cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Something to Fall Back On: Community Colleges as a Safety Net

In the context of rapidly expanding postsecondary enrollments, community colleges have the potential to play a critical and often overlooked role as a postsecondary safety net for initial four-year students who are ill prepared to successfully complete or finance their college educations. A growing proportion of the population served by community colleges engages in reverse transfer: they begin their college careers in a four-year institution but transfer to a community college prior to earning a degree. We use the National Education Longitudinal Study to examine the causes and consequences of reverse transfer for students who were expected to complete high school in 1992. Using propensity scores to control for selection into a community college, we find that the safety net function of community colleges is especially important for disadvantaged students who are significantly more likely to transfer down or drop out of higher education entirely without completing a bachelor's degree. Although reverse transfers do not fare as well as students with exclusive four-year college enrollment, they have more favorable academic and labor market outcomes than otherwise similar students who drop out of postsecondary school altogether. Community colleges may therefore lower the cost of dropping out of a four-year college.
A Model of Self-Regulation for Control of Chronic Disease*

Chronic disease poses increasing threat to individual and community health. The day-to-day manager of disease is the patient who undertakes actions with the guidance of a clinician. The ability of the patient to control the illness through an effective therapeutic plan is significantly influenced by social and behavioral factors. This article presents a model of patient management of chronic disease that accounts for intrapersonal and external influences on management and emphasizes the central role of self-regulatory processes in disease control. Asthma serves as a case for exploration of the model. Findings from a 5-year study of 637 children with asthma and their care-taking parents supported that the self-regulation elements of the model were reasonably stable over time and baseline values were predictive of important disease management outcomes.
Toward a Smarter Workforce

Markman finds that companies can nurture innovation by better understanding and employing cognitive science. Leaders should maximize the quality of knowledge, stop multitasking, find the essence of problems, nurture expert generalists, and distinguish between group problem solving and brainstorming. He relates how unorthodox thinking led to the development of Velcro, the Dyson bagless vacuum cleaner, and Speedo's “ultrafast swimsuit” inspired by the skin of the shark. “The more you understand about your mind and the minds of your employees,” Markman writes, “the better able you will be to develop a more innovative workforce.”
Agronomic and quality performance of progeny lines derived from spring wheat by durum wheat crosses

ABSTRACT Hard red spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L. subsp. aestivum) and durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. subsp. durum (Desf.) Husn) have both been selected for dryland yield potential and high grain protein, although end uses of flour are different. For this study, 14 tetraploid and 10 hexaploid lines were derived from crosses between tetraploid durum wheat and hexaploid hard red spring wheat. Our objective was to determine the impact of genetic exchange between the two classes on agronomic and quality attributes of derived progeny lines. Yield potential of both the tetraploid and hexaploid progeny was lower than the parental types. Polyphenol oxidase levels were higher by almost twofold in the hexaploid group. The tetraploid progeny group had better noodle color than did the hexaploid group. Bread quality of hexaploid group was superior, with loaf volume 362 cm3 higher than that of tetraploid progeny group. In general, the presence of durum wheat genes in the derived hexaploid lines had little impact ...
Origins and Perspectives on Designing Virtual Communities of Practice for Permanent Education: A Case Study in the Collective Health Sector

With the advance of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), information sharing is getting faster. The use of ICTs facilitates the circulation of information and knowledge, but the cognitive ability and the capacity for innovation are not affected by the technology. By this mean, the communities of practice using traditional technological tools used in corporate, personal or relationship websites, only change their goals and forms of use. This paper describes the development of a conceptual interface to the community of practice platform used as support for Brazilian National Policy of Permanent Education in Health, of the Ministry of Health.
Body image dissatisfaction and distortion, steroid use, and sex differences in college age bodybuilders

College age bodybuilders were compared by sex (female, male) and steroid intake (nonuse, use) on two variables: body image dissatisfaction and body image distortion. Results of 2 × 2 ANOVAs (sex by steroid use) revealed only a significant effect for gender on body distortion. No steroid-use differences were apparent for either body image dissatisfaction or body image distortion. Further analyses indicated that female bodybuilders were equally split between desiring more muscle bulk versus a thinner frame, whereas the majority of male bodybuilders wanted to build more muscle mass. These results are compared to previous research with non-bodybuilders wherein body image dissatisfaction was unidirectional for females (i.e., all desired slimness) yet bidirectional for males (i.e., some aspired to increased muscle mass whereas others sought a reduction in body fat). © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Laparoscopic Nephrectomy with Autotransplantation: Safety, Efficacy and Long-Term Durability

Purpose: Laparoscopic nephrectomy with autotransplantation is a viable option when renal preservation is required or ureteral reconstruction is impossible. In this study we report on our long-term experience with laparoscopic nephrectomy with autotransplantation.Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of data from all patients who underwent laparoscopic nephrectomy with autotransplantation since 2000 revealed data for 52 of 59 patients after study exclusions. Indications for laparoscopic nephrectomy with autotransplantation included ureteral stricture disease (41), renal malignancy (7), ptotic kidney (1), chronic flank pain (1), renal artery aneurysm (1) and renovascular hypertension (1). Followup included ultrasonography, nuclear renography and computerized tomography. Complications analyzed were Clavien-Dindo grade III or higher.Results: A total of 52 patients (30 women, 57.6%) underwent laparoscopic nephrectomy with autotransplantation at a median age of 48 years (range 12 to 76). At a median fol...
Allgemeine Richtlinien für den Aufbau von Dieselmotoren kleiner und mittlerer Leistung

Entsprechend der Uberschrift sollen hier Dieselmotoren kleiner und mittlerer Leistung behandelt werden. „,Kleine“ und „mittlere“ Leistung liegt als Begriff nicht eindeutig fest. Um aber in den folgenden Abhandlungen eine konstruktiv klare Trennung herbei-zufuhren, soll der Begriff „,kleine und „,mittlere“ Motoren alle kreuzkopflosen Motoren umfassen. Die obere Grenze der Leistung fur kreuzkopflose Motoren liegt fur nicht-aufgeladenen Viertakt bei etwa 350 PSe je Zylinder, fur aufgeladenen Viertakt bei etwa 500 PSe je Zylinder, fur einfachwirkenden, nichtaufgeladenen Zweitakt ebenfalls bei etwa 500 PSe je Zylinder. Wird eine Zylinderzahl von 10 als oberste Grenze angenommen, so erreichen kreuzkopflose aufgeladene Viertaktmotoren die maximale Gesamtleistung von 5000 PSe, die nichtaufgeladenen Zweitakt-Tauchkolbenmotoren ebenfalls etwa 5000 PSe, wahrend grose Motoren mit Kreuzkopf unter Umstanden wesentlich unter dieser Grenze bleiben. Abb. 3 zeigt die Uberschneidung der einzelnen Leistungsbereiche. Trotzdem ergibt die Unterscheidung der Motoren ohne oder mit Kreuzkopf die klarste Trennung in konstruktiver Hinsicht. Fur Sonderzwecke werden sowohl Viertakt-Tauch-kolbenmotoren als auch Zweitakt-Tauchkolbenmotoren in V-Form gebaut, insbesondere dann, wenn es sich um kleinere Zylinderabmessungen und verhaltnismasig raschlaufende Motoren handelt. In dieser Bauart kann die Zylinderzahl 12, 16 und sogar 20 betragen. Allerdings wird die oben angegebene Grenzleistung deswegen nicht uberschritten werden,weil es sich immer um ver-haltnismasig kleine Zylinderabmessungen derabmessungen handelt.
'Certain condolements, certain vails': Staging Rusty Armour in Shakespeare's Pericles

This paper examines the rusty suit of armour that a fisherman draws out of the sea in Act 2 of Shakespeare’s Pericles . My focus is twofold: first, I examine what this prop might have looked like on stage, how it might have been acquired by the theatre, and why it is ‘rusty’ or ruined. Second, I examine how found, claimed, or inherited material objects – such as stage properties – allow one to engage with questions of inherited literary or dramatic form and the notion of military ‘spoiling’. Armour was a common spoil of war in early modern Europe, and I am interested in how Pericles’ armour functions as a spoil, or claimed military object, in the play. I pose the following question: how can the notion of spoiling be used to examine Shakespeare’s treatment of romance as a genre that is itself spoiled in the sense of claimed and decayed?
The phy Gene Family: Function and Expression

Plants constantly monitor and adapt to the light environment in which they find themselves (Kendrick and Kronenberg, 1986). To accomplish this task they employ a set of regulatory photoreceptors of which phytochrome is the best characterized (Quail, 1991, 1993). Although phytochrome had long been thought of by many as a single homogeneous entity, the complexities of environmental light signals and the diversity of plants’ responses to them had over the years increasingly suggested to photophysiologists the possible involvement of more than one phytochrome in mediating these responses (Hillman, 1967; Smith and Whitelam, 1990; Smith, 1992). Indeed, parallel biochemical, immunochemical and spectroscopic studies provided steadily accumulating evidence for the existence of at least two molecular species of the photoreceptor (Furuya, 1989). Most recently, molecular evidence that phytochrome is in fact a family of photoreceptors encoded by five divergent genes, designated phyA, phyB, phyC, phyD and phyE, was obtained from studies with Arabidopsis (Sharrock and Quail, 1989; R. A. Sharrock, pers. comm.).
Constraints and Opportunities with Interview Transcription: Towards Reflection in Qualitative Research

In this paper we discuss the complexities of interview transcription. While often seen as a behind-the-scenes task, we suggest that transcription is a powerful act of representation. Transcription is practiced in multiple ways, often using naturalism, in which every utterance is captured in as much detail as possible, and/or denaturalism, in which grammar is corrected, interview noise (e.g., stutters, pauses, etc.) is removed and nonstandard accents (i.e., non-majority) are standardized. In this article, we discuss the constraints and opportunities of our transcription decisions and point to an intermediate, reflective step. We suggest that researchers incorporate reflection into their research design by interrogating their transcription decisions and the possible impact these decisions may have on participants and research outcomes.
Alkali/Silica Distinction between Hawaiian Tholeiites and Alkali Basalts

In 1963, H. S. Yoder, Jr. suggested that the empirical dividing line between Hawaiian tholeiites and alkali basalts on an alkali/silica plot is the trace of the critical plane Di-Fo-Ab in the simple basalt tetrahedron Di-Fo-Ne-Qz. We show that the normative coordinates of the dividing line are generally similar to Hawaiian rock chemistry, but that it is not simply the projection of the whole critical plane onto such a plot. It is plausible, however, that over at least part of its length, the line is the projection of the intersection of a thermal divide (on or near the join Cpx-Ol-Pl) with the boundary surface separating the Cpx and Pl primary phase volumes in the generalized normative tetrahedron Cpx-Ol-Ne-Qz. This interpretation is compatible with experimentally determined crystallization sequences of Hawaiian volcanic rocks and provides an explanation for the actual existence of the dividing line in terms of the fact that low-pressure fractionation moves liquids away from the thermal divide. This interpretation can also account for the observation that some rocks with tholeiitic mineralogy fall in the alkali basalt field of an alkali/silica plot (and conversely) as an artifact of the projection implicit in making the plot.
Principles of Radiobiology of Stereotactic Radiosurgery and Clinical Applications in the Central Nervous System

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) has become an important treatment option for intracranial lesions and has recently been adapted to treat lesions outside the brain. Many studies have shown the effectiveness of SRS for the treatment of benign and metastatic tumors. Although DNA damage has been thought to be the principal form of radiation-induced damage, recent studies have shown that vascular endothelial damage is perhaps more important in the setting of high radiation doses per fraction such as those used in SRS. Furthermore, it has been shown that molecular responses to radiation differ based on dose per fraction. The principles of classical radiobiology are reviewed with explanation on why fractionation of radiotherapy allows optimization of the therapeutic ratio. The current understanding of the molecular responses that occur soon after the delivery of high radiation doses per fraction is also reviewed. A summary of current clinical evidence of radiation tolerance to SRS of brain, brainstem, optic chiasm and spinal cord is also provided. Recent advances in understanding the molecular basis of SRS response have uncovered a different biological response than previously thought. Further understanding of these molecular mechanisms will allow for the development of targeted radiosensitizers and radioprotectors to optimize the therapeutic ratio.
A bacteriophage tubulin harnesses dynamic instability to center DNA in infected cells

Dynamic instability, polarity, and spatiotemporal organization are hallmarks of the microtubule cytoskeleton that allow formation of complex structures such as the eukaryotic spindle. No similar structure has been identified in prokaryotes. The bacteriophage-encoded tubulin PhuZ is required to position DNA at mid-cell, without which infectivity is compromised. Here, we show that PhuZ filaments, like microtubules, stochastically switch from growing in a distinctly polar manner to catastrophic depolymerization (dynamic instability) both in vitro and in vivo. One end of each PhuZ filament is stably anchored near the cell pole to form a spindle-like array that orients the growing ends toward the phage nucleoid so as to position it near mid-cell. Our results demonstrate how a bacteriophage can harness the properties of a tubulin-like cytoskeleton for efficient propagation. This represents the first identification of a prokaryotic tubulin with the dynamic instability of microtubules and the ability to form a simplified bipolar spindle.
A Review of Cloud Seeding Experiments to Enhance Precipitation and Some New Prospects

Water is one of the most basic commodities on earth sustaining human life. In many regions of the world, traditional sources and supplies of ground water, rivers and reservoirs, are either inadequate or under threat from ever-increasing demands on water from changes in land use and growing populations. This has prompted scientists and engineers to explore the possibility of augmenting water supplies by means of cloud seeding. This paper provides an overview of the current scientific status of weather modification activities to enhance pre- cipitation for both glaciogenic and hygroscopic seeding experiments. It is important to emphasize that although funding for scientific studies has decreased substantially during the past decade, operational programs have actually increased. During the last 10 years there has been a thorough scrutiny of past experiments involving experiments using glaciogenic seeding. Although there still exist indications that seeding can increase precipitation, a number of recent studies have questioned many of the positive results, weakening the scientific credibility. As a result, considerable skep- ticism exists as to whether these methods provides a cost-effective means for increasing precipitation for water resources. Recent results from hygroscopic seeding experiments provided for some renewed optimism in the field of precipita- tion enhancement. Although promising results have been obtained to date, some fundamental questions remain that need to be answered in order to provide a sound scientific basis for this technology.
We must join forces in the battle against COPD.

We applaud and totally agree with the concept expressed by A. Ostrem and colleagues that in order to win the battle against chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) we must all join forces. Indeed, the coincidence of important research questions related to COPD between the document generated by the International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG) in 2010 [1] and the recently published American Thoracic Society (ATS)/European Respiratory Society (ERS) statement on research questions in COPD [2] is evidence of the agreement that exists among everyone interested in this topic. ATS/ERS task force agrees coordinated action by all groups (including patients) aimed at combating COPD is beneficial
Piecewise linear homeomorphisms

Let K and L be complexes. We recall, from Section 0, that a homeomorphism $$f:|K| \leftrightarrow |L|$$ is piecewise linear (relative to K and L) if there is a subdivision K 1 of K such that for each σ ∈ K 1, f|σ maps σ linearly into a simplex of L. “PL” stands for piecewise linear, and “PLH” stands for PL homeomorphism, or PL homeomorphic. If K 1 is a subdivision of K, then we write K 1 < K.
High Strain-Rate Constitutive Behavior of SAC305 Solder During Operation at High Temperature

Leadfree solders have been used as interconnects in electronic packaging, due to its environmental friendly chemical property. However, those materials may experience high strain rates when subjected to shock and vibration. Consequently, failure will occur to electronics in those situations. Therefore, knowing the material properties of lead-free solders are extremely important, but research on mechanical behaviors of those solder alloys at high strain rates are scarce. Anand’s viscoplastic constitutive model has been widely used to describe the inelastic deformation behavior of solders in electronic components under thermo-mechanical deformation. However, Anand’s model constants for the transient dynamic strain rates are scarce. In this paper, the nine material parameters to fit the Anand viscoplastic model at high strain rates have been presented. In order to develop the constants for this model, uniaxial tensile tests at several strain rates and temperatures have been completed. A constant strain rate impact hammer which enables attaining strain rates around 1 to 100 per sec has been employed to implement tensile tests and a small thermal chamber is applied to control testing temperature. High speed cameras operating at 70,000 fps have been used to capture images of specimen and then digital image correlation method is used to calculate tensile strain. Uniaxial stress-strain curves have been plotted over a wide range of strain rates (e = 10, 35, 50, 75 /sec) and temperatures (T = 25, 50, 75, 100, 125°C). Anand viscoplasticity constants have been calculated by nonlinear fitting procedures. In addition, the accuracy of the extracted Anand constants has been evaluated by comparing the model prediction and experimental data.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
When and How to “Open” in Laparoscopic or Robotic Surgery

Surgical training today is all about minimally invasive surgery. With little or no experience and/or confidence in rapid, emergent conversion to an open procedure, how does the surgeon expeditiously do so? The intent of this paper is to help those inexperienced in “open” techniques to quickly recognize the need for same and rapidly open and temporarily control an acute hemorrhage or significant problem requiring more than the tips of laparoscopic instruments. The left subcostal or high transverse incision has been used by this author and several others with an experience of several thousand open cases. The author’s emergent technique includes a 3-cm mid-line incision from the xiphoid inferiorly, extending into a 135° left subcostal “hockey stick” approximately 12 cm in length, large enough for the surgeon’s fist to rapidly apply a tamponading moist lap sponge. Extension of the incision and rectus muscle bleeding is then controlled before proceeding. This author has used the left subcostal incision in over 4000 bariatric cases over a 30-year career with an incisional hernia and major wound infection rates of less than 1 %. Today, the laparoscope has virtually replaced all open GS visceral techniques which are de-emphasized in surgical training programs. This author’s experience demonstrates a rapid fire technique, which will assist the inexperienced open surgeon in dealing with a very treatable acute complication and preventing a long-term disaster with a huge mid-line wound infection, dehiscence, and ultimate hernia.
Is bad stronger than good? The impact of police-citizen encounters on public satisfaction with police

Purpose – Drawing upon the negativity bias theory, the purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of positive and negative perceptions of police-initiated or citizen-initiated contacts on three distinctive dimensions of public satisfaction with police (PSWP). Design/methodology/approach – The data were obtained from a random-sample telephone survey of 1,143 residents in Houston in 2012. The OLS regressions were conducted with variables derived from the contact model and neighborhood context model that were often employed in the PSWP research. Particularly, five dichotomous variables were created to tap into the nature and quality of the police-citizen encounters. Findings – The results confirm the negativity bias theory that “bad is stronger than good,” suggesting that the negative-contact variables have stronger influences on PSWP than the positive-contact variables, net of neighborhood context and demographic background. Originality/value – This study expands the scope of the investigation on PSWP ...
Polycystic Ovaries and the Risk of Breast Cancer

Data from a case-control study that was conducted between 1980 and 1982 were analyzed to investigate the possible association between polycystic ovaries and the risk of breast cancer. The multicenter, population-based study included in-home interviews with 4,730 women with breast cancer and 4,688 control women aged 20-54 years. The age-adjusted odds ratio for breast cancer among women with a self-reported history of physician-diagnosed polycystic ovaries was 0.52 (95% confidence interval 0.32-0.87). The inverse association was not an artifact of infertility, age at first birth, or surgical menopause. Because women with this syndrome have abnormal levels of certain endogenous hormones, the observation of a low risk of breast cancer in this group may provide new insights into hormonal influences on breast cancer.
Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs and Aspirin Therapy for the Treatment of Acute and Recurrent Idiopathic Pericarditis

Aspirin (ASA) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a mainstay of therapy for the treatment of idiopathic pericarditis (IP). A comprehensive review consisting of pertinent clinical literature, pharmacokinetic, and pharmacodynamic considerations, has not been released in recent years. This review will facilitate the clinician’s understanding of pharmacotherapeutic considerations for using ASA/NSAIDs to treat IP. Data were compiled using clinical literature consisting of case reports, cohort data, retrospective and prospective studies, and manufacturer package inserts. ASA, ibuprofen, indometacin, and ketorolac relatively have the most evidence in the treatment of IP, provide symptomatic relief of IP, and should be tapered accordingly. ASA is the drug of choice in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), heart failure (HF), or renal disease, but should be avoided in patients with asthma and nasal polyps, who are naive to ASA therapy. Ibuprofen is an inexpensive and relatively accessible option in patients who do not have concomitant CAD, HF, or renal disease. Indometacin is not available over-the-counter in the USA, and has a relatively higher incidence of central nervous system (CNS) adverse effects. Ketorolac is an intravenous option; however, clinicians must be mindful of the maximum dose that can be administered. While ASA/NSAIDs do not ameliorate the disease process of IP, they are part of first-line therapy (along with colchicine), for preventing recurrence of IP. ASA/NSAID choice should be dictated by comorbid conditions, tolerability, and adverse effects. Additionally, the clinician should be mindful of considerations such as tapering, high-sensitivity CRP monitoring, bleeding risk, and contraindications to ASA/NSAID therapy.
Adduct Rubbers: A Versatile New Family of Elastomers

Abstract A versatile family of elastomers has been prepared by free radical addition of aliphatic mercaptans to the double bonds of diene polymers. High saturation levels were readily achieved without degradation of the basic polymer chain. The technology is similar to ordinary emulsion polymerization. By varying the nature of the base polymer, the mercaptan used, and the extent of saturation, a wide range of compositions and of physical properties were attained in the adducts. In general, resistance to aging, ozone attack, heat, solvent swelling, and to permeation by gases increased with increasing extent of saturation. Outstanding performance in these qualities was achieved by adducts of polymers whose double bonds had been over 90 per cent saturated. A highly saturated methyl mercaptan adduct of polybutadiene showed (1) stress-strain and air aging properties at 400° and 500° F better than commercially available ethylacrylate copolymers and various semicommercial heat resistant elastomers; (2) permeabil...
Analysis of strain type of legionella pneumophila and molecular genotyping of rpoB sequence from cooling water in central air conditioning system in Haizhu district of Guangzhou

Objective To understand contamination of Legionella pneumophila in cooling tower water of central air conditioning in the public places. Methods Eighty-five samples of cooling water in central air conditioning system in 36 public places of Haizhu, Guangzhou. The bacteriologic examination and genotyping were performed by seroagglutination test and PCR test. Results A total of 23 strains of legionella pneumophila were isolated from the 85 sa mples. The positive rate was 27.1% and the serum type was diverse. LP1 and LP6 are dominated with the rate of 34.8%(8/23),26.1%(6/23).The identification of Legionella pneumophila species was done by rpoB gene sequence typing. Conclusion The Legionella pneumophila contamination was serious in central air conditioning system in Guangzhou of Haizhu. The serum type was diverse and the rpoB gene was with regional specific.
Damage Morphologies in Targets Exposed to a New Plasma Deflagration Accelerator for ELM Simulation

Transient events in fusion power plants such as DEMO and ITER are known to pose a severe threat to plasma facing components (PFCs) due to melting and erosion after repeated edge localized mode (ELM) loads. In situ experimental testing of potential PFC materials at fusion relevant conditions is difficult and expensive, and as a result plasma devices capable of replicating the desired transient conditions are of increasing interest. At Stanford University, an experimental facility designed to mimic the heat flux, particle fluence, and other key characteristics of ELMs and disruption events in a controlled setting has been developed. A pulsed plasma accelerator operating in the deflagration mode is used to generate high-velocity (40–100 km/s) directed plasma jets that are stagnated on target material samples. In this paper, we present probe data characterizing the plasma parameters of the accelerated plume using hydrogen as the working gas, as well as preliminary target studies of silicon and copper witness plates exposed to pulses at various total and peak shot energies. Results from the probe analysis indicate achieved energy fluxes and heat flux parameters that are ELM-like, and the observed linearly correlated damage morphologies on the witness plates indicate that initial surface roughness plays a significant role in the growth characteristics of surface damage patterns. These results lay the groundwork for future studies of ELM-like loading on reactor-relevant materials using the Stanford plasma accelerator facility.
The relationship between intracellular second messengers and platelet secretion

Abbreviations used: PAF, platelet-activating factor; [Ca] i , cytosolic Ca 2+ concentration; OAG, 1-oleyl-2-acetylglycerol; TPA, 12- O -tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate; [1,2-diocylglycerol] i , cytosolic 1,2-diacylglycerol concentration, BAPTA, bis( O -aminophenoxy)ethane- N , N , N 9, N 9-tetra-acetic acid; IMBX, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine.
A perceptual visibility metric for banding artifacts

Banding is a common video artifact caused by compressing low texture regions with coarse quantization. Relatively few previous attempts exist to address banding and none incorporate subjective testing for calibrating the measurement. In this paper, we propose a novel metric that incorporates both edge length and contrast across the edge to measure video banding. We further introduce both reference and non-reference metrics. Our results demonstrate that the new metrics have a very high correlation with subjective assessment and certainly outperforms PSNR, SSIM, and VQM.
Synergistic Activation of p53 Family of Proteins by the Combination of Nutlin 3a and SAHA in Acute Myelogenous Leukemia.

Abstract 1738 Poster Board I-764 Background Nutlin 3a binds to murine double minute 2 (MDM2) a negative regulator of p53 and potently increases p53 protein levels by inhibiting MDM2 mediated ubiquitilation. Our group has shown activity of Nutlin 3a in acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and an intact p53 pathway appeared to be necessary for this activity (Blood. 2005;106:3150-9). The lysine residues on p53 that are ubiquitilated by MDM2 are also sites for acetylation, a process that stabilizes p53 for efficient transcription of p53 target proteins. SAHA is a wide spectrum Histone de-acetylase inhibitor (HDACi) and is known to induce acetylation of non-histone proteins. We postulated that the combination of Nutlin 3a and SAHA will lead to increased acetylation of p53, enhanced transcription of pro-apoptotic targets of p53 and synergistic activity in AML. As Nutlin 3a has been reported to disrupt interaction of MDM2 with other p53 family members notably p73 (Oncogene. 2008;27:997-1003) and HDACi can induce pro-apoptotic p73 (Oncogene. 2004;23:4807-17), we further postulated that the combination may be effective in AML cells with defective p53 pathway. Methods and Results In this study we investigated the effects of Nutlin 3a/SAHA combination on AML cell lines. OCI-AML-3 (p53 wild-type) cells were pre-treated with Nutlin 3a for 6 hrs and treated with Nutlin 3a+SAHA for a further 48 hrs. SAHA and Nutlin 3a induced apoptosis synergistically even in low drug concentrations (2.5 μM Nutlin 3a and 0.5 μM SAHA). In OCI-AML-3 cells, combination treatment resulted in increased protein levels of p53, increased p53 acetylation at Lys373/Lys382and induction of pro-apoptotic p53 transcriptional target protein, Noxa.. Interestingly, synergistic apoptosis induction with Nutlin 3a+SAHA was seen in p53 null (HL-60) and mutant (NB4 and OCI-AML-2) cells after 72 hrs. In HL-60 cells, treatment with Nutlin 3a+SAHA, resulted in increase in protein levels of p73. Noxa is also a transcriptional target of p73 and the treatment with Nutlin 3a+SAHA combination upregulated protein levels of Noxa in HL60 cells. Experiments with “knock-down” of p73 and Noxa and combination of Nutlin 3a with other HDACi are in progress. Though SAHA is known to be active against cancer cell lines with P-glycoprotein (Pgp) expression, we plan to exclude the possibility of modulation of P-gp by Nutlin 3a contributing to this synergy. Co-culture with normal bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) confers chemo-resistance to leukemia cells. Treatment with the combination of Nutlin 3a and SAHA for 72 hrs effectively induced apoptosis in OCI-AML-3 cells co-cultured with MSCs. Conclusion The combination of MDM2 inhibitor, Nutlin 3a and HDACi, SAHA show promising synergistic activity against AML cells irrespective of their p53 status and can potentially overcome the resistance mediated by the “microenvironment”. Disclosures Off Label Use: This is an in vitro study of SAHA (FDA approved) and the investigative agent Nutlin. No clinical data included..
Predicting academic emotions based on brainwaves, mouse behaviour and personality profile

This research presents how the level of academic emotions such as confidence, excitement, frustration and interest, may be predicted based on brainwaves and mouse behaviour, while taking into account the student's personality. Twenty five (25) college students of different personalities were asked to use the Aplusix® algebra learning software while an EEG sensor was attached to their head to capture their brainwaves. Brainwaves were carefully synchronized with the mouse behaviour and the assigned student activity. The collected brainwaves were then filtered, pre-processed and transformed to different frequency bands (alpha, beta, gamma). A number of classifiers were then built using different combinations of frequencies and mouse information which were used to predict the intensity level (low, average, high) of each emotion.
Seedling Cultural Practices

In 1989, I started to grow sweetgrass at CREC and the only way I knew how to start new fields was to dig “mother plants” from the ocean front and separate the clumps into smaller separations or “mini clumps” and plant those (Fig. 15.1). At that time, we had no idea how to germinate sweetgrass and so we depended on digging sweetgrass mother plants from Kiawah and LSSI Islands for our inland cultivation fields. This method, as you can imagine, was an inferior approach since it depended the scarce supply of sweetgrass in its natural habitat. To produce sweetgrass, plantlets for acres of inland cultivation would require hundreds of mother plants. In the earlier days, we had a limited supply of sweetgrass mother plants so our first planting at CREC was made with separations that were about “dime”- and “nickel”-sized “mini clump” plantlets. From one large mother plant, separations can produce up to 65 mini clumps with about 4 leaves per mini clump. If the roots of the separations were excessively long, I would root prune so they fit into their containers better. Of the 50 “mini clump” plantlets planted, only about 35 % survived the first summer. Although I have tried planting “mini clump” separations in spring, summer, and fall, I’d prefer to dig my mother clumps in late October, make the separations, and grow the plantlets through the winter in a greenhouse until mid-February for an early March field planting.
Abstract 160: Contribution of IP3 Receptors in the Electromechanical Response of LV Myocytes to Gq-protein Coupled Receptor Agonists

Gq-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) stimulation promotes PLC function, generating diacylglycerol (DAG) and inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3). The latter may promote Ca2+ translocation from intracellular stores altering Ca2+ homeostasis in cardiomyocytes. The aim of this study was to establish whether GPCR agonists enhance IP3 receptor (IP3R) activity, affecting the electromechanical properties of LV myocytes. For this purpose, the functional responses of myocytes to GPCR agonists ATP or ET-1 were established. In field-stimulated cells, GPCR activators increased diastolic Ca2+, transient amplitude, and contractility; extra-systolic Ca2+ releases and aftercontractions were promoted. These responses were prevented by inhibition of PLC, or blockade of IP3Rs. Since DAG promotes PKC activity, the effects of GPCR stimulation were tested in the presence of the PKC inhibitor chelerythrine. This compound failed to abrogate the effects of ATP and ET-1, indicating that PKC-independent pathways play a critical role in mediating the observed cellular responses to GPCR stimulation. Additionally, an AAV9 vector carrying EGFP and sh-RNA targeting IP3R type-2 was employed in vivo to downregulate IP3Rs. GPCRs activation failed to increase Ca2+ transients and to induce extra-systolic Ca2+ elevations in EGFP-positive myocytes. Conversely, these responses were preserved in EGFP-negative cells. In patch-clamped myocytes, changes in Ca2+ transient properties following GPCR activation were accompanied by a decrease in resting potential, action potential (AP) prolongation, and emergence of arrhythmic events. Similar electrical disturbances were detected by direct activation of IP3R with IP3 dialysis, or by enhancing the affinity of the receptors to its ligand, with thimerosal. To establish whether Ca2+ mobilized from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) to the cytoplasm via IP3Rs was responsible for the electrical alterations caused by GPCR agonists, experiments were performed in which SR Ca2+ was depleted, or cytosolic Ca2+ was buffered. Under these conditions, ATP and ET-1 failed to prolong the AP and to induce arrhythmias. In conclusion, the GPCR/IP3R axis regulates Ca2+ homeostasis, contractile performance and the electrical stability of LV myocytes.
A Dynamic Area-Efficient Technique to Enhance ROPUFs Security Against Modeling Attacks

Physical Unclonable Function PUFs are probabilistic functions that are widely used for the security of silicon technology chips including ASIC/FPGA. Despite the prevalence of numerous techniques for fabrication of Silicon PUFs (SPUFs), to the best of our knowledge, a well-established dynamic technique that can provide updated secret keys to improve ROPUF security against modeling attacks does not exist. In this book chapter, an area-efficient technique that exploits an appropriate reconfiguration mechanism and utilizes dedicated FPGA resources to build a dynamic multi-stage ROPUF (d-ROPUF) structures is proposed. To determine the correlation between each structure and its performance, the normality of the generated RO frequencies is studied. Experimental results show that a structure with fewer stages has higher performance in terms of variability and diverseness. Statistical characteristics of the response bits are studied at normal and varying temperature and voltage variations in order to validate the performance of the proposed technique in terms of uniqueness, uniformity, bit-aliasing, and reliability. Our results show that the d-ROPUF exhibits better uniqueness, uniformity, bit-aliasing, and reliability at varying operating conditions when compared with other techniques.
Abstract WP15: Influence of Blood Pressure Parameters within 24-hours of Thrombectomy on Hospital Discharge Outcome

Background: Presently, no evidence exists that blood pressure parameters (BPPs) in the first 24-hours after thrombectomy (T24hrs) independently predicts outcome. We aimed to study an association between discharge outcome and BPPs in T24hrs for both successful and unsuccessful thrombectomies, defined as Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (TICI) score ≥ 2b and ≤ 2a, respectively. Methods: We retrospectively identified 54 patients at a single institution who underwent thrombectomy for emergent occlusion of anterior cerebral circulation (ICA, A1, M1, M2) from May 2015 to June 2016. We excluded patients with cancer or major cardiovascular surgeries. Primary outcome was hospital discharge: home or rehab (favorable) versus long term acute care facility or death (unfavorable). We determined if highest, lowest, average, and range of systolic (SBP), diastolic (DBP), and mean arterial (MAP) pressures were associated with outcome, utilizing univariate and multivariate logistic regression considering the following variables: age, sex, NIH-stroke scale, history of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, smoking, atrial fibrillation, use of anticoagulative or antiplatelet medications prior to admission, administration of tPA, and the use of antihypertensive or pressor drip in T24hrs. Results: In patients with TICI ≥ 2b (n=43), highest SBP (odds ratio=1.04, p=0.01), highest MAP (1.05, p=0.03), SBP range (1.04, p=0.005), and MAP range (1.05, p=0.03) correlated with poor outcome. In multivariate analysis, only the SBP range trended with outcome (1.34, p=0.09). In patients with TICI ≤ 2a (n=11), BPPs did not correlate with outcome. Conclusion: Large variability in SBP in T24hrs after successful thrombectomies (TICI ≥ 2b) trended with poor outcome. Further studies are warranted to elucidate BPPs in T24hrs as predictors of hospital discharge.
Thoreauea (Apocynaceae: Apocynoideae), a New Genus from Oaxaca, Mexico

Abstract: Recent studies of Mexican Apocynaceae have uncovered a new species. The taxon is here viewed as generically distinct and accordingly the name Thoreauea paneroi J. K. Williams, gen. et sp. nov. is proposed. The species is from montane pine-oak cloud forests of the Santiago Juxtlahuaca area of northwestern Oaxaca, Mexico. Its relationship to Thenardia H.B.K. and other genera is discussed.
A Model of Titan-like Chemistry to Connect Experiments and Cassini Observations

A numerical model is presented for interpreting the chemical pathways that lead to the experimental mass spectra acquired in the Titan Haze Simulation (THS) laboratory experiments and for comparing the electron density and temperature of the THS plasma to observations made at Titan by the Cassini spacecraft. The THS plasma is a pulsed glow-discharge experiment designed to simulate the reaction of N2/CH4-dominated gas in Titan's upper atmosphere. The transient, one-dimensional model of THS chemistry tracks the evolution of more than 120 species in the direction of the plasma flow. As the minor species C2H2 and C2H4 are added to the N2/CH4-based mixture, the model correctly predicts the emergence of reaction products with up to five carbon atoms in relative abundances that agree well with measured mass spectra. Chemical growth in Titan's upper atmosphere transpires through ion–neutral and neutral–neutral chemistry, and the main reactions involving a series of known atmospheric species are retrieved from the calculation. The model indicates that the electron density and chemistry are steady during more than 99% of the 300 μs long discharge pulse. The model also suggests that the THS ionization fraction and electron temperature are comparable to those measured in Titan's upper atmosphere. These findings reaffirm that the THS plasma is a controlled analog environment for studying the first and intermediate steps of chemistry in Titan's upper atmosphere.
Fluid structure interaction simulations of the upper airway in obstructive sleep apnea patients before and after maxillomandibular advancement surgery.

Introduction The purpose of this study was to analyze pharyngeal airflow using both computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and fluid structure interactions (FSI) in obstructive sleep apnea patients before and after maxillomandibular advancement (MMA) surgery. The airflow characteristics before and after surgery were compared with both CFD and FSI. In addition, the presurgery and postsurgery deformations of the airway were evaluated using FSI. Methods Digitized pharyngeal airway models of 2 obstructive sleep apnea patients were generated from cone-beam computed tomography scans before and after MMA surgery. CFD and FSI were used to evaluate the pharyngeal airflow at a maximum inspiration rate of 166 ml per second. Standard steady-state numeric formulations were used for airflow simulations. Results Airway volume increased, pressure drop decreased, maximum airflow velocity decreased, and airway resistance dropped for both patients after the MMA surgery. These findings occurred in both the CFD and FSI simulations. The FSI simulations showed an area of marked airway deformation in both patients before surgery, but this deformation was negligible after surgery for both patients. Conclusions Both CFD and FSI simulations produced airflow results that indicated less effort was needed to breathe after MMA surgery. The FSI simulations demonstrated a substantial decrease in airway deformation after surgery. These beneficial changes positively correlated with the large improvements in polysomnography outcomes after MMA surgery.
Amphiphile self-assembly dynamics at the solution-solid interface reveal asymmetry in head/tail desorption

Amphiphilic alkoxybenzonitriles (ABNs) of varying chain length are studied at the solution/graphite interface to analyze dynamics of assembly. Competitive self-assembly between ABNs and alkanoic acid solvent is shown by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to be controlled by concentration and molecular size. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations reveal key roles of the sub-nanosecond fundamental steps of desorption, adsorption, and on-surface motion. We discovered asymmetry in desorption–adsorption steps. Desorption starting from alkyl chain detachment from the surface is favored due to dynamic occlusion by neighbouring chains. Even though the nitrile head has a strong solvent affinity, it more frequently re-adsorbs following a detachment event.
Perceived Discrimination and Substance Use among Adolescents: Examining the Moderating Effect of Distress Tolerance and Negative Urgency.

Background: Perceived discrimination has been found to increase substance use vulnerability among adolescent populations. However, less is known about individual level factors which may moderate th...