cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quenching of exciton decay processes in UV-irradiated KI☆

Abstract Irradiation of KI in the fundamental edge results in a growth of F centres (and V centres) predominantly proportional to the square root of the number of photons incident on the crystal. Irradiation in the same region at lower temperatures results in the well-known intrinsic KI luminescence. This luminescence is found to be quenched in UV colored crystals. Both phenomona are interpreted as resulting from the return of the crystal to its initial state via an interaction whose probability is proportional to the concentration of F centres.
Constructive solid analysis: a hierarchical, geometry-based meshless analysis procedure for integrated design and analysis

Abstract In this paper, we propose an analysis methodology that is procedurally analogous to Constructive Solid Geometry (CSG) integrating design and analysis, and thereby enabling efficient optimal design. The procedure, due to its analogous nature to CSG, is termed Constructive Solid Analysis (CSA). The analysis methodology is partitioned, hierarchical and is based on constructing the boundary value problem for a compound geometry through operations on the field quantities defined on the primitives. Although the CSA procedure will allow any basis for approximating the fields, Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines (NURBS), currently popular in the geometric modeling literature, are used to represent the geometry of the primitives as well as the analysis fields. The use of the same basis to represent geometry and analysis fields enables ‘representational’ integration, and further, the developed methodology may be classified as a partition of unity meshless analysis scheme. A more general null-space solution scheme and a somewhat restrictive range-space solution scheme are outlined to solve the discretized equations resulting from the use of NURBS. Several representative problems from the field of linear elasticity are solved to demonstrate the validity of the procedure and to evaluate its computational cost relative to the finite element method. The optimal orientation of an elliptical hole to applied tractions is determined to demonstrate the power of the proposed methodology for shape optimal design.
CD36-Dependent 7-Ketocholesterol Accumulation in Macrophages Mediates Progression of Atherosclerosis in Response to Chronic Air Pollution Exposure

Rationale: Air pollution exposure has been shown to potentiate plaque progression in humans and animals. Our previous studies have suggested a role for oxidized lipids in mediating adverse vascular effect of air pollution. However, the types of oxidized lipids formed in response to air pollutants and how this occurs and their relevance to atherosclerosis are not fully understood. Objective: To investigate the mechanisms by which particulate matter <2.5 μm (PM2.5) induces progression of atherosclerosis. Methods and Results: Atherosclerosis-prone ApoE −/− or LDLR −/− mice were exposed to filtered air or concentrated ambient PM2.5 using a versatile aerosol concentrator enrichment system for 6 months. PM2.5 increased 7-ketocholesterol (7-KCh), an oxidatively modified form of cholesterol, in plasma intermediate density lipoprotein/low-density lipoprotein fraction and in aortic plaque concomitant with progression of atherosclerosis and increased CD36 expression in plaque macrophages from PM2.5-exposed mice. Macrophages isolated from PM2.5-exposed mice displayed increased uptake of oxidized lipids without alterations in their efflux capacity. Consistent with these finding, CD36-positive macrophages displayed a heightened capacity for oxidized lipid uptake. Deficiency of CD36 on hematopoietic cells diminished the effect of air pollution on 7-KCh accumulation, foam cell formation, and atherosclerosis. Conclusions: Our results suggest a potential role for CD36-mediated abnormal accumulations of oxidized lipids, such as 7-KCh, in air pollution–induced atherosclerosis progression. # Novelty and Significance {#article-title-56}
Successful rehabilitation of a recreational endurance runner: Initial validation for the Bunkie test

This case report details the musculoskeletal evaluation and the successful rehabilitation of a 24-year-old female recreational distance runner who self-referred to physical therapy with an acute bout of low back pain (LBP). Her LBP was provoked during each distance run. The patient's musculoskeletal evaluation revealed core weakness, especially on the left. A recently reported functional test, the Bunkie test, was administered as part of the physical evaluation. The scores from the Bunkie test correlated with other quantitative and qualitative findings. A therapeutic exercise program emphasizing core stabilization was prescribed. The patient was able to shortly return to running pain-free.
A Prospective Analysis of the Cephalic Vein Cutdown Approach for Chronic Indwelling Central Venous Access in 100 Consecutive Cancer Patients

Background: Chronic indwelling central venous access devices (CICVAD) generally are placed by the percutaneous subclavian vein approach. The cephalic vein cutdown approach is used only infrequently. Although the technique has been well described, few prospective data are available on the cephalic vein cutdown approach. Methods: From September 9, 1998, to July 20, 1999, the cephalic vein cutdown approach was attempted in 100 consecutive cancer patients taken to the operating room with the intention of placing CICVAD. Median patient age was 54.5 years (range 18–88), with 46 men and 54 women. Twenty-five patients had gastrointestinal malignancies, 17 had breast cancer, 15 had lymphoma, 13 had lung cancer, 12 had leukemia, 5 had multiple myeloma, and 13 had other malignancies. Patients were followed prospectively for immediate and long-term outcome. Results: CICVAD placement via the cephalic vein cutdown approach was successful in 82 patients; the remaining 18 patients required conversion to a percutaneous subclavian vein approach. The reasons for inability to place CICVAD via cephalic vein cutdown approach were a cephalic vein that was too small (10 patients), an absent cephalic vein (7 patients), and inability to traverse the angle of insertion of the cephalic vein into the subclavian vein (1 patient). There were 56 subcutaneous ports and 26 tunneled catheters. Median operating time was 44 minutes (range, 26–79 minutes). No postoperative pneumothorax occurred. Median catheter duration was 198 days (range, 0–513 days). Long-term complications included catheter-related bacteremia (6%), site infection (2%), deep venous thrombosis (5%), port pocket hematoma (1%), and superior vena cava stricture (1%). Thirty-seven percent of patients have died since CICVAD placement. Twenty-nine percent of the CICVADs have been removed. Conclusions: The cephalic vein cutdown approach was successful in 82% of patients. This approach is a safe and useful alternative to the percutaneous subclavian vein approach.
Simple control design for a three-port DC-DC converter based PV system with energy storage

A simple control technique for a three-port DC-DC converter based PV system with storage is presented herein. The controller takes advantage of the fast response and cross coupling characteristics of the selected three port topology itself to obtain transient ride through support from the storage while using traditional control design techniques, e.g. SISO control design and Feedforward compensation. A gyrator average model for the selected three port topology is also presented. The performance of the controls is verified through simulations.
Essential Roles of c-JUN and c-JUN N-Terminal Kinase (JNK) in Neuregulin-Increased Expression of the Acetylcholine Receptor e-Subunit

Neuregulin is a neural factor implicated in upregulation of acetylcholine receptor (AChR) synthesis at the neuromuscular junction. Previous studies have demonstrated that the extracellular signal–regulated kinase (ERK) subgroup of MAP kinases is required for neuregulin-induced AChR gene expression. We report here that the neuregulin-mediated increase in AChR e-subunit mRNA was a delayed response in C2C12 muscle cells. Neuregulin induced expression of immediate early genes c-jun and c-fos , which followed and depended on the ERK activation. Treatment of muscle cells with cycloheximide to inhibit c-JUN synthesis at the protein level and suppression of c-JUN function by a dominant-negative mutant blocked neuregulin-induced expression of the e-subunit gene, indicating an essential role of c-JUN in neuregulin signaling. Furthermore, neuregulin activated c-JUN N-terminal kinase (JNK) in C2C12 muscle cells. Blockade of JNK activation by overexpressing dominant-negative MKK4 inhibited e-promoter activation. Moreover, overexpression of the JNK dominant-negative mutant inhibited neuregulin-mediated expression of the etransgene and endogenous e-mRNA. Taken together, our results demonstrate important roles of c-JUN and JNK in neuregulin-mediated expression of the AChR e-subunit gene and suggest that neuregulin activates multiple signaling cascades that converge to regulate AChR e-subunit gene expression.
Home language and literacy practices among immigrant second-language learners

Because certain home language and literacy practices have been found to be beneficial to monolingual children's literacy development, we examine immigrant children's home language and literacy practices in different countries. Presenting findings from 92 post-2000 articles, we examine research into these practices, what factors influence their occurrence, how they influence immigrant children's development of literacy in the societal language, and what factors seem to moderate or mediate the effects of home literacy activities on societal-language literacy. We found that immigrant families engage in a wide variety of oral language and literacy activities at home, but that most of these practices have not been investigated in relation to immigrant children's literacy development. Book reading, the most-studied practice, seems to promote such development. Additional research is needed into the many factors that influence children's literacy development, including government policies and community context. In addition, researchers need to build on existing descriptive and correlational studies to design and implement innovative school curricula and family literacy programs that connect home and school practices and encourage parental involvement in the school.
A correlation framework for the CORBA component model

Large distributed systems, including real-time embedded systems, are increasingly being built using sophisticated middleware frameworks. Communication in such systems is often realized using in terms of asynchronous events whose propagation is implemented by an underlying publish/subscribe service that hooks components into a generic event communication channel. Event correlation—a mechanism for monitoring and filtering events—has been introduced in some of these systems as an effective technique for reducing network traffic and computation time. Unfortunately, even though event correlation is used heavily in frameworks such as ACE/TAO’s real-time event-channel and in mission critical contexts such as Boeing’s Bold Stroke avionics middleware, the industry standard CORBA Component Model (CCM) does not include a specification of event correlation. While previous proposals for event correlation usually offer sophisticated facilities to detect combinations in the stream of incoming events, they have not been constructed to fit within the CCM type system, and they offer relatively little support for transforming and rearranging filtered events into meaningful output events. In this paper, we present the design rationale, syntax, and semantics for a new and highly flexible model for event correlation that is designed for integration into the CCM type system. Our model has been integrated and tested in the Cadena development and analysis framework, which has been designed to support development of mission-control applications in the Boeing Bold Stroke framework.
Children's Preferences for High-Fat Foods

Many high-fat foods are highly preferred by adults, and children soon acquire these preferences. The circumstances and mechanisms that contribute to establishing children's preferences for high-fat foods are the subject of this review.
Observed changes in false springs over the contiguous United States

Climate warming fosters an earlier spring green-up that may bring potential benefits to agricultural systems. However, advances in green-up timing may leave early stage vegetation growth vulnerable to cold damage when hard freezes follow green-up resulting in a false spring. Spatiotemporal patterns of green-up dates, last spring freezes, and false springs were examined across the contiguous United States from 1920 to 2013. Results indicate widespread earlier green-up and last spring freeze dates over the period. Observed changes in these dates were asymmetric with the last spring freeze date advancing to earlier in the year relative to green-up date. Although regionally variable, these changes resulted in a reduction in false springs, notably over the past 20 years, except across the intermountain western United States where the advance in green-up timing outpaced that of the last spring freeze. A sensitivity experiment shows that observed decreases in false springs are consistent with a warming climate.
Two- and three-dimensional equilibrium morphology of a misfitting particle and the Gibbs-Thomson effect

The equilibrium shapes of misfitting precipitates in elastically anisotropic systems are obtained in both two and three dimensions, and the corresponding Gibbs–Thomson equation is derived as a function of the characteristic ratio between elastic and interfacial energies, L 0 . The effect of elastic inhomogeneity is investigated systematically. For soft or moderately hard particles, the stable equilibrium shape bifurcates from a fourfold symmetric shape to a twofold symmetric one in 2D and from a cubic symmetric shape to a plate-like one in 3D. For a very hard particle, the shape bifurcation is not observed in 2D for the range of L 0 investigated, but both plate-like and rod-like shapes are found in 3D. The computed Gibbs–Thomson equation is well approximated by a piecewise linear function of L 0 . Predictions are made for coarsening of many-particle systems based on an established mean-field theory. The results predict that the elastic stress has no effect on coarsening kinetics where most particles are highly symmetric (fourfold in 2D and cubic in 3D), and the exponent remains 1/3 but the rate constant increases if stress is sufficient to induce symmetry-breaking bifurcation on most particles.
GLD-3 and Control of the Mitosis/Meiosis Decision in the Germline of Caenorhabditis elegans

Germ cells can divide mitotically to replenish germline tissue or meiotically to produce gametes. In this article, we report that GLD-3, a Caenorhabditis elegans Bicaudal-C homolog, promotes the transition from mitosis to meiosis together with the GLD-2 poly(A) polymerase. GLD-3 binds GLD-2 via a small N-terminal region present in both GLD-3S and GLD-3L isoforms, and GLD-2 and GLD-3 can be co-immunoprecipitated from worm extracts. The FBF repressor binds specifically to elements in the gld-3S 3′-UTR, and FBF regulates gld-3 expression. Furthermore, FBF acts largely upstream of gld-3 in the mitosis/meiosis decision. By contrast, GLD-3 acts upstream of FBF in the sperm/oocyte decision, and GLD-3 protein can antagonize FBF binding to RNA regulatory elements. To address the relative importance of these two regulatory mechanisms in the mitosis/meiosis and sperm/oocyte decisions, we isolated a deletion mutant, gld-3(q741), that removes the FBF-binding site from GLD-3L, but leaves the GLD-2-binding site intact. Animals homozygous for gld-3(q741) enter meiosis, but are feminized. Therefore, GLD-3 promotes meiosis primarily via its interaction with GLD-2, and it promotes spermatogenesis primarily via its interaction with FBF.
Identification of peroxisomal membrane ghosts with an epitope-tagged integral membrane protein in yeast mutants lacking peroxisomes.

Many yeast peroxisome biogenesis mutants have been isolate in which peroxisomes appear to be completely absent. Introduction of a wild-type copy of the defective gene causes the reappearance of peroxisomes, despite the fact that new peroxisomes are thought to form only from pre-existing peroxisomes. This apparent paradox has been explained for similar human mutant cell lines (from patients with Zellweger syndrome) by the discovery of peroxisomal membrane ghosts in the mutant cells (Santos, M. J., T. Imanaka, H. Shio, G. M. Small and P. B. Lazarow. 1988. Science239, 1536–1538). Introduction of a wild-type gene is thought to restore to the ghosts the ability to import matrix proteins, and thus lead to the refilling of the peroxisomes. It is vitally important to our understanding of peroxisome biogenesis to determine whether the yeast mutants contain ghosts. We have solved this problem by introducing an epitope-tagged version of Pas3p, a peroxisome integral membrane protein (that is essential for peroxisome biogenesis). Nucleotides encoding a nine amino acid HA epitope were added to the PAS3 gene immediately before the stop codon. The tagged gene (PAS3HA) was inserted in the genome, replacing the wild-type gene at its normal locus. It was fully functional (the cells assembled peroxisomes normally and grew on oleic acid) but the expression level was too low to detect the protein with monoclonal antibody 12CA5. PAS3HA was expressed in greater quantity from an episomal plasmid with the CUP1 promoter. The gene product, Pas3pHA, was detected by immunogold labelling on the membranes of individual and clustered peroxisomes; the clusters appeared as large spots in immunofluorescence. PAS3HA was similarly expressed in peroxisome biogenesis mutants peb2 and peb4, which lack morphologically recognizable peroxisomes. Gold-labelled membranes were clearly visible in both mutants: in peb2 the labelled membrane vesicles were generally much smaller than those in peb4, which resembled normal peroxisomes in size.
Self-reported Tobacco use does not correlate with carcinogen exposure in smokers with head and neck cancer

Objectives/Hypothesis Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is strongly associated with tobacco use. We sought to examine the relationship between self-reported tobacco use and the level of urinary tobacco carcinogen metabolites in a cohort of patients with HNSCC. Study Design Cross-sectional analysis. Methods Eighty-four cigarette smokers with head and neck cancer completed tobacco and alcohol use questionnaires, and the following urinary tobacco metabolites were quantified: 1-hydroxypyrene (1-HOP), N'-nitrosonornicotine and its glucuronides (total NNN), 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol and its glucuronides (total NNAL), and cotinine. A cross-sectional analysis was performed with assessment of correlation coefficients. Results When analyzed based on self-reported cigarettes per day (CPD), no significant correlation with any of the studied tobacco carcinogen metabolites was found. However, urinary cotinine showed significant correlation with total NNN, total NNAL, and 1-HOP. Total NNN, total NNAL, and 1-HOP showed significant correlation with each other suggesting exposure occurs to each proportionally. Conclusions In smokers with HNSCC, self-reported tobacco use does not predict actual carcinogen exposure. In contrast, urinary cotinine levels significantly correlate with carcinogen levels. Therefore, urinary cotinine is the preferred value for estimating carcinogen dose in these patients. 1-HOP levels were significantly associated with total NNN and total NNAL suggesting that smokers are exposed to these carcinogens proportionally. These data indicate that utilizing conventional methods of estimating tobacco exposure (CPD) may not accurately approximate exposure to tobacco carcinogens in smokers with HNSCC. These data have implications for future studies focused on screening and epidemiology of smokers with HNSCC. Level of Evidence NA Laryngoscope, 125:1844–1848, 2015
Prediction of antidepressant response in both 2.25 × threshold RUL and fixed high dose RUL ECT

Abstract Some forms of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) can result in generalized seizures that lack efficacy, therefore physiological markers of treatment adequacy would be helpful. EEG measures of seizure quality, such as EEG regularity and post-ictal suppression, have largely supplanted seizure duration as a marker for seizure adequacy, yet no predictive algorithm has gained wide clinical acceptance. Electrographic seizure durations of less than 25 s still prompt re-stimulation in many settings. We re-examined the utility of EEG seizure duration and other measures of EEG seizure as predictors of antidepressant response to right unilateral (RUL) ECT. Methods Seventy-two adult patients with major depression were randomized to either titrated RUL ECT at 2.25 times initial seizure threshold or RUL ECT at a fixed dose of 403 mC. Intent-to-treat responder status (defined by 60% reduction in HRSD scores and final score of 12 or less after the last RUL ECT session) was identified as the dependent variable in a nominal logistic regression model including EEG seizure quality candidate variables, controlled for age and gender. Results A model including EEG seizure duration, EEG regularity, post-ictal suppression, age and gender and randomization status was significantly predictive of intent-to-treat responder status at treatment 2 (R2 = .21 p Conclusion EEG markers of seizure adequacy, including EEG seizure duration, are modestly predictive of antidepressant response for both titrated moderately suprathreshold and high fixed dosage RUL ECT.
Sector Differences in Opportunities for Parental Involvement in the School Context

Research has consistently related school effectiveness to parental involvement. Catholic schools in particular have tended to have high levels of parental involvement, more so than public schools. This study measured the opportunities for parental involvement present in private and public schools. While Catholic school parents tend to demonstrate higher levels of parental involvement than public school parents, public schools offer significantly more opportunities for parental involvement than Catholic schools.
Evolving trends in 2,000 cases of multifetal pregnancy reduction

JOANNE STONE, ANDREA MATHO, RICHARD BERKOWITZ, VICTORIA BELOGOLOVKIN, KEITH EDDLEMAN, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Obstetrics or Gynecology, New York, New York, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, OBGYN, New York, New York, Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, New York, New York, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, New York, New York, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Science, New York, New York OBJECTIVE: To examine changes in MPR procedure in 2,000 cases, and to evaluate evolving trends within the last 1,000 MPR’s. STUDY DESIGN: A computerized database was used to identify 2,000 consecutive patients undergoing MPR. Data was collected from the database and chart review. Comparisons were made between the first 1,000 (Group 1) and the 2nd 1,000 MPRs (Group 2). In addition, changing trends within Group 2 were also analyzed by dividing the patients into chronological groups of 200. Differences in proportions were evaluated by chi-square test and Fisher’s Exact as appropriate. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in starting and finishing numbers of fetuses between the 2 groups (p!0.0001) (Tables 1 and 2). A significant increase was seen in chorionic villus sampling (CVS) was seen in group 2 vs. Group 1 (43.7% vs. 1.5%, p! 0.0001). Within group 2, there was a significant trend toward an increasing number of patients undergoing CVS, with 25.5% of patients in the first group of 200 vs. 69.5% in the last group of 200 undergoing CVS pre-MPR, p!0.001.The incidence of monochorionic twins/triplets was significantly higher in Group 2 (5.7%) compared to group 1 (2.1%), p!0.001. Similarly, within Group 2, there was a significant increase in the incidence of monochorionicity (Table 3). CONCLUSION: Recent trends in MPR demonstrate significant increases in overall reductions to a singleton, reductions from twins to a singleton, utilization of CVS prior to MPR and presence of a monochorionic twin or triplet pair within a higher order multiple gestaion.
Percutaneous fetal cardiac interventions for structural heart disease.

Prenatal diagnosis provides valuable information regarding the evolution of congenital heart defects during gestation. Certain defects clearly form early in gestation with relatively little change throughout pregnancy. Other disease, however, evolves during fetal life from mid though late gestation. As progression of disease has become characterized, alteration in the natural course of congenital heart disease using a variety of fetal interventions has become an increasingly attractive goal. Intrauterine catheter-based intervention for fetal cardiac disease was first reported in 1991. These reports described fetal aortic valvuloplasty for aortic stenosis (AS).[1] Since that time, catheter-based intervention for fetal AS has become the quintessential example of percutaneous fetal cardiac intervention (FCI) for evolving congenital heart disease. Since its initial descriptions, FCI has further evolved to address a variety of lesions. This chapter will specifically address three lesions for which in utero percutaneous FCI is utilized: (1) AS with evolving hypoplastic left heart syndrome (eHLHS), (2) hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) with intact (or highly restrictive) atrial septum (IAS), and (3) pulmonary atresia (PA) with intact ventricular septum (IVS). Pathophysiology of each lesion, rationale for intervention, technique, and outcomes will be discussed. This chapter will also briefly review maternal and fetal anesthesia relevant to FCI and the risks and complications of the procedure. Finally, the importance of a delivery center experienced with patients having undergone fetal intervention will also be addressed.
The Legionella pneumophila iraAB Locus Is Required for Iron Assimilation, Intracellular Infection, and Virulence

Legionella pneumophila, a facultative intracellular parasite of human alveolar macrophages and protozoa, causes Legionnaires' disease. Using mini-Tn10 mutagenesis, we previously isolated a L. pneumophila mutant that was hypersensitive to iron chelators. This mutant, NU216, and its allelic equivalent, NU216R, were also defective for intracellular infection, particularly in iron-deficient host cells. To determine whether NU216R was attenuated for virulence, we assessed its ability to cause disease in guinea pigs following intratracheal inoculation. NU216R-infected animals yielded 1,000-fold fewer bacteria from their lungs and spleen compared to wild-type-130b-infected animals that had received a 50-fold-lower dose. Moreover, NU216R-infected animals subsequently cleared the bacteria from these sites. While infection with 130b resulted in high fever, weight loss, and ruffled fur, inoculation with NU216R did not elicit any signs of disease. DNA sequence analysis revealed that the transposon insertion in NU216R lies in the first open reading frame of a two-gene operon. This open reading frame (iraA) encodes a 272-amino-acid protein that shows sequence similarity to methyltransferases. The second open reading frame (iraB) encodes a 501-amino-acid protein that is highly similar to di- and tripeptide transporters from both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Southern hybridization analyses determined that the iraAB locus was largely limited to strains of L. pneumophila, the most pathogenic of the Legionella species. A newly derived mutant containing a targeted disruption of iraB showed reduced ability to grow under iron-depleted extracellular conditions, but it did not have an infectivity defect in the macrophage-like U937 cells. These data suggest that iraA is critical for virulence of L. pneumophila while iraB is involved in a novel method of iron acquisition which may utilize iron-loaded peptides.
Microprocessor Verification Using Efficient Decision Procedures for a Logic of Equality with Uninterpreted Functions

Modern processors have relatively simple specifications based on their instruction set architectures. Their implementations, however, are very complex, especially with the advent of performance-enhancing techniques such as pipelining, superscalar operation, and speculative execution. Formal techniques to verify that a processor implements its instruction set specification could yield more reliable results at a lower cost than the current simulation-based verification techniques used in industry. The logic of equality with uninterpreted functions (EUF) provides a means of abstracting the manipulation of data by a processor when verifying the correctness of its control logic. Using a method devised by Burch and Dill [BD94], the correctness of a processor can be inferred by deciding the validity of a formula in EUF describing the comparative effect of running one clock cycle of processor operation to that of executing a small number (based on the processor issue rate) of machine instructions. This paper describes recent advances in reducing formulas in EUF to propositional logic. We can then use either Binary Decision Diagrams (BDDs) or satisfiability procedures to determine whether this propositional formula is a tautology. We can exploit characteristics of the formulas generated when modeling processors to significantly reduce the number of propositional variables, and consequently the complexity, of the verification task.
Investigating Queer Future Meanings Destructive Perceptions of “The Harder Path”

This study interrogates the meanings that gay youth attach to the future, using discussion, creative engagement, and embodied performance to explore the possibility of queer fantasy as a resistant ...
Faculty Satisfaction in the Online Environment: An Institutional Study.

Abstract A study of online faculty satisfaction was conducted at a public research university in the United States. Overall level of online faculty satisfaction at the institution, major concerns and motivating factors associated with online faculty satisfaction, and the differences between more and less satisfied online instructors were identified. One hundred two online instructors responded to the online faculty satisfaction survey. Results indicate a moderately positive level of faculty satisfaction with online teaching. Major frustrations were associated with technological difficulties, the lack of face-to-face contact, and student involvement. Satisfying elements pertained to flexibility, access, and student diversity. More satisfied online instructors reported a higher degree of student-to-instructor interaction than their less satisfied counterparts. The classification analysis resulted in 88.5% of online instructors being correctly classified.
Positive youth development: Thriving as the basis of personhood and civil society

Positive youth development is conceptualized within a developmental systems theoretical model. The role of thriving processes and civic engagement in positive youth development is discussed.
Linking autophagy with inflammation through IRF1 signaling in ER+ breast cancer

Resistance to antiestrogen therapy remains a critical determinant of mortality in patients affected by ER+ breast cancer. Our previous work identified autophagy and interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF1) signaling as key regulators of this process. We have recently demonstrated a novel reciprocal interaction between IRF1 and ATG7, linking inflammation and autophagy.
Observations on the Staining of Encapsulated Bacteria with Particular Reference to Pneumococci and Streptococci

In the past few years quite a number of contributions to methods of staining encapsulated microorganisms have appeared in the literature. Yet there exists no lack of disagreement amongst the workers in this field both as regards the advantages of the various methods that have been proposed and as to the morphology of pneumococci and streptococci. It is the purpose of this paper to help clear up some of the fallacious ideas that have been put forth, and to give the results of experiences gathered in the laboratory of Mt. Sinai Hospital during a period of about three years. The procedure for capsule staining that has given us the most satisfactory results appeared in a previous publication1 where it was thus described.
From combinatorial chemistry to targeting nano-phototherapeutic agents

We have previously reported the development of a telodendrimer, comprised of dendritic cholic acids and a linear polyethylene glycol (PEG), that can selfassemble and encapsulate hydrophobic chemotherapeutic drugs to form 25 to 50nm micellar-based nanoparticles. Using a highly efficient onebead-one-compound (OBOC) combinatorial technology, we have discovered several peptidic ligands that target cancer cell surface receptorswith high affinity and specificity. Such ligands can be easily conjugated to the telodendrimers via click chemistry, such that the ligands are displayed on the surface of the nanoparticles for efficient in vivo tumor targeting and intracellular drug delivery. Recently, we have developed a hybrid telodendrimer comprised of PEG, cholic acid and pyropheophorbibe. Like our standard telodendrimers, such hybrid telodendrimer can also self-assemble and efficiently encapsulate hydrophobic drugs to from 25 to 30nm nanoparticles. Such nanoporphyrin has proven to be extremely potent photosensitizer for in vivo phototherapy in both transgenic and xenograft tumor models. In addition to efficiently generate reactive oxygen species when illuminated with light, heat can also generated, thus allowing simultaneous photodynamic and photothermal therapy. In addition, we have discovered that low dose doxorubicin and/or heat shock protein inhibitor can be efficiently loaded into nanoporphyrin and greatly enhance the phototherapeutic effects. Clinical applications of nanoporphyrins include phototherapy of superficial tumors such as oral cancer and bladder cancer, and intraoperative phototherapy. Furthermore, nanoporphyrin can also be loaded with Gd(III) for MRI and Cu-64 for PET, making it a highly versatile theranostic agent.
A matched-cohort analysis of 192 pancreatic anaplastic carcinomas and 960 pancreatic adenocarcinomas: A 13-year North American experience using the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB).

Background Anaplastic pancreatic carcinoma (APC) is a rare and poorly characterized disease. We sought to compare the clinical characteristics and outcomes of APC to pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Methods The American National Cancer Data Base was queried for patients with resected APC and PDAC using histologic and operative codes. APC cases were matched 1:5 with PDACs based on age, sex, pathologic tumor stage, operative margin status, lymph node positivity ratio, and use of adjuvant chemotherapy. Results After 1:5 matching, 192 APCs and 960 PDACs were analyzed. When comparing APC vs PDAC the median tumor size was 45 mm (interquartile range, 33–60) vs 30 mm (interquartile range, 23–40; P Conclusion Patients with resected APC tend to present with large tumors equally distributed between the head and body/tail of the pancreas. While APC is thought to have a more aggressive biology, our matched analysis showed similar overall survival compared with PDAC. The presence of osteoclastlike giant cells portends a significantly better prognosis compared with other histologic features of APCs.
Some physical and chemical characteristics of normal eggs, larvae, and chorions of the house fly, Musca domestica.

Eggs of the house fly, Musca domestica L., of an insecticide-susceptible strain maintained since 1961, averaged 1.20 mm long and 0.275 mm in diameter. Individual egg weights ranged from 38 to 67 μ g, and the average for more than 2000 eggs was 55 μ g. Chorion weights averaged 5 μ g. Newly hatched larvae weighed from 32 to 72 μ g, with 47 μ g the average. Freshly oviposited eggs had an average moisture content of 75%, and their protein content was approximately 10%.
Surgeons’ Reported Attitudes and Practices regarding Alaryngeal Speech:

Attitudes and practices of 50 prominent laryngologic surgeons were surveyed to determine current trends and implications for postoperative speech rehabilitation. Data are available for 1,003 laryngectomy operations performed over the past 3-year period by the 22 responders (44%). Those surgeons responding indicated a preference toward tracheoesophageal shunt procedures. A negative correlation was noted between the increased number of tracheoesophageal shunt procedures and the age of the surgeon. Additional responses provided information regarding personal preferences for postlaryngectomy speech types, opinions regarding artificial device use, and speech rehabilitation referral practices.
The Effect of Testosterone on Erythropoietin Levels in Anemic Patients

Studies in five patients with various types of anemias have shown that testosterone can increase plasma erythropoietin levels in humans. We suggest that testosterone stimulates erythropoiesis in some anemic patients by this mechanism.
Macrophage-based cell therapies: The long and winding road

In the quest for better medicines, attention is increasingly turning to cell-based therapies. The rationale is that infused cells can provide a targeted therapy to precisely correct a complex disease phenotype. Between 1987 and 2010, autologous macrophages (MΦs) were used in clinical trials to treat a variety of human tumors; this approach provided a modest therapeutic benefit in some patients but no lasting remissions. These trials were initiated prior to an understanding of: the complexity of MΦ phenotypes, their ability to alter their phenotype in response to various cytokines and/or the environment, and the extent of survival of the re-infused MΦs. It is now known that while inflammatory MΦs can kill tumor cells, the tumor environment is able to reprogram MΦs into a tumorigenic phenotype; inducing blood vessel formation and contributing to a cancer cell growth-promoting milieu. We review how new information enables the development of large numbers of ex vivo generated MΦs, and how conditioning and gene engineering strategies are used to restrict the MΦ to an appropriate phenotype or to enable production of therapeutic proteins. We survey applications in which the MΦ is loaded with nanomedicines, such as liposomes ex vivo, so when the drug-loaded MΦs are infused into an animal, the drug is released at the disease site. Finally, we also review the current status of MΦ biodistribution and survival after transplantation into an animal. The combination of these recent advances opens the way for improved MΦ cell therapies.
The Return of Meaning

By the mid-1980s, MTV had begun to change its format and the result was a shift in emphasis away from new wave and towards other genres — first harder rock and heavy metal, then rap and hip-hop, and later grunge. At the same time, the network was slowly replacing music videos with more traditional television fare — news, game shows, and reality programming filled more and more of the schedule. Those early acts who had experimented with video’s possibilities had disappeared long ago. Their early advantage, when they were the only artists producing videos, was quickly erased, and bands like Devo found themselves shouldered aside for slicker work from more mainstream acts.
Markteinführung und Marktentfaltung

Produktneuerungen sind von entscheidender Bedeutung fur das Wachstum individueller Unternehmen und einer gesamten Volkswirtschaft. In Abweichung von der mechanistischen Tauschlehre der traditionellen okonomischen Theorie soll hier gezeigt werden, das es nicht guterwirtschaftliche und monetare, sondern uberwiegend psychologische und soziologische Tatbestande und Vorgange sind, welche das Geschehen an Verbrauchermarkten bestimmen. Eine Kenntnis der Kommunikations- und Entscheidungsprozesse potentieller Kaufer wird daher fur den Produktmanager zur Bedingung des Markterfolgs.
The Principles of Quantum Theory, Dirac’s Equation, and the Architecture of Quantum Field Theory

This chapter considers the role of the fundamental principles of quantum theory and principle thinking in quantum field theory, beginning with quantum electrodynamics. The fundamental principles of relativity will be addressed as well, in view of their role in quantum electrodynamics and quantum field theory. Dirac’s work, in particular his derivation of his relativistic equation of the electron by combining the principles of relativity and quantum theory, is the main focus of this chapter, in parallel with Heisenberg’s work as the main focus in the discussion of quantum mechanics in Chap. 2. Heisenberg’s work, especially his paper introducing quantum mechanics, which Dirac studied very carefully, was a major influence on Dirac’s thinking throughout, I would argue, all of his work. This influence, however, does not diminish the originality and creativity of Dirac’s thinking, which, ultimately, led him to the discovery of his equation for the relativistic electron and antimatter, one of the greatest discoveries of fundamental physics. After a general introduction given in Sect. 6.1, Sect. 6.2 addresses Dirac’s discovery of his equation. It argues, along the lines of the argument developed in Chap. 2 in considering Heisenberg’s work, that Dirac’s discovery was that of a mathematical machinery, technology, responding to and, in some key respects, specifically as concerns the role of antimatter, anticipating the architecture of high-energy quantum phenomena, as manifested in the experimental technology that defines them. Although not a quantum field theory or even quite quantum electrodynamics, Dirac’s theory of the electron, based in his equation, provided some of the key physical, mathematical, and epistemological ingredients of quantum electrodynamics or quantum field theory as a viable nonrealist theory, to be considered here in terms of a particular concept of quantum field. Dirac’s equation, which expressly considered electrons as particles, was not a field equation, but given its essentially quantum-field-theoretical nature, it would also be difficult to see it merely in terms of relativistic quantum mechanics of particles, as some suggest. Sec. 6.3 addresses the architecture of quantum field theory, as grounded, in addition to the QD and QP/QS principles, which are, just as in quantum mechanics, primary, in the combination of the RWR principle and the particle-transformation, PT, principle. The PT principle emerged as a result of Dirac’s discovery of antimatter, an unintended consequence of his equation. New concepts of both “elementary particle” and “quantum field” are, I argue, required by the combination of both principles, and I shall suggest such concepts here. These concepts allow one to pose and relate the questions “What is a quantum field?” and “What is an elementary particle?” in a new way, even if not answer them. Sec. 6.4 discusses the role of renormalization, and comments on the future of quantum theory and fundamental physics given the current state of quantum field theory.
Limited conifer regeneration following wildfires in dry ponderosa pine forests of the Colorado Front Range

In recent years, increased wildfire activity and climate change have raised concern among scientists and land managers regarding current and future vegetation patterns in post-burn landscapes. We surveyed conifer regeneration 8–15 years after fire in six burn areas in the lower montane zone of the Colorado Front Range. We sampled across a broad range of elevations, aspects, and fire severities and found that densities of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) are generally low, although areas of abundant regeneration do occur. Conifer regeneration was most limited in xeric settings, including more southerly aspects and elevations closer to lower treeline. Additionally, fewer juvenile conifers occurred at greater distances from mature, live trees indicating that seed source as well as topoclimatic setting limits post-fire tree regeneration. Projecting the extent of future forest cover is uncertain due to the possibility of future pulses of tree establishment and unknown depletion rates of existing seedling populations. However, current patterns of post-fire seedling establishment suggest that vegetation composition and structure may differ notably from historic patterns and that lower density stands and even non-forested communities may persist in some areas of these burns long after fire, especially in xeric settings or where no nearby seed source remains.
Cross-cutting risk framework: Mining data for common risks across the portfolio

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) defines risk management as an integrated framework, combining risk-informed decision making and continuous risk management to foster forward-thinking and decision making from an integrated risk perspective. Therefore, decision makers must have access to risks outside of their own project to gain the knowledge that provides the integrated risk perspective. Through the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Flight Projects Directorate (FPD) Business Change Initiative (BCI), risks were integrated into one repository to facilitate access to risk data between projects. With the centralized repository, communications between the FPD, project managers, and risk managers improved and GSFC created the cross-cutting risk framework (CCRF) team. The creation of the consolidated risk repository, in parallel with the initiation of monthly FPD risk managers and risk governance board meetings, are now providing a complete risk management picture spanning the entire directorate. This paper will describe the challenges, methodologies, tools, and techniques used to develop the CCRF, and the lessons learned as the team collectively worked to identify risks that FPD programs/projects had in common, both past and present.
Evaluation of a Low Cost EMG Sensor as a Modality for Use in Virtual Reality Applications

Virtual Reality (VR) is becoming more accessible to everyday users. Users of VR want realistic experiences, both in how it looks and in how to interact with the environment. Electromyography (EMG) is a possible tool to use to make VR more realistic, but in the past, has been considered too expensive to be accessible to the everyday user. New low-cost EMG sensors have become available in recent years that have made this technology more available to the everyday user. In this paper, we evaluate one low-cost EMG sensor to assess its usefulness as an input modality for VR. We will do this by assessing how accurately gesture recognition can be accomplished with the data acquired from the sensor. We will compare it to gesture classification done with data obtained from a higher cost EMG system that has a much higher sampling rate. If the classification results are similar, then low-cost EMG is a valid choice as an input modality for VR.
Aspiration of Aluminum Beverage Can Tab: Case Report and Literature Review.

We describe the case of a 16-year-old male who aspirated a beverage can tab resulting in significant functional impairment. Since the introduction of beverage can opening tabs (“pop-tops” or “pull-tabs”) nearly 50 years ago, five cases of their aspiration have been reported in the literature and this is the first case to report tracheal lodgment. We describe the clinical course for this patient including the inadequacy of radiographic evaluation and a significant delay in diagnosis. We highlight unique features of small aluminum foreign bodies that require consideration and mention a potential change in epidemiology associated with evolving product design. Our primary objective is increased awareness among otolaryngologists that radiography is unreliable for diagnosis or localization of small aluminum foreign bodies. The patient history must therefore be incorporated with other imaging modalities and/or endoscopic evaluation. Also, given the marked prevalence of aluminum beverage cans, we suspect that the inadvertent aspiration of can tabs is more common than indicated by the paucity of published reports.