cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Extrachromosomal Plasmid Dna Transmission and Amplification in Metaseiulus occidentalis (Acari: Phytoseiidae) Transformants Generated by Maternal Microinjection

The plasmid pJKP2 (12.5 kb) was injected into Metaseiulus occidentalis females using a maternal microinjection procedure (Presnail and Hoy 1992). DNA transmission to their progenies was followed by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for several generations. After selecting and retaining individuals that tested positive by the PCR for 5 generations, individual females were used to initiate 12 separate transgenic lines (T1-T12). Southern blot analysis performed 10 generations after injection indicated that in at least 8 lines the plasmid DNA was transmitted extrachromosomally, and in 5 of these lines the extrachromosomal plasmid DNA was highly amplified with an estimated 10 million copies per female, The longevity, fecundity, immature mortality, and sex ratio of these transgenic lines were not different from the wild-type control under laboratory conditions. However, after 20 generations, few transformants tested positive by the PCR and Southern blot analysis indicated no distinct banding pattern. Results from Southern blot analysis and the PCR indicated the extrachromosomal plasmid DNA was completely lost after 30 generations, suggesting a fitness cost did occur. Maternal microinjection delivers DNA efficiently to M. occidentalis and could be used for testing selectable markers or to deliver transposable-element vectors to obtain high rates of chromosomal integrations.
Mold Inoculum from Cheek Pouches of a Granivorous Desert Rodent, Dipodomys Spectabilis

(1988). Mold Inoculum from Cheek Pouches of a Granivorous Desert Rodent, Dipodomys Spectabilis. Mycologia: Vol. 80, No. 5, pp. 750-753.
HIV-vaccines: lessons learned and the way forward

A safe and efficacious preventive HIV vaccine, as part of a comprehensive prevention program, remains among the highest public health priorities. It would be the best tool that could reduce the spread of HIV significantly in the long run. Current AIDS vaccine candidates are unable to induce neutralizing antibodies against primary HIV isolates or only to a very limited and narrow extent, representing a major obstacle in the development of an efficacious HIV vaccine. Clinical efforts have mainly focused on T-cell vaccines such as DNA and various recombinant vectors alone or in prime-boost regimens. The Merck Ad5vaccine not only failed to show efficacy but also was associated with increased risk of HIV acquisition in vaccinees in a Phase IIb trial. While gp120 alone was not efficacious, the ALVAC prime and gp120 boost regimen showed 31% efficacy in a Phase III trial in Thailand. These contrasting results illustrate the limitations of available laboratory assays to assess the vaccine-induced immune responses and the lack of understanding of immune correlates of protection. Efforts should therefore focus on developing vaccine candidates inducing broadly neutralizing antibodies. Similarly, new vector strategies such as replicating vectors should be explored to induce strong and broad T-cell responses in the systemic and mucosal compartments. Innovation in immune assay development and testing algorithms is critically needed. The standardization of more relevant and predictive non-human primate models for immunogenicity and efficacy studies will contribute to better and faster vaccine assessment. HIV vaccine development requires innovative ideas and a sustained long-term commitment of the scientific community, civil society, politicians, and donors and participants for clinical research. Keywords: Clinical trial, efficacy, HIV, Thailand, vaccine
Developing Analytical Inspection Criteria for Health IT Personnel with Minimum Training in Cognitive Ergonomics: A Practical Solution to EHR Improving EHR Usability

EHR usability has been identified as a major barrier to care quality optimization. One major challenge of improving EHR usability is the lack of systematic training in usability or cognitive ergonomics for EHR designers/developers in the vendor community and EHR analysts making significant configurations in healthcare organizations. A practical solution is to provide usability inspection tools that can be easily operationalized by EHR analysts. This project is aimed at developing a set of usability tools with demonstrated validity and reliability. We present a preliminary study of a metric for cognitive transparency and an exploratory experiment testing its validity in predicting the effectiveness of action-effect mapping. Despite the pilot nature of both, we found high sensitivity and specificity of the metric and higher response accuracy within a shorter time for users to determine action-effect mappings in transparent user interface controls. We plan to expand the sample size in our empirical study.
Skilled nursing facility placement in hospitalized elderly patients with colon cancer.

Abstract Background The current study sought to determine predictive risk factors and inpatient resource utilization associated with discharge to skilled nursing facility (SNF) in hospitalized elderly patients with colon cancer. Materials and methods Inpatient data from U.S. community hospital discharges from 2003 to 2011 was analyzed in a retrospective cohort study using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, National Inpatient Sample (HCUP-NIS). Subjects included hospitalized postoperative colon cancer patients over age of 65 ( N = 98,797). Results The proportion of elderly colon cancer patients discharged to a SNF increased by 16.67% from 2003 to 2011 (18–21%). Elderly patients discharged to a SNF had increased hospitalization costs (+$10,293.70, p p p p p p Conclusions Despite increased costs and worse clinical outcomes associated with SNF placement, over 40% increase of hospital discharge to SNF should be anticipated from this population over the next 20 years. Neurologic and psychiatric comorbidities have significantly negative clinical impacts and increase the likelihood of colon cancer patients' discharge to a SNF.
Comparative study of the photochemistry of the cutting (etching) of a synthetic polymer and bovine cornea by excimer laser radiation

Earlier work1–3 on the etching of an organic polymer by UV laser radiation has emphasized the depth of the etching/pulse If as a function of fluence F. In this work, the If vs InF curves for polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) have been ex- tended over a larger range of fluences at 193 and 24B nm (Fig. 1). At the same time, the quantum yields for methyl methacrylate (MMA), the principal polyatomic product from PMMA, were also determined (Fig. 2). The quantum yields of MMA at 248 nm were tenfold smaller than at 193 nm and are, therefore, not inclued in Fig. 2. Etch curves for bovine cornea1 which were determined from laser exposure in vitro are shown in Fig. 3.
The Dollar and Coca-Cola Are Both Brand Names

The money-producing industry is like the soda pop industry; a large number of firms make a similar product. Soda pop is colored water with a bit of carbon gas and a sweetener. One brand of pop is a good substitute for another; Coke and Pepsi compete vigorously for the same customers. Coke and Pepsi and Dr. Pepper and the other pop-producing firms strive to make their products attractive; each has attractively designed small, medium, and large bottles as well as cans of several different sizes. Once a product is successful, variants or extensions are developed — Coke begat Diet Coke, then Caffeine-Free Coke, then Diet Caffeine-Free, and then Classic Coke.
Mapping snow depth within a tundra ecosystem using multiscale observations and Bayesian methods

Abstract. This paper compares and integrates different strategies to characterize the variability of end-of-winter snow depth and its relationship to topography in ice-wedge polygon tundra of Arctic Alaska. Snow depth was measured using in situ snow depth probes and estimated using ground-penetrating radar (GPR) surveys and the photogrammetric detection and ranging (phodar) technique with an unmanned aerial system (UAS). We found that GPR data provided high-precision estimates of snow depth (RMSE = 2.9 cm), with a spatial sampling of 10 cm along transects. Phodar-based approaches provided snow depth estimates in a less laborious manner compared to GPR and probing, while yielding a high precision (RMSE = 6.0 cm) and a fine spatial sampling (4 cm × 4 cm). We then investigated the spatial variability of snow depth and its correlation to micro- and macrotopography using the snow-free lidar digital elevation map (DEM) and the wavelet approach. We found that the end-of-winter snow depth was highly variable over short (several meter) distances, and the variability was correlated with microtopography. Microtopographic lows (i.e., troughs and centers of low-centered polygons) were filled in with snow, which resulted in a smooth and even snow surface following macrotopography. We developed and implemented a Bayesian approach to integrate the snow-free lidar DEM and multiscale measurements (probe and GPR) as well as the topographic correlation for estimating snow depth over the landscape. Our approach led to high-precision estimates of snow depth (RMSE = 6.0 cm), at 0.5 m resolution and over the lidar domain (750 m × 700 m).
Benefits from Collecting Checks Electronically

The Uniform Commercial Code has long required the physical check to be presented to banks for payment. This was before electronic methods were invented. This process was disrupted during September 11, 2001 and legislation was passed permitting the presentment of a digital image of a check in lieu of the original item. The efficiency gains were large–totaling over $3 billion in 2010.
A survey of youth with new onset type 1 diabetes: Opportunities to reduce diabetic ketoacidosis.

Objective Pediatric patients in Colorado with new onset type 1 diabetes (T1D) presenting with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) increased from 29.9% to 46.2% from 1998 to 2012. The purpose of this study was to compare differences between patients with newly diagnosed T1D who presented in DKA with those who did not across three domains: sociodemographic factors, access to medical care, and medical provider factors, aiming to identify potential targets for intervention. Methods Sixty-one patients <17 years of age with T1D duration <6 months completed the questionnaire. Groups were compared using Fisher's exact test or the Kruskal-Wallis test. Results Parents of 28% of patients researched their child's symptoms on the Internet prior to diagnosis. At the first healthcare visit for symptoms of T1D, 23% were not diagnosed. There were no significant differences between groups (DKA vs non-DKA) in demographics, first healthcare setting for T1D symptoms, provider type at first visit or at diagnosis, insurance status, or specific barriers to care. DKA patients had a longer interval between previous well visit to diagnosis (median 172 vs 263 days, P = 0.01). Non-DKA patients were more likely to have blood glucose measured at P = 0.02, and had fewer symptoms prior to (P = 0.01) the first visit for diabetes symptoms. Parents of non-DKA patients were more likely to be familiar with symptoms of diabetes (P < 0.001) and to suspect diabetes (P = 0.01). Conclusion Targets for campaigns to prevent DKA include increasing provider glucose and ketone testing, increasing public knowledge about diabetes, and understanding how socio-demographic factors may delay T1D diagnosis.
Conservatism and international IPO underpricing

We study the impact of country-level accounting conservatism on international IPO underpricing. Examining 13,285 IPOs from 36 countries, we find that IPOs are underpriced less in countries in which existing public firms practice more accounting conservatism. The link between conservatism and underpricing is robust to alternative measures of conservatism, country mean regressions, sample country exclusions, and endogenous treatment models. Consistent with the hypothesis that conservatism reduces underpricing by mitigating the impact of information asymmetries, we find that higher country-level conservatism is associated with lower country-level PIN values and that the negative relation between conservatism and underpricing is strongest for IPOs involving small firms in which information asymmetries are likely to be high. Lastly, we find evidence that legal origin, a factor linked to the practice of conservatism, influences the relations between underpricing and conservatism.
Practice Scripts and Descriptions

This chapter presents scripts for a range of practices, including the core practices of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), and practices that approach the teaching intentions from different perspectives. They are specific embodiments of the “emptied” motions or gestures of the teaching intentions, drawn from our own authenticity, authority, and friendship. If Chapter 7 characterized the water marks or tide lines of the intentions, perhaps the practices in this chapter are objects found at those lines — a piece of driftwood, a pretty shell, a polished piece of broken glass. They are that concrete, and that unique. Perhaps their usefulness is found in the way that driftwood might be used by an artist: taken home, looked at reflectively, and then abstracted into a new creation. Take these for inspiration, not imitation. Feel the gestures called out in the margins, don’t follow them.
Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy: An Important Strategy in Ovarian Cancer Treatment

Three trials by the Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG), adequately powered, utilizing an intraperitoneal (IP) platinum-based regimen versus a standard intravenous (IV) regimen yielded results favorable to the IP regimen, with the last two trials having median survivals exceeding five years. However, only the first trial was a direct comparison of IP vs. IV cisplatin at the same dose (both combined with cyclophosphamide); the tolerances of the two regimens were quite similar. The conclusion that IP administration of cisplatin yields superior results to IV should not be discounted solely on the asymmetry of the two subsequent regimens, and on the tolerance issues that differ substantially among the 3 IP regimens used.
Integration of metasurfaces onto micro electro mechanical systems for active control of visible and IR light (Conference Presentation)

The design and implementation of flat optical photonic devices have come to the forefront of ongoing scientific research and technology development. These novel photonic devices use sub-wavelength metal or dielectric resonators spaced on a specific two-dimensional pattern that mimic the phase profile of conventional bulk optical elements. However, most of these structures, known as “metasurfaces”, have so far been passive with its optical performance determined only by the spatial configuration of the metasurface constitutive elements. The development of dynamic metasurfaces is currently a growing area of research directed to obtain real-time tunable operation of metasurfaces and new physical phenomena not feasible with static metasurfaces. In this presentation, I will describe the fundamentals and advantages of incorporating metallic and dielectric metasurfaces onto MEMS devices. The MEMS platform enables electrostatic control of curvature, tilt angle and deformation of metasurfaces, enabling flat and agile optical elements with msec reconfiguration time. Faster reconfigurable metasurfaces can be achieved using MEMS based spatial light modulators in which individual pixels are patterned with nanostructures having different optical response, e.g. we could pre program fixed phase shifts onto each pixel, so the device works as a curved mirror with aberration correction on top. By actuating specific sub-set of pixels, the far-field response of the adaptive metasurfaces can be manipulated. These unique dynamic metasurfaces may provide new opportunities for information optics and imaging by performing complex signal processing directly in the optical domain.
The macromorphoscopic databank.

The development of identification standards in forensic anthropology requires large and appropriate reference samples comprising individuals with modern birth years. Recent advances in macromorphoscopic trait data collection and analysis have created a need for reference data for classification models and biological distance analyses. The Macromorphoscopic Databank (N ∼ 7,397) serves that function, making publicly available trait scores for a large sample (n = 2,363) of modern American populations and world-wide groups of various geographic origins (n = 1,790). In addition, the MaMD stores reference data for a large sample (n = 3,244) of pre-, proto- and historic Amerindian data, useful for biodistance studies and finer-levels of analysis during NAGPRA-related investigations and repatriations. In developing this database, particular attention was given to the level of classification needed during the estimation of ancestry in a forensic context. To fill the knowledge gap that currently exists in the analysis of these data, the following overview outlines many of the issues and their potential solutions. Developing valuable tools that are useful to other practitioners is the purpose of growing a databank. As the Macromorphoscopic Databank develops through data collection efforts and contributions from the field, its utility as a research and teaching tool will also mature, in turn creating a vital resource for forensic anthropologists for future generations.
An evaluation of perioperative communication in the operating room

Communication failures can lead to sentinel events in the operating room. Knowledge of basic surgical steps is important for all team members to ensure work flow efficiency. Surgeons and non-surgeo...
Preparation for Prostate Biopsy

Transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate needle biopsy is considered a safe procedure and is commonly performed in an office setting. However, it carries inherent risks, most notably bleeding and infection. Appropriate patient counseling and preparation mitigates unrealized patient expectations and prevents significant complications associated with prostate biopsy.
The Roles of Imagery and Mimicry in Sympathy

The most difficult question to answer about sympathy is “Why?” Why would people willingly make themselves unhappy? Why would people do for others what they would actively avoid for themselves? There are at least two possible answers to this question—one biological, the other sociological. The biological explanation maintains that a concern about the welfare of others improves the genetic fitness of the whole species (Hamilton, 1964a,b 1972; Kropotkin, 1955; Schopenhauer, 1965; Wilson, 1975). Sympathy has survival value, and if we do not help, we hurt. The urge to help others, however, must compete with the drive for self-preservation, which is generally regarded as stronger than the concern for others. For this reason, many argue that altruism needs some social support from social norms. The normative explanation rests on the assumption that in most cultures one is expected under appropriate conditions to help others in distress. Thus the evolutionary and the normative explanations are not mutually exclusive.
Interacting Binaries: An Excellent Project for Small Telescopes

Discussed are meritorious projects for small and moderate telescopes in the field of interacting binaries with non-degenerate component stars. These interacting binaries are undergoing a mass transfer process, as a consequence of which the mass-accreting star may be partly or completely hidden in an accretion disk, and the system may be shrouded in dense clouds of circumstellar matter. This makes the observation, interpretation and modeling difficult; but it is important to study these “bizarre” binaries since they tell us a lot about stellar evolution in binary systems. Needed are various observations: Timing of eclipses; observation and re-observation of light curves in several colors (in uvby rather than in UBV; and in the red and infrared); radial velocity studies; spectrophotometry of crucial regions of the spectrum. As examples for these needs, the following systems are discussed in some detail, and their problems revealed: RX Cassiopeiae, W Serpentis, and W Crucis as examples of the strongly interacting systems (W Serpentids); υ Sagittarii as a helium-rich binary in a rare evolutionary stage, which will be better understood if we decide whether the star eclipses or not; and KX Andromedae as a representative of non-eclipsing interacting binaries and of Be and shell stars, which may or may not be binaries.
Learning to use memory

This thesis is a comprehensive empirical exploration of using reinforcement learning to learn to use simple forms of working memory. Learning to use memory involves learning how to behave in the environment while simultaneously learning when to select internal actions that control how knowledge persists in memory and learning how to use that information stored in memory to make decisions. We focus on two different models of memory: bit memory and gated memory. Bit memory is inspired by prior reinforcement learning literature and stores abstract values, which an agent can learn to associate with task history. Gated memory is inspired by human working memory and stores perceptually grounded symbols. Our goal is to determine computational bounds on the tractability of learning to use these memories. We conduct a comprehensive empirical exploration of the dynamics of learning to use memory models by modifying a simple partially observable task, TMaze, along specific dimensions: length of temporal delay, number of dependent decisions, number of distinct symbols, quantity of concurrent knowledge, and availability of second-order knowledge. We find that learning to use gated memory is significantly more tractable than learning to use bit memory because it stores perceptually grounded symbols in memory. We further find that learning performance scales more favorably along temporal delay, distinct symbols, and concurrent knowledge when learning to use gated memory than along other dimensions. We also identify situations in which agents fail to learn to use gated memory optimally which involve repeated identical observations which result in no unambiguous trajectories through the underlying task and memory state space.
ATRIBUIÇÕES DA ENFERMAGEM COM OS CUIDADORES DOS PRATICANTES EQUOTERÁPICOS DE CERES – GOIÁS

INTRODUCAO: A equoterapia tem um vasto campo de atuacao, destinando-se a pacientes portadores de deficiencias sensoriais, mentais e motoras, alem de se destinar tambem apessoas que nao se adaptam a sociedade. OBJETIVOS: Ressaltar a importância das atribuicoes da enfermagem na orientacao aos cuidadores dos praticantes da equoterapia no Centro Equoterapico de Ceres – GO; evidenciar a importância do acompanhante ao paciente; orientar os cuidadores sobre as caracteristicas da patologia, bem como o cuidado continuado fora do Centro de Equoterapia e elaborar planos de cuidados e educacao em saude. METODOLOGIA: Foi adotado o metodo de pesquisa qualitativa, de carater exploratorio, onde consideramos o mais apropriado para o tipo de analise que pretendemos realizar. As principais fontes da coleta de dados para a analise do presente estudo foram as palestras e mesas redondas, realizadas com os cuidadores dos praticantes do Centro Equoterapico do Campus de Ceres – GO, portadores das patologias de TDAH – Transtorno do Deficit de Atencao e Hiperatividade, TDA – Transtorno de Deficit de Atencao e TEA – Transtorno do Espectro Autista. RESULTADOS E DISCUSSAO: O profissional de enfermagem pode garantir a continuidade do tratamento em casa e, promover melhores resultados, essa importância do profissional enfermeiro foi percebida durante as palestras e as mesas redondas. CONCLUSAO: A enfermagem, individualmente, precisa se inserir mais intensamente com o designio de contribuir no planejamento da assistencia e do cuidado do praticante para os familiares e cuidadores podendo abranger uma gama de pessoas que estao envolvidas com as limitacoes apresentadas.
National survey of institutional pediatric disaster preparedness.

Objective: Describe institutional disaster preparations focusing upon the strategies to address pediatric patients in disaster preparedness. Design: Descriptive study using survey methodology. Setting: Hospitals that provide emergency care to pediatric patients throughout the United States. Participants: Survey responses were solicited from hospital personnel that are familiar with the disaster preparedness plan at their institution. Interventions: None. Main outcome measures: Describe how pediatric patients are included in institutional disaster preparedness plans. The presence of a pediatric-specific lead, policies and procedures, and geographic / demographic patterns are also a focus. Results: The survey was distributed to 120 hospitals throughout the United States and responses were received from 29 states. Overall response rate was 58 percent, with 53 percent of the surveys fully completed. Sixty-three percent of hospitals had an individual responsible for pediatric-specific disaster planning and 78 percent specifically addressed the care of pediatric patients (<16 yo) in their disaster plan. The hospitals with an individual designated for pediatric disaster planning were more likely to have a disaster plan that specifically addresses the care of pediatric patients (90 percent vs 56 percent; p = 0.015), to represent children with special healthcare needs as simulated patients in disaster exercises (73 percent vs 22 percent; p = 0.003), and to include pediatric decontamination procedures in disaster exercises (78 percent vs 35 percent; p = 0.008) than hospitals without a designated pediatric disaster planner. Conclusion: The majority of hospitals surveyed incorporate pediatric patients into their disaster preparedness plan. Those hospitals with an individual designated for pediatric disaster planning were more likely to specifically address the care of pediatric patients in their institutional disaster plan.
Exoscopic resection of atrial intraventricular meningiomas using a navigation-assisted channel-based trans-sulcal approach: Case series and literature review

Abstract The surgical treatment of atrial meningiomas carries unique challenges. Recent advancements have aimed to optimize visualization and minimize insult to adjacent tissue. To investigate outcomes following resection of atrial meningiomas using an integrated tubular retraction system with neuro-navigated exoscope. A retrospective analysis of surgical outcomes in consecutive patients who underwent surgical resection of atrial meningiomas via an exoscopic tubular retraction system at three university hospital institutions. Four patients harboring intraventricular meningiomas in the atrium of the lateral ventricle were treated using an integrated navigation-assisted, channel-based trans-sulcal approach via a left temporal-occipital (1), right parieto-occipital (2), or left posterior-temporal (1) sulcal approach with exoscopic visualization. Indications for surgery included headaches (4/4, 100%), dizziness (1/4, 25%), or evidence of progression on imaging (3/4, 75%). Mean maximal tumor diameter was 25.5 mm (range 22–28 mm). No intraoperative complications were observed, and no conversion to a microscopic or open approach was required. Gross total resection (GTR) was obtained in all 4 cases. Median hospital length of stay was 3 days (range 3–4 days). Postoperative complications included homonymous hemianopsia (1) and transient bilateral lower extremity paresthesias (1). At 3-month follow up both complications had improved and all patients had returned to work. At last follow-up (3–24 months), 3 patients (75%) reported improvement of preoperative symptoms. Utilization of a channel-based, navigable retractor with the aid of an exoscope can be an excellent option for accessing the atrium of the lateral ventricles and for achieving complete surgical resection of atrial meningiomas.
Play for success: A novel intervention to boost visual attention in low-socioeconomic-status infants.

Abstract Developmental differences in visual attention between infants of low and high socioeconomic status (SES) have been observed as early as 6 months of age. These deficits in low-SES infants may compound into the well-known achievement gap when children enter grade school. The current study implemented a novel intervention designed to boost early visual attention. The intervention, called Play for Success, was administered through the Early Head Start home visiting program and required all infants to practice focused attention with a caregiver for 10 min a day every day for 2 weeks. A total of 42 6- to 10-month-old infants were randomly assigned to one of three intervention groups: Social (unstructured direction), Teach Two (simple structured direction), or Teach Many (more complex structured direction). Infants’ focused attention and inattention were tested three times: before the intervention, immediately following the intervention, and again 4 weeks later. The results demonstrated increased focused attention for both Teach Two and Teach Many. These results suggest that Play for Success is a promising new intervention, but only in the conditions that included parental structured direction.
Do Conditional Cash Transfers Empower Women? Insights from Brazil’s Bolsa Família

Conditional cash transfer programs (CCTs) have emerged as an important social welfare innovation across the Global South in the last two decades. That poor mothers are typically the primary recipients of the grants renders easy, but not necessarily correct, the notion that CCTs empower women. This article assesses the relationship between the world’s largest CCT, Brazil’s Bolsa Familia, and women’s empowerment. To systematize and interpret existing research, including our own, it puts forth a three-part framework that examines the program’s effects on economic independence, physical health, and psychosocial well-being. Findings suggest that women experience some improved status along all three dimensions, but that improvements are far from universal. A core conclusion is that the broader institutional context in which the Bolsa Familia is embedded—that is, ancillary services in health and social assistance—is crucial for conditioning the degree of empowerment obtained.
Comparison of drug inhibitory effects (IC50) in monolayer and spheroid cultures

Abstract Traditionally, the monolayer (two-dimensional) cell cultures are used for initial evaluation of the ef-fectiveness of anticancer drugs. In particular, these experiments provide the IC50 curves that determine drug concentration that can inhibit growth of a tumor colony by half when compared to the cells grown with no exposure to the drug. Low IC50 value means that the drug is effective at low concentrations, and thus will show lower systemic toxicity when administered to the patient. However, in these experiments cells are grown in a monolayer, all well exposed to the drug, while in vivo tumors expand as three-dimensional multicellular masses, where inner cells have a limited access to the drug. Therefore, we performed computational studies to compare the IC50 curves for cells grown as a two-dimensional monolayer and a cross section through a three-dimensional spheroid. Our results identified conditions (drug diffusivity, drug action mechanisms and cell proliferation capabilities) under which these IC50 curves differ significantly. This will help experimentalists to better determine drug dosage for future in vivo experiments and clinical trials.
The effectiveness of drones in measuring particulate matter

Abstract The use of low-cost air pollution sensors mounted on drones is an exciting new approach to conduct affordable and highly resolved air quality measurements. However, the air flow around a drone consists of complex, unsteady turbulent structures which interact directly with ambient particulate matter and gases. These interactions influence the transport of fine particulate matter (e.g. PM2.5) and, subsequently, its measurement using on-board PM sensors. In this work, we aim to quantify this effect by conducting wind tunnel and open-air experiments using a quadrotor drone and an array of low-cost sensors and research grade instruments. Sensors and instruments were placed around the drone to assess the effect of mixing, dilution, and particle segregation in the wake generated by the drone. Our results indicate little impact on the shape of the particle size distribution but significant differences (p 0.05) in PM2.5 concentration ranging from -70% to greater than 400% when comparing measurements before and after the drone is turned on. These effects varied greatly with sensor location and across experiments. In the wind tunnel, the sensor least affected was located far upstream from the drone with concentration differences less than 7%. The sensor far downstream from the drone as well as one of the sensors to the side of the drone also showed relatively small concentration differences (
Propagation of shear Alfvén waves in a two-ion plasma and application as a diagnostic for the ion density ratio

In this paper, we propose an efficient diagnostic technique for determining spatially resolved measurements of the ion density ratio in a magnetized two-ion species plasma. Shear Alfven waves were injected into a mixed helium–neon plasma using a magnetic loop antenna, for frequencies spanning the ion cyclotron regime. Two distinct propagation bands are observed, bounded by and the background magnetic field in order to be employed. This diagnostic was tested on the Large Plasma Device at UCLA and was successful in yielding radially localized measurements of the ion density ratio.
Molybdenum Trioxide on Anatase TiO2(101) - Formation of Monodispersed (MoO3)1 Monomers from Oligomeric (MoO3)n Clusters

Complex oxide systems with hierarchical order are of critical importance in material science and catalysis. Despite their immense potential, their design and synthesis are rather difficult. In this study we demonstrate how the deposition of small oligomeric (MoO3)1-6 clusters, which can be formed by the sublimation of MoO3 powders, leads to the formation of locally ordered layers of (MoO3)1 monomers on anatase TiO2(101). Using both high-resolution imaging and theoretical calculations, we show that at room temperature, such oligomers undergo spontaneous dissociation to their monomeric units. In initial stages of the deposition, this is reflected by the observation of one to six neighboring (MoO3)1 monomers that parallel the size distribution of the oligomers. A transient mobility of such oligomers on both bare TiO2(101) and (MoO3)1 covered areas is key to the formation of a complete layer with a saturation coverage of one (MoO3)1 per two undercoordinated surface Ti sites. We further show that such layers are stable to 500 K, making them highly suitable for a broad range of applications.
The Music of Louis Andriessen

For much of his career, the internationally known and still active Dutch composer Louis Andriessen has been understood as an iconoclast who challenged and resisted the musical establishment. This book explores his compositions as a case study for exploring the social and aesthetic implications of new music. Everett chronicles the evolution of Andriessen's music over the course of five decades: the formative years in which he experimented with serialism and collage techniques; his political activism in the late 1960s; 'concept' works from the 1970s that provide musical commentary on philosophical writings by Plato, St Augustine and others; theatrical and operatic collaborations with Robert Wilson and Peter Greenaway in the 1980s and 1990s; and recent works that explore contemplative themes on death and madness. Everett's analysis of Andriessen's music draws on theories of parody, narrativity, and intertextuality that have gained currency in musicological discourse in recent years.
Heidegger in America

Heidegger in America explores the surprising legacy of his life and thought in the United States of America. As a critic of modern life, Heidegger often lamented the growing global influence of all things American. However, it was precisely in America where his thought inspired the work of generations of thinkers – not only philosophers but also theologians, architects, novelists, and even pundits. As a result, the reception and dissemination of Heidegger's philosophical writings transformed the intellectual and cultural history of the United States at a time when American influence was itself transforming the world. A case study in the complex and sometimes contradictory process of transnational exchange, Heidegger in America recasts the scope and methods of contemporary intellectual and cultural history in the age of globalization, challenging what we think we know about Heidegger and American ideas simultaneously.
Optimal computation of global sensitive functions in fast networks

The common practice in distributed algorithms research was to assume that the computation time is zero, and assign a cost only to the communication. This was justified at the times that the communication was the bottleneck of a network. However, lately there has been a dramatic increase in the capacity of communication links so that we can no longer make this assumption.
/spl tau/-AIMD for asynchronous receiver feedback

In this work we first describe an asynchronous-feedback model which corresponds to the diverse round-trip times (RTTs) of competing flows within the same communication channel. We show that even when the feedback of the receivers/network is asynchronous, the duration of a congestion epoch represents "common knowledge" for the competing flows. Based on this property, we propose a diverse linear increase scheme in proportion to the RTT of each flow and we adjust periodically the windows of the competing flows accordingly, in order to enhance fairness of asynchronous-feedback environments. We name this scheme /spl tau/-AIMD and show that fairness of flows in asynchronous systems is improved since the increase-rate diversity of long and short RTT flows is largely canceled. We use the max-min notion of fairness to show that /spl tau/-AIMD can constitute the foundation for other window-based, end-to-end algorithms that target a good balance between efficiency and fairness.
Sheath broadening in imploding z-pinches due to large-bandwidth Rayleigh-Taylor instability

The magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability has been predicted and observed to cause breakup of the plasma sheath in imploding Z-pinches. In this work we show that for the type of density profile encountered in strongly radiating pinches, instability at very short wavelengths grows to the non-linear stage and seeds progressively longer wavelengths. The result is a self-similar broadening of the sheath as found for mix layers in fluid RT unstable systems.
Abundance Ratios in Stars vs. Hot Gas in Elliptical Galaxies: the Chemical Evolution Modeller Point of View

I will present predictions from chemical evolution model aimed at a self-consistent study of both optical (i.e. stellar) and X-ray (i.e.gas) properties of present-day elliptical galaxies. Detailed cooling and heating processes in the interstellar medium (ISM) are taken into and allow a reliable modelling of the SN-driven galactic wind. SNe Ia activity, in fact, may power a galactic wind lasting for a considerable amount of the galactic lifetime, even in the case for which the efficiency of energy transfer into the ISM per SN Ia event is less than unity. The model simultaneously reproduces the mass-metallicity, the colour-magnitude, the L_X - L_B and the L_X - T relations, as well as the observed trend of the [Mg/Fe] ratio as a function of sigma, by adopting the prescriptions of Pipino & Matteucci (2004) for the gas infall and star formation timescales. The "iron discrepancy", namely the too high predicted iron abundance in X-ray haloes of ellipticals compared to observations, can be solved by taking into account the existence of dust. I will make predictions on several abundance ratios in the ISM and compare them with the most recent observations.
Value-added agriculture producers: How they find, obtain and validate knowlege inputs

vi CHAPTER 1. GENERAL INTRODUCTION 1 Purpose of the Study 6 Author’s Personal Motivation 8 Objectives 9 Research Questions 9 Limitations 10 Assumptions 10 Dissertation Organization 11 References 11 CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW 12 Diffusion of Innovation Theory 12 Nature of Communications Channels 14 Network Communication Theory within the Diffusion Process 15 Social Learning Theory 16 Merging of Social Learning and Diffusion of Innovation 18 Use of One Communication Channel: The Internet 19 Diffusion Theory and the Internet 23 Communication Preferences Among Farmer and Producer Groups 25 Land Grant and Cooperative Extension Service 26 References 28 CHAPTER 3. RESEARCH METHODS 37 Research Questions 37 Potential Value of Research 37 Design and Methodology 38 Sample Selection 38 The Interviews 42 Design Validity 45 Limitations of Design and Qualitative Research 48 References 48 CHAPTER 4. USE OF EXTENSION AND THE LAND GRANT SYSTEM BY VALUE-ADDED AGRRICULTURE PRODUCERS IN 20 U.S. STATES 50 Abstract 50 Introduction 50 Design and Methodology 52 Design Validity 53 Limitations of the Study 54 Findings 54
Construction of a DBA/2.Fv-2r Congenic Strain. Apparent Lethality of the Homozygous Fv-2r Genotype: Brief Communication

From the (C57BL/6 X DBA/2)F1 cross, 13 serial backcrosses to the DBA/2 parental mouse strain were bred with selection by progeny testing in each generation for the Fv-2s/Fv-2r heterozygous genotype. Intercrossing heterozygotes of the 13th backcross generation produced no Fv-2r/Fv-2r homozygotes. Homozygosity for the Fv-2r allele thus appeared to be lethal on a DBA/2 background and in the absence of protector gene(s) of the C57BL strain.
An automatic two-area interconnected system load-frequency control design

The design, implementation and evaluation of a programmable automatic load-frequency controller for a two-area interconnected power system is described. Implementation aspects along with speed requirements of the generators have been fully investigated, taking into consideration the feedback of the output of these generators for comparison with model reference. The described work has been implemented in the power system laboratory at Florida International University. >
Numerical simulation of pressure distributions underneath roofing paver systems

Abstract The paper proposes a numerical model to compute pressure distributions underneath loose-laid roofing paver systems given the pressure distribution on the exterior surface of the system. The model applies Darcy's law to the flows beneath and between pavers. A boundary-value problem about the underneath pressure is obtained and solved analytically, and a system of linear algebraic equations is established and solved numerically. A good agreement is found between the numerical and experimental results.
The clinical significance of an autoimmune response against glutamic acid decarboxylase

Glutamic acid decarboxylase is attracting much interest because of its putative involvement in two clinical disorders: stiffman syndrome and insulin-dependent diabetes. Here we discuss the clinical significance of an autoimmune response against GAD and consider how such information may help identify the disease mechanisms of these disorders.
Urogenital infection in preeclampsia

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the incidence of urinary tract infections and postpartum endometritis were increased in preeclamptic pregnancies. Method: We conducted a retrospective study of 13 852 pregnant women, using a perinatal database at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, over the past 5 years. The incidence of urinary tract infections and postpartum endometritis was analyzed using the chi-squared test and logistic regression analysis. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. Results: There were 345 (2.5%) mild preeclamptics and 440 (3.2%) severe preeclamptics. The incidence of urinary tract infections and postpartum endometritis in preeclamptic patients was significantly higher than that in non-hypertensive pregnant patients. After controlling for confounding variables, severe preeclampsia was still found to be an independent significant risk factor for both urinary tract infections and postpartum endometritis. Conclusion: Our data show a significant increase in urogenital infection in preeclamptic pregnancy. This may reflect higher rates of underlying renal disease and placental bed abnormalities occurring in preeclampsia.
Devices and architectures for photonic chip-scale integration

Silicon nanophotonics holds the promise of dramatically advancing the state of the art in computing by enabling parallel architectures that combine unprecedented performance and ease of use with affordable power consumption. This paper presents a design study for a many-core architecture called Corona which utilizes dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) for on- and off-chip communication together with the devices which will be needed to implement such a communication infrastructure.
Landslide Preconditions and Collapse of the San Francisco Mountain Composite Volcano, Arizona, into Cold Debris Avalanches in Late Pleistocene

Abstract Large composite volcanoes can collapse into debris avalanches even if alteration is absent and an eruption is not in progress or imminent. At San Francisco Mountain, Arizona, a large valley that penetrates the core of the volcano is at the apex of a large fan of bouldery volcaniclastic deposits. A 115‐m‐thick layer sampled in a borehole that penetrates the fan is composed of dense and unaltered lithic clasts in proportions similar to the bulk composition of the andesitic volcano; pumiceous clasts are absent. Within this layer, a 20‐m‐thick deposit consists mostly of clasts from two dacite extrusions that predate the valley: a flank flow and an inferred summit dome. This dacite‐rich deposit may be from a debris avalanche that originated by failure of the summit and northeast flank of the volcano in a repose interval during the last eruptive stage, which was about 0.43 to 0.22 Ma. Preconditions for slope failure include top loaded by massive lava flows and summit dome and cone inflated by intrusion...
Colorado's Millennial Generation: Youth Perceptions and Experiences of Nature.

Abstract This study uses survey and focus group methods to explore attitudes toward and experiences of nature among millennial-aged students in northern Colorado. First, results confirm that young people possess a strong interest in the outdoors yet time, transportation, and new technologies hamper their ability to visit public lands and outdoor spaces. Second, respondents experience nature in ways more mediated by new technologies such as cell phones and nature DVDs. Third, citizen science and active learning show promise as techniques for returning young people to the outdoors. The challenge lies in teaching young people to reimagine the outdoors not as elsewhere or out there but as a backyard geographic space.
Sigma bond triplet excimers

Abstract Tetraphenyl compounds with Group IV and Group V atoms (e.g. Φ4Sn and Φ4AsCl) in solution show fluorescence and phosphorescence resembling benzene but in solids show a red shifted fluorescence and phosphorescence. The red shifted emission is attributed to excimers, and structural constraints suggest a sigma bonded excimer structure.
DIGITAL-COMPUTER PROCESSING OF SAMPLING-OSCILLOSCOPE DATA.

Abstract A digital computer can process information from a sampling oscilloscope to average out noise and fluctuations on the observed waveform.