cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diminution of mouse epidermal superoxide dismutase and catalase activities by tumor promoters

The effects of phorbol ester tumor promoters and related compounds on superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase were examined. The treatment of adult mouse skin with 2 ..mu..g 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) resulted in a sustained decrease in the basal levels of both SOD and catalase activities in the epidermis. A decline in SOD activity occurred within 2 h after application and the maximum effect was seen at 16-17 h. The decrease in SOD activity was always accompanied by a similar decline in the epidermal catalase activity. The alterations in both enzymes occurred against a high background of enhanced protein synthesis which indicates that the effect of TPA is selective for SOD and catalase. Other tumor promoters such as phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate and the non-phorbol tumor promoter anthraline also lowered the activities of both the enzymes. Mezerein, a resiniferonol derivative with weak promoting activity but a potent stage-II promoter, appeared to be more potent than TPA in lowering the basal levels. These results indicate that damage which favors neoplastic progression would occur in TPA-treated mouse skin due to the accumulation of free radicals resulting from low levels of SOD and catalase activity. In addition, the TPA-caused decrease in the levels of SOD and catalasemore » was not prevented by either retinoic acid, fluocinolone acetonide, tosyl amino-2-phenylethyl chloromethyl ketone, or butylated hydroxytoluene, suggesting that inhibition of tumor promotion by these agents is not mediated through alterations in the levels of enzymatic activities which decrease free radical concentrations.« less
Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in morbidly obese adolescents

Abstract Background/Purpose: Obesity has contributed significantly to morbidity and premature deaths in the adolescent population. Because many patients do not respond to dietary modification, exercise regimens, or pharmacologic treatment, weight reduction surgery has become a viable alternative, although the morbidity of conventional gastric bypass has tempered enthusiasm for this approach. Experience with the laparoscopic approach has not been reported previously. The authors examined the outcome of adolescents undergoing laparoscopic Roux-En-Y gastric bypass (lap RYGB). Methods: Medical records of patients less than 20 years of age (n = 4; 3 girls, 1 boy) who had undergone lap RYGB for morbid obesity were reviewed. All patients met National Institute of Health criteria for bariatric surgery. Outcome variables examined included weight; body mass index (BMI); hospital length of stay (LOS); comorbid conditions; and tolerance of a regular diet. Mean time to follow-up was 17 months. Results: All procedures were completed laparoscopically. There were no complications. The average LOS was 2 days. Patients with greater than 20-month follow-up lost an average of 87% of their excess body weight and had nearly complete resolution of comorbidities (including hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia, asthma, and gastroesophageal reflux disease). Conclusion: Laparoscopic gastric bypass is a safe alternative in morbidly obese adolescents who have not responded to medical therapy. J Pediatr Surg 38:430-433. Copyright 2003, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.
Analysis of android inter-app security vulnerabilities using COVERT

The state-of-the-art in securing mobile software systems are substantially intended to detect and mitigate vulnerabilities in a single app, but fail to identify vulnerabilities that arise due to the interaction of multiple apps, such as collusion attacks and privilege escalation chaining, shown to be quite common in the apps on the market. This paper demonstrates COVERT, a novel approach and accompanying tool-suite that relies on a hybrid static analysis and lightweight formal analysis technique to enable compositional security assessment of complex software. Through static analysis of Android application packages, it extracts relevant security specifications in an analyzable formal specification language, and checks them as a whole for inter-app vulnerabilities. To our knowledge, COVERT is the first formally-precise analysis tool for automated compositional analysis of Android apps. Our study of hundreds of Android apps revealed dozens of inter-app vulnerabilities, many of which were previously unknown. A video highlighting the main features of the tool can be found at: http://youtu.be/bMKk7OW7dGg.
ON DETERMINING THE DIMENSION OF CHAOTIC FLOWS

Abstract We describe a method for determining the approximate fractal dimension of an attractor. Our technique fits linear subspaces of appropriate dimension to sets of points on the attractor. The deviation between points on the attractor and this local linear subspace is analyzed through standard multilinear regression techniques. We show how the local dimension of attractors underlying physical phenomena can be measured even when only a single time-varying quantity is available for analysis. These methods are applied to several dissipative dynamical systems.
Intestinal microbial ecology and environmental factors affecting necrotizing enterocolitis

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the most devastating intestinal disease affecting preterm infants. In addition to being associated with short term mortality and morbidity, survivors are left with significant long term sequelae. The cost of caring for these infants is high. Epidemiologic evidence suggests that use of antibiotics and type of feeding may cause an intestinal dysbiosis important in the pathogenesis of NEC, but the contribution of specific infectious agents is poorly understood. Fecal samples from preterm infants ≤32 weeks gestation were analyzed using 16S rRNA based methods at 2, 1, and 0 weeks, prior to diagnosis of NEC in 18 NEC cases and 35 controls. Environmental factors such as antibiotic usage, feeding type (human milk versus formula) and location of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) were also evaluated. Microbiota composition differed between the three neonatal units where we observed differences in antibiotic usage. In NEC cases we observed a higher proportion of Proteobacteria (61%) two weeks and of Actinobacteria (3%) 1 week before diagnosis of NEC compared to controls (19% and 0.4%, respectively) and lower numbers of Bifidobacteria counts and Bacteroidetes proportions in the weeks before NEC diagnosis. In the first fecal samples obtained during week one of life we detected a novel signature sequence, distinct from but matching closest to Klebsiella pneumoniae, that was strongly associated with NEC development later in life. Infants who develop NEC exhibit a different pattern of microbial colonization compared to controls. Antibiotic usage correlated with these differences and combined with type of feeding likely plays a critical role in the development of NEC.
The distribution of sensory evoked activity within the medial geniculate body of the unanesthetized cat

The responsiveness of the medial geniculate body to click, flash and shock stimulation was investigated in the unanesthetized, paralyzed cat. Evoked potentials and multiple unit activity were both recorded simultaneously from the same electrode by differential filtering. The ventral division of the medial geniculate body was found to be more responsive to click stimulation than the dorsal division; evoked potentials recorded within the dorsal division could be attributed to volume conduction. Flash and shock stimulation also produced evoked potentials recorded in the dorsal division which were not locally generated. Auditory and somatic stimulation often produced an increase in the amount of multiple unit activity above the background level in the dorsal division suggesting that these stimuli may engage neurons in the dorsal division in an asynchronous manner. The present findings demonstrate that the differential responsiveness of the dorsal and ventral divisions to acoustic stimulation previously observed in the anesthetized cat is not due to anesthesia. It appears that only the ventral division of the parvocellular portion of the medial geniculate body constitutes the main thalamic auditory relay nucleus. The present findings provide a functional correlate for previous anatomical data which have demonstrated a structural differentiation between the dorsal and ventral divisions of the medial geniculate body.
Strategies For Evaluating Direct Response Tourism Marketing

This article on evaluation research is the second in a series of articles written under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Commerce Task Force. A major challenge facing destination marketing organizations is the evaluation of the direct response tourism marketing programs which they conduct. This article discusses strategiesfor conducting these evaluations, such as linking marketing and evaluation objectives , coding media placements, creating an inquirer data base, and calculating conversion study ratios. Recommendations for addressing evaluation research issues are offered, including the need to recognize that evaluation research should not be an end in itself, but a means for improving marketing programs.
A fault-tolerant air data/inertial reference system

A fault-tolerant air data inertial reference system (ADIRS) is described. The system consists of a fault-tolerant air data inertial reference unit, a secondary air data attitude reference unit, and six air data modules. The ADIRS replaces the conventional inertial reference and air data systems on aircraft and uses ARINC 629 bidirectional serial digital data bus interfaces. The ADIRS is designed to be the inertial and air data reference for the ARINC 651 integrated modular avionics distributed architecture and provides low life cycle cost and high availability through high reliability, simple high-integrity monitoring, and deferred maintenance. >
Sexual Orientation Victimization and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms Among Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Youth

This cross-sectional study utilized data gathered from 350 lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) youth, and examined the relationship between significant life experiences and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PSS), with an ultimate goal of analyzing contribution of sexual orientation victimization (SOV) to PSS among LGB youth. Results of bivariate analyses indicate that verbal and physical sexual orientation victimization, childhood gender atypicality, internalized homophobia, and stressful life events unrelated to sexual orientation were all individually related to PSS. Multivariate analysis showed that verbal and physical sexual orientation victimization explained a significant portion of variance, over and above the study's other variables. Internalized homophobia, stressful life events, and verbal sexual orientation victimization were found to be the most significant predictors of PSS among LGB youth.
Guidelines for the use of antiretroviral agents in HIV-infected adults and adolescents

SUMMARY The availability of an increasing number of antiretroviral agents and the rapid evolution of new information has introduced extraordinary complexity into the treatment of HIV-infected persons. In 1996, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation convened the Panel on Clinical Practices for the Treatment of HIV to develop guidelines for the clinical management of HIV-infected adults and adolescents. This report recommends that care should be supervised by an expert, and makes recommendations for laboratory monitoring including plasma HIV RNA, CD4 cell counts and HIV drug resistance testing. The report also provides guidelines for antiretroviral therapy, including when to start treatment, what drugs to initiate, when to change therapy, and therapeutic options when changing therapy. Special considerations are provided for adolescents and pregnant women. As with treatment of other chronic conditions, therapeutic decisions require a mutual understanding between the patient and the health care provider regarding the benefits and risks of treatment. Antiretroviral regimens are complex, have major side effects, pose difficulty with adherence, and carry serious potential consequences from the development of viral resistance due to non-adherence to the drug regimen or suboptimal levels of antiretroviral agents. Patient education and involvement in therapeutic
Social functioning and facial expression recognition in children with neurofibromatosis type 1.

Background This study examined social functioning and facial expression recognition (FER) in children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) compared to typically developing peers. Specifically, the current research aimed to identify hypothesised relationships between neurocognitive ability, FER and social functioning. Method Children, ages 8 to 16, with NF1 (n = 23) and typically developing peers (n = 23) were recruited during regularly scheduled clinic visits and through advertisements on an institutional clinical trials website, respectively. Participants completed a measure of FER, an abbreviated intelligence test and questionnaires regarding their quality of life and behavioural functioning. Parents were also asked to complete questionnaires regarding the social–emotional and cognitive functioning of their child. Results As expected, there were significant differences between children with NF1 and typically developing peers across domains of social functioning and FER. Within the sample of children with NF1, there were no significant associations observed between cognitive measures, social functioning and facial recognition skills. Conclusion Children with NF1 exhibited high rates of social impairment and weak FER skills compared to controls. The absence of associations between FER with cognitive and social variables, however, suggests something unique about this skill in children with NF1. Theoretical comparisons are made to children with autism spectrum disorders, as this condition may serve as a potentially useful model in better understanding FER in children with NF1.
A Networked Workstation Approach to Multi-Dimensional Biomedical Image Analysis

The capability to extract objective and quantitatively accurate information from multi-dimensional biomedical images has not kept pace with the capabilities to produce the images themselves. This is a paradox, since on the one hand the new 3-D and 4-D imaging capabilities promise significant potential for providing greater specificity and sensitivity (i.e., precise objective discrimination and accurate quantitative measurement of body tissue characteristics and function) in clinical diagnostic and basic investigative imaging procedures than ever possible before, but on the other hand, the momentous advances in computer and associated electronic imaging technology which have made these 3-D imaging modalities possible have not been concomitantly developed for full exploitation of their capabilities. We have developed a network approach which integrates powerful new microcomputer-based systems and permits detailed investigations and evaluation of 3-D and 4-D (dynamic 3-D) biomedical images. The network features an “intelligent” manager for efficient allocation of resources and ready access to all the information in a large 3-D image data base for rapid display, manipulation, and measurement. The system software provides important capabilities for displaying, manipulating and quantitatively analyzing both structural and functional data and their relationships in various organs of the body. Although the overall power of the system comes from the synergistic integration and utilization of networked components, the architecture permits and has fostered development of advanced image processing software which is transportable to a variety of stand-alone workstations.
Orientation Relationships between BCC Deposits and FCC Substrates

Oriented deposits are commonplace in vapor deposited films. The origins of this behavior are not always clear. Various bcc metals (Fe, Nb, Mo, Ta, Cr) have been deposited onto single crystal fcc substrates (Au, Ni, MgO, Si, NaCI) which were selected with the intention of varying the character of the substrate-deposit interaction. The resulting structures have been characterized by transmission electron microscopy and grazing incidence x-ray diffraction. The observed variants of the cube-cube and Nishiyama-Wassermann orientation relationship can be understood in terms of minimization of misfit except when there is a weak interaction between substrate and deposit.
University of Washington at TAC 2011.

This is the first year the University of Washington Department of Linguistics has participated in the Guided Summarization Track at the Text Analysis Conference. The goal was to implement a basic extractive summarization module that will provide sentence selection and ranking for a more comprehensive future semi-abstractive solution. Due to time constraints, additional components of the overall semi-abstractive solution were unable to be realized in this year’s submission. The update task was not generated in respect to the initial summary and aspects were not explicitly addressed in our system.
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia in the elderly.

Survival after diagnosis ranges from less than one to more than 10 years, posing a management dilemma: how to differentiate likely long-and short-term survivors and decide on the timing and type of therapeutic intervention.
A revision of Stephanodaphne Baill. (Thymelaeaceae)

Cet article presente une revision taxonomique de Stephanodaphne Baill. (Thymelaeoideae, Thymelaeaceae) basee sur la morphologie. Neuf especes sont reconnues, dont huit endemiques de Madagascar et une de Mayotte dans l'archipel des Comores. Trois especes decrites anterieurement, S. capitata (Leandri) Leandri, S. oblongifolia Leandri et S. pulchra Leandri sont mises en synonymie de S. geminata Leandri. Trois nouvelles especes sont decrites : S. pedicellata Z.S. Rogers, S. pilosa Z.S. Rogers et S. schatzii Z.S. Rogers. La partie taxonomique inclut une cle de determination des especes en francais et en anglais, des descriptions completes et des cartes de distribution. Les besoins de conservation sont provisoirement evalues a l'aide des criteres de l'UICN (2001), cinq especes endemiques d'une zone tres restreinte sont classees dans la categorie « en danger »: S. cremostachya Baill., S. cuspidata Leandri, S. humbertii Leandri, S. perrieri Leandri et S. schatzii. Une espece, S. pedicellata, uniquement connue de la localite type, est provisoirement consideree comme en danger critique (CE).
Nutrition, Adolescent Pregnancy and Bone

Pregnancy during adolescence often occurs before peak bone mass has been fully consolidated. This may have short or long-term implications for maternal, fetal and neonatal skeletal health. Optimal calcium and vitamin D intake are essential for bone health, but data regarding metabolism of these nutrients in relation to skeletal health among pregnant teens remains limited. This review summarizes calcium and vitamin D homeostasis in relation to bone outcomes in the pregnant teen and her neonate, and adult pregnancy is used as a reference for comparison throughout. The conclusion highlights key gaps in knowledge and challenges for future work in this area.
In vitro lipolytic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of roasted pistachio kernel and skin constituents

A comprehensive phytochemical analysis was conducted on pistachios to identify the differential contributions of skin and kernel phytochemicals to in vitro bioactivity. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of skin and kernel non-polar extracts (SNP and KNP, respectively) indicated that the major components are fatty acids (696.36 and 879.70 mg g−1), phytosterols (16.08 and 4.28 mg g−1), and γ-tocopherol (304.17 and 397.10 μg g−1). Analysis of the skin and kernel polar extracts (SP and KP, respectively) showed that skin accumulated higher levels of phenolic compounds, especially flavan-3-ols, compared to the kernel. An (epi)catechin hexoside was the major component in SP and KP (9.8 mg g−1 and 3.3 mg g−1, respectively). Flavan-3-ols with different degrees of polymerization were detected in SP, but only the monomers were identified in the KP. Quercetin glycosides were the major flavonols present in both SP and KP. Bioassays with 3T3L1 mouse adipocytes demonstrated that all extracts decreased lipid accumulation, with SNP demonstrating the highest activity (17% inhibition). Bioassay guided fractionation of SNP indicated that the lipolytic activity was highest in the fraction consisting of linoleic acid (20%), linolenic acid (10%), and β-sitosterol (50%). Radical scavenging assays indicated that all pistachio extracts significantly inhibited ROS, while SP was the most inhibiting to NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Gene expression profiles associated with inflammation (IL6, iNOS, and COX2) were characterized in the LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages after treatment with pistachio extracts. SP and KP were the most potent to inhibit the expression of COX2. The SNP had the strongest effect in decreasing non-mitochondrial oxidative burst associated with inflammatory response in macrophages.
Psychology and neuroscience: How close are we to an integrative perspective? Reply to Staats (2016) and Tryon (2016).

This article responds to commentaries written by Warren Tryon (2016) and Arthur Staats (2016) concerning Schwartz, Lilienfeld, Meca, and Sauvigne (2016). In this reply, we reiterate our key thesis-that psychology, and the problems it addresses, are likely best approached from multiple levels of analysis. Unlike Tryon, we are not convinced that neural networks and computational neuroscience provide a single template through which all of psychology can be integrated. We are in agreement with Staats that attempts to reduce psychological phenomena to neural events alone are likely to be misleading and unproductive. One important example where such reductionism has been alive and well is addiction, where prominent biomedical models have defined addiction as a "brain disease." Our reply article concludes by arguing that a multilevel approach to psychology is essential in guiding hiring practices, funding agency priorities, and training students. (PsycINFO Database Record
Backfill performance requirements--estimates from transport models

Since backfill is just one part of a waste package that might contain five or more components, its performance has been considered as part of the performance of the whole package. A simple method has been developed for estimating the required behavior of this complete system. The method is based on: federal regulations concerning permissible concentrations in solution at the point of discharge to the accessible environment; a simple and conservative transport model; and baseline and potential ''worst-case'' release scenarios. Use of the transport model enables calculation of maximum permissible release rates within a repository for each of the scenarios. The maximum permissible release rates correspond to performance requirements for the engineered barrier system. It has been determined from the model that the most important nuclides in spent fuel located in a repository in basalt at Hanford are: /sup 129/I, /sup 79/Se, /sup 99/Tc, /sup 107/Pd, /sup 237/Np, /sup 239/Pu, /sup 240/Pu, /sup 242/Pu /sup 241/Am, /sup 243/Am, and members of the /sup 238/U decay chain. The maximum permissible release rates for the waste package have been translated into concentrations at the inner and outer surfaces of the backfill under low- and high-flow conditions. It appears that solubility constraints shouldmore » control the concentrations of uranium and possibly of plutonium, americium, neptunium, and selenium below the required levels.« less
Incidence of Pediatric VTE in Durham County, North Carolina

Abstract Introduction There is no national surveillance system for venous thromboembolism (VTE) despite the associated morbidity, mortality and economic burden on the health care system. Estimates of the incidence of VTE in the U.S. range from 1-2 cases per 1,000 people, or approximately 300,000-600,000 cases per year. The estimated incidence in children is lower, ranging from 1-10 per 100,000, with the period of greatest risk for VTE Methods All patients with VTE in Durham County, North Carolina (NC), were identified as part of a VTE Surveillance Project supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from April 2012 through March 2014. Surveillance included an information technology-based electronic medical record review of diagnosis and specific treatment codes combined with manual review of radiographic imaging and autopsy reports. De-identified data were collected from the three hospitals in the county (Duke, Duke Regional, and the Durham VAMC) and entered into a REDCap database for analysis. Results The estimated population of Durham County during the study period was ~268,000, and ~69,000 of these individuals were Table 1 . Pediatric Patient Characteristics Age (yrs) Sex Race/Ethnicity VTE Event Diagnostic Imaging Prothrombotic Risk Factors Hemorrhagic Risk Factors 4 M White DVT MRI Hemoglobinopathy, CVC 5 M Hispanic DVT US CVC ICH, DIC 17 F White DVT; PE MRI;VQ Scan OCP, Prothrombin gene mutation 18 F White DVT US Immobility ICH 18 M African American DVT US CVC; relative immobility, trauma 19 M African American PE CT CrohnOs disease, smoking 19 M African American DVT US Prior VTE; ?Protein S deficiency, obesity 19 F African American PE CT Contraceptive patch PE = pulmonary embolus, US = ultrasound, CT = computed tomography scan, VQ = ventilation/perfusion scan, MRI = magnetic resonance imaging, CVC = central venous catheter, OCP = oral contraceptive pill, ICH = intracranial hemorrhage, DIC = disseminated intravascular coagulation Discussion Although 25.7% of individuals living within Durham County, NC are Download : Download high-res image (69KB) Download : Download full-size image Disclosures Ortel: Instrumentation Laboratory: Consultancy; Instrumentation Laboratory: Research Funding; Eisai: Research Funding; Daiichi Sankyo: Consultancy.
30-DAY UNPLANNED READMISSION RATES, COST, PREDICTORS, AND CAUSES OF HOSPITALIZATION IN ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION PATIENTS

Background: The national estimates of 30-day readmission in AMI (acute myocardial infarction) patients are unknown in the United States (US). Our objective is to identify 30-day readmission rates, causes, predictors, and financial burden of readmission in the AMI patients. Methods: We used national
Chapter 16 – Leading for Uniqueness: The Role of Uniqueness in Facilitating Creativity in Employees’ Self-Concepts

Abstract Uniqueness has conceptual relatedness with creativity, yet it has been surprisingly underrepresented in the creativity literature. In this chapter, we consider the role of uniqueness in creativity with particular attention to leaders’ role in facilitating creativity through capitalizing on individuals’ need for uniqueness. The ways in which leading with uniqueness in mind differs from traditional leadership, personal and organizational challenges that leaders might confront in encouraging uniqueness, how leaders might activate followers’ needs for uniqueness, how uniqueness might be involved in different forms of creativity, the role of national culture, and measurement considerations are explored. There are many possible avenues for future research on the intersection of uniqueness, creativity, and leadership and this chapter is intended to encourage these lines of inquiry.
Laparoscopic Repair of Large Hiatal Hernia Without the Need for Esophageal Lengthening With Low Morbidity and Rare Symptomatic Recurrence

The aim of this study was to assess symptomatic recurrence in patients who underwent a laparoscopic repair of large hiatal hernia without an esophageal lengthening procedure. Patients who underwent a laparoscopic repair of a large hiatal hernia from September 2009 to September 2015 by a single surgeon were identified in the retrospective review. The patients were followed up prospectively by the operating surgeon using a structured questionnaire, administered by telephone, to assess the symptoms. Symptomatic recurrence was defined as the requirement for a reoperative procedure for symptomatic recurrent hiatal hernia. There were 215 laparoscopic repairs. Reoperations (n = 35) and type I hernias of
How Civil Wars End: The International System, Norms, and the Role of External Actors

Historically, civil wars ended in one-sided victory. With the end of the Cold War, however, the very nature of how civil wars end shifted: wars became two times more likely to terminate in negotiat...
Cross-Linguistic Cognate Production in Spanish–English Bilingual Children With and Without Specific Language Impairment

Purpose Bilinguals tend to produce cognates (e.g., telephone in English and telefono in Spanish) more accurately than they produce noncognates (table/mesa). We tested whether the same holds for bil...
Criminalizing human trafficking in Latvia: the evolution and implications of human trafficking policies

This article explores the development and evolution of human trafficking policies in Latvia and the measurable outcomes of these policies. An analysis of policy development revealed that Latvia has...
A Perturbation Method for the Solution of an Optimal Control Problem Involving Bang–Bang Control

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a perturbation method for the solution of an optimal control problem involving bang–bang control. In the newly emerging field of perturbation analysis for optimal control, one typically looks at a system of differential equations with data depending on a small parameter ɛ, which arises as the Euler–Lagrange equation of some underlying optimal control problem. The chapter presents a technique for a control problem involving one switch, which is indicative of a more general technique that is applicable to a wide variety of practical control problems involving multiple switches. In the case of a singular bang–bang control problem, one expects boundary layer behavior at the switch points, and at the initial and terminal times. For the minimum-time problem, it is necessary to choose a Lagrange interpolation polynomial that freezes the terminal time and the switch time.
A Sequential Quadratic Programming Method for Nonlinear Model Predictive Control

A local sequential quadratic programming, or Newton-Lagrange, approach to the solution of the partial differential equation constrained optimization problem arising from the application of model predictive control on nonlinear distributed parameter systems is presented. The nonlinear system model considered is a general form of the initial value advective-diffusion parabolic partial differential equation. This equation form is chosen because it describes a wide range of chemical process systems, however, other initial value partial differential equation forms can be considered in a similar manner. The optimization problem is constructed from the discretized model, constraint, and objective function equations. A finite volume approach is used to discretize the distributed parameter model equat ions. Inequality constraints on the model states and controls are addressed with an active set method. The nonlinear equations resulting from the first order Karush-Kuhn-Tucker conditions are solved directly using preconditioned Newton-Krylov techniques.
The Effect of Electric Fields on Raman Scattering in Diamond

The triply degenerate q ≃ 0 optical phonons in diamond type crystals have even-parity and are Raman active and infrared inactive. The application of an electric field modifies the symmetry of the optical phonons and, thereby modifies the polarization selection rules for first order Raman scattering. It is therefore possible to observe an electric field induced Raman scattering by the optical phonons for directions and polarizations of the incident and scattered radiation which normally do not lead to first order Raman scattering. Furthermore, the Raman scattering tensor will exhibit a quadratic dependence on the field. (In the case of crystals lacking a center of inversion, such as zinc-blende type crystals, the Raman scattering tensor will exhibit a linear dependence on the applied field.) We report here the observation of electric field dependent Raman scattering by optical phonons in diamond, together with a discussion of the different types of contributions to the electric field dependent Raman tensor in diamond type crystals. The electric field dependence of the Raman tensor also manifests itself as a high order effect in the electric field induced infrared absorption.
Guidelines for Development of a New Diuretic Agent

Preclinical assessment of a diuretic agent is straightforward with dual goals of identifying the active substance and its site of activity. In addition, one must determine whether the diuretic gains access to its site of action from the blood as opposed to the urine, and depending upon those findings, assess mechanisms by which access to the active site occurs. Both in vivo and in vitro studies are required to assess the specific nephron segment at which the diuretic has activity. These studies are important for predictions as to efficacy and side effects. Knowledge that a diuretic has its effects at a particular nephron site allows prediction of the degree of natriuresis that will occur and also the concomitant excretion of other electrolytes which may impact on adverse effects (e.g., potassium or magnesium).
Midgut volvulus and complex meconium peritonitis in a fetus with undiagnosed cystic fibrosis

Abstract In utero small bowel volvulus with meconium peritonitis is a rare complication of cystic fibrosis. We report the case of fetal small bowel volvulus with necrosis, perforation and meconium peritonitis in a fetus with undiagnosed cystic fibrosis. The mother presented with four days of decreased fetal movement and ultrasound findings of fetal small bowel dilation with wall thinning and ascites. The fetus' status declined three days thereafter, prompting an emergent delivery. The infant was born with peritonitis and underwent an exploratory laparotomy with a small bowel resection and interval anastomosis. Following restoration of continuity, the patient was able to tolerate oral and enteral nutrition with appropriate growth. This report provides an example of the signs, symptoms and sonographic findings associated with this rare fetal complication and explores the intricacies of prenatal genetic testing.
Satellite Estimation of Falling Snow: A Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Core Observatory Perspective

Retrievals of falling snow from space-based observations represent key inputs for understanding and linking Earth's atmospheric, hydrological, and energy cycles. This work quantifies and investigates causes of differences among the first stable falling snow retrieval products from the Global precipitation Measurement (GPM) Core Observatory satellite and CloudSat's Cloud Profiling Radar (CPR) falling snow product. An important part of this analysis details the challenges associated with comparing the various GPM and CloudSat snow estimates arising from different snow-rain classification methods, orbits, resolutions, sampling, instrument specifications, and algorithm assumptions. After equalizing snow-rain classification methodologies and limiting latitudinal extent, CPR observes nearly 10 (3) times the occurrence (accumulation) of falling snow as GPM's Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR). The occurrence disparity is substantially reduced if CloudSat pixels are averaged to simulate DPR radar pixels and CPR observations are truncated below the 8-dBZ reflectivity threshold. However, even though the truncated CPR- and DPR-based data have similar falling snow occurrences, average snowfall rate from the truncated CPR record remains significantly higher (43%) than the DPR, indicating that retrieval assumptions (microphysics and snow scattering properties) are quite different. Diagnostic reflectivity (Z)-snow rate (S) relationships were therefore developed at Ku and W band using the same snow scattering properties and particle size distributions in a final effort to minimize algorithm differences. CPR-DPR snowfall amount differences were reduced to ~16% after adopting this diagnostic Z-S approach.
Spatial and Temporal Analysis of Fertilizer Consumption in Rajasthan

Objectives: To make analysis of the changes in fertilizer consumption over time as well as across the different regions in the state of Rajasthan in India. Methods: The present investigation pertaining to the spatial and temporal variations of fertilizer consumption in Rajasthan was conducted in the year 2017-18. In this study, district wise data were collected on fertilizer consumption for the state of Rajasthan from the period 1967-68 to 2014-15 and was classified under the 10 agro-climatic zones of Rajasthan. For the purpose of analysis, the study was divided into two periods; Post-green revolution period (1967-68 to 1990-91) and Post-reform period (1991-92 to 2014-15). The Post-green revolution period (1967-68 to 1990-91) has been further divided into two sub-phases: Post-green revolution- Phase I (1967-68 to 1980-81) and Post-green revolution- Phase II (1981-82 to 1990-91). The study has been conducted for four different periods’ viz., period I (1967-68), period II (1980-81), period III (1991-92) and period IV (2014-15). Findings: The results of present study indicated that that the overall increase in fertilizer consumption in 2014-15 over 1967-68 was 5314.41% in Rajasthan. The highest per cent change in overall fertilizer consumption was found in zone IC and lowest in zoneIIB. Further, on gross cropped area basis, the fertilizer consumption had increased from 1.44 Kg/ha in 1967-68 to 53.60 Kg/ha in 2014-15 in Rajasthan. Moreover, it was observed that Zone V had the maximum fertilizer use and Zone IA had lowest fertilizer use during all different points of the study period. The coefficient of variation for the state as a whole was 48.59% during the period 1967-68 to 1980-81 which decreased to 24.16% during 1991-92 to 2014-15. The value of coefficient of variation for the overall study period was 73.51% for the state. Application: Keeping in view the widely growing concerns regarding the soil health due to over application of fertilizers makes it worthwhile to have a study of spatial and temporal changes in the fertilizer consumption pattern in order to optimize their use for balanced agricultural production.
Are patients with advanced colon cancer availing of palliative care services?: Findings from a high-volume urban center.

e23101Background: Palliative care is integral to cancer treatment. Our goal was to investigate the factors associated with palliative care service involvement for hospitalized colon cancer patients...
An inverse approach to solving zone air infiltration rate and people count using indoor environmental sensor data

Abstract Physics-based simulation of energy use in buildings is widely used in building design and performance rating, controls design and operations. However, various challenges exist in the modeling process. Model parameters such as people count and air infiltration rate are usually highly uncertain, yet they have significant impacts on the simulation accuracy. With the increasing availability and affordability of sensors and meters in buildings, a large amount of measured data has been collected including indoor environmental parameters, such as room air dry-bulb temperature, humidity ratio, and CO2 concentration levels. Fusing these sensor data with traditional energy modeling poses new opportunities to improve simulation accuracy. This study develops a set of physics-based inverse algorithms which can solve the highly uncertain and hard-to-measure building parameters such as zone-level people count and air infiltration rate. A simulation-based case study is conducted to verify the inverse algorithms implemented in EnergyPlus covering various sensor measurement scenarios and different modeling use cases. The developed inverse models can solve the zone people count and air infiltration at sub-hourly resolution using the measured zone air temperature, humidity and/or CO2 concentration given other easy-to-measure model parameters are known.
Regioselective Cross‐Couplings of Coumarins and Flavones with Ethers via C(sp3)—H Functionalization.

A radical cross-coupling reaction of coumarins and flavones with acyclic and cyclic alkyl ethers yields the corresponding α- and β-(alkoxyalkyl) derivatives, respectively.
Characterizing and measuring transportation infrastructure diversity through linkages with ecological stability theory

Abstract Transportation infrastructure is critical to any community. Disturbances such as natural hazards can hinder transportation infrastructure performance impacting a community’s quality of life through disruptions in service and effects on interdependent systems. Ecological systems are robust and resilient and have similarities with infrastructure systems. Diversity is a fundamental element of ecological resilience and is recognized as an important factor in transportation resilience. However, measures of transportation diversity are not well-developed. Accordingly, this paper adapts the ecological diversity concepts of richness and evenness to develop an approach to characterize transportation system diversity and distinguishes the approach from existing methods. Measures of transportation functional richness and evenness are derived and applied to New York City at the zip code level. The results facilitate identification of zip codes in New York City with varying levels of transportation diversity. Those zip codes with low diversity generally have limited availability (low richness) and disproportionate distribution (low evenness) of alternative transportation modes. Further, these zip codes are potentially susceptible to system disturbances as a consequence of routine disruptions or natural hazards. For instance, many low diversity zip codes are in hurricane evacuation zones. Limited complementarity in the transportation system of these zip codes will likely impact evacuations during hurricanes and recovery to pre-disturbance performance levels. Ultimately, the transportation diversity approach presented should lead to better understanding of transportation system characteristics such as inherent and augmented complementarity, which will enhance transportation system performance in urban communities.
Sputum long non-coding RNA biomarkers for diagnosis of lung cancer

BACKGROUND Analysis of molecular changes in sputum may help diagnose lung cancer. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play vital roles in various biological processes, and their dysregulations contribute to the development and progression of lung tumorigenesis. Herein, we determine whether aberrant lncRNAs could be used as potential sputum biomarkers for lung cancer. METHODS Using reverse transcription PCR, we measure expressions of lung cancer-associated lncRNAs in sputum of a discovery cohort of 67 lung cancer patients and 65 cancer-free smokers with benign diseases and a validation cohort of 59 lung cancer patients and 60 cancer-free smokers with benign diseases. RESULTS In the discovery cohort, four of the lncRNAs displayed a significantly different level in sputum of lung cancer patients vs.cancer-free smokers with benign diseases (all P< 0.001). From the four lncRNAs, three lncRNAs (SNHG1, H19, and HOTAIR) are identified as a biomarker panel, producing 82.09% sensitivity and 89.23% specificity for diagnosis of lung cancer. Furthermore, the biomarker panel has a higher sensitivity (82.09% vs. 52.24%, P= 0.02) and a similar specificity compared with sputum cytology (89.23% vs. 90.77%, P= 0.45). In addition, the lncRNA biomarker panel had a higher sensitivity (87.50% vs. 70.07%, p= 0.03) for diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma compared with adenocarcinoma of the lung, while maintaining the same specificity (89.23%). The potential of the sputum lncRNA biomarkers for lung cancer detection is confirmed in the validation cohort. CONCLUSION We have for the first time shown that the analysis of lncRNAs in sputum might be a noninvasive approach for diagnosis of lung cancer.
Providing Transferable, Professional Skills for the Next Generation of Scientific Professionals through an Outreach Opportunity

Today’s scientists increasingly bear the responsibility of sharing scientific results with the public. To help meet this challenge, there is a need to provide scientists with training in science outreach and education. This kind of professional development would benefit both scientists and the public if scientists could learn these skills while simultaneously creating resources that can be shared with the larger community. To this end, we have developed “Annotator Professional Development,” an interactive professional development opportunity designed to introduce graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and interested STEM professionals to the basic principles of science education through participation in an educational outreach opportunity. Here we present details about this project, including data suggesting that participants begin to comprehend how outreach skills can be valuable in a variety of STEM careers. We also discuss the feasibility and potential of expanding the program.
TRPV1 activation prevents renal ischemia-reperfusion injury-induced increase in salt sensitivity by suppressing renal sympathetic nerve activity.

Background Salt sensitivity is increased following renal Ischemia-Reperfusion (I/R) injury. We tested the hypothesis that high salt intake induced increase in Renal Sympathetic Nerve Activity (RSNA) after renal I/R can be prevented by activation of Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 (TRPV1). Methods Rats were fed a 0.4% NaCl diet for 5 weeks after renal I/R, followed by a 4% NaCl diet for 4 more weeks in four groups: sham, I/R, I/R +High Dose Capsaicin (HDC), and I/R+Low Dose Capsaicin (LDC). The low (1mg/kg) or high (100mg/kg) dose of capsaicin was injected subcutaneously before I/R to activate or desensitize TRPV1, respectively. Results Systolic blood pressure was gradually elevated after fed on a high-salt diet in the I/R and I/R+HDC groups but not in the I/R+LDC group, with a greater increase in the I/R+HDC group. Renal function was impaired in the I/R group and was further deteriorated in the I/R+HDC group but was unchanged in the I/R+LDC group. At the end of high salt treatment, afferent renal nerve activity in response to unilateral intra-pelvic administration of capsaicin was decreased in the I/R group and was further suppressed in the I/R+HDC group but was unchanged in the I/R+LDC group. RSNA in response to intrathecal administration of muscimol, a selective agonist of GABA-A receptors, was augmented in the I/R group and further intensified in the I/R+HDC group but was unchanged in the I/R+LDC group. Similarly, urinary norepinephrine levels were increased in the I/R group and were further elevated in the I/R+HDC group but unchanged in the I/R+LDC group. Conclusion These data suggest that TRPV1 activation prevents renal I/R injury-induced increase in salt sensitivity by suppressing RSNA.
Fanon via Lacan, or: Decolonization by Psychoanalytic Means … ?

Lacanian psychoanalysis is often considered antithetical to Frantz Fanon's decolonizing political project. This paper argues, by contrast, that by exploring hitherto under-explored aspects of the F...
Concrete Strategies for Economics Tenure-Track Faculty and Their Mentors

Mentoring tenure-track faculty is effective and increasingly utilized but there is demand for concrete mentoring strategies for navigating the ambiguities of the tenure track. The key driver of ambiguity—and therefore of candidate angst—is that some important aspects of the tenure decision cannot be determined until quite late in the tenure track. Two such aspects are the strength and number of external reviews the tenure committee may receive as evaluations of research effectiveness and the determination of teaching effectiveness. This paper proposes some ambiguity management strategies for implementation by candidates and their mentors as soon as the first year.