cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Remotely mapping river water quality using multivariate regression with prediction validation

Remote spectral sensing offers an attractive means of mapping river water quality over wide spatial regions. While previous research has focused on development of spectral indices and models to predict river water quality based on remote images, little attention has been paid to subsequent validation of these predictions. To address this oversight, we describe a retrospective analysis of remote, multispectral Compact Airborne Spectrographic Imager (CASI) images of the Ohio River and its Licking River and Little Miami River tributaries. In conjunction with the CASI acquisitions, ground truth measurements of chlorophyll-a concentration and turbidity were made for a small set of locations in the Ohio River. Partial least squares regression models relating the remote river images to ground truth measurements of chlorophyll-a concentration and turbidity for the Ohio River were developed. Employing these multivariate models, chlorophyll-a concentrations and turbidity levels were predicted in river pixels lacking ground truth measurements, generating detailed estimated water quality maps. An important but often neglected step in the regression process is to validate prediction results using a spectral residual statistic. For both the chlorophyll-a and turbidity regression models, a spectral residual value was calculated for each river pixel and compared to the associated statistical confidence limit for the model. These spectral residual statistic results revealed that while the chlorophyll-a and turbidity models could validly be applied to a vast majority of Ohio River and Licking River pixels, application of these models to Little Miami River pixels was inappropriate due to an unmodeled source of spectral variation.
Role of β3 Integrins in Melanoma Cell Adhesion to Activated Platelets under Flow

Mechanisms mediating tumor cell attachment to the vessel wall under flow conditions are largely unknown. Therefore we analyzed the ability of human melanoma cells to adhere to an immobilized matrix during blood flow and determined the role of platelets in this process. In a parallel plate flow chamber, M21 melanoma cells were suspended in human blood and perfused over a collagen I matrix at a wall shear rate of 50 s⁻1 (2 dynes/cm2) to simulate venous flow over a thrombogenic surface. Melanoma cell interaction with the matrix or blood cells and platelets was monitored and quantified by fluorescence and confocal laser microscopy. Despite their ability to adhere to collagen I under static conditions, M21 cells failed to attach directly to this matrix during blood flow. However, they associated with adherent thrombi, and this resulted in stable melanoma cell arrest. Inhibition of platelet activation or platelet integrin αIIbβ3 function abolished M21 cell attachment. Melanoma cell interaction with thrombi was specific and required β3 integrin expression. M21-L cells which lack integrin αvβ3 failed to associate with thrombi and to arrest during blood flow. Transfection of these cells with the integrin subunits αv or αIIb resulted in variants expressing αvβ3, as in the wild type, or αIIbβ3. Both variants were able to associate with thrombi and to arrest during blood flow. Therefore, β3 integrin-mediated binding to activated platelets represents an efficient mechanism for melanoma cell arrest under flow, and this may contribute to the role of platelets in hematogenous metastasis.
Community Colleges under the Microscope: An analysis of Performance Predictors for native and Transfer Students:

Stratified random samples of native and transfer students at a university were compared based on data extracted from student transcripts for 1989, 1990, and 1991. Transfers' first-semester GPAs at the university were less than their community college cumulative GPAs, but natives maintained similar upper and lower division GPAs. Regression analysis revealed, however, that upper division GPAs varied little between native and transfer students when influences of related variables were held constant. Separate regression analyses of transfer and native variables detected that lower division GPA and major were significant predictors of upper division GPA for both groups, but more so for transfers than for natives, with business and science majors earning lower GPAs than others. Although race was not a significant predictor for transfers, it was the most significant predictor for native students: White natives earned higher upper division GPAs than minority natives. The authors conclude that community colleges n...
Modular Supervisory Control of Discrete-Event Systems with Abstraction and Incremental Hierarchical Construction

This paper addresses the problem of state explosion by outlining a procedure for incrementally building modular supervisors that are nonconflicting by construction. Abstractions are employed to make the procedure more computationally feasible. Proof is given showing the set of modular supervisors generated in this manner meet given specifications without blocking. Furthermore, an example is provided that demonstrates the reduction in complexity that this approach provides
The influence of feeding, enrichment, and seasonal context on the behavior of Pacific Walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens).

Though some research exists concerning general behavior and activity patterns of Walruses in zoos or aquariums, less is known about how these patterns change in response to various environmental and temporal contexts. This study presents two studies assessing behavioral changes in relation to feeding period, object enrichment (OE), and season in a social group of four Pacific Walruses at the New York Aquarium. Study 1 examined behavior in relation to feeding context (nonfeed, prefeed, postfeed); data were collected over a three-week period, resulting in 47 observation sessions for each feeding context. Study 2 examined behavior in relation to OE and season; data were collected in two phases resulting in 12 enrichment and 9 no-enrichment (NE) observation sessions (Phase 1), and 21 enrichment and 18 NE observation sessions (Phase 2). Study 1 showed that after feeding, oral behavior increased while social behavior and total swim frequency decreased. In Study 2, both swim frequency and social behavior were found to interact with OE and phase, while oral behavior remained constant across all conditions. As in the wild, both studies found all animals to be swimming the majority of the time. Though every animal spent much of its swim time engaged in an Individual Swimming Pattern (ISP), both studies showed that the proportion of ISP (in relation to total time swimming) remained stable across all contexts, suggesting a potential functional role of the ISPs. These results are discussed in light of the ongoing debate over the role of stereotypies in welfare assessment. Zoo Biol 29:397–404, 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Environmental effects on the tensile deformation of polymers at low temperatures

Abstract General experimental results are presented on the environmental effect exerted by nitrogen and argon on the tensile deformation of polymers in the neighborhood of 80° K. The primary features are the large dependence of tensile strength on strain rate and the occurrence of crazing, both of which are absent in helium and vacuum environments. The fracture stress in N2 and Ar may be less or greater than that in He and vacuum in accordance with the strain rate being low or high, respectively. A brief theory for the low-temperature environmental crazing is presented. A central part of the theory is related to the fact that the adsorption of N2 and Ar on all polymers around 80° K substantially reduces their surface free-energy by about 25 to 75%.
Reutericyclin and related analogues kill stationary phase Clostridium difficile at achievable colonic concentrations

Objectives: The stationary phase of Clostridium difficile, which is associated with the symptoms of the diarrhoeal disease, is refractory to antibiotic killing. The aim of this study was to explore whether probioticderived reutericyclin and related synthetic analogues could kill stationary phase C. difficile at concentrations achievable in the gastrointestinal tract. Methods: The bactericidal activities of reutericyclin and lead compound derivatives were examined against logarithmic and stationary phase cultures of different C. difficile strains. The absorption of compounds across the intestinal epithelia was tested using the Caco-2 permeability model. Results: Unlike vancomycin and metronidazole, reutericyclins demonstrated concentration-dependent killing, being rapidly bactericidal against both logarithmic and stationary phase cells, at low concentrations (0.09 –2 mg/L). The intestinal absorption of unmodified reutericyclin was poor and comparable to that of vancomycin. However, this property varied significantly for the synthetic reutericyclin analogues, ranging from well absorbed to non-absorbed. The non-absorbable compounds were highly effluxed, suggesting this parameter could be modulated to obtain agents with superior efficacy. Conclusions: Reutericyclins showed excellent potency against the lethal non-growing stage of C. difficile at concentrations that may be attained in the gastrointestinal tract. Since these agents represent novel potential treatments for C. difficile infection, further development of this compound class is warranted.
Self-Induction of a/a or α/α Biofilms in Candida albicans Is a Pheromone-Based Paracrine System Requiring Switching

Like MTL-heterozygous (a/α) cells, white MTL-homozygous (a/a or α/α) cells of Candida albicans, to which a minority of opaque cells of opposite mating type have been added, form thick, robust biofilms. The latter biofilms are uniquely stimulated by the pheromone released by opaque cells and are regulated by the mitogen-activated protein kinase signal transduction pathway. However, white MTL-homozygous cells, to which opaque cells of opposite mating type have not been added, form thinner biofilms. Mutant analyses reveal that these latter biofilms are self-induced. Self-induction of a/a biofilms requires expression of the α-receptor gene STE2 and the α-pheromone gene MFα, and self-induction of α/α biofilms requires expression of the a-receptor gene STE3 and the a-pheromone gene MFa. In both cases, deletion of WOR1, the master switch gene, blocks cells in the white phenotype and biofilm formation, indicating that self-induction depends upon low frequency switching from the white to opaque phenotype. These results suggest a self-induction scenario in which minority opaque a/a cells formed by switching secrete, in a mating-type-nonspecific fashion, α-pheromone, which stimulates biofilm formation through activation of the α-pheromone receptor of majority white a/a cells. A similar scenario is suggested for a white α/α cell population, in which minority opaque α/α cells secrete a-pheromone. This represents a paracrine system in which one cell type (opaque) signals a second highly related cell type (white) to undergo a complex response, in this case the formation of a unisexual white cell biofilm.
Progesterone blocks estrogen neuroprotection from kainate in middle-aged female rats.

The neuroprotective effects of estrogen in young adult rodents are well established. Less well understood is how estrogen neuroprotection is affected by aging and interactions with progesterone. In this study, we investigated the effects of estrogen and continuous progesterone, both alone and in combination, on hippocampal neuron survival following kainate lesion in 14 month-old female rats entering reproductive senescence. Our results show that ovariectomy-induced hormone depletion did not significantly affect the extent of kainate-induced neuron loss. Treatment of ovariectomized rats with estrogen significantly reduced neuron loss, however this effect was blocked by co-administration of continuous progesterone. Treatment of ovariectomized rats with progesterone alone did not significantly affect kainate toxicity. These results provide new insight into factors that regulate estrogen neuroprotection, which has important implications for hormone therapy in postmenopausal women.
Preparation of rat intestinal muscle and mucosa for quantitative microcirculatory studies

Abstract This paper describes methods and procedural details for preparing either the rat intestinal muscle or mucosa for observation under the microscope. The tissues are transilluminated through a short optical clad rod with a standard condenser system. The tissue environment can be controlled, and the microcirculation of the muscle and mucosa are clearly visible and directly accessible. The arteries, veins, and nerves to the intestine can be simultaneously manipulated. One can therefore control a number of macro- and microcirculatory parameters, and perform a wide variety of quantitative measurements on either the intestinal muscle or mucosal vasculature.
Evaluation of Performance of Automatic Vehicle Location and TowPlow for Winter Maintenance Operations in Wisconsin

Winter maintenance operations are a major expense for state departments of transportation located within the Snow Belt of North America. Winter maintenance-related expenses for 2005 through 2010 ranged from $46 million to $87 million per year for state highways in Wisconsin. During the past two winters, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation implemented TowPlow and automatic vehicle location (AVL) technologies to optimize winter maintenance operations. A TowPlow is a plow that is attached to a regular plow truck to increase the snow removal capacity. AVL is a combination of systems capable of monitoring the location of a vehicle, material application rates, and road conditions from a central location. In this paper, qualitative and quantitative evaluations are presented for these two technologies. Findings from both evaluations showed that the implementation of these technologies would result in potential cost savings resulting from lower salt usage (AVL) and more efficient operations (TowPlow). The u...
Pancreatic antegrade needle-knife (PANK) for treatment of symptomatic pancreatic duct obstruction in Whipple patients (with video)

Background Endoscopic decompression of symptomatic main pancreatic duct (MPD) dilation in Whipple patients is often difficult because of stenosis of the pancreaticojejunal (PJ) anastomosis. Objective To evaluate the feasibility and procedural safety of the pancreatic antegrade needle-knife (PANK) technique, with the goal of restoring antegrade MPD flow, when endoscopic retrograde pancreatography (ERP) and EUS-guided rendezvous fail. Setting Tertiary care center. Design Retrospective series. Patients Three patients with symptomatic MPD dilation refractory to ERP and EUS-guided rendezvous. Interventions Under EUS guidance, a 19-gauge echo-needle was used to gain access to the dilated MPD and a Jagwire advanced. After failed attempts at antegrade guidewire passage across the PJ stenosis, deep transgastric MPD access was achieved via a Soehendra stent retriever and balloon dilation. Careful antegrade needle-knife of the stenotic site was performed. A long pancreatic stent spanning the jejunum, MPD, and gastric access site was placed. Four to 8 weeks later, this stent was upsized and converted to a PJ stent, which in turn was removed 4 weeks thereafter. Main Outcome Measurements Technical feasibility and complications. Results All 3 patients successfully underwent the PANK procedure. Pre- and post-MRCP studies showed the mean MPD diameter decreased 60% from 8.3 mm to 3.6 mm (mean follow-up 8 months). At 24-month follow-up, all 3 patients experienced decreased or resolved pain without further need for MPD intervention. Limitations Retrospective study with small numbers. Conclusions When ERP and EUS rendezvous fail, the PANK procedure using a staged stent strategy seems to be an effective means of MPD decompression.
A Method for Simulating Effects of Quasi-Stationary Wave Anomalies on Regional Climate

Abstract A combined observational and numerical modeling methodology was employed to examine the interaction of large-scale quasi-stationary waves with regional forcing in the drought of 1988 and flood of 1993 in the north-central United States. The study implements and tests a new lateral boundary condition closure approach enabling regional climate modeling sensitivity studies to account for anomalies external to the simulated domain. Thirty-day regional simulations of the continental United States using the MM5 regional model successfully reproduced the anomalous drought and flood conditions. In an additional set of simulations the observed large-scale quasi-stationary wave anomalies in the dynamic and thermodynamic fields were filtered out through adjustment of the observationally based lateral boundary conditions. In these filtered simulations the simulated meteorological fields over the drought/flood areas for both years tended toward those for normal years, suggesting that the proposed filtering te...
Macro-Defect-Free Cement: A Novel Organoceramic Composite

Macro-defect-free cement is a composite material made by processing a hydraulic cement with a water-soluble polymer under high shear roll-milling. This paper examines the principles of processing and the development of microstructure that results in a material with ceramic-like properties. The nature of the chemical interaction between the cement and the polymer is also considered in some detail.
Effects of Myosin Binding Protein-C Isoform, Phosphorylation, and Domains on the Rotational Dynamics of Actin Filaments

We have determined the effects of Myosin binding protein-C (MyBP-C) and its domains on the microsecond time-scale rotational dynamics of actin, using time-resolved phosphorescence anisotropy (TPA). MyBP-C is a multi-domain thick filament-associated modulator of striated muscle contraction, spanning the interfilament spacing to contact both myosin and actin. Cardiac (c-) and slow skeletal (ss-) MyBP-C are known substrates for Protein kinase-A (PKA), and phosphorylation of cMyBP-C alters contractile properties and myofilament structure. To determine the effects of MyBP-C on actin's microsecond structural dynamics, we labeled actin at C374 with erythrosine iodoacetamide and performed TPA experiments. The interaction of all three MyBP-C isoforms with actin increased the final anisotropy (r∞) of the TPA decay in a concentration-dependent manner, indicating restriction of the rotational amplitude of actin dynamics. While PKA phosphorylation had little effect on fast skeletal (fs-) MyBP-C, phosphorylation of cMyBP-C and ssMyBP-C nearly eliminated the effects of these proteins to restrict actin dynamics, despite no change in binding affinity with phosphorylation. Skeletal MyBP-C (C1-C10) affected actin anisotropy at lower concentrations than cMyBP-C (C0-C10), suggesting that skeletal and cardiac N-terminal MyBP-C interactions with actin have distinct properties. The effects of truncated cMyBP-C on actin anisotropy determined that C-terminal domains are important for restricting rotational dynamics, whereas N-terminal domains are important for regulating this effect. These MyBP-C-induced changes in actin dynamics may play a role in the known effects of MyBP-C on the functional actin-myosin interaction. This work was funded by grants from NIH (F32 HL107039-01 to BAC and T32 AR007612 to DDT).
MECA: maximum entropy clustering algorithm

This paper presents a new approach to fuzzy clustering, which provides the basis for the development of the maximum entropy clustering algorithm (MECA). The derivation of the proposed algorithm is based on an objective function incorporating a measure of the entropy of the membership functions and a measure of the distortion between the prototypes and the feature vectors. This formulation allows the gradual transition from a maximum uncertainty or minimum selectivity phase to a minimum uncertainty or maximum selectivity phase during the clustering process. Such a transition is achieved by controlling the relative effect of the maximization of the membership entropy and the minimization of the distortion between the prototypes and the feature vectors. The IRIS data set provides the basis for evaluating the proposed algorithms and comparing their performance with that of competing techniques. >
A relationship between the glass transition temperature (Tg) and fractional conversion for thermosetting systems

An equation, based on thermodynamic considerations to relate the glass transition temperature, T g , to compositional variation of a polymer system, is adapted in this article for modeling the T g vs. fractional conversion (x) relationship of reactive thermosetting systems. Agreement between the adapted equation and experimental Tg vs. x data is found for several thermosetting crosslinking systems (i.e., epoxies and cyanate ester/polycyanurate) as well as for reactive thermosetting linear polymer systems (i.e., polyamic acid and esters to polyimides). The equation models the experimentally obtained T g vs. x behavior of thermosetting systems which include competing reactions. Agreement for widely varying molecular structures demonstrates the generality of the equation. The entire T g vs. x relationship can be predicted for a thermosetting material by using the T g vs. x equation and the values of the initial glass transition temperature, T g0 , the fully reacted system glass transition temperature, T gx , and the ratio of the change in specific heat from the liquid or rubbery state to the glassy state (Δc p ) at T g0 and T gx , Δc px /Δc P0 . The values of T go, T gx , and ΔC px /Δc p0 can be measured generally from two differential scanning calorimetric experiments.
Regulatory T cells suppress antigen-driven CD4 T cell reactivity following injury.

Injury initiates local and systemic host responses and is known to increase CD4 Treg activity in mice and humans. This study uses a TCR transgenic T cell adoptive transfer approach and in vivo Treg depletion to determine specifically the in vivo influence of Tregs on antigen-driven CD4 T cell reactivity following burn injury in mice. We report here that injury in the absence of recipient and donor Tregs promotes high antigen-driven CD4 T cell expansion and increases the level of CD4 T cell reactivity. In contrast, CD4 T cell expansion and reactivity were suppressed significantly in injured Treg-replete mice. In additional experiments, we found that APCs prepared from burn- or sham-injured, Treg-depleted mice displayed significantly higher antigen-presenting activity than APCs prepared from normal mice, suggesting that Tregs may suppress injury responses by controlling the intensity of APC activity. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that Tregs can actively control the in vivo expansion and reactivity of antigen-stimulated, naive CD4 T cells following severe injury.
Effect of aerobic exercise on mouth-to-cecum transit time

To examine the premise that exercise reduces the gastrointestinal transit time, we evaluated the effect of walking 4.5 km in an hour on mouth-to-cecum transit time. Twenty-three healthy volunteers, 9 men and 14 women, with an age range of 19–28 yr, were studied. After an overnight fast, the subjects ingested 10 g of lactulose in 150 ml of water while breath hydrogen concentrations were analyzed at 15-min intervals. On separate days, in random sequence, subjects either sat in a chair or walked on a treadmill for 60 min. Mean transit time was 55 ± 8 min when resting and 89 ± 4 min when exercising (p
Changing Readers, Changing Texts: Beginning Reading Texts from 1960 to 2010

Over the past 50 years, substantial changes have occurred in the texts used for the instruction for beginning reading. This article analyzes four prominent perspectives that have most influenced be...
From automated verification to automated design ( Invited Talk Abstract )

One of the most significant developments in the area of design verification over the last decade is the development of of algorithmic methods for verifying temporal specification of finite-state designs (Clarke, Grumberg, and Peled 1999). A frequent criticism against this approach, however, is that verification is done after significant resources have already been invested in the development of the design. Since designs invariably contains errors, verification simply becomes part of the debugging process. The critics argue that the desired goal ought to be the use of the specification in the design development process in order to guarantee the development of correct designs. This is called design synthesis (Church 1957; Pnueli and Rosner 1989). In this talk I will review 50 years of research on the design-synthesis problem and show how the automata-theoretic approach can be used to solve it (Kupferman and Vardi 2005; Pnueli and Rosner 1989; Rabin 1972).
Impugning randomness, convincingly

John organized a state lottery, and his wife won the main prize. One may feel that the event of her winning isn’t particularly random, but is it possible to convincingly impugn the alleged randomness, in cases like this, in a fair court of law? We develop an approach to do just that.
Cannabis, Cigarettes, and Their Co-Occurring Use: Disentangling Differences in Gray Matter Volume

Background Structural magnetic resonance imaging techniques are powerful tools for examining the effects of drug use on the brain. The nicotine and cannabis literature has demonstrated differences between nicotine cigarette smokers and cannabis users compared to controls in brain structure; however, less is known about the effects of co-occurring cannabis and tobacco use. Methods We used voxel-based morphometry to examine gray matter volume differences between four groups: (1) cannabis-dependent individuals who do not smoke tobacco (Cs); (2) cannabis-dependent individuals who smoke tobacco (CTs); (3) cannabis-naive, nicotine-dependent individuals who smoke tobacco (Ts); and (4) healthy controls (HCs). We also explored associations between gray matter volume and measures of cannabis and tobacco use. Results A significant group effect was observed in the left putamen, thalamus, right precentral gyrus, and left cerebellum. Compared to HCs, the Cs, CTs, and Ts exhibited larger gray matter volumes in the left putamen. Cs also had larger gray matter volume than HCs in the right precentral gyrus. Cs and CTs exhibited smaller gray matter volume than HCs in the thalamus, and CTs and Ts had smaller left cerebellar gray matter volume than HCs. Conclusions This study extends previous research that independently examined the effects of cannabis or tobacco use on brain structure by including an examination of co-occurring cannabis and tobacco use, and provides evidence that cannabis and tobacco exposure are associated with alterations in brain regions associated with addiction.
NMDA-Independent LTP by Adenosine A2 Receptor-Mediated Postsynaptic AMPA Potentiation in Hippocampus

Kessey, Kofi and David J. Mogul. NMDA-independent LTP by adenosine A2 receptor-mediated postsynaptic AMPA potentiation in hippocampus. J. Neurophysiol. 78: 1965–1972, 1997. The role of adenosine A2...
Covalency and the Paramagnetic Resonance of Mn ++ in CdSe

The paramagnetic resonance spectrum of divalent manganese has been measured in a single crystal of CdSe ($C_{6v}^{4}$) at 77\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. The parameters are $g=2.003\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.001$, $A=(\ensuremath{-}62.7\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.5)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, $D=(15.2\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.5)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, $\mathfrak{a}=(+14.3\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.0)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, $F=(\ensuremath{-}2.0\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.0)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$. It is to be noted that in this hexagonal crystal the effect of the cubic field parameter $\mathfrak{a}$ is comparable to that of the axial field parameter $D$. The large value of $\mathfrak{a}$ is attributed to covalency effects. A comparison of the measured $\mathfrak{a}$ value with $\mathfrak{a}$ values found for ${\mathrm{Mn}}^{++}$ in other wurtzite and zincblende crystals shows that there is a correlation between the magnitude of the $\mathfrak{a}$ value and the amount of covalency. A similar correlation between the value of $D$ and the amount of covalency is also found and accounts for the low value of $D$ in CdSe.
Lack of efficacy for conventional gamma irradiation of platelet concentrates to abrogate bacterial growth.

The maximum storage time for platelet concentrates is 5 days, owing to the higher risk bacterial contamination with longer storage. The expiration date could potentially be extended if a rapid system to detect microbial contamination or a safe sterilization technique could be developed and easily implemented. Gamma irradiation has decreased bacterial contamination in food products. Conventional doses of gamma irradiation were tested for their efficacy in decreasing bacterial growth during the 5-day platelet shelf life. An initial pilot study determined that bacteria suspended in normal saline at concentrations of 1 to 2 × 107 colony-forming units per milliliter showed a dose-related susceptibility to gamma irradiation. Subsequently, four platelet concentrates were pooled, inoculated with a known concentration of Staphylococcus aureus or Serratia tnarcescens, and divided. The concentrates were exposed to varying amounts of gamma irradiation, ie, no irradiation (control), 25, 50, and 75 Gy, and subjected to typical blood bank storage conditions. The platelet concentrates were sampled daily for 7 consecutive days to monitor bacterial growth by quantitative cultures. An inverse linear dose-related extinction of bacteria was evident in the pilot study with an extrapolated total kill in the 100 to 150 Gy range. There is no difference in bacterial growth with S aureus using irradiation levels from 0 to 75 Gy. A 1-day delay in bacterial growth at 75 Gy was found with S marcescens compared with units irradiated with 0 through 50 Gy. Exposure of bacteria-contaminated platelet concentrates on storage day zero to gamma irradiation at levels up to 75 Gy is ineffective at sterilizing the platelet concentrates. Higher levels of irradiation may be effective in sterilizing platelet concentrates. Function, survival, and sterility after higher than conventional levels of irradiation need further study.
Abstract 2415: Evaluation of a DNA vaccine and adjuvant construct for producing anti tumor immunity targeting IGFBP2

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC DNA based vaccines offer the advantage of stability, low cost, and longer duration of antigen exposure than protein based vaccines. We sought to evaluate strategies to augment the anti tumor potency. Using three immunogenic peptides from the ovarian cancer antigen, human insulin-like growth factor binding protein-2 (IGFBP2) we created a DNA epitope construct that encodes these three peptides in sequence and vaccinated mice with the epitope vaccine or an admixture of the peptides or plasmids expressing either the full length human or mouse genes. Mice received three vaccinations separated by two weeks followed fourteen days later by a lethal injection of syngeneic MMC tumor cells known to express IGFBP2. The DNA epitope vaccine produced a greater level of protection than any of the other constructs proving it to be the best formulation for inducing protective anti tumor responses. Full length human and mouse IGFBP2 DNA constructs induced a similar level of protection as the peptide based vaccine. This IGFBP2 epitope DNA vaccine was then tested in conjunction with plasmids encoding murine GM-CSF and IL-12 either alone or in combination in an identical vaccination strategy. Each genetic adjuvant either alone or in combination improved the level of protection induced by the IGFBP2 DNA epitope vaccine though no difference in tumor protection was seen between adjuvants used either alone or together. Evaluation of the inoculation site revealed a persistence of CD11c+ dendritic cells and CD3+ T cells fourteen days after final vaccination predominantly in mice who received plasmids containing the cytokines versus those who received soluble protein. These data support the use of epitope based DNA vaccines in conjunction with genetic adjuvants for the production of anti tumor efficacy. 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 2415.
Can Non-Tiered Frequency Reward Programs Be Profitable?

We examine the effectiveness of a customer loyalty program with a non-tiered reward structure. We use a unique data set consisting of all transactions at a chain of hair salons from both before and after the implementation of the loyalty program. We find that the loyalty program is profitable despite the approximate linear structure of the reward that provides a 5% discount to members who regularly return. Importantly, the increased profitability would be hard to pinpoint if a researcher did not have data from both before and after the reward program introduction. The increased profits come from increasing the frequency of visits, and more importantly, from reducing the attrition rate. We find that the de facto discount received by members who redeem rewards is only about 2.7% (the average discounts to all members is only 0.7%). These redeeming members increase the frequency of visits by 1.9%. Further, the introduction of the loyalty program leads to an approximately 3% increase in customer lifetime value across all consumers. With some basic assumption, this reflects a 6% increase in the value of the program’s members, meaning that the program has a significant net benefit to the firm.
Serum lipids and serum uric acid in human twins

This report describes a study of serum total cholesterol, free cholesterol, glyceride glycerol, total phospholipids, and uric acid in human twins and is presented in three sections. Section 1 presents evidence that interpair variance of free cholesterol, total cholesterol, total phospholipids, glyceride glycerol, and uric acid are significantly greater in dizygotic than monozygotic twins. Twins living apart have greater variance than twins living together; interpair variance is greater than intrapair variance for all variates. These results provide more conclusive evidence for genetic control of blood lipids and uric acid in normal man than has been available previously. Section 2 presents interrelations of total cholesterol, glyceride glycerol, and uric acid. Glyceride glycerol and total cholesterol show significant regression coefficients in women but not in men. Section 3 presents evidence that monozygotic twins show significant evidence of heterogeneity with respect to intrapair differences of total cholesterol, free cholesterol, glyceride glycerol, and uric acid. This argument is supported by two parallel lines of reasoning; a new approach to twin data which we have devised, and a method for studying the concept of zygosity in twins developed by Fisher before the introduction of blood typing for determination of zygosity. Demonstration that monozygotic twins do not form a homogeneous population focuses attention upon an unanswered question regarding the resemblance between twins which is deeply ingrained in twin studies but has received little recent attention.
CLS meets the aquaporin family: clinical cases involving aquaporin systems.

1. Wayne Gade, PhD[⇑][1] 1. is of the Departments of Clinical Laboratory Science and Chemistry at the University of Illinois at Springfield, Springfield IL 2. Brooke Robinson 1. holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Illinois at Springfield, Springfield IL 1. Address for correspondence: Wayne Gade PhD, Departments of Clinical Laboratory Science and Chemistry, HSB 314, University of Illinois at Springfield, One University Place, Springfield IL 62703. (217) 206-7349, (217) 206-6162 (fax). gade.wayne{at}uis.edu Virtually all human cells incorporate aquaporins, or water channel proteins, into their cell membrane. Indeed, many cells produce several aquaporins, each adapted for a specific physiologic function. Thus, it is not surprising that aquaporin malfunctions are associated with numerous important clinical conditions. This article describes the clinical aspects of malfunctions in aquaporins or their regulation. Although water can diffuse across biological membranes (osmosis) without the aid of a transport system, researchers had predicted for decades that rapid reabsorption by renal tubule cells must be aided by a channel or pore. Yet, not until the 1990s were the first members of the aquaporin (AQP) family identified. Led by Dr. Peter Agre, recipient of the 2003 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, researchers have since amassed an astounding amount of information about AQPs and their function. For example, the flow rate of water through AQP1 is an extraordinary three billion water molecules per second per aquaporin channel, while a relative trickle of water crosses the hydrophobic lipid bilayer of cell membranes devoid of AQPs. Our understanding of renal physiology and pathophysiology has advanced greatly as we account for the subtle implications of various AQP systems. For example, nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI), the inability to produce concentrated urine, can result from several different malfunctions in the hormonally controlled AQP2 system. The list of diseases known to involve AQPs now includes: early onset of cataracts, Sjogren's syndrome, cerebral and pulmonary edemas, cirrhotic liver development of ascites, and congestive heart failure (CHF). The first aquaporin, originally called… ABBREVIATIONS: ADH = anti-diuretic hormone; AQP = aquaporin; cAMP= cyclic adenosine monophosphate; CDI = central diabetes insipidus; CHF = congestive heart failure; MIP = major intrinsic protein; NDI = nephrogenic diabetes insipidus; PCT = proximal convoluted tubule; RT-PCR = reverse transcription - polymerase chain reaction; SS = Sjogren's syndrome; SIADH = syndrome of inappropriate ADH secretion. [1]: #corresp-1
The past and future of ego psychology.

Having six roots in ordinary observation and introspection, ego psychology has a long pre-Freudian history, which influenced Freud's first usages of Ich. His works before 1923 contain much that is substantively ego psychology; The Ego and the Id was not a paradigm change but a consolidation of pre-existing ideas. The structural theory replaced a model (topographic) which Freud actually used very little, especially clinically, and he failed to remedy its gravest methodological faults. The ego-id model is an integral part of metapsychology, and will pass out of use as the latter dies, with no detriment to clinical psychoanalysis.
Abstract 227: Leptin induces a fibroblast and endothelial cell crosstalk in tumor stroma

Background: The tissue microenvironment plays a major role in tumor development and recurrence. It is known that leptin secreted by cancer and adipose cells can modify the tumor stroma, which is composed of immune, fibroblast, and endothelial cells (EC). Leptin affects both normal and cancer associated fibroblasts. We have previously shown that leptin can modify EC directly via an increase of angiogenic features; which was linked to VEGFR signaling and Notch expression independent of VEGF. It is hypothesized that leptin induces a communication between fibroblast and endothelial cells via induction of Notch signaling, which may be related to exosome production. Methods: Non-expressing Ob-R fibroblasts, and fibroblasts transfected with Ob-R plasmid, were used to investigate leptin9s actions on Notch activation. Fibroblasts were challenged with leptin (0.6, 1.2, 6.2 nM) and an inhibitor of Notch signaling activation (DAPT). Fibroblast culture supernatants were added to and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) cultures. Notch proteins and RNA expression and molecular markers of activated fibroblasts and derived exosomes were determined via Western blot, RT-PCR, and multiplex analyses, respectively. EC angiogenic features were also determined. Results: Our findings suggest that leptin induces fibroblast activation, which triggers the expression of Notch and the development of angiogenic features by EC. Conclusions: A novel mechanism is proposed by which leptin promotes tumor stroma development via Notch activation and a crosstalk between fibroblasts and EC. Cancer therapies targeting leptin signaling could be a new strategy for interfering with cellular processes that promotes changes of tumor stroma towards a more aggressive tumor environment. Citation Format: Viola Lanier. Leptin induces a fibroblast and endothelial cell crosstalk in tumor stroma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 227.
A Global Green New Deal: Facilitating access to finance

If enacted, the international actions and reforms advocated in the previous chapter should facilitate the global financing and technology transfer necessary for the GGND. Problems will remain, though, in access to finance globally. One difficulty is the decline in private financial investment flows compared to pre-recession levels. A major reason for this ongoing problem is the lack of confidence in the international financial system, coupled with the worldwide contraction of credit as the global economy adjusted to rid the system of overvalued and bad assets. The global financial system suffered a near-meltdown in 2008, and, although the massive bailout of the global financial system may have averted a major catastrophe in world credit and capital markets, it has proved insufficient to avoid the worst international economic crisis since the Great Depression. Not surprisingly, private financial investment flows have suffered accordingly, and this has led to demands for a new framework for the global financial system. At the April 2009 London summit, the G20 suggested a number of proposals to shore up confidence in the international financial system and to reduce the risk of further financial turmoil of the type that precipitated the current recession. These proposals include the following. Strengthening financial supervision and regulation to include hedge funds and credit rating agencies, and eliciting more information on tax havens. Extending the mandate of the Financial Stability Board (formerly the Financial Stability Forum), which has the responsibility of overseeing global financial stability and risk. Tripling the lending capacity of the International Monetary Fund, and endorsing the IMF's recent lending initiatives to make substantial amounts of finance available quickly to emerging market economies during a crisis. […]
Review Article: "A Hungarian Refugee in England and Holland." Pogany, George. 2012. When Even the Poets Were Silent: The Life of a Jewish Hungarian Holocaust Survivor under Nazism and Communism. Afterword by Istvan Pogany. Kenilworth, UK: Brandram, Imprint of Takaway Publishing. 263 pp.; Pogany, George. 2014. Where Is My Home? A Hungarian Refugee in England and Holland. Lexington KY: CreateSpace. 209 pp. Illus.

The personal experiences of individuals who lived through the catastrophes of World War II, the Holocaust and the 1956 Hungarian Revolution have been told in many recent memoirs, greatly expanding our understanding of these historical events. In addition to the experiences of the narrators, the fate of their family members, friends, colleagues and entire communities who were all impacted by these events are also illuminated in these accounts. The two memoirs by George Pogany (b. 1928) cover his life since the early 1930s in Hungary, the Holocaust, communism, his escape to the West in 1956, his settlement in England, resettlement in Holland and his years as an international management consultant in several countries . Few memoirs transmit so vigorously the sweep, resiliency, and duration of the author's life and reflections as in Pogany's exceptionally detailed and insightful twofold memoir.
Protein-Ligand Interaction Detection with a Novel Method of Transient Induced Molecular Electronic Spectroscopy (TIMES): Experimental and Theoretical Studies.

Protein–ligand interaction detection without disturbances (e.g., surface immobilization, fluorescent labeling, and crystallization) presents a key question in protein chemistry and drug discovery. The emergent technology of transient induced molecular electronic spectroscopy (TIMES), which incorporates a unique design of microfluidic platform and integrated sensing electrodes, is designed to operate in a label-free and immobilization-free manner to provide crucial information for protein–ligand interactions in relevant physiological conditions. Through experiments and theoretical simulations, we demonstrate that the TIMES technique actually detects protein–ligand binding through signals generated by surface electric polarization. The accuracy and sensitivity of experiments were demonstrated by precise measurements of dissociation constant of lysozyme and N-acetyl-d-glucosamine (NAG) ligand and its trimer, NAG3. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) computation is performed to demonstrate that the surface’s e...
Cause-Related Sports Marketing: The Role of League–Cause Fit and Team Imagery in Advertising Promotions: Abstract

Social involvement research in the sport industry is still evolving, leaving much to be understood regarding the social activities of sport organizations (Walker and Parent 2010). While research suggests that CRM can positively affect purchase intentions and behavioral responses (e.g., Bhattacharya and Sen 2003), the rise in CRM activities in professional sports and the breadth of philanthropic partners among individual leagues warrants a deeper understanding of how and when sports fans respond favorably, and perhaps more importantly, unfavorably, to such initiatives.
Updated Estimates of the Remaining Market Potential of the U.S. ESCO Industry

Author(s): Larsen, PH; Carvallo Bodelon, JP; Goldman, CA; Murphy, S; Stuart, E | Abstract: The energy service company (ESCO) industry has a well-established track record of delivering energy and economic savings in the public and institutional buildings sector, primarily through the use of performance-based contracts. The ESCO industry often provides (or helps arrange) private sector financing to complete public infrastructure projects with little or no up-front cost to taxpayers. In 2014, total U.S. ESCO industry revenue was estimated at $5.3 billion. ESCOs expect total industry revenue to grow to $7.6 billion in 2017—a 13% annual growth rate from 2015-2017. Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) were asked by the U.S. Department of Energy Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) to update and expand our estimates of the remaining market potential of the U.S. ESCO industry. We define remaining market potential as the aggregate amount of project investment by ESCOs that is technically possible based on the types of projects that ESCOS have historically implemented in the institutional, commercial, and industrial sectors using ESCO estimates of current market penetration in those sectors. In this analysis, we report U.S. ESCO industry remaining market potential under two scenarios: (1) a base case and (2) a case “unfettered” by market, bureaucratic, and regulatory barriers. We find that there is significant remaining market potential for the U.S. ESCO industry under both the base and unfettered cases. For the base case, we estimate a remaining market potential of $92-$201 billion ($2016). We estimate a remaining market potential of $190-$333 billion for the unfettered case. It is important to note, however, that there is considerable uncertainty surrounding the estimates for both the base and unfettered cases.