cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Activation of Lytic Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) Infection by Radiation and Sodium Butyrate in Vitro and in Vivo: A Potential Method for Treating EBV-positive Malignancies

The consistent presence of the EBV genome in certain tumors offers the potential for novel EBV-directed therapies. Switching the latent form of EBV infection present in most EBV-positive tumor cells into the cytolytic form may be clinically useful because lytic EBV infection leads to host cell destruction, and very few normal cells contain the EBV genome. It would also be therapeutically advantageous to induce expression of EBV-encoded lytic proteins that convert the nucleoside analogues ganciclovir (GCV) and 3'-azido-3'deoxythymidine (AZT) into their active, cytotoxic forms. In this report, we have explored two different approaches for activating the lytic form of EBV infection in tumors. We show that gamma-irradiation at clinically relevant doses induces lytic EBV infection in lymphoblastoid cell lines in vitro as well as in EBV-positive B-cell tumors in SCID mice. In addition, sodium butyrate (given as a single i.p. dose) is effective for activating lytic viral infection in some EBV tumor types in SCID mice. We also examined whether low-dose gamma-irradiation treatment of EBV-positive lymphoblastoid cells in vitro promotes GCV or AZT susceptibility. The combination of radiation with either GCV or AZT induced significantly more cell killing in vitro than either radiation or prodrug treatment alone. Most importantly, we found that the combination of gamma-irradiation and GCV was much more effective in treating EBV-positive lymphoblastoid tumors in SCID mice than either agent alone. Thus, GCV or AZT treatment could potentially enhance the therapeutic efficacy of radiation therapy for EBV-positive lymphomas in patients.
The Individual Mandate and the Taxing Power

This article, prepared for a symposium at the Salmon P. Chase College of Law, Northern Kentucky University, considers whether the Taxing Clause provides an alternative constitutional basis, as some have recently argued, for the individual mandate in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 - the requirement, going into effect in 2014, that most individuals acquire satisfactory health insurance or pay a penalty. The article concludes that the Taxing Clause arguments are misguided. At best, the Clause can provide authority for the penalty, not for the mandate as a whole. Furthermore, the article questions whether the penalty will be a tax at all - if not, the Taxing Clause is obviously irrelevant - or, if it will be a tax, whether constitutional limitations on the taxing power will be satisfied. In particular, the article takes seriously whether the penalty might be a capitation tax, a form of direct tax that would have to meet an onerous apportionment rule to be valid. And the article argues that the penalty will not be a “tax on incomes” exempted from apportionment by the Sixteenth Amendment. The bottom line is this: relying on the Taxing Clause makes the analysis of the individual mandate more complicated than it needs to be, and the focus of constitutional analysis should return to where it has always belonged: the Commerce Clause.
Application of Acoustic Emission to Detection of Reinforcing Steel Corrosion in Concrete

Abstract Cracking and spalling of concrete due to corrosion of embedded steel is generally recognized as a major technological problem within the state of Florida and nationwide. Typically, this fa...
FINANCIAL INDICATORS AND TRENDS FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS: A STATE‐BASED POLICY PERSPECTIVE

Recent federal reports, the projected “new” federalism, research in financial and economic trends, and the emerging consensus concerning local government distress have highlighted the fact that no comprehensive or systematic federal, state, or local policies exist to deal with the problems that have been identified. The purpose of this article is to perform a statebased study of financial patterns and trends in local governments that have implications for state policy. Included in the analysis were correlations between constant dollar financial indicators and an instability index for four data points. The results of the analysis and trends suggest that certain consistent patterns which have implications for state policy exist.
Factors Influencing Sentences for Violent Offenses: An Exploratory Comparison of Crime-Specific and Undifferentiated Research Strategies

To resolve some of the ambiguity and conflict found in existing research on factors influencing sentence severity, a comparative analysis of sentences (N = 468) receivedfrom afullpopulation sample ...
Repetitive DNA interspersion patterns in diptera

A wide spectrum of repetitive DNA amounts and interspersion patterns is seen in mosquitoes and other dipterans. Using a simple and rapid technique, we show that these range from a minimal amount in five species of Anopheles through moderate amounts in Culex quinquefasciatus to large amounts in Aedes aegypti and Stomoxys calcitrans. Although Culex and Aedes are closely related and both have a considerable amount of interspersed repetitive DNA, the repetitive sequences are different between the two genera. These results and previously published information show that the amount of repetitive DNA and sequences involved have changed many times during the evolution of the Diptera.
Are New IT-Enabled Investment Opportunities Diminishing for Firms?

Today, few firms could survive for very long without their computer systems. IT has permeated every corner of firms. Firms have reached the current state in their use of IT because IT has provided myriad opportunities for firms to improve performance and, firms have availed themselves of these opportunities. Some have argued, however, that the opportunities for firms to improve their performance through new uses of IT have been declining. Are the opportunities to use IT to improve firm performance diminishing? We sought to answer this question. In this study, we develop a theory and explain the logic behind our empirical analysis; an analysis that employs a different type of event study. Using the volatility of firms' stock prices to news signaling a change in economic conditions, we compare the stock price behavior of firms in the IT industry to firms in the utility and transportation and freight industries. Our analysis of the IT industry as a whole indicates that the opportunities for firms to use IT to improve their performance are not diminishing. However, there are sectors within the IT industry that no longer provide value-enhancing opportunities for firms. We also find that IT products that provided opportunities for firms to create value at one point in time, later become necessities for staying in business. Our results support the key assumption in our work.
Evaluation of Serotonin as a Feedback Inhibitor of Lactation in the Bovine

Serotonin (5-HT), a neurotransmitter synthesized from tryptophan, has been proposed as a feedback inhibitoroflactation.Wedetermined thatthegenecoding for tryptophan hydroxylase 1, the rate-limiting enzyme for 5-HT synthesis, is expressed in bovine mammary epithelial cells in vitro and is upregulated by prolactin. In addition, 5-HT reduced the expression of α-lactalbumin and casein genes in vitro. Furthermore, inhibiting 5-HT synthesis with p-chlorophenylalanine or blocking the 5-HT receptor with methysergide (METH) increased milk protein gene expression. We then evaluated effects of intramammary 5-HT or METH infusion on production and milk composition in 6 multiparous Holstein cows. Cows were assigned to a repeated measures design of contralateral intramammary infusions of METH (20 mg/quarter per d) or saline for 3 d followed by a 7-d washout period before administering 5-HT (50 mg/quarter/d) or SAL for 3 d. For each udder half, milk yield was recorded twice and composition was determinedonceperday.Bloodsampleswereharvestedeach day for plasma to determine glucose and nonesterified fatty acid concentrations. Evaporative heat loss, respiration rate, left and right udder temperatures, and rectal temperatures were obtained after each milking to evaluate possible systemic effects of infusions. During METH and saline infusions milk yield increased 10.9%. During 5-HT and saline infusion milk yield decreased 11.1%. Milk yield and physiological responses suggested intramammary 5-HT and METH doses were high enough to cause systemic effects. Infusing saline, METH, and 5-HT increased milk SCC. Infusing 5-HT tended to reduce mean lactose concentration (4.3 vs. 4.6%) relative to saline. Milk protein content was decreased by METH and SAL (2.0%) and was increased (5.8%)by5-HTfollowedbya33%decreasepostinfusion. Infusion of METH increased evaporative heat loss 11%,
Cyrus Hall McCormick: American Business Leader

If a man's ability is to be rated according to the amount of money he makes, Cyrus H. McCormick was one of America's ablest business leaders in the nineteenth century. A more discriminating view of his career would necessitate some important qualifications in such an estimate. McCormick's personal achievements—both as inventor and as a business man—were truly remarkable in the period before about 1860, and during the whole course of his life he demonstrated rare talents and performed prodigious deeds. But in his later years he made serious errors in judgment, failed to adopt well-rounded policies, and pursued business methods which were fundamentally poor. While his managerial successes and financial profits were very notable, his record as a whole does not reflect the sober and well-balanced judgment which is essential to the first-class business mind.
Incidence of disability among children 12 months after traumatic brain injury

Objectives. We examined the burden of disability resulting from traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) among children younger than 18 years.Methods. We derived our data from a cohort study of children residing in King County, Washington, who were treated in an emergency department for a TBI or for an arm injury during 2007–2008. Disabilities 12 months after injury were assessed according to need for specialized educational and community-based services and scores on standardized measures of adaptive functioning and social–community participation.Results. The incidence of children receiving new services at 12 months was about 10-fold higher among those with a mild TBI than among those with a moderate or severe TBI. The population incidence of disability (defined according to scores below the norm means on the outcome measures included) was also consistently much larger (2.8-fold to 28-fold) for mild TBIs than for severe TBIs.Conclusions. The burden of disability caused by TBIs among children is primarily accounted...
Ozonated Graphene Oxide Film as a Proton‐Exchange Membrane

Graphene oxide (GO) contains several chemical functional groups that are attached to the graphite basal plane and can be manipulated to tailor GO for specific applications. It is now revealed that the reaction of GO with ozone results in a high level of oxidation, which leads to significantly improved ionic (protonic) conductivity of the GO. Freestanding ozonated GO films were synthesized and used as efficient polymer electrolyte fuel cell membranes. The increase in protonic conductivity of the ozonated GO originates from enhanced proton hopping, which is due to the higher content of oxygenated functional groups in the basal planes and edges of ozonated GO as well as the morphology changes in GO that are caused by ozonation. The results of this study demonstrate that the modification of dispersed GO presents a powerful opportunity for optimizing a nanoscale material for proton-exchange membranes.
A universal noise removal algorithm with an impulse detector

We introduce a local image statistic for identifying noise pixels in images corrupted with impulse noise of random values. The statistical values quantify how different in intensity the particular pixels are from their most similar neighbors. We continue to demonstrate how this statistic may be incorporated into a filter designed to remove additive Gaussian noise. The result is a new filter capable of reducing both Gaussian and impulse noises from noisy images effectively, which performs remarkably well, both in terms of quantitative measures of signal restoration and qualitative judgements of image quality. Our approach is extended to automatically remove any mix of Gaussian and impulse noise.
Brief functional analysis and treatment of eye poking

A brief functional analysis suggested that eye poking exhibited by a 5-year-old boy diagnosed with cortical visual impairment was maintained by automatic reinforcement. Levels of eye poking in additional conditions suggested that the behavior might be maintained by visual stimulation. Response blocking through the use of safety goggles effectively reduced eye poking in the analog setting. Data from the natural environment suggest that, during intervention, eye poking was confined to times when response blocking was not in effect. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Spoofing key-press latencies with a generative keystroke dynamics model

This work provides strong empirical evidence for a two-state generative model of typing behavior in which the user can be in either a passive or active state. Given key-press latencies with missing key names, the model is then used to spoof the key-press latencies of a user by exploiting the scaling behavior between inter-key distance and key-press latency. Key-press latencies with missing key names can be remotely obtained over a network by observing traffic from an interactive application, such as SSH in interactive mode. The proposed generative model uses this partial information to perform a key-press-only sample-level attack on a victim's keystroke dynamics template. Results show that some users are more susceptible to this type of attack than others. For about 10% of users, the spoofed samples obtain classifier output scores of at least 50% of those obtained by authentic samples. With at least 50 observed keystrokes, the chance of success over a zero-effort attack doubles on average.
Taliban’s War on Schools in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata: International and Domestic Laws on Protection of Schools and Children’s Right to Education

Pakistan has been battling with the Taliban for more than a decade now. The hard-line Islamic Taliban movement was once appreciated and accepted by the Pakistani authorities. NATO’s invasion of Afghanistan changed the dynamics of this relationship. The Taliban forces now threatens to destabilize Pakistan as they control areas in the north West and have been blamed for a wave of suicide bombings and other attacks in different parts of the country. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) have been severely hit by this militancy. Taliban militants have specifically targeted school buildings for last five years in both these regions. These attacks have interfered with children’s right to education and protection. Reports suggest that more than 1000 schools been destroyed so far during the militancy. Just in the year 2011, the schools destroyed by militants numbered 440 out of which 130 were girl’s schools. Taliban militant attack these schools because they allege that military uses these schools to station its troops and they want an education system based on Sharia. Moreover, these schools represent state authority and their destruction would create an atmosphere of fear. Sometimes they take over these school buildings to train suicide bombers and hold press conferences. Part I of the paper explores the background and the issue of destruction of these schools. Part II provides for international and domestic laws protecting schools and education during armed conflicts and Part III deals with the application of those laws in context of the situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Part IV suggests conclusions and recommendations relating to the situation.
Influence of perinatal factors in short- and long-term outcomes of infants born at 23 weeks of gestation.

Objective Investigate the influence of perinatal factors on short- and long-term outcomes for infants born at 23 weeks of gestation. Study Design This is a retrospective study over a 25-year period (1987–2011) of 87 successfully resuscitated infants at 23 weeks of gestation. We investigated the effects of poor prenatal care, race, gender, chorioamnionitis, antenatal corticosteroids, delivery route/location, low 5-minute Apgar score, birth weight, and multiple births on short- and long-term outcomes. Results The mortality rate was 43% (37/87). A total of 88% (44/50) of the survivors were followed at 2 years corrected age with 66% (29/44) diagnosed with a moderate-to-severe neurological impairment. Outborn and multiple birth infants had significantly higher mortality (p-value 0.042 and 0.006, respectively). Lack of exposure to antenatal steroids and lower birth weight significantly increased the disability score (p-value 0.042 and 0.003, respectively). Conclusion Multiple perinatal factors significantly influence outcomes at the threshold of viability.
Influence of Cellular Topology on Dynamic Response of Solid Foams

Current processing techniques enable the manufacture of cellular cores to prescribed cell sizes and densities. Moreover, the rapid advance in additive manufacturing techniques promises that, in the near future, the fabrication of functional cellular structures will be achieved with desired cellular topologies tailored to specific application in mind. In this perspective, it is essential to develop a detailed understanding of the relationship between mechanical response and topology in cellular structures. The present work reports the initial results of a computational investigation in this direction. The fundamental issues addressed in the present study are (i) generation of stochastic cellular structures by using Voronoi tessellations, (ii) quantitative measure of cellular topology, (iii) uniqueness of mechanical response, (iv) specimen size effect, (v) boundary effect, and (vi) high-strain-rate effects.© 2006 ASME
Modification of the Electrochemical Properties of Nile Blue through Covalent Attachment to Gold As Revealed by Electrochemistry and SERS

Conventional electrochemistry and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroelectrochemistry are used to probe the redox reaction of Nile Blue immobilized on gold electrodes. Covalent attachment of Nile Blue (NB) to gold through carbodiimide cross-linking shows the appearance of a second, new redox reaction, unobserved by solution phase or physisorbed NB. Each redox reaction is characterized by differential pulse voltammetry to reveal two individual one-proton, one-electron electrochemical reactions. SERS spectroelectrochemistry along with electrochemical characterization of structurally similar Cresyl Violet are used to assign the electrochemical (de)protonation of the terminal amine and phenoxazine nitrogen to the lower and higher energy redox reactions, respectively. Analysis of covalently bound NB via azide–alkyne click chemistry supports the hypothesis that the electron-withdrawing carbonyl formed during the carbodiimide cross-linking induces a change in the electronic structure of NB, causing ...
CodY-Dependent Regulation of Sporulation in Clostridium difficile

ABSTRACT Clostridium difficile must form a spore to survive outside the gastrointestinal tract. The factors that trigger sporulation in C. difficile remain poorly understood. Previous studies have suggested that a link exists between nutritional status and sporulation initiation in C. difficile. In this study, we investigated the impact of the global nutritional regulator CodY on sporulation in C. difficile strains from the historical 012 ribotype and the current epidemic 027 ribotype. Sporulation frequencies were increased in both backgrounds, demonstrating that CodY represses sporulation in C. difficile. The 027 codY mutant exhibited a greater increase in spore formation than the 012 codY mutant. To determine the role of CodY in the observed sporulation phenotypes, we examined several factors that are known to influence sporulation in C. difficile. Using transcriptional reporter fusions and quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis, we found that two loci associated with the initiation of sporulation, opp and sinR, are regulated by CodY. The data demonstrate that CodY is a repressor of sporulation in C. difficile and that the impact of CodY on sporulation and expression of specific genes is significantly influenced by the strain background. These results suggest that the variability of CodY-dependent regulation is an important contributor to virulence and sporulation in current epidemic isolates. This report provides further evidence that nutritional state, virulence, and sporulation are linked in C. difficile. IMPORTANCE This study sought to examine the relationship between nutrition and sporulation in C. difficile by examining the global nutritional regulator CodY. CodY is a known virulence and nutritional regulator of C. difficile, but its role in sporulation was unknown. Here, we demonstrate that CodY is a negative regulator of sporulation in two different ribotypes of C. difficile. We also demonstrate that CodY regulates known effectors of sporulation, Opp and SinR. These results support the idea that nutrient limitation is a trigger for sporulation in C. difficile and that the response to nutrient limitation is coordinated by CodY. Additionally, we demonstrate that CodY has an altered role in sporulation regulation for some strains.
Focus on Freshman: Basic Instruction Programs Enhancing Physical Activity.

Physical activity sharply decreases after different life stages, particularly high school graduation to beginning university education. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a specifically designed university physical activity class, Exercise Planning for Freshman (EPF), on students' physical activity and group cohesion compared to other basic instruction programs (BIPs) offered on campus. Specific study questions included (a) what are students' perceptions of the classes, (b) how do group cohesion levels compare between students enrolled in EPF and those enrolled in other activity classes, (c) how does physical activity engagement compare between the two groups, and (d) is there a difference between men and women in terms of group cohesion and physical activity levels? Participants (n = 108) were university freshman students enrolled in seven integral BIP courses at a mid-sized university. Data were collected across four consecutive semesters and analyzed using constant comparison for qualitative data (i.e., Critical Incident) and ANOVA, ANCOVA, and t tests for quantitative data (i.e., PAGEQ, 3-Day Bouchard, and 7-DPAR). Treatment group participants had higher energy expenditure than control group participants at the beginning and end of the semester, yet there were no significant differences. It is understood that students enrolled in university BIP courses are likely to incorporate physical activity into their everyday routine. For group cohesion to have a significant effect, more steps need to be taken to accentuate its presence in EPF.
Market Volatility and Returns

We can use the results gleaned from the capital allocation line developed earlier to explore what happens as general market risk increases. To recall, the capital allocation line is a line drawn from the risk-free interest rate to a point on the frontier of the best combinations of return and risk in the marketplace, as shown in Figure 14.1.
What can seismology say about hotspots

Seismology offers the highest-resolution view of mantle structure. In the decades since Morgan [1971] first proposed deep-mantle plumes, seismologists have used increasingly sophisticated methods to look for evidence of such structures, but so far they have had little success. This abstract outlines the relevant seismological methods for non-specialists and summarizes the current state of knowledge about structure beneath hot spots, to set the stage for the seismological component of this conference.
Polymers with autonomous life-cycle control

The lifetime of man-made materials is controlled largely by the wear and tear of everyday use, environmental stress and unexpected damage, which ultimately lead to failure and disposal. Smart materials that mimic the ability of living systems to autonomously protect, report, heal and even regenerate in response to damage could increase the lifetime, safety and sustainability of many manufactured items. There are several approaches to achieving these functions using polymer-based materials, but making them work in highly variable, real-world situations is proving challenging.
Heat resistance of enterococci.

Fifty enterococcus cultures were exposed to temperatures of 62.8 and 71.1 C for 30 min and 71.7 C for 15 sec in skimmilk containing approximately 10 million cells/mi. Streptococcus durans was most heat resistant, although no culture survived 71.1 C for 30 min. Additional milk solids and fat did not provide protection from destruction by heat. In skimmilk, at population levels of approximately 100/ml, the cultures survived heat treatments of 71.7, 76.7, and 82.2 C for 16 sec by 55.2, 46.4., and 32.5%, respectively. After pasteurization at 62.8 C for 30 min, only 8 of 426 commercial milk samples had detectable enterococci. These 8 samples contained from 1 to 30 enterococci/ml. When 55 of these more heat-resistant cultures were again laboratory pasteurized, 32 remained viable. Only 8 of these 32 cultures showed numerical increase when stored at 5 to 8 C for 7 days after laboratory pasteurization. Before enterococci can be used as indices of bacterial quality in dairy products, their presence or absence must ...
Cross sections for electron-impact excitation of the electronic states of N 2

Distorted-wave cross sections are presented for the excitations of the w /sup 1/..delta../sub u/, W /sup 3/..delta../sub u/, A /sup 3/..sigma../sub u//sup +/, b' /sup 1/..sigma../sub u//sup +/, and c' /sup 1/..sigma../sub u//sup +/ states of N/sub 2/ by low-energy electron impact. The distorted waves are obtained in the static-exchange field of the ground electronic state. Differential and integral cross sections are presented from near threshold up to 60-eV impact. Comparison is made with available experimental data and with other calculations.
Positions on sexual and reproductive rights in Muslim-majority countries and institutions: a telling indication of things to come?

ABSTRACTThis article provides a policy analysis of Muslim-majority countries’ positions on sexual and reproductive rights (SRR). First-hand observations, interviews, and reports are used to review how statements around various intergovernmental moments continue to be formulated since the International Conference on Population and Development in 1994. The analysis outlines both the similarity and diversity between and among Muslim-majority countries on a range of SRR areas, while pointing out that positions are by no means unique to them. Rather, it is argued that opposition to SRR defines a terrain of “unholy alliances” between and among different religiously inspired nations, and ends by enquiring whether SRR may be an important political indicator of real politik.
Optimizing the Treatment of Steroid-Induced Hyperglycemia.

Objective: To review therapeutic strategies for the management of patients with steroid-induced hyperglycemia. Data Sources: A literature search of MEDLINE/PubMed (1990 to June 2017) was conducted ...
In-situ calibration of fiber-optics entangled photon distribution system

A source of entangled photons is connected via optical fibers to two single photon detectors. By simultaneously measuring pump power dependencies of the detection probabilities at each detector, as well as the probability of coincidence counts, we reliably extract all relevant system parameters.
Small-Molecule Screens: A Gateway to Cancer Therapeutic Agents with Case Studies of Food and Drug Administration-Approved Drugs.

High-throughput screening (HTS) of small-molecule libraries accelerates the discovery of chemical leads to serve as starting points for probe or therapeutic development. With this approach, thousands of unique small molecules, representing a diverse chemical space, can be rapidly evaluated by biologically and physiologically relevant assays. The origins of numerous United States Food and Drug Administration–approved cancer drugs are linked to HTS, which emphasizes the value in this methodology. The National Institutes of Health Molecular Libraries Program made HTS accessible to the public sector, enabling the development of chemical probes and drug-repurposing initiatives. In this work, the impact of HTS in the field of oncology is considered among both private and public sectors. Examples are given for the discovery and development of approved cancer drugs. The importance of target validation is discussed, and common assay approaches for screening are reviewed. A rigorous examination of the PubChem database demonstrates that public screening centers are contributing to early-stage drug discovery in oncology by focusing on new targets and developing chemical probes. Several case studies highlight the value of different screening strategies and the potential for drug repurposing.
A novel rodent model of pregnancy complications associated with genetically determined angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity

Brown Norway (BN) and Lewis (LW) inbred rat strains harbor different angiotensin-converting enzyme (Ace) polymorphisms that result in higher ACE activity in BN than LW rats. Thus we hypothesized th...
Effect of body material and temperature variation on the performance of the time delay pyrotechnic compositions

Abstract Significance of body material and temperature variation on burning time and burning rate of Si/PbO/Pb3O4/FG and B/BaCrO4/FG pyrotechnic delay compositions were experimentally studied. Brass and stainless steel were used as delay body materials. High resolution oscilloscope and a customized chronometer were simultaneously used for the measurement of burning time and burning rate. Results reveal that brass material with controlled column dimensions reduced the variation in burning time of Si/PbO/Pb3O4/FG delay mixture from 7.43% to 4.17% and that of B/BaCrO4/FG mixture from 16.83% to 9.39%. Similarly the variation in burning rate was reduced from 7.57% to 4.12% and from 17% to 9.69% for Si/PbO/Pb3O4/FG and B/BaCrO4/FG mixtures respectively. Si/PbO/Pb3O4/FG delay mixture was also subjected to temperature ranging from −54 °C up to +100 °C. The burning rate of this composition varied linearly with temperature. Burning rate increased from 28.01 mm/s to 34.38 mm/s when the temperature was varied from −54 °C to +100 °C.
Public Health Education, Promotion, and Intervention: Relevance of Religion and Spirituality

This chapter reviews theories and empirical evidence on the associations between religion and spirituality (R/S) and public health education, promotion, and intervention – the public health subfield concentrations of about one-sixth of public health students nationwide. We discuss literature related to health programming at R/S sites, spiritually tailored treatments in healthcare settings, R/S interventions in workplaces, and meditation and mindfulness as spiritual interventions.
Abstract 187: Reversible Aptamer Inhibition of Von Willebrand Factor is a Potent Thrombolytic and Ameliorates Stroke Burden Following Vascular Injury Compared to Recombinant Tissue Plasminogen Activator

Introduction: While recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rTPA) is the mainstay of ischemic stroke treatment, few patients are eligible for treatment, and recanalization is only seen in 25-50%....
Host Detection and the Stealthy Phenotype in Influenza Virus Infection

The innate host response to influenza virus infection plays a critical role in determining the subsequent course of infection and the clinical outcome of disease. The host has a diverse array of detection and effector mechanisms that are able to recognize and initiate effective antiviral responses. In opposition, the virus utilizes a number of distinct mechanisms to evade host detection and effector activity in order to remain “stealthy” throughout its replication cycle. In this review, we describe these host and viral mechanisms, including the major pattern recognition receptor families (the TLRs, NLRs, and RLRs) in the host and the specific viral proteins such as NS1 that are key players in this interaction. Additionally, we explore nonreductive mechanisms of viral immune evasion and propose areas important for future inquiry.
Data Security – Challenges and Research Opportunities

The proliferation of web-based applications and information systems, and recent trends such as cloud computing and outsourced data management, have increased the exposure of data and made security more difficult. In this paper we briefly discuss open issues, such as data protection from insider threat and how to reconcile security and privacy, and outline research directions.
Cellular and Molecular Biology of Apolipoproteins: Receptor-Mediated Regulation of Cholesterol Metabolism

Lipoprotein receptors, especially those within the liver, play a central role in the regulation of cholesterol metabolism. Specific apolipoproteins (apo-) serve as the ligands for these receptors (for review, see Brown and Goldstein 1983, 1986; Mahley and Innerarity 1983; Mahley et al. 1984).
Generalized Schur Parametrization of Nonstationary Second-Order Processes

Given a stationary stochastic process, a classical algorithm of I. Schur can be used to set up a reversible mapping between its covariance values {r0= 1,r1,...,rT} and a set of Schur parameters {k1,...,kT}, |ki|≤1. The Schur parameters have been very useful in the efficient modeling and prediction of stationary processes in the so-called lattice (or ladder) forms. In this paper we show how the concept of displacement rank introduced in earlier work (Bull. AMS, Sept. 1979) can be used to obtain a natural generalization of the Schur parametrization for nonstationary processes. This leads to useful generalized lattice form models for such processes.
An Examination of Policy Narratives in Agricultural Biotechnology Policy in India

The Narrative Policy Framework (NPF) focuses attention on the importance of narratives in policy debates and on their empirical analysis. While NPF has become an increasingly important and accepted...
Concerns about the review of vaginal progesterone and the vaginal first-pass effect.

Dear Sir,I read with interest the review paper “Vaginal progesterone and the vaginal first-pass effect” by M. P. Warren, published in your Journal1. This is an interesting work; however, I have con...
Finding Beatrix Potter: Bryan Talbot’s The Tale of One Bad Rat

Applying adaptation theory, this essay demonstrates that Bryan Talbot’s graphic novel The Tale of One Bad Rat, which is presumably the story of an abused and homeless teen, is actually an adaptatio...
Acute Presentation and Management of the Encephalopathic Child With an Undiagnosed Inborn Error of Metabolism.

Abstract Background Inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) commonly present in infancy and, less commonly, later in life. Case Report This case describes an IEM, specifically, ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency, in a previously healthy 7-year-old boy who presented to an emergency department with vomiting for approximately 24 h prior to admission. The child became progressively encephalopathic while in the emergency department, but an ammonia level was not obtained until several hours after admission. Irreversible brain damage with cerebral edema was already present at time of diagnosis, leading to death. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? This case emphasizes that acute hyperammonemia can rapidly cause irreversible neurological damage and, in the case of a newly encephalopathic pediatric patient, ammonia levels should be evaluated early to facilitate proper diagnostic tests and treatment.
Validation of a HPLC/MS method for simultaneous quantification of clonidine, morphine and its metabolites in human plasma.

A high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for the simultaneous quantification of morphine, morphine's major metabolites morphine-3-glucuronide and morphine-6-glucuronide, and clonidine, to support the pharmacokinetic analysis of an ongoing double-blinded randomized clinical trial that compares the use of morphine and clonidine in infants diagnosed with neonatal abstinence syndrome. Plasma samples were processed by solid-phase extraction and separated on an Inertsil ODS-3 (4 μm) column using an 0.1% formic acid in water-0.1% formic acid in methanol gradient. Detection of the analytes was conducted in the positive multiple reaction monitoring mode. The range of quantitation was 1-1000 ng/mL for morphine, morphine-3-glucuronide and morphine-6-glucuronide, and 0.25-100 ng/mL for clonidine. Intra-day and inter-day accuracy and precision were ≤15% for all analytes across the quantitation range. Extraction recovery rates were ≥94% for morphine, ≥90% for M3G, ≥87% for M6G and ≥ 79% for clonidine. Matrix effect ranged from 85-94% for clonidine to 101-106% for M3G. The method fulfilled all predetermined acceptance criteria and required only 100 μL of starting plasma volume. Furthermore, it was successfully applied to 30 clinical trial plasma samples.
A robustness metric for biological data clustering algorithms

Cluster analysis is a core task in modern data-centric computation. Algorithmic choice is driven by factors such as data size and heterogeneity, the similarity measures employed, and the type of clusters sought. Familiarity and mere preference often play a significant role as well. Comparisons between clustering algorithms tend to focus on cluster quality. Such comparisons are complicated by the fact that algorithms often have multiple settings that can affect the clusters produced. Such a setting may represent, for example, a preset variable, a parameter of interest, or various sorts of initial assignments. A question of interest then is this: to what degree do the clusters produced vary as setting values change? This work introduces a new metric, termed simply “robustness”, designed to answer that question. Robustness is an easily-interpretable measure of the propensity of a clustering algorithm to maintain output coherence over a range of settings. The robustness of eleven popular clustering algorithms is evaluated over some two dozen publicly available mRNA expression microarray datasets. Given their straightforwardness and predictability, hierarchical methods generally exhibited the highest robustness on most datasets. Of the more complex strategies, the paraclique algorithm yielded consistently higher robustness than other algorithms tested, approaching and even surpassing hierarchical methods on several datasets. Other techniques exhibited mixed robustness, with no clear distinction between them. Robustness provides a simple and intuitive measure of the stability and predictability of a clustering algorithm. It can be a useful tool to aid both in algorithm selection and in deciding how much effort to devote to parameter tuning.
Space-time evolution of the reactions N 14 + 27 Al, Au 197 at E / A =75 MeV and Xe 129 + 27 Al, Sn 122 at E / A =31 MeV probed by two-proton intensity interferometry

Two-proton correlation functions have been measured at {theta}{sub lab}{approx}25{degree} for the forward kinematics'' reactions {sup 14}N+{sup 27}Al, {sup 14}N+{sup 197}Au at {ital E}/{ital A}=75 MeV, for the inverse kinematics'' reaction {sup 129}Xe+{sup 27}Al at {ital E}/{ital A}=31 MeV, and for the nearly symmetric reaction {sup 129}Xe+{sup 122}Sn at {ital E}/{ital A}=31 MeV. For the reactions at 75 MeV per nucleon, the correlation functions exhibit pronounced maxima at relative proton momenta, {ital q}{approx}20 MeV/{ital c}, and minima at {ital q}{approx}0 MeV/{ital c}. These correlations indicate emission from fast, nonequilibrium processes. They are analyzed in terms of standard Gaussian source parametrizations and compared to microscopic simulations performed with the Boltzmann-Uehling-Uhlenbeck equation. For the reactions at 31 MeV per nucleon, the two-proton correlation functions do not exhibit maxima at {ital q}{approx}20 MeV/{ital c}, but only minima at {ital q}{approx}0 MeV/{ital c}. These correlations indicate emission on a slower time scale. They can be reproduced by calculations based on the Weisskopf formula for evaporative emission from fully equilibrated compound nuclei. For all reactions, the measured longitudinal and transverse correlation functions are very similar, in agreement with theoretical predictions.
Systematics of the sigmatau/sub -/ strength in nuclei

The structure of the $\ensuremath{\sigma}{\ensuremath{\tau}}_{\ensuremath{-}}$ strength function is studied with a zero range interaction. The systematics of the giant Gamow-Teller state requires an interaction strength for ${V}_{\ensuremath{\sigma}\ensuremath{\tau}}$ of about 200-240 MeV ${\mathrm{fm}}^{3}$. While most of the strength goes to a state at high excitation, we find that \ensuremath{\sim}20-30% of the strength remains at low excitation energy. The $L=1$ states show considerable $J$ splitting, with a major peak at \ensuremath{\cong}20 MeV excitation. This peak contains components of $J=0,1, \mathrm{and} 2$. Comparison with the experimental $L=1$ energy shows that the momentum dependence of the $\ensuremath{\sigma}\ensuremath{\tau}$ interaction is small.[NUCLEAR STRUCTURE. Gamow-Teller states and $L=1$ states in adjacent odd-odd mass nuclei of double closed shells. TDA and RPA calculation with zero range interaction.]
Quaestio Disputata: Divine Virtues and Divine Ideas of Virtues:

Benjamin DeSpain has taken issue with my claim that the divine ideas according to Aquinas’s conception cannot be the objects of our moral striving, nor can they be approximated by us. I argue that ...
Utilization and yield of ct urography: Are the american urological association guidelines for imaging of patients with asymptomatic microscopic hematuria being followed?

Please see the Editorial Comment by Lejla Aganovic discussing this article. OBJECTIVE. The purposes of this study were to determine whether patients with asymptomatic microscopic hematuria undergoi...
Spectrophotometric Analysis of Coronal Tooth Discoloration Induced by Tricalcium Silicate Cements in the Presence of Blood.

Abstract Introduction New tricalcium silicate cements have been shown to induce less coronal discoloration. The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the degree of color change induced by various silicate materials in the presence and absence of blood. Methods One hundred human extracted anterior single-canal teeth were sectioned to standardized root lengths, accessed, and instrumented. Eight random experimental groups and 2 control groups were created wherein specimens were filled with experimental materials below the buccal cementoenamel junction as follows: EndoSequence RRM putty (Brasseler USA, Savannah, GA), EndoSequence RRM fast set putty (Brasseler USA), Biodentine (Septodont, Saint-Maur-des-Fosses, France), and white mineral trioxide aggregate (Dentsply Sirona, York, PA) either with the presence or absence of blood. Blood-only and saline-only samples were used for the positive and negative controls. After incubation in 100% humidity at 37°C, color changes were evaluated with a spectrophotometer (Ocean Optics, Dunedin, FL) on days 0, 30, 60, and 180 after material placement. Data were transformed into Commission International de I'Eclairage's L∗a∗b color values, and corresponding ΔE values were calculated. The 1-way analysis of variance test was performed for statistical analysis. Results Discoloration was observed in all specimens in the presence of blood. There was no statistical significance when comparing different materials in contact with blood. Intragroup observation at various time points, Biodentine, and EndoSequence RRM fast set putty showed significant difference between the presence and absence of blood at 180 days (P Conclusions Contamination with blood of tricalcium silicate materials has the potential to cause coronal tooth discoloration.
Hate Crime Victimization and Weapon Use

Prior research has suggested that hate crimes hurt more, in that they are more physically severe than other crimes. A separate body of research has focused on the role of weapons in exacerbating vi...
SLC26A9 SNP rs7512462 is not associated with lung disease severity or lung function response to ivacaftor in cystic fibrosis patients with G551D-CFTR

Abstract Background The CFTR modulator ivacaftor has been variably effective in treating individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF) who harbor CFTR gating variants such as G551D, as well as other classes of CFTR variants when used with other modulators. Because CFTR genotype does not fully explain this variability, defining genetic modifiers of response to modulator therapy is of particular interest to the field of individualized CF drug therapy. Previous studies have proposed that a variant in SLC26A9 (rs7512462) is associated with lung disease severity and with response to treatment with ivacaftor in individuals with CF who carry G551D or gating variants. Methods Given the implications for CF treatment, we re-examined the reported associations in three cohorts; patients enrolled in the Twin and Siblings study at Johns Hopkins University, the CF modifier study at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the prospective G551D Observational (GOAL) study. The GOAL study was specifically designed to measure lung function response to ivacaftor. Results We find no association between SLC26A9 (rs7512462) genotype and lung disease severity (n = 272) or change in lung function at one-, three-, and six-month intervals following ivacaftor treatment(n = 141) in individuals with CF who carry at least one G551D variant. Conclusions Our inability to replicate this association indicates that rs7512462 genotype should not be used in treatment decisions.
Embracing Scientific Humility and Complexity: Learning "What Works for Whom" in Youth Psychotherapy Research.

Clinical psychological scientists have spent decades attempting to understand “what works for whom” in the context of youth psychotherapy, toward the longstanding goal of personalizing psychosocial...
Optimal Multicast Service Chain Control: Packet Processing, Routing, and Duplication

Distributed computing (cloud) networks, e.g., mobile edge computing (MEC), are playing an increasingly important role in the efficient hosting, running, and delivery of real-time stream-processing applications such as industrial automation, immersive video, and augmented reality. While such applications require timely processing of real-time streams that are simultaneously useful for multiple users/devices, existing technologies lack efficient mechanisms to handle their increasingly multicast nature, leading to unnecessary traffic redundancy and associated network congestion. In this paper, we address the design of distributed packet processing, routing, and duplication policies for optimal control of multicast stream-processing services. We present a characterization of the enlarged capacity region that results from efficient packet duplication, and design the first fully distributed multicast traffic management policy that stabilizes any input rate in the interior of the capacity region while minimizing overall operational cost. Numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed policy to achieve throughput- and cost-optimal delivery of stream-processing services over distributed computing networks.
Four Principles for Cultivating Alternate Cultural Paradigms in Psychology: Summary Reflections on Innovative Contributions:

The contributors to this special issue have demonstrated the potency and promise of cultivating Alternate Cultural Paradigms (ACPs) in psychology that reflect and express the lived realities of non...