cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Work task disability in employed breast and prostate cancer patients

Nearly 60% of cancer survivors are of working age, making inquiries into work-related disabilities particularly relevant. This paper describes work-related physical and cognitive disability estimates 12 and 18 months after diagnosis and treatment in a sample of employed breast and prostate cancer patients. We recruited employed, newly diagnosed patients (n = 447 breast, n = 267 prostate) from the Metropolitan Detroit Cancer Surveillance System for telephone interviews 12 and 18 months after diagnosis. We defined disability by work task activity limitation. Disability estimates and employment were compared using Pearson chi-square tests. Duration of hours worked was compared by disability status using t-tests. Approximately 60% of women reported physical disability at 12 months which decreased to 36% at 18 months. Cognitive disability was reported by 34% and 22% of women at 12 and 18 months, respectively. Fewer men reported physical disability, only 29% at 12 months, decreasing to 17% at 18 months. Cognitive disability was reported by 12% and 7% of men at 12 and 18 months, respectively. More individuals with disability left the workforce at each timeframe than those without disability. A significant proportion of breast and prostate cancer patients experienced work-related disabilities 1 year or more following treatment. Physical disability was more problematic than cognitive disability.
Do you want to leave a trail or make a path

At Louisiana State University (LSU) we had a problem. The problem was angry customers, high call abandonment rates, missed support call appointments, inaccurate or inadequate incident descriptions, and inadequate incident tracking. Our Information Technology Service (ITS) Help Desk was failing. In May 2007 management made the decision to completely re-vamp the department with all new management and staff.The new management and staff set out with a mission to hire and train two new full-time staff members and thirty new student staff before the beginning of the fall 2007 semester. The first weeks were spent identifying the low hanging fruit that could be fixed immediately, and developing documentation for common help calls so that we could hire and get new staff trained quickly.In this presentation we will describe our journey, the obstacles that we faced, the progress that we have made, the lessons that we have learned, and the path that we are now taking to implement ITIL best practices and transform our help desk into a service desk. You decide if you want to leave a trail or make a path?
The Social Support Process in Men: Overcoming Sex-Role Obstacles

While recent research has indicated that men's social support resources may be inferior to women's due to societal sex roles, the literature on the consequences of this disadvantage has been mixed. This study explored the hypothesis that men have developed methods of obtaining support which do not conflict with their masculine values. It was proposed that (1) men prefer to receive nurturance from women, and (2) social drinking may facilitate supportive exchanges involving males by easing restrictions against traditionally feminine behaviors. The results were consistent with these hypotheses. It was found that the level of the 205 male subjects' belief in traditional sex-role values was negatively related to a number of social support variables. The subjects also reported a clear preference for females as primary sources of emotional support. Finally, social drinking was found to be a significant positive factor in supportive exchanges particularly when they occurred between men.
Nanopore-Based Devices for Bioanalytical Applications:

With over a decade passed since the first reported use of a Staphylococcal α-hemolysin pore to study single molecules of single-stranded DNA, research in the field of nanopores has advanced rapidly...
Polyphosphate Is a Primordial Chaperone

Composed of up to 1,000 phospho-anhydride bond-linked phosphate monomers, inorganic polyphosphate (polyP) is one of the most ancient, conserved, and enigmatic molecules in biology. Here we demonstrate that polyP functions as a hitherto unrecognized chaperone. We show that polyP stabilizes proteins in vivo, diminishes the need for other chaperone systems to survive proteotoxic stress conditions, and protects a wide variety of proteins against stress-induced unfolding and aggregation. In vitro studies reveal that polyP has protein-like chaperone qualities, binds to unfolding proteins with high affinity in an ATP-independent manner, and supports their productive refolding once nonstress conditions are restored. Our results uncover a universally important function for polyP and suggest that these long chains of inorganic phosphate may have served as one of nature's first chaperones, a role that continues to the present day.
An evaluation of analytic goals for assays of drugs: a College of American Pathologists Therapeutic Drug Monitoring Survey Study.

Abstract Objective.—To determine if the levels of imprecision of the commonly used analytic methods for drug measurements are suitable for long-term therapeutic drug monitoring. Design.—In 1996, 4 identical lyophilized samples (2 in the first mailing and 2 in the second mailing 4 months later) were sent to laboratories participating in a nationwide proficiency testing program. Similarly, in 1999, replicates from a liquid pool of spiked sera were mailed 3 times, 4 months apart, to participating laboratories. For each of 11 drugs regulated under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 and 1 metabolite, the total variance for each method was partitioned into within- and between-laboratory components. The total within-laboratory and the total survey coefficients of variation (CVs) for each method were then compared with the “acceptable” precision criteria of Glick, Burnett, and Fraser for each drug. Setting.—The first 2 mailings of the College of American Pathologists Therapeutic Drug Monitorin...
Development of gastric slow waves in preterm infants measured by electrogastrography

The aim of this study was to investigate the developmental process of gastric myoelectrical activity (GMA) in preterm infants. Nineteen healthy preterm infants were studied. GMA was recorded using ...
Pay-Allocations by Managers: A Policy-Capturing Approach

This study used a policy-capturing approach to examine 3120 pay-allocation decisions of 65 managers (31 male, 34 female) who work in organizations that have a pay for performance policy. Subjects were asked to respond to packages that varied in terms of performance of subordinates, specialized skills/expertise of subordinates, difficulty in replacing the subordinates, possibility of potential subordinate turnover, and current salary of subordinates. Results indicated that all five factors were significant and in the direction expected. The interaction between performance and job offer was significant for only two of the 65 managers. The interactions between specialized skills and job offer and difficulty in replacement and job offer were not significant for any of the managers. Most of the variance across the managers was accounted by sampling error and criterion unreliability. Results also indicated that subjects' explicit rankings of the five factors did not correspond highly with the rankings of their ...
Compact model generation for on-chip transmission lines

An approach for the fast and accurate generation of compact distributed circuit models for on-chip transmission lines on lossy silicon substrates is presented. Using a novel ABCD matrix partitioning procedure, accurate distributed circuit models are extracted from scattering parameters obtained from measurements and calibrated full-wave electromagnetic simulations for a small set of transmission-line geometries spanning ranges of design parameter values. A feedforward artificial neural network is trained using the extracted results, and applied to generate accurate compact models for arbitrary values within the bounds of the training ranges. Consequently, the model generation time is greatly reduced compared to conventional approaches by exploiting the interpolation capabilities of the neural network. The compact model generator is fully compatible with HSPICE and SPECTRE-RF and is easily incorporated into parasitic-aware RF circuit design and optimization tools.
Natural convection in porous media

This book presents the papers given at a conference on free convection in porous materials. Topics considered at the conference included heat transfer, nonlinear temperature profiles and magnetic fields, boundary conditions, concentrated heat sources in stratified porous media, free convective flow in a cavity, heat flux, laminar mixed convection flow, and the onset of convection in a porous medium with internal heat generation and downward flow.
MEMS optical wavelength deinterleaver with continuously variable channel spacing and center wavelength

We report on a tunable optical wavelength deinterleaver based on a microelectromechanical system micromirror array in a modified Gires-Tournois interferometer. Continuous wavelength tuning and switching of the deinterleaver outputs are achieved by vertical micromirror motion of less than 1 /spl mu/m. Control of the channel spacing, or free spectral range of the device, is also experimentally demonstrated.
Realizing the promise of robotic self-x systems

Consider a robot trying to accomplish a mission in an unfamiliar, hostile, and dynamic environment. As the robot encounters a seemingly insurmountable obstacle, it quickly reconfigures itself into two smaller robots, and with the aid of a nearby puddle of water, these two robots conduct self-detection procedures to confirm successful reconfiguration. One robot then calibrates itself using its reduced sensor suite and begins climbing over the obstacle, whilst the other robot folds itself into a compact structure and finds a crevice it can use to bypass the obstacle. But when the obstacle shifts, both robots send signals to a base to warn of impending mission failure. A copy of the original robot, located at the base, receives these warning signals and initiates a rapid self-replication process by assembling available resources. The resultant robotic offspring are then ready to continue the mission when called upon.
A rapid and sensitive method for the quantitation of microgram quantities of protein utilizing the principle of protein-dye binding

Abstract A protein determination method which involves the binding of Coomassie Brilliant Blue G-250 to protein is described. The binding of the dye to protein causes a shift in the absorption maximum of the dye from 465 to 595 nm, and it is the increase in absorption at 595 nm which is monitored. This assay is very reproducible and rapid with the dye binding process virtually complete in approximately 2 min with good color stability for 1 hr. There is little or no interference from cations such as sodium or potassium nor from carbohydrates such as sucrose. A small amount of color is developed in the presence of strongly alkaline buffering agents, but the assay may be run accurately by the use of proper buffer controls. The only components found to give excessive interfering color in the assay are relatively large amounts of detergents such as sodium dodecyl sulfate, Triton X-100, and commercial glassware detergents. Interference by small amounts of detergent may be eliminated by the use of proper controls.
Detection of Sleep Apnea during Standard Ambulatory Cassette EEG Recording for Seizures: Two Case Reports

Two cases are reported of A/EEG recordings performed for the evaluation of seizures. Marked fragmentation of nocturnal sleep, which produces a "noisy" record on the rapid playback visual/analogue auditory playback technique, led to a clinical suspicion of sleep apnea, later confirmed by polysomnography.
An adaptable ellipsoidal head model for the interaural time difference

Experimentally measured head-related transfer functions reveal that the interaural time delay varies from person to person. Furthermore, it is not constant around a cone of confusion, but can vary by as much as 18% of the maximum interaural delay. The major sources for this variation are shown to be the shape of the head and the displacement of the ears from the center of the head. A simple ellipsoidal head model is presented that can accurately account for this ITD variation and can be adapted to individual listeners.
Demographics of Increasing Populations of the Giant Barrel Sponge Xestospongia Muta in the Florida Keys

The structure of Caribbean coral reef communities has been altered by numerous anthropogenic and natural stressors. Demographic studies of key functional groups have furthered efforts to describe and understand these changes. Little is known, however, about the demographics of sponges on coral reefs, despite their abundance and the important functions they perform (e.g., increased habitat complexity, water filtration). We have monitored permanent plots on reefs off Key Largo, Florida, USA, to study the demography of a particularly important species, the giant barrel sponge, Xestospongia muta. From 2000 to 2006, population densities of X. muta significantly increased at sites on Conch Reef by a mean of 46% (range = 16-108%) and on Pickles Reef by a mean of 33%. In 2006, densities of X. muta on Conch Reef ranged from 0.134 to 0.277 sponges/m2, and mean sponge volume was 1488 cm3/m2, with the largest size class of sponges constituting 75% of the total volume. Increased population density resulted from a significant increase in the number of sponges in the smallest size class. Recruit survival did not significantly change through time; however, a significant interaction between season and year on recruitment suggests that large recruitment pulses are driving population increases. Mean yearly recruitment rates ranged from 0.011 to 0.025 recruits x m(-2) x yr(-1), with pulses as high as 0.036 recruits/m2. To explore the demographic processes behind the population increase and determine future population growth of X. muta under present reef conditions, a stage-based matrix modeling approach was used. Variable recruitment pulses and mortality events were hypothesized to be large determinants of the demographic patterns observed for X. muta. Elasticity and life table response analysis revealed that survival of individuals in the largest size class has the greatest effect on population growth. Projections indicate that populations of X. muta will continue to increase under present conditions; however population growth may be negatively affected by continued mortality of the largest individuals from a recently described pathogenic syndrome.
Extended-Release Hydrocodone The Devil in Disguise or Just Misunderstood?

Opioid abuse in the United States increased significantly over the past decade, leading to opioid-related deaths. Approval of Zohydro ER, a product that lacks an abuse-deterrent formulation, has provoked media controversy and aggressive legislative action from multiple stakeholders. Only the American Academy of Pain Management has released a position statement on this medication, and individual opinion varies. Additional single-entity extended-release hydrocodone formulations are in the pipeline, and Zohydro ER’s limited clinical utility may make the controversy associated with its approval a moot point. As with other opioids, providers will need to assess individual patient risk versus benefit when prescribing Zohydro ER.
A high school supercomputing challenge

The national need for scientists and engineers and for a public that understands science and technology is more urgent today than ever before if the United States is to maintain its productivity and technical edge in the world market. Many capable high school students, however, lose interest in pursuing scientific academic subjects and in considering science or engineering as a possible career. An academic program that progresses from a state­ wide to a national competition is a way of developing science and computing knowledge among high school students and teachers, as well as instilling enthusiasm for science. This paper describes the New Mexico High School Supercomputing Challenge, a nonselective academic-year long program that was initiated in 1990. Teams of high school students from throughout New Mexico do a team computational science project using high-performance computers.
High-performance MSM photodetectors using Cu Schottky contacts

GaInAs metal-semiconductor-metal photodetectors fabricated with Cu Schottky contacts on an AlInAs barrier-enhancement layer are described. The Cu electrodes were found to decrease by a factor of two the dark current of large area pads compared to pads formed with Ti, illustrating the potential for improving Schottky barriers by proper choice of metal type. The dark current density at 10 V is 3.8 pA//spl mu/m/sup 2/ and the response time is 17 ps.
Performance Characteristics of Individually-Managed versus Team-Managed Mutual Funds

The fields of psychology and sociology offer a large body of theory and evidence on how individual behavior differs from group behavior, particularly for performance and risk-taking activities. Relatively little attention, however, has been devoted to this topic in regard to managed portfolios, even though over 50% of mutual funds are managed by a team. In this article, the authors provide an empirical examination of whether funds managed by individuals perform differently from funds managed by teams. Using a sample of about 3,000 equity mutual funds over a 12-year horizon, the authors find that although the number of funds managed by teams has grown at seven times the rate of funds managed by individuals, no significant difference in risk-adjusted performance is observed between team-managed and individually managed funds. Funds managed by teams, however, are significantly less risky and exhibit lower turnover. In addition, the total cost of owning a team-managed mutual fund is, on average, nearly 50 bps lower per year than the cost of owning an individually managed mutual fund. Finally, team-managed funds attract significantly greater investor flows than individually managed funds, even after controlling for performance, risk, and expenses.
The Pseudorealization Fallacy and the Chinese Room Argument

John Searle with his now-famous Chinese room argument (1980, 1982, 1984) challenges the basis for a strong version of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Searle’s argument has generated diverse and often strong reactions. Roland Puccetti says, “On the grounds he has staked out, which are considerable, Searle seems to me completely victorious,” (1980, p. 441). Douglas Hofstadter remarks, “This religious diatribe against AI, masquerading as a serious scientific argument, is one of the wrongest, most infuriating articles I have ever read in my life” (1980, p. 433). My reaction to Searle’s argument is that it is dead right and dead wrong. That is, his argument is right about a wrong conception of AI and wrong about a right conception of AI. But regardless of one’s position on the Chinese room argument, there is no doubt that the argument raises critical issues about the nature and foundation of AI.
Regularly Submitted Papers Business and management in Russia: a review of the post-Soviet literature and future research directions

This paper reviews a large number of works published over the past 25 years on many topics of business and management in Russia. The topics are grouped into two major categories – macro and micro, with entrepreneurship covered separately. A brief summary is presented for most individual works. We conclude with implications for practice directed toward Western and Russian managers, as well as policy implications for Western and Russian policymakers. The paper is intended as a resource for researchers focusing on Russian business and management, and for educators, practitioners, and policymakers with interests in this field.
Joint Management of Cataract Surgery by Ophthalmologists and Optometrists

Purpose To estimate the rate and geographic variation of cataract surgery that is managed jointly by ophthalmologists and optometrists in aging Americans. Design Database study. Participants United States fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare Part B beneficiaries and their providers. Methods Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data furnished by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid were used to identify cataract surgery claims among FFS Medicare Part B beneficiaries in all 50 states and the District of Columbia in 2012 and 2013. Payments and joint management rates of cataract surgery by ophthalmologists and optometrists were calculated for each United States state. Geographic variations were evaluated by using the extremal quotient and coefficient of variation (CV). Main Outcome Measures Medicare allowed payments for cataract surgery (Current Procedural Terminology codes 66982 and 66984) and number of unique FFS Medicare Part B beneficiaries undergoing cataract surgery. Results The overall national rate of joint management of cataract surgery by ophthalmologists and optometrists among FFS Medicare Part B beneficiaries was 10.9% (range by state, 0%–75%) in 2012 and 11.1% (range by state, 0%–63%) in 2013. In 2013, the mean extremal quotient was 67 and the CV was 82.2, demonstrating very high variation in joint management between states. The Medicare allowed payment to optometrists in the joint management of cataract surgery was 2.1% of the total Medicare allowed payments for cataract surgery codes in 2012 and 2013. Twenty percent and 24% of all Medicare-participating optometrists submitted10 or more Medicare claims in the joint management of cataract surgery in 2012 and 2013, respectively. Conclusions The overall rate of joint management of cataract surgery by ophthalmologists and optometrists among Medicare beneficiaries was 10.9% in 2012 and 11.1% in 2013. Very high geographic variation was documented, with joint management rates ranging from 0% to 63% across states in 2013.
Aqueous Sulfate Separation by Sequestration of [(SO4)2(H2O)4]4− Clusters within Highly Insoluble Imine-Linked Bis-Guanidinium Crystals

Selective crystallization of sulfate with a simple bis-guanidinium ligand, self-assembled in situ from terephthalaldehyde and aminoguanidinium chloride, was employed as an effective way to separate the highly hydrophilic sulfate anion from aqueous solutions. The resulting bis-iminoguanidinium sulfate salt has exceptionally low aqueous solubility (Ksp =2.4×10-10 ), comparable to that of BaSO4 . Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis showed the sulfate anions are sequestered as [(SO4 )2 (H2 O)4 ]4- clusters within the crystals. Variable-temperature solubility measurements indicated the sulfate crystallization is slightly endothermic (ΔHcryst =3.7 kJ mol-1 ), thus entropy driven. The real-world utility of this crystallization-based approach for sulfate separation was demonstrated by removing up to 99 % of sulfate from seawater in a single step.
Phenylalanine Transport at the Human Blood-Brain Barrier

Phenylalanine transport through the brain capillary wall, i.e., the blood-brain barrier (BBB), is characterized by a very high affinity (low K m ) transport system in laboratory rats. To test whether phenylalanine transport at the human BBB is also mediated by a very high affinity (low K m ) transport system, brain capillaries were isolated from fresh autopsy human brain, as well as from fresh rat brain or from fresh or 42-hour postmortem rabbit brain. The results show that the K m values for phenylalanine transport are virtually identical at either the rat or human BBB. Therefore, the marked derangements in brain amino acid metabolism caused by hyperphenylalaninemia in rats may also occur in humans at comparable increases in blood phenylalanine.
Hermann Broch's Early Writings

Hermann Broch was already in his forties when his first novel, part of the trilogy Die Schlafwandler, appeared in 1931.1 One continuing result of the prominence which this work brought to Broch has been an almost complete neglect of his few earlier writings. Thus, Erich Kahler in his introductory remarks in the Gesammelte Werke merely indicates: “Die Anfange seiner Dichtung—Novellen und Gedichte—reichen … bis in die Zeit des Ersten Weltkriegs zuruck” (Gedichte, 1953, p. 8). He omits Broch's earliest published poem, Mathematisches Mysterium (1913) from his selection of poetry. The two volumes of essays of the collected works, Dichten und Erkennen, and Erkennen und Handeln, edited by Hannah Arendt (1955) also contain no writings prior to Die Schlafwandler. The volume of Briefe, edited by Robert Pick (1957), perhaps because of lack of material, follows this pattern, going back only to 1929.
Ability, Foreknowledge, and Explanatory Dependence

AbstractMany philosophers maintain that the ability to do otherwise is compatible with comprehensive divine foreknowledge but incompatible with the truth of causal determinism. But the Fixity of the Past principle underlying the rejection of compatibilism about the ability to do otherwise and determinism appears to generate an argument also for the incompatibility of the ability to do otherwise and divine foreknowledge. By developing an account of ability that appeals to the notion of explanatory dependence, we can replace the Fixity of the Past with a principle that does not generate this difficulty. I develop such an account and defend it from objections. I also explore some of the account's implications, including whether the account is consistent with presentism.
HgTe-CdTe Multiple Quantum Wells

We report a detailed magneto-transport investigation of HgTe-CdTe multiple quantum wells. The data yield the first experimental confirmation of a theoretically-predicted “negative-gap” semiconducting region in wide-well Hg-based heterostructures. Gaps of up to 19 meV are observed.
Role of laminin-1 and TGF-beta 3 in acinar differentiation of a human submandibular gland cell line (HSG)

Previous studies show that culturing an immortalized human submandibular gland cell line (HSG) on Matrigel, a basement membrane extract, induces cytodifferentiation. We have further defined this model system and identified factors involved in HSG cell acinar development and cyto-differentiation. Acinar development is marked by cell migration into multi-cellular spherical structures, cell proliferation and apoptosis of the centrally localized cells. In addition, functional differentiation was determined by indirect immunofluorescence and immunoblot analysis for cystatin, a salivary gland acinar cell-specific protein found to be produced by differentiated HSG cells. Matrigel contains multiple extracellular matrix proteins, however, laminin-1 was identified as the major matrix component that induced HSG cell acinar development and cytodifferentiation. Antibodies against specific components of Matrigel and against cell surface adhesion molecules were added to cells in culture to identify components important for HSG cell acinar differentiation. Immunostaining of HSG cell acini identified TGF-beta 2 and beta 3 as the predominant isoforms within the cells. Neutralizing antibodies directed against TGF-beta 3 significantly decreased (P < or = 0.0002) the size of acini formed. These results indicate that multiple components, including laminin-1 and TGF-beta 3, contribute to HSG cell acinar development. This model system will be useful to study acinar differentiation and salivary gland-specific protein expression in vitro.
Increased incidence of isoniazid hepatitis in rapid acetylators: possible relation to hydrazine metabolites

Approximately 10% to 20% of isoniazid recipients manifest biochemical evidence of liver injury. A smaller number of patients develop clinically overt hepatitis. Isoniazid is metabolized in man at extremely variable rates, and the rate is under genetic control. Two separate clinical studies have noted a possible relation between susceptibility of patients to isoniazid liver injury and rapid metabolism (acetylation) of the drug. For this reason, 21 patients who had recovered from probable isoniazid hepatitis and 5 patients who previously had manifested biochemical evidence of mild isoniazid liver injury were genetically phenotyped as rapid or slow isoniazid acetylators by the sulfamethazine method. The rapid phenotype was found in 86% of patients with probable hepatitis and in 60% of the possible ones, whereas the expected frequency was 45%. Eximination of isoniazid metabolites revealed that rapid acetylators hydrolze much more isoniazid to isonic otinic hydrazine moiety than do slow acetylators. The hydrazine moiety liberated from isoniazed is primarily acetylhydrazine, and studies in animals show this metabolite to be converted to a potent acylating agent that produces liver necrosis. We suggest that release of the hepatotoxic hydrazino moiety of isoniazid in man is responsible for isoniazid liver injury.
John Stuart Mill (1806–73)

Two autobiographical statements, amounting to a confession of a great debt owed to Wordsworth, are worth remembering. One describes Mill’s first encounter with Wordsworth’s poems, as printed in the two-volume edition of 1815. Reading them rescued Mill from a period of deep depression, which had begun in August 1826 and lasted through the autumn of 1828.
Investigation of ultrawideband pulses in wideband helix traveling wave tubes

Summary form only given, as follows. The study of pulse propagation and distortion in traveling wave tubes (TWTs) has many applications. First, it is an attractive "diagnostic method" to characterize important properties such as dispersion and nonlinear distortion over a broad frequency band. Second, it is relevant to assessing the utility of TWTs as amplifiers for impulse radio, impulse radar, or other ultrawideband signal applications. We present results of a new model for analysis and numerical simulation of transient TWT excitation. The analysis applies a 1D linear model to examine pulse propagation in a TWT, including dispersion, space charge effects, and attenuation. Nonlinear effects are investigated using a 1D numerical particle-in-cell simulation. Fields are calculated using the pseudo-spectral time-domain (PSTD) method with a modification to incorporate helix waveguide dispersion effects into a 1D model. Progress with experimental investigations on the XWING tube will be discussed. The XWING (eXperimental WIsconsin Northrop Grumman) tube is a Northrop Grumman custom modified wideband (2-6 GHz) traveling wave tube, with multiple access ports that allow diagnostic access to the wave as it propagates along the tube.
Wireless MEMS for transportation infrastructure health monitoring

Abstract Transportation infrastructure networks form the lifeline of a nation's economy. These critical infrastructure systems are expected to deteriorate over time due to repeated traffic loading and environmental influences. Highway agencies across the globe are always faced with budgetary and resource constraints such that their investments are unable to keep up with the maintenance and management needs of deteriorating transportation infrastructure systems. Thus, there is a need for cost-effective and reliable health monitoring systems to ensure that these infrastructure systems optimally perform the functions they are intended to perform during their service lives. Recent advancements in wireless technologies and the development of miniature (micro-scale) sensing devices have the potential to enable the promise of smart pavement health monitoring systems. This chapter delves into various existing and emerging transportation infrastructure health monitoring techniques and highlights some recent case studies on the investigation of wireless micro-electromechanical sensor systems for pavement health monitoring.
Perinatal Natural History of the Ts1Cje Mouse Model of Down Syndrome: Growth Restriction, Early Mortality, Heart Defects, and Delayed Development.

Background The Ts1Cje model of Down syndrome is of particular interest for perinatal studies because affected males are fertile. This permits affected pups to be carried in wild-type females, which is similar to human pregnancies. Here we describe the early natural history and growth profiles of Ts1Cje embryos and neonates and determine if heart defects are present in this strain. Methods Pups were studied either on embryonic (E) day 15.5, or from postnatal (P) day 3 through weaning on P21. PCR amplification targeting the neomycin cassette (present in Ts1Cje) and Sry (present in males) was used to analyze pup genotypes and sex ratios. Body weights and lengths, as well as developmental milestones, were recorded in Ts1Cje mice and compared to their wild-type (WT) littermates. Histological evaluations were performed at E15.5 to investigate the presence or absence of heart defects. Pups were divided into two groups: Ts1Cje-I pups survived past weaning and Ts1Cje-II pups died at some point before P21. Results Ts1Cje mouse embryos showed expected Mendelian ratios (45.8%, n = 66 for Ts1Cje embryos; 54.2%, n = 78 for WT embryos). Histological analysis revealed the presence of ventricular septal defects (VSDs) in 21% of Ts1Cje E15.5 embryos. After weaning, only 28.2% of pups were Ts1Cje (185 Ts1Cje out of 656 total pups generated), with males predominating (male:female ratio of 1.4:1). Among the recovered dead pups (n = 207), Ts1Cje (63.3%, n = 131, p<0.01) genotype was found significantly more often than WT (36.7%, n = 76). Retrospective analysis of Ts1Cje-II (pre-weaning deceased) pups showed that they were growth restricted compared to Ts1Cje-I pups (post-weaning survivors). Growth restriction correlated with statistically significant delays in achieving several neonatal milestones between P3 and P21 compared to Ts1Cje-I (post-weaning survivors) neonates and WT littermates. Conclusions Ts1Cje genotype is not associated with increased early in utero mortality. Cardiac defects, specifically VSDs, are part of the phenotype in this strain. There is increased neonatal mortality in Ts1Cje pups, with sex differences observed. Ts1Cje mice that died in the neonatal period were more likely to be growth restricted and delayed in achieving neonatal developmental milestones.
Sorption Behavior of Tributyltin

Understanding the sorption behavior of tributyltin (TBT) is important for predicting its fate and effects in the aquatic environment. Equilibrium sorption coefficients ranging from 0.11 × 103 to 350 × 103 1 kg-1 have been measured in laboratory experiments using a wide variety of sorbent types, but the majority of the sorption coefficients are on the order of 103 1 kg-1. Apparent sorption coefficients calculated from TBT concentrations measured in environmental sediments and overlying waters generally agree with laboratory measurements and are on the order of 103 1 kg-1. Higher apparent sorption coefficients near boat maintenance facilities are probably the result of TBT-containing paint chips that are incorporated into sediments. Laboratory studies measuring the rate of TBT sorption or desorption show that the time required to reach equilibrium is relatively fast (hours) and that sorption is reversible. Longer-term (weeks to months) sorption kinetics for TBT have not been reported. For environments where mixing and water mass circulation times are slower than the equilibration process, laboratory-determined sorption coefficients may be reasonable estimates of TBT partitioning in the environment. Changes in salinity over the range encountered in estuaries can alter sorption coefficients, but these reported changes are varied and may depend on the particular system studied. Salinity effects may depend on sorbent-to-solution mass ratios used in equilibration experiments, and could arise from both the ionic and the hydrophobic components of the TBT molecule.
Dramatic Improvement of CRISPR/Cas9 Editing in Candida albicans by Increased Single Guide RNA Expression.

ABSTRACT The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat system with CRISPR-associated protein 9 nuclease (CRISPR/Cas9) has emerged as a versatile tool for genome editing in Candida albicans. Mounting evidence from other model systems suggests that the intracellular levels of single guide RNA (sgRNA) limit the efficiency of Cas9-dependent DNA cleavage. Here, we tested this idea and describe a new means of sgRNA delivery that improves previously described methods by ~10-fold. The efficiency of Cas9/sgRNA-dependent cleavage and repair of a single-copy yeast enhanced monomeric red fluorescent protein ( RFP ) gene was measured as a function of various parameters that are hypothesized to affect sgRNA accumulation, including transcriptional and posttranscriptional processing. We analyzed different promoters ( SNR52 , ADH1 , and tRNA ), as well as different posttranscriptional RNA processing schemes that serve to generate or stabilize mature sgRNA with precise 5′ and 3′ ends. We compared the effects of flanking sgRNA with self-cleaving ribozymes or by tRNA, which is processed by endogenous RNases. These studies demonstrated that sgRNA flanked by a 5′ tRNA and transcribed by a strong RNA polymerase II ADH1 promoter increased Cas9-dependent RFP mutations by 10-fold. Examination of double-strand-break (DSB) repair in strains hemizygous for RFP demonstrated that both homology-directed and nonhomologous end-joining pathways were used to repair breaks. Together, these results support the model that gRNA expression can be rate limiting for efficient CRISPR/Cas mutagenesis in C. albicans. IMPORTANCE Candida albicans is an important human fungal pathogen. An understanding of fungal virulence factors has been slow because C. albicans is genetically intractable. The recent development of CRISPR/Cas in C. albicans (V. K. Vyas, M. I. Barrasa, G. R. Fink, Sci Adv 1:e1500248, 2015, https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1500248) has the potential to circumvent this problem. However, as has been found in other organisms, CRISPR/Cas mutagenesis efficiency can be frustratingly variable. Here, we systematically examined parameters hypothesized to alter sgRNA intracellular levels in order to optimize CRISPR/Cas in C. albicans. Our most important conclusion is that increased sgRNA expression and maturation dramatically improve efficiency of CRISPR/Cas mutagenesis in C. albicans by ~10-fold. Thus, we anticipate that the modifications described here will further advance the application of CRISPR/Cas for genome editing in C. albicans.
Reversal of cardiac and skeletal manifestations of Duchenne muscular dystrophy by cardiosphere-derived cells and their exosomes in mdx dystrophic mice and in human Duchenne cardiomyocytes

Genetic deficiency of dystrophin leads to disability and premature death in Duchenne muscular dystrophy, affecting the heart as well as skeletal muscle. Here we report that cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs), which are being tested clinically for the treatment of Duchenne cardiomyopathy, improve cardiac and skeletal myopathy in the mdx mouse model of DMD and in human Duchenne cardiomyocytes. Injection of CDCs into the hearts of mdx mice augments cardiac function, ambulatory capacity and survival. Exosomes secreted by human CDCs reproduce the benefits of CDCs in mdx mice and in human Duchenne cardiomyocytes. The findings further motivate the testing of CDCs in Duchenne patients, while identifying exosomes as next-generation therapeutic candidates.
Transition and turbulence in horizontal convection: linear stability analysis

The linear instability mechanisms of horizontal convection in a rectangular cavity forced by a horizontal buoyancy gradient along its surface are investigated using local and global stability analyses for a Prandtl number equal to unity. The results show that the stability of the base flow, a steady circulation characterized by a narrow descending plume and a broad upwelling region, depends on the Rayleigh number, . For free-slip boundary conditions at a critical value of , the steady base flow becomes unstable to three-dimensional perturbations, characterized by counter-rotating vortices originating within the plume region. A Wentzel–Kramers–Brillouin (WKB) method applied along closed streamlines demonstrates that this instability is of a Rayleigh–Taylor type and can be used to accurately reconstruct the global instability mode. In the case of no-slip boundary conditions, the base flow also becomes unstable to a self-sustained two-dimensional instability whose critical Rayleigh number is . Beyond this critical , two-dimensional equilibrium stationary states of the Navier–Stokes equations are computed using the selective frequency damping method. The two-dimensional onset of instability is shown to be characterized by a family of modes also originating within the plume. A local spatio-temporal stability analysis shows that the flow becomes absolutely unstable at the origin of the plume. Taken together, these results illustrate the mechanisms behind the onset of turbulence that has been observed in horizontal convection.
Facile Method To Study Catalytic Oxygen Evolution Using a Dissolved Oxygen Optical Probe: An Undergraduate Chemistry Laboratory To Appreciate Artificial Photosynthesis

Artificial photosynthesis (AP) is a synthetic chemical process that replicates natural photosynthesis to mass produce hydrogen as a clean fuel from sunlight-driven water splitting (2H2O → O2 + H2). In both natural and artificial photosynthesis, an oxygen-evolving catalyst (OEC) is needed to catalyze oxygen production from water (2H2O → O2 + 4H+ + 4e–). Herein, we present a simple undergraduate laboratory experiment for monitoring the catalytic oxygen-evolution reaction using a dissolved oxygen optical probe, a luminescent probe that can continuously measure the concentration of dissolved oxygen in aqueous solutions. The laboratory experiment consists of two parts. First, students identify and evaluate the necessary criteria for an active molecular O2-evolving catalyst. Second, students use a kinetic protocol based on the method of initial rates to derive an empirical rate law expression and calculate the turnover frequency and rate constant for a benchmark OEC, [RuII(tpy)(bpy)(H2O)]2+ (tpy is 2,2′:6′,2″-t...
Some Principles of Politics

Unlike economists, it is unusual for political scientists to examine first principles of our discipline. Perhaps there is a conviction or fear that these do not exist or at least that they are elusive, so that the attempt is bound to fail; or that they do exist but there is no reliable means to discover or verify them, so that the effort will be mired in endless controversy from the outset, with no clear conclusion. I submit that this aversion to digging into the roots of politics shortchanges the discipline and leaves students with no firm foundation upon which to erect their understanding of government with the findings of more specialized research. My purpose in this article is to make a small contribution toward remedying this situation by calling to mind a few fundamentals about government that all students of politics should know. To that end, I draw on the work of classical, modern, and contemporary scholarship and on my own analysis of nearly 700 elections in 50 democracies, of more than a dozen dictatorships of different ideological cast, and two historical cases with which I am most familiar — the United States and Cuba.
Reliable Security Algorithm for Drones Using Individual Characteristics From an EEG Signal

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been applied for both civilian and military applications; scientific research involving UAVs has encompassed a wide range of scientific study. However, communication with unmanned vehicles are subject to attack and compromise. Such attacks have been reported as early as 2009, when a Predator UAV’s video stream was compromised. Since UAVs extensively utilize autonomous behavior, it is important to develop an autopilot system that is robust to potential cyber-attack. In this paper, we present a biometric system to encrypt communication between a UAV and a computerized base station. This is accomplished by generating a key derived from a user’s EEG Beta component. We first extract coefficients from Beta data using Legendre’s polynomials. We perform encoding of the coefficients using Bose-Chaudhuri-Hocquenghem encoding and then generate a key from a hash function. The key is used to encrypt the communication between XBees. Also we have introduced scenarios where the communication is attacked. When communication with a UAV is attacked, a safety mechanism directs the UAV to a safe home location. This system has been validated on a commercial UAV under malicious attack conditions.
Adsorption of copper (II) on mesoporous silica: the effect of nano-scale confinement

Nano-scale spatial confinement can alter chemistry at mineral–water interfaces. These nano-scale confinement effects can lead to anomalous fate and transport behavior of aqueous metal species. When a fluid resides in a nanoporous environments (pore size under 100 nm), the observed density, surface tension, and dielectric constant diverge from those measured in the bulk. To evaluate the impact of nano-scale confinement on the adsorption of copper (Cu2+), we performed batch adsorption studies using mesoporous silica. Mesoporous silica with the narrow distribution of pore diameters (SBA-15; 8, 6, and 4 nm pore diameters) was chosen since the silanol functional groups are typical to surface environments. Batch adsorption isotherms were fit with adsorption models (Langmuir, Freundlich, and Dubinin–Radushkevich) and adsorption kinetic data were fit to a pseudo-first-order reaction model. We found that with decreasing pore size, the maximum surface area-normalized uptake of Cu2+ increased. The pseudo-first-order kinetic model demonstrates that the adsorption is faster as the pore size decreases from 8 to 4 nm. We attribute these effects to the deviations in fundamental water properties as pore diameter decreases. In particular, these effects are most notable in SBA-15 with a 4-nm pore where the changes in water properties may be responsible for the enhanced Cu mobility, and therefore, faster Cu adsorption kinetics.
A Problem Perplex, MHC + X

There is a radio-sketch in which Sir Walter Raleigh, having voyaged to the New World, makes a telephone call back to a friend or sponsor. In it he enthuses about the custom of smoking tobacco, the pleasure it brings, and even suggests it might be a thing to import. Trying hard to convince, he never penetrates his friend’s incredulity, formed by the belief that anyone who submits to putting rolled, dried leaves in their mouth and setting fire to them in the pursuit of happiness has clearly been in the colonies too long. In first encountering MHC restriction I responded in a similar vein. It was a Wednesday seminar at Harvard Medical School and the message was that you take cells, treat them with trinitrophenyl (TNP), and then immunize a mouse. Then, abracadabra, out come T cells with specificity for H-2 and TNP. Surely the vicissitudes of comprehending inbred strains of mice and MHC serology were bad enough without this molecular improbability! However, it did not go away, and in fact became more complex with the eventual formulation of MHC + X.
In vivo and in vitro Studies on the Activation and Binding of Human Heat-shock Transcription Factor

The rapid transcriptional induction of heat shock genes upon physiological stress such as heat shock is mediated by heat shock transcription factor (HSF) which recognizes a target sequence, the heat shock element (HSE) (Goldenberg et al., 1988; Parker and Topol, 1984; Pelham, 1982; Wu et al., 1987). Heat shock elements consist of an array of inverted repeats of the sequence NGAAN, although the arrangement and number of these NGAAN units can vary (Amin et al., 1988, Xhiao and Lis, 1988). The dynamics of HSF-HSE interactions differ among organisms. In Drosophila, HSF binds to HSE only upon heat shock (Thomas and Elgin, 1988; Wu, 1984), while in yeast, HSF is constitutively bound to HSE (Jakobson and Pelham, 1988; McDaniel et al., 1989; Sorger etal., 1987) and its transcriptional activity is induced by heat shock (Sorger and Pelham, 1988).
From Word and Object to Roots of Reference

In 1960, Quine published Word and Object 1 (hereafter WO) – a book that has generally been regarded as his major work. It will therefore require some careful examination, for it is here that he began to pay off the IOUs he had issued in “Two Dogmas.”