cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Political Participation by Latino Non-Citizens in the United States

This article examines the extent of political participation by Latino non-citizens across the United States. The only previous national quantitative research on this topic is by Verba, Schlozman and Brady, who found little difference between the participation rates of Latino citizens and non-citizens. Using the Latino National Political Survey, large differences between citizen and non-citizen participation are found. Although Latino non-citizens participated in non-electoral political activities and in non-political civic groups, they were significantly less likely to do so than Latino citizens. Examination of the non-citizen population shows that immigrants who understood politics better, planned on naturalizing, had a stronger ethnic identity, were more familiar with English and were younger were more likely to become involved. The traditional socio-economic measures of education and income as well as length of stay in the United States were non-significant predictors of non-citizen participation.
Mechanistic Studies of the Nrf2-Keap1 Signaling Pathway

Since eukaryotic cells constantly encounter various environmental insults, they have evolved defense mechanisms to cope with toxicant- and carcinogen-induced oxidative stress or electrophiles. One of the most important cellular defense mechanisms against oxidative stress or electrophiles is mediated by the transcription factor Nrf2. Under the basal condition, Nrf2-dependent transcription is repressed by a negative regulator Keap1. When cells are exposed to oxidative stress, electrophiles, or chemopreventive agents, Nrf2 escapes Keap1-mediated repression and activates antioxidant responsive element (ARE)-dependent gene expression to maintain cellular redox homeostasis. Beyond its antioxidant function, Nrf2 has recently been recognized as a key factor regulating an array of genes that defend cells against the deleterious effects of environmental insults. Since this Nrf2-dependent cellular defense response is able to protect multi-organs or multi-tissues, activation of Nrf2 has been implicated in conferring ...
Overlay aware interconnect and timing variation modeling for double patterning technology

As double patterning technology (DPT) becomes the only solution for 32-nm lithography process, we need to investigate how DPT affects the performance of a chip. In this paper, we present an efficient modeling of timing variation with overlay which is inevitable for DPT. Our work makes it possible to analyze timing with overlay variables. Since the variation of metal space caused by overlay results in coupling capacitance variation, we first model metal spacing variation with individual overlay sources. Then, all overlay sources are considered to determine the worst timing with coupling capacitance variation. Non-parallel pattern caused by overlay is converted to parallel one with equivalent spacing having the same delay to be applicable of a traditional RC extraction flow. To verify our work, we use identical interconnects having different positions and different layout decompositions. Experimental result shows that the delay has a variation from 7.8% to 9.1% depending on their locations. The well decomposed structure shows only 2.7% delay variation.
On Generalizations of the Frank-Wolfe Theorem to Convex and Quasi-Convex Programmes

In this paper we are concerned with the problem of boundedness and the existence of optimal solutions to the constrained optimization problem. We present necessary and sufficient conditions for boundedness of either a faithfully convex or a quasi-convex polynomial function over the feasible set defined by a system of faithfully convex inequality constraints and/or quasi-convex polynomial inequalities, where the faithfully convex functions satisfy some mild assumption. The conditions are provided in the form of an algorithm, terminating after a finite number of iterations, the implementation of which requires the identification of implicit equality constraints in a homogeneous linear system. We prove that the optimal solution set of the considered problem is nonempty, this way extending the attainability result well known as the so-called Frank-Wolfe theorem. Finally we show that our extension of the Frank-Wolfe theorem immediately implies continuity of the solution set defined by the considered system of (quasi)convex inequalities.
Timing in prenatal nutrition : a reprise of the dutch famine study

The array of results discussed in this paper is assembled by stage of gestation in the following table (Table 1). We must allow some uncertainty for some outcomes as to the precise stages of gestation in which they originate. For instance, with obesity, the effects of famine exposure may extend beyond the first trimester into the second. Yet, the table is perhaps sufficient in itself to support the point with which the paper opened, namely, that stage of development is crucial to the appreciation of the effects of prenatal nutrition.
The impact of verification and validation of reusable components on software productivity

Discusses the impact of the verification and validation (V&V) of reusable components and how verification and validation complexity can increase with reusable components. It is suggested that with the increase in complexity of V&V comes an associated decrease in expected productivity associated with reuse. Techniques for detecting errors in traditional V&V are examined, and constraint-based analysis is used to support testing of V&V. >
Optimization of EMIT Reagent System Using a COBAS-BIO Centrifugal Analyzer

An optimized method for application of the EMIT reagent system to a COBAS-BIO centrifugal analyzer was developed to minimize reagent consumption while maintaining good precision and accuracy. Forty-one serum samples, previously analyzed for theophylline by HPLC, were assayed using the modified protocol on the COBAS-BIO centrifugal analyzer. Regression analysis of the results obtained from both methods yielded the following equation: y = 1.10x + 0.01, r = 0.964 (x = HPLC, y = COBAS-BIO centrifugal analyzer, EMIT). The COBAS-BIO centrifugal analyzer and EMIT methodology provided an efficient, inexpensive, and relatively effortless approach to drug monitoring in the routine clinical laboratory. provide good sensitivity, accuracy, and precision, and also permit simultaneous analysis of several different drugs and their metabolites in the same sample. However, HPLC methodology is labor intensive and not suited to rapid turnaround of results nor to high volume testing. Enzyme multiplied immunoassay tests (EMIT) (Syva Corp., Pale Alto, California) permit rapid measurement on 50/aL of serum or less and can be easily automated for high volume testing. However, EMIT reagents are significantly more expensive than those used in other techniques. Therefore, we have optimized conditions for application of the EMIT reagent system of the COBAS-BIO centrifugal analyzer (Roche Analytical Instruments, Inc., Nutley, New Jersey) so as to minimize reagent consumption while maintaining good precision and sensitivity. Accuracy of the modified procedure was validated by comparison with data collected by an HPLC method for theophylline.
Propagation of Load Shed in Cascading Line Outages Simulated by OPA

We estimate with a branching process model the propagation of load shed and the probability distribution of load shed in simulated blackouts of an electric power system. The average propagation of the simulated load shed data is estimated and then the initial load shed is discretized and propagated with a Galton-Watson branching process model of cascading failure to estimate the probability distribution of total load shed. We initially test the estimated distribution of total load shed using load shed data generated by the OPA simulation of cascading transmission line outages on the 300 bus IEEE test system. We discuss the effectiveness of the estimator in terms of how many cascades need to be simulated to predict the distribution of load shed accurately.
Electron microscopic observations of dense bodies in parietal cells of the hamster (Mesocricetus auratus).

Parietal cells of the fundic region of the stomach in the golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) contain numerous electron-dense bodies which have different morphologies. Granular dense bodies are the most common, with lamellar and crystalloid forms less frequent; angular dense bodies with bizarre profiles are seen rarely. In random counts on sections of identical thickness, profiles of electron dense bodies averaged five per cell section and as many as 20 to 30 per cell section are found occasionally. These structures bear a striking resemblance to lysosomes described by other workers. Electron microscopic studies were made of frozen sections of the stomach incubated in Gomori's substrate mixture. Results indicated a discrete localization of acid phosphatase reaction products within the dense bodies. Studies on glutaraldehyde fixed material without further fixation in osmium tetroxide demonstrate features not readily discernable with standard osmium fixation.
Food and Drug Administration Drug Approval Process: A History and Overview

In this article, the processing of investigational and new drug applications is described and the standard and expedited review processes are examined. The efforts of the US Food and Drug Administration to ensure greater agency transparency and fiscal responsibility and intensify oversight during the drug development and approval process are reviewed. Often attributed to a decrease in the number of uninsured adults, both the increase in prescription drug sales and the high costs associated with bringing a new drug to market highlight the necessity for a streamlined and cost-effective process to deliver these drugs safely and effectively.
Effectiveness of various surgical methods in treatment of Hirschsprung's disease in children.

Background/Aim. Hirschsprung’s disease is the most common identifiable developmental disorder of the enteric nervous system, characterized by a failure of its formation in a variable segment of distal bowel. Currently available surgical therapies for Hirschsprung’s disease, although lifesaving, are associated with numerous complications. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effectiveness of different surgical methods and the incidence of serious complications after radical surgery of rectosigmoid Hirschsprung’s disease. Methods. A retrospective analysis, from June 1997 until May 2012 was carried out on 84 patients operated for Hirschsprung’s disease of rectosigmoid colon. Transanal endorectal pull-through was performed in 30 (35.7%) patients (group I), while 54 (64.3%) patients were operated by other (Soave, Duhamel or Swenson) procedures (group II). The age at operation, the incidence and severity of postoperative complications, the need for previous colostomy and the number of reoperations are countered in order to evaluate the efficacy of surgical procedures. Results. In the group I, the mean age at operation was 9.41 ± 6.37 months and in the group II the mean age at operation was 16.8 ± 13.9 months which was significantly higher (p < 0.01). In the group I there were only 3 (10%) patients with complications, one (3%) of them was prone to only one redo procedure (1.00 ± 0.00) and there was no need for previous colostomy in all patients (100%). In the group II there were 16 (30%) patients with significantly frequent complications (p < 0.05), about 2 reoperations on the average (1.94 ± 1.84) in 4 of them (25%) and 22 (41%) redo procedures, which was, in total, significantly higher than in the group I (p < 0.01). Only Soave’s procedure was performed without previous colostomy in 20 (37%) patients. Conclusion. Transanal endorectal pull-through in surgical treatment of patients with Hirschsprung’s disease is more effective than other procedures concerning earlier onset, low incidence and less severe complications, which would require further operations, and no scars.
Determination of Long-Range 13C−13C Dipolar Couplings Using a 13C Labeled Liquid Crystal

A liquid crystal labeled with a single 13C nucleus, 4‘-cyano-4-biphenyl hexanoate-1-13C, has been synthesized for the purpose of measuring long-range 13C−13C dipolar coupling constants. The proton-decoupled 13C spectrum of this compound gives eleven 13C−13C dipolar coupling constants for carbon nuclei ranging from one to seven bonds away from the labeled 13C position. In addition, although 1H−13C dipolar coupling constants for carboxyl carbons have never been determined from the 2D technique of proton encoded local field spectroscopy using naturally abundant liquid crystals, three such coupling constants were obtained using the 13C-enriched compound 4‘-cyano-4-biphenyl hexanoate-1-13C.
Modeling of Coaxial Cable Bragg Grating by Coupled Mode Theory

A coupled-mode-theory-based approach is applied for the first time to model the recently developed coaxial cable Bragg grating (CCBG). Coupled wave equations are derived to correlate the geometrical discontinues associated with the CCBG structure with the energy coupling that occurs between the forward and backward propagating waves along the CCBG. This paper provides a novel approach to model the coupling coefficient that results in a simplified form of the coupled wave equations. The finite-difference method is used to solve the coupled wave equations numerically. Further, based on the dielectric distortion assumption, the closed-form solution of the CCBG problem has been given. The reflection and transmission spectra of a CCBG sample are calculated numerically and analytically, and are validated by 3-D full-wave electromagnetic simulations, as well as experimental results.
Cardiovascular reflexes during abdominal ischemia in cats.

The cardiovascular effects of regional abdominal ischemia and reperfusion were studied in cats anesthetized with alpha-chloralose. In group 1 (n = 9), central venous pressure was kept constant by a servo-controller while the celiac and superior mesenteric arteries were occluded by loop snares for 10 min. In group 2 (n = 9), a constant-perfusion circuit to the celiac and superior mesenteric arteries that could divert flow to the femoral vein was used to induce abdominal ischemia. In group 3 (n = 7), venous return from the inferior vena cava was controlled, and a constant-perfusion circuit was used to induce abdominal ischemia. Abdominal ischemia significantly (P < 0.05) increased portal venous blood lactate from 4.3 +/- 0.6 to 6.0 +/- 0.6 mM in group 3. The early increases in blood pressure caused by passive volume shifts in groups 1 and 2 were abolished in group 3. The late, i.e., 10 min, response to abdominal ischemia consisted of significant (P < 0.05) increases in mean arterial pressure (29 +/- 7, 24 +/- 7, and 33 +/- 8 mmHg in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively). Abdominal ischemia also significantly (P < 0.05) increased the first derivative of left ventricular pressure at 40 mmHg developed pressure from 4,355 +/- 377 to 4,839 +/- 407 mmHg/s in group 3. Celiac and superior mesenteric ganglionectomy abolished the late but not the early hemodynamic changes. Ganglionectomy also significantly (P < 0.05) enhanced the decrease in mean arterial pressure during reperfusion in all groups. We conclude that the pressor and contractile responses during 10 min of abdominal ischemia and the relative maintenance of blood pressure during reperfusion after ischemia are reflex in nature.
Investigation and analysis of nutritional status of students from 12 primary and secondary school in Chaoyang district,Beijing

Objective To understand the nutritional status of students from primary and secondary schools in Chaoyang district of Beijing and to provide information on control and prevention of nutrition-related diseases.Methods Height and weight of 10 661 students from 12 primary and secondary schools in Chaoyang district of Beijing were measured and related information was collected.The diagnostic basis of malnutrition was weight less than 90% of the standard weight of those aged 7 to 22 defined through the National Physical Research in 1985,and overweight and obesity were diagnosed according to"Overweight and Obesity BMI Screening Standards of Chinese Students".Results The prevalence of malnutrition was 17.70%,the prevalence of overweight was 12.48%,and the prevalence of obesity was 21.27%.Prevalence of malnutrition among female students was higher than male students,however prevalence of overweight and obesity among male students were higher than female students.Prevalence of malnutrition and over-nutrition increased with the grade of students.Conclusions Prevalence of malnutrition and over-nutrition among students from primary and secondary schools in Chaoyang district was at a higher level and statistically significantly related to gender and grades of students.So the nutrition related health problem among students should be paid attention to in the future work.
Measuring Probe of Directional Drilling in Coal Mine Underground

Through analyzing key hardware composition and principle of measuring probe in directional drilling system,the paper introduces working principle of the measuring probe in measurement while drilling system and the measuring probe plays an important role in directional drilling technology.
Measuring Metrics

You get what you measure, and you can't manage what you don't measure. Metrics are a powerful tool used in organizations to set goals, decide which new products and features should be released to customers, which new tests and experiments should be conducted, and how resources should be allocated. To a large extent, metrics drive the direction of an organization, and getting metrics 'right' is one of the most important and difficult problems an organization needs to solve. However, creating good metrics that capture long-term company goals is difficult. They try to capture abstract concepts such as success, delight, loyalty, engagement, life-time value, etc. How can one determine that a metric is a good one? Or, that one metric is better than another? In other words, how do we measure the quality of metrics? Can the evaluation process be automated so that anyone with an idea of a new metric can quickly evaluate it? In this paper we describe the metric evaluation system deployed at Bing, where we have been working on designing and improving metrics for over five years. We believe that by applying a data driven approach to metric evaluation we have been able to substantially improve our metrics and, as a result, ship better features and improve search experience for Bing's users.
Post-Sandy Benthic Habitat Mapping Using New Topobathymetric Lidar Technology and Object-Based Image Classification

ABSTRACT Parrish, C.E.; Dijkstra, J.A.; O'Neil-Dunne, J.P.M; McKenna, L., and Pe'eri, S., 2016. Post-Sandy benthic habitat mapping using new topobathymetric lidar technology and object-based image classification. In: Brock, J.C.; Gesch, D.B.; Parrish, C.E.; Rogers, J.N., and Wright, C.W. (eds.), Advances in Topobathymetric Mapping, Models, and Applications. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue, No. 76, pp. 200–208. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. Hurricane Sandy, which made landfall on the U.S. East Coast as a post-tropical cyclone on October 29, 2012, is the second costliest hurricane in U.S. history, behind Hurricane Katrina in 2005. In the wake of the storm, federal mapping agencies, including NOAA, USGS, and USACE, undertook extensive mapping efforts in the affected areas, including acquisition of aerial imagery, lidar (light detection and ranging), and other forms of remotely sensed data. Among the notable datasets acquired in the Sandy-impact region were those collected with new topob...
Pharmacological zinc levels reduce the phosphorus-releasing efficacy of phytase in young pigs and chickens.

A pig trial and a chick trial were done to determine the effect of high levels of Zn and Cu on the P-releasing efficacy of phytase. Ninety-nine individually fed pigs (7.2 kg) were given ad libitum access to one of 11 experimental diets for a period of 21 d. Fibula ash (mg) was regressed against supplemental inorganic P (iP) intake (g) to establish the standard curve, from which phytase treatments were compared to determine P-releasing efficacy. The basal diet was a corn-soybean meal diet with no supplemental P (21% CP, 0.075% estimated available P, 130 mg of Zn/kg, as-fed basis). Diets included three graded levels of supplemental iP (0, 0.075, 0.150%) from reagent-grade KH2PO4, two levels of phytase (500 and 1,000 FTU/kg) from EcoPhos, 1,500 mg of Zn/kg from either Waelz ZnO or basic Zn chloride (Zn5Cl2(OH)8), and all combinations of phytase and Zn. One phytase unit (FTU) was defined as the amount of enzyme required to release 1 micromol of iP per minute from sodium phytate at 37 degrees C and pH 5.5. Phytase supplementation improved (P 0.50) on growth performance, but decreased (P 0.30) the response to phytase. These results suggest that pharmacological levels of Zn chelate the phytate complex, thereby decreasing its availability for hydrolysis by phytase.
Molecular Chaperone Accumulation in Cancer and Decrease in Alzheimer's Disease: The Potential Roles of HSF1

Molecular chaperones are required to maintain the proteome in a folded and functional state. When challenges to intracellular folding occur, the heat shock response is triggered, leading to increased synthesis of a class of inducible chaperones known as heat shock proteins (HSP). Although HSP synthesis is known to undergo a general decline with aging, the extent of this process varies quite markedly in some of the diseases associated with advanced age. In Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a prevalent protein folding disorder in the brain, the heat shock response of some critical classes of neurons becomes reduced. The resulting decline in HSP expression may be a consequence of the general enfeeblement of many aspects of cell physiology with aging and / or a response to the pathological changes in metabolism observed specifically in AD. Cancer cells, in contrast to normal aging cells, undergo de novo increases in HSP levels. This expansion in HSP expression has been attributed to increases in folding demand in cancer or to the evolution of new mechanisms for induction of the heat shock response in rapidly adapting cancer cells. As the predominant pathway for regulation of HSP synthesis involves transcription factor HSF1, it has been suggested that this factor may play a decisive role in the development of each disease. We will discuss what is known of the mechanisms of HSF1 regulation in regard to the HSP dysregulation seen in in AD and cancer.
The risk of perinatal mortality with each week of expectant management in obese pregnancies.

Introduction: The risk of stillbirth associated with maternal obesity increases with gestational age; however, it is unclear if earlier delivery reduces the overall perinatal mortality rate. Our ob...
The use of boundary lubricants for the reduction of shear thickening and jamming in abrasive particle slurries

Abstract Dense abrasive slurries are widely used in a variety of processes, but have problems in their application due to strong shear thickening and jamming. For particles in the supra-colloidal or non-Brownian, size range ( d > 10 μm), these are due primarily to the formation of hydroclusters at high shear rates and to direct particle-particle contacts. The latter appear to be a particular problem in the development of abrasive slurry jets (ASJ) used for abrasive water jet cutting. This study explores the use of two adsorbed surfactants and a covalently bonded silane as boundary lubricants for abrasive garnet particles of irregular shape with sharp asperities and average effective diameter 50 μm to reduce shear thickening and jamming of their slurries. Particle-particle friction is determined using lateral force microscopy (LFM), and it is found that adsorbed layers of either a cationic surfactant, hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HTAB) or a nonionic surfactant, Pluronic ® L62, or of a grafted octadecyltrimethoxy silane (OTS) reduced the lateral friction by a factor of as much as two. Vane tool rheometry suggested similar reductions in shear thickening of dense garnet particle slurries, and an ad hoc study of jamming slurries through a flow constriction provided by a syringe yielded similar results.
Analysis of mortality and fixation failure in geriatric fractures using quantitative computed tomography.

Abstract Objectives While osteoporosis has been shown to be a contributing factor in low energy fractures in the elderly, limited data exists regarding the correlation of bone mineral density (BMD) and T-Scores to mortality and failure of fracture fixation. This study seeks to determine the relationship between femoral neck BMD in elderly patients with typical geriatric fractures and mortality and fracture fixation failure using Quantitative Computed Tomography (QCT). Materials and methods Patients over the age of 65 who sustained fractures of the proximal humerus, distal radius, pelvic ring, acetabulum, hip, proximal tibia, and ankle who also underwent a CT scan that included an uninjured femoral neck were retrospectively reviewed. QCT was used to assess bone mineral density and T scores. Mortality and fixation failure were recorded. Standard descriptive statistics, as well as logistic regression were used to correlate BMD and mortality, and BMD and fixation failure. Results Of the 173 patients initially screened, 150 met inclusion criteria. Patients who remained alive at the end of the study (LP) had significantly (P = .019) higher adjusted mean femoral neck BMD (0.502 g/cm2) than non-polytrauma patients who died (MNPT) (0.439 g/cm2) when controlling for age, time to mortality, follow up, CCI, and ASA. Patients who had fixation failure events (FE) had significantly (P = .002) lower adjusted mean femoral neck BMD (0.342 g/cm2) than patients without failure events (NE) (0.525 g/cm2) when controlling for age and time to radiographic follow-up. Conclusions Our study illustrates that QCT is a reliable method for the determination of femoral neck BMD in elderly patients with geriatric fractures. Furthermore, lower BMD/T-Scores are associated with increased mortality and fixation failures in this patient population.
Human Cognitive Limitations. Broad, Consistent, Clinical Application of Physiological Principles Will Require Decision Support

Our education system seems to fail to enable clinicians to broadly understand core physiological principles. The emphasis on reductionist science, including “omics” branches of research, has likely contributed to this decrease in understanding. Consequently, clinicians cannot be expected to consistently make clinical decisions linked to best physiological evidence. This is a large-scale problem with multiple determinants, within an even larger clinical decision problem: the failure of clinicians to consistently link their decisions to best evidence. Clinicians, like all human decision-makers, suffer from significant cognitive limitations. Detailed context-sensitive computer protocols can generate personalized medicine instructions that are well matched to individual patient needs over time and can partially resolve this problem.
Cooperative binding of tropomyosin to actin.

Tropomyosin molecules attach to the thin filament conjointly rather than separately, in a pattern indicating very high cooperativity. The equilibrium process drawing tropomyosins together on the actin filament can be measured by application of a linear lattice model to binding isotherm data and hypotheses on the mechanism of cooperativity can be tested. Each end of tropomyosin overlaps and attaches to the end of a neighboring tropomyosin, facilitating the formation of continuous tropomyosin strands, without gaps between neighboring molecules along the thin filament. Interestingly, the overlap complexes vary greatly in size and composition among tropomyosin isoforms, despite consistently cooperative binding to actin. Also, the tendency of tropomyosin to bind to actin cooperatively rather than randomly does not correlate with the strength of end-to-end binding. By implication, tropomyosin’s actin-binding cooperativity likely involves effects on the actin filament, as well as direct interactions between adjacent tropomyosins.
Distinct functional roles of the two intracellular phosphatase like domains of the receptor-linked protein tyrosine phosphatases LCA and LAR.

Abstract Protein tyrosine phosphorylation is regulated by both protein tyrosine kinases and protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases). Recently, the structures of a family of PTPases have been described. In order to study the structure-function relationships of receptor-linked PTPases, we analyzed the effects of deletion and point mutations within the cytoplasmic region of the receptor-linked PTPases, LCA and LAR. We show that the first of the two domains has enzyme activity by itself, and that one cysteine residue in the first domain of both LCA and LAR is absolutely required for activity. The second PTPase like domains do not have detectable catalytic activity using a variety of substrates, but sequences within the second domains influence substrate specificity. The functional significance of a stretch of 10 highly conserved amino acid residues surrounding the critical cysteine residue located in the first domain of LAR was assessed. At most positions, any substitution severely reduced enzyme activity, while missense mutations at the other positions tested could be tolerated to varying degrees depending on the amino acid substitution. It is suggested that this stretch of amino acids may be part of the catalytic center of PTPases.
Valuation Discounting and the Lottery Cases

The article describes the valuation discounting in the Dickerson case and contrasts that to discounting in other lottery cases.
An ℓ 2 - ℓ q Regularization Method for Large Discrete Ill-Posed Problems

Ill-posed problems arise in many areas of science and engineering. Their solutions, if they exist, are very sensitive to perturbations in the data. Regularization aims to reduce this sensitivity. Typically, regularization methods replace the original problem by a minimization problem with a fidelity term and a regularization term. Recently, the use of a p-norm to measure the fidelity term, and a q-norm to measure the regularization term, has received considerable attention. The relative importance of these terms is determined by a regularization parameter. This paper discussed how the latter parameter can be determined with the aid of the discrepancy principle. We primarily focus on the situation when $$p=2$$ and $$0<q\le 2$$ , where we note that when $$0<q<1$$ , the minimization problem may be non-convex.
Multiscale Simulations of Thermal Transport in W-UO2 CERMET Fuel for Nuclear Thermal Propulsion

Nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) provides a consistent source of thrust for long space missions. However, fuel development for NTP reactors is a major technological hurdle. Existing modeling and si...
Learning and Uncertainty-Exploited Directional Antenna Control for Robust Long-Distance and Broad-Band Aerial Communication

Aerial communication using directional antennas (ACDA) is a promising solution to enable long-distance and broad-band unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-to-UAV networking. The automatic alignment of directional antennas allows the transmission energy to focus in certain direction and significantly extends the communication range and rejects interference. Robust automatic alignment of directional antennas is not easy to achieve, considering practical issues such as the limited on-board sensing devices due to the physical constraints of UAV payload and power supplies, uncertain and varying UAV movement patterns, and unstable GPS and unknown communication environments. In this paper, we develop reinforcement learning (RL)-based online antenna control solutions for the ACDA system to conquer these challenges. The control solution adopts an uncertain UAV mobility modeling and intention estimation framework to capture and predict the uncertain intentions of UAV maneuvers and hence permit robust tracking. To account for an unstable GPS environment, the control solution features a learning of communication channel models to provide additional measurement signals in GPS-denied settings. A novel stochastic optimal control solution for nonlinear random switching dynamics is developed that integrates RL, an effective uncertainty evaluation method called multivariate probabilistic collocation method (MPCM), and unscented Kalman Filter (UKF). Simulation studies are conducted to illustrate and validate the proposed solutions.
Foundation Species Loss Affects Leaf Breakdown and Aquatic Invertebrate Resource Use in Black Ash Wetlands

The invasion by emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) of extensive black ash wetlands in the upper Great Lakes region of North America is expected to alter plant community structure and composition and, therefore, abiotic factors like temperature and hydrology. We conducted two experiments to examine how changes in leaf litter could alter ecosystem function via 1) changes in litter breakdown and 2) aquatic invertebrate feeding. For the first experiment, we placed litter bags containing black ash (Fraxinus nigra), swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor), and lake sedge (Carex lacustris), in either control or clear-cut black ash plots. We found that black ash litter broke down 2-3 times faster than other species and broke down faster in control plots than in clear-cuts. There was no effect of clear cutting on swamp white oak or lake sedge breakdown rates. For the second experiment, we fed shredding caddisfly larvae (Limnephilus indivisus) one of six species: black ash, swamp white oak, lake sedge, balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera), American elm (Ulmus americana), or speckled alder (Alnus incana) for 14 days. Caddisflies had the highest survival and greater resource use when given black ash or speckled alder, which are abundant in black ash wetlands. These results suggest that loss of black ash will alter ecosystem processes via changes in the physical environment, changes in leaf litter properties, and changes in shredder processing rates of leaf litter.
Development of a Mobile Fluorescence Tomography-guided System for Pre-clinical Radiotherapy Research

We proposed to build a mobile fluorescence tomography (mFT) system as an image-guided platform for pre-clinical radiotherapy research. The mFT system is expected to localize functional target/tumor, guide irradiation, and provide longitudinal treatment assessment.
In vitro and in vivo anti-tumor action of the S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC) inhibitor SAM486A in human breast cancer cells: Effect on tumor polyamine (PA) and cell signaling

5208 Current evidence indicates that increased cellular contents of PA (putrescine [Pu], spermidine [Sd] and spermine [Sm]) may contribute to breast cancer development and progression. Therefore, inhibition of PA synthesis represents a potential approach to breast cancer treatment and prevention. Both ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), the first and rate-limiting enzyme in the PA pathway promoting the synthesis of Pu, and SAMDC involved in the synthesis of the more distal PA, Sd and Sm, are attractive therapeutic targets. In these experiments, we tested the biological and biochemical effects of the SAMDC inhibitor SAM486A (CGP 48664) in the hormone-independent MDA-MB 435 human breast cancer cell line. We observed that SAM486A inhibited the growth in liquid culture of MDA-MB 435 cells in a dose-dependent manner with an IC50 of 1uM. Its antiproliferative effect was associated with a consistent suppression of cellular Sm, a dose dependent increase in Pu (as a result of the compensatory increase in ODC) and a bell shaped dose-related increase in Sd. Combined inhibition of ODC with α-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) and SAMDC with SAM486A, showed an enhanced antiproliferative activity compared to the individual treatments used at submaximal concentrations. While the effect of DFMO was totally rescued by exogenous Sd and Sm, the reversal of the SAM486A by these PA was considerably more modest. SAM486A treatment significantly reduced in a dose related fashion clonogenicity in soft agar and invasiveness in matrigel of MDA-MB 435 cells. Similarly to DFMO, SAM486A treatment increased ERK phosphorylation. This effect may be involved in its anti-tumor action since, in other experiments, we have observed that the anti-invasive effect of DFMO could be reversed by ERK inhibitor, PD 184352. SAM486A (but not DFMO) inhibited Serine 727 phosphorylation of STAT3. “In vivo” daily i.p. administration for 28 days of escalating doses of SAM486A (0, 1, 5, 10 mg/kg) to nude mice carrying orthotopically implanted MDA-MB 435 cells xenografts was well tolerated without any weight loss. The lowest dose tested (1mg/kg) exhibited the greatest anti-tumor action associated with significant suppression of cellular Sd and Sm. These results indicate that SAM486A has significant anti-tumor effects against human breast cancer cells “in vitro” and “in vivo”. Its combined use with DFMO offers promise for a superior anti-tumor action, since the two drugs may have complementary effects on PA synthesis and cellular signaling.
Heterozygous Loss of Yap1 in Mice Causes Progressive Cataracts.

Purpose Yap1 encodes an evolutionarily conserved transcriptional coactivator and functions as a down-stream effector of the Hippo signaling pathway that controls tissue size and cell growth. Yap1 contributes to lens epithelial development. However, the effect of Yap1 haplodeficiency on the lens epithelium and its role in the development of cataracts has not been reported. The aim of the current study is to investigate Yap1 function and its regulatory mechanisms in lens epithelial cells (LECs). Methods Lens phenotypes were investigated in Yap1 heterozygous mutant mice by visual observation and histological and biochemical methods. Primary LEC cultures were used to study regulatory molecular mechanism. Results The heterozygous inactivation of Yap1 in mice caused cataracts during adulthood with defective LEC phenotypes. Despite a normal early development of the eye including the lens, the majority of Yap1 heterozygotes developed cataracts in the first six months of age. Cataract was preceded by multiple morphological defects in the lens epithelium, including decreased cell density and abnormal cell junctions. The low LEC density was coincident with reduced LEC proliferation. In addition, expression of the Yap1 target gene Crim1 was reduced in the Yap1+/- LEC, and overexpression of Crim1 restored Yap1+/- LEC cell proliferation in vitro. Conclusions Homozygosity of the Yap1 gene was critical for adequate Crim1 expression needed to maintain the constant proliferation of LEC and to maintain a normal-sized lens. Yap1 haplodeficiency leads to cataracts.
Effects of an Intensive Street-Level Police Intervention on Syringe Exchange Program Use in Philadelphia, Pa

Repeated measurements and mixed-effects models were used to analyze the effects of an intensive long-term street-level police intervention on syringe exchange program use. Utilization data for 9 months before and after the beginning of the intervention were analyzed. Use fell across all categories and time periods studied, with significant declines in use among total participants, male participants, and Black participants. Declines in use among Black and male participants were much more pronounced than decreases among White and female participants.
Carbon and Water Exchanges in a Mountain Meadow Ecosystem, Sierra Nevada, California

Ecosystem-atmosphere exchanges of carbon dioxide (CO2) and water vapor were investigated in a moist mountain meadow (Loney Meadow) at 1822 m MSL in the Sierra Nevada, California, USA. An eddy covariance (EC) tower was deployed for most of the snow-free period from May to September 2016. The meadow ecosystem progressed from a strong sink of CO2 in the peak of the growing season under saturated to wet soil conditions (−18.51 gC m−2 d−1) to a weak source (2.97 gC m−2 d−1) following a rapid decline in soil moisture as runoff decreased. The variability of Net Ecosystem Exchange (NEE) over diurnal, synoptic and seasonal timescales was dominated by Gross Primary Production (GPP) which ranged from 43 gC m−2 d−1 during the peak of the growing season to 19 gC m−2 d−1 during senescence. Ecosystem respiration was small in magnitude and variability compared to GPP. Approximations of annual NEE for the meadow ranged from −285 to −450 gC m−2 yr−1, which is high compared to grasslands, and more similar to mature wetland or forest ecosystems. At diurnal and synoptic scales, CO2 flux was driven most strongly by photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), while seasonally, the ecosystem was linked closely to changes in soil moisture. Light-use and water-use efficiencies of the meadow ecosystem were high compared with those found in most other ecosystems using comparable observations. These results suggest meadows have the potential to be large sinks of atmospheric CO2 and that their ability to do so is sensitive to water table height. This is important for understanding the future of carbon sequestration in mountain meadows in the context of changing hydroclimates and different land management decisions that impact meadow hydrology.
Influence of online comments on smokers' E-cigarette attitude: Opinion climate, review fraud, and resistance to persuasion.

This study examined the effect of online comments on smokers’ attitude toward trying e-cigarettes. It also explored the effect of an unobtrusive forewarning in increasing smokers’ resistance to onl...
Voicing Chicanx/Latinx feminisms and situating testimonio in geographical research

For decades Chicanx/Latinx feminists have mobilized important alternative onto-epistemologies and methodologies like testimonio that subvert dominant forms of knowledge production. Yet, these contr...
Interactions of Atlantic salmon in the Pacific Northwest: VI. A synopsis of the risk and uncertainty

Abstract The paper collates conclusions of the five literature reviews of the possible interactions of Atlantic salmon in the environment of the Pacific Northwest, and prioritizes the issues in order of magnitude of risk to the aquatic ecosystem of Puget Sound. Two issues appear to carry the most risk for the region. These are the impact on the sediments beneath net-pen farms from bio-deposits, and the accumulation of heavy metals (zinc and copper), both of which can remediate within 1–2 years with fallowing. Eight issues appear to carry a low risk, the majority of which concern the effects on other biota in the immediate vicinity of net-pen farms. These include physiological effect of low dissolved oxygen levels in the water column; the toxic effect of hydrogen sulfide and ammonia emanating from the bio-deposits; the toxic effect of algal blooms which might be enhanced by the dissolved inorganic wastes; changes in the epifaunal community caused by the accumulation of organic wastes; the proliferation of human pathogens, and fish and shellfish pathogens in the environment; the increased incidences of disease among wild fish; and the displacement of wild salmon in the marketplace by farmed salmonids. Finally, three issues, and their sub-sets, carry very little or no risk. Two are specific to the environment, namely the escape of a non-native species and possible hybridization with other salmonids, colonization of salmonid habitat, competition with native species for forage, predation on indigenous species, and as vectors for the introduction of exotic pathogens; and the impact of antibiotic-resistant bacteria on native salmonids. The third concerns human health and safety regarding possible heavy metal contamination of farm products, rendered animal products in animal feeds, genetically modified (GM) ingredients in fish feeds, ingredients and additives in animal feeds, residual medicines and drugs in farmed products, biological hazards in farm products, transgenic farm fish, workers’ safety, public safety and navigational hazards, and impacts on nearby property values. The paper ends with discussion on the management of risk and uncertainty in the context of impacts on the environment, human health and safety, and the escape of farm animals.
Inhaled nitric oxide: Current clinical concepts

Nitric oxide (NO) has come far since being discovered serendipitously to relax vascular smooth muscle. Initially, administered to animals to reduce pulmonary artery pressures and improve oxygenation. It now enjoys FDA approval for administration to newborns with pulmonary hypertension but is used common place for other critical cardiopulmonary ailments. While never quite living up to expectations, newer applications show greater promise as a therapy especially in the area of ischemia-reperfusion. The following will give a clinical overview of inhaled nitric oxide as a gas, as applied to the pediatric patient population, and to those adults suffering with cardiopulmonary and hematologic disease. Lastly, due to more recent discoveries, the effects of how NO may be used to treat disorders such as ischemia-reperfusion, will also be reviewed.
Minimum-Time Control of Robotic Manipulators using a Back Propagation Neural Network

Algorithmic control system designs may deteriorate considerably in the presence of model uncertainty. In contrast, neural network controllers provide a non-algorithmic approach that does not depend on a mathematical model of the controlled system. Here, we utilize a back propagation neural network for the minimum-time control of a robotic manipulator assuming a bang-bang solution. This implies that the solutions obtained may be suboptimal in some cases, but will be easier to obtain and implement than true minimum-time solutions. The approach is applied to a single-link manipulator with nonlinear gravitational term where the minimum-time control is bang-bang. Generalization to the n-link manipulator case is also discussed.
Heavy water (2H2O) as solvent for incubation media in vitro: Effects on two tissues exhibiting significant water shifts: Mammalian cerebral cortex and etiolated pea seedlings☆

Abstract Apical stem segments from 7-day-old etiolated pea seedings when incubated in vitro in the presence of 10 −6 M indolyl-3-acetic acid (IAA) normally exhinit significant elongation and a significantly greater (3-fold) imbibition of fluid than control stem segments. In the presence of an incubation medium made up with 2 H 2 O (85%, v/v) as solvent, these effects of IAA are completely absent. Swelling of slices of cat cerebral cortex normally encountered upon incubation in vitro was unaffected by incubation in media made up with 2 H 2 O (99%, v/v) as solvent except for: (1) slices from neonatal kittens, normally resistant to swelling in vitro , where 16% swelling was encountered; and (2) slices from adult cats when incubated in 2 H 2 O media containing 5 mM K + , where a 2-fold increase in swelling was encountered. In the latter case, tissue fluid spaces accessible to sucrose and to chloride did not change proportionately, suggesting an intracellular locus for the extra fluid of swelling. Contents of electrolytes in control and 2 H 2 O-treated slices were similar except for K + , which was significantly elevated (+ 18–24 μmoles/g) in slices incubated in 2 H 2 O media containing either 5 mM or 27 mM K + . The findings are discussed in terms of known effects of 2 H 2 O on various biological systems, including plant tissues and the mammalian nervous system.