cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Redox activity and chemical speciation of size fractioned PM in the communities of the Los Angeles-Long Beach harbor

Abstract. In this study, two different types of assays were used to quantitatively measure the redox activity of PM and to examine its intrinsic toxicity: 1) in vitro exposure to rat alveolar macrophage (AM) cells using dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCFH-DA) as the fluorescent probe (macrophage ROS assay), and: 2) consumption of dithiothreitol (DTT) in a cell-free system (DTT assay). Coarse (PM10–2.5), accumulation (PM2.5–0.25), and quasi-ultrafine (quasi-UF, PM0.25) mode particles were collected weekly at five sampling sites in the Los Angeles-Long Beach harbor and at one site near the University of Southern California campus (urban site). All PM samples were analyzed for organic (total and water-soluble) and elemental carbon, organic species, inorganic ions, and total and water-soluble elements. Quasi-UF mode particles showed the highest redox activity at all Long Beach sites (on both a per-mass and per-air volume basis). A significant association (R2=0.61) was observed between the two assays, indicating that macrophage ROS and DTT levels are affected at least partially by similar PM species. Relatively small variation was observed for the DTT measurements across all size fractions and sites, whereas macrophage ROS levels showed more significant ranges across the three different particle size modes and throughout the sites (coefficients of variation, or CVs, were 0.35, 0.24 and 0.53 for quasi-UF, accumulation, and coarse mode particles, respectively). Association between the PM constituents and the redox activity was further investigated using multiple linear regression models. The results showed that OC was the most important component influencing the DTT activity of PM samples. The variability of macrophage ROS was explained by changes in OC concentrations and water-soluble vanadium (probably originating from ship emissions – bunker oil combustion). The multiple regression models were used to predict the average diurnal DTT levels as a function of the OC concentration at one of the sampling sites.
Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein: Nucleocytoplasmic Shuttling and Association with Somatodendritic Ribosomes

Fragile X syndrome, a leading cause of inherited mental retardation, is attributable to the unstable expansion of a CGG-repeat within the FMR1 gene that results in the absence of the encoded protein. The fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) is a ribosome-associated RNA-binding protein of uncertain function that contains nuclear localization and export signals. We show here detailed cellular localization studies using both biochemical and immunocytochemical approaches. FMRP was highly expressed in neurons but not glia throughout the rat brain, as detected by light microscopy. Although certain structures, such as hippocampus, revealed a strong signal, the regional variation in staining intensity appeared to be related to neuron size and density. In human cell lines and mouse brain, FMRP co-fractionated primarily with polysomes and rough endoplasmic reticulum. Ultrastructural studies in rat brain revealed high levels of FMRP immunoreactivity in neuronal perikarya, where it is concentrated in regions rich in ribosomes, particularly near or between rough endoplasmic reticulum cisternae. Immunogold studies also provided evidence of nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of FMRP, which was localized in neuronal nucleoplasm and within nuclear pores. Moreover, labeling was observed in large- and small-caliber dendrites, in dendritic branch points, at the origins of spine necks, and in spine heads, all known locations of neuronal polysomes. Dendritic localization, which was confirmed by co-fractionation of FMRP with synaptosomal ribosomes, suggests a possible role of FMRP in the translation of proteins involved in dendritic structure or function and relevant for the mental retardation occurring in fragile X syndrome.
Using Dynamic Pile Testing To Evaluate Quality and Verify Capacity of Driven Piles

Pile testing using a pile driving analyzer is a nondestructive method of evaluating the support capacity provided by the soil to a pile. The New York State Department of Transportation's (NYSDOT) approach to incorporating this testing procedure into a project is discussed from design into construction. Specification and contractural responsibilities are addressed, as are typical applications of the test method. By judiciously using dynamic pile testing, NYSDOT is able to cost-effectively link the design process to construction. Informed decisions are possible regarding the field performance of driven piles with respect to pile-soil support capacity, hammer operation, driving stress, damage to piles during driving, and verification of assumptions made for wave equation analysis of piles.
Scalable summaries of spoken conversations

In this work, we present a novel means of browsing recorded audio conversations. The method we develop produces scalable summaries of the recognized speech, in which we can increase the amount of text continuously with the desired level of detail to best fill the available space. We present an interface in which a user can view an entire conversation in one screen, but can also quickly zoom in to see the full transcript; the corresponding audio can be easily played as well. The scaling is achieved via a combination of topic segmentation and informative phrase selection, where the threshold for informativeness decreases with increasing level of detail. Finally, we evaluate our method and interface against a baseline interface with a user study.
MetaMorphs: Deformable shape and texture models

We present a new class of deformable models, MetaMorphs, that consist of both shape and interior texture. The model deformations are derived from both boundary and region information in a common variational framework. This framework represents a generalization of previous model-based segmentation approaches. The shapes of the new models are represented implicitly as "images" in the higher dimensional space of distance transforms. The interior textures are captured using a nonparametric kernel-based approximation of the intensity probability density functions (p.d.f.s) inside the models. The deformations that MetaMorph models can undergo are defined using a space warping technique - the cubic B-spline based Free Form Deformations (FFD). When using the models for boundary finding in images, we derive the model dynamics from an energy functional consisting of both edge energy terms and intensity/texture energy terms. This way, the models deform wider the influence of forces derived from both boundary and regional information. The proposed MetaMorph deformable models are efficient in convergence, have large attraction range, and are robust to image noise and inhomogeities. Various examples on finding object boundaries in noisy images with complex textures demonstrate the potential of the proposed technique.
Outcome Matrix based Phrase Selection

This article presents a method for using outcome matrices for social phrase selection. An outcome matrix is a computational representation of interaction often used to represent a social decision problem. Typically an outcome matrix lists the potential actions that a robot or agent might select and how the selection of each possible action will impact both the agent and their interactive partner. Here we examine the possibility of replacing the social actions listed in a matrix with phrases that could be spoken by the robot. We show that doing so allows one to utilize several tools from interdependence theory and game theory.
A prospective, randomized, double-blinded study of assisted hatching in women younger than 38 years undergoing in vitro fertilization.

Objective To determine whether assisted hatching is beneficial to IVF patients younger than 38 years whose embryos have a thickened zona pellucida (ZP). Design Prospective, randomized, double-blinded, crossover study. Setting University-based infertility center. Patient(s) One hundred twenty-one women less than 38 years of age, undergoing IVF at Washington University between April 2004 and February 2007, with ZP thickness ≥13 μm for any embryos. Intervention(s) Measurement of ZP thickness in embryos undergoing IVF; randomization of women with embryos with ZP thickness ≥13 μm to no procedure or assisted hatching performed by acidic Tyrode's solution. Main Outcome Measure(s) Clinical intrauterine pregnancy rate, implantation rate, spontaneous pregnancy loss, and live birth rate. Result(s) Baseline characteristics and ZP thickness were not significantly different between the two study arms (hatched and unhatched). No significant differences were observed between hatched and unhatched patients in the rates of clinical pregnancy (47% vs. 50% respectively) or live birth (46% vs. 45% respectively). Further, no significant differences were noted between hatched and unhatched groups in rates of spontaneous abortions, monozygotic twinning, dizygotic twinning, chromosomal abnormalities, or ectopic gestations. In addition, mean ZP thickness did not have a significant effect on pregnancy. Conclusion(s) In patients younger than 38 years with embryos with ZP thickness of ≥13 μm, assisted hatching does not improve the rates of implantation, clinical pregnancy, or live birth, and thus does not appear to offer any benefit to patients in this age group undergoing IVF.
Solvent-induced differentiation of protein backbone hydrogen bonds in calmodulin.

In apo and holoCaM, almost half of the hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) at the protein backbone expected from the corresponding NMR or X-ray structures were not detected by h3 J NC′ couplings. The paucity of the h3 J NC′ couplings was considered in terms of dynamic features of these structures. We examined a set of seven proteins and found that protein-backbone H-bonds form two groups according to the h3 J NC′ couplings measured in solution. H-bonds that have h3 J NC′ couplings above the threshold of 0.2 Hz show distance/angle correlation among the H-bond geometrical parameters, and appear to be supported by the backbone dynamics in solution. The other H-bonds have no such correlation; they populate the water-exposed and flexible regions of proteins, including many of the CaM helices. The observed differentiation in a dynamical behavior of backbone H-bonds in apo and holoCaM appears to be related to protein functions.
Response of the bottom boundary layer over a sloping shelf to variations in alongshore wind

[1] Rapidly repeated transects of currents, density, and turbulence through the bottom boundary layer across a relatively uniform stretch of the continental shelf off Oregon reveal the response to a sequence of strong upwelling followed by relaxation and thence a resumption of upwelling. Several definitions of boundary layer thickness are employed to describe the evolution of the bottom boundary layer. Well-mixed and turbulent layers were typically confined to 10 m from the bottom. However, boundary layer thicknesses were greatest during relaxation from upwelling (when mixed layer and turbulent layer thicknesses exceeded 20 m), and turbulence in the bottom boundary layer was most intense at this time. Dense, near-bottom fluid was observed to move upslope with upwelling and back down the slope with relaxation from upwelling. By tracking the intersection of near-bottom isopycnals with the bottom over successive transects, we estimate the cross-shore speed of fluid in the bottom boundary layer. Cross-shore speed agrees well with dynamical estimates of cross-shore velocity in the bottom Ekman layer derived from bottom stress measurements. This leads to a confirmation of the Ekman balance of alongshore momentum in the bottom boundary layer across the full width of the shelf. Good correlation exists between alongshore velocity at the top of the bottom boundary layer and cross-shore velocity of dense fluid in the bottom boundary layer. Application of a derived proxy for bottom stress to moored velocity observations indicates Ekman balance of alongshore momentum at a midshelf location (81 m depth) for a 3 month period in spring/summer 2001.
A comparative study of clutter rejection techniques in airborne radar

The authors present radar detection, performance analysis results for targets in highly nonhomogeneous clutter environments where conventional adaptive array processing techniques are not feasible. For this case, the performance of an adaptive array processing technique which uses an angle-Doppler domain localized generalized likelihood ratio test is compared to that of a conventional displaced phase center aperture (DPCA) processor. When the measurement data available for estimation of clutter statistics is limited due to a severely nonhomogeneous environment, the conventional data-domain adaptive implementations of the joint domain optimal processor become undesirable because of their slow convergence (poor data efficiency) and heavy computation load. Under these conditions, the joint angle-Doppler domain localized generalized likelihood ratio test processor outperforms any conventional adaptive array processor, and is also shown to outperform the DPCA-based processor. >
Acute Sinusitis and Pharyngitis as Inappropriate Indications for Antibiotic Use

We read with interest the study by Donnelly and colleagues ([1][1]) which explored antibiotic prescriptions for ambulatory emergency department (ED) visits in the United States. As public health researchers, we agree with the authors' assertion that their findings “highlight opportunities for
A mixed‐effects regression model for three‐level ordinal response data

Three-level data occur frequently in behaviour and medical sciences. For example, in a multi-centre trial, subjects within a given site are randomly assigned to treatments and then studied over time. In this example, the repeated observations (level-1) are nested within subjects (level-2) who are nested within sites (level-3). Similarly, in twin studies, repeated measurements (level-1) are taken on each twin (level-2) within each twin pair (level-3). A three-level mixed-effects regression model is described here. Random effects at the second and third level are included in the model. Additionally, both proportional odds and non-proportional odds models are developed. The latter allows the effects of explanatory variables to vary across the cumulative logits of the model. A maximum marginal likelihood (MML) solution is described and Gauss-Hermite numerical quadrature is used to integrate over the distribution of random effects. The random effects are normally distributed in this instance. Features of this model are illustrated using data from a school-based smoking prevention trial and an Alzheimer's disease clinical trial.
Canonical MicroRNA Activity Facilitates but May Be Dispensable for Transcription Factor-Mediated Reprogramming

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important regulators of reprogramming of somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs); however, it is unclear whether miRNAs are required for reprogramming and whether miRNA activity as a whole facilitates reprogramming. Here we report on successful reprogramming of mouse fibroblasts and neural stem cells (NSCs) lacking Dgcr8, a factor required for the biogenesis of canonical miRNAs, by Yamanaka factors, albeit at decreased efficiencies. Though iPSCs derived from Dgcr8-deficient mouse fibroblasts or NSCs were able to self-renew and expressed pluripotency-associated markers, they exhibited poor differentiation potential into mature somatic tissues, similar to Dgcr8(-/-) embryonic stem cells. The differentiation defects could be rescued with expression of DGCR8 cDNA. Our data demonstrate that while miRNA activity as a whole facilitates reprogramming, canonical miRNA may be dispensable in the derivation of iPSCs.
Identifying Important Features for Graph Retrieval

Infographics, such as bar charts and line graphs, occur often in popular media and are a rich knowledge source that should be accessible to users. Unfortunately, information retrieval research has focused on the retrieval of text documents and images, with almost no attention specifically directed toward the retrieval of information graphics. Our work is the first to directly tackle the retrieval of infographics and to design a system that takes into account their unique characteristics. Learning-to-rank algorithms are applied on a large set of features to develop several models for infographics retrieval. Evaluation of the models shows that features pertaining to the structure and the content of graphics should be taken into account when retrieving graphics and that doing so results in a model with better performance than a baseline model that relies on matching query words with words in the graphic.
Metastable orientational order of colloidal discoids

The interplay between phase separation and kinetic arrest is important in supramolecular self-assembly, but their effects on emergent orientational order are not well understood when anisotropic building blocks are used. Contrary to the typical progression from disorder to order in isotropic systems, here we report that colloidal oblate discoids initially self-assemble into short, metastable strands with orientational order—regardless of the final structure. The model discoids are suspended in a refractive index and density-matched solvent. Then, we use confocal microscopy experiments and Monte Carlo simulations spanning a broad range of volume fractions and attraction strengths to show that disordered clusters form near coexistence boundaries, whereas oriented strands persist with strong attractions. We rationalize this unusual observation in light of the interaction anisotropy imparted by the discoids. These findings may guide self-assembly for anisotropic systems in which orientational order is desired, such as when tailored mechanical properties are sought.
Examination of Clunk Phenomena Using a Non-Linear Torsional Model of a Front Wheel Drive Vehicle with Manual Transmission

Linear and non-linear simulation models are created to understand, interpret and control the clunk problem in a front-wheel drive vehicle, with focus on tip-in and tip-out induced transients. A reduced order torsional model of the driveline system is employed to conceptually describe the impulsive behavior. Based on the calculated time responses, this investigation attempts to propose a few metrics for the quantification of clunk or sharp transients. The effects of several design parameters, such as the number of gear backlashes and stiffnesses of a two-staged clutch damper, are illustrated. Suggestions for further work and possible design solutions are included.
Tidally Driven Processes Leading to Near-Field Turbulence in a Channel at the Crest of the Mendocino Escarpment

AbstractIn situ observations of tidally driven turbulence were obtained in a small channel that transects the crest of the Mendocino Ridge, a site of mixed (diurnal and semidiurnal) tides. Diurnal tides are subinertial at this latitude, and once per day a trapped tide leads to large flows through the channel giving rise to tidal excursion lengths comparable to the width of the ridge crest. During these times, energetic turbulence is observed in the channel, with overturns spanning almost half of the full water depth. A high-resolution, nonhydrostatic, 2.5-dimensional simulation is used to interpret the observations in terms of the advection of a breaking tidal lee wave that extends from the ridge crest to the surface and the subsequent development of a hydraulic jump on the flanks of the ridge. Modeled dissipation rates show that turbulence is strongest on the flanks of the ridge and that local dissipation accounts for 28% of the energy converted from the barotropic tide into baroclinic motion.
Social Networking Sites and the Evaluation of Applicants and Students in Applied Training Programs in Psychology

The purpose of this article is to outline a policy regarding the potential use of online information, posted on sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace, in evaluating both applicants and students in applied psychology training programs. The problems posed to those training programs by social media, as well as the relevant ethical and legal issues, are reviewed. A policy is then presented that might form the basis for programs looking to address the use of social media information in the evaluation process. Research, legal, and training implications are also discussed.
FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH HIGH PATIENT RADIATION DOSE DURING CHRONIC TOTAL OCCLUSION PERCUTANEOUS CORONARY INTERVENTION: INSIGHTS FROM A CONTEMPORARY MULTICENTER REGISTRY

High patient radiation dose during chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) may lead to procedural failure and radiation skin injury. We examined the association between several clinical and angiographic variables on patient air kerma (AK) radiation dose among 748
Formal Education Can Affect Students’ Perception of Organic Produce

Consumer perception plays an important role in the decision to purchase organic vs. conventional produce. A web-based survey was used to evaluate perceptions and purchase behavior toward organic produce in a sample population of college-aged students. The effect of formal education on this perception was also investigated. Most subjects in this sample population were aware of and had positive perceptions of organic produce and organic agriculture. The likelihood of being an organic consumer was similar across genders, ages, and fields of study. Subjects who reported to be organic consumers associated less risk with organic produce than those who reported to never have purchased organic produce. A 50-minute lecture about organic agriculture altered the perception students had about organic produce. After the lecture, students expressed bleaker perceptions about the health benefits and ethical soundness of organic agriculture. On the other hand, after the lecture students expressed a more positive perception of the policies and regulations that govern the organic foods market. Overall, data suggest that students’ perception of organic produce and agriculture is based on anecdotal evidence and that formal education on the topic of organic agriculture can affect this perception.
Immunofluorescence and biochemical studies of the type VI collagen expression by human glioblastoma cells in vitro.

AbstractThe human glioblastoma cell line U-87 MG was found to express a 140 kD polypeptide which was recognized on immunoblot analysis by a monoclonal antibody to type VI collagen. This polypeptide was digestible by a highly purified bacterial collagenase. After treatment of U-87 MG cells by pepsin, the protein profile revealed the two major pepsin-resistant fragments identical in Mr to those of collagen VI extracted from human placenta. The respective peptide maps from V8 protease one-dimensional gels of these two fragments were identical to those obtained with human collagen VI. Immunofluorescent staining by antibodies to type VI collagen was observed in the extracellular matrix. Moreover; U-87 MG cells were found to be positive for A2B5, a cell surface marker specific for 0-2A type glial precursor cells. These data indicate that the human glioblastoma cell line U-87 MG exhibits the properties of glial precursor cells and expresses collagen type VI in vitro. This cell line therefore may prove valuable f...
Postmenopausal hormone therapy and breast cancer: Where do we stand?

The relationship between clinically apparent breast cancer and postmenopausal hormone therapy has been clarified in the last few years. It is clear that long-term, current users are at increased risk. Most women using HT for short-term treatment of vasomotor symptoms will not face measurable increases in their risk for breast cancer. That risk returns to baseline a few years after discontinuation of hormones. Breast cancer detection may be delayed by HT use; temporary interruption of HT prior to mammography may maintain sensitivity of that screening test. This article explores the literature as it has evolved from observational studies to prospective randomized clinical trials to see if a unified understanding of the epidemiology, biology and clinical significance of the potential risk temporally associated with prolonged HT use can be developed.
Culture, Stress and Illness Reactions

Stress is a condition that creates outstanding psychological problems or conflicts, to which the subject must react with excessive effort, inducing a considerable disturbance of his emotional state. Stress is influenced by multiple and compound factors, including the occurrence of stress, its perception or appraisal by the subject experiencing it, and supporting resources for coping and the strength to cope available to the subject that enable him to face the stress. From a cultural perspective, culture influences stress in various ways. This chapter discusses these influences of culture on stress and explains the ways of treatment including medicines and help from therapy. For the difficulty of categorizing various coping patterns utilized by individuals in different cultures while in stress, examples are presented to illustrate some specific coping patterns or strategies that have been utilized by certain societies in particular eras from a historical point of view such as passive-resistance coping method and self-destructive coping choice.
Ring resonator for detection of melting brine under shallow subsurface of Mars

Laboratory experimental evidence using Raman spectroscopy has shown that liquid brine may form below the shallow subsurface of Mars. A simpler experimental method to verify the presence of liquid brine or liquid water below Mars surface is needed. In this paper, a ring resonator is used to detect the phase change from frozen water to liquid water below a sandy soil that simulates the Mars surface. Experimental data shows that the ring resonator can detect the melting of thin layers of frozen brine or water up to 15 mm below the surface.
A compressed-sampling time-segmented quadrature analog-to-information converter for wideband rapid detection of up to 6 interferers with adaptive thresholding

A rapid interferer-detector for cognitive radio systems is presented that uses a compressed-sampling time-segmented quadrature analog-to-information converter (TS-QAIC). The TS-QAIC introduces system scalability through adaptive thresholding and time segmentation, while limiting silicon cost and complexity. The TS-QAIC can detect 6 interferers in 2.7–3.7GHz in 10.4µs with 8 physical I/Q branches. The TS-QAIC chip implemented in 65nm CMOS on 0.517mm2 (active area) consumes 81.2mW from 1.2V.
Fanconi anemia group A and C double-mutant mice: functional evidence for a multi-protein Fanconi anemia complex.

Abstract Objective Fanconi anemia (FA) is a genetically heterogeneous disorder associated with defects in at least eight genes. The biochemical function(s) of the FA proteins are unknown, but together they define the FA pathway, which is involved in cellular responses to DNA damage and in other cellular processes. It is currently unknown whether all FA proteins are involved in controlling a single function or whether some of the FA proteins have additional roles. The aim of this study was 1) to determine whether the FA group A and group C genes have identical or partially distinct functions, and 2) to have a better model for human FA. Materials and Methods We generated mice with a targeted mutation in fanca and crossed them with fancc disrupted animals. Several phenotypes including sensitivity to DNA cross linkers and ionizing radiation, hematopoietic colony growth, and germ cell loss were analyzed in fanca −/−, fancc −/−, fanca/fancc double −/−, and controls. Results Fibroblast cells and hematopoietic precursors from fanca/fancc double-mutant mice were not more sensitive to MMC than those of either single mutant. fanca/fancc double mutants had no evidence for an additive phenotype at the cellular or organismal level. Conclusions These results support a model where both FANCA and FANCC are part of a multi-protein nuclear FA complex with identical function in cellular responses to DNA damage and germ cell survival.
White-Black Differences in Cancer Incidence, Stage at Diagnosis, and Survival among Adults Aged 85 Years and Older in the United States.

Background: Increased life expectancy, growth of minority populations, and advances in cancer screening and treatment have resulted in an increasing number of older, racially diverse cancer survivors. Potential black/white disparities in cancer incidence, stage, and survival among the oldest old (≥85 years) were examined using data from the SEER Program of the National Cancer Institute. Methods: Differences in cancer incidence and stage at diagnosis were examined for cases diagnosed within the most recent 5-year period, and changes in these differences over time were examined for white and black cases aged ≥85 years. Five-year relative cancer survival rate was also examined by race. Results: Among those aged ≥85 years, black men had higher colorectal, lung and bronchus, and prostate cancer incidence rates than white men, respectively. From 1973 to 2012, lung and bronchus and female breast cancer incidence increased, while colorectal and prostate cancer incidence decreased among this population. Blacks had higher rates of unstaged cancer compared with whites. The 5-year relative survival rate for all invasive cancers combined was higher for whites than blacks. Notably, whites had more than three times the relative survival rate of lung and bronchus cancer when diagnosed at localized (35.1% vs. 11.6%) and regional (12.2% vs. 3.2%) stages than blacks, respectively. Conclusions: White and black differences in cancer incidence, stage, and survival exist in the ≥85 population. Impact: Continued efforts are needed to reduce white and black differences in cancer prevention and treatment among the ≥85 population. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 25(11); 1517–23. ©2016 AACR .
Hair removal-related injuries in the United States, 1991-2014

SummaryBackground Hair removal practices have changed in frequency and location on the body. Previous research on hair removal injuries has focused on a specific body region, age, or gender. Objective This study sought to take a broader perspective of hair removal-associated injuries in the United States which sought treatment at emergency departments. Methods Data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) from 1991 to 2014 were used to identify hair removal-related injuries. Incidence rates were determined for the overall population and stratified by gender and age category using US Census Bureau population estimates. Results From 1991 to 2014, there were an estimated 292 053 hair removal-associated injuries in the United States. The overall incidence rate was highest in 2013 (9/100 000). Those aged 65+ had the highest incidence from 1991 to 2010 with those aged 19–34 having the highest rate starting in 2011. When stratified by body region injured, males had highest injury rates to the face and females had highest rates to the lower limbs. Starting in 2010, those aged 19–34 had higher incidence particularly for pubic and trunk regions. Conclusion The incidence of hair removal-associated injuries seen by emergency departments increased nearly ninefold between 1991 and 2013. Due to the increased incidence among 19- to 34-year-olds, caution should be taken particularly for this age group when undergoing depilatory practices. Overall, individuals should practice safe and acceptable usage of hair removal products to reduce the risk of injury.
Bacteriological and Color Changes in Modified Atmosphere-Packaged Refrigerated Channel Catfish.

Channel catfish ( Ictalurus punctatus ) fillet strips were packaged under aerobic (AIR), 25% carbon dioxide (CO2) (LC) and 80% CO2 (HC) environments with the remainder being air; and stored at 2 and 8°C for 4 weeks. Aerobic plate counts (APC) for HC fish at 2°C declined from 6 log CFU/g to 1.4 log CFU/g after 2 weeks but increased to 5 log CFU/g by the third week. The HC-stored strips at 8°C had an initial increase in APC followed by a decline to 1.4 log CFU/g on the third week, and a rise to 9 log CFU/g by the fourth week. Aerobic plate counts in AIR- and LC-packed fish at either temperature increased steadily throughout storage. Fish surface pH declined in HC-packed product from 6.2 to 5.6 by the fourth week, but did not change in LC and AIR packs. Hunter L-values increased in CO2-packed products, while Hunter a-values decreased. Listeria monocytogenes was isolated from fish under LC and AIR at 8°C in the second and third weeks. Salmonella spp. was present in fish stored in all storage atmospheres at 8°C, but only in AIR-packed fish at 2°C. Clostridium botulinum was not found in product at any of the storage atmospheres at either temperature at any time. The best treatment was fish packed in HC and stored at 2°C.
In-Hospital Mortality with Use of Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy in Traumatic Brain Injury Patients: Results of a Nationwide Population-Based Study.

Background Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is a frequently performed invasive procedure that has been associated with high short-term mortality. Its use of special interest in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients as nutrition support constitutes important issues in intensive care of this group. We used a national database to determine the incidence of, and factors associated with, in-hospital mortality among TBI patients undergoing PEG.
MODELING FOR CONTROL OF REACTIVE EXTRUSION PROCESSES

Abstract A modeling and control framework for effective control of end-use product characteristics of reactive extrusion processes is proposed. We discuss for an example process the development of two important components of the modeling scheme: an identified model that relates manipulated inputs to process outputs and a first principles process model that relates the inputs to quality variables.
MDMA and Glutamate: Implications for Hippocampal Neurotoxicity

Abstract 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is an amphetamine derivative commonly abused for its psychotropic and mood-elevating effects. These subjective effects are primarily mediated by a release of serotonin and dopamine. MDMA is also known to elicit prolonged toxic effects toward serotonergic nerve terminals, and more recently, has been shown to reduce the number of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurons in the hippocampus of rats. In this chapter, this novel GABAergic toxicity and the potential underlying mechanisms are discussed in detail. The primary mechanism presented here is glutamate excitotoxicity, as MDMA has been shown to promote excessive glutamate release specifically in the hippocampus, and the glutamate receptors expressed by GABA neurons in this brain region are especially vulnerable to overstimulation. If conclusively linked by further studies, glutamate signaling and GABA toxicity may provide a mechanism for the observed cognitive impairments and increased seizure vulnerability evoked by MDMA exposure.
But Some of Us Are Broke: Race, Gender, and the Neoliberalization of the Academy

Anthropologists have paid increasing attention to neoliberalism in our research, yet we have been less willing to apply this lens to our own academic positioning and the ways these roles are shaped by privatization and market models. Lives and livelihoods in the American academy are increasingly determined by neoliberalism, and it is vital that we be both reflexive about and engaged around our positions within this project. This article explores the divides that separate various forms of academic labor (secure versus nonsecure, contract, etc.) as well as the raced and gendered implications of these tracks—in particular, the stark ways in which neoliberal transformations negatively affect women of color in the academy. [neoliberalism, academy, race, gender, contingent labor]
Development and validation of a rapid and robust method to determine visceral adipose tissue volume using computed tomography images

Background Visceral adiposity is a risk factor for many chronic diseases. Existing methods to quantify visceral adipose tissue volume using computed tomographic (CT) images often use a single slice, are manual, and are time consuming, making them impractical for large population studies. We developed and validated a method to accurately, rapidly, and robustly measure visceral adipose tissue volume using CT images. Methods In-house software, Medical Executable for the Efficient and Robust Quantification of Adipose Tissue (MEERQAT), was developed to calculate visceral adipose tissue volume using a series of CT images within a manually identified region of interest. To distinguish visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue, ellipses are drawn through the rectus abdominis and transverse abdominis using manual and automatic processes. Visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue volumes are calculated by counting the numbers of voxels corresponding to adipose tissue in the region of interest. MEERQAT’s ellipse interpolation method was validated by comparing visceral adipose volume from 10 patients’ CT scans with corresponding results from manually delineated scans. Accuracy of visceral adipose quantification was tested using a phantom consisting of animal fat and tissues. Robustness of the method was tested by determining intra-observer and inter-observer coefficients of variation (CV). Results The mean difference in visceral adipose tissue volume between manual and elliptical delineation methods was -0.54 ± 4.81%. In the phantom, our measurement differed from the known adipose volume by ≤ 7.5% for all scanning parameters. Mean inter-observer CV for visceral adipose tissue volume was 0.085, and mean intra-observer CV for visceral adipose tissue volume was 0.059. Conclusions We have developed and validated a robust method of accurately and quickly determining visceral adipose tissue volume in any defined region of interest using CT imaging.
Light-trapping in polymer solar cells by processing with nanostructured diatomaceous earth

Abstract We demonstrate the use of fossilized diatoms (diatomaceous earth) as light traps in regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and fullerene derivative [6,6]-phenyl-C60-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) solar cells. Diatoms, the most common type of phytoplankton found in nature, are optimized for light absorption through millions of years of adaptive evolution. They are also an earth-abundant source of silica that can be incorporated into polymer solar cells without the need for complicated processing. Here we establish protocols dispersing the diatomaceous earth throughout the P3HT:PCBM active layer with characterization by optical and current-voltage measurements. We show that through the addition of diatomaceous earth, we can achieve the same power conversion efficiencies as standard thickness cells while using 36% thinner active layers. We find that adding the diatomaceous earth acts as a scattering center and textures the silver back contact, contributing to increases in the optical path length within devices. Results from this study open up pathways for incorporating hierarchical materials from nature into energy conversion devices.
Modeling the Concentration of Volatile and Semivolatile Contaminants in Direct Contact Membrane Distillation (DCMD) Product Water

Direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) is an emerging water treatment technology that has high salt rejection; however, its commercialization potential for applications such as seawater desalination or industrial wastewater reuse may be limited by low rejection of volatile and semivolatile contaminants. In this manuscript, a contaminant concentration (CC) model describing the transport of volatile and semivolatile contaminants for DCMD systems was developed and validated using data from the bench-scale DCMD treatment of synthetic wastewaters. The DCMD tests showed that the more volatile contaminants (methyl-tert-butyl ether, acetone, pentanone, butanol, and hexanol) accumulated in the permeate collection stream at greater concentrations than in the feed stream. The validated CC model (average normalized root mean squared error ≤11.3%) was then used to evaluate the product water quality from the large-scale DCMD treatment of oil and gas produced waters. The modeled product water contaminant concentrat...
Millennium Aid, Trade and Development

This Chapter summarizes the main developments in international co-operation on aid and trade with developing countries in the period 2000–2008. During this period developing countries made tremendous economic progress. They also participated in a number of international agreements aimed at solidifying the commitment of the international community to help reduce global poverty as well as shape the rules of international trade in ways that would be more supportive of development. The first of these agreements, perhaps the one with the greatest global reach, was the UN Millennium Declaration in late summer 2000 which contained what later became the Millennium Development Goals. Then there was the WTO agreement in 2001 to launch the Doha Round, the International Conference on Financing for Development in Monterrey in 2002, the Paris Agreements on Aid Effectiveness in 2005 and many others. All this spirit of international co-operation came to a crashing halt with the financial collapse of 2008 and has not recovered since.
Extrinsic polarization-controlled optical anisotropy in plasmon-black phosphorus coupled system

Two-dimensional black phosphorus (BP) has drawn extensive research interest due to its promising anisotropic photonic and electronic properties. Here, we study anisotropic optical absorption and photoresponse of exfoliated BP flakes at visible frequencies. We enhance this intrinsic optical anisotropy in BP flakes by coupling plasmonic rectangular nanopatch arrays that support localized surface plasmon resonances. In particular, by combining extrinsic anisotropic plasmonic nanostructures lithographically aligned with intrinsically anisotropic BP flakes, we demonstrate for the first time a combined anisotropic plasmonic-semiconductor coupling that provides significant control over the polarization-dependent optical properties of the plasmon-BP hybrid material system, enhancing polarization-sensitive responses to a larger degree. This hybrid material system not only unveils the plasmon-enhanced mechanisms in BP, but also provides novel controllable functionalities in optoelectronic device applications involving polarization-sensitive optical and electrical responses.
Schur-Weyl Duality and Representations of Permutation Groups

The Schur-Weyl duality provides a systematic approach to the study of representations of the classical groups. In this contribution we use the Schur-Weyl duality to analyze the natural representations of the symmetric group S n arising from the irreducible GL(n, C) and SL(n, C)-modules. This paper is dedicated to A. A. Kirillov on the occasion of his 26-th birthday.
Studies of Methane Monooxygenase and Alkane Oxidation Model Complexes

Among the recently delineated class of non-heme iron oxo proteins is the hydroxylase component of methane monooxygenase, an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of methane to methanol according to eq. 1.1 Methane monooxygenases (MMOs) are found in methanotrophic bacteria $$ C{H_4} + NADH + {H^ + } + {O_2} \to C{H_3}OH + NA{D^ + } + {H_2}O $$ (1) that use methane as their sole source of carbon and energy.2 In this article we discuss mainly the results of studies that have been carried out on MMOs from the organisms Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath) and Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b. The soluble MMOs from both of these organisms contain two proteins in addition to the hydroxylase, a reductase with associated FAD and Fe2S2 prosthetic groups and a smaller polypeptide, designated protein B, that is believed to play a role in regulating electron transfer between the reductase and hydroxylase components.3, 4 The relative roles of these proteins in the overall MMO system are displayed in Figure 1. Most catalysts that effect the hydroxylation of alkanes by dioxygen are also able to catalyze the direct oxidation (autoxidation) of the reductant with dioxygen. The MMO system avoids this potential problem by physically isolating the hydroxylase and reductase functionalities on different proteins.
The Complexity of Poverty: A Missing Component of Educational Leadership Programs.

National survey results indicate that understanding the complexity of poverty and its effects is not a major social justice component of educational leadership programs. Authors present and discuss...
Paired prairie and cultivated soils: soluble organics and nitrogen dynamics

The internal nitrogen (N) cycle in soils of native and established prairies is highly conservative of N, whereas that of cultivated soils has a greater potential for loss of N to denitrification and leaching. In addition to rapid plant uptake of inorganic N, the efficiency of the N cycle in prairie soils has been partly attributed to the quality and quantity of available carbon (C) substrate to allow for microbial immobilization of N. In this study we investigate soluble or "free" anthrone-reactive carbon (ARC), as a measure of hexose sugars, soluble organic C, and soluble amino-N status of prairie and cultivated soils as possible measures of instantaneously available C and N. Soils were collected from 11 adjacent prairie and cultivated sites in July 1991. Field moist soil samples were analyzed for biomass C, KCl extractable NH4^, NO3", and aminoN, and K2S04-soluble organic C and ARC. Soil samples were also air-dried and analyzed for total C and N. Prairie soils were generally higher in total C, total N, biomass C, soluble amino-N, and soluble ARC than their cultivated counterparts. Total soluble organic C was not consistent among sites, but ratios of soluble C to inorganic N gave a better indication of the status of the internal N cycle than did the total C;N ratios.
Abstract 5606: Eradication of triple-negative breast cancer cells by targeting glycosylated PD-L1

EGF signaling inhibits GSK3β-β-TrCP-mediated degradation of N-linked glycosylated programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1), resulting in PD-L1 protein destabilization and enhanced immune checkpoint blockade efficacy. Here we show that EGF also mediates PD-L1 and receptor programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) interaction, requiring β-1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyl transferase (B3GNT3) expression in triple-negative breast cancer cells. Downregulation of B3GNT3 enhances cytotoxic T cell-mediated anti-tumor immunity. A monoclonal antibody targeting glycosylated PD-L1 (gPD-L1) blocks PD-L1/PD-1 interaction and promotes PD-L1 internalization and degradation. In addition to immune reactivation, drug-conjugated gPD-L1 antibody induces potent cell-killing effect as well as bystander-killing effect on adjacent cancer cells without PD-L1 expression with virtually no detectable toxicities. Our work suggests targeting protein glycosylation as a potential strategy to enhance immune checkpoint therapy. Citation Format: Seung-Oe Lim, Chia-Wei Li, Mien-Chie Hung. Eradication of triple-negative breast cancer cells by targeting glycosylated PD-L1 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5606.
Perceptions of drinking water cleanliness and health-seeking behaviours: A qualitative assessment of household water safety in Lesotho, Africa.

Despite the increased availability of improved water sources globally, enteric illnesses remain a source of significant morbidity and mortality. While the MDGs goal for safe water, i.e. improved so...