cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact of 2000-2050 climate change on fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) air quality inferred from a multi-model analysis of meteorological modes

Abstract. Studies of the effect of climate change on fine particulate matter (PM2.5 air quality using general circulation models (GCMs) show inconsistent results including in the sign of the effect. This reflects uncertainty in the GCM simulations of the regional meteorological variables affecting PM2.5. Here we use the CMIP3 archive of data from fifteen different IPCC AR4 GCMs to obtain improved statistics of 21st-century trends in the meteorological modes driving PM2.5 variability over the contiguous US. We analyze 1999–2010 observations to identify the dominant meteorological modes driving interannual PM2.5 variability and their synoptic periods T. We find robust correlations (r > 0.5) of annual mean PM2.5 with T, especially in the eastern US where the dominant modes represent frontal passages. The GCMs all have significant skill in reproducing present-day statistics for T and we show that this reflects their ability to simulate atmospheric baroclinicity. We then use the local PM2.5-to-period sensitivity (dPM2.5/dT) from the 1999–2010 observations to project PM2.5 changes from the 2000–2050 changes in T simulated by the 15 GCMs following the SRES A1B greenhouse warming scenario. By weighted-average statistics of GCM results we project a likely 2000–2050 increase of ~ 0.1 μg m−3 in annual mean PM2.5 in the eastern US arising from less frequent frontal ventilation, and a likely decrease albeit with greater inter-GCM variability in the Pacific Northwest due to more frequent maritime inflows. Potentially larger regional effects of 2000–2050 climate change on PM2.5 may arise from changes in temperature, biogenic emissions, wildfires, and vegetation, but are still unlikely to affect annual PM2.5 by more than 0.5 μg m−3.
Full Three-Dimensional Quantum Transport Simulation of Atomistic Interface Roughness in Silicon Nanowire FETs

The influence of interface roughness scattering (IRS) on the performances of silicon nanowire (NW) field-effect transistors is numerically investigated using a full 3-D quantum transport simulator based on an atomistic sp3d5s* tight-binding model. An interface between silicon and silicon dioxide layers is generated in a real-space atomistic representation using an experimentally derived autocovariance function. An oxide layer is modeled in a virtual crystal approximation using fictitious SiO2 atoms. 〈110〉-oriented NWs with different diameters and randomly generated surface configurations are studied. An experimentally observed on-current and threshold voltage are quantitatively captured by the simulation model. The mobility reduction due to IRS is studied through a qualitative comparison of the simulation results with the experimental data.
HAPLOT: a graphical comparison of haplotype blocks, tagSNP sets and SNP variation for multiple populations

Summary: Understanding of human variation relevant to association studies can benefit from population comparison, especially comparing populations in the same geographical region. Variations in linkage disequilibrium patterns, in tagSNP sets, and in SNP heterozygosities among populations can be used to infer the evolutionary pattern. We present here a win32 system based Perl/Tk application for visual comparisons of these variations in different populations. Availability: The application package is available at http://info.med.yale.edu/genetics/kkidd/programs.html Contact: [email protected]
Latino Immigration, Economic Deprivation, and Violence: Regional Differences in the Effect of Linguistic Isolation

One of the many contributions of Land, McCall, and Cohen’s landmark study was the confirmation of a long-held view in criminology—that deprivation raises homicide. Yet recent literature finds that although Latino immigrant communities are often poor, paradoxically they have low levels of crime. Unfortunately, this seemingly contradictory evidence is based on studies of long-established, well-organized, traditional immigrant communities where Spanish is a modal form of communication. However, recent Latino migrants opted for new destinations that are unprotected by a shell of common culture and language, making Latinos in these areas more vulnerable to serious violence. In acknowledging these critical differences between old and new Latino communities, we observe four interrelated findings: (a) The widely held view that Latinos generally live in safe places is true only for those in traditional destinations; (b) Latinos in new destinations are murdered at an exceedingly high rate; (c) This elevated risk is linked to English nonfluency among Latinos in new destinations only; and (d) In these areas, linguistic isolation increases homicide not just directly but indirectly as well by first increasing Latino economic deprivation. Thus, once differences in place are considered, there is no "paradox" about Latino immigration and crime. Our results uphold the benchmark assessment of Land, McCall and Cohen, that deprivation is linked to homicide—even in Latino communities.
Pan-Peninsular pattern of morphological variation in Aspidoscelis hyperythra (Squamata: Teiidae), Baja California, Mexico

Abstract Multivariate analyses of seven meristic characters from 257 specimens of Aspidoscelis hyperythra from Baja California Peninsula, Mexico, revealed pan-peninsular patterns of morphological variation. We observed a significant morphological shift between southern and northern populations at the Isthmus of La Paz, the location of a Pliocene trans-peninsular seaway that could have separated the two groups for a substantial length of time. However, we did not observe fixed character states, such as number of pale dorsal stripes, diagnostic of southern and northern populations. The co-occurrence in local populations of variable numbers of individuals with five, six, or seven stripes makes peninsular A. hyperythra an unusual member of the A. deppii species-group, where number of stripes is consistent in local populations. Samples from the Cape Region were statistically homogeneous based on the characters analyzed, but samples from the latitudinally expansive northern area revealed a pattern of similariti...
Predicting Financial Distress And Bankruptcy For Hospitals

Five upstate New York hospitals were examined to identify a common pattern that might portend future financial distress, bankruptcy, or even closure. A four year period was examined for each of the hospitals selected that had either closed, declared bankruptcy or experienced financial distress during the period. Various financial variables were studied, including liquidity, leverage, profitability and efficiency. Utilizing previous studies on predicting financial failure and the findings of this study, various models are developed to determine if such prediction was possible for the five hospitals in this study. This study presents (1) the key indicators that were consistent in rendering the facilities financially distressed, and (2) the four year pattern of financial indicators.
Recent History of Nonviolent Responses to Conflict

Sharp (1973) noted that a considerable amount of nonviolent actions throughout history have been poorly documented, if documented at all, because of a lack of interest to do so. Wars and the outcomes of war are carefully described in our history books. Historians describe the winners and the losers in wars in great detail along with the causes and the implications of their outcomes. Nonviolent struggles are not recorded or recounted with the same regularity and vividness, as are wars and violent interchanges. Despite this propensity, hundreds of nonviolent struggles can be identified throughout recorded history (e.g., Lynd & Lynd, 1995; Sharp). Sharp in fact traces nonviolent action back to 494 B.C. when lower and middle class Romans refused to perform their usual functions until the leadership agreed to make improvement in the conditions of their lives and their status. The ancient Greek playwright, Aristophanes (1944), depicts an effective nonviolent action by Spartan women in his play, Lysistrata. In his play the women agree to withhold sex from their husbands to end the Peloponnesian War and to secure peace.
Dimensional changes of the neuroforamina in subaxial cervical spine during in vivo dynamic flexion-extension.

Abstract Background Context Neuroforaminal stenosis is one of the key factors causing clinical symptoms in patients with cervical radiculopathy. Previous quantitative studies on the neuroforaminal dimensions have focused on measurements in a static position. Little is known about dimensional changes of the neuroforamina in the cervical spine during functional dynamic neck motion under physiological loading conditions. Purpose This study aimed to investigate the in vivo dimensional changes of the neuroforamina in human cervical spine (C3–C7) during dynamic flexion-extension neck motion. Study Design A case-control study was carried out. Methods Ten asymptomatic subjects were recruited for this study. The cervical spine of each subject underwent magnetic resonance image scanning for construction of three-dimensional (3-D) vertebrae models from C3 to C7. The cervical spine was then imaged using a dual fluoroscopic system while the subject performed a dynamic flexion-extension neck motion in a sitting position. The 3-D vertebral models and the fluoroscopic images were used to reproduce the in vivo vertebral motion. The dimensions (area, height, and width) were measured for each cervical neuroforamen (C3/C4, C4/C5, C5/C6, and C6/C7) in the following functional positions: neutral position, maximal flexion, and maximal extension. Repeated measures analysis of variance and post hoc analysis were used to examine the differences between levels and positions. Results Compared with the neutral position, almost all dimensional parameters (area, height, and width) of the subaxial cervical neuroforamina decreased in extension and increased in flexion, except the neuroforaminal area at C5/C6 (p=.07), and the neuroforaminal height at C6/C7 (p=.05) remained relatively constant from neutral to extension. When comparisons of the overall change fromextension to flexion were made between segments, the overall changes of the neuroforaminal area and height revealed no significant differences between segments, and the width overall change of the upper levels (C3/C4 and C4/C5) was significantly greater than the lower levels (C5/C6 and C6/C7) (p Conclusions The dimensional changes of the cervical neuroforamina showed segment-dependent characteristics during the dynamic flexion-extension. These data may have implications for diagnosis and treatment of patients with cervical radiculopathy.
ELLPACK and ITPACK as research tools for solving elliptic problems

Abstract A summary is given, in historical perspective, of some recent studies by the authors which utilized ELLPACK and ITPACK as research tools.
Project-Based Learning in Colleges of Business: Is It Enough to Develop Educated Graduates?

This chapter focuses on project-based learning in colleges of business, a concept that offers the student a “hands-on” approach to knowledge by working on actual projects with business community organizations. However, it may take more than such partnerships to assure graduates become “educated people” as well as those vocationally trained. Solutions to balancing theoretical and universal knowledge with practical application are explored.
Nonhomologous end joining of complex DNA double-strand breaks with proximal thymine glycol and interplay with base excision repair

DNA double-strand breaks induced by ionizing radiation are often accompanied by ancillary oxidative base damage that may prevent or delay their repair. In order to better define the features that make some DSBs repair-resistant, XLF-dependent nonhomologous end joining of blunt-ended DSB substrates having the oxidatively modified nonplanar base thymine glycol at the first (Tg1), second (Tg2), third (Tg3) or fifth (Tg5) positions from one 3' terminus, was examined in human whole-cell extracts. Tg at the third position had little effect on end-joining even when present on both ends of the break. However, Tg as the terminal or penultimate base was a major barrier to end joining (>10-fold reduction in ligated products) and an absolute barrier when present at both ends. Dideoxy trapping of base excision repair intermediates indicated that Tg was excised from Tg1, Tg2 and Tg3 largely if not exclusively after DSB ligation. However, Tg was rapidly excised from the Tg5 substrate, resulting in a reduced level of DSB ligation, as well as slow concomitant resection of the opposite strand. Ligase reactions containing only purified Ku, XRCC4, ligase IV and XLF showed that ligation of Tg3 and Tg5 was efficient and only partially XLF-dependent, whereas ligation of Tg1 and Tg2 was inefficient and only detectable in the presence of XLF. Overall, the results suggest that promoting ligation of DSBs with proximal base damage may be an important function of XLF, but that Tg can still be a major impediment to repair, being relatively resistant to both trimming and ligation. Moreover, it appears that base excision repair of Tg can sometimes interfere with repair of DSBs that would otherwise be readily rejoined.
Medical knowledge discovery and management.

ABSTRACT Although the volume of medical information is growing rapidly, the ability to rapidly convert this data into “actionable insights”1 and new medical knowledge is lagging far behind. The first step in the knowledge discovery process is data management and integration, which logically can be accomplished through the application of data warehouse technologies. A key insight that arises from efforts in biosurveillance and the global scope of military medicine is that information must be integrated over both time (longitudinal health records) and space (spatial localization of health-related events). Once data are compiled and integrated it is essential to encode the semantics and relationships among data elements through the use of ontologies and semantic web technologies to convert data into knowledge. Medical images form a special class of health-related information. Traditionally knowledge has been extracted from images by human observation and encoded via controlled terminologies. This approach is...
Geophysical Surveys For Assessing Levee Foundation Conditions, Feather River Levees, Marysville, Ca

Levees are a fundamental part of many flood-damage reduction projects that protect life and property and their condition and performance in emergency flooding situations is of utmost importance. The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) is conducting research related to levee condition evaluation and assessment. A primary objective of this research is to develop the capability to obtain information about levee conditions and rapidly convey the data to decision-makers during emergency operations, particularly in cases where levee failure is possible. A field study was conducted along a 9-km stretch of the landside levee toe of the Feather River south of Marysville, CA. The purpose of the investigation was to determine the potential of rapidly assessing levee foundations using a variety of geophysical instruments: a Geophex GEM-2 and Geonics EM31 and EM34 electromagnetic (EM) induction tools, a Geometrics OhmMapper capacitively coupled and a Scintrex SARIS direct-current (dc) resistivity system. Electrically non-conductive sleds were built to tow the EM instruments behind a vehicle. The capacitively coupled resistivity system and a combination of the EM instruments provided useful and definitive information for assessing foundation conditions.
Numerical Simulation of Thermal Effects in Nonlinear Optical Materials

A numerical simulation of the nonlinear optical and thermal response of a material is described. The code is divided into preprocessor, simulation and postprocessing functions. The simulation function is a transient, three dimensional, finite difference algorithm which describes the thermal response and the optical phase change that occurs due to 3rd order nonlinearity and thermal effects. Irradiance changes due to linear and nonlinear absorption mechanisms are included in the code. In the postprocessing function a Gaussian beam decomposition technique is used to calculate the irradiance and transmitted power at a far field location and the temperature time response of the material. Examples of using the code to simulate Z-scan experiments are presented and compared to those reported in the literature. Results are presented that demonstrate that the code can be used as a tool to investigate using thermal transport mechanisms to modify the nonlinear optical response of the material. Limitations of the code are discussed.
Electronic, Thermal and Structural Properties of Graphene Oxide Frameworks

We report a theoretical study of the electronic, thermal, and structural properties of a series of graphene oxide frameworks (GOFs) using first-principles calculations based on density functional theory. The molecular structure of GOFs is systematically studied by varying the nature and concentration of linear boronic acid pillars, and the thermal stability is assessed using ab initio molecular dynamics. The results demonstrate that GOFs are thermally stable up to 550 K and that electronic properties, such as their band gap, can be modified controllably by an appropriate choice of pillaring unit and pillar concentration. The tunability of the electronic structure using nonchemical means, e.g., mechanical strain, is also quantified. Overall, this class of materials is predicted to offer highly tunable materials electronic properties ranging from metallic to semiconducting.
Distribution of Specific Immunoglobulin E and Total Immunoglobulin E in Children with Respiratory Allergic Disease

Objective To study the distribution of sepecific immunoglobulin E(SIgE) and its relationship with the total immunoglo-(bulin) E(TIgE) in children with respiratory allergic disease.Methods Serum SIgE was measured in 209 children with asthma,allergic rhinitis,cough variant asthma and asthmatic bronchitis by Pharmacia UniCAP100E system.The SIgE included the SIgE antibodies to fx5E(egg albumen,milk,fish,wheat,peanut,soybean),hx2(house dust,dermatophagoides culinae,dermatophagoides pteronyssinus,cockroach),ex1(scurf of cat,horse,cow and dog),mx1(penicillium notatum,helminthosporium halodes,aspergillums furngatits,alternaria allcrnata,),f23(crab),f14(shrimp),w14(amaranthaceae),T21(cajeput) and i8(moth).Serum TIgE was also detected in 132 patients.Results 1.The positive detection rate of SIgE in patients aged from 3 to 14 years were 72.81% which were higher than that of aged from 40 days to 3 years old(57.89%).2.The SIgE detection rate of fx5E,hx2 and ex1 were 81.8%,32.73% and 16.36% respectively in patients aged from 40 days to 3 years old;but that of hx2,fx5E,i8,w14,f24 and ex1 were 78.31%,48.19%,24.10%,24.10%,15.66% and 15.66% respectively in patients aged from 3 to 14 years.3.The positive detection rate of SIgE was related with that of TIgE.The detection rate of combined SIgE and the TIgE was 83.33%.Conclusions 1.The lower detection rate of SIgE in patients aged from 40 days to 3 years may be due to the wheezing in infants partially induced by the acute infection and congenital airway disease.2.The most common allergens in children aged from 40 days to 3 years were fx5E,hx2 and ex1.But that of patients aged from 3 to 14 years were hx2,fx5E,i8,w14,f24 and ex1.3.The combined detection of the SIgE and the TIgE may increase the positive rate and diagnose the patients with respiratory allergic disease effectively.
An Efficient BRF Neural Network Attribute Selection Method Based on Data Attribute Important Ranking

High dimensional data contain many redundant or irrelevant attributes, which will be difficult for data mining. As a result, when doing data mining on high dimensional data, it is necessary to reduce the dimension of primal data at first. This paper presents a method of neural network attributes selection based on data attribute importance ranking. Only partial attributions are needed to train a network and the data dimension can be largely reduced by this method. It avoids the deficiency of existing neural network method that needs to train a network using all attributions, which improves the efficiency of attribute selection greatly. First, a method of data attribute importance ranking using input output correlation is presented in this paper. Then, attribute selection is carried out based on the rank of the attribute importance using RBF neural network. The efficiency of this approach is demonstrated by simulation examples.
Analysis on monitoring results of drinking water quality in rural area in one city from 2009-2012

Objective To understand the influencing factors of dynamic change of the drinking water quality in rural area in one city.Methods 458 water quality monitoring stations were build up in 3 counties(A, B, and C county) in the city from 2009 to 2012. For the dry season and the wet season collection, inspection and evaluation of water samples were carried out at March(for the dry season) and August(for the wet season) in every year. Results The qualified rate of water samples was 86.24%. There were significant differences in the water quality of the three counties(P0.01). During the same dry season and wet season, the qualified rates of water quality in B county were lower than the average level of the three county. Of the testing indicators, the qualified rates of sensory, general chemical index and toxicology index were more than 99.5%, and the qualified rate of microbial indicators was the lowest. Conclusion There are regional differences in the water monitoring in the city, and the microbial contamination in the wet season is the main reason for the low qualified rate of drinking water in the rural area.
Recovery from short-term obstruction of the rabbit urinary bladder.

Abstract Partial bladder outlet obstruction is a commonly encountered pathophysiologic state. Recently we have reported on the rapid nature of the contractile and functional changes that occur in the rabbit urinary bladder within one week of chronic partial obstruction. The purpose of this present study is to investigate the ability of the bladder to recover from one week of partial obstruction. Twenty-six mature male white New Zealand rabbits were separated into 3 groups. Each rabbit was anesthetized with ketamine-xylazine and a partial obstruction of the bladder established by gently securing a 2.0 silk suture around the temporarily catheterized bladder neck. The rabbits in group 1 were sacrificed following one week of partial obstruction. For groups 2 and 3, the obstructing suture was surgically removed after one week of obstruction and the rabbit was allowed to recover for either two or four weeks. At the end of one week of obstruction the bladder displayed a 9-fold increase in tissue mass, 50 per cent reduction in contractile response to bethanechol and a 76 per cent reduction in the ability of the bladder to expel saline. After the two week recovery period, the bladder mass was reduced to approximately twice the control mass, the contractile and pressure responses to bethanechol were returned to control levels, and the ability of the bladder to expel saline recovered to approximately 75 per cent of control levels. No further improvements were observed following the four week recovery period. It appears that although the contractile response recovers completely following the one week obstruction period, the ability of the bladder to empty remains partially impaired.
Insomnia: Etiology, Clinical Manifestations, and Morbidity

Insomnia is a serious public health concern with high rates of patients presenting to both general and specialty care clinics with sleep disturbance as a complaint. In clinical settings, the prevalence of insomnia-related symptoms is much higher than in the general population and is attributable to increased medical and psychiatric disorders [1]. Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have a particularly high prevalence of insomnia [2], and insomnia has considerable implications for pulmonary function in those with COPD and other respiratory disorders [3]. Insomnia is also an under recognized and under treated problem. Partly due to a lack of training in the recognition and management of sleep disorders [4].
Law enforcement officers’ perceptions of and responses to traumatic events: a survey of officers completing Crisis Intervention Team training

ABSTRACTLaw enforcement officers work in ever-changing and sometimes stressful environments. However, to date, little research has been conducted on officers’ perceptions of, and responses to, stressful and traumatic events. We surveyed 575 officers in Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training regarding such perceptions and responses. Results indicate that many officers have experienced traumatic events, and/or know a fellow officer who has experienced trauma on the job. Yet, these officers are reluctant to disclose their experiences to their agency. Moreover, results indicate that many officers are hesitant to seek help within their agency, suggesting barriers such as pervasive stigma. Results also indicate that agencies are providing some resources (e.g. training) to help their officers cope; yet the empirical evidence on this is scant. We expect that our findings will help contribute to the literature on CIT and interactions between officers and persons with mental illnesses, and inspire new, rigorous tr...
An effective noise reduction method for multi-energy CT images that exploit spatio-spectral features.

Purpose To develop and evaluate an image-domain noise reduction method for multi-energy CT (MECT) data. Methods Multi-Energy Non-Local Means (MENLM) is a technique that uses the redundant information in MECT images to achieve noise reduction. In this method, spatio-spectral features are used to determine the similarity between pixels, making the similarity evaluation more robust to image noise. The performance of this MENLM filter was tested on images acquired on a whole-body research photon counting CT system. The impact of filtering on image quality was quantitatively evaluated in phantom studies in terms of image noise level (standard deviation of pixel values), noise power spectrum (NPS), in-plane and cross-plane spatial resolution, CT number accuracy, material decomposition performance, and subjective low-contrast spatial resolution using the American College of Radiology (ACR) CT accreditation phantom. Clinical feasibility was assessed by performing MENLM on contrast-enhanced swine images and unenhanced cadaver head images using clinically relevant doses and dose rates. Results The phantom studies demonstrated that the MENLM filter reduced noise substantially and still preserved the shape and peak frequency of the NPS. With 80% noise reduction, MENLM filtering caused no degradation of high-contrast spatial resolution, as illustrated by the modulation transfer function (MTF) and slice sensitivity profile (SSP). CT number accuracy was also maintained for all energy channels, demonstrating that energy resolution was not affected by filtering. Material decomposition performance was improved with MENLM filtering. The subjective evaluation using the ACR phantom demonstrated an improvement in low-contrast performance. MENLM achieved effective noise reduction in both contrast-enhanced swine images and unenhanced cadaver head images, resulting in improved detection of subtle vascular structures and the differentiation of white/gray matter. Conclusion In MECT, MENLM achieved around 80% noise reduction and greatly improved material decomposition performance and the detection of subtle anatomical/low-contrast features while maintaining spatial and energy resolution. MENLM filtering may improve diagnostic or functional analysis accuracy and facilitate radiation dose and contrast media reduction for MECT.
Jean-Paul Sartre and Phenomenological Ontology

This chapter analyzes when and how Sartre began his intensive reading of Husserl and reconstructs how Sartre’s critique of Husserl’s “subjectivism” must be understood against the background of a specific set of assumptions that Sartre brings to that reading.
Bias-selectable nBn dual-band long-/very long-wavelength infrared photodetectors based on InAs/InAs1-xSbx/AlAs1-xSbx type-II superlattices.

Type-II superlattices (T2SLs) are a class of artificial semiconductors that have demonstrated themselves as a viable candidate to compete with the state-of-the-art mercury-cadmium-telluride material system in the field of infrared detection and imaging. Within type-II superlattices, InAs/InAs1-xSbx T2SLs have been shown to have a significantly longer minority carrier lifetime. However, demonstration of high-performance dual-band photodetectors based on InAs/InAs1-xSbx T2SLs in the long and very long wavelength infrared (LWIR & VLWIR) regimes remains challenging. We report the demonstration of high-performance bias-selectable dual-band long-wavelength infrared photodetectors based on new InAs/InAs1-xSbx/AlAs1-xSbx type-II superlattice design. Our design uses two different bandgap absorption regions separated by an electron barrier that blocks the transport of majority carriers to reduce the dark current density of the device. As the applied bias is varied, the device exhibits well-defined cut-off wavelengths of either ∼8.7 or ∼12.5 μm at 77 K. This bias-selectable dual-band photodetector is compact, with no moving parts, and will open new opportunities for multi-spectral LWIR and VLWIR imaging and detection.
Book Review: Upamanyu Pablo Mukherjee, Postcolonial Environments: Nature, Culture, and the Contemporary Indian Novel in English (London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010)

Book Review: Postcolonial Environments: Nature, Culture, and the Contemporary Indian Novel in English
Advection of Karenia brevis blooms from the Florida Panhandle towards Mississippi coastal waters.

Abstract Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) of Karenia brevis have been documented along coastal waters of every state bordering the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). Some Gulf Coast locations, such as Florida and Texas, suffer from recurrent intense and spatially large blooms, while others such as Mississippi seem to rarely observe them. The main objective of this work is to understand the dynamics that led to the K. brevis bloom in Mississippi coastal waters in fall 2015. Blooms of K. brevis from the Florida Panhandle region are often advected westward towards the Mississippi-Alabama coast; however there is interannual variability in their presence and intensity in Mississippi coastal waters. The 2015 K. brevis bloom was compared to the 2007 Florida Panhandle K. brevis bloom, which showed a westward advection pattern, but did not intensify along the Mississippi coast. Cell counts and flow cytometry were obtained from the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, Alabama Department of Public Health, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and The University of Southern Mississippi. Ocean color satellite imagery from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer onboard the Aqua satellite was used to detect and delineate the blooms in 2007 and 2015. Two different regional applications of NCOM-Navy Coastal Ocean Model (1-km resolution NCOM-GoM/Gulf of Mexico and 6-km resolution NCOM-IASNFS/Intra Americas Sea Nowcast Forecast System) were used to understand the circulation and transport pathways. A Lagrangian particle tracking software was used to track the passive movement of particles released at different locations for both bloom events. Ancillary data (e.g., nutrients, wind, salinity, river discharge) from local buoys, monitoring stations and coincident oceanographic cruises were also included in the analysis. The blooms of K. brevis reached the Mississippi coast both years; however, the bloom in 2007 lasted only a few days and there is no evidence that it entered the Mississippi Sound. Two major differences were observed between both years. First, circulation patterns in 2015 resulting from an intense westward-northwestward that persisted until December allowed for continuous advection, whereas this pattern was not evident in 2007. Second, local river discharge was elevated throughout late fall 2015 while 2007 was below the average. Thus, elevated discharge may have provided sufficient nutrients for bloom intensification. These results illustrate the complex, but important interactions in coastal zones. Further, they emphasize the importance in establishing comprehensive HAB monitoring programs, which facilitate our understanding of nutrient and phytoplankton dynamics, and stress the importance for multi-agency cooperation across state boundaries.
[Co(H2O)6]3[U2O4F7]2: A Model System for Understanding the Formation of Dimensionally Reduced Materials

A cobalt containing mixed-anion uranyl oxide-fluoride was synthesized using a mild hydrothermal crystal growth method. The uranyl ions are condensed into a one-dimensional chain motif separated by isolated cobalt hexa-aqua centers. The 1-D uranyl material was characterized by single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction. The optical, thermal, and magnetic properties were studied and are reported herein. Using the reported composition as a model, a system was derived to predict the dimensionality of hypothetical structures to advance our ability to rationally predict solid-state materials.
Target for Diverse Chemical Modifications

The chapter begins with an historical perspective of GAPDH isozymes that is juxtaposed to the fact that there is only one somatic functional gene in humans that is virtually identical among the mammalian species. Over the many years of GAPDH research, dozens of labs have reported the existence of multiple forms of GAPDH, which mostly vary as a function of charge with an occasional report of truncated forms. These observations are in part due to GAPDH being a substrate for many enzymatically-controlled post-translational modifications. While target residues have been identified and predictive algorithms have implicated certain residues, this area of research appears to be in its infancy regarding GAPDH. Equally fascinating, the uniquely susceptible nature of GAPDH to non-enzymatic reactions, that typically are associated with cell stress, such as oxidation and nitration, is also discussed. Two metabolic gases, nitric oxide and hydrogen sulfide, which are enzymatically produced, appear to exert their signaling properties through non-enzymatic reaction with GAPDH. Models of cellular decline are also proposed, including the compelling hypothesis that states cell compromise occurs by the physically blocking the function of chaperonins (i.e. dual-ring multiple-subunit molecular chaperones) by the attachment of misfolded GAPDH.
The Role of Family in Latino Males’ Occupational Identity Development: A Thematic Analysis Based on Participants’ Occupation Outcomes

The continued growth of the Latino population in the United States is reshaping the nation’s workforce. Given that the majority of Latino children are raised in circumstances that limit their psych...
Optimal Output Feedback H ∞ Torque Control of a Wind Turbine Rotor using a Parametrically Scheduled Model

Abstract. Wind turbines are nonlinear, time-varying systems that are subject and sensitive to model parameter variations and a stochastic wind field. For such applications, Linear Parameter Varying (LPV) control provides a state-space approach to designing nonlinear controllers with robust performance. LPV uses multi-input multi-output (MIMO) model with a guaranteed limit on the exogenous disturbance's gain with respect to performance signals. A robust matrix inequality synthesis of an H∞ based performance LPV controller using a parametrically varying model will be developed with the goal of obtaining a torque controller with drive-train damping properties. The technique guarantees a-priori performance values and closed-loop stability for the simplified model, and provides a systematic tuning procedure to adjust controller performance.
Renin and precursors: purification, characterization, and studies on active site.

Renin is an enzyme elaborated in juxta glomerular cells of the kidney and released into the blood stream by various stimuli. Although it is an endopeptidase, its function is strictly limited to the formation of angiotensin I from angiotensinogen by the cleavage of a unique leucyl-leucine peptide bond in this substrate molecule (Fig.l). Angiotensin I is converted into the octapeptide angiotensin II by a carboxydipeptidase, known as converting enzyme, and thenceforth to the heptapeptide angiotensin III by an aminopeptidase. Not only is angiotensin II the most potent pressor substance known, but both angiotensin II and III also stimulate the adrenal cortex to release the mineral corticoid aldosterone. Thus, renin triggers a chain of events aimed at elevating the blood pressure. Because of its strategically important position in the renin-angiosin-aldosterone system, the activity of renin in the circulation is tightly regulated by intricate multiple feedback control mechanisms. Excellent reviews on the control of renin release have been published recently (1–4).
Integrated control and response of the circulatory system | Integrated Control of the Circulatory System

Regulation of the cardiovascular system depends upon the coordinated activity of many homeostatic processes. These regulatory activities can be broken down into their component parts using engineering principles of control systems. In this article, the components of control systems are defined and illustrated with examples of known cardiovascular mechanisms.
HOMOCLINIC CHAOS FOR RAY OPTICS IN A FIBER: 200 YEARS AFTER LAGRANGE

Publisher Summary In the geometrical optics approximation, stable and unstable manifolds of periodic orbits, invariant tori, and hyperbolic invariant manifolds are shown to exist and produce trapping of bundles of light rays near the axis of a translation-invariant, axisymmetric optical fiber, whose squared refractive index is a parabolic function of squared radius. Periodic symmetry-breaking perturbations in the refractive index are shown to destroy this ray trapping and to produce homoclinic tangles, through which nearby trapped rays escape and untrapped rays become temporarily trapped. This chapter discusses axisymmetric, translation-invariant media. Axisymmetric, translation-invariant media, in which the index of refraction is a function of the radius alone, are of considerable theoretical interest. Axisymmetry implies an additional constant of motion and reduction of the Hamiltonian system for light rays to phase plane analysis. The resulting ray paths describe, in a certain sense, perfect optical instruments. The chapter further reviews the effects of perturbations of the refractive index.
HYDROLYSIS OF I131-THYROPROTEIN BY PANCREATIC ENZYMES

Until about 5 years ago, treatment with hot alkali was the most widely used method for hydrolyzing the iodoprotein of thyroid tissue. By such a procedure, Kendall first isolated thyroxine from the thyroid glands of oxen (1). Proteolytic enzymes have also been used for this purpose with varying degrees of success, since the early work of Hutchison (a), Oswald (3), and Harington (4). More recently, the usefulness of enzymic hydrolysis has been extended considerably by combining this method for fragmenting the thyroid protein with the very sensitive techniques of chromatography and radioisotopic labeling for the isolation and identification of the products of hydrolysis. Although this combinat,ion of procedures has been used in several laboratories (5-la), a thorough study of the hydrolysis with proteases has not been reported. In our investigation of this procedure we found, in agreement with Roche et al. (7), that the iodotyrosines are released quite rapidly from the thyroprotein, whereas the release of thyroxine proceeds more slowly. In addition, we found that the yield of thyroxine can be increased by performing the hydrolysis in the presence of certain metal cations (Mn++, Mg++, Ca++). These findings are described below, along with a procedure for the analysis of 1131-labeled thyroid tissue. This procedure requires 10 to 20 hours of hydrolysis, yields approximately 95 per cent recovery of 1131 protein in the form of 1131-amino acids, and results in little release of inorganic I131.
Superoxide dismutase modification and genotoxicity of transition-metal ion chelators.

Superoxide radicals are considered to be of major significance in the mechanism of oxygen-mediated cell toxicity. Superoxide and/or uperoxide-derived free radical species have been implicated in damage to cells in vivo (Fridovich, 1978) and in vitro (Holland et al., 1982). Specifically, damage to DNA (Emerit et al., 1982; Cunningham and Lokesh, 1983) proteins (Lavelle et al., 1973) and lipids (Chance et al., 1979) has been reported in a number of experimental systems. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), a widely distributed enzyme in aerobic tissues, is recognized for its important scavenging function in the primary defense of cells (Fridovich, 1978). SOD protects the cell against the deleterious effects of superoxide by catalyzing its dismutation to molecular oxygen and hydrogen peroxide. In eucaryotic cells, two forms of SOD are found; a cytoplasmic enzyme containing copper and zinc and a mitochondrial enzyme containing manganese (Fridovich, 1978). The importance of the metalloprotein complex in the catalytic function of SOD has been firmly established (Fridovich, 1978).
Abstract 5336: Methylation patterns in hepatoblastoma: A report from the Children's Oncology Group

Introduction. Hepatoblastoma (HB) accounts for over 80% of all liver cancer diagnosed in children under 15 years of age in the United States. Aberrant DNA methylation has been implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple types of cancer, including HB. Global hypomethylation and DNA methylation in the promoter region of selected tumor suppressor genes, including RASSF1A, p16, SOCS1, CASP8, and MT1G, has been observed in previous studies of HB. Methods. A total of 47 flash-frozen samples of HB tumors were available for analysis. These tumors include 26 tumors from cases enrolled in Children9s Oncology Group study AEPI04C1 (the HOPE study) and 21 tumors obtained as part of the Children9s Oncology Group P9346 HB biology protocol. The Cooperative Human Tissue Network Pediatric Division (CHTN; Columbus, OH) provided 23 normal liver tissue samples from children ages 0—6 to serve as controls in this analysis. Initial multi-dimensional scaling (MDS) plots showed that 8 samples, 2 control and 6 patients, did not cluster with the other samples of the same group and were considered outliers. These 8 samples were removed from the study leaving a total of 62 samples, 21 control and 41 patients, remaining. Differentially methylated regions (DMR) were identified between control and patient samples using the bumphunter algorithm included in the minfi package. We used Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) to identify pathways that were enriched in the group of CpG with a change in methylation beta value of ≥39% between patients and controls. Results. We found 4833 DMR, which are associated with 3543 genes, when comparing HB patients and controls. Pathway analysis revealed 76 pathways enriched among the DMR. Conclusions. Identification of methylation patterns may elucidate the developmental stage at which HB arose and the at-risk period when environmental exposures could be most harmful. Further, understanding the relevant genetic pathways could lead to the development of new targets for therapy. Citation Format: Erin Marcotte, Logan G. Spector, Heather Nelson, Gail Tomlinson, Mark Krailo, Lauren Mills, Jenny Poynter. Methylation patterns in hepatoblastoma: A report from the Children9s Oncology Group [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5336.
Students’ Challenges with Symbols and Diagrams when Using a Programming Environment in Mathematics

Learning mathematics requires students to become fluent in some of the discipline-specific ways of communicating through words, symbols and diagrams, creating difficulties for many learners to engage with the subject. Computer programming environments have inspired efforts to support students’ communication, by making abstract ideas more tangible and concrete within such environments. In this article, I examine students’ challenges in interpreting symbols and diagrams when using a visual programming environment to create representations of distance and speed. The environment presented difficulties related to understanding the meanings of symbols and how they fit together, as well as using symbols to create visual representations. In overcoming these challenges students created representations that, although they contained less information than traditional mathematical ones, were nonetheless meaningful to the students who created them. These findings add complexity to existing research on the potential of programming environments for learning mathematics, and suggest a potential to re-envision what technical mathematical discourse might look like in interdisciplinary settings.
Determinants of seasonal food security among smallholder farmers in south-central Uganda

Food security is threatened by deteriorating soil quality and declining crop yields in Uganda and throughout Africa where a majority of the population relies on small-scale farming for its livelihood. To understand these dynamics, this study investigates the relationships among soil quality, crop yields, socioeconomic factors (independent variables), and food security (dependent variable), measured as household meals per day, during the seasons of scarcity and plenty from interviews with 150 farmers in south-central Uganda. Using multivariate logistic regression, total acreage, and banana (Musa × paradisiaca L.) and bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) yields were positively associated with food security during the season of plenty (OR = 1.44, 1.86, and 2.21, respectively). During the period of scarcity, total acreage, and maize (Zea mays L.) and bean yields were associated with food security (OR = 1.70, 2.57, and 3.18, respectively), while off-farm income was associated with less food security (OR = 0.13). The results indicate that land size and crop yields are more important for smallholder food security than soil quality in terms of direct relationships. We recommend that land fragmentation and low crop yields should be addressed to improve food security in south-central Uganda.