cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Seismic response statistics of SDOF system to exponentially modulated coloured input : an explicit solution

For single-degree-of-freedom systems, this paper presents an explicit solution of response statistics to earthquake excitation modelled by modulated filtered white noise. The modulation is described by the sum of exponentially decaying functions, accounting for non-stationarity of strong ground motion. The solution was obtained by analysis in the time domain using the state-space approach and impulse responses. This solution is reducible to several known solutions for simpler cases. Also, it may be used to develop probabilistic seismic response spectra for design and retrofit of structures, such as highway bridges.
Usability of an Electronic Personal Health Record (PHR) Among a Diverse Group of Adults

Electronic personal health records (PHRs) enable patients to perform a number of health-related tasks through a web-based portal. However, little is known about the usability of these PHRs. This study investigated the usability of a simulated PHR among 107 adults aged 40 to 85 years. Participants performed 15 common health management tasks including finding an upcoming appointment time, reviewing test results, and managing medication dosages. Task performance was video recorded and analyzed to determine the source of any performance difficulties. Usability data was also captured through questionnaires and post-study interviews. Results indicated that participants had difficulty using hyperlinks within the PHR to find information and difficulty interpreting information in the tables and graphs. However, participants’ perceptions of the PHR were positive and they were very receptive to the idea of using PHRs to help them perform a number of health management tasks.
IBminer: a text mining tool for constructing and populating InfoBox databases and knowledge bases

Knowledge bases and structured summaries are playing a crucial role in many applications, such as text summarization, question answering, essay grading, and semantic search. Although, many systems (e.g., DBpedia and YaGo2) provide massive knowledge bases of such summaries, they all suffer from incompleteness, inconsistencies, and inaccuracies. These problems can be addressed and much improved by combining and integrating different knowledge bases, but their very large sizes and their reliance on different terminologies and ontologies make the task very difficult. In this demo, we will demonstrate a system that is achieving good success on this task by: i) employing available interlinks in the current knowledge bases (e.g. externalLink and redirect links in DBpedia) to combine information on individual entities, and ii) using widely available text corpora (e.g. Wikipedia) and our IBminer text-mining system, to generate and verify structured information, and reconcile terminologies across different knowledge bases. We will also demonstrate two tools designed to support the integration process in close collaboration with IBminer. The first is the InfoBox Knowledge-Base Browser (IBKB) which provides structured summaries and their provenance, and the second is the InfoBox Editor (IBE), which is designed to suggest relevant attributes for a user-specified subject, whereby the user can easily improve the knowledge base without requiring any knowledge about the internal terminology of individual systems.
Next Top Model: A Requirements Engineering Reality Panel

This panel builds upon a growing wave of reality television shows and proposes to go in search of requirements engineering’s very own next top model. Through a series of tasks, some pre-prepared and some assigned on the fly, a number of small teams will compete for this prestigious title. Teams will be challenged to illustrate the power and flexibility of their favorite approach for requirements modeling, while conference participants will act as the ultimate judges as they vote approaches off the panel round-byround. Does the requirements engineering community have any brave modelers? Is the requirements engineering community ready for a model showdown? Come to the panel session and find out!
Mechanosensory Inputs Influence Caenorhabditis elegans Pharyngeal Activity via Ivermectin Sensitivity Genes

Mechanical stimulation induces opposite behavioral responses in the adult and dauer pharynx. Tail tap of adults inhibits pharyngeal pumping via a pathway involving the innexin gene unc-7 and components of the glutamatergic pathway encoded by the genes avr-14 and avr-15. Tail tap of dauers stimulates pumping through a mechanism involving G alpha o and G alpha q. The nematocidal drug ivermectin is believed to kill worms by opening a glutamate-gated chloride channel (AVR-15) on pharyngeal muscle, causing complete pumping inhibition. However, ivermectin can also inhibit pumping in the absence of this channel. We propose that one of the ways ivermectin could prevent pumping, in the absence of the AVR-15 ivermectin-binding channel on pharynx muscle, is to target AVR-14 and AVR-15, which are expressed in the inhibitory pathway linking mechanosensation and pumping activity.
The Influence Of Religion On Remittances Sent To Relatives And Friends Back Home

Using The Pilot for the New Immigrant Survey (NIS-P), a nationally representative sample of new legal immigrants to the United States, this paper examines how religiosity influences immigrants’ remitting behavior. Our analysis addresses two related questions. First, do immigrants from different religious affiliations differ in their remitting behavior? Second, does regular religious service attendance influence their remitting behavior? Our results from logistic regression analyses indicate that immigrants from different religious affiliations do differ in their remitting behavior. Catholics are more likely to remit than individuals with no religion. In contrast, Protestants and individuals from other religion are more likely to remit than Catholics. Regular religious service attendance is positively related to remitting behavior, however, this correlation is not statistically significant.
Relevant length scales and time scales in shear flow turbulence

Shear flow turbulence has been the subject of fundamental research due to its ubiquitous presence in engineering and natural flows. In this study, we take a fresh approach using dimensional arguments tempered by physical reasoning to gain further insights on its phenomenology. Beginning with the four basic quantities: turbulent kinetic energy k, dissipation rate e, kinematic viscosity ν,뀀ഀȠand mean shear S, we construct six length scales and two time scales that are most relevant to this classical problem and discuss their implications on phenomenology. High-resolution DNS data of turbulent channel flow and homogeneous shear flow are used to highlight important transitions in the flow dynamics and provide a framework to explain the energy cascade process.
The white working-class minority: a counter-narrative

This article contributes a counter-narrative about white working-class people in the USA and the UK. It argues that the systematic and social disempowerment of white working-class people is creating a new minority group. I begin by clarifying the occasionally nebulous definition of “working-class white” communities. I then describe the concept of “post-traumatic cities” – exurbs and urban communities that lost signature industries in the mid- to late-twentieth Century and now provide the setting of working-class white people's marginalization. Next, I outline the more conventional moral, economic, and demographic narratives that depict the condition of working-class white people. Putting into conversation diverse literatures addressing socioeconomic inequality, minority politics, and political behavior, I then exhibit how (1) systemic, (2) psychological and rhetorical, and (3) political forces compound to institutionalize the marginalized social position of white working-class people in the USA and the UK...
Postsynaptic response kinetics are controlled by a glutamate transporter at cone photoreceptors.

Gaal, Lubor, Botond Roska, Serge A. Picaud, Samuel M. Wu, Robert Marc, and Frank S. Werblin. Postsynaptic response kinetics are controlled by a glutamate transporter at cone photoreceptors. J. Neur...
The impact and cost-effectiveness of nonavalent HPV vaccination in the United States: Estimates from a simplified transmission model.

Introduction: The objective of this study was to assess the incremental costs and benefits of the 9-valent HPV vaccine (9vHPV) compared with the quadrivalent HPV vaccine (4vHPV). Like 4vHPV, 9vHPV ...
Properties, chemistry, and applications of the bioactive polysaccharide curdlan.

Curdlan is a bacterial polysaccharide that has been of significant recent interest due to its interesting and valuable rheological properties and its inherent bioactivity. The simple (1→3)-β-glucan homopolymeric, unbranched structure of curdlan is conducive to enhanced solubility relative to many other abundant natural polysaccharides, thus, providing alternatives for processing the polymer into desired shapes and formulations. At the same time, this relatively good solubility enables chemical modification under mild conditions, leading to a growing body of literature on derivative chemistry, structure–property relationships, and the potential for regioselective modification. Structure, properties, biosynthesis, modification chemistries, and key applications are the foci for this review of the curdlan literature.
Aristotle in the reconstruction of Confucian ethics

In almost two decades of renewed interest in Confucianism, scholars such as Hall and Ames, Heiner Roetz, and Cheng Chung-ying have appealed to Western figures to help reconstruct Confucian thinking. Following this well-traveled way, I wish to argue in this book that the alliance of Confucius with Aristotle is particularly fruitful. To talk of the good life is to talk about the kind of person one should become. Aristotle and Confucius both pursue the question of the good life, and both recognize that the question of what kind of person is happy is a question that admits a fairly definite sort of answer. Moreover, the answer of these two quite disparate masters is strikingly similar: the happy life is the life of exemplary virtue. Both thinkers emphasize virtue and the significance of exemplary individuals for training in virtue and the dependence of such training on the right sort of social-political context. Aristotle calls the person of exemplary moral virtue the phronimos ; Confucius calls him the junzi . Of course, Aristotle and Confucius hardly agree on every point, and Aristotle's phronimos and Confucius' junzi present different portraits of the living moral paradigm. It is important to notice the similarities and differences and to ask which claims are genuinely normative and which are due to cultural bias. My task in all this is normatively moral as well as scholarly and comparative: I wish to ask who is right about significant ethical issues and what resources each tradition can provide where no answer is extant.
Risk factors of sepsis after biliary surgery and Its treatment

OBJECTIVE To explore the risk factors and therapeutic result of sepsis following biliary surgical procedures.METHODS The data of 307 patients following biliary surgical procedures was observed and analyzed.We divided these patients into sepsis and non-sepsis groups according to the criteria of diagnosis.Logistic multiple regression analysis was used to compare the age,infection before operation,carcinoma,diabetes mellitus,the duration of obstructive jaundice2W,catheter in deep vein,hospitalization in ICU,cholangiojejunostomy,single organ dysfunction and T-tube between these two groups.RESULTS There were 21 patients suffered from sepsis after biliary surgical procedures average 10.1±5.6 days ago.χ2 test showed there were significant differences in carcinoma,diabetes mellitus,the duration of obstructive jaundice 2W,catheter in deep vein,hospitalization in ICU,and cholangiojejunostomy between these two groups.Logistic multiple regression analysis showed that diabetes mellitus and cholangiojejunostomy affected the occurrence of sepsis following biliary surgical procedures.Therapeutic measures included prompt surgical drainage and antibiotics according to the result of hemoculture.All 21 patients with sepsis recovered smoothly.CONCLUSIONS Diabetes mellitus and cholangiojejunostomy are significantly associated with sepsis following biliary surgical procedures.For these patients we ought to avoid staying in ICU for along time and to remove catheter in deep vein.Prompt surgical drainage and antibiotics according to the result of hemoculture are necessary.The prognosis of sepsis following biliary surgical procedures is good.
Caelastrol and pristimerin derived from Leigongteng inhibit promoter activity of HLA-B~*2705 gene

AIM:To screen the effective chemicals,which can suppress the promoter activity of the HLA-B2705 gene as potential therapeutic agents.METHODS:The HeLa-HLA-B27,293T-HLA-B27 stable transfectants were used to monitor the effect of 12 264 chemicals through high throughput screening(HTS).Chemicals which regulates HLA-B*2705 promoter activity more than 150% or less than 60% were picked out for the further IC50/EC50 and cell viability detection.RESULTS:(1)The primary screening used by 293T-HLA-B27 stable transfectant yielded about 5.1% hits which either suppressed(556 chemicals)or enhanced(68 chemicals)the HLA-B*2705 promoter activity.(2)A reconfirmation screening was carried out with these 624 of the candidates using transfected HeLa-HLA-B27 cells.Seventy hits were confirmed.(3)Based on the bioinformatics of those positive hits,40 chemicals were selected for in-depth analysis by dose-response experiment and IC50/EC50 detection.Six suppressors showed potential pharmacological activities.Interestingly,two suppressors(celastrol and pristimerin)are derived from Leigongteng,a herbal medicine already used for several decades for treatment of immune regulatory and inflammatory diseases.Four active chemicals were computer designed with no relevance to the above structures.CONCLUSION:Chinese traditional herb Nansheteng and Leigongteng might be the potential drugs for HLA-B27 positive patients.These results provide new direction for research in both the therapeutics and the pathogenesis of spondyloarthritis.
Incidentally Found Renal Mass

Doctor Petersen confirmed our preoperative suspicion that this lesion might represent a benign proximal tubular adenoma. Tessler and associates found 5 such cases from July 1974 to January 1975 and reviewed all cases of renal carcinoma in their institution from 1952 through 1975. An additional 9 cases were discovered with none before 1964. One must ask if there is an increased incidence now occurring or are we just beginning to recognize this entity with increasing sophistication? The question also must arise whether with a high degree of suspicion a less radical operation is indicated. Certainly, the angiogram is the only possible preoperative tool that can arouse suspicion but this still is far from diagnostic. The spoke-wheel configuration of vessels, a homogeneous nephrogram similar to the normal parenchyma and sharp margination in the absence of marked increased vascular puddling may all be suggestive. In this older patient with a normal contralateral kidney total nephrectomy still is indicated because angiographic patterns are not pathognomonic. Conversely, in the rare younger individual with concomitant unrelated bilateral renal disease or in the solitary kidney with a polar lesion partial nephrectomy should be considered. Although some differential recognition may be possible by gross examination, such as the tan color, sharp demarcation, absence of hemorrhage or necrosis and so forth, it always has been our policy not to violate Gerota's fascia or to biopsy in the treatment of suspected renal carcinoma. Thus, until a specific preoperative diagnosis is possible nephrectomy continues to be the treatment of choice in the proximal tubular adenoma with so-called oncocytic features. Debate will continue in urologic, pathologic and radiologic circles on whether such an entity is universally benign and with increasing recognition only time will tell.
The nature of legal language

Legal languages are inevitably products of the history of the nation or state in which they are used, as well as the peculiar developments of the legal system in question. In terms of features, they tend to be characterized by minor differences in spelling, pronunciation, and orthography; long and complex sentences, often containing conjoined phrases or lists, as well as passive and nominal constructions; and a large and distinct lexicon. The profession has developed distinct traditions on how its language should be interpreted. In terms of style, the language of the law is often archaic, formal, impersonal, and wordy or redundant. And it can be relatively precise, or quite general or vague, depending on the strategic objectives of the drafter.
Effects of Sampling Method and Feed Withdrawal Period on Recovery of Microorganisms from Poultry Carcasses1

Five trials were conducted to evaluate the effects of four microbiological sampling techniques for determining aerobic plate counts, presumptive coliform counts, and yeasts and mold counts of broiler carcasses. The effects of feed withdrawal period on bacterial numbers was also evaluated. Sampling methods evaluated were a surface swab technique, a whole carcass rinse procedure, a breast skin rinse procedure in which the skin was excised from the breast area, and a sample blending technique that involved breast skin excision and blending. Results from these trials indicated that the whole carcass rinse procedure yielded significantly greater recovery of aerobic mesophiles than the other methods evaluated. The recovery of coliforms was significantly greater when either the whole carcass rinse or the breast blend procedure was employed. The numbers of yeasts and molds present on the prechill carcass were extremely low, and results obtained using the various sampling methods were inconsistent. Regardless of sampling methodology and type of organism enumerated, the highest counts were obtained from broilers that had not been withdrawn from feed prior to processing.
Linking biogeochemical processes and historic primary producer communities in a SE USA sinkhole lake from the mid-Holocene to present

Many freshwater resources receive materials from human development causing a decrease in ecological services when compared to pre-disturbance periods. As a result, the understanding of eutrophication and limnological change has increased, but less attention has been given to systems under intense human impact that have not eutrophied so that drivers precluding eutrophication can be documented. The primary objective of this research was to reconstruct allochthonous inputs and in-lake processes for Long Pond, Georgia, USA from the mid Holocene to present and link them to primary producer community changes. Long Pond is a mesotrophic lake located in a highly altered watershed from agricultural and municipal land use and housing developments. A 5 m sediment core was collected from Long Pond, and organic matter, nutrients (C, N, P), metals (Al, Fe, Cu), and photosynthetic pigments were measured. Long Pond existed in three limnological states spanning the past ~6000 years. Prior to modern lacustrine conditions, Long Pond was a wetland/peat system that experienced the highest primary producer abundance recorded in the core. The modern lacustrine state began in the late Holocene and was characterized by increased connectivity with the surrounding watershed and low productivity. Human impacts began around 1900 AD and included high levels of phosphorus and metal deposition but moderate levels of primary producer abundance. As a result, in-lake dynamics are believed to be regulating the trophic status of Long Pond. Low concentrations of available phosphorus in the water column combined with high concentrations of sedimentary phosphorus may imply the binding of phosphorus to the sediments by certain materials such as aluminum and iron. Long Pond serves as an example of the complex in-lake processes that can occur from allochthonous inputs and autochthonous responses in lake systems thus complicating management decisions.
Using Torsion for Controllable Reconfiguration of Binary Nanoparticle Networks.

Mechanical deformation can potentially provide an effective means of controlling the nanoscale morphology in hybrid materials. The challenge, however, is establishing optimal couplings of the deformation and mechano-responsive components in the material to achieve nanoscopic structural reorganization without causing catastrophic damage. Through computational modeling, we investigate how torsion can be utilized to induce controllable structural changes in networks formed from binary mixtures (A and B) of polymer-grafted nanoparticles (PGNs). The nanoparticles’ rigid cores are decorated with a corona of grafted polymers, which contain reactive functional groups at the chain ends. With the overlap of the neighboring coronas, these reactive groups form labile bonds, which can reform after breakage. The labile bond energy between similar PGNs (UAA, UBB) is different than the energy between dissimilar species (UAB). By tailoring the relative values of these bond energies and the boundary conditions acting on th...
Effect of chronic heart failure in older rats on respiratory muscle and hindlimb blood flow during submaximal exercise

Submaximal exercise diaphragm blood flow (BF) is elevated in young chronic heart failure (CHF) rats, while it is unknown if this occurs in older animals. Respiratory and hindlimb muscle BFs (radiolabeled microspheres) were measured at rest and during submaximal exercise (20m/min, 5% grade) in older healthy (n=7) and CHF (n=6) Fischer 344X Brown Norway rats (27-29 mo old). Older CHF, compared to healthy, rats had greater (p<0.01) left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and right ventricle and lung weight (normalized to body weight). During submaximal exercise, respiratory and hindlimb muscle BFs increased (p<0.02) in both groups, while diaphragm BF was higher (CHF: 257±32; healthy: 121±9mL/min/100g, p<0.01) and hindlimb BF lower (CHF: 111±10; healthy: 133±12mL/min/100g, p=0.04) in older CHF compared to healthy rats. Submaximal exercise hindlimb BF was negatively related (r=-0.93; p=0.03) to diaphragm BF in older CHF rats. During submaximal exercise, diaphragm BF is elevated in older CHF compared to healthy rats in proportion to the compromised hindlimb BF.
Una vida más allá de las fronteras: Benedict Anderson (1936-2015)

espanolEsta nota es un breve resumen de la vida y obra de Benedict Anderson, uno de los preeminentes especialistas en el sudes­te asiatico, cuyas contribuciones al estudio de Indonesia, Tai­landia y Filipinas siguen influyendo en nuevas generaciones de academicos. Al conocer algunos de los factores claves de su vida y obra academica −tales como su crianza multicul­tural, dominio de multiples lenguas y vigoroso compromiso con los principales acontecimientos politicos que ocurrieron durante su vida− podremos comprender como estos dieron pie a la aparicion de un libro como Comunidades imaginadas. EnglishThis is a brief overview of Benedict Anderson’s life and work. As one of the world’s preeminent Southeast Asianists his contributions to the study of Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines continue to influence newer generations of scholars. Knowledge of some of the key factors of his life and intellectual work −such as his multicultural upbringing, mastery of multiple languages, and vigorous engagement with the major political events of his lifetime− we may understand how a book such as Imagined Communities came about.
Transient pool boiling heat transfer of oxidized and roughened Zircaloy-4 surfaces during water quenching

Abstract The sensitivity of surface oxidation and surface roughness to transient pool boiling heat transfer was investigated by performing water quenching experiments of Zircaloy-4 rodlets under increased pressure or subcooled water. The results demonstrated that quenching behavior was notably affected by the surface oxidation and the surface roughness regardless of environmental conditions (saturated water at 0.5 MPa or ΔTsub = 15 K). The minimum film boiling temperature increased with the thickness of surface oxide (3.6 ± 0.2 to 55.6 ± 2.2 µm). Rough surfaces (Ra = 11.4 ± 2.5 µm) showed a large surface heat flux with vigorous vapor generation even in the early stages of quenching. To explain the augmented quenching heat transfer by the surface modifications, a hypothesis that incorporates instantaneous heat transfer during liquid–solid contacts in the stable film boiling regime was proposed. The theoretical model with assumptions elucidated the bubble dynamics of the modified surfaces qualitatively and predicted minimum film boiling points depending on the degree of surface oxidation, which were in good agreement with experimental results. Both surface properties and parameters affecting liquid–solid contact are dominant factors in determining transient pool boiling heat transfer during water quenching.
Project Management Software Usage Patterns and Suggested Research Directions for Future Developments

Although project management software is very visible in publications of the professional societies, it has not been known how much and why it is actually used by project management practitioners, w...
p21WAF1 prevents down-modulation of the apoptotic inhibitor protein c-IAP1 and inhibits leukemic apoptosis.

BACKGROUND: Prior studies indicate that leukemias expressing high levels of the p21WAF1 cell cycle inhibitor have a poorer prognosis than p21WAF1-negative leukemias. Although p21WAF1 is upregulated by p53 in the setting of DNA damage, the prognostic significance of p21WAF1 is independent of p53 status. The molecular basis of the negative prognostic effect of p21WAF1 remains obscure, but it is believed to result from decreased apoptosis of p21WAF1-expressing leukemias. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied the effects of p21WAF1 on apoptosis of K562 leukemic cells, which lack wild-type p53 and do not express endogenous p21WAF1. An inducible p21WAF1 system was used and the effect of p21WAF1 induction on susceptibility to etoposide-mediated apoptosis was measured. RESULTS: p21WAF1 decreased apoptotic death of K562 leukemic cells in response to etoposide. Analysis of intermediaries in the apoptotic pathway indicated that p2 WAF1 had no effect on cytochrome c release or cleavage of procaspase-3. In contrast, p21WAF1 was protective against cleavage of caspase targets poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP), retinoblastoma protein (Rb), and lamin. The expression of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein c-IAP1, which inhibited the function of executioner caspases 3 and 7, was studied. c-IAP1 protein expression was found to be present in a majority of leukemic blasts from untreated patients, but absent in normal differentiating myeloid progenitor cells. In K562 cells, treatment with etoposide in the absence of p21WAF1 induction resulted in post-transcriptional down-modulation of c-IAP1 levels. c-IAP1 loss involved proteasomal, rather than caspase, degradation pathways. Expression of p21WAF1 sustained c-IAP1 protein levels in the presence of etoposide. CONCLUSIONS: Etoposide-mediated apoptosis involves down-modulation of the anti-apoptotic protein c-IAP1. Our findings support the hypothesis that p21WAF1 contributes to leukemic chemoresistance by stabilizing c-IAP1 levels in the presence of chemotherapy.
Low Complexity, Hardware-Efficient Neighbor-Guided SGM Optical Flow for Low-Power Mobile Vision Applications

Accurate, low-latency, and energy-efficient optical flow estimation is a fundamental kernel function to enable several real-time vision applications on mobile platforms. This paper presents neighbor-guided semi-global matching (NG-fSGM), a new low-complexity optical flow algorithm tailored for low-power mobile applications. NG-fSGM obtains high accuracy optical flow by aggregating local matching costs over a semi-global region, successfully resolving local ambiguity in texture-less and occluded regions. The proposed NG-fSGM aggressively prunes the search space based on neighboring pixels’ information to significantly lower the algorithm complexity from the original fSGM. As a result, NG-fSGM achieves $17.9{\times}$ reduction in the number of computations and $8.37{\times}$ reduction in memory space compared to the original fSGM without compromising its algorithm accuracy. A multicore architecture for NG-fSGM is implemented in hardware to quantify algorithm complexity and power consumption. The proposed architecture realizes NG-fSGM with overlapping blocks processed in parallel to enhance throughput and to lower power consumption. The eight-core architecture achieves 20 M pixel/s (66 frames/s for VGA) throughput with 9.6 mm2 area at 679.2-mW power consumption in 28-nm node.
The Stochastic Motion Roadmap: A Sampling-Based Framework for Planning with Motion Uncertainty

In many applications of motion planning, the motion of the robot in response to commanded actions cannot be precisely predicted. Whether maneuvering a vehicle over unfamiliar terrain, steering a flexible needle through human tissue to deliver medical treatment, guiding a micro-scale swimming robot through turbulent water, or displaying a folding pathway of a protein polypeptide chain, the underlying motions cannot be predicted with certainty. But in many of these cases, a probabilistic distribution of feasible outcomes in response to commanded actions can be experimentally measured. This stochastic information is fundamentally different from a deterministic motion model. Though planning shortest feasible paths to the goal may be appropriate for problems with deterministic motion, shortest paths may be highly sensitive to uncertainties: the robot may deviate from its expected trajectory when moving through narrow passageways in the configuration space, resulting in collisions.
Facilitating colorectal cancer cell metastasis by targeted binding of long non-coding RNA ENSG00000231881 with miR-133b via VEGFC signaling pathway.

Abstract Background Colorectal cancer mainly metastasizes through the lymphatic pathways and is associated with a high mortality rate. It is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths. In this study, the effects of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) ENSG00000231881 on the metastasis of colorectal cancer cells were evaluated. Methods The expression level of ENSG00000231881 in colorectal cancer tissues was detected with bioinformatics analysis and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay. Functional colorectal cancer cell models for the overexpression and interference expression of ENSG00000231881 were established. MTT, transwell, tube formation, qPCR, and western blot assays were performed to detect changes in various cellular functions and expression levels of key factors (miR-133b and vascular endothelial growth factor C [VEGFC]) in ENSG00000231881 functional models. Dual luciferase assay was performed to verify the binding relationship between ENSG00000231881 and miR-133b. Results ENSG00000231881 expression level was substantially higher in colorectal cancer tissues than in paracancerous tissues and correlated with malignancy and prognosis. In colorectal cancer cells, ENSG00000231881 overexpression significantly promoted cell proliferation, metastasis, and tube formation in lymphatic epithelium, decreased miR-133b expression, and increased VEGFC expression. On the contrary, ENSG00000231881 interference expression showed exactly opposite results. ENSG00000231881 could bind to miR-133b and consequently affect the cell functions through the regulation of VEGFC expression via miR-133b. Conclusion ENSG00000231881 binds to miR-133b via competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) mechanism and regulates the VEGFC signaling pathway, consequently leading to the metastasis of colorectal cancer cells. Our study provides a theoretical basis for the use of ENSG00000231881 as a therapeutic target for gene-targeted therapy in colorectal cancer.
Enhancement of fatigue resistance using the accelerated diffusion/sintering phenomenon near beta transus temperature in Ti-6Al-4V powder metallurgy alloy

Abstract Rapid sintering at the beta-transus temperature (1010 °C) of a titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V), by exploiting the accelerated self-diffusion, is shown here to yield a high density (~98%), and a refined microstructure, relative to that obtained at a higher sintering temperature in powder-metallurgical processing. While saving energy and cost, this approach is shown to produce a nearly equivalent tensile stress-strain behavior, and, strikingly, a significant improvement in overall S N (stress-life) fatigue resistance, relative to that of the alloys sintered at a relatively higher temperature. This new approach may be broadly applicable to all titanium alloys exhibiting alpha-to-beta phase transformation.
Cathodic Protection of Pre-Tensioned Concrete: Part 1 - Brittle Fracture Propensity of Corrosion Damaged Prestressing Tendon Wire

Constant extension rate tests were performed upon prestressing wire specimens in air and in saturated Ca(OH), solution at {minus}0.90 and {minus}1.30 v (SCE) in order to investigate the influence of various levels of precorrosion upon mechanical properties and fracture behavior. It was determined that ultimate tensile strength (UTS) was reduced to a greater extent in the case of specimens which exhibited layer corrosion compared to those with simulated pits. The UTS of layer corroded specimens was not significantly influenced by corrosion morphology acuity but, instead, correlated with the magnitude of cross sectional area reduction. The results are discussed within the context of the previously proposed negative potential limit of {minus}0.90 v (SCE) for cathodic protection of prestressing steel, and a modified qualification criterion is introduced based upon a relationship between fracture load (alternatively, prestress level) and the magnitude of cross section reduction by corrosion.
Congressional Plenary Power and Indigenous Environmental Stewardship: The Limits of Environmental Federalism

Congressional plenary power has been a powerful force in federal law for over a century, forming the legal foundation of Congress’s extraordinarily wide range of legislation over indigenous Americans, their lands, and their governments. The Supreme Court's corollary Plenary Power Doctrine has bolstered this power over time by requiring highly deferential judicial review of the many statutes related to "Indian affairs." Despite the lack of a strong Constitutional foundation, Congress has consistently used the mantle of Plenary Power to legislate in a wide range of indigenous matters and the Supreme Court has declined to place meaningful constraints upon its exercise. In the area of environmental law in particular, Congress exercised its plenary power to delegate environmental regulatory authority through various statutes, including the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, and others. These delegations have been widely lauded for the opportunities they created in the area of tribal environmental law. Yet, despite the excitement that these amendments initially brought, their value remains open for debate. For instance, less than .1% of federally recognized tribes have obtained primacy from EPA under one or more of the Tribes as States (TAS) provisions in the environmental statutes. The faulty legal foundation and arguably low level of success of the TAS provisions (particularly when viewed across the entirety of tribal and indigenous lands in the United States) call into question the continuing role and value of the Congressional Plenary Power Doctrine itself. For, while the short-term goal of improving air or water quality might be achieved by the tribes that can manage to satisfy the numerous criteria to obtain primacy in one or more areas, the legal reality is that the federal government still controls the regulatory playing field for the vast majority of tribes, and even for tribes that have obtained TAS status in one area, but not others. This Article examines critically the role of Congressional plenary power, in the past and in the modern era, to illustrate how the Constitutional basis for Congress’s asserted power in this area is inherently flawed. It also explores the pragmatic limitations of Congressional plenary power over tribal environmental quality. Finally, the Article explains how continued recognition of Congressional plenary power over indigenous environmental regulation and environmental quality causes serious and troubling concerns for tribal sovereignty and tribal environmental quality in the long term.
TuA1.3 - Novel Integrated Platforms for Mid-infrared Photonics (Invited)

All-silicon membrane waveguides, with air cladding layers, are promising candidates for linear- and nonlinear-optic applications in the mid-infrared. Two variations of the photonic platform, namely suspended- and anchored-membranes, have been demonstrated. Studies on supercontinuum generation and stimulated Brillouin scattering in the devices are presented.
Symptom trajectories in the months before and after a suicide attempt in individuals with bipolar disorder: A STEP-BD study.

Objectives The suicide crisis is a relatively short-lived psychiatric emergency, with transient symptoms that ebb and flow around the suicide attempt. Understanding the dynamic processes of symptoms before and after suicide attempt may aid future prevention efforts. Methods Data were drawn from the NIMH STEP-BD study, which followed 4,360 patients with bipolar disorder; a subset attempted suicide during the trial (245/4100 or 5.97% of the sample eligible for analysis). This analysis focused on change in suicidal ideation (SI) in the 120 days before and 120 days after suicide attempt; similar analyses were conducted for other depressive symptoms. Generalized linear mixed models with a two-piece linear function of time corresponding to pre- and post-suicide attempt trends were used. Results SI ratings from 216 individuals were analyzed (n = 1,231 total; n = 395 pre-attempt, n = 126 circa-attempt, n = 710 post-attempt) and compared to data from a matched sample of 648 non-attempters. SI worsened in the 120 days pre-attempt but improved afterwards, reaching non-attempter levels by 90 days post-attempt. A similar pattern was found for other depressive symptoms, including depressed mood, loss of interest, guilt, and self-esteem. Pre/post differences in tension/activating symptoms of depression-anxiety, agitation, and irritability-were less pronounced and more time-limited. Conclusions The suicide crisis is dynamic, and the days before and after suicide attempt may be particularly critical. The findings extend previous research on proximal symptoms of suicide and underscore that some SI and affective/cognitive symptoms of depression can remain elevated up to 90 days post-attempt in individuals with bipolar disorder.
Antifactor Xa Monitoring and Hematologic Complications of Pediatric Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

Hemorrhagic and thrombotic complications are a significant source of morbidity and mortality for pediatric patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Optimal anticoagulation therapies and monitoring strategies remain unknown. In 2013, our institution changed the anticoagulation monitoring protocol from activated clotting time (ACT) to antifactor Xa (anti-Xa) levels. We conducted a retrospective review of patients who received anticoagulation management directed by ACT results (n = 96) or anti-Xa levels (n = 72) between January 2010 and March 2016. Hemorrhagic complications occurred in 25% of the ACT group and 39% of the anti-Xa group (p = 0.054). Thrombotic complications were observed in 12.5% of the ACT group and 14% of the anti-Xa group (p = 0.8). There was a greater incidence of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitations (E-CPR; 36% vs. 15%; p = 0.005) in the anti-Xa group as compared with the ACT group. Secondary analysis showed no difference in transfusion requirements for red blood cells (ml/kg; p = 0.32) or platelets (ml/kg; p = 0.32). There was no difference in average heparin infusion rates (unit/kg/hr) per cannulation (p = 0.17) between the groups. Management of anticoagulation based on anti-Xa levels appears to be as effective as management based on ACT results.
Assembling moral mobilities: cycling, cities, and the common good: by Nicholas A. Scott, Lincoln, University of Nebraska Press, 2020, 288 pp., $50 (hardcover), ISBN-13: 978-1-4962-1712-7

How should a bike lane be appraised, not in terms of its length or materials involved, but instead for its moral value? This is the central question pursued in Assembling Moral Mobilities, which ex...
The Stigma of Sexually Transmitted Infections

Evidence-based guidelines have improved diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STI). Social stigma remains a barrier to STI testing and is associated with underutilization of prevention services. Alternatives for STI testing (eg, in-home testing) are convenient. However, some individuals decline follow-up treatment in fear of unintentional disclosure of their diagnosis. This article reviews STI treatment guidelines and examines the impact of stigma and ethical issues on testing, adherence, partner notification, and transmission rates. An understanding of STI-associated ethical issues and controversies is an important step toward eliminating stigma and reducing STI prevalence and morbidity.
A sex-positive mixed methods approach to sexting experiences among college students

Abstract Many adolescents and adults engage in sexting: the exchange of nude photos via cellular phones. Most sexting research focuses on associated health risks and negative outcomes (e.g., privacy breaches), with less examination of positive sexting outcomes and the role sexting plays in intimate relationships. In this study, we elicited participants' evaluations of their sexting outcomes. College students (N = 1265) completed the anonymous online survey about sexting. The acts of sending, receiving, and forwarding sexts were considered separately. Content analysis and group comparisons were used to analyze data. A substantial proportion of participants reported sending and/or receiving sexts. Participants described a variety of outcomes, both positive (e.g., relationship benefits, self-confidence) and negative (e.g., receipt of unwanted sexts, guilt). Participant religiosity, and the relationship between sender and receiver (e.g., committed relationship, online acquaintance), were among the factors that affected whether participants rated their sexting experiences as positive, neutral, or negative, and to perceived likelihood of future sexting. Sexting contributed to participants’ relationships and identities in both positive and negative ways. The results highlight how the context (e.g., cultural, relational, personal) of sexting is important for understanding perceived outcomes and future sexting behavior.
The COMET Framework: Greenhouse Gas Data Transparency to Enable the Success of EU Climate Policy

To truly reform material supply chains, new solutions for markets, capital, and policy are required. COMET (the Coalition on Materials Emissions Transparency)—an alliance launched at Davos in January 2020 by CCSI, RockyMountain Institute, MIT’s Sustainable Supply Chains initiative, and the Colorado School of Mines—is creating a harmonized GHG calculation framework applicable to all mineral and industrial supply chains. The COMET Framework: Greenhouse Gas Data Transparency to Enable the Success of EU Climate Policy discusses how advancing emissions transparency supports the decarbonization of both mineral and industrial supply chains.
Commentary: Making Progress on Curriculum Reform in Science Education through Purposes, Policies, Programs, and Practices

Standards-based curriculum reform is a systemic approach beginning with a view of learning grounded in research, involving widespread adoption of new content standards, developing new instructional...
A Conjecture Relating to the Isomorphism Problem for Commutative Group Algebras

Publisher Summary This chapter describes a conjecture concerning the isomorphism problem for commutative group algebras. Suppose R is a commutative ring with identity, and let G and H be abelian groups (possibly infinite). Let GR (respectively HR) be the direct sum of the p-components of torsion in g (respectively h) such that the prime p inverts in R. It was shown earlier that if R satisfies the isomorphism theorem, then it is a nicely decomposing ring in the following sense: Let inv(R) denote the set of prime numbers that invert in R. Suppose R is a finite product of indecomposable rings, each of characteristic O. Then, R satisfies the isomorphism theorem only if R is an ND-ring.
Innovative Environmental Tracer Techniques for Evaluating Sources of Spring Discharge from a Carbonate Aquifer Bisected by a River

Littlefield Springs discharge about 1.6 m³ /s along a 10-km reach of the Virgin River in northwestern Arizona. Understanding their source is important for salinity control in the Colorado River Basin. Environmental tracers suggest that Littlefield Springs are a mixture of older groundwater from the regional Great Basin carbonate aquifer and modern (post-1950s) seepage from the Virgin River. While corrected ¹⁴C apparent ages range from 1 to 9 ka, large amounts of nucleogenic ⁴He and low ³He/⁴He ratios suggest that the carbonate aquifer component is likely even older Pleistocene recharge. Modeled infiltration of precipitation, hydrogeologic cross sections, and hydraulic gradients all indicate recharge to the carbonate aquifer likely occurs in the Clover and Bull Valley Mountains along the northern part of the watershed, rather than in the nearby Virgin Mountains. This high-altitude recharge is supported by relatively cool noble-gas recharge temperatures and isotopically depleted δ²H and δ¹⁸O. Excess (crustal) SF₆ and ⁴He precluded dating of the modern component of water from Littlefield Springs using SF₆ and ³H/³He methods. Assuming a lumped-parameter model with a binary mixture of two piston-flow components, Cl⁻ /Br⁻, Cl⁻ /F⁻, δ²H, and CFCs indicate the mixture is about 60% Virgin River water and 40% groundwater from the carbonate aquifer, with an approximately 30-year groundwater travel time for Virgin River seepage to re-emerge at Littlefield Springs. This suggests that removal of high-salinity sources upstream of the Virgin River Gorge would reduce the salinity of water discharging from Littlefield Springs into the Virgin River within a few decades.
Multi-threaded testing with AOP is easy, and it finds bugs!

We investigate the suitability of AOP (Aspect Oriented Programming) for testing tools by trying to implement the ConTest testing tool using AspectJ, a tool that implements AOP for the Java programming language. We examine whether the entire set of features can be implemented this way, in the context of the larger problem where moving to a higher level of abstraction means that some details cannot be implemented. Our conclusion from this exercise is that AOP is very suitable for the implementation of a number of classes of test tools. These include multi-threaded noise makers such as ConTest, in addition to coverage analyzers, data-race detectors, network traffic simulators, runtime bug pattern detectors, and others. The main advantage is that the instrumentation part of the tool creating method, which usually contains little scientific contribution but consumes most of the work, becomes much easier to perform and requires less expertise. In our specific exercise, a task that took more than half a year and required specialized knowledge, was reduced to two weeks work by a relative novice.