cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The amplitude phase dynamics and fixed points in tapping-mode atomic force microscopy

The first harmonic of the cantilever deflection in the tapping-mode operation of an atomic force microscope (AFM) is analyzed using asymptotic methods for weakly nonlinear oscillators. The resulting amplitude and phase dynamical equations are obtained which characterize the transient behavior of tapping-mode dynamics. The steady state behavior is analyzed by examining the fixed points of the amplitude phase dynamics and a simple stability criterion is obtained. Further with a simple tip-sample interaction model, the experimentally observed discontinuous jumps in the amplitude versus tip-sample separation plots are explained and the regions of the interaction regime probed by the tip are investigated.
On the Use of Statistics in Design and the Implications for Deterministic Computer Experiments

Perhaps the most prevalent use of statistics in engineering design is through Taguchi's parameter and robust design - using orthogonal arrays to compute signal to noise ratios in a process of design improvement. In our view, however, there is an equally exciting use of statistics in design that could become just as prevalent: it is the concept of metamodeling, whereby statistical models are built to approximate detailed computer analysis codes. Although computers continue to get faster, our analysis codes always seem to keep pace, so that their computational time remains non-trivial. Through metamodeling, approximations of these codes are built that are orders of magnitude cheaper to run. These metamodels can then be linked to optimization routines for fast analysis, or they can serve as a bridge for integrating codes across different domains. In this paper we first review metamodeling techniques that encompass the Design of Experiments, Response Surface Methodology, Taguchi methods, neural networks, inductive learning, and kriging. We discuss their existing applications in engineering design and then address the dangers of applying traditional statistical techniques to approximate deterministic computer analysis codes. We conclude with recommendations for the appropriate use of metamodeling techniques in given situations and how common pitfalls can be avoided.
Sorting and Supporting Why Double-Dose Algebra Led to Better Test Scores but More Course Failures

In 2003, Chicago schools required students entering ninth grade with below-average math scores to take two periods of algebra. This led to higher test scores for students with both above- and below-average skills, yet failure rates increased for above-average students. We examine the mechanisms behind these surprising results. Sorting by incoming skills benefitted the test scores of high-skill students partially through higher demands and fewer disruptive peers. But more students failed because their skills were low relative to classroom peers. For below-average students, improvements in pedagogy and more time for learning offset problems associated with low-skill classrooms. In some cases, classrooms were not sorted, but below-average students took an extra support class simultaneously. Test scores also improved in such classes.
Synthesis and Optical Properties of ZnO Nanowires for Nanophotonics

One-dimensional nanostructures, especially semi-conductor nanowires, have been an on-going research topic due to their peculiar optical and physical properties, and their potential for a wide range of the applications in electronics, photonics, and magnetic devices. Such nanostructures can also serve as template matrices for nanoscale sensors. Zinc oxide (ZnO), with its wide bandgap and large exciton binding energy, is a promising semiconductor material for optical devices such as solid state lighting and photovoltaics. ZnO nanowires have recently attracted tremendous interest because of the possibility to combine the unique optical characteristics of ZnO at the nanoscale. However, realizing well aligned nanowires has remained challenging, with various shapes and orientations being reported. The resulting optical properties have not been thoroughly correlated with the shape, orientation and growth parameters of the nanowires. We report here the growth of ZnO nanowires by chemical vapor deposition using both a catalyst-assisted vapor-liquid-solid and a catalyst-free vapor-solid deposition approach. The nanowires were characterized through scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, optical absorption, micro-photoluminescence, confocal Raman spectroscopy, and Terahertz time domain spectroscopy.
Rational Design of Organic Electro-Optic Materials

A number of material properties must be optimized before organic electro-optic materials can be used for practical device applications. These include electro-optic activity, optical transparency, and stability including both thermal and photochemical stability. Exploiting an improved understanding of the structure/function relationships, we have recently prepared materials exhibiting electro-optic coefficients of greater than 50 pm/V and optical loss values of less than 0.7 dB/cm at the telecommunication wavelengths of 1.3 and 1.55 microns. When oxygen is excluded to a reasonable extent, long-term photostability to optical power levels of 20 mW has been observed. Photostability is further improved by addition of scavengers and by lattice hardening. Long-term (greater than 1000 hours) thermal stability of poling-induced electro-optic activity is also observed at elevated temperatures (greater than 80°C) when appropriate lattice hardening is used. The successful improvement of organic electro-optic materials rests upon (1) attention to the design of chromophore structure including design to inhibit unwanted intermolecular electrostatic interactions and to improve chromophore instability and (2) attention to processing conditions including those involved in spin casting, electric field poling, and lattice hardening. A particularly attractive new direction has been the exploitation of dendrimer structures and particularly of multi-chromophore containing dendrimer structures. This approach has permitted the simultaneous improvement of all material properties. Development of new materials has facilitated the fabrication of a number of prototype devices and most recently has permitted investigation of the incorporation of electro-optic materials into photonic bandgap and microresonator structures. The latter are relevant to active wavelength division multiplexing (WDM). Significant quality factors (greater than 10, 000) have been realized for such devices permitting wavelength discrimination at telecommunication wavelengths of 0.01 nm.
Soil-carbon response to warming dependent on microbial physiology

The loss of carbon dioxide from soils increases initially under climate warming, but tends to decline to control levels within a few years. Simulations of the soil-carbon response to warming with a microbial-enzyme model show that a decline in both microbial biomass and the production of degrading enzymes can explain this attenuation response. Most ecosystem models predict that climate warming will stimulate microbial decomposition of soil carbon, producing a positive feedback to rising global temperatures1,2. Although field experiments document an initial increase in the loss of CO2 from soils in response to warming, in line with these predictions, the carbon dioxide loss from soils tends to decline to control levels within a few years3,4,5. This attenuation response could result from changes in microbial physiological properties with increasing temperature, such as a decline in the fraction of assimilated carbon that is allocated to growth, termed carbon-use efficiency6. Here we explore these mechanisms using a microbial-enzyme model to simulate the responses of soil carbon to warming by 5 ∘C. We find that declines in microbial biomass and degradative enzymes can explain the observed attenuation of soil-carbon emissions in response to warming. Specifically, reduced carbon-use efficiency limits the biomass of microbial decomposers and mitigates the loss of soil carbon. However, microbial adaptation or a change in microbial communities could lead to an upward adjustment of the efficiency of carbon use, counteracting the decline in microbial biomass and accelerating soil-carbon loss. We conclude that the soil-carbon response to climate warming depends on the efficiency of soil microbes in using carbon.
Topoisomerase IIα maintains genomic stability through decatenation G2 checkpoint signaling

Topoisomerase IIalpha (topoIIalpha) is an essential mammalian enzyme that topologically modifies DNA and is required for chromosome segregation during mitosis. Previous research suggests that inhibition of topoII decatenatory activity triggers a G(2) checkpoint response, which delays mitotic entry because of insufficient decatenation of daughter chromatids. Here we examine the effects of both topoIIalpha and topoIIbeta on decatenatory activity in cell extracts, DNA damage and decatenation G(2) checkpoint function, and the frequencies of p16(INK4A) allele loss and gain. In diploid human fibroblast lines, depletion of topoIIalpha by small-interfering RNA was associated with severely reduced decatenatory activity, delayed progression from G(2) into mitosis and insensitivity to G(2) arrest induced by the topoII catalytic inhibitor ICRF-193. Furthermore, interphase nuclei of topoIIalpha-depleted cells showed increased frequencies of losses and gains of the tumor suppressor genetic locus p16(INK4A). This study shows that the topoIIalpha protein is required for decatenation G(2) checkpoint function, and inactivation of decatenation and the decatenation G(2) checkpoint leads to abnormal chromosome segregation and genomic instability.
Commentary: The Place of Performative Writing in Forensic Psychiatry

In this issue of the Journal, Robert Simon has explored the subject of the place that writing should occupy in the professional life of forensic psychiatrists. We have taken the platform so elegantly constructed by this erudite and prolific author and used it to discuss the quotidian and concrete task of writing the customary forensic psychiatry report. We look to other disciplines for mechanisms to analyze the written forensic report: concepts of voice, portraiture, and narrative. We ultimately conclude that preparing these reports is a complex undertaking and that writing with clarity, precision, and artistry in forensic psychiatry should be viewed as a core competency.
Wide complex tachycardia after bupropion overdose

Here we describe a wide complex tachycardia after bupropion overdose that was responsive to sodium bicarbonate. This rhythm was likely secondary to bupropion-induced sodium channel blockade and corrected QT interval (QTc) prolongation. It is critical for the emergency medicine physician to recognize that a wide complex rhythm in a patient with bupropion overdose may be secondary to sodium channel toxicity and prolonged QTc as this rhythm may be responsive to sodium bicarbonate. Identifying this rhythm as purely ventricular tachycardia can lead to the administration of medications such as amiodarone that may further prolong QTc and contribute to sodium channel blockade, exacerbating bupropion-induced cardiotoxicity.
Chapter 1 – Climate and culture change: exploring Holocene transitions

Publisher Summary This chapter attempts to explore the climatic and cultural changes and transitions that have occurred in past 10,000 years. Responding successfully to climate change and its likely impacts on human culture is one of the great scientific challenges of the 21st century and a major test for global civilization. Various studies have been conducted in this regard, and various papers have been presented. This study explores how past human cultures have responded to changes in climate and consequent changes in vegetation and precipitation patterns. It documents research that offers many lessons of value to scholars, politicians/planners, and the general public. Scientific literature, archaeological research, and paleobiological evidence can be critical for identifying human presence and impact on the landscape; so, too, can geoarchaeological/geophysical analyses. Under this light, this chapter demonstrates that the reconstruction of both past climate change and past human cultural systems is best accomplished by using data from multiple sources, or proxy records, and by specialists from different disciplines working together. The development of the radiocarbon calibration curve has profound implications for archaeological and paleoenvironmental research. Furthermore, this study describes the possible causes of Holocene climate change, also rationalizing the need to study climate and culture change, and particularly events and processes occurring during the Mid-Holocene from ca. 9000 to 5000 years ago to help in the modern world. The basis for such studies lies in the relationship between climate and cultural change, which is elucidated in this chapter.
Beyond Just Light Bulbs: The Mitigation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the Housing Sector in Mexico City

Climate change is a serious global challenge that urgently demands comprehensive mitigation policies, including in the housing sector. However, GHG emissions assessment in the housing sector is particularly challenging because urban planning factors such as location of jobs and public transportation influence GHG emissions. Therefore, for mitigation strategies in the housing sector to be effective, they must be based on a comprehensive understanding of the complex nature of GHG emissions associated with housing development and use. In Mexico, the Federal Government has implemented strategies for mitigating GHG emissions through the promotion of energy efficient technologies such as electricity-efficient light bulbs and solar water heaters. However, these strategies do not address GHG emissions stemming from the rapid growth of housing developments on the urban periphery. Recently, federal government-financed dwelling units have been developed on a massive scale in the urban fringe, without sufficient attention to public transportation and job creation. In order to assess the impact of location and transportation on GHG emissions in the housing sector in the Metropolitan Area of Mexico City, a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was conducted to assess GHG emissions related to both construction and use of dwelling units. It was found that the use of gasoline for private transport is the principal contributor to GHG emissions, followed by the use of electricity and gas, respectively. These LCA findings suggest that the most effective mitigation strategy in the housing sector may be the promotion of resource-effi cient dwelling units in urban locations. This calls into question the federal government's focus on technologies to mitigate GHG emissions instead of encouraging housing policies that support government financing of dwelling units on central locations that offer employment, services, and public transportation.
Setting stocking rate of steers grazing wheat pasture based on forage allowance

ABSTRACT Performance of heavy BW (HVY, n = 16 steers per experiment in 4 pastures, BW ± SD = 285 ± 18.1 kg) and light BW (LT, n = 12 steers in 3 pastures in Exp. 1 and n = 16 steers in 4 pastures in Exp. 2, BW ± SD = 193 ± 18.8 kg) steers stocked to wheat pasture at 2.5 steer/ha was compared with LT BW steers stocked on wheat pastures at equivalent forage allowance to HVY steers (LTFA, n = 20 in 3 pastures in Exp. 1 and n = 23 in 4 pastures in Exp. 2, BW ± SD = 190 ± 13.7 kg). Grazing periods were 177 d (Exp. 1) and 133 d (Exp. 2). Fall ADG of LT was greater (P
Salt marsh‐mangrove ecotones: using structural gradients to investigate the effects of woody plant encroachment on plant–soil interactions and ecosystem carbon pools

Summary 1.Changing winter climate extremes are expected to result in the poleward migration of mangrove forests at the expense of salt marshes. Although mangroves and marshes are both highly valued ecosystems, the ecological implications of mangrove expansion have not been fully investigated. 2.Here we examined the effects of mangrove expansion on below-ground properties related to peat development and carbon storage. We investigated plant-soil interactions in marshes and across mangrove forest structural gradients in three locations in the northern Gulf of Mexico (USA). We compared our results to those from terrestrial grasslands where the effects of woody plant encroachment are often influenced by rainfall and plant traits. 3.Abiotic conditions at our study locations differed, particularly in terms of physicochemical properties related to precipitation. Marsh species composition, marsh above-ground biomass, and mangrove forest structural complexity also varied across these locations. Marshes in the driest location (Central Texas) had higher salinities and were dominated by low biomass succulent plants and lower soil carbon pools. Marshes in the wetter, less saline locations (Louisiana and North Florida) contained high biomass grasses and higher soil carbon pools. 4.At all locations, above-ground biomass and above-ground carbon pools were higher in mangroves than marshes; however, below-ground soil carbon pools were only higher in mangroves than marshes in the driest location. In the wetter locations, the linkages between mangrove forest structure and soil properties were minimal or not significant. However, in the driest location, there was a significant increase in soil properties related to peat development and carbon storage with increased mangrove forest structural development. 5.Synthesis: Our results indicate that the ecological implications of woody plant encroachment in tidal saline wetlands are dependent upon precipitation controls of plant-soil interactions. Although the above-ground effects of mangrove expansion are consistently large, below-ground influences of mangrove expansion appear to be greatest along low-rainfall coasts where salinities are high and marshes being replaced are carbon poor and dominated by succulent plants. Collectively, these findings complement those from terrestrial ecosystems and reinforce the importance of considering rainfall and plant-soil interactions within predictions of the ecological effects of woody plant encroachment. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Advances in Molecular Design of Polymer Surfaces with Antimicrobial, Anticoagulant, and Antifouling Properties

Inertness, mechanical strength, or biocompatibility are those attributes that allow many polymeric materials to be successfully integrated into biological systems or utilized in biomedical devices, but not without adverse effects. One of the ongoing problems is the formation of microbial films that are often detrimental and deadly. This chapter discusses potential surface modifications of polymeric materials utilized in biomedical applications that inhibit bacterial growth. While recent studies reveal a number of short-term approaches, covalent attachment of multilayers (CAM) to tether pH-responsive “switching” polyelectrolytes is a long-term alternative. Synthetic paths to covalently attach bacteriophages (phages) to synthetic polymeric surfaces while maintaining bacteriophage’s biological activities capable of killing deadly human pathogens are also explored. This alternative approach of fighting microbial wars on polymeric surfaces may be considered as a long-term alternative to inhibit early stages of microbial film formation.
The Nature and Function of Prosecutorial Power

Much of what is wrong with American criminal justice is increasingly blamed on prosecutors. This paper explores the nature of the power that prosecutors exercise, and the reasons why they have accumulated it. Prosecutorial power is not a product, ultimately, of rising caseloads, the increasing reliance on plea bargaining, or the punitive turn in American criminal justice. Instead, the growing prominence of prosecutors, both in the United States and elsewhere, stems from the prosecutor’s preeminent ability to bridge organizational and conceptual divides in criminal justice. Above all else prosecutors are mediating figures, straddling the frontiers between adversarial and inquisitorial justice, between the police and the courts, and between law and discretion. By blurring these boundaries, prosecutors provide the criminal justice system with three different kinds of flexibility — ideological, institutional, and operational — and they strengthen their own hands in in a legal culture that increasingly disfavors institutional rigidity and hard-and-fast commitments. At the same time, though, the mediating role of the prosecutor frustrates traditional strategies for making government accountable. The bridges that prosecutors provide — between law and politics, rules and discretion, courts and police, advocacy and objectivity — make curtailing prosecutorial power and taming prosecutorial discretion trickier business than is often suggested, or at least a different kind of business.
Dimension Reduction on Statistical Moment Term Structure for Portfolio Diversification

Segmentation, the process of dividing a target market into sub-sections, is widely used in the equity markets to help investors limit or increase exposure to a set of stocks with specific common risk and economic characteristics, which underlies the philosophy of diversification. Traditional diversification can be achieved by investing in uncorrelated markets segments which are defined by industrial classifications. The latter is a naive methodology that can offer little diversification to investors, by virtue of being a product of the strict qualitative methodology in defining the industrial sectors. This paper explores a new methodology using dimensionality reduction to select stocks and partition the market into "sectors" based on higher order statistical moments. These new sectors are chosen to maximize the explanatory power of stocks on the variance of statistical structure and are thus poised to give investors greater risk segmentation. Based on a risk adjusted performance, we find that the portfolios generally outperform both the market and a naive industry sector portfolio. Finally, we note that there is local stable quantile structure in the moments of our portfolios, giving proof that our segmentation may be viable long term segmentation and diversification strategy.
A First Look at Differential Algebra

This article is an introduction to the common algebraic methods used to study both solutions to polynomial equations and solutions to differential equations: Galois theory and differential Galois t...
The synovial fluid.

Summary and Conclusions The synovial fluid is readily available for study in all cases of effusion. Whenever a question of diagnosis arises, the fluid should be removed for study. Removal of large effusions gives temporary relief of pain. The fluid removed should be smeared on a slide, stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and plated for bacterial, viral, and fungal cultures. The solid constituents of the fluid can easily be studied in the simplest of laboratories. Most of the constituents of plasma are present in synovial fluids. Quantitation of glucose, protein, and cells and an attempt to identify crystals, cartilage fragments, or even foreign bodies are crucial to therapy and the evolution of the disease.
Abstract 3591: Expression of 14-3-3 gamma stabilizes polyploidization in NSCLC cells

In normal lung tissue the expression levels of 14-3-3 gamma are very low and tightly regulated, however, in cancer it is evident that 14-3-3 gamma9s expression patterns become deregulated and significantly elevated. In patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), increased expression of this isoform is associated with poorer survival and significantly correlates with lymph node and distant metastasis. These data prompted us to analyze TCGA9s NSCLC gene expression dataset, and it is clear that 14-3-3 gamma9s expression continues to increase in the progression from early to late stage cancers. Taken together, these data suggest that overexpression of 14-3-3 gamma is correlated with a more aggressive tumor phenotype, an observation also seen with breast and hepatocellular carcinoma. The focus of this study is to elucidate the mechanism(s) causing these more aggressive cancer phenotypes. We have previously shown that overexpressing 14-3-3 gamma in human lung cancer cells harboring very low levels of endogenous 14-3-3 gamma and no wildtype p53 results in a stable subpopulation of cells with polyploid DNA content. Interestingly, approximately 40% of lung adenocarcinomas present with hyper-triploid karyotypes, and even a higher percentage, 40-60%, have inactivation of p53. It is well established that polyploid tumors have the capacity to increase tumorigenicity by allowing resistance to conventional therapies and also permitting elevated tolerance to chromosomal instability (CIN). This leads us to hypothesize that in the absence of p53, NSCLC tumors overexpressing 14-3-3 gamma result in a polyploid population of cells that may be influencing the aggressiveness of the tumor. Further in vitro analysis of these 14-3-3 gamma induced tetraploid cells show that they have a prolonged mitosis with significantly more lagging chromosomes in anaphase than their diploid counterparts, indicating an increase in chromosomal instability (CIN). After isolating isogenic tetraploid clones with or without 14-3-3 gamma expression, the stability of the tetraploid cell state was assessed. Clones not expressing 14-3-3 gamma quickly reverted back to a pseudo-diploid state, whereas overexpression of 14-3-3 gamma significantly prolonged the tolerance of tetraploidy and eventually resulted in an aneuploid cell state. Our data suggests that overexpression of 14-3-3 gamma increases tumorigenicity through the stabilization of a polyploid cell state. Citation Format: Cecil J. Gomes, Michael Harman, Sara Centuori, Charles Wolgemuth, Jesse Martinez. Expression of 14-3-3 gamma stabilizes polyploidization in NSCLC 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 3591.
4 – Solid-state hydrogen storage system design

Publisher Summary Efficient hydrogen storage is a significant challenge inhibiting the use of hydrogen as a primary energy carrier. In general, three main categories of energy storage applications require the use of energy-dense hydrogen storage materials; transportation, portable auxiliary power, and personal electronics. Each of these applications requires relatively high energy and power density capability. This chapter focuses on the automotive applications as these will likely have the most extensive impact on consumer-scale energy storage technologies. Automotive systems are arguably the most challenging energy storage application since the low cost and high performance of current fossil fuel technologies cause consumers to expect similarly plentiful energy and power from new transportation technologies. For automotive systems, current hydrogen storage technologies (liquid and compressed gas) fall short in terms of energy density and cost and do not provide a clear path for efficiency improvement and the resulting increase in energy density. Hydrogen storage technologies that are efficient, low cost, and robust must be developed to enable the use of hydrogen fuel in transportation applications. Solid-state hydrogen storage solutions are theoretically able to store more hydrogen per unit volume than liquid or solid storage systems. Given this potential for high energy density reversible hydrogen storage, significant effort has been applied to develop storage solutions based on this technology.
The role of hazardous drinking reductions in predicting depression and anxiety symptom improvement among psychiatry patients: A longitudinal study

Abstract Background Co-occurrence of depression, anxiety, and hazardous drinking is high in clinical samples. Hazardous drinking can worsen depression and anxiety symptoms (and vice versa ), yet less is known about whether reductions in hazardous drinking improve symptom outcomes. Methods Three hundred and seven psychiatry outpatients were interviewed (baseline, 3-, 6-months) for hazardous drinking (drinking over recommended daily limits), depression (PHQ-9), and anxiety (GAD-7) as part of a hazardous drinking intervention trial. Longitudinal growth models tested associations between hazardous drinking and symptoms (and reciprocal effects between symptoms and hazardous drinking), adjusting for treatment effects. Results At baseline, participants had moderate anxiety ( M =10.81; SD =10.82) and depressive symptoms ( M =13.91; SD =5.58); 60.0% consumed alcohol at hazardous drinking levels. Over 6-months, participants’ anxiety ( B =−3.03, p B =−5.39, p p roved. Continued hazardous drinking led to slower anxiety ( B =0.09, p =.005) and depressive symptom ( B =0.10, p =.004) improvement; reductions in hazardous drinking led to faster anxiety ( B =−0.09, p =.010) and depressive ( B =−0.10, p =.015) symptom improvement. Neither anxiety ( B =0.07, p =.066) nor depressive ( B =0.05, p =.071) symptoms were associated with hazardous drinking outcomes. Limitations Participants were psychiatry outpatients, limiting generalizability. Conclusions Reducing hazardous drinking can improve depression and anxiety symptoms but continued hazardous use slows recovery for psychiatry patients. Hazardous drinking-focused interventions may be helpful in promoting symptom improvement in clinical populations.
Measurement of the real and imaginary third-order susceptibilities of Bis(phthalocyanine) solutions at 1064 nm

Recent degenerate-four-wave-mixing (DFWM) studies, performed on Bis(phthalocyanines)1 at 1064 nm have shown that these materials possess large optical nonlinearities. In this paper the real and imaginary parts of the third-order susceptibility are investigated by using the Z-scan technique and nonlinear-absorption measurements. The results are compared with DFWM measurements.
Pharmaceutically-Made Men: Masculinities in Chad’s Emergent Oil Economy

This article explores masculinities and changes in men’s lives in the rural oil fields of Chad during the period of an oil and pipeline project described by the World Bank as a “model” for oil-as-development. In many parts of Africa, private sector investment is concentrated in the extractive industries, especially oil and gas projects. Africa’s emerging oil economies entail new institutional configurations, or what Michael Watts called an “oil complex,” that challenge antecedent norms and forms of identity. In this article, I describe the expectations, desires, and experiences of three distinct groups of men—those who found temporary employment on the project, those who continued to make a living from farming while contending with land expropriation, and those who migrated to oil field towns in search of work—to make three general points about the oil complex and masculinities in Chad. The structure of the global oil industry meant that local men who found jobs on the project could act as breadwinners and patriarchs, but only temporarily; local workers struggled post-employment with their exclusion from the possibilities associated with the project. Men who never found jobs continued to eke out a living from the land, but state-of-the-art policies governing land expropriation led simultaneously to conflict in families and greater economic interdependence among family members. Finally, in the low-media environment of the oil field region, ideas and images about sex, sexuality, and love emanating from the transient and hyper-masculine global oil industry workforce served as models for landless young men who migrated to oil field towns and who, in the absence of work, sought to transform themselves into objects of desire through the mediation of pharmaceuticals.
5-Aza-2'-Deoxycytidine Has a Biphasic Effect On Ex Vivo Expanded Natural Killer Cells.

Abstract Abstract 2664 Poster Board II-640 Adoptive transfer of activated autologous or allogeneic natural killer (NK) cells has emerged as a safe and potentially efficacious immunotherapy for cancer. Alloreactive HLA haploidentical NK cells in the HSCT setting have been reported to enhance engraftment, reduce GVHD and prevent relapse of leukemia. The main restrictions to developing NK cells for immunotherapy are the limited quantity of cells available for adoptive transfer and the modulation of NK cell receptors and/or NK cell ligands as a recognized mechanism of immune escape in oncogenesis. To address the first hurdle, we have developed an efficient method to expand CD3−CD56+ primary NK cells in vitro using K562 artificial APCs expressing membrane-bound IL-21. Altering the balance of activating and inhibitory signals with immunosensitizing drugs is an attractive approach to addressing the second hurdle of NK cell therapy. DNA methylation inhibitors such as 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine and 5-azacytidine are being tested for their activity in AML, and have been shown to sensitize AML blasts to lysis by NK cells. However, there is little information on the direct immunologic effect of these hypomethylating agents on NK cell function, reconstitution, and phenotype. Using the calcein release assay, we investigated NK cell survival and lytic function against the NK cell-sensitive HLAnull 721.221 cells after exposing expanded NK cells to 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine. Human peripheral blood NK cells that had been expanded ex vivo in our laboratory were incubated with a wide range of 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine concentrations for 3 days in the presence of 50 IU/mL IL-2. Cell viability was tested every 24 h. We found that 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine at higher concentrations resulted in reduced NK cell viability, but at lower concentrations inhibited NK cell killing. At these lower doses, NK cell inhibition was not associated with loss of viability, resulting in an overall U-shaped dose response curve to 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine with maximum inhibition in the 0.3 – 2.5 micromolar range. This biphasic response to 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine matches that previously described for malignant cells in which reduced proliferation at higher concentrations resulted in reduced demethylation inhibition (Qin et al, Clin Cancer Res. 2007 Jul 15;13(14):4225–32). To assess the role of demethylation in NK cells in a more dynamic setting, we are investigating 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine effects on NK cell proliferation and phenotype during ex vivo expansion, and assessing NK cell recovery, phenotype, and function in a prospective cross-over trial of patients receiving 5-azacytidine post HSCT. Download : Download high-res image (74KB) Download : Download full-size image Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Obstructive sleep apnoea and the role of tongue reduction surgery in children with Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome

Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) is a rare paediatric overgrowth disorder. Associated macroglossia is a feature of many children with BWS and is felt to be a risk factor for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Sleep-disordered breathing is highly variable in this population. The relationship between degree of macroglossia or other genotypic or phenotypic factors and OSA severity has not been established. The natural history of OSA in this population is unknown; a variety of conservative and surgical therapies have been used to treat OSA in children with BWS but none have been studied systematically. Tongue reduction is the mainstay of surgical therapy for macroglossia associated with BWS, but limited data are available regarding its efficacy in treating OSA or its effect on speech and swallowing. More research is needed to better identify which children with BWS are at risk for OSA and the most effective treatment for these patients.
41-P: CROSS MATCH OUTCOME AND ANTI-HLA SOLID STATE ANTIBODY ASSAYS: RESOLUTION OF DISCREPANT RESULTS IN DECEASED DONOR KIDNEY TRANSPLANTATION

Aim In general two types of results from anti-HLA class-1 antigen bead assays are highly predictive of cross match (XM) outcomes. Negative screen assays routinuely predict negative XMs and highly reactive donor specific single antigen beads (SAB) tests usually predict positive XMs. The laboratory, however, is faced with a number of circumstances where SAB assays do not reliably predicted XM results. In one situation, donor specific antibody (DSA) is detected but at a low level. In another circumstance, a relatively high level of DSA is observed but the XM is surprisingly negative. Methods XMs were routinely performed by CDC Amos one wash and by flow cytometry for deceased donor kidney transplantation. Anti-HLA antibody detection and quantitation are performed with screening and SABs, respectively (Gen-Probe, CT). DSA calculations are performed by addition of the net MFI of all positive beads, net MFI reactivity score (NMRS). SAB assays for DSA that detects C1q reactive classes of IgG and the standard assay (One Lambda, CA) were performed on selected patients. Results In the former situation, where low levels of DSA are detected, we show that the analysis of the DS epitopes provides a better quantitative window for predicting the outcome of the XM. Analyses including only the DSA beads had a range of 3400 NMRS where positive or negative XM results might be obtained, whereas analyses that included all beads containing the reactive DS HLA epitope had a range of “uncertainty” of 1500 NMRS. In the other circumstance we observed a relatively high level of DSA with negative XMs (n = 5 of 379 XMs involving 82 recipients). All of these potential recipients had DS antibodies that did not fix complement as determined in C1q SAB binding assays. Conclusions Though the above situations occur in less than 10% of the XMs they take up considerably more laboratory time and effort. Epitope analysis and C1q tests may reduce the effort and uncertainty of correlating solid state antibody tests with XM outcome. Norin: Gen-Probe: Speakers Bureau.
Producing the Middle Class: Domestic Tourism, Ethnic Roots, and Class Routes in Brazil

Resumo Este artigo analisa o papel que o turismo etnico tem na construcao da classe media e a interacao entre as classes medias rurais e urbanas neste processo. Baseando-se em dados etnograficos da Festa Pomerana, uma festa alema em Pomerode, Brasil, este artigo mostra que a manutencao da etnicidade e parte de um amplo processo de construcao da classe media no Brasil. Este artigo usa a metafora roots/routes para analisar a formacao e manutencao de certos segmentos da classe media na America Latina. Este artigo ilustra que a classe media no Brasil ajuda a perpetuar tradicoes etnicas alemaes no Brasil e ao mesmo tempo este turismo etnico contribui para a formacao da classe media no pais. O artigo salienta o papel que turismo domestico tem na construcao da identidade de classe media nas regioes rurais da America Latina e a interacao com a classe media urbana. [Brasil, classe media, etnicidade, identidade, turismo]
TOPICS IN INCLUSIVE DESIGN FOR THE GRADUATE HUMAN FACTORS ENGINEERING CURRICULUM.

The confluence of demographic trends in aging and disability prevalence, increased expectations among workers and consumers with and without impairments, and greater reliance on complex yet pervasi...
Forensic Classification and Biodistance in the 21st Century: The Rise of Learning Machines

Abstract Multivariate statistical classification methods began in the 1930s with Fisher's linear discriminant function analysis (LDFA). This analysis, despite several important distributional requirements and limitations, has been used extensively in forensic anthropology for classification and in bioarchaeology for biodistance studies. Other statistical classification methods may be more appropriate when LDFA requirements are not met. Since the 1970s, electronic computers have enabled more data-intensive methods, including simulations and machine learning (ML) methods, which continue to revolutionize statistical analysis and classification. ML relies on resampling to create numerous samples that are analyzed using any number of methods. Ensemble methods can use a number of ML methods to come to a consensus classification. ML classifications are often 100% accurate, but most implementations have been used in classifying into only two groups. This chapter is a review and investigation of traditional and ML classification methods using simulation to increase our understanding of them and to improve them.
Impact damage of composite sandwich structures in arctic condition

Abstract This study investigates the impact response and damage mechanisms of composite sandwich structures in arctic condition. Carbon fiber reinforced composite sandwich panels with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) foam core are subjected to low-velocity impact at extreme low temperatures, representative of the harsh arctic environmental condition. Force-time history curves evidently show that test temperature has a significant influence on the impact damage behavior. Specimens impacted at extreme low temperature (−70 °C) exhibit less strength, and higher susceptibility to damage, resulting in severe penetration by the impactor. X-ray micro-computed tomography technique is employed to reveal multiple complex impact damage modes. Specifically, results from this work elucidate arctic temperature influence on detrimental failure mechanisms: large facesheet-core debonding, extensive composite facesheet delamination, significant core shearing and crushing, and severe facesheet fiber fracture. This work provides an important fundamental knowledge for future design of naval composite sandwich structures with enhanced impact performance at low temperature arctic condition.
Towards a Comprehensive Model of Activated Sludge Bulking and Foaming

The physiological properties of filamentous and floc-forming microorganisms found in activated sludge are reviewed. From this review four model microorganisms - two floc formers and two filamentous organisms - are proposed for use in an activated sludge model that predicts activated sludge “quality”.
Classification systems of hip osteonecrosis: an updated review.

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) typically impacts middle-aged patients who are typically more active and in whom many surgeons would try to delay performing a total hip arthroplasty (THA). This poses a clinical decision-making challenge. Therefore, several options for joint preservation have been advocated, but varying indications and success rates have led to debate on when to use the various procedures. This is due in part to the lack of a generalized system for assessing ONFH, as well as the absence of a standardized method of data collection for patient stratification. Due to the paucity of studies, in this review, we aimed to provide an up-to-date review of the most widely utilized classification systems and discuss the characteristics of each system. A comprehensive literature review was conducted. Studies published between January 1st, 1975 and March 1st, 2018 were reviewed. The following key words were used in combination with Boolean operators AND or OR for the literature search: “osteonecrosis,” “avascular necrosis,” “hip,” “femoral head,” “classification,” “reliability,” and “validity.” We defined the inclusion criteria for qualifying studies for this review as follows: (1) studies that reported on the classification systems for hip osteonecrosis, (2) studies that reported on the inter-observer reliability of the classification systems, and (3) studies that reported on the intra-observer reliability of any ONFH classification systems. In addition, we employed the following exclusion criteria: (1) studies that assessed classification systems for traumatic osteonecrosis, (2) Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, or (3) Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip. Additionally, we excluded case reports and duplicate studies among searched databases. The following classification systems were the most commonly utilized: The Ficat and Arlet, Steinberg, the Association Research Circulation Osseous (ARCO), and the Japanese Investigation Committee (JIC) classification systems. The details of each system have been discussed and their inter- and intra-observer reliability has been compared. To this date, there is a lack of consensus on a universal and comprehensive system, and the use of any of the previous classification systems is a matter of dealer’s choice. The Ficat and Arlet system was the earliest yet remains the most widely utilized system. Newer classification systems have been developed and some such as the JIC shows promising prognostic value while maintaining simplicity. However, larger validating studies are needed. While all of these systems have their strengths, the lack of a unified classification and staging system is still a problem in the diagnosis and prognosis ONFH. Further multi-center collaborative efforts among osteonecrosis experts are needed to adopt a universal classification system that may positively reflect on patient’s outcomes.
Molecular Gas Near the Galactic Center

Surveys of molecular gas in the central kiloparsec of the Galaxy have been underway throughout the 25 years since the discovery of CO. Table 1 lists the large-scale surveys published during this interval, including absorptionline studies of H2CO and OH and emission-line studies of CO, NH3, CS, and, to a lesser extent, HCN and H2. With its several accessible isotopes, and because of its ubiquity, CO has provided perhaps the most complete picture of the large-scale distribution and kinematics of molecular gas, although the denser material (n(H2) > 104 cm−3) is better probed by NH3, CS, and HCN.
Differentiation and Function of the Female Reproductive System

Reproduction in mammals is a complex process in which numerous haploid gametes from a male are deposited into the reproductive tract of a female. The male gametes, or spermatozoa, are propelled to the fallopian tubes of the female reproductive tract, where they encounter a female gamete, or oocyte. A single spermatozoon fertilizes the oocyte and initiates a process of combination of paternal and maternal chromosomes, sequential expression of embryonic genes, implantation of the embryo in the wall of uterus, and development of a fetus. Changes in maternal physiology during pregnancy facilitate fetal growth and development. When the fetus matures to a stage at which it can survive outside of the uterus, chemical signals from the fetus and mother induce muscular contractions of the uterus to expel the fetus in the process of parturition. Postpartum maternal physiology gradually returns to the antepartum state and the maternal breasts provide milk to nourish the newborn. The female reproductive period commences at puberty and subsides at menopause.
Ventricular Assist Devices and Transplantation for Adults with Congenital Heart Disease

Patients with congenital heart disease pose a unique challenge to the transplant surgeon often due to prior complex reconstructive procedures and/or abnormalities in systemic and pulmonary venous return. Options for mechanical assistance of advanced heart failure in this population as well as considerations regarding operative technique required at the time of cardiac transplant are discussed.
C. Edmund Kells, Jr., pioneer in the field of dental X-rays.

Des l'annonce de la decouverte des rayons X, C. Edmund Kells fut le premier a radiographier une dent grâce aux rayons X et developpa la technique a travers le monde entier, sans toutefois se mefier de la toxicite de ces radiations qui provoquerent un cancer d'une de ses mains