cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
291 IMMUNOLOGIC ASPECTS OF TUMOR GROWTH IN A RAT MODEL FOLLOWING HEMATOPOIETIC TRANSPLANTATION

A transplantable, DMBA induced breast cancer cell line originating in Wistar Furth (WF) rats was passed in vivo to examine its immunogenic characteristics, responsiveness to irradiation, and the effect of marrow transplantation. Transplantations were performed using marrow from isogeneic WF, allogeneic Lewis (Le), or immunized isogeneic WF rats. Methodologic system components included tumor challenge with 1 × 106 tumor cells, irradiation at a dose of 950 cGy, and infusion of 1 × 107 marrow cells obtained from donors. Nine rats treated with radiation alone died with marrow aplasia in 9 days. Rats challenged with tumor and no therapy died of tumor progression between 22 - 24 days (avg 22.66 ± 0.82, n = 15). Tumor-bearing WF rats treated with isogeneic marrow recovered marrow but died between 29-46 days (avg. 36.44 ± 3.4, n = 18) of tumor growth. WF rats transplanted with Le marrow showed full marrow, delayed tumor growth, but died of GVHD between 21-30 days (avg 26.06 ± 3.63, n = 17). A concurrent control study was carried out to evaluate the effect of administering isogeneic marrow from donors immunized with irradiated tumor cells. Donor resistance to tumor was confirmed following 8 weekly immunizations with irradiated tumor cells. Table 1 shows results of isogeneic immune marrow compared to isogenic and allogeneic grafts. Autografting resulted in minimal impact on survival and no cures, analogous to clinical trial findings. In contrast, significant tumor growth was inhibited (p ≤ .001) when allogeneic grafting was performed. However, when allogeneic transplants were performed GVHD was the major cause of death. The infusion of isogeneic marrow from immunized WF donors resulted in tumor regression without GVHD in all recipient rats (p ≤ .002). We conclude that this model demonstrates evidence of independent graft versus tumor effects in a solid tumor setting and may be useful in exploring cellular infusion approaches to immunogenic tumors.
Self-healing of thermally-induced, biocompatible and biodegradable protein hydrogel

Serum albumin is the most abundant protein in the circulatory system to transport fatty acids, metabolites and drugs. In this study, a highly biocompatible protein hydrogel was prepared from bovine serum albumin (BSA) via thermal treatment. A circular dichroism study indicates that thermally-induced partial unfolding of the protein molecules exposes the buried hydrophobic groups in the core to the environment, thus leading to the formation of fine stranded 3-D networks. By controlling the heating temperature and protein concentration, the mechanical strength and structural stability of the as-prepared BSA hydrogel can be facilely manipulated. The moderate denaturation of the protein within the hydrogel system allows repetitive self-healing after damage when moderate heat was induced. The tensile strength and break strain of fully healed protein hydrogel were recovered to almost 100% of the original strength and elongation abilities. Additionally, the good biocompatibility of this hydrogel system was demonstrated through in vitro cytotoxicity analysis first. Furthermore, in vivo experiments using immunocompetent mice show that the subcutaneously injected hydrogel in mice can be fully degraded with negligible acute inflammatory response, indicating excellent in vivo biocompatibility. These features indicate that the as-developed self-healing protein hydrogel system with good biocompatibility and biodegradability holds great potential in the field of biomedical engineering.
A Postcolonial Theological Reading of the Philippines: Church-State Relation and a Familia Dei Response

In 2013, we celebrated the pertinent time of the 1700th anniversary of the Edict of Milan. Still today we are experiencing the effects of this historical moment. For example in many places in the Philippines, the month of May is known for its very colorful celebration of the “Flores de Mayo” (Flowers of May), also known as the Santacruzan. The celebration reenacts and commemorates Queen Helena and her son Constantine the Great’s discovery of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem and their joyful celebration of thanksgiving upon their return to Rome.1 The biblical and historical characters are represented by beautiful costumes worn by the Filipinos. This celebration that the Filipinos have adopted freely expresses their faith as being the first Christian nation in Asia. We are particularly reminded of this freedom as we celebrate the significant historical event of the 1700th anniversary of the promulgation of the Edict of Milan. It was Emperor Constantine who initiated that Christians worship openly, preach the Gospel boldly, and expand church buildings, which greatly changed the religious landscape of the ancient world.2
Presidential Leadership of the Public Agenda

Numerous studies find that presidents can influence the public agenda through the rhetoric as expressed in their State of the Union Address. Still, there are several limitations of existing research that I deal with in this paper. Existing research tends to look at one issue area at a time, the issue areas investigated are not a representative sample of issues, and existing studies assume independence in attention across issue areas. In this paper, I take a different tack, looking at presidential influence across all issue areas and using an empirical approach that takes account of interdependence of issue attention across issues. I use data from the Policy Agendas Project for the years 1946-2005, organized into a pooled cross section time series. Results indicate that presidents have a discernable effect on the public agenda, which confirms past research, but unlike past research, presidential effects do not appear to decay across the year. The conclusion put the findings into context and makes recommendations for future research.
Floating-Harbor Syndrome

Six unrelated children with a unique association of short stature, dysmorphic features, and speech delay are reported from the Harbor/Univ of California at Los Angeles Med Center, the Kennedy Memorial Hospital, Boston, the Beilinson Med Center, the District General Hospital, Stanford, England, and the Cedars-Sinai Med Cntr, Univ of California, LA.
Biochar and manure alter few aspects of prairie development: A field test

Abstract Biochar and composted manure can impart benefits, such as improved nutrient cycling, increased productivity, and carbon sequestration, when they are applied to agricultural soils. There are limited data, however, on how these additives effect mixed perennial communities. We compare plant and soil community responses by using factorial applications of Royal Oak biochar (0%, 2.6%, and 5.2%) and composted manure (0 and 4.5 kg m −2 ) in a tallgrass prairie restoration in Iowa. We found that biochar contributed to ecosystem function by increasing total carbon in the soil. We also found that biochar increased plant species richness and the 5.2% biochar treatment increased the biomass of plant species in the seed mix. Phosphorus cycling was altered by both the biochar and manure treatments; in soils with manure, biochar addition reduced phosphorus (P) availability compared with the control, but in soils without manure, biochar increased P availability. Belowground, the biochar and manure treatments affected the relative density of gram-negative bacteria, the relative density of actinobacteria, and root colonization by mycorrhizae. Contrary to our hypotheses, however, the biochar and manure treatments did not change total plant cover, total aboveground peak biomass, overall plant community, soil pH, inorganic nitrogen concentrations, extractable soil K, plant tissue N, soil microbial biomass-carbon, nematode density, and overall microbial community composition. Overall, we found several benefits and few externalities associated with biochar and composted manure addition to tallgrass prairie. However, these products can vary considerably and their interactions with soil, plants, and microbes can be situation specific. More study is needed to identify the characteristics of biochar that can affect mixed perennial communities prior to widespread use.
Single Amino Acid Variant Profiles of Subpopulations in the MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cell Line

Cancers are initiated and developed from a small population of stem-like cells termed cancer stem cells (CSCs). There is heterogeneity among this CSC population that leads to multiple subpopulations with their own distinct biological features and protein expression. The protein expression and function may be impacted by amino acid variants that can occur largely due to single nucleotide changes. We have thus performed proteomic analysis of breast CSC subpopulations by mass spectrometry to study the presence of single amino acid variants (SAAVs) and their relation to breast cancer. We have used CSC markers to isolate pure breast CSC subpopulation fractions (ALDH+ and CD44+/CD24– cell populations) and the mature luminal cells (CD49f–EpCAM+) from the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line. By searching the Swiss-CanSAAVs database, 374 unique SAAVs were identified in total, where 27 are cancer-related SAAVs. 135 unique SAAVs were found in the CSC population compared with the mature luminal cells. The distribution of S...
Voices fromWithin: Grotowski’s Polish Collaborators ed. by Paul Allain and Grzegorz Ziółkowski, trans. by Justyna Drobnik-Rogers, Duncan Jamieson, and Adela KarszniaActing with Grotowski: Theatre as a Field for Experiencing Life by Zbigniew Cynkutis, ed. by Paul Allain and Khalid Tyabji, trans. by Khalid Tyabji

A measure of any book is whether it makes you think beyond its pages; Voices from Within and Acting with Grotowski do just that. Both volumes mine rare or otherwise inaccessible sources to bring in...
Low-Cost, Efficient Output-Only Infrastructure Damage Detection With Wireless Sensor Networks

Structural health monitoring (SHM), which is the process of gauging the health of instrumented structures, is becoming increasingly important as much of the world’s transportation infrastructure ages and deteriorates. Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have the potential to deliver continuous SHM at a low cost. We present a novel WSN system that monitors ambient structural vibrations and looks for deviations from a baseline response to assess the condition of the structure under observation. Efficiency is achieved by implementing our damage assessment process with an innovative wireless-sensor-based technique involving look-up tables. By using look-up tables we are able to minimize computations. Only 4–6 integer and two floating-point operations are required per damage assessment. This is in contrast to the majority of other methods that rely on precise engineering models of the monitored structures. Our look-up table technique is benchmarked against the brute force approach, which involves solving equations, by measuring the execution time of each implementation on a low-power Microchip microcontroller. Here, we were able to achieve a speedup of roughly five. In addition, we investigate a tradeoff between average transmission power and the number of measurements required to make a decision as to the structure’s condition. Finally, we benchmark our damage assessment process using a case study to verify its efficacy for bridges.
Abstract TP281: Increased Susceptibility to Excitotoxic Injury in Rat Hippocampal Slices Exposed to Intermittent Hypoxia

Introduction: The effect of sustained hypoxia (SH) on brain metabolism has been well studied. However less is known about intermittent hypoxia (IH), a hallmark of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), associated with increased risk for stroke, outcome severity and functional consequences. Hypothesis: Impaired glutamate homeostasis after IH may underlie increased brain vulnerability to stroke-induced excitotoxicity. Methods: P4 organotypic rat hippocampal slices cultured for 7 days, were exposed for 7 additional days to IH (alternating 2 min 5% O2 - 15 min 21% O2), SH (5% O2) or normoxia (RA; 21% O2), followed by 3 glutamate challenges (first and last 200 μM, 15 min, emulating a physiological stimulus; second, 10 mM, 10 min, emulating stroke-induced excitotoxicity). Viability was assessed by propidium iodide (PI) uptake at baseline then after each glutamate challenge to assess whether hypoxia impairs the response to physiological or excitotoxic glutamate release. Glial GFAP, neuronal MAP2, EAAT1 and EAAT2 glutamate transporters expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry. Spontaneous and evoked Ca2+ transient activity was assessed in Fluo-8LTM AM loaded slices, by optical recording of Ca2+ spikes proximal to a bipolar stimulating electrode, before and after each of 3 single 2 ms stimuli (0.6 mA). Ca2+ transients after high K+ were used to determine the total number of viable cells. Results: Viability, GFAP, MAP2, EAAT1 and EAAT2 expression and basal Ca2+ spikes activity significantly decreased in IH. The number of neurons with spikes evoked within 500 ms of stimuli was not significantly different, but RA evoked responses were more tightly clustered. Residual network activity, assessed by number of neurons with spikes 500 ms post stimulus, was significantly different RA>SH>IH. Overall number of spiking cells after high K+, representing total viable cells, confirmed the viability data obtained with PI staining. Conclusions: IH is more detrimental to cell survival and glutamate homeostasis than SH, suggesting that in addition to vascular changes, impaired glutamate homeostasis may increase OSA patients’ susceptibility to ischemic events.
ESRP1 Mutations Cause Hearing Loss due to Defects in Alternative Splicing that Disrupt Cochlear Development

Summary Alternative splicing contributes to gene expression dynamics in many tissues, yet its role in auditory development remains unclear. We performed whole-exome sequencing in individuals with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) and identified pathogenic mutations in Epithelial Splicing-Regulatory Protein 1 ( ESRP1 ). Patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells showed alternative splicing defects that were restored upon repair of an ESRP1 mutant allele. To determine how ESRP1 mutations cause hearing loss, we evaluated Esrp1 −/− mouse embryos and uncovered alterations in cochlear morphogenesis, auditory hair cell differentiation, and cell fate specification. Transcriptome analysis revealed impaired expression and splicing of genes with essential roles in cochlea development and auditory function. Aberrant splicing of Fgfr2 blocked stria vascularis formation due to erroneous ligand usage, which was corrected by reducing Fgf9 gene dosage. These findings implicate mutations in ESRP1 as a cause of SNHL and demonstrate the complex interplay between alternative splicing, inner ear development, and auditory function.
Diagnostic Accuracy of the Veteran Affairs' Traumatic Brain Injury Screen.

Abstract Objective To comprehensively estimate the diagnostic accuracy and reliability of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Clinical Reminder Screen (TCRS). Design Cross-sectional, prospective, observational study using the Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy criteria. Setting Three VA Polytrauma Network Sites. Participants Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom veterans (N=433). Main Outcome Measures TCRS, Comprehensive TBI Evaluation, Structured TBI Diagnostic Interview, Symptom Attribution and Classification Algorithm, and Clinician-Administered Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Scale. Results Forty-five percent of veterans screened positive on the TCRS for TBI. For detecting occurrence of historical TBI, the TCRS had a sensitivity of .56 to .74, a specificity of .63 to .93, a positive predictive value (PPV) of 25% to 45%, a negative predictive value (NPV) of 91% to 94%, and a diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) of 4 to 13. For accuracy of attributing active symptoms to the TBI, the TCRS had a sensitivity of .64 to .87, a specificity of .59 to .89, a PPV of 26% to 32%, an NPV of 92% to 95%, and a DOR of 6 to 9. The sensitivity was higher for veterans with PTSD (.80–.86) relative to veterans without PTSD (.57–.82). The specificity, however, was higher among veterans without PTSD (.75–.81) relative to veterans with PTSD (.36–.49). All indices of diagnostic accuracy changed when participants with questionably valid (QV) test profiles were eliminated from analyses. Conclusions The utility of the TCRS to screen for mild TBI (mTBI) depends on the stringency of the diagnostic reference standard to which it is being compared, the presence/absence of PTSD, and QV test profiles. Further development, validation, and use of reproducible diagnostic algorithms for symptom attribution after possible mTBI would improve diagnostic accuracy.
Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Predictive Models in Software Engineering

Welcome to PROMISE 2011 in Banff Canada. We are looking forward to an exciting and productive conference, anchored with keynote addresses by two significant contributors to Software Engineering, Massimiliano Di Penta (University of Sannio, Italy) and Laurie Williams (North Carolina State University, USA). PROMISE received 35 full submissions papers in 2011. Each paper was carefully reviewed (with most papers receiving four to five reviews). After the careful evaluations of the program committee, 15 papers were accepted to be presented at the conference. It is notable that we received many high quality submissions and had to make many difficult decisions this year.
Predicting Barriers to Treatment for Depression in a U.S. National Sample: A Cross-Sectional, Proof-of-Concept Study.

Objective:Even though safe and effective treatments for depression are available, many individuals with a diagnosis of depression do not obtain treatment. This study aimed to develop a tool to iden...
Denise Frazer and Paolo Canto: A Case Vignette on Feedback - Paolo Canto's Perspective

Denise Frazer and Paolo Canto, two HBS students, have decided to give each other feedback on their class participation. While Paolo believes that he has been sensitive to Denise in providing feedback, he does not feel that Denise is reciprocating. Her feedback seems to be very negative and feels like a personal attack. He chose to be less negative and use feedback as a way to encourage Denise. He feels that she is not doing the same. Denise and Paolo have set a time to meet to discuss their latest class participation, and Paolo has decided to use this time to address his issues with Denise. This case should be used with its partner case: Denise Frazer and Paolo Canto: A Case Vignette on Feedback - Denise Frazer's Perspective. Learning Objective: To explore the process of providing feedback and coaching to a classmate. Provides opportunity for role-playing and experimentation.
Superior Surgical Approaches to the Diencephalon: Surgery Around the Hypothalamus

This chapter outlines our experience with a number of techniques that can be useful for surgery around the hypothalamus.
Monotone boolean formulas, distributive lattices, and the complexities of logics, algebraic structures, and computation structures (preliminary report)

We refine and significantly extend the known results on the complexities of the Satisfiability, Tautology, Equivalence, and ≤-Problems for classes of Boolean formulas. Results are presented on the relationships between the number of repetitions of variables occurring in formulas and the complexities of decision problems for the formulas. Results are also presented on the complexities of very simple monotone Boolean formulas and of implication.
Introduction to Energy Transfer and Relevant Solid-State Concepts

In order to describe energy transfer involving electronic states of condensed matter the many-body problem is first separated into electronic and nuclear problems, and then the many-electron problem is approximated by one-electron band structure. These analyses are reviewed. Because several mechanisms for electronic energy transfer depend on coupling with nuclear motion, lattice dynamics and electron-phonon interaction are also reviewed. Energy transfer is then considered rather broadly, and resonant and non-resonant transfer, excitonic transfer, Auger transitions, and charge transport by thermal or hot electrons leading to energy transfer, respectively, by capture or collisional excitation are introduced. A glossary of terms relevant to electronic energy transfer completes this introductory chapter.
Mobile targets and sensor mobility in bat biosonar

Many species of echolocating bats pursue highly mobile prey such as flying insects. Target mobility poses a challenge when a prey executes escape maneuvers. In these cases, bats and their prey find themselves locked in evolutionary arms races. However, prey mobility also provides the bats with opportunities for solving the problem of detecting prey buried in clutter. This applies to active as well as passive biosonar. In passive biosonar, bats frequently listen to sounds that are generated involuntarily by the motion of a prey. In active biosonar, certain bat groups have evolved highly specialized biosonar systems to detect flying prey insects by virtue of unique Doppler signatures that are generated by the insect's wing beat. Since the Doppler shifts concerned are very small, this sensory feat requires a well-integrated suit of evolutionary specializations that include sonar signal design, cochlear filtering, representations all through the auditory system, and even adaptive behavioral control of the emitted frequencies. In addition to this complexity, bats with such a biosonar system also employ a peripheral mobility where the baffles for pulse emission and reception move rapidly during biosonar operation. It remains to be seen how these mobilities fit together to support the animal's sensory abilities.Many species of echolocating bats pursue highly mobile prey such as flying insects. Target mobility poses a challenge when a prey executes escape maneuvers. In these cases, bats and their prey find themselves locked in evolutionary arms races. However, prey mobility also provides the bats with opportunities for solving the problem of detecting prey buried in clutter. This applies to active as well as passive biosonar. In passive biosonar, bats frequently listen to sounds that are generated involuntarily by the motion of a prey. In active biosonar, certain bat groups have evolved highly specialized biosonar systems to detect flying prey insects by virtue of unique Doppler signatures that are generated by the insect's wing beat. Since the Doppler shifts concerned are very small, this sensory feat requires a well-integrated suit of evolutionary specializations that include sonar signal design, cochlear filtering, representations all through the auditory system, and even adaptive behavioral control of the emi...
A qualitative case study of CSL learners’ reading strategies

Abstract Reading is a challenging task for Chinese as a second language (CSL) learners. Research has shown that effective use of strategies helps to enhance reading comprehension. However, studies about the reading strategies of CSL learners are extremely limited, and even fewer studies focus on how CSL readers use reading strategies to facilitate comprehension when reading a Chinese text. This case study addressed this gap by conducting an in-depth analysis of how three CSL readers used strategies to enhance their comprehension. Through think-aloud and recall protocols, close observations, and interviews, this study identified 26 comprehension strategies used by these readers during the reading process. It also reported the strategies commonly used by these readers to enhance reading comprehension effectively, such as using context to decode words, monitoring, identifying important information, and skipping unimportant parts. This article presents the study’s findings and their implications.
Prevalence of Chronic Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV in Adult Patients with Sickle Cell Disease

Introduction: Previous studies have shown that general prevalence rate of Hepatitis B is 0.3%, Hepatitis C is 1.3% and HIV is 0.39% in United States and that these infections are more common in low income groups and African Americans. We did retrospective analysis of 458 adult patients with SCD to estimate the prevalence of these infections in our large population. Methods: We retrospectively collected data of 458 adult patients with SCD to calculate prevalence of Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B and HIV. We also collected data of type of SCD and ethnicity. Results: Out of total 458 adult patient with SCD, 25/458(5.4%) had Hepatitis C, 10/458(2.1%) had Hepatitis B and 4/458(0.87%) had HIV. In SC type of SCD, prevalence of Hepatitis B was 1/114(0.87%), Hepatitis C was 4/114(3.5%) and HIV was 1/114(0.87%). In SS type of SCD, prevalence of Hepatitis B was 7/263(2.66%), Hepatitis C was 19/263(7.22%) and HIV 3/263(1.14%). In Sickle beta thal group, prevalence of Hepatitis B was 1/75(1.33%), Hepatitis C was 2/75(2.66%). No cases of HIV were fund in this group. Conclusion: The prevalence of HIV, hepatitis C and hepatitis B is higher in adult patient with SCD compared to general US population. At our institute we screen all patients with SCD for these infections, especially Hepatitis C and refer infected patients for the appropriate treatment. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Circulating Exosomes with Lung Self-Antigens, Kα1Tubulin and Collagen V, and Immune Responses to Lung Self-Antigens Precedes Histological Evidence of Chronic Rejection Following Orthotopic Murine Lung Transplantation

Purpose Lung transplantation (LTx) is a treatment option for end-stage pulmonary diseases. Despite improvements in surgical techniques and post-transplant (Tx) immunosuppression, LTx continues to have one of the poorest long-term outcomes compared to other solid organ Tx, with five year survival of about 50%. Methods Using an orthotopic single LTx model of B6D2F1/J to DBA/2J strain combination, we demonstrate that >80% of transplanted animals developed histological signs of chronic rejection by day 30 of the transplanted lung but not native. We collected blood at days 7, 14, 28, and 30 and serum was tested by ELISA for development of antibodies to lung self-antigens (SAgs), Collagen V (Col-V) and K-alpha 1 Tubulin (Kα1T). Results Significantly elevated levels of antibodies to Col-V and Kα1T were demonstrable on day 14 when there was no histological evidence for chronic rejection of the transplanted lungs. Circulating exosomes were isolated from sera collected on days 7 and 14 which demonstrated increased levels of lung SAgs by western blots in the exosomes isolated from day 14 sera. These results clearly demonstrate that not only antibodies to lung SAgs are present in sera from day 14, but also circulating exosomes with Col-V and Ka1T are easily demonstrable in sera collected on day-14. Semi-quantitation of western blot by densitometry further demonstrated significantly increased levels of exosomes with lung SAgs starting from day 14 until sacrifice on day 30. Splenocytes isolated following sacrifice demonstrated specific reactivity to lung SAgs with significantly high frequency of IFN-γ (Col-V 109±2.5, Kα1T 101±5.5) and TNF-α (Col-V 39±1.5, Kα1T 53±5.5) secreting cells by ELISPOT. Conclusion Taken together our results demonstrate that circulating exosomes with lung SAgs and de novo development of antibodies to lung SAgs occurs prior to histological evidence of chronic rejection in this murine model of chronic rejection following orthotopic single LTx suggesting that circulating exosomes with lung SAgs can contribute in the pathogenesis of chronic rejection following LTx. Further, our data suggests that circulating exosomes with lung SAgs could be a potential biomarker for patients at risk for developing chronic rejection following human LTx.
Solving the simultaneous truel in The Weakest Link: Nash or revenge?

Abstract The game show The Weakest Link contains a version of the three-way duel, or truel, a strategic situation which historically has attracted considerable attention from economists and mathematicians. Data collected from actual episodes of the show provide an excellent opportunity to test behavioral motivations of this classic problem in a natural laboratory with substantial monetary payoffs. We use data from U.S., French, and British versions of the show and compute the Nash equilibria for each episode based on the maximization of monetary returns. We then analyze whether players play Nash strategies; whether their decisions are motivated by race, gender, or age discrimination; or whether they are motivated by reciprocity/revenge based on player interactions in previous rounds. There is only limited evidence that players play Nash equilibrium strategies or that they engage in race and age discrimination. The strongest predictor of behavior is reciprocity—players taking revenge on those voting against them in previous rounds.
Palladium-Catalyzed Regioselective [3 + 2] Annulation of Internal Alkynes and Iodo-pyranoquinolines with Concomitant Ring Opening

A regioselective tandem synthesis of highly functionalized pyrrolo[1,2-a]quinolines has been developed through a novel strategy by palladium-catalyzed [3 + 2] annulation of iodo-pyranoquinolines and internal alkynes with subsequent ring opening. Pyranoquinoline with n-alkyl substitution at the 3-position leads to the formation of pyrrolo-acridones via [3 + 2] annulations/ring opening and successive intramolecular cross-aldol condensation.
The dynamic shear moduli of whale blubber.

Background Blubber is a thick adipose tissue located beneath the dermas. Its viscoelastic properties affect whale tracking tag design, hydrodynamics, and acoustical properties that can be used to study animal behavior and avoid ship strikes. Objective Measure the dynamic shear storage and loss moduli for whale blubber at distances below the dermas for several species. Also, measure the non-collagen and collagen protein content to explore a correlation to viscoelastic properties. Methods Blubber samples were obtained from whale strandings (humpback, sperm, and two gray) in the Pacific Northwest. Shear moduli were measured at oscillation frequencies of 0.31 Hz to 25 Hz using a rotational rheometer. Protein content was measured using a staining protocol. Results Storage modulus and loss modulus variation with frequency was very consistent across all samples tested. Log-linear and extended polynomials respectively had R-squared values of at least 0.96. Variation of both moduli with depth was fit reasonably well by fourth-order polynomials. Protein content trends varied with species. Conclusions The samples used in this study were necrotic tissue, however the variation with frequency and to a lesser extent depth was very consistent and may have a broader applicability. Protein content was not found to correlate to moduli values.
Mothers and fathers in the criminal justice system and children’s child protective services involvement

Abstract Background Parental criminal justice system (CJS) involvement is a marker for child protective services (CPS) involvement. Objective To document how parental criminal case processing affects children’s CPS involvement. Participants and setting Participants included mothers and fathers with a serious criminal charge (mothers = 78,882; fathers = 165,070) and without any criminal charge (mothers = 962,963; fathers = 743,604) between 2008-2012. Statewide North Carolina records on court proceedings, births, CPS assessments/investigations, and foster care placements were used. Methods The observational unit was an individual’s first charge date of a year. Outcomes were CPS assessment/investigation and foster care entry within six months and alternatively three years following the charge. Key explanatory variables were whether the charges resulted in prosecution, conviction following prosecution, and an active sentence conditional on conviction. An instrumental variables approach was used. Results Parents charged with a criminal offense had higher rates of having a CPS assessment/investigation during the three years preceding the charge than parents who were not charged. Among mothers who were convicted, CPS assessment/investigation increased 8.1 percent (95 % CI: 2.2, 13.9) and 9.5 percent (95 % CI: 1.3, 17.6) 6 months and 3 years following the charge. An active sentence increased CPS assessment/investigations by 21.6 percent (95 % CI: 6.4, 36.7) within 6 months. For fathers, active sentence increased foster care placement by 1.6 percent (95 % CI: 0.24, 2.9) within 6 months of the criminal charge. Conclusions Changing parental incarceration rates would change CPS caseloads substantially. The criminal justice and CPS systems work with overlapping populations, data and services sharing should be considered a high priority.
Cluster-assembled magnetic nanostructures and materials

Abstract Cluster beam deposition provides the opportunity to create novel, highly uniform nanostructures, and the far-from-equilibrium nature of the processing offers pathways to new materials and phases. Because cluster-based processing produces uniform sub-10 nm nanoparticles, nanostructures can be constructed at the convergence of important magnetic length scales, notably to produce exchange-coupled permanent magnet materials with superior energy densities. Further, the nonequilibrium nature of the condensation process promotes extension of the solid solubility of normally immiscible components, providing opportunities to explore new materials. Here, we report efforts at developing new nanostructures and materials for use in permanent magnet applications.
Meeting with the Dean and Getting Hired

You have just met with the dean and/or the department chair, and you have been offered a class teaching College-Level Quantitative Research Methods Course. Congratulations! What should you do at that meeting and how do you plan the course from there? This chapter will take you from that meet up until the time that you start your syllabus. This chapter will discuss the hiring process in general, meeting with the dean or department chair, questions to ask them, what to expect from human resources, and what types of documents you might need to present. This chapter will also focus on hiring topics specifically related to research methods such as what type of software the college uses or whether statistics courses are required for students before taking your class. It will also address questions about the textbook and who has control over that topic.
Light-regulated expression of the psbD gene family in Synechococcus sp. strain PCC 7942: evidence for the role of duplicated psbD genes in cyanobacteria.

The genome of the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. strain PCC 7942 contains two psbD genes encoding the D2 protein of the photosystem II reaction center: psbDI, which is cotranscribed as a discistronic message with psbC (the gene encoding CP43, a chlorophyll-a binding protein), and psbDII, which is monocistronic. Northern blot analysis of psbD transcripts showed that the two genes responded differently when wild-type cells were shifted from moderate to high light intensity. Whereas psbDII transcripts increased 500% relative to unshifted control cells, psbDI-psbC transcripts remained unchanged. The β-galactosidase activities expressed from translational fusions between the psbD genes and the Escherichia coli lacZ reporter gene displayed responses similar to those seen in the RNA. D2 protein levels in thylakoid membranes from wild-type cells increased to 250% of those of the unshifted control cells 12 h after a shift to high light intensities. In contrast, in a mutant strain (AMC016) that carries an inactive psbDII gene, D2 levels decreased by 50% under identical conditions. These results suggested that induction of psbDII gene expression by light can serve as a supplementary system for maintaining a functional photosystem II reaction center at high light intensity. This hypothesis was corroborated by mixed-culture experiments, in which AMC016 cells competed poorly with wild-type cells at high light intensity. These data suggest for the first time that differential expression of members of a cyanobacterial gene family serves to maintain a functional PSII reaction center under diverse environmental conditions.
Import Milk Act

The purpose of this legislation was to prevent the importation of unfit milk into the United States. Enforcement was first assigned to the Secretary of Agriculture, then transferred to the Federal Security Administrator in 1940, and finally transferred to the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare in 1953.
Non-Asymptotic Performance Guarantees for Neural Estimation of $\mathsf{f}$-Divergences

Statistical distances (SDs), which quantify the dissimilarity between probability distributions, are central to machine learning and statistics. A modern method for estimating such distances from data relies on parametrizing a variational form by a neural network (NN) and optimizing it. These estimators are abundantly used in practice, but corresponding performance guarantees are partial and call for further exploration. In particular, there seems to be a fundamental tradeoff between the two sources of error involved: approximation and estimation. While the former needs the NN class to be rich and expressive, the latter relies on controlling complexity. This paper explores this tradeoff by means of non-asymptotic error bounds, focusing on three popular choices of SDs -- Kullback-Leibler divergence, chi-squared divergence, and squared Hellinger distance. Our analysis relies on non-asymptotic function approximation theorems and tools from empirical process theory. Numerical results validating the theory are also provided.
Psychosocial health of school-aged children during the initial COVID-19 safer-at-home school mandates in Florida: a cross-sectional study.

Given the emerging literature regarding the impacts of lockdown measures on mental health, this study aims to describe the psychosocial health of school-aged children and adolescents during the COVID-19 Safer-at-Home School mandates. A cross-sectional study was conducted in April 2020 (n = 280) among K-12 students at a research school in North Central Florida. Bivariate analysis and logistic and multinomial logistic regression models were used to examine socio-demographic and knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) predictors of indicators of anxiety-related, depressive, and obsessive-compulsive disorder(OCD)-related symptoms. Outcomes (anxiety, OCD, and depressive related symptoms) were measured by indices generated based on reported symptoms associated with each psychosocial outcome. Loss of household income was associated with increased risk for all three index-based outcomes: depressive symptoms [aOR = 3.130, 95% CI = (1.41–6.97)], anxiety-related symptoms [aOR = 2.531, 95%CI = (1.154–5.551)], and OCD-related symptoms [aOR = 2.90, 95%CI = (1.32–6.36)]. Being female was associated with being at higher risk for depressive symptoms [aOR = 1.72, 95% CI = (1.02–2.93)], anxiety-related symptoms [aOR = 1.75, 95% CI = (1.04–2.97)], and OCD-related symptoms [aOR = 1.764, 95%CI = (1.027–3.028)]. Parental practices protective against COVID-19 were associated with children being at higher risk of depressive symptoms [aOR = 1.55, 95% CI = (1.04–2.31)]. Lower school level was associated with children being at higher risk of anxiety-related and OCD-related symptoms. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, schools should prioritize mental health interventions that target younger, female students, and children of families with income loss. Limiting the spread of COVID-19 through school closure may exacerbate negative psychosocial health outcomes in children, thus school administrators should move quickly to target those at greatest risk.
Studying the flow field in a hydrocyclone with no forced vortex

Abstract The study of the turbulent flow in hydrocyclones is of great importance to the further understanding of the three-dimensional flow field and improving the performance of the hydrocyclones. However, little attention has been given to this topic so far. By measuring the three-dimensional turbulent flow in hydrocyclones with no forced vortex and with an air core, respectively, by Laser Doppler Anemometer (LDA), the general distributions of the turbulence and its influence on the operation of the hydrocyclone are revealed systematically in this paper and the superiority of the new hydrocyclone with no forced vortex over the conventional one in the turbulence pattern is verified.
A Restricted Problem of Four Bodies

A restricted four-body problem of the Sun, the Moon, the Earth, and a deep-space probe of high eccentricity, large semi-major axis and large inclination is studied. Emphasis is centered on the variations of the Jacobian constant of the associated restricted three-body problem due to the Sun, higher order geopotential functions and the atmospheric drag. The orbital evolution of the probe under the various forces is also analyzed. The study employs a special perturbations orbit propogation program using an eighth-order Gauss-Jackson integrator. Preliminary numerical results are presented.
Education: Music Training Plus Spatial-Temporal Training Improves Math

Thus long-term changes in neuronal connections in the children's brains have been made after piano lesson. It is suspected that these changes must be reinforced through continued music training if they are to become truly long term. However, the timescale of days is certainly sufficient for this enhanced spatial-temporal ability to be of enormous use in an educational setting. The ability to do spatial-temporal reasoning allows the child to make and maintain mental images, transform these images, and compare and evaluate them using symmetry relations. This ability is an innate one, which has been suggested, is built into the Mountcastle columnar principle of mammalian cortex. It is a marvelous ability that must be developed. The chief goals of S.T.A.R. are to teach fractions, proportional math, and symmetry operations to second grade children. These math concepts are all successfully included in S.T.A.R. in a manner that is readily understood and mastered by these children, as measured by S.T.A.R. E.P.
Evolution of Law: Dynamic Regulation in a New Institutional Economics Framework

The literature on New Institutional Economics (NIE) evaluates the relationship between public and private rulemaking in the evolution of law. This paper introduces the concept of dynamic regulation as an optimization process for the learning experience in the NIE framework. Dynamic regulation describes intra- and inter-jurisdictional feedback effects between different public rulemakers and between private and public rulemakers. Dynamic elements in the rulemaking process may increase the availability of relevant information for rulemaking and may improve institutional design.
Following the Money: The Influence of Campaign Finance Reform in the 2011 Chicago Mayoral Election

In this research we study the effect of recently enacted campaign contribution limits in Illinois via an examination of the 2011 Chicago mayoral election. Because contribution limits for state and local campaigns were implemented in the middle of the race for mayor we are uniquely positioned to test the efficacy of the new law. In theory we expect contribution limits to cause candidates to rely on more contributors making smaller donations. Our results indicate that the reform measure did not prompt candidates to broaden their fundraising base, and only when Rahm Emanuel's campaign is considered alongside his opponents’ did the fundraising law reduce average contributions. In a concluding section we address the issue of whether the contribution limits established under the law are too high to produce meaningful reform.
Measurement of Visual Strain in Radiologists

Rationale and Objectives The authors hypothesized that the current practice of radiology produces oculomotor fatigue that reduces diagnostic accuracy. Materials and Methods Testing this hypothesis required an ability to measure eyestrain. This capability was developed by measuring the visual accommodation of radiologists before and after diagnostic viewing work using an autorefractor that was capable of making multiple measurements of accommodation per second. Three radiologists and three residents focused on a simple target placed at near to far distances while accommodation was measured. The target distances varied from 20 to 183 cm from the eye. The data were collected prior to and after a day of digital diagnostic viewing. Results The results indicated that accommodation at near distances was significantly worse overall compared to far distances and was significantly worse after a day of digital reading at all distances. Conclusions Because diagnostic image interpretation is performed at near viewing distances, this inability to maintain focus on an image could affect diagnostic accuracy. As expected, younger residents had better accommodative accuracy than older radiologists.
Closed-Cycle Refrigerator Solution and Rotating Solid Sample Cells for Anaerobic Resonance Raman Spectroscopy

There are a large number of substances whose resonance Raman (RR) spectra are of interest but which are prepared in low yields in one laboratory while spectral measurements are performed in another. This generally creates some experimental problems, especially when the samples in question remain stable only below room temperature and/or must be handled under anaerobic conditions. Most of the existing Raman cells require transfer of the sample from a storage vessel into the cell, and this additional manipulation may easily destroy compounds which are temperature- or O2-sensitive before their spectra can be recorded. This paper describes a miniature Raman cell for frozen solutions that once loaded with sample can be shipped between laboratories in dry ice or liquid N2 and then attached without further manipulation to a helium closed-cycle refrigerator (CCR) station for RR measurements. The main features of the cell are: (1) very small quantities of sample are required, i.e., <30 μL; (2) the cell atmosphere is controlled; (3) cryogenic temperatures are obtained; and (4) Raman scattering originates directly from the surface of a frozen solution. These make the CCR minicell particularly advantageous for studying biological compounds which are isolated in small amounts or may be very expensive.
Cultural influences upon psychopathology: Clinical and practical implications

Information on the role of cultural factors in abnormal behavior and experience is selectively reviewed, and several conclusions are drawn about the nature, extent, and impact of such influence. Although a number of demonstrated universals exist in the manifestations of schizophrenia and depression, the scope of cultural variation in all aspects of psychopathology is vast. Both universalist and relativist positions in their pure or exclusive form are rejected and the view is espoused that psychological manifestations are the joint result of panhuman and culture-specific factors. Several conclusions concerning the operation and the results of such influences are presented and the issues that are as yet unresolved are identified. The self is introduced as the key concept in explaining both the constancy and the variation of experience across cultures and four dimensions derived from Hofstede's worldwide multicultural research are described. Their potential relevance is spelled out for systematically investigating the culturally preferred and/or characteristic modalities of psychotherapy.