cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Scattering from complex three-dimensional geometries by a curvilinear hybrid finite-element–integral equation approach

A three-dimensional curvilinear hybrid finite-element–integral equation approach is developed. The hybrid finite-element–integral equation method is formulated in general curvilinear coordinates so that arbitrarily curved geometries can be modeled without approximations. The advantages of the finite-element and the integral equation methods are used to eliminate the disadvantages of both methods. For modeling regions of inhomogeneous or anisotropic materials, in which the integral equation method is difficult to implement, the finite-element method is used. The problem with the finite-element method of accurately terminating the computational mesh is eliminated by application of the exact boundary integral equation. The hybrid finite-element–integral equation code is validated on a range of composite curvilinear geometries against measured data or analytical solutions.
INTEGRIN-MEDIATED SIGNALING IN HUMAN NEUTROPHIL FUNCTIONING

Integrins are important signal transducers for virtually all neutrophil functions. Although a variety of signals ultimately result in integrin activation, the intracellular targets of integrin-initiated signals are poorly delineated to date. Polymorphonuclear (PMN) leukocyte responses to inflammation are dependent on both the stimulants and the extracellular environment encountered. Integrin ligation, by cell-cell or cell-matrix interactions, activates a variety of signaling cascades. These events dictate the nature of PMN responses to the encountered stimulus. The complex system of effector molecule recruitment and permissive signaling by integrins serves to strictly regulate PMN functions such as cell adhesion, motility, oxidant production, and protein synthesis. Moreover, there is evidence that cross-talk between integrins exists to prime integrin populations for subsequent functioning. This review summarizes the current understanding of signaling mechanisms for integrin priming and activation. In this connection, the role of specific signaling molecules in key PMN functions are examined.
Thoracic outlet syndromes.

Detection of significant neural compression utilizing nerve conduction velocity and electromyographic studies has emerged to become critically important in confirming a diagnosis of thoracic outlet compression. Decompression of the thoracic outlet has been accomplished by scalenotomy, cervical or first rib resection, or claviclectomy.
A database for rheumatoid arthritis

This article describes a methodology for the establishment and maintenance of a longitudinal rheumatoid arthritis database, addresses concerns regarding validity and reliability of longitudinal data collection in the setting of clinical care and research, and describes and recommends specific variables for minimal, moderate, and extensive levels of database detail.
Building a Better Bystander

Bystander action related to sexual and relationship violence is not just about describing when someone will step into reduce the risk of an assault. Prevention strategies are about changing people’s behavior to make it more likely that they will take safe action across a range of roles bystanders find themselves in. This chapter draws from research on attitude and behavior change in social psychology, health behavior, and research on prevention efficacy to outline a set of strategies and research questions across coils of bystander actions that may make bystander focused violence prevention more effective. These include strategies that focus first on attitudes, those that highlight behavior change more directly, and methods that change the broader community norms context in which bystanders act.
Aluminum as a superior endpoint sensor in some potentiometric titrations

Aluminum rod and wire sensors surpassed conventional sensors in the magnitude of potentiometric breaks obtained in the titration of halides vs. silver ions, aluminum vs. fluoride ions, fluoride vs. lanthanum ions, and phosphate vs. lead, cerous, and lanthanum ions. In the titration of fluoride vs. aluminum or thorium, sulfate vs. lead, and phosphate vs. silver ions, however, conventional sensors were superior to aluminum. In the titration of phosphate vs. lead, cerous, or lanthanum ions endpoint breaks occurred in the negative direction, unlike the usual breaks in the titration of anions vs. cations. The theoretical basis for these phenomena remains unexplained.
Microwave Dosimetry Using Electrochemical Effects

ABSTRACTThe development of a self-contained microwave device for measuring energy density is described. This device, which measured 3 cm χ 3.5 cm χ 5 cm and weighed 17.7 g, received 2450 MHz microwave frequency current using a 0.12k (1.5 cm) dipole antenna. The microwave frequency current was rectified by Schottky barrier diodes and was integrated, over time, by an electrochemical plating cell. The selection of electrical components and studies to determine the device’s response to microwave radiation from 5 to 50 mW/cm2 are discussed and several recommendations for further studies are listed.
Teaching 2D game development in CS curriculum

Game development is an exciting application area in Computer Science. Simple games can take several hours to design and implement. More sophisticated ones might take several years and a team of highly trained professionals specializing in areas ranging from graphics design to project management. This workshop provides an introduction to developing games utilizing C++ programming language and a graphics library. Topics discussed include resources, animation, and a gaming loop. The workshop will be presented interactively and the audience will be encouraged to participate by answering questions and helping with the code as the presenter goes through examples. The code for a fully functional game will be demonstrated. We will close with examples of 2D gaming projects created by students who have taken an "Intro to Gaming" course.
A combinatorial approach for addressing intermittency and providing inertial response in a grid-connected photovoltaic system

The operation of a photovoltaic (PV) generating system under intermittent solar radiation is a challenging task. Furthermore, with high penetration levels of photovoltaic energy sources being integrated into the current electric power grid, the performance of the conventional synchronous generators is being changed and grid inertial response is deteriorating. This paper proposes a combined virtual inertia emulator (VIE) and a hybrid battery-supercapacitor-based energy storage system for enhancing the stability of the Microgrids and smoothing the short-term power fluctuations simultaneously. Not only could the suggested system overcome the slow response of battery system (including dynamics of battery, controller, and converter operation) by redirecting the power surges to the supercapacitor system, but also enhance the inertial response by emulating the kinetic inertia of synchronous generator. Control systems for the VIE and battery-supercapacitor storage system are presented in this paper. Correspondingly simulation results are discussed to validate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme. In this paper, Matlab Simulink software has been considered to develop control designs of VIE and Hybrid Energy Storage System (HESS). Through these studies, it will be demonstrated that the recommended method is capable of achieving voltage and frequency regulation and effective management of the hybrid storage system. Since the suggested technique focuses on short-term fluctuations and includes no long-term power regulation, it needs no mass storage device. Thus, the method is economical. The other concerns raised by renewables (e.g., forecast accuracy, low voltage ride-through, etc.) have not been addressed within this study.
The effect of minority threat on risk management and the “new disciplinology” in schools

Abstract Background Discipline in U.S. public schools has been mirroring patterns observed in the U.S. criminal justice system. Educational and criminal justice institutions have not only become increasingly punitive and exclusionary despite decreasing rates of misbehavior and crime, but have also produced dramatic racial and ethnic disparities in who is punished relative to representations in the larger national population. Rocque and Snelling argue that these phenomena are the product of a general desire for risk management. Purpose I argue that much of the punitiveness observed concurrently in educational and criminal justice institutions is actually the result of minority threat and its influence on perceptions of risk that may accompany minority composition of schools and communities. Results Evaluation of research on racial threat and the “new disciplinology” makes it seem likely that racial composition is increasing policy makers' and administrators' desire for risk management as an institutional goal, which subsequently cultivates support for the punitive punishment that disproportionately targets minorities. Conclusions Punitive educational and criminal justice policies should be revised to diminish the likelihood that they will be implemented in a discriminatory manner. Further, restorative practices in both settings have promising outcomes not just for racial and ethnic minorities, but for communities as a whole.
Transcriptomic basis of genome by genome variation in a legume-rhizobia mutualism

In the legume-rhizobia mutualism, the benefit each partner derives from the other depends on the genetic identity of both host and rhizobial symbiont. To gain insight into the extent of genome × genome interactions on hosts at the molecular level and to identify potential mechanisms responsible for the variation, we examined host gene expression within nodules (the plant organ where the symbiosis occurs) of four genotypes of Medicago truncatula grown with either Ensifer meliloti or E. medicae symbionts. These host × symbiont combinations show significant variation in nodule and biomass phenotypes. Likewise, combinations differ in their transcriptomes: host, symbiont and host × symbiont affected the expression of 70%, 27% and 21%, respectively, of the approximately 27,000 host genes expressed in nodules. Genes with the highest levels of expression often varied between hosts and/or symbiont strain and include leghemoglobins that modulate oxygen availability and hundreds of Nodule Cysteine-Rich (NCR) peptides involved in symbiont differentiation and viability in nodules. Genes with host × symbiont-dependent expression were enriched for functions related to resource exchange between partners (sulphate/iron/amino acid transport and dicarboxylate/amino acid synthesis). These enrichments suggest mechanisms for host control of the currencies of the mutualism. The transcriptome of M. truncatula accession HM101 (A17), the reference genome used for most molecular research, was less affected by symbiont identity than the other hosts. These findings underscore the importance of assessing the molecular basis of variation in ecologically important traits, particularly those involved in biotic interactions, in multiple genetic contexts.
Selective Inhibition of Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cell Mobility and Viability by Nitro-Oleic Acid

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) comprises ~20% of all breast cancers and has a decreased 5-year survival rate compared to other breast cancer subtypes. Patients with TNBC are difficult to treat due to an absence of targeted therapies, contributing to poor clinical outcomes. This study investigated the antineoplastic effects of an electrophilic fatty acid nitroalkene derivative, 10-nitro-octadec-9-enoic acid (nitro-oleic acid, NO2-OA), in TNBC cells. NO2-OA reduced TNBC cell growth and viability in vitro, and in vivo tumor growth of MDA-MB-231 xenografts in nude mice. Interestingly, NO2-OA displayed a less cytotoxic effect on non-cancerous breast cells, attributed to MRP1-mediated efflux of NO2-OA GSH conjugates. Boyden chamber assays demonstrated that NO2-OA significantly attenuated tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα)-induced migration and invasion of TNBC cells. In TNBC cells, NO2-OA inhibited TNFα-induced nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) transcriptional activity and thus suppressed downstream NF-κB target gene expression, including the metastasis-related proteins, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA). The mechanism of NF-κB signaling inhibition by NO2-OA was multifarious as NO2-OA impeded IKKβ phosphorylation and thus IκBα degradation. NO2-OA also alkylated the NF-κB RelA protein in TNBC cells and promoted its polyubiquitination and proteasomal degradation. Constitutive activation of the NF-κB pathway plays an important role in promoting TNBC progression and metastasis, thus these observations suggest that NO2-OA and related fatty acid electrophiles may have therapeutic potential as agents displaying selectivity for treating TNBC.
Eutectic-Bismuth Indium as a Growth Solvent for the Electrochemical Liquid-Liquid-Solid Deposition of Germanium Microwires and Coiled Nanowires

Crystalline germanium (Ge) micro- and nanowires have been grown from aqueous electrolytes through an electrochemical liquid-liquid-solid (ec-LLS) process using eutectic bismuth indium (e-BiIn) alloy as the liquid metal electrode. This alloy represents the first non-Hg or non-Ga containing liquid metal to be used for the growth of a group IV semiconductor crystal below the boiling point of water. The electrochemical stability of e-BiIn in aqueous electrolyte was assessed through cyclic voltammetry, which showed the metal alloy was destabilized either by anodic oxidation at potentials more positive than −1.0 V vs E(Ag/AgCl) or by cathodic reduction of Bi to BiH3 at potentials more negative than −1.4 V vs E(Ag/AgCl). Within this potential window, ec-LLS produced Ge micro- and nanowires that were evaluated with scanning electron microscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, and selected area electron diffraction. The cumulative analyses showed pronounced crystallinity in the as-prepared Ge mic...
AORTIC TORTUOSITY IN BICUSPID AORTIC VALVE AND ITS CORRELATION WITH CLINICAL OUTCOMES

Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is associated with aortic aneurysms and dissections. Aortic tortuosity predicts dissection in other congenital aortopathies like Marfan syndrome. We hypothesize that increased aortic tortuosity can also predict adverse outcomes in BAV patients. BAV patients with chest CT
Lateral Rectus Dysfunction and “Associated Things”

Congenital lateral rectus dysfunction primarily encompasses the following groups: lateral rectus palsy, Duane syndrome, Mobius sequence (syndrome), and horizontal gaze palsy. A true incidence of ea...
Toxicological Management of Fires

Fires can have life-threatening effects resulting from the inhalation of heated air and fire gases. The inhalation of heated air results in thermal damage to the respiratory tract with the risk of oedema, airways obstruction and impaired pulmonary function. In general, the management of thermal injury does not require a toxicologically oriented treatment. The inhalation of combustion products, however, may cause many different toxicological problems depending upon the substances involved in the combustion process.
Teacher Attitudes Associated with the Integration of Handicapped Children

A questionnaire was administered to elementary school regular class teachers to determine the effect of an integrative resource room program on the teachers' attitudes toward handicapped children. The questionnaire was designed to elicit teachers' attitudes toward handicapped children with respect to their integration into the regular program, their potential for academic and social adjustment, the teachers' competencies for teaching the children, and the need for special methods and materials in teaching handicapped children. The experimental group consisted of teachers in schools participating in an integrative resource room program, and the control group consisted of teachers in schools with self contained special classes. The results indicated the resource room program had slight to moderate effects on teachers' attitudes and raised questions concerning the feasibility of integrating educable mentally retarded children into regular classes in schools utilizing the conventional grade organizational pat...
Passiflora incarnata (Passifloraceae): A new fruit crop

Passiflora incarnata:A New Fruit Crop. Economic Botany 53(2): 161–176, 1999. Passiflora incarnata bears flavorful fruits consumed by past and present peoples, and this plant deserves greater use as a fruit crop. Native to southeastern North America, it is an herbaceous perennial vine which flowers and fruits over much of the growing season. P. incarnata is self-incompatible and usually pollinated by carpenter bees (Xylocopa spp.). Plants are functionally andromonoecious, and low resource status favors male flower production and thus reduces fruit set. The fruits contain many seeds, each surrounded by an aril holding edible juice, and this juice can be consumed fresh or used in processed products. Because it is a minor agricultural weed, P. incarnata should not be introduced into regions where it may naturalize. Polyploid hybrids of P. incarnata and the subtropical and tropical passionfruit, P. edulis, are also potential temperate fruit crops. Future research on P. incarnata should evaluate intraspecific genetic variation and performance in cultivation.
Incision cervico-prostatique : evaluation objective et subjective de l'efficacité à long terme

L'apparition d'alternatives moins invasives a necessite une reevaluation des interventions chirurgicales utilisees dans le traitement de l'hyperplasie benigne de la prostate. Cette etude avait pour but d'evaluer l'efficacite a long terme de l'incision cervicoprostatique (ICP) en utilisant des parametres objectifs (urodynamique), et subjectifs (score symptomatique et indice de satisfaction), et d'evaler la fonction sexuelle. 41 patients ont ete revus apres ICP (âge moyen de 63,4 ans), avec un suivi moyen de 53 mois (12-96). Le score symptomatique preoperatoire (base sur un score Madsen-Iversen) et l'evaluation urodynamique ont ete compares au demier score symptomatique postoperatoire, a l'evaluation urodyuamique et a l'interrogatoire de satisfaction postoperatoires, Le score symptomatique global, que ce soit ses composantes irritatives ou obstructives, a ete significativement abaisse apres ICP (p<0,0001). La pression moyenne du detrusor au debit maximum a diminue de 85 a 44 cm H 2 O (p<0,0001), et la pression maximale du detrusor moyenne a diminue de 114 a 55 cm H 2 O (p<0,0001). Le debit maximum moyen a augmente de 10,3 a 15,3 cc/s (P=0,019). 32 (82%) patients ont eu une amelioration durable apres ICP, avec un indice global de satisfaction de 67% (0-100). Quelques soient les criteres urodynamiques objectifs, le nombre d'hommes presentant une amelioration subjective, et le degre de cette amelioration, etaient similaires. L'apparition d'une ejaculation retrograde n'a ete notee que chez 4 (11%) patients. La proportion d'hommes ameliores apres ICP est tout a fait comparable avec les resultats a long terme de la resection endoscopique (RTUP). La determination de l'indice de satisfaction est originale et n'a pas ete rapportee precedemment. Ces resultats montrent clairement que, dans une population selectionnee, l'ICP est une intervention efficace permettant d'obtenir un resultat a long terme sur l'obstruction,
Efficient Distributed Control Routing and Wavelength Assignment Mechanism for a Scalable Hierarchical Single-hop WDM all-Optical Interconnection Network.

In this paper we propose an efficient distributed routing and wavelength allocation method for a Single-hop WDM (Wavelength Division Multiplexing) all-Optical Interconnection Network for Scalable Multiprocessor systems. By wavelength allocation, we mean the assignment of unique wavelength(s) to the access nodes. The WDM techniques enable extraction of a larger amount of usable bandwidth. Routing and wavelength assignment algorithms fine-tune the overall process by achieving orders of magnitude of performance improvement. The goal in this paper is to present an efficient dynamic distributed routing and wavelength allocation method that minimizes path latency, wavelength blocking and the number of wavelengths applied. We have applied this routing and wavelength allocation method in the simulation study of a multiprocessor interconnection network. The results are also presented. The overall effect is that our results show an improvement in performance, scalability and flexibility. This routing control mechanism and wavelength assignment is well suited to the SCOPIN (SCalable OPtical Interconnection Network) architecture introduced in [1]. The SCOPIN architecture is quite scalable, hierarchical, regular and can easily be implemented using optics. With a distributed control, the interconnection networks are more robust and fault tolerant.
Demystifying the Jargon: The Bridge between Ophthalmology and Artificial Intelligence.

Publications related to artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning have risen exponentially in the past 5 years in the medical literature, including a number of articles involving retinal disease.1–4 The mathematical theories beneath machine learning methods have been around for decades but in most cases were too computationally intense to implement by hand.5,6 Recent advances in computer central processing units and graphics processing units have enabled the application of these models to solve real-world problems.7,8 This has led to rapid advances in the fields of AI and machine learning, specifically deep learning, and to a growing number of medical and ophthalmic applications.1–3,9 As with the rapid evolution of any new technologies, there can be confusion about new terminologies, and AI is no exception. Though they are often used interchangeably, the terms “AI,” “machine learning,” “deep learning,” and “neural networks” are not synonymous and may be confusing for ophthalmologists to distinguish. Below, we attempt to define these terms in a manner accessible to both ophthalmologists and vision researchers (Figure 1). Open in a separate window Figure 1. A Venn diagram of artificial intelligence approaches.
Leveraging Predictive Analytics to Control and Coordinate Operations, Asset Loading, and Maintenance

This paper aims to advance decision making in power systems by proposing an integrated framework that combines sensor data analytics and optimization. Our modeling framework consists of two components: first, a predictive analytics methodology that uses real-time sensor data to predict future degradation and remaining lifetime of generators as a function of the loading conditions, and second, a mixed integer optimization model that transforms these predictions into cost-optimal maintenance and operational decisions. We model the key balance between meeting demand with very high confidence and at the same time prolonging the lifetime of generation assets. To do so, we encapsulate stochastic loading-dependent predictive models for asset condition within our optimization model. The methodology is validated and evaluated using IEEE 118-bus system that has been augmented using real-world sensor-based vibration signals from rotating machinery to emulate physical degradation of generators. Our experiments suggest that the proposed framework provides considerable improvements over conventional methods in terms of cost and reliability.
Brain drain in Venezuela: the scope of the human capital crisis

Brain drain, the exodus of highly skilled professionals, has a strong connection with Human Resource Development (HRD), as these experts are human capital for organizations, communities, and nation...
Resiliency-Driven Proactive Distribution System Reconfiguration With Synchrophasor Data

Measuring and enabling resiliency of electric distribution systems with increasing weather and cyber events are important. Some of the extreme events (e.g. Earthquakes, Hurricanes) and associated paths are predicted and monitored closely in advance and allow to take pre-event proactive control actions. The Distribution Phasor Measurement Units (D-PMUs) provide new opportunities and supporting such proactive actions. A synchrophasor based resiliency driven pre-event reconfiguration can ensure minimizing impact of the expected event on the power distribution system and associated performance. However, the D-PMUs will also face challenges in terms of data quality similar to the transmission PMUs. The focus of this paper is to provide data mining approaches for anomaly detection in D-PMUs and proposing resiliency-driven pre-event reconfiguration with islanding as a proactive mechanisms to minimize the impact of adverse events on system using processed synchrophasors data. Results are validated for real industrial feeders and test cases with satisfactory response.
Minimal clinically important differences in the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons, Simple Shoulder Test, and visual analog scale pain scores after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.

Background Minimal clinically important differences (MCIDs) for different patient outcome scores have been reported for various shoulder diseases, including shoulder arthroplasty and the nonoperative treatment of rotator cuff disease. The purpose of this study was to assess the MCID for the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Standardized Shoulder Assessment Form (ASES) score, the Simple Shoulder Test (SST), and a visual analog scale (VAS) measuring pain, after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Methods A total of 202 patients who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair were retrospectively reviewed. ASES, SST, and VAS pain scores were collected preoperatively and at 1 year postoperatively. The MCID was then calculated via a 4-question anchor–based method. Results The MCID results for the ASES, SST, and VAS pain scores were 27.1, 4.3, and 2.4, respectively. Age at time of surgery, sex, anteroposterior tear size, and worker's compensation status were not associated with MCID values (P > .05). Conclusion The MCID values determined in the current study are higher than those previously identified for the nonoperative treatment of rotator cuff disease using the same anchor questions. Use of these higher values should be considered when evaluating improvements of individual patients after rotator cuff repair, to determine comparative effectiveness of various rotator cuff repair techniques and to determine sample sizes for prospective comparative trials of rotator cuff repair methods.
Pure: Inside the Evangelical Movement That Shamed a Generation of Young Women and How I Broke Free By Linda Kay Klein.

Pure is part memoir and part research that comes from a span of more than 10 years of interviews with young, mostly white women who were educated in the purity movement of evangelical Christianity ...
Cordotomy for Intractable Cancer Pain: A Narrative Review.

Background Cordotomy is an invasive procedure for the management of intractable pain not controlled by conventional therapies, such as analgesics or nerve block. This procedure involves mechanical disruption of nociceptive pathways in the anterolateral column, specifically the spinothalamic and spinoreticular pathways to relieve pain while preserving fine touch and proprioceptive tracts. Objectives The purpose of this review article is to refresh our knowledge of cordotomy and support its continued use in managing intractable pain due to malignant disease. Study design This is a review article with the goal of reviewing and summarizing the pertinent case reports, case series, retrospective studies, prospective studies, and review articles published from 2010 onward on spinal cordotomy. Setting The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center. Methods PubMed search of keywords "spinal cordotomy," "percutaneous cordotomy," or "open cordotomy" was undertaken. Search results were organized by year of publication. Results Cordotomy can be performed via percutaneous, open, endoscopic, or transdiscal approach. Percutaneous image-guided approach is the most well-studied and reported technique compared with others, with relatively good pain improvement both in the postoperative and short-term period. The use of open cordotomy has diminished significantly in recent years because of the advent of other less invasive approaches. Cordotomy in children, although rare, has been described in some case reports and case series with reported pain improvement postprocedure. Although complications can vary broadly, some reported side effects include ataxia and paresis due to lesion in the spinocerebellar/corticospinal tract; respiratory failure due to lesion in the reticulospinal tract; or sympathetic dysfunction, bladder dysfunctions, or Horner syndrome due to unintentional lesions in the spinothalamic tract. Limitations Review article included literature published only in English. For the studies reviewed, the sample size was relatively small and the patient population was heterogeneous (in terms of underlying disease process, duration of symptoms, previous treatment attempted and length of follow-up). Conclusions Cordotomy results in selective loss of pain and temperature perception on the contralateral side, up to several segments below the level of the disruption. The plethora of analgesics available and advanced technologies have reduced the demand for cordotomy in the management of intractable pain. However, some patients with pain unresponsive to medical and procedural management, particularly malignant pain, may benefit from this procedure, and it is a viable treatment option especially for patients with a limited life expectancy whose severe, unilateral pain is unresponsive to analgesic medications. Key words Cancer pain, cordotomy complications, cordotomy indications, intractable pain, open cordotomy, percutaneous cordotomy.
Endoplasmic reticulum stress: an arising target for metal-based anticancer agents

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) has recently emerged as a promising target for anticancer agents. Cytotoxic compounds that target the ER often exhibit selectivity for cancer cells over non-cancer cells. Furthermore, the induction of ER stress often leads to immunogenic cell death, providing another factor that contributes to the clinical efficacy of drugs that target this organelle. Among potential ER stress-inducing agents, metal complexes, which possess redox activity and modular structures, have arisen as promising candidates. In the last two decades, dozens of metal complexes have been reported that kill cancer cells via ER stress induction, and many of these complexes exhibit nanomolar activity in vitro as well as powerful tumor inhibition in vivo. In this review, we summarize the current state of investigations on the ER stress-inducing properties of metal complexes. This review starts with a description of the ER, its function, and its role in cancer progression and treatment. Following this discussion, a guide to experimental methods that can be used by researchers to detect ER stress is provided. The majority of this review summarizes previous studies on metal-based anticancer agents that cause ER stress. Finally, a discussion on the perspectives and significance of using metal complexes as ER stress-inducing agents for the treatment of cancer is provided, along with a summary of structural trends that contribute to this type of biological activity.
The Bioprocess TEA Calculator: An online techno-economic analysis tool to evaluate the commercial competitiveness of potential bioprocesses

Techno-economic analysis connects R&D, engineering, and business. By linking process parameters to financial metrics, it allows researchers to understand the factors controlling the potential success of their technologies. In particular, metabolic and bioprocess engineering, as disciplines, are aimed at engineering cells to synthesize products with an ultimate goal of commercial deployment. As a result it is critical to be able to understand the potential impact of strain engineering strategies and lab scale results on commercial potential. To date, while numerous techno-economic models have been developed for a wide variety of bioprocesses, they have either required process engineering expertise to adapt and/or use or do not directly connect financial outcomes to potential strain engineering results. Despite the clear value of techno-economic analysis, these challenges have made it inaccessible to many researchers. I have developed this online calculator (https://bioprocesstea.com OR http://bioprocess-tea-calculator.herokuapp.com/) to make the basic capabilities of early-stage techno-economic analysis of bioprocesses readily accessible. The tool, currently focused on aerobic fermentation processes, can be used to understand the impact of fermentation level metrics on the commercial potential of a bioprocess for the production of a wide variety of organic molecules. Using the calculator, I review the commercially relevant targets for an aerobic bioprocess for the production of diethyl malonate. HighlightsO_LIA generalized techno-economic analysis tool for aerobic fermentation based bioprocesses. C_LIO_LIRelates strain and process improvements to projected commercial financial outcomes C_LIO_LICommercial bioprocess targets to produce diethyl malonate are estimated to include fermentation titers >150 g/L, rates > 5g/L-hr and > 90% yield, with downstream purification yields > 90% and purification costs limited to less than 20% of total. C_LI
RNA architecture influences plant biology.

The majority of the genome is transcribed to RNA in living organisms. RNA transcripts can form astonishing arrays of secondary and tertiary structures via Watson-Crick, Hoogsteen or wobble base pairing. In vivo, RNA folding is not a simple thermodynamics event of minimizing free energy. Instead, the process is constrained by transcription, RNA binding proteins (RBPs), steric factors and micro-environment. RNA secondary structure (RSS) plays myriad roles in numerous biological processes, such as RNA processing, stability, transportation and translation in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Emerging evidence has also implicated RSS in RNA trafficking, liquid-liquid phase separation and plant responses to environmental variations such as temperature and salinity. At the molecular level, RSS is correlated with regulating splicing, polyadenylation, protein systhsis, and miRNA biogenesis and functions. In this review, we summarized newly reported methods for probing RSS in vivo and functions and mechanisms of RSS in plant physiology.
A Developmental Approach to Graduate Education Review: A New Take on a Traditional Process

In this article we describe the Graduate Review and Improvement Process (GRIP), an innovative evaluation process that makes student input central, now beginning its fifth year of implementation at the University of Minnesota. We begin by contrasting GRIP with traditional graduate program review, and we then explain the conceptual underpinnings of action research and developmental evaluation. We next explain how the process began and evolved from 2011 to the present, including discussion of the perceived benefits that participants reported. The article concludes with four challenges to this process: resources, changing leadership, turnover, and faculty engagement.
Therapeutic Use of Ground Flaxseeds for Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Hyperglycemia and chronic low-grade inflammation, characteristics of T2D, additionally contribute to vascular dysfunc...
Does the time from corticosteroid dosing to delivery affect neonatal outcome

Objective: To determine if the timing of steroid dosing affects neonatal morbidity and mortality. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study. Women who had codes associated with preterm delivery from 2003 through 2007 were identified. Those with anomalous fetuses or non-standard steroid dosing were excluded. The maternal and neonatal charts were reviewed for clinical and demographic data. Relative risks were determined for respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), mortality, and compound morbidity/mortality. Results: The sample included 159 neonates born to 128 women. The patients were divided by elapsed time from steroids to delivery. There were no significant differences between the groups in regards to gestational age or demographics. The odds ratios for RDS, IVH, NEC, mortality and compound morbidity/mortality were calculated using multivariate stepwise logistic regression. When compared to those who delivered 1-7 days after their first dose of steroid, the OR for RDS was 32.9 (95% CI 2.21-490) for those who delivered 0-24 hours and 7.31 (95% CI 1.61-33.3) for those who delivered more than 7 days after their first dose of steroids. There was a reduction in risk of NEC (OR 0.15 95% CI 0.025-0.99) for the neonates that delivered more than 7 days after steroids. The time from dose to delivery was not significant for the outcomes of IVH, composite morbidity and mortality or mortality. Conclusion: The best therapeutic window for reducing RDS is 24 hours to 7 days after the first dose of steroids. Other important determinants of neonatal outcome are the gestational age at delivery, birth weight, gender, presence of chorioamnionitis or funicitis.
Stacking interaction between different species: Purine and 6-methoxypurine

Abstract 1. A stacking interaction of 6-methoxypurine in water has been demonstrated by analysis of NMR chemical shift data. The compound is an example of a substituted purine whose solubility in water is too low to yield significant data by itself. However, a technique is described for studying the compound in the presence of a solubilizing agent, in this instance, purine. 2. The solubility of 6-methoxypurine can be increased from 0.009 M in water to over 0.1 M in the presence of excess purine. 3. Increasing purine concentration in low ranges, or decreasing temperature, produce an upfield chemical shift for 6-methoxypurine. Both of these are interpreted as increasing a stacking interaction. The upfield shifts are not observed in nonaqueous solvents.
Time-independent stochastic quantization, Dyson-Schwinger equations, and infrared critical exponents in QCD

We derive the equations of time-independent stochastic quantization, without reference to an unphysical fifth time, from the principle of gauge equivalence. It asserts that probability distributions P that give the same expectation values for gauge-invariant observables $〈W〉=\ensuremath{\int}\mathrm{dAWP}$ are physically indistinguishable. This method escapes the Gribov critique. We derive an exact system of equations that closely resembles the Dyson-Schwinger equations of Faddeev-Popov theory. The system is truncated and solved nonperturbatively, by means of a power law ansatz, for the critical exponents that characterize the asymptotic form at $k\ensuremath{\approx}0$ of the gluon propagator in Landau gauge. For the transverse and longitudinal parts, we find, respectively, ${D}^{T}\ensuremath{\sim}{(k}^{2}{)}^{\ensuremath{-}1\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{T}}\ensuremath{\approx}{(k}^{2}{)}^{0.043},$ suppressed and in fact vanishing, though weakly, and ${D}^{L}\ensuremath{\sim}{a(k}^{2}{)}^{\ensuremath{-}1\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{L}}\ensuremath{\approx}{a(k}^{2}{)}^{\ensuremath{-}1.521},$ enhanced, with ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{T}=\ensuremath{-}2{\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{L}.$ Although the longitudinal part vanishes with the gauge parameter a in the Landau-gauge limit $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{a}0$ there are vertices of order ${a}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ so, counterintuitively, the longitudinal part of the gluon propagator does contribute in internal lines in the Landau gauge, replacing the ghost that occurs in Faddeev-Popov theory. We compare our results with the corresponding results in Faddeev-Popov theory.
A Business Success Versus Failure Prediction Model for Entrepreneurs with 0-10 Employees

This empirical survey study presents a success versus failure (SIF)prediction model (S/F = f [advisors, planning, education, minority business ownership, staffing, parents owned a business, record keeping and financial control, capital, industry experience, economic timing}). Using stepwise discriminant analysis, the predictor variables explained 54% of the variance in SIF. The model accurately predicted 75.00% of the surveyed 96 matched pairs firms as being successful or failed. The model will predict a group of businesses as successful or failed more accurately than random classification over 99% of the time (model p=. 0006).
Variability of site response in the Los Angeles urban area

This article addresses the variability of site response in the Los Angeles area and possible structural causes for the observations. Aftershock records from 231 sites in the San Fernando and Los Angeles basins and the surrounding mountains are used in this study. Spectral ratios, taken with respect to a low-amplitude reference site, are used to document the variation in site amplification in the frequency range 2 to 6 Hz, both spatially and with backazimuth to the source. At higher frequencies (6 to 10 Hz), spectral ratios are shown to have greater spatial variability. Interstation spectral ratios are used to measure the standard deviation among source as a function of station separation. An increase in the variation in ground motion is shown to take place at a station separation of 1 km. Relative site-response estimates between nearby stations are used to demonstrate that preferred directions of motion can exist even in areas with no surface topographic effects. Significant variations in site response exist over short baselines (up to a factor of 2 over 200 m) that are not explained by differences in surficial geology or shallow shear-wave velocity. A variety of investigative approaches is used, including spectral ratios, arrival-time variations, 1D and 2D waveform modeling, and comparison with seismic reflection lines, to determine the most likely causes of these observations. A correlation is demonstrated between late arrival times of P and S waves and larger site amplification in Sherman Oaks and Northridge. This observation, in conjunction with waveform modeling and seismic reflection profiles, is used to infer that sedimentary structures in the upper 1 to 2 km and topography on the sediment-basement interface play an important role in determining site amplification. These structures, in the form of folds and buried basins, focus energy in spatially restricted areas at the surface. Comparison of displacement waveforms at nearby stations having disparate site amplifications, complemented by known shallow shear-wave velocities at selected sites, is used to support the argument that these structures, in some cases, can be the dominant factor in the modification of local ground motions.
Effects of injection power and frequency detuning on noise characteristics of an injection-locked VCSEL

The noise characteristics of an injection-locked VCSEL are experimentally investigated. Effects of injection-ratio and detuning on the phase noise added by an injection-locked VCSEL are studied.
The look of sympathy: religion, visual culture, and the social life of feeling

ABSTRACTReligions are powerful communities of feeling, compelling ways of experiencing connections with others. As such, they structure human relations in patterns that rely on media and the arts to accomplish significant cultural work such as nurture children, disseminate information, and order forms of association by arousing and managing common sentiments. A textual and visual discourse in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Europe and North America considered “sympathy” or fellow feeling to be the basis of moral conduct and the glue of social life. Images have played an important role in mediating sympathy by promoting moral causes, acting as propaganda, and eliciting deeply felt reactions to injustices. Yet the felt-life of religion exhibits a tension between compassion and solidarity. By scrutinizing how images were used to generate sympathy, we are able to see how the sense of community depends on both feeling for some (sympathy) and feeling against others (antipathy). Moreover, investigation of the...
Dynamic stability of an open city with many household classes

Abstract This paper analyzes the dynamic stability property of an “open” city with many classes of households. We specify a dynamic adjustment process of household movement into and out of the city in such a way that the number of households in each class increases or decreases over time, according as the utility level households can obtain in the city is higher or lower than a certain utility level attainable elsewhere. Then we prove that a long-run equilibrium is locally stable for positive speeds of adjustment under reasonable assumptions. Some comparative static properties are also explored.
On the merits of implementing a novel decentralized ethernet- based PON architecture for next-generation broadband access networks

To date, the mainstream Ethernet Passive Optical Network (EPON) bandwidth allocation schemes as well as the new IEEE 802.3ah Ethernet in the First Mile (EFM) Task Force specifications have been centralized, relying on a component in the central office, Optical Line Termination (OLT), to provision upstream traffic. Hence, the OLT is the only device that can arbitrate time-division access to the shared channel. Since the OLT has global knowledge of the state of the entire network, this is a centralized control plane in which the OLT has centralized intelligence. One of the major problems associated with a centralized architecture is the "single-point of failure" problem that is the failure of the OLT software will bring down the whole access network. It is the purpose of this work to propose a distributed solution to this problem, and to devise and experimentally demonstrate the feasibility of implementing a novel Ethernet over Star Coupler-based PON architecture that uses a fully distributed time division multiple access arbitration schemes. Specifically, we assess the viability of implementing a distributed control plane architecture that facilitates internetworking among connected users. In addition to the added flexibility and reliability associated with distributed control plane architecture, as well as emulating shared LAN capability among different users, the distributed networking architecture and the associated bandwidth allocation algorithms have characteristics that make them far better suited for provisioning Quality of Service (QoS) schemes necessary for multimedia services over a single line.
Identifying Operating Units for the Design and Synthesis of Azeotropic-Distillation Systems.

A highly effective method has been established to identify processing or operating units necessary for the design or synthesis of azeotropic-distillation systems by resorting to the first principles and logical sequencing of such units. The materials represented in the space of the residue curve map are partitioned into lumped materials bounded by the thermodynamic boundaries and pinches. Subsequently, the operating units are identified on the basis of these lumped materials. The efficacy of the method has been amply illustrated by generating some feasible flowsheets with a set of relatively simple heuristics for the process of producing pure ethanol from its aqueous solution via azeotropic distillation, which is a typical complex process involving thermodynamic pinches, such as azeotropes, phase transition, and/or phase separation. The method is applicable to other complex processes, e.g., crystallization, extraction, reactive distillation, and their combinations. It is highly likely that the method can be an integral part of any conventional heuristic or algorithmic flowsheeting procedure because selecting plausible or candidate operating units is essential for synthesizing a flowsheet by any procedure.