cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The impact of an authentic, student-centered engineering project on student motivation

The SPIRIT (Student Projects In Rocket Investigative Techniques) project used teaching innovation and flexibility to forge a highly successful and popular two-year project course at Pennsylvania State University. A combination of traditional and non-traditional teaching methods were used to: (1) maintain a base of common knowledge pertaining to the scientific/engineering mission among a highly diverse student population, and (2) allow students to focus on the knowledge and skills of most interest to them. This paper discusses the impact of this course and project on student motivation levels as measured by the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) and student focus groups. Initial results show that, even without academic "rewards", SPIRIT students demonstrated a consistently high level of motivation and enthusiasm for the project. In addition, first- and second-year students rated the SPIRIT project more motivating than a comparison course to a statistically significant extent. The impact of these results in terms of future curricular reform is also discussed.
Racial differences in rates of aortic valve replacement in patients with severe aortic stenosis

Racial disparities exist in the treatment of many cardiovascular diseases. Aortic valve replacement (AVR) is the only treatment for aortic stenosis (AS) that improves patient symptoms and survival. To date, no studies have compared the rate of AVR among different races. The records of patients with an aortic valve area 2 by echocardiography diagnosed between January 2004 and May 2010 at Barnes-Jewish Hospital were reviewed retrospectively. Patients were stratified by race. Of the 880 patients analyzed, 10% were African American (AA), and 90% were European American (EA). AA more frequently had hypertension (82% vs 67%, p
Fundamental, reachability, and observability matrices for discrete descriptor systems

This paper uses the fundamental matrix of a regular discrete descriptor system to derive expressions for descriptor reachability and observability matrices. Reachable and unobservable subspaces are defined. It is shown that the natural space for analyzing descriptor system properties is R^{2n} (where n is the dimension of the system), not Rnas is the case for state-space systems. Solutions are provided for the descriptor open-loop control and estimation problems.
Race in America: A Discussion of Cathy J. Cohen's Democracy Remixed: Black Youth and the Future of American Politics

Both the plight of African American young people and their feelings and thoughts about this plight are major issues of concern in U.S. politics. In 2003, the Black Youth Project was launched, with funding by the Ford Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, to promote both social scientific analysis and public understanding of these issues (the project has an innovative and engaging Website that can be accessed at http://www.blackyouthproject.com/ ). Cathy J. Cohen is the principal investigator of the project and, in Democracy Remixed , she draws upon a new national survey of black youth to offer a mixed-method empirical description and theoretical analysis of “black youth and the future of American politics.” In this symposium, a diverse group of political and social scientists have been asked to critically assess the book's account and to comment more broadly on the importance of black youth to the future of American politics.—Jeffrey C. Isaac, Editor
Effects of the antioxidant drug tempol on renal oxygenation in mice with reduced renal mass

We tested the hypothesis that reactive oxygen species (ROS) contributed to renal hypoxia in C57BL/6 mice with f surgical reduction of renal mass (RRM). ROS can activate the mitochondrial uncoupling protein 2 (UCP-2) and increase O(2) usage. However, UCP-2 can be inactivated by glutathionylation. Mice were fed normal (NS)- or high-salt (HS) diets, and HS mice received the antioxidant drug tempol or vehicle for 3 mo. Since salt intake did not affect the tubular Na(+) transport per O(2) consumed (T(Na/)Q(O2)), further studies were confined to HS mice. RRM mice had increased excretion of 8-isoprostane F(2α) and H(2)O(2), renal expression of UCP-2 and renal O(2) extraction, and reduced T(Na/)Q(O2) (sham: 20 ± 2 vs. RRM: 10 ± 1 μmol/μmol; P < 0.05) and cortical Po(2) (sham: 43 ± 2, RRM: 29 ± 2 mmHg; P < 0.02). Tempol normalized all these parameters while further increasing compensatory renal growth and glomerular volume. RRM mice had preserved blood pressure, glomeruli, and patchy tubulointerstitial fibrosis. The patterns of protein expression in the renal cortex suggested that RRM kidneys had increased ROS from upregulated p22(phox), NOX-2, and -4 and that ROS-dependent increases in UCP-2 led to hypoxia that activated transforming growth factor-β whereas erythroid-related factor 2 (Nrf-2), glutathione peroxidase-1, and glutathione-S-transferase mu-1 were upregulated independently of ROS. We conclude that RRM activated distinct processes: a ROS-dependent activation of UCP-2 leading to inefficient renal O(2) usage and cortical hypoxia that was offset by Nrf-2-dependent glutathionylation. Thus hypoxia in RRM may be the outcome of NADPH oxidase-initiated ROS generation, leading to mitochondrial uncoupling counteracted by defense pathways coordinated by Nrf-2.
Origins of Order in Joint Activity and Social Behavior

How should we understand the origins of order and control that entail the systematic regularity of human behavior? Here, we address this question with respect to joint activity and social behavior via an explication of Guy Van Orden's formulation of interaction-dominant dynamics and his provocative discussion of the “blue collar brain.” Using these 2 concepts we argue that human social behavior and performance is not controlled by a cascade of fast timescale activity (i.e., neural processes or individual action) but rather emerges from the modulated enslavement of faster timescale processes by much slower dynamical processes, such as shared task outcomes and socially defined historical context. We detail this argument by reviewing 2 recent behavioral findings that we believe provide evidence that the dynamics of human performance during a socially situated activity is interaction dominant. The first concerns the behavioral coordination that emerges during a novel joint-action collision-avoidance task. The...
A novel fiber delay line buffering architecture for optical packet switching

Due to the lack of optical random access memory, optical fiber delay line (FDL) is currently the only way to implement optical buffering. Feed-forward and feedback are two kinds of FDL structures in optical buffering. Both have advantages and disadvantages. In this paper, we propose a more effective hybrid FDL architecture that combines the merits of both schemes. The core of this switch is the arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) and the tunable wavelength converter (TWC). It requires smaller optical device sizes and fewer wavelengths and has less noise than feedback architecture. At the same time, it can facilitate preemptive priority routing which feed-forward architecture cannot support. Our numerical results show that the new switch architecture significantly reduces packet loss probability.
Real-time web-based hyperspectral data viewing and control

There is significant interest in hyperspectral image data in multiple disciplines. Laboratory-based hyperspectral imaging systems support research on samples ranging from plants and agricultural products to cell cultures, algae, coral, metals, and other media of interest. In most traditional laboratory settings, the user selects the data acquisition parameters and controls the instrument in the laboratory. In this paper interfacing a lab-based hyperspectral imaging system with the Internet through NI LabVIEW and related programs is described to allow real-time remote access and control of the system as well as viewing of the captured data. Through the designed interface, hyperspectral image cubes can be acquired and stored remotely, and viewed on-line by individuals who are not in the lab but are granted remote access to the system. The functional model for the remote control hyperspectral imaging system and the designed interface for real-time web-based data viewing and control are presented in this paper.
Improved restoration of noisy images by adaptive least-squares post-filtering

Abstract This paper describes a class of post-filtering algorithms that adaptively compute a linear combination between a noisy image and a restored version of it obtained by linear filtering. A set of optimal weighting coefficients is derived by minimizing the quadratic error between the output of this system and a noise-free signal. The only a priori information that is required is the noise variance. The local application of this optimization principle leads to the definition of the constrained and non-contrained adaptive least-squares filters (ACLSF and ALSF, respectively). These algorithms, and particularly the ACLSF, can be implemented in an extremely efficient way by using a fast recursive updating strategy. We then consider the particular case of a moving average as the initial filter and compare this application of the ALSF and ACLSF with Lee's adaptive noise filtering algorithm [Lee, 1980]. We also present some simulations and experimental examples illustrating the capability of these algorithms to reduce noise efficiently while preserving image details.
Understanding Spoken Spanish: A Course in Listening.

This paper outlines the format for a course dedicated exclusively to the teaching of listening skills at the intermediate and advanced levels. Although findings are based on an actual class given at Ohio University in Spanish, implications are applicable to all languages. Specific teaching techniques are not described, but pedagogical directions are discussed. Suggestions dealing with materials, testing, grading, assignments, class interaction and organization are made to give an overall view of the course.
Universals of child rearing

This article delineates four universal features of child rearing that together explain how child rearing everywhere so effectively turns children into valued adults. Cultural models for child rearing, so variable in the substance of what they teach, are all equally designed to make the child’s experience of those important lessons constant, to link those lessons to emotional arousal, to connect them to evaluations of the child as approved or disapproved of, and to prime the child to be emotionally predisposed to learn them. This design insures that the child is receptive to these lessons, and that the lessons themselves are unmistakable, motivating, and memorable. The result, human adulthood, could not be accomplished otherwise.
Urban Rainwater Composition Study

Rainwater samples have been collected in New Orleans from October 1999 to October 2000. The samples were analyzed for water quality parameters: pH, total Kjeld…
Auditors’ Evaluations of Uncertain Audit Evidence: Belief Functions versus Probabilities

Recently, Shafer and Srivastava [1], Srivastava and Shafer [2], Srivastava [3]–[4], and Van den Acker [5] have identified appealing features of belief function evidential networks. These networks can express the support that audit evidence provides for assertions, accounts and financial statements. These networks can also aggregate many pieces of evidence into an overall level of support for a particular assertion, account or an entire set of financial statements.
Dynamic Linkages Between the New York and Tokyo Stock Markets:A Vector Error Correction Analysis

This study examines dynamic linkages between the New York and Tokyo stock markets using daily index data. In contrast to previous analyses, both short-term and long-term intermarket adjustments are modeled and estimated simultaneously based on a vector error correction model of cointegration. Significant evidence for both short- and long-term feedback relationships between the two stock markets is found. Further subsample analysis reveals that the presence of two-way effects between the two markets is a rather recent phenomenon taking place in the late-1980s. notably in the post-1987 crash period. The results suggest that the New York and Tokyo markets are increasingly interdependent over time, and that the U.S. market is not always the leading stock market.
Pelvic floor levator hiatus measurements: MRI versus ultrasound.

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study is to compare levator hiatus measurements between pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and pelvic ultrasound (US) imaging modalities. METHODS We performed pelvic MRI and 3-dimensional US in 37 asymptomatic nulliparous women. For the MRI protocols, we performed axial and sagittal sequences at rest. We then obtained sagittal sequences during Kegel squeeze and Valsalva maneuvers. Blinded to the findings of the MRI, we obtained 3-dimensional pelvic US images using a perineal approach at rest, Kegel and Valsalva maneuvers. Finally, we measured the levator hiatus in both sagittal and axial planes. RESULTS For the resting sagittal measurements, the mean levator hiatus measurement using MRI (5.0 cm; SD, 0.8) is significantly greater than that using US (4.4 cm; SD, 0.6; P < 0.05). Although the absolute mean levator measurements between the 2 modalities are significantly different, this difference is not influenced by the magnitude of the measurements as noted in Bland-Altman plots of the limits of agreement. CONCLUSIONS We found that the MRI measurements obtained from the sagittal images were consistently greater than the corresponding US images. In contrast, there was not the same consistency of difference between MRI and US for the axial images. This suggests possible variation in acquisition planes for axial images or interpretation of landmarks for the sagittal images.
The effect of antimacrophage serum on macrophage-lymphocyte interaction in vitro.

SummaryAntimacrophage serum inhibited the ability of specific antigens to induce blast transformation of previously sensitized circulating lymphocytes, without altering their response to nonspecific mitogens.
Method development and validation: solid Phase extraction-ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry quantification of pirlimycin in bovine feces and urine.

Pirlimycin, a lincosamide antibiotic, is one of the most commonly used antibiotics for the treatment of mastitis in dairy cows. Assessment of pirlimycin loading to the environment via fecal and urinary excretion is critical to develop efficient management strategies to reduce environmental pollution by the livestock industry. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop and validate an analytical method to identify and quantify pirlimycin in bovine feces and urine. Samples were extracted with methanol– phosphate buffer and cleaned up by SPE before analysis for pirlimycin using UPLC-MS/MS. This method was sensitive (LOQ 1.47 ng/g wet feces, 0.90 ng/mL urine), accurate (recovery, 80–108%), and precise (repeatability, 2.3–13%; reproducibility, 2.3–14%) for both bovine feces and urine. With the application of this method to samples collected in the first 10 h and then every 24 h for 120 h following intramammary dosing (50 mg/cow; n = 3 cows), pirlimycin was detected at 40.5–287 ng/g and 46.1–254 ng/mL in feces and urine, respectively. This robust, sensitive, and accurate method can be used to assess the fate and environmental impact of antibiotics used on farms.
Abstract 2920: Effect of nitric oxide on invasiveness and metabolism of cancer cells.

Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) expression has been shown to be upregulated in cancer cells compared to normal cells. The resulting increased nitric oxide (NO) production changes the metastatic ability of cancer cells. The link between NOS expression, NO production, apoptosis, and drug resistance in ovarian cancer is beginning to be studied. However, the effect of NO on metabolism and invasiveness of ovarian cancer cells is not known. Here, using gas chromatography - mass spectroscopy based isotope analysis we show that highly-invasive ovarian cancer cells convert arginine to citrulline via the nitric oxide pathway as opposed to less-invasive ovarian cancer cells. We hypothesize that NO is important for the proliferation, migration, invasion, and drug resistance in highly-invasive ovarian cancer cells as opposed to less-invasive ovarian cancer cells, and that these changes in metastatic behavior are linked to changes in metabolism. We show that L-NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester (L-NAME), an inhibitor of NOS, decreases NO production and thus decreases proliferation, migration, and invasion of ovarian cancer cells, as well as decreases drug resistance. Using metabolic assays, we show that NO affects the glucose consumption, lactate secretion, and pyruvate uptake, and provides us with clues regarding the effect of NO on glycolytic activity of highly-invasive and less-invasive ovarian cancer cells. Lastly, we show that NO affects oxygen consumption rate in these cells, and thus oxidative phosphorylation. Our findings are the first to link NO production and invasiveness with metabolism in ovarian cancer cells. Citation Format: Christine A. Caneba, Juan Marini, Deepak Nagrath. Effect of nitric oxide on invasiveness and metabolism of cancer cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2920. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-2920
Remote Physical Activity Monitoring in Neurological Disease: A Systematic Review

Objective To perform a systematic review of studies using remote physical activity monitoring in neurological diseases, highlighting advances and determining gaps. Methods Studies were systematically identified in PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL and SCOPUS from January 2004 to December 2014 that monitored physical activity for ≥24 hours in adults with neurological diseases. Studies that measured only involuntary motor activity (tremor, seizures), energy expenditure or sleep were excluded. Feasibility, findings, and protocols were examined. Results 137 studies met inclusion criteria in multiple sclerosis (MS) (61 studies); stroke (41); Parkinson's Disease (PD) (20); dementia (11); traumatic brain injury (2) and ataxia (1). Physical activity levels measured by remote monitoring are consistently low in people with MS, stroke and dementia, and patterns of physical activity are altered in PD. In MS, decreased ambulatory activity assessed via remote monitoring is associated with greater disability and lower quality of life. In stroke, remote measures of upper limb function and ambulation are associated with functional recovery following rehabilitation and goal-directed interventions. In PD, remote monitoring may help to predict falls. In dementia, remote physical activity measures correlate with disease severity and can detect wandering. Conclusions These studies show that remote physical activity monitoring is feasible in neurological diseases, including in people with moderate to severe neurological disability. Remote monitoring can be a psychometrically sound and responsive way to assess physical activity in neurological disease. Further research is needed to ensure these tools provide meaningful information in the context of specific neurological disorders and patterns of neurological disability.
Elevated Amygdala Perfusion Mediates Developmental Sex Differences in Trait Anxiety.

Abstract Background Adolescence is a critical period for emotional maturation and is a time when clinically significant symptoms of anxiety and depression increase, particularly in females. However, few studies relate developmental differences in symptoms of anxiety and depression to brain development. Cerebral blood flow is one brain phenotype that is known to have marked developmental sex differences. Methods We investigated whether developmental sex differences in cerebral blood flow mediated sex differences in anxiety and depression symptoms by capitalizing on a large sample of 875 youths who completed cross-sectional imaging as part of the Philadelphia Neurodevelopmental Cohort. Perfusion was quantified on a voxelwise basis using arterial spin-labeled magnetic resonance imaging at 3T. Perfusion images were related to trait and state anxiety using general additive models with penalized splines, while controlling for gray matter density on a voxelwise basis. Clusters found to be related to anxiety were evaluated for interactions with age, sex, and puberty. Results Trait anxiety was associated with elevated perfusion in a network of regions including the amygdala, anterior insula, and fusiform cortex, even after accounting for prescan state anxiety. Notably, these relationships strengthened with age and the transition through puberty. Moreover, higher trait anxiety in postpubertal females was mediated by elevated perfusion of the left amygdala. Conclusions Taken together, these results demonstrate that differences in the evolution of cerebral perfusion during adolescence may be a critical element of the affective neurobiological characteristics underlying sex differences in anxiety and mood symptoms.
Microscopic distribution of gas hydrate in sediment determined by X-ray computerized tomography

The gas hydrate′s filling process and microscopic distribution in the voids of sediments are observed by X-ray computed tomography(X-CT) imaging system.A new test technology is established,aiming at the difficulty in distinguishing the hydrate from the data images of sediment.The two kinds of methods,improving the density contrast between hydrate and solution or adding a hydrate grain as the calibration object,are improved effectively and achieve good results.By the 2D and 3D images of X-CT scanning,the spatial distributions of free gas,sediment,water and hydrate could be clearly observed.Artificial CH4 hydrate is generated in the temperature-controlled high-pressure reactor and its forming process is recorded timely.The contrast of image data before and after hydrate formation shows that hydrate firstly emerges in sediment particle surface and gas-liquid interface,then gradually occupies most of the liquid phase space,and finally along with all of the sediment particles cementing together.The results show that X-ray computed tomography applied to the internal structure test of gas hydrate sediment sample,as well as the kinetic mechanism of gas hydrate growing in the sediment is feasible and effective.
Research on Regional Industrial Agglomeration Mechanism and Model of Complex site

Taking the industrial agglomeration theory as the instruction,combined with the protection and utilization of complex site characteristics,and by discussing the concept and connotation of regional industrial agglomeration,the paper analyzes the cause,formation mechanism and mode of regional industrial agglomeration,and puts forward that great site area industrial agglomeration should be based on the site and attraction but not in ruins protection sites,and through the development and feedback of cultural industry,tourism industry and other related industries of complex sites to achieve the protection of complex sites and regional economic and social coordinated development.
Pre-assessment of occupational Hazards in the production devices of oil additives

Objective To identify occupational hazards in the production of oil additives,confirm the focus of prevention and control measures.Methods According to Technical Guidelines of Pre-Evaluation of Occupational Hazards in the Construction of the Project,analogy,experience and test methods were used to evaluate the construction project.Results The project was in line with occupational health standards in site selection,overall layout,equipments layout,occupational protective equipments,personal protective articles,occupational health management and health auxiliary arrangement.Main occupational hazards were xylene,acetic anhydride,ethylene diamine,methanol,sodium hydroxide,hydrochloric acid,phosphoric acid,formic acid,acetic acid,propionic acid,calcium oxide and noise during oil additives production process.Short time exposure concentrations for methanol were 80.0,285.7 mg/m3 in feeding mouth and filling mouth of the analogy device,CTWA reached up to 36.6 mg/m3,so methanol concentration was predicted to exceed national standards after put into production.Conclusion The project is serious construction project,partial protection facilities should be improved further.
[Cancer patients' participation in medical decisions].

La loi n° 2002-303 du 4 mars 2002 relative aux droits des malades et a la qualite du systeme de sante a introduit l'article L.IIII-4 au tout debut du Code de la sante publique. Il dit en son premier alinea : « Toute personne prend, avec le professionnel de sante et compte tenu des informations et des preconisations qu'il lui fournit, les decisions concernant sa sante. Cette legislation forte marque une evolution profonde au cours des vingt dernieres annees, amorcee par la loi Huriet de 1988 sur la recherche biomedicale, par la loi de 1994 relative au respect du corps humain qui a introduit l'article 16-3 dans le Code civil et par le Code de deontologie medicale de 1995. En 1980, le colloque international organise a Bordeaux par l'Association francaise pour l'etude du cancer et la Federation nationale des centres de lutte contre le cancer ne comportait aucune communication sur ce theme [1]. La meme annee, il est vrai, etait publie sur cette question un article dans les Annals ni Internal Medicine qui posait remarquablement les bases de ce que l'on a vu se developper depuis 12, 3]. Ces dernieres annees, les publications se sont multipliees, y compris dans ce Bulletin [4-7]. Leur nombre eleve et leur heterogeneite dissuadent d'en faire une revue d'ensemble pour proposer plutot un point de vue a visee pratique.
Evaluating the responses of a territorial solitary carnivore to potential mates and competitors

Successful communication is critical to the fitness of individuals and maintenance of populations, but less is known regarding the social contexts and reactions to scent marking by other individuals in solitary carnivores, including pumas. We evaluated the responses of resident male pumas to visitation and scent marking by potential competitors (other male pumas) and potential mates (female pumas) by capturing and marking 46 pumas (Puma concolor), and documenting scent marking behaviours using motion-triggered video cameras. By comparing resident male puma visitation rates and communication behaviours in response to either male or female visitors, we found that their visitation and communication behaviours were best explained by the combination of visitation by both competitors and potential mates. Resident males returned to scent marking sites more quickly and increased their rate of flehmen response after visitation by a females, while they increased their rate of visitation and duration of visits in response to other males. Male pumas also visited less frequently in summer and autumn when female visitation rates were lower, but males created nearly twice as many scrapes during these visits. This study suggests that advertising for mates when scent marking may sometimes overshadow the importance of deterring competitors and claiming territory.
Emergence of the Comic Sublime

George B. Shaw made his literary debut at the age of eighteen with a letter in a Dublin journal about the visit of two American evangelists (NDW 447). Although neither witty nor eloquent, it anticipates very remarkably not only the mature writer’s preoccupation with questions of conduct and belief but also the way in which, as a Bunyanesque Protestant, he searched for authenticity.
How long is long enough to identify a surgical site infection

Abstract Background: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control requires 90 days after surgery using an implant to diagnose or show the absence of a surgical site infection (SSI). However, many databases only track outcomes up to 30 days. The cost and effort to increase follow-up to 90 days after surgery is high and the benefit is unclear. We hypothesize that the majority of SSIs after ventral hernia repair occur within 30 days of surgery. Patients and Methods: All patients who underwent ventral hernia repair (with or without mesh) from 2010–2015 at a single institution were evaluated for evidence of SSI. The duration between surgery and the diagnosis of a post-operative SSI was assessed. Baseline and operative characteristics were compared between patients with an early SSI (within 30 days of surgery) and those with a late SSI (more than 30 days after surgery). Results: Among 1,635 patients who underwent ventral hernia repair, 117 (7.2%) developed an SSI. The median (range) of days between surgery and SSI was ...
Sciatic Nerve Magnetic Transfer MRI Is a Stronger Predictor of Disability in Charcot-Marie-Tooth Diseases Than Downstream Measures in Skeletal Muscle (P4.085)

OBJECTIVE: To compare MRI measures of nerve (magnetization transfer ratio, MTR) and muscle (atrophy scores and muscle MTRs) as biomarkers of disability in Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) diseases. BACKGROUND: Recent clinical trials have indicated the need for novel CMT biomarkers. We recently demonstrated that sciatic nerve (SN) MTR values relate to disability and, therefore, may be a viable biomarker of CMT. Work from others has suggested that skeletal muscle MRI measures may provide similar information. Herein, nerve/muscle MRI was performed in the same patients and compared to the clinical portion of the CMT neuropathy from the legs (leg neuropathy score, LNS). METHODS: MRI was performed at 3.0T from the mid-thigh to the knee in the following cohorts: CMT1A (n=10), CMT2A (n=3), HNPP (n=3), and age-matched controls (n=21). MTR was measured in the SN and surrounding skeletal muscle from fat-suppressed MT-weighted volumes (resolution = 0.8x0.8x6 mm 3 ); and a trained radiologist graded atrophy/fat replacement from axial proton-density weighted volumes using the Goutallier classification system (0-4, higher values=increased atrophy). RESULTS: SN MTRs exhibited the strongest relationship with LNS (r 2 =0.49, p 2 =0.33, p 2 =0.34, p=0.18). CONCLUSIONS: Direct measures of myelin/axon pathologies in the SN are a stronger predictor of leg disability than downstream measures in skeletal muscles. Additionally, posterior compartment muscles, which are innervated by the SN, are more severely affected than other muscle compartments in CMT. As a result, MTR measures of the SN may be a promising outcome measure for future clinical trials. Study Supported by: NIH/NIBIB K25-EB13659 (RDD), NIH R01-NS066927 (JL), and NIH R21-NS081364 (JL) Disclosure: Dr. Langdon has nothing to disclose. Dr. Brooks has nothing to disclose. Dr. Li has nothing to disclose. Dr. Dortch has nothing to disclose.
Search for T-invariance violation in K/sub mu3//sup +/ decay

The transverse polarization of muons from the decay ${K}^{+}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}{\ensuremath{\mu}}^{+}{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}$ was measured at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Having detected and measured 2.1 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{7}$ ${\ensuremath{\mu}}^{+}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{e}^{+}{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{e}{\overline{\ensuremath{\nu}}}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}$ decays we found that the $T$-violating component of muon polarization perpendicular to the ${K}^{+}$ decay plane ${P}_{n}=\ensuremath{-}0.0031\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0053$. Combining this result with our result for ${K}_{\ensuremath{\mu}3}^{0}$, we obtain as a measure of $T$- (and therefore $\mathrm{CP}$-) invariance violation $\mathrm{Im}\ensuremath{\xi}=\ensuremath{-}0.010\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.019$.
Assessment of acquired mucociliary clearance defects using micro-optical coherence tomography.

Background Dehydration of airway surface liquid (ASL) disrupts normal mucociliary clearance (MCC) in sinonasal epithelium, which may lead to chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Abnormal chloride (Cl−) transport is one such mechanism that contributes to this disorder and can be acquired secondary to environmental perturbations, such as hypoxia at the tissue surface. The objective of this study was to assess the technological feasibility of the novel micro-optical coherence tomography (μOCT) imaging technique for investigating acquired MCC defects in cultured human sinonasal epithelial (HSNE) cells. Methods Primary HSNE cell cultures were subjected to a 1% oxygen environment for 12 hours to induce acquired cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) dysfunction. Ion transport characteristics were assessed with pharmacologic manipulation in Ussing chambers. ASL, periciliary fluid (PCL), and ciliary beat frequency (CBF) were evaluated using μOCT. Results Amiloride-sensitive transport (ΔISC) was greater in cultures exposed to hypoxia (hypoxia: −13.2 ± 0.6 μA/cm2; control: −6.5 ± 0.1 μA/cm2; p < 0.01), whereas CFTR-mediated anion transport was significantly diminished (hypoxia: 28.6 ± 0.3 μA/cm2; control: 36.2 ± 1.6 μA/cm2; p < 0.01), consistent with acquired CFTR dysfunction and sodium hyperabsorption. Hypoxia diminished all markers of airway surface function microanatomy as observed with μOCT, including ASL (hypoxia: 5.0 ± 0.4 μm; control: 9.0 ± 0.9 μm; p < 0.01) and PCL depth (hypoxia: 2.5 ± 0.1 μm; control: 4.8 ± 0.3 μm; p < 0.01), and CBF (hypoxia: 8.7 ± 0.3 Hz; control: 10.2 ± 0.3 Hz; p < 0.01). Conclusion Hypoxia-induced defects in epithelial anion transport in HSNE led to predictable effects on markers of MCC measured with novel μOCT imaging. This imaging method represents a technological leap forward and is feasible for assessing acquired defects impacting the airway surface.
Impacts of Parasitism on the Survivorship and Reproduction of the Madeira Mealybug (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)

This study was conducted to assess the impacts of parasitism by Anagyrus sp. nov. nr. sinope Noyes and Menezes on the reproductive potential and the survivorship of the Madeira mealybug, Phenacoccu...
Approach to chronic abdominal pain in Cystic Fibrosis

Abdominal pain in individuals with CF is challenging for the patient as well as the physician, as the differential diagnosis can be complex. Most gastrointestinal manifestations of CF present with regional abdominal pain. Pain localization, which requires knowledge of gut development and innervation, is crucial to understanding the pathophysiology of abdominal pain in CF. The location of the pain, together with the clinical presentation, shapes the differential diagnosis and thus guides the evaluation and management.
Case 74: An Abnormal EKG First Discovered in the Operating Room

A 59 year old accountant (69 kg, 5 ft 8 in.) is admitted as an outpatient for a cholecystectomy. Five days previously he was admitted with gallstone pancreatitis. An ERCP with sphincterotomy was done 3 days ago under general anesthesia with no complications. The patient was discharged home the same day. His past medical history is significant for hypertension which is well controlled. He exercises as a coach for a Christian Youth Soccer league. His mother is still alive at 92 but his father died of heart disease at 72. You meet the patient in the preoperative holding area and place an IV. His only EKG in the chart was taken on admission 5 days ago. It shows minimal ST depression in lateral leads with a regular sinus rhythm of 79 bpm. His BP is 130/85 mmHg. He is a bit anxious and you sedate him with midazolam 3 mg IV and take him to the operating room. After positioning the patient on the operating room table, noninvasive monitoring is placed.
Poverty Experience, Race, and Child Health

Objectives.Studies that examine children's poverty and health at one point in time do not account for some children experiencing poverty briefly and others living in poverty for much of their lives...
Rat brain tumor models in experimental neuro-oncology:The 9L, C6, T9, F98, RG2 (D74), RT-2 and CNS-1 Gliomas

Rat brain tumor models have been widely used in experimental neuro-oncology for almost three decades. The present review, which will be selective rather than comprehensive, will focus entirely on seven rat brain tumor models and their utility in evaluating the efficacy of various therapeutic modalities. Although no currently available animal brain tumor model exactly simulates human high grade brain tumors, the rat models that are currently available have provided a wealth of information on in vitro and in vivo biochemical and biological properties of brain tumors and their in vivo responses to various therapeutic modalities. Ideally, valid brain tumor models should be derived from glial cells, grow in vitro and in vivo with predictable and reproducible growth patterns that simulate human gliomas, be weakly or non-immunogenic, and their response to therapy, or lack thereof, should resemble human brain tumors. The following tumors will be discussed. The 9L gliosarcoma, which was chemically induced in an inbred Fischer rat, has been one of the most widely used of all rat brain tumor models and has provided much useful information relating to brain tumor biology and therapy. The T9 glioma, although generally unrecognized, was and probably still is the same as the 9L. Both of these tumors can be immunogenic under the appropriate circumstances, and this must be taken into consideration when using either of them for studies of therapeutic efficacy, especially if survival is used as an endpoint. The C6 glioma, which was chemically induced in an outbred Wistar rat, has been extensively used for a variety of studies, but is not syngeneic to any inbred strain. Its potential to evoke an alloimmune response is a serious limitation, if it is being used in survival studies. The F98 and RG2 (D74) gliomas were both chemically induced tumors that appear to be either weakly or non-immunogenic. These tumors have been refractory to a variety of therapeutic modalities and their invasive pattern of growth and uniform lethality following an innoculum of as few as 10 tumor cells make them particularly attractive models to test new therapeutic modalities. The Avian Sarcoma Virus induced tumors and a continuous cell line derived from one of them, designated RT-2, have been useful for studies in which de novo tumor induction is an important requirement. These tumors, however, are immunogenic and this may limit their usefulness for survival studies. Finally, a new chemically induced tumor recently has been described, the CNS-1, and it appears to have a number of properties that should make it useful in experimental neuro-oncology. It is essential to recognize, however, the limitations of each of the models that have been described, and depending upon the nature of the study to be conducted, it is important that the appropriate model be selected.
The Maize Methylome

DNA methylation is a chromatin modification that has generally been associated with gene silencing or heterochromatin. Plants have mechanisms to allow for the stable inheritance of DNA methylation through mitosis or meiosis. This creates the potential for DNA methylation to provide epigenetic inheritance for traits in maize and other crops. Epigenetics refers to heritable transmission of information that is not solely attributable to DNA sequence. Several examples of epigenetic inheritance were first described in maize including paramutation, imprinting, and transposable element inactivation. There is evidence that DNA methylation is associated with each of these epigenetic phenomena. In addition, natural variation for epigenetic states may contribute substantially to variation among maize inbreds and could be an important source of variation for crop improvement. Advances in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms controlling DNA methylation in Arabidopsis have provided clues to the genes and pathways likely to be important in maize. Recent technological developments have provided the opportunity to characterize the genome-wide distribution of DNA methylation in the maize genome. This has provided insights into the patterns of DNA methylation in plant species with large, complex genomes and has led to the identification of potential cryptic genomic information that is silenced by DNA methylation. We will summarize current understanding of the mechanisms that regulate methylation and factors that influence variation and stability of the maize methylome.
Influenza Pathogenesis: The Effect of Host Factors on Severity of Disease

Influenza viruses continue to be a major global health threat. Severity and clinical outcome of influenza disease is determined by both viral and host factors. Viral factors have long been the subject of intense research and many molecular determinants have been identified. However, research into the host factors that protect or predispose to severe and fatal influenza A virus infections is lagging. The goal of this review is to highlight the recent insights into host determinants of influenza pathogenesis.
Abstract B22: Lymphocytes inhibits the tumor metastasis in 4D cellular lung model by reducing the number of live CTCs in circulation

Objective: Mouse lung cancer cell lines 393P and 344SQ are derived from KrasLA1/+ p53R172HΔG mice and have different metastatic potential in immunocompetent mice. 393P cells have local primary tumor growth but do not form metastatic lesions while344SQ cells form a primary tumor and metastatic lesions when injected into the subcutaneous space of 129 sv mice. We postulated that the presence of lymphocytes led to differential phenotype for these two cells. In order to test this hypothesis, we used novel cellular 4D ex vivo lung cancer metastasis model created using rat lung where we can determine the impact of lymphocytes on number of circulating tumor cells and formation of metastatic lesions. Methods: We grew GFP tagged 393p or 344SQ mice cells on cellular 4D lung model as control group and for treatment group we added activated lymphocytes on day 0, day 3 and day 5. These activated lymphocytes were obtained by harvesting spleen from mice injected with 393p and 344SQ (1Million) in 129Sv mice. Cellular model with GFP tagged CTCs were counted on day 6 and day 11 by Flow sorting instrument. Primary tumor was removed on day 7 and metastatic lesions were allowed to grow till day 14. Tissues were processed for HE p=0.02) while no effect was found on CTCs from 344SQ growing models (13841 vs 7072; p=0.27). Furthermore, there were significantly less metastatic lesions formed with 393p growing cellular model in the presence of lymphocytes (p=0.008), while there was no impact of lymphocytes on formation of metastatic lesion with 344SQ. Conclusion: Lymphocytes inhibit metastatic lesion formation in 393P cell lines but not 344SQ cell lines in cellular lung model. The cellular 4D lung recapitulates the phenomenon exhibited by in vivo in presence of activated lymphocytes. The model can be used to study the role of different components of a tumor’s microenvironment in tumor metastasis. Citation Format: Dhruva Kumar Mishra, Ross A. Miller, Min P. Kim. Lymphocytes inhibits the tumor metastasis in 4D cellular lung model by reducing the number of live CTCs in circulation [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy; 2017 Oct 1-4; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2018;6(9 Suppl):Abstract nr B22.
Copper release and transformation following natural weathering of nano-enabled pressure-treated lumber

Commercially available lumber, pressure-treated with micronized copper azole (MCA), has largely replaced other inorganic biocides for residential wood treatment in the USA, yet little is known about how different outdoor environmental conditions impact the release of ionic, nano-scale, or larger (micron-scale) copper from this product. Therefore, we weathered pressure treated lumber for 18 months in five different climates across the continental United States. Copper release was quantified every month and local weather conditions were recorded continuously to determine the extent to which local climate regulated the release of copper from this nano-enabled product during its use phase. Two distinct release trends were observed: In cooler, wetter climates release occurred primarily during the first few months of weathering, as the result of copper leaching from surface/near-surface areas. In warmer, drier climates, less copper was initially released due to limited precipitation. However, as the wood dried and cracked, the exposed copper-bearing surface area increased, leading to increased copper release later in the product lifetime. Single-particle-ICP-MS results from laboratory prepared MCA-wood leachate solutions indicated that a) the predominant form of released copper passed through a filter smaller than 0.45 micrometers and b) released particles were largely resistant to dissolution over the course of 6 wks. Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) testing was conducted on nonweathered and weathered MCA-wood samples to simulate landfill conditions during their end-of-life (EoL) phase and revealed that MCA wood released <10% of initially embedded copper. Findings from this study provide data necessary to complete a more comprehensive evaluation of the environmental and human health impacts introduced through release of copper from pressure treated lumber utilizing life cycle assessment (LCA).
(Not) Talking Politics: Motivations and Strategies for Avoiding the Expression of Political Opinions

The notion that a healthy democracy requires a public who discusses politics is based on the assumption that discussions expose members of the public to the perspectives of others. The contentious ...
Retinal microglia initiate neuroinflammation in ocular autoimmunity

Autoimmune uveitis is a sight-threatening ocular inflammatory condition in which the retina and uveal tissues become a target of autoreactive immune cells. While microglia have been studied extensively in autoimmune uveitis, their exact function remains uncertain. The objective of the current study was to determine whether resident microglia are necessary and sufficient to initiate and amplify retinal inflammation in autoimmune uveitis. In this study, we clearly demonstrate that microglia are essential for initiating infiltration of immune cells utilizing a murine model of experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU) and the recently identified microglia-specific marker P2ry12. Initiating disease is the primary function of microglia in EAU, since eliminating microglia during the later stages of EAU had little effect, indicating that the function of circulating leukocytes is to amplify and sustain destructive inflammation once microglia have triggered disease. In the absence of microglia, uveitis does not develop, since leukocytes cannot gain entry through the blood-retinal barrier, illustrating that microglia play a critical role in regulating infiltration of inflammatory cells into the retina.
Regularized and Smooth Double Core Tensor Factorization for Heterogeneous Data.

We introduce a general tensor model suitable for data analytic tasks for heterogeneous data sets, wherein there are joint low-rank structures within groups of observations, but also discriminative structures across different groups. To capture such complex structures, a double core tensor (DCOT) factorization model is introduced together with a family of smoothing loss functions. By leveraging the proposed smoothing function, the model accurately estimates the model factors, even in the presence of missing entries. A linearized ADMM method is employed to solve regularized versions of DCOT factorizations, that avoid large tensor operations and large memory storage requirements. Further, we establish theoretically its global convergence, together with consistency of the estimates of the model parameters. The effectiveness of the DCOT model is illustrated on several real-world examples including image completion, recommender systems, subspace clustering and detecting modules in heterogeneous Omics multi-modal data, since it provides more insightful decompositions than conventional tensor methods.