cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Two Genetic Loci Produce Distinct Carbohydrate-Rich Structural Components of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm Matrix

Pseudomonas aeruginosa forms biofilms, which are cellular aggregates encased in an extracellular matrix. Molecular genetics studies of three common autoaggregative phenotypes, namely wrinkled colonies, pellicles, and solid-surface-associated biofilms, led to the identification of two loci, pel and psl, that are involved in the production of carbohydrate-rich components of the biofilm matrix. The pel gene cluster is involved in the production of a glucose-rich matrix material in P. aeruginosa strain PA14 (L. Friedman and R. Kolter, Mol. Microbiol. 51:675-690, 2004). Here we investigate the role of the pel gene cluster in P. aeruginosa strain ZK2870 and identify a second genetic locus, termed psl, involved in the production of a mannose-rich matrix material. The 11 predicted protein products of the psl genes are homologous to proteins involved in carbohydrate processing. P. aeruginosa is thus able to produce two distinct carbohydrate-rich matrix materials. Either carbohydrate-rich matrix component appears to be sufficient for mature biofilm formation, and at least one of them is required for mature biofilm formation in P. aeruginosa strains PA14 and ZK2870.
General characteristics of optimal feed rate profiles for various fed‐batch fermentation processes

General Characteristics of the optimal feed rate profiles have been deduced for various fed-batch fermentation processes by analyzing singular controls and singular arcs. The optimal control sequences depend on the shapes of the specific growth and product formation rates, mu andpi, and the initial conditions. For fed-batch processes described by four mass balance equations, the most general optimal control sequence consists of a period of maximum feed rate, a period of minimum feed rate (a batch period), a period of singular feed rate (variable and intermediate), and a batch period. Degenerate sequences in which one or more periods are missing can result with a particular set of initial conditions. If the fermentation time is not critical, the singular control maximizes the net yield of product and only when the time is also important, it balances a trade off between the yield of product and the specific growth rate which dictates the fermentation time. With the sequence of optimal control known, the optimal feed rate profile determination is reduced to a problem of determining switching times.
Collective signals in treehopper broods provide predator localization cues to the defending mother

Many animal groups respond collectively to environmental cues. To understand the function of collective behaviour, an important first step is to establish how it varies in response to differences in the relevant cues. Because collective action arises from individual decisions, this in turn requires characterizing the behaviour of individual group members. In the treehopper Umbonia crassicornis, offspring live in cylindrical aggregations along a host plant stem. In the presence of a predator, offspring produce synchronized vibrational signals that elicit maternal defence. Predators typically attack the ends of the aggregation; because the mother must approach the predator to defend her offspring, we hypothesized that variation in collective signals reveals not only the predator’s presence, but also its location. The defending mother also produces signals, and we hypothesized that maternal cues influence the signalling behaviour of the brood. We simulated predation at either end of the aggregation. In the presence of the mother, (1) offspring closer to the predator were more likely to signal and (2) more offspring contributed to the group signals when the predator attacked the aggregation at the far end from the mother. Differences in group signals, emerging from position-dependent differences in signalling probability of individual offspring, could be used by the defending mother to determine the end of the aggregation being attacked. A loss of these signalling patterns in the absence of the mother reveals that maternal cues are necessary for the establishment of a reliable relationship between collective signalling and predator location.
Interactive genetic engineering of evolved video game content

Procedural content generation techniques can increase re-playability and lower the burden on developers by satisfying players' demand for new content. However, procedural content also creates an opportunity for new kinds of player-driven content customization by giving players access to the parameterized content space. This paper presents such a technique that enables players to manually customize evolved content represented by artificial neural networks. In particular, particle system weapons evolved by the multiplayer space shooter called Galactic Arms Race (GAR) can be further "genetically engineered" by the players themselves in a new extension to the game called the Weapons Lab. Results are presented that demonstrate procedural weapons evolved by the game that are further customized by players in the Weapons Lab. The implication is that procedurally-generated content of many types can also be customized by players, adding a further dimension to its potential appeal.
Measurement and sources of overall and input inefficiencies: Evidences and implications in hospital services

Abstract Traditional data envelopment analysis (DEA) focuses exclusively on measuring the overall efficiency of a decision making unit (DMU). Yet, variables that have explanatory power for the overall operational inefficiency of a DMU may not necessarily be the same as those that affect its individual input inefficiencies. On many occasions, variables that explain the overall inefficiency of a DMU can be inconsistent or incongruent with those that cause its individual input inefficiencies. Therefore, we conjecture that an overall inefficiency score alone may have limited value for decision making since such a process requires fine-tuning and adjustments of specific input factors of the DMU in order to maximize its overall efficiency. In this paper, the utilization and financial data of a set of hospitals in California is used to empirically test the above conjecture. Our study has several important contributions and practical implications. First, we fine-tune previous efficiency measures on hospitals by refining input and output measures. Second, with variables on organization, management, demographics, and market competition, we identify specific factors associated with a hospital's overall operational inefficiency. More importantly, by decomposing the overall DEA operational inefficiency score into different individual input inefficiencies (including slacks), we further identify specific variables that cause individual input inefficiency. Third, significant differences are observed among factors of the overall inefficiency and individual input inefficiencies. These findings have important implications for identifying congruent factors for performance standard setting and evaluation; it also provides invaluable information for guiding effective resource allocation and better decision making for improving hospital operational efficiency.
Role of Phase Transitions in a Dynamic Mantle

Summary The interaction of solid-solid phase transitions with convection in the Earth's mantle involves, for univariant systems: (1) effects of latent heat and advection of ambient temperature on the position of the phase boundary and on its associated body force, and (2) the coupling of latent heat with the ordinary thermal expansivity of the material. For divariant systems, an effective thermal expansion coefficient and a modified adiabatic temperature gradient may be defined for the phase transition zone. Linear stability theory for a fluid layer with a univariant phase change is reviewed and applied to the endothermic spinel-oxide transformation. The theory of the stability of a fluid layer with a divariant phase transformation is developed and critical Rayleigh numbers are given for a model of the olivine-spinel transition. Of special interest is the case where the Earth's temperature gradient exceeds the adiabatic temperature gradient outside the phase transition zone but is smaller than the increased adiabatic temperature gradient in the two-phase olivine-spinel region. The thermal structure of the descending lithosphere is calculated, including the effects of frictional heating on the slip zone and of the olivine-spinel and spinel-oxide transitions; temperature contrasts of 700 °K can exist between the slab and adjacent mantle at 800 km depth. The net body force on the descending slab due to thermal contraction and the major mineralogical phase changes is downward. The olivine-spinel transition may be responsible for the tensional focal mechanisms of intermediate depth earthquakes while the spinel-oxide transformation may be related to the compressional focal mechanisms of deep earthquakes.
Building the SCAFFOLD for evaluating threaded discussion forum activity: describing and categorizing contributions

As asynchronous learning networks mature, a demand has been placed on incorporating "presence" and interaction in the online learning experience. The threaded discussion forum is a promising asynchronous tool for promoting the desired student and faculty interaction essential to fostering a collaborative community of learners. Although the threaded discussion forum is widely used to support a variety of course requirements, the instructor is faced with the difficulty of interpreting and evaluating the learning and quality of participation reflected in the student contributions. A considerable discussion in the literature is ongoing on the theoretical foundation for discourse analysis of discussion forum activity. There have also been a number of attempts to develop rubrics for evaluating that activity. Unfortunately, many of the rubrics have little or no grounding in discourse analysis theory, and those that are conceptually sound are either too cumbersome for a professor to use or have not been tested for reliability and validity. The presentation will describe SCAFFOLD - scale for forums/online discussion assessment. The authors describe the SCAFFOLD instrument as a tool for categorizing and describing contributions. The process for establishing reliability and validity is detailed.
Organizing the in-Between: The Population Dynamics of Network-Weaving Organizations in the Global Interstate Network

This article examines the population dynamics and viability of network weavers, which are organizations that provide network relations for others. An analysis of the population dynamics of the intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) that are the basis of the interstate networks that influenced global economic relations, peace, and democracy in the 1815–2000 period shows that IGO founding and failure depends on the ease and value of specific interstate relations. Results indicate that network-weaving organizations are easier to operate when they encompass proximate and similar actors, yet they also reap rewards for bringing together otherwise disconnected actors, in particular, actors with conflicts. Combined, these organizational processes can account for the high clustering and short-path distance between nodes that are characteristic of the endemic small-world network structure. Furthermore, the study shows that the concepts of legitimacy and competition can be applied to identify particular spaces in th...
Photoacoustic and nephelometric spectroscopy of aerosol optical properties with a supercontinuum light source

Abstract. A novel multi-wavelength photoacoustic-nephelometer spectrometer (SC-PNS) has been developed for the optical characterization of atmospheric aerosol particles. This instrument integrates a white light supercontinuum laser with photoacoustic and nephelometric spectroscopy to measure aerosol absorption and scattering coefficients at five wavelength bands (centered at 417, 475, 542, 607, and 675 nm). These wavelength bands are selected from the continuous spectrum of the laser (ranging from 400–2200 nm) using a set of optical interference filters. Absorption and scattering measurements on laboratory-generated aerosol samples were performed sequentially at each wavelength band. To test the instrument we measured the wavelength dependence of absorption and scattering coefficients of kerosene soot and common salt aerosols. Results were favorably compared to those obtained with a commercial 3-wavelength photoacoustic and nephelometer instrument demonstrating the utility of the SC light source for studies of aerosol optical properties at selected wavelengths. Here, we discuss instrument design, development, calibration, performance and experimental results.
AIDS, psychiatry, and the law

As clinical concerns are evolving about the treatment of psychiatric patients who have AIDS or are carriers of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) ( 1 ,2), a related set of legal issues is being raised by involvement of these persons with the mental health system. To date, in mental health law as in other areas of AIDS-related law, it is easier to frame the questions than to provide definitive answers (3,4). There is clearly value, however, in beginning to consider the dilemmas. With public concern growing about persons with positive HIV blood tests recklessly transmitting the virus, the legitimacy of using the mental health system for their detention will become an issue of increasing debate. The issue is already being discussed among emergency mental health personnel, though only one published account could be found of an HIV carrier confined to a psychiatric hospital for the purpose of quarantine (5,6). Will more facilities be forced to fill this role? Demands for psychiatric hospitalization of HIV-positive persons who engage in promiscuous sexual
Systemic Effects of Campaign Spending

Perhaps no other issue surrounding the health of our democracy worries American voters more than the role of money in elections, and campaign finance reform is a salient topic as a result. Academic studies of campaign finance, however, have focused their analyses at the level of the individual campaign -- relevant for a variety of important questions but not calibrated for studying the impact of policy instruments that affect the entire legislature at once. I offer a new focus on the systemic effects of campaign spending. Using a natural experiment in U.S. state legislatures, I find that a ten percentage point increase in the Democratic (or Republican) share of total campaign contributions causes a five percentage point increase in the Democratic (or Republican) share of the legislature. Campaign spending has a large effect on electoral outcomes, and regulations on which groups are permitted to donate are a potent policy lever.
Hand Preference for a Novel Bimanual Coordinated Task During Termite Feeding in Wild Western Gorillas ( Gorilla gorilla gorilla )

Although the level of handedness in humans varies cross-culturally, humans are generally described as right-handed, which has been considered a uniquely human trait. Recently, captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) have been shown to exhibit right-hand preference when performing bimanual but not unimanual tasks. Less clear is whether this pattern also occurs in wild chimpanzees and other African apes. Using videos (N = 49) of six wild western gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) feeding on termites at the Mondika Research Center (Republic of Congo), we tested whether they exhibit hand preference when performing unimanual, i.e., reaching for termite mound pieces; bimanual, i.e., “termite tapping”: rhythmically shaking a piece of termite mound with the dominant hand and collecting the termites in the other hand tasks; or hand transfer prior to bimanual tasks, i.e., transferring a piece of termite mound from one hand to the other. All individuals exhibited exclusive hand preference when performing the bimanual tasks, with five of six gorillas preferring the right hand. Conversely, most individuals did not show any manual preference during the unimanual task. In addition, hand preference during hand transfer revealed clear hand dominance of similar strength and direction of those shown for the bimanual task, suggesting that this measure is as sensitive as the bimanual task itself. Thus, we propose “termite feeding” as a novel task to be considered in future hand-preference studies in wild western gorillas. Our results are in concordance with those for chimpanzees and captive gorillas showing hemispheric specialization for bimanual actions in apes.
Scalable and power efficient data analytics for hybrid exascale systems

This project developed a generic and optimized set of core data analytics functions. These functions organically consolidate a broad constellation of high performance analytical pipelines. As the architectures of emerging HPC systems become inherently heterogeneous, there is a need to design algorithms for data analysis kernels accelerated on hybrid multi-node, multi-core HPC architectures comprised of a mix of CPUs, GPUs, and SSDs. Furthermore, the power-aware trend drives the advances in our performance-energy tradeoff analysis framework which enables our data analysis kernels algorithms and software to be parameterized so that users can choose the right power-performance optimizations.
Shadow effects in recognition of complex textured surfaces.

Summary.-Recognition judgments of complex-textured relief surfaces were made under varying angles of a projected light source. Photos of these same and similar surfaces, taken under the identical light angles, served as the variable stimuli against which the recognition judgments were made. The extent to which shadow enhanced recognition was a function of the availability of other cues for recognition in the stimulus material. Addition of shadow could serve to degrade recognition as well, when pictorial information from which judgments were made contained minimal shadow. Systematic evidence concerning the effects of shadow on visual perception has dealt primarily with the dependent variables of depth or distance judgment (Gibson, 1950). Problems of light orientation and shadow in relation to the recognition task, however, seem to have been assiduously avoided in the experimental literature, or dealt with in relation to illusory effects s~~ch as occurs in the classical inversion illusion (Woodworth & Schlosberg, 1954, Ch. 16). The only consistent interest in shadow patterns as they may influence recognition has been shown by the phenomenologists and is best exemplified by the theoretical discussions of van Fieandt ( 1949), the work by Lauenstein ( 1942 ) on distinguishing cast shadows from dark objects and studies on the perception of shadowless objects by Wagner ( 1941 ) . However, the theoretical problems are discussed in broad terms and the distinction between shadow as a determiner of cues for depth and for object recognition is never fully clarified in the empirical studies. More immediate interest in applied aspects of the problem has been shown in the area of photo reconnaissance (Rhodes, 1964). Unfortunately, experimental attempts to deal with the problem in this context are rare or simply treat the variable of shadow in a qualitative or superficial way (e.g., presence or absence of shadow).
Optical Studies of Znse Nanocrystals in Potassium Borosilicate Glass Matrices

We have prepared ZnSe nanocrystals embedded in potassium borosilicate glass matrices in concentrations up to 14 wt%. The optical and electronic properties of these nanocrystals as a function of the fabrication process were investigated with High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) and various optical techniques including absorption, photoluminescence, and excitation spectroscopy, and photoluminescence lifetime measurements. HRTEM confirms the presence of nanocrystals and indicates an average diameter size of 50 A. The majority of the photoluminescence extends throughout the visible and is highly red-shifted from the absorptionedge, indicating emission from trap states such as Se vacancies. Contributions from the ZnSe nanocrystals as well as the borosilicate glass matrix are also observed. Exponential and biexponential photoluminescence decays are observed with decay times ranging from a few nanoseconds to a few hundred nanoseconds. The significance of these results to the optical and electronic properties of the ZnSe nanocrystals and their relevance as luminescent materials for light emitting applications will be discussed.
Low-temperature frequency domain study of excitation energy transfer in ethynyl-linked chlorophyll trefoils and aggregates.

Using hole-burning spectroscopy, we show that excitation energy transfer (EET) time in ethynyl-linked chlorophyll trefoil (ChlT1) monomer is very fast (∼2.5 ps) at liquid helium temperature. This i...
THE PERFECT STAGE OF CERCOSPORA MAGNOLIAE

Cercospora imagnoliae Ell. & Harkn. emended Hodges & Haasis causes a common leaf spot disease of Magnolia virginiana L. and M. grandiflora L. throughout the southeastern United States (4, 8). In the spring of 1962, a species of Mycosphaerella was found near Patrick, S. C., on dead leaves of M. virginiana which had overwintered on the ground. This fungus was found also at several locations in North Carolina and South Carolina and was present only on leaves which showed the characteristic symptoms of Cercospora leaf spot. Single ascospore isolates from the Mycosphaerella produced cultures identical to those of C. mnagnoliae made previously from single conidia. Inoculations made on seedlings of M. grandiflora and M. virginiana with conidia from single ascospore cultures using techniques described previously (4) produced typical symptoms of Cercospora leaf spot. The same Mycosphaerella was found sparingly on badly decomposed leaves of M. grandiflora infected with C. magnoliae, but attempts to make single ascospore isolates from this host were unsuccessful. Type material of several species of Mycosphaerella and closely related fungi on Magnolia spp. were obtained from several herbaria for comparison with the perfect stage of C. magnoliae. The latter fungus was distinctly different from any previously described on magnolia and is described herein as a new species with the following characteristics:
Reading Indians' Deathbed Scenes: Ethnohistorical and Representational Approaches

To begin to understand the peril and the promise of using Euro-American descriptions of Christian Indians' deathbed scenes, consider the following accounts. Experience Mayhew, Protestant missionary to the Wampanoag Indians of Martha's Vineyard, published descriptions of nearly eighty such scenes, including a report of Abigail Ammapoo's dying moments in 1710. Ammapoo was attended diligently in her final days by her daughter. Too diligently, thought the mother, who asked her daughter to get some rest. But the young woman would not lie down, opting instead to sit next to her sleeping mother's bed. As the daughter became drowsy, she was treated to a spectacular supernatural display. She "suddenly saw a Light which seemed brighter than that of Noon-day; when looking up, she saw two bright shining Persons, standing in white Raiment at her Mother's Bed-side, who, on her Sight of them, with the Light attending them, immediately disappeared."' Here Mayhew offered evidence that Christian Indian deathbed scenes sometimes included a supernatural element almost never found in descriptions of European and Euro-American deathbed scenes: observers (as opposed to the dying person) witnessing spirits. In contrast to that highly particular account, the Jesuit Jerome Lalemant's 1647 description of the deathbed scene of a "good Christian widow" lacks virtually any historical or cultural specificity. According to Lalemant, this dying Huron woman proclaimed, "I am not grieved at my sufferings, but rather because I have offended God. He looks at me, and sees what I endure; I do not tell him to take kind thought for my body, but rather to have pity on my soul. When shall I see him? When shall I
Effect of polyaniline on the dielectric and EMI shielding behaviors of styrene acrylonitrile

The dielectric and EMI shielding behaviors of styrene acrylonitrile (SAN)/polyaniline (PANI) polymer blends are investigated using impedance analyzer. The incorporation of PANI forms the phase separated morphology in SAN matrix and by increasing the concentration of PANI, the interconnected network of PANI phase develops within the SAN matrix. Near the percolation threshold concentration, the dielectric constant ( $$\varepsilon^{\prime }$$ ) and dielectric loss ( $$\varepsilon^{\prime\prime}$$ ) of SAN/PANI blends are enhanced up to five and eight orders of magnitude at 1 kHz, respectively. Moreover, total shielding efficiency (SET) was determined in the radio frequency range. SAN/PANI polymer blends show the total shielding efficiency at very less thickness of about 150 µm. Overall, shielding efficiency in SAN/PANI blends is improved owing to the increased number of charge dipoles accumulation at the insulator-conductor interfaces.
Production with global technologies in static settings

Following the economic framework already described (Chapter II, § 11), we can now deal with the problems of production, level of activity, and technology.
SELFIS: A Tool For Self-Similarity and Long-Range Dependence Analysis

Over the last few years, the network community has started to rely heavily on the use of novel concepts such as fractals, self-similarity, long-range dependence, power-laws. Especially evidence of fractals, self-similarity and long-range dependence in network traffic have been widely observed. Despite their wide use, there is still much confusion regarding the identification of such phenomena in real network traffic data. For one, the Hurst exponent can not be calculated in a definitive way, it can only be estimated. Second, there are several different methods to estimate the Hurst exponent, but they often produce conflicting estimates. It is not clear which of the estimators provides the most accurate estimation. In this extended abstract, we make a first step towards a systematic approach in estimating self-similarity and long-range dependence. We present SELFIS, a javabased tool that will automate the self-similarity analysis. To our knowledge, our software tool is the first attempt to create a stand-alone, free, open-source platform to facilitate self-similarity analysis. We show the use of our tool and describe the methodologies that currently incorporates in real Internet data. Finally, we present an intuitive approach to validate the existence of long-range dependence.
Should I Stay or Should I Go? A Survey of Career Path Movement Within Academic, Public and Special Librarianship

ABSTRACTJust as there are many types of library environments, the librarians working within those spaces represent a variety of experiences, job skills, and perspectives. Librarians develop these qualities through library curricula and on-the-job experience. While some librarians spend their careers in one type of library, others may travel between library environments and gain a wider range of experiences and skills. Decisions to transition between library types may be triggered by personal and professional motivators. Results of this survey confirm some librarians are actively and successfully transitioning between library environments as an alternative career path.
Experimental test and refutation of a classic case of molecular adaptation in Drosophila melanogaster

Identifying the genetic basis for adaptive differences between species requires explicit tests of historical hypotheses concerning the effects of past changes in gene sequence on molecular function, organismal phenotype and fitness. We address this challenge by combining ancestral protein reconstruction with biochemical experiments and physiological analysis of transgenic animals that carry ancestral genes. We tested a widely held hypothesis of molecular adaptation—that changes in the alcohol dehydrogenase protein (ADH) along the lineage leading to Drosophila melanogaster increased the catalytic activity of the enzyme and thereby contributed to the ethanol tolerance and adaptation of the species to its ethanol-rich ecological niche. Our experiments strongly refute the predictions of the adaptive ADH hypothesis and caution against accepting intuitively appealing accounts of historical molecular adaptation that are based on correlative evidence. The experimental strategy we employed can be used to decisively test other adaptive hypotheses and the claims they entail about past biological causality. Changes in the alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) protein in Drosophila melanogaster are a classic example of molecular adaptation. Here, the authors show that changes in the ADH sequence along the D. melanogaster lineage did not affect function and fitness, which refutes the adaptive role.
Poster Abstract: Recommendation-Based Smart Indoor Navigation

Localization in indoor spaces has to rely on sensing devices (e.g., Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) readers, WiFi routers, bluetooth beacons) rather than GPS devices.On the other side, we could build a smart indoor environment that facilitates alltypes of spatial services with various sensing devices. In this paper, we focus on the topic of spatial navigation.Due to the complexity of indoor environments, we believe the indoor navigation strategy should not be limited to the shortest path. Taking shopping centers for example, a navigation path should be not only the shortest path,but also an attractive route to the shopper.We aim to build a smart indoor navigation system, which not only learns the user's behavior through previous sensing data,but also enjoys working with heterogeneous devices.Therefore, we propose a novel recommendation based smart navigation strategy with Recurrent Neural Network (RNN).This strategy provides optimal user experience by:1) Memorizing the user's historical data;2) Overlapping the navigation with the user's indoor behavior model;3) Making recommendations based on real-time detections from sensor devices.
Oral Agents for the Management of Agitation and Agitated Delirium in Critically Ill Patients

Agitation is one of the most common issues that critically ill patients experience. Medications used to manage agitation are often administered intravenously or intramuscularly in the acutely agitated, critically ill patient. However, a multimodal approach that utilizes multiple routes of administration may be appropriate. This review summarizes the available literature on oral antipsychotics, clonidine, and valproic acid to manage agitation in critically ill patients while also focusing on their pharmacology and appropriate monitoring. Despite inconclusive findings from different studies, antipsychotics, clonidine, and valproic acid may provide benefit for specific patient populations. As more evidence emerges, these agents may start playing a greater role in the management of agitation, which is not amenable to first-line agents. As health care professionals, it is prudent to be familiar with their dosing regimens, common adverse effects, and the monitoring required to maximize patient benefits and minimize harms.
The Normal, Mature Heart

The primary function of the heart is fundamentally mechanical—to pump blood throughout the vasculature. This remarkable organ contracts nearly 2.5 billion times during the average human life span, compensating for acute changes in the demand for blood flow and adapting to sustained changes in applied loads. This chapter discusses cardiac function within the context of the mechanical behavior of the cells and tissues that constitute the heart, with particular attention to the determinants of stress and strain. For example, changes in stress in the wall of the heart due to altered hemodynamic loads may cause remodeling of the ventricles, that is changes in their geometry, microstructure, and material properties. Such remodeling may, in turn, alter cardiac output, and so on. Whereas the focus of this chapter1 is the normal heart, the effects of myocardial ischemia, cardiac hypertrophy, volume overload and other cardiac disorders similarly demand biomechanical study.
Soft wheat quality characteristics required for making baking powder biscuits

Abstract Fifteen soft wheat varieties were evaluated for their grain, milling, flour and dough mixing characteristics, as well as their solvent retention capacities (SRCs), pasting properties and suitability for making baking powder biscuits, to identify wheat quality characteristics required for making biscuits. Grain and flour protein contents and sodium dodecyl sulfate sedimentation (SDSS) volume showed positive relationships with biscuit height and shape factor (SF). Kernel hardness, damaged starch content and water SRC exhibited negative correlations with biscuit specific volume (SV), while peak viscosity and grain protein content were positively associated with biscuit SV. Stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated that biscuit height and SV can be predicted from flour protein content (R2 = 0.65) and damaged starch content (R2 = 0.69), respectively; while SDSS volume and flour yield together predict biscuit SF (R2 = 0.83). Cluster analysis based on biscuit height and SF indicated that seven soft wheat varieties with flour protein contents greater than 7.9% and SDSS volumes lower than 32.0 mL produce good-quality biscuits with high height, intermediate SF, great SV and soft crumb. The results of this study suggest that soft wheat flours with intermediate-to-high protein contents (7.9–9.7%), intermediate SDSS volumes (20.0–32.0 mL) and low damaged starch contents (1.9–3.4%) are suitable for making desirable-quality biscuits.
The effects of tetrathiomolybdate (TM) on prostate cancer motility, invasion and adhesion to bone

3430 Prostate cancer is often curable when detected early, but for many men, it is a progressive disease that ultimately metastasizes to the bone. Metastases are the primary reason for prostate cancer mortality, and the best current treatments for advanced disease only extend life for a relatively short period. Metastasis to bone is a complex process. A fraction of cancer cells that enter the bloodstream reach the bone marrow, adhere to cellular components and develop into aggressive metastases. Adhesion of cancer cells is a necessary step to productive metastatic growth and therefore an obvious target for therapeutic intervention. Elevated NF-κB expression has been implicated in prostate cancer cases with poor prognoses and is a pivotal transcription factor for induction and maintenance of bone metastases. Our goals were to investigate the effects of TM on motility, invasion, and adhesive properties of the human PC-3M prostate cancer cell line. These processes are controlled by a number of signal transduction pathways, including NFκB, which may be inhibited by TM. We show here a variety of effects of TM on prostate cancer motility, invasion, and adhesion of prostate cancer cells to components of the bone environment. Using a modified Boyden chamber assay, TM blocked 24 hour motility of PC-3M cells by over 50% and invasion through a Matrigel barrier by greater than 80%. In addition, by ELISA, TM significantly inhibited both VEGF and FGF-2 expression in a dose-dependent manner. In bone adhesion assays, TM significantly inhibited PC-3M adhesion to hFOB1.19 and also blocked TNF-α induced adhesion. Possible mechanisms to account for these changes are both NFκB-dependent and NFκB-independent and include inhibition of IL-8, MIP-1α, and MIG. IL-8 has been shown to be a poor prognostic factor in human prostate cancer and is critical to bone metastases, while MIP-1α promotes adhesion of cancer cells to bone stroma. MIG, or CXCL9, is a recruitment factor for T cells, maintains tumor angiogenesis and is induced by NFκB signaling. TM’s inhibition of NFκB-dependent angiogenic factors such as VEGF and MIG as well as other non-NFκB targets make TM a promising adjuvant therapeutic for advanced prostate cancer.
The curative effect of synthetic treatment for refractory acute myocardial infarction.

Background: This study aims to investigate the curative effect of synthetic treatment for refractory acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods: A total of 76 patients with coronary AMI accompanied by shock, who were treated with combined therapy from August 1999 to April 2017, were included into this study. Sixty patients received emergency percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Among these patients, 39 patients received intraaortic balloon counterpulsation (IABP), eight patients had failed PCI underwent emergency off-pump coronary artery bypass (E-OPCAB), and eight patients were treated by hybrid cardiac surgery. Results: All patients were successfully rescued. However, two patients died afterward due to postoperative complications. Conclusions: For AMI patients complicated with shock, especially when emergency PCI fails or is difficult to perform, PCI + IABP, emergency E-OPCAB and hybrid cardiac surgery should be carried out, in order to achieve a good outcome and improve the success rate of rescue for this group of patients.
Proactive Management for Aging Water Supply Systems and Standard Techniques for Maintenance of Urban Water Infrastructure

In common with many NATO countries, the US Army shares concerns with appropriatelyusing limited water supplies. System age and limited O&M resources are other factors which have driven a research initiative to promote water conservation and effective water utilization while promoting the well-being of the underlying water supply and delivery infrastructure through innovations in operation and maintenance.
An Integrative Approach to Psychotherapy with Black/African Americans

This chapter is written for the purpose of bringing together a somewhat disparate body of knowledge about treatment with Black/African American patients.1 We attempt to offer a view consistent with the goals of the handbook, in that we try to integrate the more recent theoretical concepts, research findings, and clinical thinking about psychotherapy with Blacks using knowledge about multisystems and racial identity development. Our particular perspective can be used in treating Blacks because it offers a unique and meaningful framework to conceptualizing a dynamic context for patients and therapist’s behav ior both in and out of therapy.
Somatostatin secretion from the hypothalamus.

Comprehensive understanding of the physiologic role of somatostatin (SS) encompasses the question of the control of SS itself. Thus the biosynthesis, storage, secretion and degradation of the peptide became topics for investigation. This chapter will focus on secretion of SS from the hypothalamus, including a discussion of experimental systems and a review of data concerning the characterization and regulation of SS secretion.
Application of Neutron Scattering to the Study of the Structure and Dynamics of Short-Chain Hydrocarbons Adsorbed on Small Particles

The application of inelastic and elastic neutron scattering to the study of the dynamics and structure of adsorbed films is briefly reviewed. The experimental techniques are illustrated for the case of a butane film (CH3 (CH2)2CH3) adsorbed on small graphite particles. The inelastic spectrum of the butane monolayer contains new surface vibratory modes as well as the intramolecular vibrations observed in the bulk solid. A simple model fitting the principal features of the monolayer spectrum is used to predict the orientation of the adsorbed molecule and the location and strength of the bonds to the substrate. The uniqueness of this model is discussed. The use of elastic neutron diffraction to investigate the long-range order within the film and its potential for determining the orientation of the adsorbed molecules is also described. At several points in the discussion the applications of neutron scattering and IETS to molecular spectroscopy are compared and the paper concludes with suggestions for how the two techniques may interact in the future.
Estimating Future Performance II: Trade Analysis

In the prior chapter, we focused mainly on how to collect unbiased, true-to-life trades from systems that made a position decision on each bar and produced a measurable return on each bar. Many trading systems, especially those that are algorithmic rather than model-based, make a decision to open a position and hold this position until a closing rule fires at some indeterminate future time. During that holding period, adjustments to the system may even be made, such as moving a trailing stop. This complicates things.
High-nitrate salad increased plasma nitrates/nitrites and brachial artery flow-mediated dilation in postmenopausal women: A pilot study.

Abstract Cardiovascular disease risk is elevated in postmenopausal women relative to men of the same age or to younger, premenopausal women. This elevated risk is closely linked to the loss of estrogen, which is a potent stimulator of the vasodilator nitric oxide. While studies have largely supported dietary nitrate supplementation (typically concentrated beetroot juice) to augment plasma nitric oxide, these studies focused mainly on improving vascular fitness of athletes or patient populations. The purpose of this controlled crossover trial was to assess the feasibility of consuming a high-nitrate, leafy green salad twice daily for 10 consecutive days versus a low-nitrate, canned vegetable control (beans, corn, or peas) on plasma nitrate/nitrite concentration and measures of cardiovascular health in postmenopausal women. We hypothesized that plasma nitrate/nitrite concentration and flow-mediated dilation would improve following the leafy green salad treatment. Ten women (52.6 ± 4.9 y; 26.4 ± 6.4 kg/m2) completed the two 10-day treatment periods separated by 2–3 weeks washout. The mean fasting plasma nitrate/nitrite concentration was significantly increased following the high-nitrate salad treatment compared to the control (+156% and+ 16% respectively; P = .002, effect size = 0.661). Flow-mediated dilation responded favorably to the high nitrate salad in comparison to the canned vegetable condition (+17% versus −8% respectively; P = .047, effect size = 0.407); however, there were no treatment effects on peripheral or derived central-aortic blood pressure. These data suggest that daily ingestion of nitrate-rich, leafy green salads may prove a useful strategy for improving cardiovascular health in postmenopausal women.
Two Distinct E2F Transcriptional Modules Drive Cell Cycles and Differentiation.

Summary Orchestrating cell-cycle-dependent mRNA oscillations is critical to cell proliferation in multicellular organisms. Even though our understanding of cell-cycle-regulated transcription has improved significantly over the last three decades, the mechanisms remain untested in vivo. Unbiased transcriptomic profiling of G0, G1-S, and S-G2-M sorted cells from FUCCI mouse embryos suggested a central role for E2Fs in the control of cell-cycle-dependent gene expression. The analysis of gene expression and E2F-tagged knockin mice with tissue imaging and deep-learning tools suggested that post-transcriptional mechanisms universally coordinate the nuclear accumulation of E2F activators (E2F3A) and canonical (E2F4) and atypical (E2F8) repressors during the cell cycle in vivo. In summary, we mapped the spatiotemporal expression of sentinel E2F activators and canonical and atypical repressors at the single-cell level in vivo and propose that two distinct E2F modules relay the control of gene expression in cells actively cycling (E2F3A-8-4) and exiting the cycle (E2F3A-4) during mammalian development.
Next Generation Sequencing

Genetic sequence information has become increasingly important in patient care. Technical advances have resulted in the incorporation of genetic information into diagnostic, prognostic, and clinical management evaluations. Next-generation sequencing technologies have rapidly entered the clinical laboratory, with the potential to increase the amount of genetic information available. The potential uses of these technologies are highly variable and applicable to a variety of patient settings, including evaluations of heritable disease, cancer, and infectious disease. This article describes the technical details involved in generating next-generation sequence data, including bioinformatic processing. Clinical laboratories are required to assess the quality of the data and develop protocols for appropriate monitoring, analysis, reporting, and management of these data. In this article, the challenges and possible approaches to implementing this technology in a clinical laboratory, with reference to clinical laboratory requirements, are discussed. Finally, we consider the challenges to managing and communicating genomic-level sequence information to medical professionals.
GPS Constraints on Drought-Induced Groundwater Loss Around Great Salt Lake, Utah, with Implications for Seismicity Modulation

Great Salt Lake (GSL), Utah, lost 1.89 +/- 0.04 meters of water during the 2012 to 2016 drought. During this timeframe, data from the GRACE mission do not detect anomalous mass loss, but nearby Glo...
Transformative learning: UAE, women, and higher education

Purpose – Research on education for women in the Arab world is just beginning to unfold. In some countries, such as the United Arab Emirates, higher education for women has only been encouraged for the last few decades. Research that explores the perceptions of women in college learning environments is important to discover better ways of educating Emirati women for lifelong learning. This paper aims to address these issues.Design/methodology/approach – An online quantitative survey (English and Arabic) was used to explore these perceptions, and 294 students participated.Findings – The paper uses transformative learning theory to investigate potential influences or factors on the transformation of female Emirati students during their college years.Originality/value – This and other research does support the assumption that transformative experiences for individual students within higher education can result in interest, intention, and action toward varying degrees of social transformation. Higher educatio...
Case Studies on the Motivation and Performance of Contributors Who Verify and Maintain In-Flux Tabular Datasets

The life cycle of a peer-produced dataset follows the phases of growth, maturity, and decline. Paying crowdworkers is a proven method to collect and organize information into structured tables. However, these tabular representations may contain inaccuracies due to errors or data changing over time. Thus, the maturation phase of a dataset can benefit from the additional human examination. One method to improve accuracy is to recruit additional paid crowdworkers to verify and correct errors. An alternative method relies on unpaid contributors, collectively editing the dataset during regular use. We describe two case studies to examine different strategies for human verification and maintenance of in-flux tabular datasets. The first case study examines traditional micro-task verification strategies with paid crowdworkers, while the second examines long-term maintenance strategies with unpaid contributions from non-crowdworkers. Two paid verification strategies that produced more accurate corrections at a lower cost per accurate correction were redundant data collection followed by final verification from a trusted crowdworker and allowing crowdworkers to review any data freely. In the unpaid maintenance strategies, contributors provided more accurate corrections when asked to review data matching their interests. This research identifies considerations and future approaches to collectively improving information accuracy and longevity of tabular information.