cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effects of radio frequency ablation on renal function and blood pressure.

ABSTRACTPurpose: Radio frequency ablation (RFA) is evolving as a nephron sparing treatment alternative for select patents with small renal tumors. The impact of ablated tissue on the remaining kidney parenchyma is unknown. To assess this impact we evaluated pretreatment and posttreatment serum creatinine (sCr), and blood pressure of patients treated with RFA with at least 6 months of followup.Materials and Methods: From our series of 69 tumors treated with RFA 25 patients with a total of 26 tumors and a minimum 6-month followup were identified. RFA was delivered percutaneously or laparoscopically depending on tumor location and patient preference. Blood pressure measurements and sCr levels were obtained at preoperative and postoperative office visits. Values for preoperative and postoperative systolic blood pressure, diastolic pressure and sCr were each compared. Estimated creatinine clearance was calculated for each patient before and after treatment, and compared.Results: No patient experienced new onse...
Structure under confinement in a smectic-A and lyotropic surfactant hexagonal phase

Abstract Simple and complex fluids undergo significant changes in their structural and rheological behaviour as they are progressively confined between narrowing walls. The understanding of these new fluid properties is of fundamental interest in applications ranging from thin film lubrication in micromachines to catalysis. The X-Ray surface forces apparatus (XSFA) is capable of non-destructive imaging of the structure of confined complex fluid systems, on length scales ranging from nanometers to several tens of microns. In this article, recent work is presented on studies of confined complex fluids with the XSFA. Confinement can significantly align the liquid crystalline smectic phase. The degree of orientation depends critically on the compliance of the confining surface: “soft surfaces” exhibit a critical gap for alignment of 3.4 μm, while “hard surfaces” do not exhibit gap dependent alignment. Shear-induced orientation has been shown to dominate over confinement induced alignment with the systems studied. In the final part of the paper, we discuss an important new development where it is demonstrated that the XSFA may be used as an alignment tool for lyotropic liquid crystals.
The first course in computer science needs a mathematics corequisite

First-year computer science students need to know and use a considerable amount of mathematics. A corequired course in discrete mathematics is a good solution.
Investigating the Use of Heavy Alcohols as a Fuel Blending Agent for Compression Ignition Engine Applications

There has been an extensive worldwide search for alternate fuels that fit with the existing infrastructure and would thus displace fossil-based resources. In metabolic engineering work at Argonne National Laboratory, strains of fuel have been designed that can be produced in large quantities by photosynthetic bacteria, eventually producing a heavy alcohol called phytol (C20H40O). Phytol’s physical and chemical properties (cetane number, heat of combustion, heat of vaporization, density, surface tension, vapor pressure, etc.) correspond in magnitude to those of diesel fuel, suggesting that phytol might be a good blending agent in compression ignition (CI) engine applications. The main reason for this study was to investigate the feasibility of using phytol as a blending agent with diesel; this was done by comparing the performance and emission characteristics of different blends of phytol (5%, 10%, 20% by volume) with diesel. The experimental research was performed on a single-cylinder engine under conventional operating conditions. Since phytol’s viscosity is much higher than that of diesel, higher-injection-pressure cases were investigated to ensure the delivery of fuel into the combustion chamber was sufficient. The influence of the fuel’s chemical composition on performance and emission characteristics was captured by doing an injection timing sweep. Combustion characteristics as shown in the cylinder pressure trace were comparable for the diesel and all the blends of phytol at each of the injection timings. The 5% and 10% blends show lower CO and similar NOx values. However, the 20% blend shows higher NOx and CO emissions, indicating that the chemical and physical properties have been altered substantially at this higher percentage. The combustion event was depicted by performing high-speed natural luminosity imaging using endoscopy. This revealed that the higher in-cylinder temperatures for the 20% blend are the cause for its higher NOx emissions. In addition, three-dimensional simulations of transient, turbulent nozzle flow were performed to compare the injection and cavitation characteristics of phytol and its blends. Specifically, area and discharge coefficients and mass flow rates of diesel and phytol blends were compared under corresponding engine operating conditions. The conclusion is that phytol may be a suitable blending agent with diesel fuel for CI applications.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Organ Blood Flow Redistribution in Response to Hypoxemia in Neonatal Piglets

This study was designed to determine the effects of severe hypoxemia on newborn piglet visceral blood flow. While the hemodynamic effects of a severe hypoxemic insult are well characterized in newborn animals, its impact on organ perfusion in premature infants is not well characterized. Cannulas were placed in the femoral vessels and left atrium of term (1-14 days old) and prematurely delivered (cesarean section at 90% of term gestation) piglets. After stabilization, some animals were subjected to 1 h of ventilator-controlled hypoxia (yielding PaO2 ≊ 30-40 torr) followed by 30 min of reoxygenation; the remaining animals served as unchallenged controls. Radiolabeled micro-spheres were injected in all animals at times 0 min (baseline), 5 and 60 min (hypoxia), and 90 min (reoxygenation). Blood flows (mL/min/g tissue) to organs were determined using reference organ techniques. Control animals displayed no alterations in any of the variables monitored. Throughout the experimental period, organ blood flows were...
Thrombotic complications in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a meta-analysis of 17 prospective studies comprising 1752 pediatric patients

The risk of thrombosis in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) reportedly ranges between 1% and 37%. Epidemiologic studies have usually been hampered by small numbers, making accurate estimates of thrombosis risk in ALL patients very difficult. The aim of this study was to better estimate the frequency of this complication and to define how the disease, its treatment, and the host contribute to its occurrence. We made an attempt to combine and analyze all published data on the association between pediatric ALL and thrombosis, by using a meta-analytic method. The rate of thrombosis in 1752 children from 17 prospective studies was 5.2% (95% CI: 4.2-6.4). The risk varies depending on several factors. Most of the events occurred during the induction phase of therapy. Lower doses of asparaginase (ASP) for long periods were associated with the highest incidence of thrombosis, as were anthracyclines and prednisone (instead of dexamethasone). The presence of central lines and of thrombophilic genetic abnormalities also appeared to be frequently associated with thrombosis. In conclusion, the overall thrombotic risk in ALL children was significant, and the subgroup analysis was able to identify high-risk individuals, a finding that will hopefully guide future prospective studies aimed at decreasing this risk.
Revision of the Genus Nubenocephalus and Description of Nubenocephalus secundus n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Actinocephalidae) Parasitizing Adults of Argia sedula (Odonata: Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae) in the Primitive Texas Big Thicket, U.S.A.

Abstract Nubenocephalus secundus n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida) is described from adults of Argia sedula (Odonata: Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae) collected from Harmon Creek, Sam Houston State University Center for Biological Field Studies, Walker County, Texas, U.S.A. This is the second species described in the genus and confirms the generic hypothesis of Nubenocephalus. The generic diagnosis of Nubenocephalus is revised to reflect common characters of its constituent species and a previously described Asian gregarine, Nubenocephalus mutabilis n. comb. (=Ancyrophora mutabilis) is recognized as a member of the genus.
Phasic disappearance of left circumflex coronary artery from an early complication of mitral valve surgery

LV pseudoaneurysm can be a late complication of mitral valve replacement. In our case, it was an early postoperative complication. This pseudoaneurysm was causing compression of LCX artery during systole, leading to presentation of NSTEMI two weeks after the surgery.
Fatty Acids of Mycobacterium kansasii

The cellular fatty acids of 35 strains of Mycobacterium kansasii isolated from clinical material were analyzed to establish properties by which we could identify and characterize these acid-fast microorganisms. The fatty acids were extracted from cells grown in liquid synthetic media, and they were analyzed as methyl esters by gas-liquid chromatography. The fatty acid profiles of all strains were similar. They differed from fatty acid profiles of other mycobacteria by their content of a saturated fatty acid with a methyl group at C2.
Novel tetranucleotide microsatellite markers from the Del Norte salamander ( Plethodon elongatus ) with application to its sister species the Siskiyou Mountain salamander ( P. stormi )

Eleven tetranucleotide microsatellite loci were developed for the Del Norte salamander ( Plethodon elongatus ). The loci were variably polymorphic, ranging from two to 20 alleles per locus, with expected heterozygosities ranging from 0.07 to 0.86. The loci also amplified in a congener, the Siskiyou Mountain salamander ( P. stormi ). The microsatellite loci will be used to assess the utility of highly polymorphic markers to assay within- and betweenspecies differentiation between these two closely related species.
Using MIMO approach to get out of many iterations in analog adaptive beamforming

In this paper, a deterministic solution for controlling reactively steerable antenna, which requires extremely a few channel trainings, has been proposed. The way to estimate the invisible parasitic channel has been described in detail. It is also shown how the parasitic channel works in maximizing the channel capacity. The simulated results demonstrated that MIMO adaptive antenna can provide 10 % higher channel capacity, and the necessary training sequence is only twice when the numbers of receiving and parasitic antennas are the same.
Microwave performance of GaAs MOSFET with wet thermally oxidized InAlP gate dielectric

This paper reports the first demonstration of a microwave-frequency operation of a GaAs MOSFET fabricated using a wet thermal oxidization of InAlP lattice-matched to GaAs to form a native-oxide gate insulator. Devices with 1-/spl mu/m gate lengths exhibit a cutoff frequency (f/sub t/) of 13.7 GHz and a maximum frequency of oscillation (f/sub max/) of 37.6 GHz, as well as a peak extrinsic transconductance of 73.6 mS/mm. A low-leakage current density of 3.8/spl times/10/sup -3/ A/cm/sup 2/ at 1-V bias for an MOS capacitor demonstrates the good insulating properties of the /spl sim/ 11-nm thick native gate oxide.
A Technique for Real-Time Shadowing Adjustment of RCS Scattering Center Models

A method has been developed to adjust radar cross section (RCS) scattering models for two-body effects, particularly shadowing. The method described here involves using the near field scattering solution of one object to apply two-body corrections to another. By assuming that the second object can be represented by a known set of point scatterers, the fields at these scattering centers are used to calculate the adjusted RCS in the presence of the shadowing object using the principle of reciprocity. Since this approximation does not require a full-wave electromagnetic solution, it is considerably more computationally efficient than moment method solvers or other similar techniques, and thus could be adapted to real-time applications. The results of the method are compared against measurement and Moment Method simulation for the case of two cylinders, a cylinder and a cone, and two spheres. Good agreement is generally obtained between the proposed approximate model and measurements or Moment Method simulations.
iPhones in China: The Contradictory Stories of Media-ICT Globalization in the Era of Media Convergence and Corporate Synergy

This study analyzes Mainland China’s official and unofficial reception of the iPhone, a highly popular smartphone made by Apple. Apple, with its synergistic business measures, seeks to shape all aspects of iPhone users’ mobile experiences, whether related to hardware, software, content, or service. As Apple attempts to expand on its U.S. success, the iPhone case in China displays many contradictory stories of Apple’s globalization endeavors. This article analyzes the structural obstacles facing Apple that come from the Chinese bureaucratic capitalist party-state and local wireless carriers and reveals both the creativity of Chinese iPhone users and the limits of their resistant tactics. To make sense of the intricacies of this global-local encounter, we need to combine political economic and critical cultural analyses and interpret resistance in light of the power imbalance intensified by media convergence and corporate synergy on the structural level.
Elevated amygdala response to faces and gaze aversion in autism spectrum disorder

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are often associated with impairments in judgment of facial expressions. This impairment is often accompanied by diminished eye contact and atypical amygdala responses to face stimuli. The current study used a within-subjects design to examine the effects of natural viewing and an experimental eye-gaze manipulation on amygdala responses to faces. Individuals with ASD showed less gaze toward the eye region of faces relative to a control group. Among individuals with ASD, reduced eye gaze was associated with higher threat ratings of neutral faces. Amygdala signal was elevated in the ASD group relative to controls. This elevated response was further potentiated by experimentally manipulating gaze to the eye region. Potentiation by the gaze manipulation was largest for those individuals who exhibited the least amount of naturally occurring gaze toward the eye region and was associated with their subjective threat ratings. Effects were largest for neutral faces, highlighting the importance of examining neutral faces in the pathophysiology of autism and questioning their use as control stimuli with this population. Overall, our findings provide support for the notion that gaze direction modulates affective response to faces in ASD.
Optimizing multidetector CT for visualization of splenic vascular injury. Validation by splenic arteriography in blunt abdominal trauma patients.

Nonoperative management of blunt splenic injury is the treatment of choice in hemodynamically stable patients. Detection of vascular injury by multidetector CT (MDCT) is the most significant factor predicting the need for endovascular treatment. This study evaluated the timing of the appearance of vascular lesions during angiography. Images from 20 patients embolized for pseudoaneurysms (PSA) were evaluated. Angiograms were reviewed for phase and timing of PSA. Admission MDCT was reviewed for injury grade and PSA. Initial MDCT evaluation indicated grade III and IV splenic injuries in 9 and 11 patients, respectively. PSA was seen on MDCT in 14/20 (70%) patients. Time from opacification of the aorta to vascular injury was 1.32 s for arterial phase injuries compared with 2.05 s for postcapillary injuries (P = 0.097). Angiography demonstrated 15 vascular injuries during the arterial and 5 in the venous phase. Of injuries seen during arterial phase angiography, 10/15 (66%) were identified on MDCT. Of the five injuries that exhibited postcapillary-phase findings, 4/5 (80%) demonstrated PSA (P = 0.5). Vascular lesions are a better indicator of subsequent clinical deterioration than splenic injury grade. PSAs are more frequently seen in postcapillary vascular injuries than arterial phase lesions with the current timing of MDCT. In a subset of patients in whom splenic injury grades III and IV warrant angiography, PSAs are not initially demonstrated on MDCT. Therefore, alteration of MDCT timing parameters to better correlate with arterial phase angiography may improve initial diagnosis of vascular injury.
Development and Validation of a Scale of Perceived Social Self-Efficacy.

The present study involved the development and psychometric evaluation of the Scale of Perceived Social Self-Efficacy (PSSE), a measure of self-efficacy expectations with respect to a range of social behaviors. A high degree of internal consistency reliability was found for the PSSE in a development sample of 354 undergraduate students (90 males and 264 females), with coefficient alpha = .94. Test-retest reliability over a 3-week interval was r = .82 (r = .86 for males and r = .80 for females). Data from correlational analyses supported the construct and discriminant validity of the scale in that social self-efficacy was strongly related to both Social Confidence and Enterprising Confidence (from the Skills Confidence Inventory) but was substantially unrelated to confidence in the other four (Holland) confidence scales. Social self-efficacy was also strongly related to shyness, which has been found to seriously hinder career development processes in young adults. Directions for further career research and...
Understanding neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia in the era of genomics

The genomics revolution offers novel approaches to scientific investigation. Application of genomics technologies including microarray gene chips will provide a more complete picture of biological phenomena and help define the genetic contribution to disease by monitoring changes in expression across thousands of genes in physiological and clinical contexts. We briefly summarize identified genetic components that contribute to the genesis of neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia with a focus on inborn errors of hepatic bilirubin conjugation and discuss the potential use of microarray gene expression profiling technology to enhance our understanding of the pathogenesis of hyperbilirubinaemic neuronal cell injury. Expanded study using the tools of genomics will shed insights into the genetics of newborn jaundice and the pathogenesis of hyperbilirubinaemic encephalopathy.
DEEJAM: Defeating Energy-Efficient Jamming in IEEE 802.15.4-based Wireless Networks

Jamming is a very effective denial-of-service attack that renders most higher-layer security mechanisms moot - yet it is often ignored in WSN design. We show that an interrupt jamming attack is simple to perpetrate in software using a MICAz mote, is energy efficient and stealthy for the jammer, and completely disrupts communication. Solutions are needed to mitigate this insider threat even if more powerful attackers are not thwarted. We present DEEJAM, a novel MAC-layer protocol for defeating stealthy jammers with IEEE 802.15.4-based hardware, to address this problematic area. It layers four defensive mechanisms to hide communication from a jammer, evade its search, and reduce its impact. Given the difficulty of modeling the physical layer accurately in simulation, we evaluate DEEJAM instead on the MICAz mote. We show the performance of the protocol against successively more complex attacks: interrupt jamming, activity jamming, scan jamming, and pulse jamming. Results show that DEEJAM defeats the otherwise devastating interrupt jammer, and achieves a packet delivery ratio of 88% in the presence of a pulse jammer. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first to confront multiple types of jamming on common WSN hardware with solutions that are shown empirically to enable continued communication despite an ongoing attack.
Triple homoplasy in the clausilial apparatus: a columellar knob in Alopiinae (Gastropoda: Pulmonata: Clausiliidae)

It is named after the clausilium, a door-like movable plate, connected to the columella by a long and flexible stalk. In combination with apertural lamellae, the clausilial plate closes the aperture of the shell when the soft body of the snail is with drawn. It is generally assumed that a CA as such originated only once in the course of evolution. 1 However, after its basic structures had formed, various adaptive refinements of the CA may have evolved more than once independently. 4 In this note a hitherto overlooked example of such a homoplasious development is reported. Recently, Giusti et al . 5 published excellent photographs (figures 326‐329, 338‐344) of shells of Lam pedusa melitensis (Caruana Gatto, 1892), with details of the CA. In this species the columella is con spicuously broadened within the body whorl, to form a ‘columellar knob’. 5
Global transcriptome response of recombinant Escherichia coli to heat-shock and dual heat-shock recombinant protein induction

Recombinant Escherichia coli cultures are used to manufacture numerous therapeutic proteins and industrial enzymes, where many of these processes use elevated temperatures to induce recombinant protein production. The heat-shock response in wild-type E. coli has been well studied. In this study, the transcriptome profiles of recombinant E. coli subjected to a heat-shock and to a dual heat-shock recombinant protein induction were examined. Most classical heat-shock protein genes were identified as regulated in both conditions. The major transcriptome differences between the recombinant and reported wild-type cultures were heavily populated by hypothetical and putative genes, which indicates recombinant cultures utilize many unique genes to respond to a heat-shock. Comparison of the dual stressed culture data with literature recombinant protein induced culture data revealed numerous differences. The dual stressed response encompassed three major response patterns: induced-like, in-between, and greater than either individual stress response. Also, there were no genes that only responded to the dual stress. The most interesting difference between the dual stressed and induced cultures was the amino acid-tRNA gene levels. The amino acid-tRNA genes were elevated for the dual cultures compared to the induced cultures. Since, tRNAs facilitate protein synthesis via translation, this observed increase in amino acid-tRNA transcriptome levels, in concert with elevated heat-shock chaperones, might account for improved productivities often observed for thermo-inducible systems. Most importantly, the response of the recombinant cultures to a heat-shock was more profound than wild-type cultures, and further, the response to recombinant protein induction was not a simple additive response of the individual stresses.
The Adsorption of Enterobacterial Endotoxins by Activated Attapulgite

The effect of activated attapulgite upon endotoxins (lipopolysaccharides) of enterobacterial pathogens (enteropathogenic Escherichia coli and Shigella sonnei ) was studied by means of the enterobacterial hemolysis and hemolysis inhibition tests and in vivo experiments in mice. It was found that activated attapulgite adsorbs the endotoxins as demonstrated by inhibition of enterobacterial hemolysis, elimination of the specific inhibitory effect of the antigens in hemolysis inhibition tests, and by die abolishment of toxicity in mice. The significance of the findings is discussed with particular reference to their bearing upon the clinical use of activated attapulgite in localized intestinal infections and other syndromes associated with these endotoxins.
Queuing and Network Models

Comprehensive and computational models of human performance have both scientific and practical importance to human-machine system design and human-centered computing. This chapter describes human performance models that are based on queuing and network theories. Queuing-based models and network-based models were initially developed as two separate schools of models, as summarized in the first part of the chapter. Recent work based on queuing networks not only integrates the two schools of models into a unified framework but also allows integration of several other schools of approaches such as symbolic models, as described in the second part of this chapter.
Adherence to cancer prevention recommendations and antioxidant and inflammatory status in premenopausal women

For cancer prevention, the World Cancer Research Fund & American Institute for Cancer Research (WCRF/AICR) emphasize recommendations to improve individual behavior including avoidance of tobacco products, maintaining a lean body mass, participating in physical activity, consuming a plant based diet, and minimizing the consumption of calorie dense foods, such as sodas, red and processed meats, and alcohol. In this study of 275 healthy premenopausal women, we explored the association of adherence scores with levels of three biomarkers of antioxidant and inflammation status: serum C-reactive protein (CRP), serum γ-tocopherol, and urinary F2-isoprostane. The statistical analysis applied linear regression across categories of adherence to WCRF/AICR recommendations. Overall, 72 women were classified as low (≤4), 150 as moderate (5–6), and 53 as high adherers (≥7). The unadjusted means for CRP were 2.7, 2.0, and 1.7 mg/L for low, moderate, and high adherers (ptrend=0.03); this association was strengthened after adjustment for confounders (ptrend=0.006). The respective values for serum γ-tocopherol were 1.97, 1.63, and 1.45 μg/mL (ptrend=0.02 before and ptrend=0.03 after adjustment). Only for urinary F2-isoprostane, the lower values in high adherers (16.0, 14.5, and 13.3 ng/mL) did not reach statistical significance (ptrend=0.18). In an analysis by body mass index (BMI), overweight and obese women had higher biomarker levels than normal weight women; the trend was significant for CRP (ptrend<0.001) and γ-tocopherol (ptrend=0.003) but not for F2-isoprostane (ptrend=0.14). These findings suggest that both adherence to the WCRF/AICR guidelines and normal BMI status are associated with lower levels of biomarkers that indicate oxidative stress and inflammation.
Reconstruction of the charge collection probability in a CIGS solar cell by the regularization method

We introduce a new nondestructive and parameter-independent optoelectronic method to analyze the internal quantum efficiency (IQE) data that are obtained on a copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) solar cells. This method directly reconstructs the distribution of the charge collection probability in the device by inverting the integral transform that connects charge collection probability to the measured IQE. This inversion is generally an ill-posed problem, but we obtain a stable solution using the Truncated Singular Value Decomposition (TSVD) regularization method. This procedure is used to analyze simulated and measured IQE data on CIGS solar cells.
Modeling Silicon Photonics in Distributed Computing Systems: from the Device to the Rack

SiP interconnects are envisioned for large scale distributed computing platforms. In such applications, optical systems involving millions of devices have to be modeled. We review key model transformation methods that allow scalable modeling.
Imaging Features of Biphenotypic Primary Liver Carcinoma (Hepatocholangiocarcinoma) and the Potential to Mimic Hepatocellular Carcinoma: LI-RADS Analysis of CT and MRI Features in 61 Cases.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency with which biphenotypic primary liver carcinoma (also called hepatocholangiocarcinoma) may be misclassified as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) when only Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) major features are used and after consideration of ancillary features. MATERIALS AND METHODS. A review of all pathologically proven biphenotypic primary liver carcinomas diagnosed at one institution from 2006 to 2014 was performed. Two subspecialized abdominal imagers independently reviewed cases using LI-RADS version 2014 and assigned major features, ancillary features, and additional findings. The number of lesions meeting imaging criteria for HCC was determined after assessment of major features alone and after the addition of ancillary features. RESULTS. Sixty-one patients (30 men, 31 women; mean age, 62 years; range, 22–89 years) with biphenotypic primary liver carcinomas who underwent pretreatment multiphasic contrast-enhanced MRI (48...
Chemical Kinetic Influences of Alkyl Chain Structure on the High Pressure and Temperature Oxidation of a Representative Unsaturated Biodiesel: Methyl Nonenoate

The high pressure and temperature oxidation of methyl trans-2-nonenoate, methyl trans-3-nonenoate, 1-octene, and trans-2-octene are investigated experimentally to probe the influence of the double bond position on the chemical kinetics of long esters and alkenes. Single pulse shock tube experiments are performed in the ranges p = 3.8-6.2 MPa and T = 850-1500 K, with an average reaction time of 2 ms. Gas chromatographic measurements indicate increased reactivity for trans-2-octene compared to 1-octene, whereas both methyl nonenoate isomers have reactivities similar to that of 1-octene. A difference in the yield of stable intermediates is observed for the octenes when compared to the methyl nonenoates. Chemical kinetic models are developed with the aid of the Reaction Mechanism Generator to interpret the experimental results. The models are created using two different base chemistry submodels to investigate the influence of the foundational chemistry (i.e., C0-C4), whereas Monte Carlo simulations are performed to examine the quality of agreement with the experimental results. Significant uncertainties are found in the chemistry of unsaturated esters with the double bonds located close to the ester groups. This work highlights the importance of the foundational chemistry in predictive chemical kinetics of biodiesel combustion at engine relevant conditions.
Percutaneous Transendocardial Delivery of Self-Complementary Adeno-Associated Virus 6 in the Canine

Achieving efficient cardiac gene transfer in a large animal model has proven to be technically challenging. Prior strategies have employed cardio-pulmonary bypass or dual catheterization with the aid of vasodilators to deliver vectors, such as adenovirus, adeno-associated virus (AAV) or plasmid DNA. While single-stranded AAV vectors have shown the greatest promise, they suffer from delayed expression, which might be circumvented by using self-complementary vectors. We have recently optimized a cardiac gene transfer protocol in the canine using a percutaneous transendocardial injection catheter to deliver an AAV vector under fluoroscopic guidance. Percutaneous transendocardial injection of self-complementary AAV (scAAV)-6 is a safe, effective method for achieving efficient cardiac gene transfer to approximately 60% of the myocardium.
Pharmacokinetics and estimated bioavailability of amoxicillin in mares after intravenous, intramuscular, and oral administration.

The pharmacokinetics and estimated bioavailability of amoxicillin were determined after IV, intragastric, and IM administration to healthy mares. After IV administration of sodium amoxicillin (10 mg/kg of body weight), the disposition of the drug was best described by a 2-compartment open model. A rapid distribution phase was followed by a rapid elimination phase, with a mean +/- SD half-life of 39.4 +/- 3.57 minutes. The mean volume of distribution was 325 +/- 68.2 ml/kg, and the mean body clearance was 5.68 +/- 0.80 ml/min.kg. It was concluded that frequent IV administration of sodium amoxicillin would be required to maintain therapeutic plasma concentrations of amoxicillin, and thus, the use of this dosage form should be limited to the initiation of treatment or to intensive care situations. After intragastric administration of amoxicillin trihydrate (20 mg/kg), 5% cherry-flavored suspension, the drug was rapidly, but incompletely, absorbed and rapidly eliminated (mean half-life of the decline phase of the plasma amoxicillin concentration-time curve, 51 minutes). The mean estimated bioavailability (fractional absorption) of the administered dose was 10.4%, and the mean peak plasma amoxicillin concentration was 2.73 micrograms/ml at 1.5 hours after dosing. In one horse with clinical signs of abdominal discomfort and diarrhea, the absorption of amoxicillin from the gastrointestinal tract was delayed and the fraction absorbed was increased. It was concluded that this oral dosage form could be recommended only for the treatment of infections caused by bacteria that are highly susceptible to amoxicillin, that frequent dosing would be necessary, and that absorption may be inconsistent in horses with gastrointestinal disease.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Abstract 3882: Patient-specific druggable networks in lethal prostate cancer through proteome-guided multi-omic integration

Metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) remains incurable due to the lack of effective therapies. The need to identify new actionable targets in this disease is crucial as we begin to examine the resistance mechanisms related to androgen withdrawal. Pathway activation of signaling proteins, such as kinases, are hypothesized to drive the progression of lethal CRPC. We set out to define the global picture of signaling pathways in lethal prostate cancer through dataset integration. We used clinical tissue from lethal metastatic CRPC patients obtained at rapid autopsy to evaluate and integrate previously published genomic and transcriptomic datasets combined with a new complete and extensive dataset of the phosphoproteome in metastatic CRPC for pathway analysis. This included extending our analysis of the phosphoproteome to phosphoserine and phosphothreonine peptides with our published phosphotyrosine peptide data. Using Tied Diffusion through Interacting Events (TieDIE), we integrated differentially expressed master transcriptional regulators, functionally mutated genes, and differentially activated kinases in CRPC tissues relative to treatment naive prostate cancer to synthesize a robust signaling network consisting of druggable kinase pathways for therapy. Using MSigDB hallmark gene sets, six major signaling pathways with phosphorylation of several key residues were significantly enriched in CRPC tumors after incorporation of phosphoproteomic data. Further, we were able to gather mRNA and phosphoproteome data from six individual patients where the integration of tissue samples from a single autopsy program allowed us to make inferences on the connections between the mRNA and phosphoproteome datasets. Individual patient profiles developed using these hallmarks revealed clinically relevant pathway information suitable for patient stratification and targeted therapies in lethal prostate cancer. Here we describe these pathways: personalized cancer hallmarks using an integrative phospho-signature (pCHIPs) that sheds light on the diversity of activated signaling pathways in metastatic CRPC while providing an integrative, pathway-based reference for drug prioritization in individual patients. Citation Format: Justin M. Drake, Evan O. Paull, Nicholas A. Graham, John K. Lee, Bryan A. Smith, Tanya Stoyanova, Claire M. Faltermeier, Daniel E. Carlin, Ajay Vashisht, Jiaoti Huang, James A. Wohlschlegel, Thomas G. Graeber, Owen N. Witte, Joshua M. Stuart. Patient-specific druggable networks in lethal prostate cancer through proteome-guided multi-omic integration. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 3882.
A Temporal Analysis of Persuasion Principles in Phishing Emails

Eight hundred eighty-seven phishing emails from Arizona State University, Brown University, and Cornell University were assessed by two reviewers for Cialdini’s six principles of persuasion: author...
Emerging Directions in Photonics: Nanophotonics, Biophotonics and Metaphotonics

On going research in our laboratory in Nanophotonics, Biophotonics and Metaphotonics will be presented, along with a discussion of their current status and future direction. Some specific topics covered are Silicon Quantum dots, Semiconductor Plasmonics, Upconversion Nanomaterials, Nonlinear Optical Bioimaging, Photodynamic Therapy, and then Chiral materials for Metaphotonics.
Catholic Considerations of Brain Death and Organ Retrieval

The Vatican’s Declaration on Euthanasia (1980) highlights the fact that technological advances not only increase the capacity of medicine to cure and prolong life but bring with them complex and trying issues of the appropriateness of those treatments to specific cases. The moral dilemma now has become not how to apply the treatments, but whether to do so. When the decision is made to withhold or withdraw treatment, it is sometimes met with unreflective charges of euthanasia, suicide, or murder.
(+)-Strebloside-Induced Cytotoxicity in Ovarian Cancer Cells Is Mediated through Cardiac Glycoside Signaling Networks.

(+)-Strebloside, a cardiac glycoside isolated from the stem bark of Streblus asper collected in Vietnam, has shown some potential for further investigation as an antineoplastic agent. A mechanistic study using an in vitro assay and molecular docking analysis indicated that (+)-strebloside binds and inhibits Na+/K+-ATPase in a similar manner to digitoxin. Inhibition of growth of different high-grade serous ovarian cancer cells including OVCAR3, OVSAHO, Kuramochi, OVCAR4, OVCAR5, and OVCAR8 resulted from treatment with (+)-strebloside. Furthermore, this compound blocked cell cycle progression at the G2 phase and induced PARP cleavage, indicating apoptosis activation in OVCAR3 cells. (+)-Strebloside potently inhibited mutant p53 expression through the induction of ERK pathways and inhibited NF-κB activity in human ovarian cancer cells. However, in spite of its antitumor potential, the overall biological activity of (+)-strebloside must be regarded as being typical of better-known cardiac glycosides such as d...
Are Workers' Compensation 'Alternative Benefit Plans' Authorized by State Opt out Schemes Covered by ERISA?

There is continuing interest by employers in providing workers' compensation benefits through ERISA-governed employee benefit plans. States have authority under Shaw v. Delta Airlines (S.Ct. 1983) to allow employers to comply with state workers' compensation laws through use of alternative, ERISA-governed employee multibenefit plans. This is a judically-created exception to Section 514(a) of ERISA ― the statute's sweeping field preemption provision. But what if a state allowed compliance with its workers' compensation law by creating a law ― an opt-out law ― that in essence said employers did not have to comply with its workers' compensation law? Is such a non-compliance law a "workers' compensation law" of the type contemplated by the Court in Shaw or by Congress in attempting to save workers' compensation laws from preemption under Section 4(b)(3) and Section 514(a) of ERISA? Herein I argue that it is not. Although the Oklahoma Supreme Court has recently struck that state's opt out law on state constitutional "special law" grounds ― a surprising enough result since it is questionable whether the state courts had jurisdiction over a controversy concerning a plan created by a law that was likely facially preempted by ERISA ― I doubt we have seen the last of "opt-out" given dissimilarities in state constitutions and the corresponding likelihood that an opt-out law would be upheld on state constitutional grounds, bringing the ERISA questions front-and-center.
FOLIAR HABIT OF PONDEROSA PINE AS A HERITABLE BASIS FOR RESISTANCE TO DWARF MISTLETOE

ABSTRACT Although dwarf mistletoe is an endemic pathogen which has parasitized ponderosa pine since geologic times, pine, unlike the hosts of most native diseases, has failed to develop notable functional or mechanical resistance. The heavy seed limits dissemination of mistletoe and probably has precluded development of general epiphytotics exerting widespread selection pressure. Rather, the disease has persisted in small areas which, because of their trashy nature, have been highly flammable. Subsequent fires thus destroyed trees that might have been naturally selected towards resistance. Burned sites reseed from surrounding susceptible trees. Stature of pine stands is very diverse. Mistletoe seeds characteristically cast from plants in the overstory are intercepted by foliage of the understory and, by a unique specialization, slide down the erect needles into fascicle axils on the susceptible twigs during rains. Exceptional trees occur with drooping rather than erect needles. Seeds on these are washed from the tree, precluding infection. Genetic development of planting stock with drooping foliage should have high mistletoe control value. This contention is supported by the near absence of mistletoe in Oregon's Rogue River Valley and other parts of the pine region where drooping needles are common. Heritability of needle length and hypodermal thickness, both of which are involved in needle droop, has been demonstrated.
Optical Imaging with Acoustic Waves and Photo-Excited Charge Carriers

Abstract In 1885 Lord Rayleigh predicted the existence of acoustic surface waves (ASW) as a mode for which acoustic energy is confined to within one wavelength of the interface between a semi-infinite solid and vacuum. Since about 1968 renewed interest in this mode resulted from transducer and piezoelectric material developments with emphasis on applications to high frequency signal processing. More recently, it has been shown that ASW have application to rapid scan optical imaging. This is made possible by a configuration combining a piezoelectric substrate with a semiconductor such that photoexcited charge carriers interact with propagated ASW. The potential is for a new class of solid state optical imaging devices which are not restricted to silicon technology, can employ narrow bandgap semiconductors, and do not require elaborate interconnecting leads to read out the image. The image is formed on the semiconductor continuum and is scanned by a propagating ASW pulse. Existing devices have scan times oi the order of 5 sec, while proposed versions may reduce this by a factor of ten. The operation of these devices depends critically on two phenomena. Firstly, the photoexcited carriers must modify the ASW propagation when piezoelectrically coupled to the wave; these modifications include attenuation, impedance variations, and harmonic generation. Secondly, an additional wave is used to decouple the reading pulse from the carriers; this second pulse is called the scan pulse and is vital to the imaging schemes employing attenuation or harmonic generation. Several device configurations using bulk and thin film semiconductors have been reported and were discussed together with the experimental results. It was shown how positive and negative images and their Fourier transforms could be obtained.
Using early instruction sets to introduce computer architecture

Motivating computer science students to study computer architecture can be difficult, especially when complex, modern architectures such as the Intel® Core™ i7 are held up as examples. The solution presented here is to introduce computer architecture by first teaching students how to program simpler, historic machines such as Konrad Zuse's Z1, the Manchester Baby, and the Princeton IAS machine. The limitations of these machines can then be used to motivate students to learn the principles of addressing modes, instruction set architectures, and CPU register design. These early architectures can demonstrate how much, and how little, has changed in the area of computer architecture. This paper summarizes the results of research into the machine language instruction sets and architectures of the Zuse Z1, the Manchester Baby, and the Princeton IAS machine. It then presents examples of how these instruction sets can be used to motivate students in a senior-level computer architecture course.
Developing Preschool Mathematical Concepts.

this idea even though he does not yet know how to use the terms one, two, and three. But, by acting on his environment, Jeffrey is encountering the basic ideas that will gradually evolve into more sophisticated mathematics concepts. Only after repeated experiences of this type can Jeffrey develop the logical thinking skills necessary to express in words what has happened to his block structure. Jeffrey's brother, Michael, five years old, gathers an acorn collection in his hand and asks his six-year-old friend Libby to do the same. "Who has the most?" he asks. Michael places his acorns in an orderly row like this:
Sexual Satisfaction in Monogamous, Nonmonogamous, and Unpartnered Sexual Minority Women in the US

AbstractResearch on sexual satisfaction tends to focus mostly on heterosexual women and women in monogamous relationships. Sexual satisfaction among sexual minority women and women who are nonmonog...
Surveillance imaging for non-small cell lung cancer: mounting evidence that less is more

Lung cancer is the leading cause of death in both men and women in the United States (1). With increasing implementation of low dose computed tomography (CT) screening in high-risk populations, more patients should be diagnosed with early stage disease in the coming years, amenable to curative intent therapy (2). However, no firm consensus yet guides the frequency and modality of surveillance imaging following definitive treatment, with variable guidelines from large national and international oncologic societies.
Optimization of Canalicular ABC Transporter Function in HuH-7 Cells by Modification of Culture Conditions

Human hepatoma cell lines are useful for evaluation of drug-induced hepatotoxicity, hepatic drug disposition, and drug-drug interactions. However, their applicability is compromised by aberrant expression of hepatobiliary transporters. This study was designed to evaluate whether extracellular matrix (Matrigel) overlay and dexamethasone (DEX) treatment would support cellular maturation of long-term HuH-7 hepatoma cell cultures and improve the expression, localization, and activity of canalicular ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, multidrug resistance protein 1 (MDR1/P-glycoprotein/ABCB1), multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (MRP2/ABCC2), and bile salt export pump (BSEP/ABCB11). Matrigel overlay promoted the maturation of HuH-7 cells toward cuboidal, hepatocyte-like cells displaying bile canaliculi-like structures visualized by staining for filamentous actin (F-actin), colocalization of MRP2 with F-actin, and by accumulation of the MRP2 substrate 5(6)-carboxy-2',7'-dichlorofluorescein (CDF) within the tubular canaliculi. The cellular phenotype was rather homogenous in the Matrigel-overlaid cultures, whereas the standard HuH-7 cultures contained both hepatocyte-like cells and flat epithelium-like cells. Only Matrigel-overlaid HuH-7 cells expressed MDR1 at the canaliculi and excreted the MDR1 probe substrate digoxin into biliary compartments. DEX treatment resulted in more elongated and branched canaliculi and restored canalicular expression and function of BSEP. These findings suggest that hepatocyte polarity, elongated canalicular structures, and proper localization and function of canalicular ABC transporters can be recovered, at least in part, in human hepatoma HuH-7 cells by applying the modified culture conditions. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: We report the first demonstration that proper localization and function of canalicular ABC transporters can be recovered in human hepatoma HuH-7 cells by modification of cell culture conditions. Matrigel overlay and dexamethasone supplementation increased the proportion of hepatocyte-like cells, strongly augmented the canalicular structures between the cells, and restored the localization and function of key canalicular ABC transporters. These results will facilitate the development of reproducible, economical, and easily achievable liver cell models for drug development.