cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A novel method for rapid elimination of sturgeon egg stickiness using sodium hypochlorite

Abstract Reducing egg stickiness is a crucial step in artificial culture of sturgeon eggs, with commonly used methods being time consuming or interfering with hatching. Sodium hypochlorite (SH) at varying concentrations and exposure times was tested on sterlet Acipenser ruthenus eggs, with 0.03% SH for 40 s effectively eliminating stickiness without impairment to eggs, embryo development, or hatching when compared with other de-adhesion methods (clay; NaCl, urea, and tannic acid). Field tests using sterlet, Siberian sturgeon Acipenser baerii, and Russian sturgeon Acipenser gueldenstaedtii showed similar numbers of larvae hatched using SH and clay. Immunohistochemistry revealed a protein carbonyl group only on the surface of eggs treated with SH, evidence of oxidation as the mode of action and indicating that oxidation did not affect inner egg layers or cytoplasm. Treatment with SH is a rapid, simple, and inexpensive method for de-adhesion of sturgeon eggs. Statement of relevance Sturgeons represent a valuable group of fish in aquaculture, especially for caviar, but also for meat production. This study describes a novel approach to sturgeon egg de-adhesion involving oxidation of egg surface. The method requires little time, is low cost, and disinfects and softens the egg surface, which facilitates hatching.
How to Choose an Animal Model

Much of the experimental work needed to elucidate the basic biological and behavioral mechanisms of aging cannot be conducted with human subjects. The use of animal models is often the best alternative strategy. The problem then becomes, what are the most appropriate models for a particular research question. Making the “right” choice may be the most important factor in the success of the research and in the acceptance of the results by other scientists.
3-µm-band high output erbium-doped fiber lasers

CW and Q-switched fiber lasers emitting in 3-µm band have been developed using Er-doped ZBLAN double-clad fibers. CW output power of 3 W and pulse energy of 0.55 mJ are achieved.
Nano-engineered materials for Fischer-Tropsch catalysis

Pure and bimetallic nanoclusters containing Ru, Fe, Ni, Co, Pd, and Mn have been explored for Fischer-Tropsch activity. Using Density Functional Theory, nanoclusters of approximately 0.5, 0.8, and 1.5 nm in diameter respectively were found to have particular structural stability. Classical Molecular Dynamics simulations have been conducted to investigate the thermal stability of the nanoclusters of about 1.2 to 1.5 nm in diameter, as those are typically the smallest sizes that can be achieved experimentally. These cluster sizes showed thermal stability at the typical temperature of the FT process (200 – 250°C range). CO adsorption energies on several nanocatalysts were calculated for adsorption on all different possible sites. Using CO adsorption energy results in combination with CO dissociation energies, a smaller list of nanoclusters were identified as potentially effective catalysts for FT catalysis, and selected for further reactivity testing. Particularly, Fe4Co10 seems to be a promising candidate, as both CO adsorption and dissociation energies are favorable. The effectiveness of Fe4Co10 upon Fischer-Tropsch activity has been explored and results obtained at the LDA/VWN theory level are in good agreement with the literature, as the formation of adsorbed HCOH species on the catalyst surface was found to be one of the rate determining steps, as expected, with an energy barrier of 0.14 eV/atom.
A New Method in User-Centered Design: Collaborative Prototype Design Process (CPDP):

To build upon user-centered design methods, we used a collaborative and multi-modal approach to involve users early in the design process for a website. This article presents our methods and result...
Abstract 5669: Aldose reductase is a novel therapeutic target to prevent oxidative stress-induced inflammatory signals in prostate cancer

Prostate Cancer (PC) is one of the most common cancers in American men, especially as they age. Although PC initially responds to androgen therapy, as the cancer progresses it usually becomes androgen-independent and prone to metastasis and multi-drug resistance, which kills the majority of patients within 5 years of diagnosis. Therefore, it is necessary to develop better therapeutic strategies which could prevent both early and late stage PC. Our recent studies demonstrate that Aldose Reductase (AR) is the main mediator of inflammatory signals induced by growth factors, cytokines, chemokines, carcinogens etc. Since inflammation is known to play a central role in PC, we investigated the possible role of AR in heterogenous androgen-dependent, -independent, and multi-drug resistant PC cells. Using androgen -dependent LNCaP and -independent PC-3 cells, we have determined the effect of AR inhibition on growth factors such as IGF- and EGF -induced proliferation, cell cycle progression, and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). We also determined the effect of AR inhibition on the phosphorylation/expression of androgen receptor, PSA, AKT/PI3K, NF-kB etc in PC cells. Our results show that inhibition of AR by fidarestat significantly prevented the IGF -and EGF-induced proliferation and generation of ROS in both androgen -dependent (LNCaP) and -independent (PC3) PC cells. Cell cycle analysis suggested that inhibition of AR prevents IGF-induced entry of cells from G 1 to S phase in PC3 cells. Inhibition of AR also prevented IGF-induced activation of AKT/PI3K and NF-kB. Results with androgen-dependent LNCaP cells showed that inhibition of AR prevented the phosphorylation of androgen receptor, and secretion and expression of PSA when cells were cultured in 5% serum. Further, inhibition of AR increased the drug-sensitivity of multi-drug-resistant PC3 cells against chemotherapeutic agents such as cisplatin, docetaxel, doxorubicin, and methotrexate. These results indicate that AR mediates oxidative stress -induced inflammatory signals in prostate carcinogenesis. Hence, AR inhibition could be a potential therapeutic target against prostate cancer. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5669.
A Fail-safe Device for Environmental Chambers

A simple electronic circuit has been developed for use as a fail-safe device to disconnect power to a malfunctioning environmental chamber. It is used as a backup device for a thermostat or temperature controller with high and low limit regulation. The proven concept is that developing insects suffer less damage in a nonfunctioning insulated chamber than they do in one that is malfunctioning.
Associated factors with smoking initiation among secondary students in different gender

Objective The aim of this study is to explore associated factors regarding gender differences in smoking initiation. Methods A total of 4 665 secondary students were selected by multi-stage random sampling. Questionnaire survey included demographic characteristics,tobacco-free related knowledge,attitude and behavior,smoking exposure at school and tobacco use prevention education.Multi-group path analysis with latent variable was used. Results The prevalence of smoking initiation was18.5% and 7.1% in boys and girls,respectively.For males and females,peer smoking and beliefs in the harmfulness of smoking had the greatest effect on smoking initiation,with standardized total effect size 0.26 and-0.24,respectively. Additionally,tobacco use prevention education had a negative association with smoking initiation among females( standardized total effect size of-0.01) and had no effect on males.The effect of staff smoking on beliefs in the benefits of smoking in males was greater than that in females,with the standardized direct effect size of 0.17 and 0.09. Conclusion School-based tobacco control programs should take gender into consideration and be comprehensive in their approach.
Modeling the impact of growth and leptin deficits on the neuronal regulation of blood pressure

The risk of hypertension is increased by intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and preterm birth. In the search for modifiable etiologies for this life-threatening cardiovascular morbidity, a number of pathways have been investigated, including excessive glucocorticoid exposure, nutritional deficiency and aberration in sex hormone levels. As a neurotrophic hormone that is intimately involved in the cardiovascular regulation and whose levels are influenced by glucocorticoids, nutritional status and sex hormones, leptin has emerged as a putative etiologic and thus a therapeutic agent. As a product of maternal and late fetal adipocytes and the placenta, circulating leptin typically surges late in gestation and declines after delivery until the infant consumes sufficient leptin-containing breast milk or accrues sufficient leptin-secreting adipose tissue to reestablish the circulating levels. The leptin deficiency seen in IUGR infants is a multifactorial manifestation of placental insufficiency, exaggerated glucocorticoid exposure and fetal adipose deficit. The preterm infant suffers from the same cascade of events, including separation from the placenta, antenatal steroid exposure and persistently underdeveloped adipose depots. Preterm infants remain leptin deficient beyond term gestation, rendering them susceptible to neurodevelopmental impairment and subsequent cardiovascular dysregulation. This pathologic pathway is efficiently modeled by placing neonatal mice into atypically large litters, thereby recapitulating the perinatal growth restriction-adult hypertension phenotype. In this model, neonatal leptin supplementation restores the physiologic leptin surge, attenuates the leptin-triggered sympathetic activation in adulthood and prevents leptin- or stress-evoked hypertension. Further pathway interrogation and clinical translation are needed to fully test the therapeutic potential of perinatal leptin supplementation.
Determination of Rhodium-Alkoxide Bond Strengths in Tp'Rh(PMe3)(OR)H.

The active fragment [Tp′Rh(PMe3)], generated from a thermal precursor Tp′Rh(PMe3)(CH3)H, underwent oxidative addition of water and alcohols to give O–H adducts of the type Tp′Rh(PMe3)(OR)H (R = H, Me, Et, nPr, nBu, CH2Ph, iPr, c-pentyl, CH2CF3, CH2CH2OH) at ambient temperature. These activation products eliminate water or alcohols in benzene, which allows determination of the relative metal–oxygen bond energies by using previously established kinetics techniques. Analysis of the relationship between the relative M–O bond strengths and O–H bond strengths showed a linear correlation with RM–O/O–H of 0.97 (3) for aliphatic alcohols. The two extraordinary substrates (R = CH2CF3, CH2CH2OH) both have stronger M–O bonds than would be predicted from this trend, suggesting the stabilization of the M–O bond when an electron-withdrawing substituent is present as previously seen in M–C bond strengths. In addition, the O–H activation products of aliphatic alcohols are thermally unstable at 80 °C, as rearrangement to f...
The bacterial catabolism of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: Characterization of three hydratase-aldolase-catalyzed reactions☆

Summary Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are highly toxic, pervasive environmental pollutants with mutagenic, teratogenic, and carcinogenic properties. There is interest in exploiting the nutritional capabilities of microbes to remove PAHs from various environments including those impacted by improper disposal or spills. Although there is a considerable body of literature on PAH degradation, the substrates and products for many of the enzymes have never been identified and many proposed activities have never been confirmed. This is particularly true for high molecular weight PAHs (e.g., phenanthrene, fluoranthene, and pyrene). As a result, pathways for the degradation of these compounds are proposed to follow one elucidated for naphthalene with limited experimental verification. In this pathway, ring fission produces a species that can undergo a non-enzymatic cyclization reaction. An isomerase opens the ring and catalyzes a cis to trans double bond isomerization. The resulting product is the substrate for a hydratase-aldolase, which catalyzes the addition of water to the double bond of an α,β-unsaturated ketone, followed by a retro-aldol cleavage. Initial kinetic and mechanistic studies of the hydratase-aldolase in the naphthalene pathway (designated NahE) and two hydratase-aldolases in the phenanthrene pathway (PhdG and PhdJ) have been completed. Crystallographic work on two of the enzymes (NahE and PhdJ) provides a rudimentary picture of the mechanism and a platform for future work to identify the structural basis for catalysis and the individual specificities of these hydratase-aldolases.
Accuracy of next-generation sequencing for the identification of clinically relevant variants in cytology smears in lung adenocarcinoma.

Background Minimally invasive diagnostic procedures such as needle-core biopsy and fine-needle aspiration provide adequate material for molecular analyses. Advances in precision oncology are trending toward the interrogation of limited amounts of genomic material to guide clinical and therapeutic decisions. The aim of this study was to investigate the minimum cellularity needed on cytologic smears for the identification of clinically relevant variants with next-generation sequencing (NGS). Methods Thirty cases of cytologically diagnosed, resection-proven primary lung adenocarcinoma were identified. Nineteen of the 30 cases were known to harbor actionable variants. One Diff-Quik (DQ)-stained slide and 1 Papanicolaou (Pap)-stained slide were selected from each case. Cases were categorized as containing fewer than 100 tumor cells, 100 to 500 tumor cells, or more than 500 tumor cells. NGS was performed on the Ion Torrent platform. Results NGS was successfully performed on all cell blocks and on 90% of the smears. Paired DQ and Pap smears showed similar cellularity, and cases that differed in cellularity were within 1 category of each other. The cases with more than 100 tumor cells had a 93% success rate; this was significantly different from the situation for cases with fewer than 100 tumor cells, which were successfully sequenced only 67% of the time. Overall, NGS was able to provide clinically relevant information for 83% of DQ smears and for 90% of Pap smears tested. Conclusions The data show a significantly higher likelihood of successful NGS with cytologic smears with more than 100 tumor cells. There was a trend for a higher NGS success rate with Pap smears versus DQ smears. Cancer Cytopathol 2017;125:398-406. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
Breastfeeding: What Do We Know, and Where Do We Go From Here?

Exclusive breastfeeding through age 6 months with continued breastfeeding to 12 months and beyond is the optimal infant feeding method because of its lifesaving benefits for children and mothers worldwide.1,2 Breastfeeding reduces all-cause and infection-related child mortality, sudden infant death syndrome–related mortality, and maternal breast cancer and cardiovascular risk; the effect of breast milk is dose-dependent, with exclusivity and longer duration increasing benefits.3–5 With this background, Dr Lisa-Christine Girard and colleagues have conducted a unique and thoughtful study to examine the impact of breastfeeding on language, problem behaviors, and cognition in Irish children at ages 3 and 5 years.6 In their sample of >8000 children, the breastfed and not-breastfed groups were clinically and statistically different. This difference is especially important because there may be differences between mothers who do and do not breastfeed that are not known to the researchers (or anyone else) that either directly affect the outcome being studied or affect the outcome indirectly via another social or environmental factor (ie, as a mediator). Even randomization does not ensure perfect distribution of … Address correspondence to Lydia Furman, MD, Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Room 784, MS 6019, Department of Pediatrics, Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, 11100 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44016. E-mail: lydia.furman{at}uhhospitals.org
The Effects of Vitamin D Binding Protein (VDBP) Genotypes on Circulating 25(OH)D and VDBP Levels during Pregnancy

Vitamin D deficiency is widespread and is particularly problematic during pregnancy, because vitamin D plays a major role in the development of the fetus and is associated with greater birth weight...
Atherogenic Lipoprotein Determinants of Cardiovascular Disease and Residual Risk Among Individuals With Low Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol.

Background Levels of LDL (low‐density lipoprotein) cholesterol in the population are declining, and increasing attention is being focused on residual lipid‐related pathways of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk beyond LDL cholesterol. Among individuals with low ( Methods and Results We performed proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to quantify concentrations of LDL and VLDL (very low‐density lipoprotein) particle subclasses in 11 984 JUPITER trial participants (NCT00239681). Adjusted Cox models examined cardiovascular disease risk associated with lipoprotein measures according to treatment allocation. Risk (adjusted hazard ratio [95%CI] per SD increment) among placebo‐allocated participants was associated with total LDL particles (1.19 [1.02, 1.38]) and total VLDL particles (1.21 [1.04, 1.41]), as well as apolipoprotein B, non–high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides, but not LDL‐c. Rosuvastatin reduced LDL measures but had variable effects on triglyceride and VLDL measures. On‐statin levels of the smallest VLDL particle subclass were associated with a 68% per‐SD (adjusted hazard ratio 1.68 [1.28, 2.22]) increase in residual risk—this risk was related to VLDL cholesterol and not triglyceride or larger VLDL particles. There was evidence that residual risk prediction during statin therapy could be significantly improved through the inclusion of key VLDL measures (Harrell C‐index 0.780 versus 0.712; P Conclusions Atherogenic lipoprotein particle concentrations were associated with cardiovascular disease risk when LDL cholesterol was low. VLDL lipoproteins, particularly the smallest remnant subclass, may represent unused targets for risk prediction and potential therapeutic intervention for reducing residual risk. Clinical Trial Registration URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00239681.
Unmarried Couples and the Mortgage Interest Deduction

On March 13, 2009, the Internal Revenue Service released Chief Counsel Advisory 200911007, concluding that unmarried co-owners of a residence were limited to mortgage interest deductions on $1 million of acquisition indebtedness. CCA 200911007 reasons that the $1 million limit should be applied per residence rather than per taxpayer. This article criticizes the IRS position.
SEASONAL CAPTURES OF BOLLWORM AND TOBACCO BUDWORM (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE) MALES IN PHEROMONE-BAITED TRAPS IN LOUISIANA

Pheromone traps baited with synthetic sex lures of the bollworm, Heliothis zea (Boddie), and the tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens (F.), were monitored over an eight-year period (1980–1987) in L...
What gives your life meaning (WGYLM)? Strategies to encourage advanced care planning.

8Background: Conversations regarding healthcare decisions are central to patient-and-family-centered care. Early and regular advanced care planning (ACP) conversations benefit the patient, family, multidisciplinary team, and healthcare system. Initiatives targeting employee’s participation in their own ACP may extend to improvement in patients’ ACP utilization. Methods: A social experiment entitled, “What gives your life meaning” (WGYLM?) initially developed at California State University, San Marcos to increase student’s awareness of ACP was adapted to focus health system’s employees’ attention on ACP over the course of a 3-month campaign that culminated during National Healthcare Decisions week. Results: 55 volunteers were involved in the campaign. Over 10,000 workstation screensavers displayed campaign slogans. A system-wide newsletter with 12,500 subscribers included a campaign write-up. The local newspaper featured a front-page color article. Almost 1,700 post-its with comments of what gives their li...
Efficient and Stable Pt/TiO2/CdS/Cu2BaSn(S,Se)4 Photocathode for Water Electrolysis Applications

The Cu2BaSnS4–xSex (CBTSSe) system has attracted remarkable attention as an emerging chalcogenide semiconductor with desirable electronic and optical properties for solar energy conversion applications. The current study combines sputtered band gap-tailored CBTSSe films with TiO2/CdS protective overlayers to significantly improve photoelectrochemical (PEC) properties as well as device stability in aqueous solutions under AM 1.5G simulated sunlight. The Pt/TiO2/CdS/CBTSSe(x ≈ 3) photocathode exhibits relatively high photocurrent (∼12.08 mA/cm2 at 0 V/RHE, i.e., the highest value reported for CBTSSe-based PEC devices) and stable hydrogen evolution for more than 10 h. The applied TiO2/CdS layers protect the underlying CBTSSe and create desirable band alignment for efficient charge extraction at the heterointerfaces. The present results highlight the opportunities that CBTSSe materials provide as efficient and stable photocathodes for water electrolysis.
Sosa’s theory of knowledge

This paper is a critical discussion of Ernest Sosa’s recent analysis of reflective knowledge.
PREVALENCE AND PREDICTORS OF DECISION REGRET IN LEFT VENTRICULAR ASSIST DEVICE PATIENTS

Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVADs) have been shown to improve quality of life and survival in patients with end-stage heart failure at the potential risk of significant morbidity. Decisional regret is an important part of medical decision-making, but has not been evaluated in this population.
"Need to know" to defend one's home, or should one buy a wifi enabled thermostat?

A recent DDoS attack has shown the limited security of Internet of Things. In this paper we show that Internet of Things are being designed without taking privacy issues into account. We propose the policy "the Need to Know" as an approach to tackle the issue.
Data Management, In-Situ Workflows and Extreme Scales

Data-related challenges are dominating computational and data-enabled sciences and are limiting the potential impact of scientific application workflows enabled by extreme scale computing environments. While data staging and in-situ/in-transit data processing have emerged as attractive approaches for supporting these extreme scale workflows, the increasing heterogeneity of the storage hierarchy, coupled with increasing data volumes and complex and dynamic data access/exchange patterns, are impacting the effectiveness of these techniques. In this talk I will discuss these challenges and explore how autonomic runtime techniques are being explored to address them. I will then present autonomic policies as well as cross layer mechanisms that are part of DataSpaces, an extreme scale data staging service. This research is part of the DataSpaces project at the Rutgers Discovery Informatics Institute.
The Making of the Modern Political Order

A modern political order stands on three interlocked legs that are hard to put in place simultaneously: a centralized state authority to contain widespread private violence, the rule of law to restrain abuse by powerholders, and an acceptable mechanism for the accountability of the rulers to the ruled. Precolonial political orders emerged in an environment where external threats loomed large, internal political fragmentation and contestation were high, and a weak incentive to build a solid fiscal base to support a viable state. The forms state formation assumed varied widely across time and among world regions. We need to identify, without falling into the trap of historicism or Eurocentrism, the conditions under which a given pathway can lead to the emergence of a viable modern political order.
Reclaiming the Legal Fiction of Congressional Delegation

The framework for judicial review of agency statutory interpretations is based on a legal fiction – namely, that Congress intends to delegate interpretive authority to agencies. Critics argue that the fiction is false because Congress is unlikely to think about the delegation of interpretive authority at all, or in the way that the Court imagines. They also contend that the fiction is fraudulent because the Court does actually care about whether Congress intends to delegate interpretive authority in any particular instance, but applies a presumption triggered by statutory ambiguity or a particularized analysis involving factors unrelated to congressional delegation. In this Essay, I argue that critics have misjudged the fiction. First, there is direct evidence that Congress attends to the delegation of interpretive authority and is likely to view the delegation of regulatory authority as sufficient to convey a delegation of interpretive authority. Second, there is indirect evidence that the Court’s framework tracks how Congress decides to delegate. The Court is employing a fiction in the sense that it is not looking for actual legislative intent but is imputing legislative intent. But that fiction is no different in kind than the one that the Court employs in other contexts. By viewing the fiction of congressional delegation as worse than it is, critics have had license to disregard it in evaluating how to allocate interpretive authority between courts and agencies. My argument would bring that issue back to how Congress designs statutes.
Using Dimensional Analysis to Build a Better Transfer Function

A key ingredient in designing products that are more robust is a thorough knowledge of the physics of the ideal function of those products and the physics of the failure modes of those products. We refer to the mathematical functions describing this physics as the transfer functions for that product. Dimensional analysis (DA) is a well known, but often overlooked, tool for reducing the number of experiments needed to characterize a physical system. In this paper, we demonstrate how the application of DA can be used to reduce the size of a DOE needed to estimate transfer functions experimentally. Furthermore, the transfer function generated using DOEs with DA tend to be more general than those generated using larger DOEs directly on the design parameters. With ever-increasing competitive pressure and reduced product development time, a tool such as DA, which can dramatically reduce experimental cost, is an incredibly valuable addition to an engineers toolbox.
Label-Correcting Shortest Path Algorithms Revisited

In this paper we study label-correcting algorithms, which are routinely used to solve single-source shortest path problems. Several variants of label-correcting algorithms have been proposed in the literature, differing primarily in the strategy implemented to handle the candidate list of nodes. In particular, we study both one-list and two-list versions of the basic label-correcting algorithm; these variants implement either one or two lists to manage the set of candidate nodes. We examine the theoretical complexity and empirical behavior of these algorithms. In contrast to previous studies of shortest path algorithms, our focus is on explaining observed empirical performance in terms of certain intrinisic properties of the algorithms (namely, “sharpness” and “maturity”). In addition, a new variant of the label-correcting algorithm is proposed (PRED), which insures a type of “local sharpness” relative to the candidate list. Computational evidence suggests that this new algorithm, in both one-list and two-list versions, performs quite well in practice and deserves further study.
Trends in Physics Contributions to the 'Red Journal': A 30-year Journey and Comparison to Global Trends.

INTRODUCTION In this study, we catalogued physics contributions in the Red Journal over the past three decades and compared publication trends with global publication trends. METHODS We used the website of the Red Journal (International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, and Physics) to access physics contributions published between 1988 and 2017. The contributions were catalogued following taxonomy guidelines endorsed by the American Association of Physicists in Medicine. From each issue, publications classified as "Physics Contributions" or as "Technical Innovations" or listed a physicist as one of the primary authors was indexed. Results are presented using descriptive statistics; chi-square [Formula: see text]2 testing were utilized to examine trends in contributions over 10-year time intervals. For global trend comparison of Red Journal physics contributions, we utilized PubMed database to obtain publication counts on the topics of interest. RESULTS A total of 2,852 physics contributions were indexed (86 volumes and 436 issues). Overall, 76% of contributions were photon-beam therapy applications, 15% brachytherapy, 7% particle-beam therapy, and 3% electron-beam therapy. [Formula: see text]2 analyses revealed significant changes in this distribution over time (p<0.001). Brachytherapy accounted for 23% of publications in the first decade, compared to 7% in the third decade. Particle beam therapy accounted for 4% of publications in the first decade and 12% in the third decade. Among treatment techniques, three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) accounted for 64% of contributions in the first decade, compared to 3% in the third decade. Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)/volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) accounted for 4% in the first decade, compared to 54% in the third decade. Significant increases in the proportions of studies focused on motion management, functional imaging for treatment planning, and radiation safety/quality assurance during the third decade were observed (p<0.001). CONCLUSION Trends of physics publications in the Red Journal and globally, in general, largely mirror technological advances in the field of radiation oncology. These changes reflect a technological transition in the field over three decades from beam's-eye-view designed static treatment ports to functional imaging and knowledge-based treatment planning with biological dose optimization and real-time tumor tracking.
Spectroscopic and Microscopic Evidence of Biomediated HgS Species Formation from Hg(II)-Cysteine Complexes: Implications for Hg(II) Bioavailability.

We investigated the chemistry of Hg(II) during exposure of exponentially growing bacteria (Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Geobacter sulfurreducens) to 50 nM, 500 nM, and 5 μM total Hg(II) with and without added cysteine. With X-ray absorption spectroscopy, we provide direct evidence of the formation of cell-associated HgS for all tested bacteria. The addition of cysteine (100–1000 μM) promotes HgS formation (>70% of total cell-associated Hg(II)) as a result of the biodegradation of added cysteine to sulfide. Cell-associated HgS species are also detected when cysteine is not added as a sulfide source. Two phases of HgS, cinnabar (α-HgS) and metacinnabar (β-HgS), form depending on the total concentration of Hg(II) and sulfide in the exposure medium. However, α-HgS exclusively forms in assays that contain an excess of cysteine. Scanning transmission electron microscopy images reveal that nanoparticulate HgS(s) is primarily located at the cell surface/extracellular matrix of Gram-negative E. coli an...
A novel prognostic signature based on centrosome amplification-based genes to predict clinical outcomes in breast tumors.

11604Background: A majority of breast tumors exhibit centrosome amplification (CA), which imparts aggressive phenotypes like chromosomal instability and invasive behavior. Nevertheless, it is uncle...
Non-invasive time-resolved measurements of anomalous collision frequency in a Hall thruster

The time-resolved cross-field electron anomalous collision frequency in a Hall thruster is inferred from minimally invasive laser-based measurements. This diagnostic is employed to characterize the...
How Can an Understanding of Evolutionary Psychology Contribute to Social Psychology

The present chapter argues that the field of social psychology would benefit from a greater integration of an evolutionary framework. Reviews are provided for each of the chapters in this volume, which present evolutionary perspectives on social psychological phenomena. These chapters span eight broad areas of social psychology: social cognition, the self, attitudes and attitude change, interpersonal processes, mating and relationships, violence and aggression, health and psychological adjustment, and individual differences. We highlight some of the advantages that are associated with the application of evolutionary reasoning and suggest that future research in social psychology continue to apply an evolutionarily perspective.
The impact of persistent pediatric obstructive sleep apnea on the Quality of Life of Patients' families.

Abstract Objectives To (1) quantify the quality of life (QOL) for families of children affected by persistent obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and (2) assess factors contributing to the negative impact of OSA on families. Methods Prospective case series in a multidisciplinary upper airway center at a tertiary pediatric institution. Our study included patients with persistent OSA referred to our clinic from 2014 to 2016. Both patients and their families completed validated questionnaires assessing QOL and OSA symptoms, including the Family Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire, the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, the OSA-18, and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. Results Families of 67 patients were included. The mean patient age was 12.5 (95%CI 11.9–13.1); 23 (34.3%) were female, and the mean BMI percentile was 80.2 (95%CI 73.6–86.8). The single most common comorbidity was Down syndrome (45.6%). The mean obstructive apnea-hypopnea index was 9.7 ± 10.3 events/hour. A significant association exists between OSA severity and 18 FIQ negative subscore (P Conclusions There was a significant correlation between persistent OSA severity and the FIQ negative impact of disease score on patients’ families. Concern regarding financial burden was more common for families of children with OSA than for those without OSA. This suggests that targeted interventions, particularly regarding the financial burden of persistent OSA diagnosis and management, may provide some relief to families.
Field-Aging Test Bed for Behind-the-Meter PV + Energy Storage

Small DC-coupled battery test systems are deployed at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to evaluate capacity fade models and report on performance parameters such as round-trip efficiency under indoor and outdoor deployment scenarios. Initial commercial battery products include LG Chem RESU lithium-ion (Li-ion) and Avalon vanadium redox flow batteries. Adapting indoor lab-scale test methods to outdoor systems has challenges, including maintaining constant temperature and fully controlling batteries through standard discharge curves. Initial measurements show the Li-ion battery systems performing within expectations, near 85% round-trip efficiency. Initial lifetime modeling and measurements indicate that battery capacity could degrade by 20%–35% over 10 years at current rates.
STEM Gels by Controlled Radical Polymerization

Structurally tailored and engineered macromolecular (STEM) gels are an addition to the field of advanced polymeric materials and additive/subtractive molecular manufacturing. Taking inspiration from nature, STEM gels were designed based on stem cells, which involved a two-step synthetic procedure. In the first step, the STEM gels are synthesized to be ‘undifferentiated’ templates containing latent active sites. In the second step, STEM gels can be modified to introduce properties that were distinct from the original material. The primary focus has been on postsynthesis polymeric modifications by grafting from the active sites. For this reason, controlled radical polymerization techniques have been employed to more precisely tailor and tune STEM gels. Moreover, spatiotemporal control has been achieved using photo-induced polymerizations.
Introduction to Chemistry of Diesel Fuels

The diesel engine was invented by Rudolph Diesel, who first exhibited his engine in August 1893. Diesel engines are durable and efficient. Most of the diesel engines in commercial vehicles are direct injection engines, in which the fuel is directly injected into the cylinder and burned in a combustion chamber above the piston. Thermal efficiencies for gasoline engines are on the order of 24%, whereas diesel engines can reach as high as 43% thermal efficiency. Except for the calorific value or energy content, the properties required for the hydrocarbon fuels used in diesel engines differ significantly from those used in gasoline engines. Cetane number, density, viscosity, low-temperature properties, sulfur content, aromatic content, volatility and boiling range make up the essential characteristics of diesel fuel necessary for satisfactory operation of the diesel engine. Boiling range is defined by the initial boiling point and final boiling point in the distillation curve.
Anomalous contrast in broadband THz near-field imaging of gold microstructures

THz scattering-type scanning near-field microscopy (s-SNOM) has become a powerful technique for measuring carrier dynamics in nanoscale materials and structures. Changes in a material's local THz reflection or transmission can be correlated to changes in electrical conductivity. Here, we perform tip-based THz nano-imaging of subwavelength gold nanostructures and demonstrate image contrast unrelated to any spatially varying material properties. We show that the specific physical configuration of the gold structures can have a strong influence on local excitations which can obscure the sample's true dielectric response, even in cases where the relevant structures are far outside of the spatial region probed by the AFM tip.
LV segmentation through the analysis of radio frequency ultrasonic images

LV segmentation is often an important part of many automated cardiac diagnosis strategies. However, the segmentation of echocardiograms is a difficult task because of poor image quality. In echocardiography, we note that radio-frequency (RF) signal is a rich source of information about the moving LV as well. In this paper, first, we will investigate currently used, important RF derived parameters: integrated backscatter coefficient(IBS), mean central frequency (MCF) and the maximum correlation coefficients (MCC) from speckle tracking. Second, we will develop a new segmentation algorithm for the segmentation of the LV boundary, which can avoid local minima and leaking through uncompleted boundary. Segmentations are carried out on the RF signal acquired from a Sonos7500 ultrasound system. The results are validated by comparing to manual segmentation results.
Federal Arbitration Act Preemption, Purposivism, and State Public Policy

The relationship between the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) and state public policy has long been unsettled. According to some judges, scholars, and litigants, the FAA precludes courts from invalidating arbitration clauses under the contract defense of violation of public policy. However, in a practice that is impossible to square with that understanding of FAA preemption, courts have traditionally nullified arbitration clauses to advance a range of state interests, including preserving substantive rights under state law. Nevertheless, in AT&T Mobility LLC v. Concepcion, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the FAA eclipses a rule that deemed class-arbitration waivers to be unconscionable when they prevented plaintiffs from pursuing numerous, low-value state law claims. Both Justice Scalia’s majority opinion and Justice Thomas’s decisive concurrence strongly implied that state public policy is not a permissible basis for striking down an arbitration clause. As a result, lower courts are now compelling arbitration — often through gritted teeth — of lawsuits that are destined to fail. Counterintuitively, I argue that Concepcion holds the seeds of an approach to FAA preemption that gives judges greater freedom to strike down arbitration provisions to further state interests. FAA preemption stems from its centerpiece, section 2, which makes agreements to arbitrate specifically enforceable “save upon such grounds as exist at law or in equity for the revocation of any contract.” According to the conventional wisdom, the plain language of this “savings clause” immunizes arbitration clauses from state public policy: few state regulations apply across-the-board to “any contract.” Yet the courts and commentators who embrace this view have not explained why its rigid textualism is appropriate in the context of the FAA, which displaces state law through the purposivist mechanism of obstacle preemption. Concepcion implicitly recognizes this disconnect and breaks new ground by relying not on the statute’s text, but on its “purposes and objectives.” I show that the purposivism that animates Concepcion is superior to textualist approaches to FAA preemption. The incoherence of the any-contract test and the centrality of context and legislative history to obstacle preemption suggest that purposivism should be the primary technique for mapping the FAA’s dominion over state law. However, this path leads to a starkly different endpoint than the one Concepcion reached. A faithful, full-bore examination of Congress’s goals reveals that the phrase “grounds . . . for the revocation of any contract” encompasses all traditional contract doctrines, including the venerable doctrine of violation of public policy. Thus, the public policy defense should only be preempted when it thwarts the FAA’s “purposes and objectives.” I propose a test to determine when this has occurred and apply it to controversial issues now pending in courts, including class arbitration, the unconscionability doctrine, and judicial or legislative rules that prohibit the arbitration of particular claims.
The role of NFκB in regulation of mitochondrial structure and function in cancer cells.

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 14-18, 2007; Los Angeles, CA 4487 The role of NFκB in regulation of mitochondrial structure and function in cancer cells. Roman A. Eliseev, Randy N. Rosier NFκB is a ubiquitous transcription factor that is involved in a wide range of cellular responses to stimuli such as cytokines, UV and ionizing radiation, stress, and viral and bacterial antigens. NFκB modulates cell proliferation in many eukaryotic cells. Activation of NFκB has been shown in many types of cancer and is believed to render cells resistant to pro-apoptotic signals. Our data suggest that certain types of human malignant cells, such as Saos2 osteosarcoma, PC3 prostate cancer and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer, demonstrating constitutive up-regulation of NFκB signaling also exhibit characteristic morphologic, molecular, and physiologic abnormalities in their mitochondria. When compared to non-malignant counterparts, mitochondria in these cells are fragmented, express higher amounts of proteins and contain higher number of copies of mtDNA, an indication of high proliferative status of mitochondria. These mitochondria are less functional as indicated by slower respiration rates and diminished membrane potential. Constitutive inhibition of NFκB signaling achieved with overexpression of the NFκB super-repressor mIκB in these malignant cells restores morphologic integrity and functionality of mitochondria. Mitochondria in mIκB expressing cells form a network, decrease number of copies of mtDNA and respire more effectively. We here examine the molecular mechanisms of regulation of mitochondrial structure and function by NFκB and possible effects on cancer cell sensitivity to apoptosis.
Use of Configurational Analysis in Teaching

In a training situation, one can more quickly cover a broad overview and then deal specifically and at length with one issue and one or more steps of configurational analysis. The overview indicates the particular facet of explanation to be explored and presents an idea of how it articulates with other levels of explanation, even when these levels are not explicated.
“Equivalent” permeability and flow in compliant porous media

Abstract Resin flow modeling for liquid composite molding processes is generally based on assumptions of rigid porous media. This is invalid for process variations utilizing compliant mold. Yet the models built on rigid porous media assumption are used with some success in analyzing such infusions. Previous work showed that for certain porous media the one dimensional flow patterns are similar to those in rigid porous media and the deformation effects can be included in a scaling factor for permeability. This note analyzes the one-dimensional linear and radial flows in porous media with generic constitutive relations between resin pressure, thickness and permeability. It shows that as long as the deformation remains moderate, the effect of deforming porous medium may be incorporated in a single scaling factor for material permeability. This scaling factor depends on material and applied injection pressure, but does not change with time, flow-front position or type of infusion (linear or radial).
A Dyadic Perspective on Speech Accommodation and Social Connection: Both Partners' Rejection Sensitivity Matters

Findings from confederate paradigms predict that mimicry is an adaptive route to social connection for rejection-sensitive individuals (Lakin, Chartrand, & Arkin, 2008). However, dyadic perspectives predict that whether mimicry leads to perceived connection depends on the rejection sensitivity (RS) of both partners in an interaction. We investigated these predictions in 50 college women who completed a dyadic cooperative task in which members were matched or mismatched in being dispositionally high or low in RS. We used a psycholinguistics paradigm to assess, through independent listeners' judgments (N = 162), how much interacting individuals accommodate phonetic aspects of their speech toward each other. Results confirmed predictions from confederate paradigms in matched RS dyads. However, mismatched dyads showed an asymmetry in levels of accommodation and perceived connection: Those high in RS accommodated more than their low-RS partner but emerged feeling less connected. Mediational analyses indicated that low-RS individuals' nonaccommodation in mismatched dyads helped explain their high-RS partners' relatively low perceived connection to them. Establishing whether mimicry is an adaptive route to social connection requires analyzing mimicry as a dyadic process influenced by the needs of each dyad member.
Impact Of Electronic Medical Record Transitions On The Educational Experiences Of Medical Students

ittle is known about the impact of major technological transitions (such as the adoption of a new electronic medical record) on the educational experiences of medical students supervised by residents. All visiting students whose rotation at Mayo Clinic in Arizona occurred during an EMR transition in September, 2010, were surveyed. Eight of twelve students (75%) agreed to participate. Although all students reviewed clinical notes and clinical data, only one (12.5%) used the new system to enter orders. Students reported an adverse effect on learning climate and time for resident- and faculty-directed teaching. Six of eight students (75%) felt that, despite the adverse consequences they noted, it was important to continue to offer clerkships during future transitions. These findings suggest that offering special computer training to students and adjusting the schedules of supervising faculty can only go so far in allaying the adverse effects of a major technological transition. The experiences of students at academic institutions facing similar technological transitions in the future can be improved if the educational leadership plans resident schedules during the transition with the impact of student teaching in mind and actively ensures students are entering orders on the day of go-live.