

This case demonstrates a rare pathology of basilar artery pial arteriovenous shunting presenting with acutely progressive symptoms of brainstem compression, in which we applied a polytetrafluoroethylene-coated embolic device to achieve short-segment upper mid-basilar artery sacrifice. In addition to presenting a rare form of basilar arteriovenous fistula (AVF) (likely related to hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia) and discussing the extreme management challenges, this case demonstrates the unusual but successful application of a novel neurovascular device. Unanswered questions include the mechanism of development of this pathology and the optimum post-embolization anticoagulation plan. Reports of pial arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) that occur in the posterior fossa are quite rare, occasionally appearing in general pial AVF case series or as individual case reports;1–6 in particular, direct AVFs originating off the basilar artery have not previously been reported. We present the case of a child with a basilar pial AVF with mass effect and progressively accelerating neurological decline and report on its management and outcome. A 3-year-old child with a history of ocular albinism and normal neurological milestones (walking at 10 months, speaking in full sentences) was noted to have several months of progressive gait instability, bilateral hand tremor, dysarthria, drooling, and intermittent esotropia, with accelerating worsening over the most recent 3 weeks. Her parents and three siblings were all healthy. On examination she had left eye intorsion and limitation of upgaze. She ambulated with a hyper-plantarflexed gait and became progressively unsteady on her feet, with axial ataxia. She had intention tremors bilaterally in the upper extremities. Over the course of observation of several days she developed swallowing difficulties and, as a result, had her oral intake progressively restricted, and showed progressive loss of motor and speech milestones. On MRI brain she was found to have an AVF that appeared to originate directly off the upper mid-basilar artery, with …
Zika virus: An emerging flavivirus

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a previously little-known flavivirus closely related to Japanese encephalitis, West Nile, dengue, and yellow fever viruses, all of which are primarily transmitted by blood-sucking mosquitoes. Since its discovery in Uganda in 1947, ZIKV has continued to expand its geographic range, from equatorial Africa and Asia to the Pacific Islands, then further afield to South and Central America and the Caribbean. Currently, ZIKV is actively circulating not only in much of Latin America and its neighbors but also in parts of the Pacific Islands and Southeast Asia. Although ZIKV infection generally causes only mild symptoms in some infected individuals, it is associated with a range of neuroimmunological disorders, including Guillain-Barre syndrome, meningoencephalitis, and myelitis. Recently, maternal ZIKV infection during pregnancy has been linked to neonatal malformations, resulting in various degrees of congenital abnormalities, microcephaly, and even abortion. Despite its emergence as an important public health problem, however, little is known about ZIKV biology, and neither vaccine nor drug is available to control ZIKV infection. This article provides a brief introduction to ZIKV with a major emphasis on its molecular virology, in order to help facilitate the development of diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines.
Differences in Survival With Surgery and Postoperative Radiotherapy Compared With Definitive Chemoradiotherapy for Oral Cavity Cancer: A National Cancer Database Analysis

Importance Because locally advanced oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) is often treated with surgery followed by postoperative radiotherapy (S+PORT), the effectiveness of organ preservation with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) remains unclear. Objective To compare the differences in survival between patients with locally advanced OCSCC treated with S+PORT or CRT. Design, Setting, and Participants Using the National Cancer Database, this study compared 6900 patients with stage III to IVA OCSCC treated with S+PORT and CRT from 2004 through 2012 at academic and community-based cancer clinics. Comparisons were made using Kaplan-Meier methods and Cox proportional hazards regression models using the entire cohort and a propensity score–matched cohort of 2286 patients. Main Outcomes and Measures Overall survival (OS). Results Of the 6900 study patients, 4809 received S+PORT (3080 male [64.0%] and 1792 [36.0%] female) and 2091 received CRT (1453 male [69.5%] and 638 [30.5%] female). Median follow-up for the entire group was 23.0 months overall but was shorter for patients receiving CRT (17.3-month) vs S+PORT (25.6 months). Patients receiving CRT were more likely to be older than 60 years, treated before 2007, live within 10 miles of the treating facility, treated at nonacademic centers, have more comorbidities, have T3 to T4a tumors, and have N2a to N2c nodal disease. Propensity score matching identified cohorts of patients with similar clinical variables. S+PORT was associated with improved survival among all patients (3-year OS: 53.9% for S+PORT vs 37.8% for CRT; difference = 16.1%; 95% CI, 13.6%-18.6%) and in the propensity score–matched cohort (3-year OS: 51.8% for S+PORT vs 39.3% for CRT; difference = 11.9%; 95% CI, 7.8%-16.0%). S+PORT was associated with improved survival among patients with T3 to T4a tumors (3-year OS: 49.7% for S+PORT vs 36.0% for CRT; difference = 16.1%; 95% CI, 13.6%-18.6%) but was not associated with improved survival among patients with T1 to T2 tumors (3-year OS: 59.1% for S+PORT vs 53.5% for CRT; difference = 5.6%; 95% CI, −3.1% to 14.3%). Conclusions and Relevance Compared with CRT, S+PORT was associated with improved survival for locally advanced OCSCCs, especially in T3 to T4a disease. These data support the use of surgery as the initial treatment modality for operable OCSCCs.
A comparison of electrospray ionization, atmospheric pressure chemical ionization, and atmospheric pressure photoionization for the liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometric analysis of bisphenols. Application to bisphenols in thermal paper receipts and U.S. currency notes.

RATIONALE Human health concerns have arisen for common bisphenols (BPA and BPS) as well as new structural analogs. While native sulfone bisphenols and sulfone-derivatized bisphenols are amenable to electrospray ionization (ESI), alternative ionization methods such as atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) and APPI were investigated to analyze non-derivatized, non-sulfone-containing bisphenols. METHODS Ionization of bisphenols using negative ion APPI was compared to negative ion ESI and negative ion APCI for their relative abilities to produce [M-H]- precursor ions for subsequent collision-induced dissociation (CID) in a triple quadrupole mass analyzer. Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) transitions were optimized using the most sensitive ion transitions and coupled with high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) separation to detect and quantify BPA, BPB, BPF, BPZ, BPAP, BPS, and BPSIP. RESULTS APPI provides a more universal sensitivity over ESI toward the classes of bisphenols studied with detection limits of 20-50 pg on-column. The LC/APPI-MS/MS method was used to examine the levels of these seven bisphenols in thermal paper receipts and in U.S. paper currency. In both receipts and currency, BPA and BPS were the dominant bisphenols found in the paper. CONCLUSIONS The measurement of BPA and bisphenol analogs in thermal paper receipts and transfer of bisphenols from receipts to currency notes is of increasing importance to assess human dermal exposure routes to this class of compounds. Equivalent sensitivity between sulfone- and non-sulfone-containing bisphenols is achievable through the use of alternate ionization sources such as APCI and APPI that circumvents tedious and time-consuming derivatization procedures to render analytical sensitivity by ESI.
Estimated annual health care expenditures in individuals with peripheral arterial disease

Abstract Objective The clinical impact of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is well characterized and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Health care-related expenditures among individuals with PAD, particularly for patients, are not well described. Methods Health care-related expenditure data from the 2011 to 2014 Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Medical Expenditure Panel Surveys were analyzed for individuals with a diagnosis of PAD compared with U.S. adults 40 years of age and older. Weighted average annual expenditures were estimated using a multivariable generalized linear model. Subanalyses were also performed for out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditures by insurance type. Results Adjusted for age, gender, and race, individuals with a diagnosis of PAD (weighted n = 640,098) had significantly higher average annual health care-related expenditures compared with the U.S. adult population as a whole (weighted n = 148,387,362). Average annual expenditures per individual for patients with PAD were $11,553 (95% confidence interval [CI], $8137-$14,968) compared with only $4219 (95% CI, $4064-$4375; P P = .003), which varied by insurance type, ranging from $179 (95% CI, $70-$288) for those with Medicare to $1196 (95% CI, $106-$2244) for those without insurance, although this difference did not reach significance. Conclusions Individuals with a diagnosis of PAD have higher health care-related expenditures and OOP expenses compared with other US adults. These expenditures compound lost wages, care by family members, and lost opportunity costs, increasing the burden carried by patients with PAD.
Initial experience with the 3.3 Fr Mongoose® pigtail catheter for aortic angiography during patent ductus arteriosus closure in small patients.

Background: Smaller femoral arterial sheaths may be associated with fewer vascular complications. The 3.3 Fr Mongoose® Pediavascular pigtail catheter is a catheter that allows higher flow rates, potentially resulting in improved angiographic quality. We reviewed our experience with this small catheter during patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) closure. Materials and Methods: Review of patients ≤20 kg in whom the Mongoose® catheter was used during PDA closure from 12/13 to 4/15. Angiographic efficacy and procedural details were compared to ten 4 Fr catheter cases. Comparisons were performed using Mann–Whitney U-test; P Results: Twelve (9 female) patients were catheterized with a 3.3 Fr Mongoose®. Median weight 10.5 kg (range 6.4–18.2), height 81 cm (range 37–111), and body surface area (BSA) 0.47 m2 (range 0.33–0.75) were similar to ten patients (3 females) in the 4 Fr control group (P = NS); median weight 9.9 kg (range 6–16.8), height 80 cm (range 64–102), and BSA 0.46 m2 (range 0.31–0.74). Angiographic quality was subjectively adequate with both with no difference in the median pixel density between the two techniques (3.3 Fr: 76.7 [range 33.5–90] and 4 Fr: [70; 38–102]; P = NS). Contrast used was similar between the groups (3.3 Fr: median 4.2 ml/kg and 4 Fr: 4.9 ml/kg; P = NS). Median radiation dose was similar in the two groups (3.3 Fr: 28.1 mGy [range 17.2–38] and 4 Fr: 38 mGy [range 20.4–58.5]; P = NS). All ducts were closed at latest follow-up ( P = NS). No complications were encountered. Conclusions: The 3.3 Fr Mongoose® allowed similar angiography to the 4 Fr pigtail catheter, allowing safe and effective transcatheter PDA closure in small children.
Current Status and Future Directions of Treatment Deintensification in Human Papilloma Virus-associated Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

The prevalence of patients with human papilloma virus (HPV)-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) is rapidly increasing, and it is now well known that these patients have a significantly better prognosis than patients with HPV-negative OPSCC. Though standard treatments result in excellent cancer control, they are also associated with substantial long-term toxicity. There is now great interest in evaluating less intensive (ie, deintensified) treatment regimens to improve the therapeutic ratio (maintain excellent cancer control and decrease toxicity). There are many different approaches that are being studied, and each have their own caveats, with varying degrees of actual deintensification. In this article, we critically review the current landscape of emerging deintensified treatment paradigms and future direction of the treatment of HPV-associated OPSCC.
Custom Engineered Tissue Culture Molds from Laser-etched Masters

As the field of tissue engineering has continued to mature, there has been increased interest in a wide range of tissue parameters, including tissue shape. Manipulating tissue shape on the micrometer to centimeter scale can direct cell alignment, alter effective mechanical properties, and address limitations related to nutrient diffusion. In addition, the vessel in which a tissue is prepared can impart mechanical constraints on the tissue, resulting in stress fields that can further influence both the cell and matrix structure. Shaped tissues with highly reproducible dimensions also have utility for in vitro assays in which sample dimensions are critical, such as whole tissue mechanical analysis. This manuscript describes an alternative fabrication method utilizing negative master molds prepared from laser etched acrylic: these molds perform well with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), permit designs with dimensions on the centimeter scale and feature sizes smaller than 25 µm, and can be rapidly designed and fabricated at a low cost and with minimal expertise. The minimal time and cost requirements allow for laser etched molds to be rapidly iterated upon until an optimal design is determined, and to be easily adapted to suit any assay of interest, including those beyond the field of tissue engineering.
Are there diurnal rhythms of anxiety

(2000). Are there diurnal rhythms of anxiety? Chronobiology International: Vol. 17, No. 2, pp. 229-231.
Regulation of adult cardiocyte growth: effects of active and passive mechanical loading

Fluctuations in hemodynamic load have been documented to modulate contractile protein turnover and myofibrillar structure in the heart; however, the relative importance of active and passive loading in regulating adult cardiocyte growth remains unresolved. To address this issue at the cellular level, adult feline cardiocytes were cultured either on Silastic membranes or plastic surfaces. Cardiocyte-laden membranes were stretched 10% of their rest length to enhance passive loading, whereas heart cells cultured on plastic or Silastic were field stimulated at 1 Hz to mimic active loading. Turnover of contractile proteins and structural integrity of the contractile-cytoskeletal apparatus were monitored for periods ranging from 4 to 72 h. Active and passive loading elevated contractile protein synthesis nearly equally (approximately 50%) and promoted the attachment of remodeled myofibrils to vinculin-positive focal contacts and/or costameres during the first 24 h of loading. Thereafter, rates of contractile protein synthesis returned to control values in passively stretched heart cells but remained elevated in field-stimulated cultures. The fractional rate of growth was increased significantly (approximately 8%/day) in electrically paced cells, whereas in passively stretched cardiocytes the growth rate rose only modestly (approximately 2%/day). Changes in the rate of myocyte growth appeared more closely correlated with the development of focal contacts and myofibril remodeling than with changes in myofibrillar protein turnover per se. 2,3-Butanedione monoxime, nifedipine, and, to a lesser extent, ryanodine blocked field-stimulated contractile protein synthesis and myofibrillar remodeling but had no impact on protein turnover or myofibril reassembly in passively loaded cardiocytes. The results of these experiments imply that both active and passive loading stimulate contractile protein turnover and myofibril remodeling, but the generation of active tension accelerates cardiocyte growth to a greater extent than passive loading. Furthermore, pharmacological interventions suggest that unique pathways may mediate these cellular events in actively and passively loaded adult cardiocytes.
What Are the Clinical Implications of MUSTT

The Multicenter Unsustained Tachycardia Trial (MUSTT) findings have yet to be published. However, as a result of presentation of the preliminary results at two major cardiology meetings, the publication is much anticipated. Since it is unpublished, its true clinical impact has yet to be determined. However, based on the response to similar important trials in arrhythmia management, we can make reasonable projections of the potential clinical relevance of this trial.
Capturing Bowing Gesture: Interpreting Individual Technique

Virtuosic bowed string performance in many ways exemplifies the incredible potential of human physical performance and expression. Today, a great deal is known about the physics of the violin family and those factors responsible for its sound capabilities. However, there remains much to be discovered about the intricacies of how players control these instruments in order to achieve their characteristic range and nuance of sound. Today, technology offers the ability to study this player control under realistic, unimpeded playing conditions to lead to greater understanding of these performance skills. Presented here is a new methodology for investigation of bowed string performance that uses a playable hardware measurement system to capture the gestures of right hand violin bowing technique. This measurement system (which uses inertial, force, and electric field position sensors) was optimized to be small, lightweight, and portable and was installed on a carbon fiber violin bow and an electric violin to enable study of realistic, unencumbered violin performances. The application of this measurement system to the study of standard bowing techniques, including detache, martele, and spiccato, and to the study of individual players themselves, is discussed.
Behavioral and Physiological Effects of Uncontrollable Environmental Events

This chapter examines the influence of noise and related environmental stressors on human behavior. It is concerned with the cognitive context in which stressful stimulation occurs and with the behavioral aftereffects that such stimulation produces. The presentation deals, in large part, with relatively immediate aftereffects of exposure to uncontrollable and unpredictable aversive events. The demonstration of these aftereffects is primarily confined to performance deficits and only minimal attention is given to physiological processes. However, a final section presents more recent findings that have direct implications for the understanding of long-term effects of uncontrollable stressors on physiology, specifically cardiovascular functioning. This research, though also behavioral, has as its principal focus psychological antecedents of coronary heart disease (CHD). We shall begin with the line of thought leading to the noise aftereffect studies and later introduce the rationale for the CHD research.
Rate of synthesis and half-life of globin messenger ribonucleic acid. Rate of synthesis of globin messenger ribonucleic acid calculated from data of cell haemoglobin content.

By the use of the favoured models defining mRNA synthesis and half-life from the preceding paper (Hunt, 1974) and the known content of globin in a reticulocyte it is possible to estimate the absolute rate of mRNA and globin synthesis and the mRNA and globin content in each type of erythroid cell. The best model requires an mRNA-synthetic rate of 3000 molecules per h/cell. This rate compares favourably with the estimated chain-extension rate of 43 nucleotides/s in Escherichia coli (Manor et al., 1969) provided that the four α- and β-chain cistrons per cell are transcribed by polymerases spaced 50 nucleotide base pairs apart. Similar calculations can be made for erythropoiesis in the chick embryo, where cell times and relative globin content at each mitosis have been measured (Campbell et al., 1971), but where no reliable estimates of mRNA half-life have been made. In this case it was estimated that a constant rate of mRNA synthesis at 10000 molecules per h/cell through six cell divisions is necessary if the mRNA half-life is 15h; after the sixth mitosis the mRNA synthesis would stop and its half-life would increase to approx. 20h. If an mRNA half-life of 4.5h is used, the synthesis rate through the six mitoses would be 21000 molecules per h/cell, ceasing at the sixth mitosis, when the half-life would need to increase to 25h. The chain-elongation rate for the four α- and β-globin cistrons per cell would be 1–2 times higher than in E. coli and would either require a greater rate, polymerases spaced between 25 and 50 nucleotide base pairs apart on the DNA, or limited gene replication. These possibilities are discussed in the light of the low values found for globin cistron multiplicity in ducks and mice.
Does attachment security to a human handler influence the behavior of dogs who engage in animal assisted activities

Abstract Pet and working dogs raised with humans are known to form attachments to their caregivers and other humans with whom they have a stable relationship. Attachment style varies across dog-human dyads, with securely attached dogs exhibiting the secure base effect, an ability to find comfort in the presence of an attachment figure in unusual situations, allowing for greater exploration. The secure base effect is also known to facilitate interactions with unfamiliar individuals. Dogs who engage in Animal Assisted Activities (AAA) are often asked to engage with unfamiliar people in unfamiliar environments, therefore it is possible that dogs with a secure attachment to their human handlers may be more prepared for success in this role. This study evaluated the behavior of 16 dogs who engage in AAA. Using a secure base test dogs were categorized as demonstrating secure (exhibiting the secure base effect with their owner/handler; n = 8) or insecure (not exhibiting the secure base effect; n = 8) attachment styles toward their handlers. Later the dyads participated in a mock animal assisted activity session to evaluate their working behavior. Our findings indicate that independent of attachment style, dogs who engage in AAA spent significantly more time in proximity to, and touching, the AAA participant than their handler (p
Multilayer microfluidic array for highly efficient sample loading and digital melt analysis of DNA methylation

Liquid biopsies contain a treasure of genetic and epigenetic biomarkers that contain information for the detection and monitoring of human disease. DNA methylation is an epigenetic modification that is critical to determining cellular phenotype and often becomes altered in many disease states. In cancer, aberrant DNA methylation contributes to carcinogenesis and can profoundly affect tumor evolution, metastatic potential, and resistance to therapeutic intervention. However, current technologies are not well-suited for quantitative assessment of DNA methylation heterogeneity, especially in challenging samples such as liquid biopsies with low DNA input and high background. We present a multilayer microfluidic device for quantitative analysis of DNA methylation by digital PCR and high resolution melt (HRM). The multilayer design facilitates high-density array digitization aimed at maximizing sample loading efficiency. The platform achieves highly parallelized digital PCR-HRM-based discrimination of rare heterogeneous DNA methylation as low as 0.0001% methylated/unmethylated molecules of a classic tumor suppressor gene, CDKN2A (p14ARF).
Weather Shocks, Social Protection, and Crop Yields: Evidence from India

India’s National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), the world’s largest public works program, has been demonstrated to have beneficial impacts on a wide range of outcomes, but its effects on agricultural productivity have been relatively understudied (Sukhtankar, 2017). We test whether NREGA modulates the impact of adverse weather shocks on agricultural yields. Our empirical strategy exploits the staggered rollout of NREGA and random fluctuations in weather. Using nationwide data, we find evidence that NREGA slightly increases yields in years with average rainfall, but that it also makes yields more sensitive to low rainfall shocks. Our results highlight the importance of understanding how social protection programs influence agricultural productivity and how they interact with weather shocks.
Water Accountability, Environmental Security, and “Adaptation Interactions”: Explaining Water Right Enforcement Capacity Among Western States

This chapter provides the theoretical argument to explain the variation in capacity western states have developed in response to scarcity. At the core of the argument, is that water accountability, which captures the pressure on state agencies and sub-state agencies, such as irrigation districts, to enforce water rights and take steps to protect those rights through a variety of means, has been unequally distributed in the region. The amount of demand for the protection of water rights varies across time and space, and is largely an outcome of the combined impact of “adaptation interactions” and the threat of securitization of water by the federal government. I advance an argument that explains the regulatory variations across the sample states in how they react to unauthorized water use. The core of this project is an evaluation of the institutions charged with enforcing water rights, and their capacity to deal with the water crisis across the American West—a crisis that has been well-documented, debated, and discussed for decades within the region. How well prepared states are to manage the various outcomes of this crisis is a critical concern for policymakers, interest groups, and scholars, given that the current water crisis is likely to worsen.
Haunted by Beatrix Farrand

Ever since returning from a vacation on Mt. Desert Island, Maine, a few summers ago, I have been haunted by Beatrix Farrand. A charter member in 1899 of the newly founded American Society of Landsc...
A Prescriptive Machine-Learning Framework to the Price-Setting Newsvendor Problem

The approach to data-driven optimization described in this paper was developed when the authors were part of an IBM project team working with the U.S. Department of Energy, Pacific National Laborat...
Cell Death and Transcriptional Responses Induced in Larvae of the Nematode Haemonchus contortus by Toxins/Toxicants with Broad Phylogenetic Efficacy

Establishing methods to investigate treatments that induce cell death in parasitic nematodes will promote experimental approaches to elucidate mechanisms and to identify prospective anthelmintics capable of inducing this outcome. Here, we extended recent progress on a method to monitor cell death and to identify small molecule inhibitors in Ascaris suum to Haemonchus contortus, a phylogenetically distant parasitic nematode of significance for both human and agricultural animal health. We utilized a diverse group of small molecule inhibitors referred to as nematode intestinal toxins/toxicants (NITs) coupled with motility, cytological and cell death assays to resolve gross effects on motility and individual cells and organ systems of two H. contortus larval stages in culture. Early transcriptional response evaluation identified NIT-responsive genes and pathways. The scope of death among cells in larvae varied among NITs but shared patterns with A. suum, despite the approach having some limitations due to characteristics of H. contortus larvae. Gene response patterns varied among NITs tested and provided information on the cell targets and pathways affected. Experimental NIT assays provide tools capable of inducing cell death in larval stages of parasitic nematodes, and can resolve many individual cells and organ systems in which cell death can be induced.
Using Social Media and Web 2.0 Tools in an African-American Repository

The College of Charleston's Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture in Charleston, South Carolina is an archival repository, museum, and center for public programming dedicated to collecting, preserving, and making public the history of African-Americans in Charleston and the South Carolina Lowcountry. Currently, the social media strategy consists of maintaining a blog called “Not Just in February” and a Facebook page, but we are investigating other mediums. These platforms were chosen by the administration to promote the programs and archival collections at the institution. The effort to create an indelible Web presence is imperative if the institution wishes to stay engaged and current. The Avery Research Center's staff uses Facebook to upload photos of its programs, highlight current news and events happening around Charleston, and share information on African-American history and archives on a national scope. Alternatively, the blog is a behind-the-scenes look at what archivists do, highlighting items within collections as well as bringing historical context to the records. The blog is used as a space for African-American and Charleston history scholars to engage the public with their history. As a result of using social media, the Avery Research Center has been able to connect with individuals and organizations locally and nationally to inform them of local African-American history that was hidden while concurrently getting people interested in preserving their own collections. However, some of the main challenges in using social media have been staffing and time to commit to updating the page and the blog.
Abstract P6-16-12: Graded prognostic assessment for triple negative breast cancer brain metastases

Background: Brain metastases is a serious complication of triple negative breast cancer (TBCBM). We evaluated prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) in contemporary cohort of TBCBM patients treated at a tertiary care institution. Methods: With IRB approval, Cleveland Clinic’s database was used to identify BCBM patients treated between 2000 and 2013. OS from the diagnosis of TBCBM was the primary end point. Cox proportional hazards models with stepwise variable selection were used for data analysis. Results: One hundred forty three female patients were included for this analysis. Karnofsky performance scale (KPS) was 90-100 in 52 patients (39%), 70-80 in 50 (38%) and The new GPA consists of three groups: unfavorable, intermediate and favorable with OS of 2.7, 9.1 and 13.6 months respectively. Conclusions: A novel GPA for TBCBM is proposed. Citation Format: Ming Chi, Vyshak Alva Venur, Jame Abraham, Thomas G Budd, Paul Elson, Manmeet S Ahluwalia. Graded prognostic assessment for triple negative breast cancer brain metastases [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Seventh Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2014 Dec 9-13; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(9 Suppl):Abstract nr P6-16-12.
Some notes on multiplication of whole numbers

Following are some brief comments on an approach to multiplication of whole numbers. The approach, while not new, has not been widely used with young children, and it is a possibility that the development suggested herein may offer some advantages over the various approaches in current use. In the present approach, multiplication of whole numbers is seen in terms of a street-crossing model. If there are 4 ?-+ streets and 3 I streets, there are 4 x 3 intersections or crossings. 3
Membrane Reinforcement in Shells

Some shortcomings in the present United States practice for designing membrane reinforcement in concrete shells have been pointed out. Using several existing methods, it is possible to calculate less than the necessary amount of reinforcement, which would lead to an unsafe structure. On the other hand, some of the requirements may be impractical, such as providing reinforcement in principal directions. When there is more than one governing load case, it would be impossible to meet such a requirement. Rational equations for calculating the reinforcement capacity on the basis of the principle of minimum resistance are presented. The state of strain and its magnitude have been examined. Higher tensile strain would lead to larger cracks in the concrete. Recommendations have been made to limit the strain magnitude for the cases in which limiting the crack width is important.
Assessing the sociology of sport: On race and diaspora

© The Author(s) 2014 On the 50th anniversary of the ISSA and IRSS, a key foundational scholar on the intersection of race and sport, Ben Carrington, reflects on the field as a whole and the notion of “diaspora” in understanding race and sport. In considering the trajectory of the sociology of sport, questions are raised about whether a coherent field has ever existed. Noting relative failures in getting “mainstream sociology” to take sport seriously, the challenges ahead are for a field that is necessarily a “multifaceted” entity, and one that ironically has never been more impactful while at its weakest institutional moment. Noting the paradox between the relative little consideration given to sport in the main sociology journals in the US and UK in contrast with the sociology of sport having successfully established self-reproducing and self-referencing spaces of critical enquiry, a key challenge for the field continues to be in its search for a “scholarly place;” it is less than clear whether the banner of “the sociology of sport” continues to resonate in the face of the neo-liberal assaults on critical scholarship within higher education. The concept of “diaspora,” surprisingly ignored in the study of sport, will be increasingly important in the future as it will enable critical race scholars to problematize the often Eurocentric and teleological underpinning of globalization theory in relation to sport; considerations of diaspora will fuel more meaningful accounts of how sport reconnects geographically dispersed groups and changes identities and subjectivities in hostile circumstances.
A line feed for a spherical reflector

A line feed for a spherical reflector is considered on the basis of a plane-wave spectrum of radiation angles. It is shown that a feed excited by circumferential slots results in a gain deterioration of at least 3 dB. The correct excitation of the feed is indicated. Expressions for field components in the focal region are obtained.
Mechanisms of endothelium-dependent vascular smooth muscle relaxation

In recent years, it has become apparent that several agents which relax blood vessels do so by endothelium-dependent mechanisms. Among the first group of agents shown to modulate vascular tone via an interaction with the endothelium were angiotensin II and bradykinin. Subsequent studies indicated that the endothelium responded to these polypeptides by producing and releasing prostacyclin (PGI,) which, in turn, could modulate the change in vascular tone. In 1980, Furchgott and Zawadzki [l] reported that the endothelium was requisite for acetylcholine (Ach)-induced vasodilation. The relaxing factor, however, was not PG12 since relaxation was not blocked by cyclooxygenase inhibitors (i.e. indomethacin or aspirin; Fig. 1). Since this initial report, numerous laboratories have confirmed the endothelium-dependence of Ach and a variety of other vasodilators (for review, see Refs. 2-4). Dr. Furchgott and his colleagues coined the term “endothelium-delved relaxing factor” (EDRF) for the substance(s) which mediates the decrease in smooth muscle contraction. Numerous techniques have been used to remove the endothelium from the intima of arteries: (1) mechanical (i.e. rubbing, blotting with filter paper, balloon catheter, frayed nylon cord, adhesion to glass coverslip), (2) physical (blowing air on the intima, hypotonic perfusion, perfusion for up to 10min with distilled H20, exposure to hype~onic medium with added IV), (3) chemical (removal of Ca2+ and addition of chelators-EGTA/EDTA), and (4) enzymatic (perfusion or incubation with trypsin or collagenase). In all cases, coincident with endothelium disruption as verified by microscopy, is the loss of a relaxation response observed in conduit and muscular arteries to the agents summarized in Table 1. In arteries, the endothelium becomes increasingiy difficult to remove as the vessel diameter decreases. Some laboratories using the techniques above have been unsuccessful in removing the endothelium from isolated mesenteric arterioles (75-100 pm in diameter). In the perfused mesenteric arcade of the rat, exposure to distilled water for 5-10 min was required to destroy the endothelium. Obviously, when harsh measures are required to remove the endothelium, the medial layer of smooth muscle may also be