cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Weather Radar Coverage over the Contiguous United States

Abstract Terrain and radar beam-elevation data are used to examine the spatial coverage provided by the national operational network of Doppler weather radars. This information is of importance to a wide variety of users, and potential users, of radar data from the national network. Charts generated for radar coverage at 3 and 5 km above mean sea level show that radar surveillance near 700 and 500 hPa is very limited for some portions of the contiguous United States. Radar coverage charts at heights of 1, 2, and 3 km above ground level illustrate the extent of low-level radar data gathered above the actual land surface. These maps indicate how restricted the national radar network coverage is at low levels, which limits the usefulness of the radar data, especially for quantitative precipitation estimation. The analyses also identify several regions of the contiguous United States in which weather phenomena are sampled by many adjacent radars. Thus, these regions are characterized by very comprehensive rad...
The Eta Invariant, Equivariant Spin Bordism and Metrics of Positive Scalar Curvature

We use the eta invariant and equivariant spin bordism group to study the space of metrics of positive scalar curvature. MSC numbers: 58G12, 58G25, 53A50, 53C25, 55N22.
Multiscale Mechanical Model of the Pacinian Corpuscle Shows Depth and Anisotropy Contribute to the Receptor's Characteristic Response to Indentation.

Cutaneous mechanoreceptors transduce different tactile stimuli into neural signals that produce distinct sensations of touch. The Pacinian corpuscle (PC), a cutaneous mechanoreceptor located deep within the dermis of the skin, detects high frequency vibrations that occur within its large receptive field. The PC is comprised of lamellae that surround the nerve fiber at its core. We hypothesized that a layered, anisotropic structure, embedded deep within the skin, would produce the nonlinear strain transmission and low spatial sensitivity characteristic of the PC. A multiscale finite-element model was used to model the equilibrium response of the PC to indentation. The first simulation considered an isolated PC with fiber networks aligned with the PC’s surface. The PC was subjected to a 10 μm indentation by a 250 μm diameter indenter. The multiscale model captured the nonlinear strain transmission through the PC, predicting decreased compressive strain with proximity to the receptor’s core, as seen experimentally by others. The second set of simulations considered a single PC embedded epidermally (shallow) or dermally (deep) to model the PC’s location within the skin. The embedded models were subjected to 10 μm indentations at a series of locations on the surface of the skin. Strain along the long axis of the PC was calculated after indentation to simulate stretch along the nerve fiber at the center of the PC. Receptive fields for the epidermis and dermis models were constructed by mapping the long-axis strain after indentation at each point on the surface of the skin mesh. The dermis model resulted in a larger receptive field, as the calculated strain showed less indenter location dependence than in the epidermis model.
Roles of a teacher and researcher during in situ professional development around the implementation of mathematical modeling tasks

Partnership with teachers for professional development has been considered beneficial because of the potential of collaborative work in the teacher’s own classroom to be relevant to practice. From this perspective, both teachers and researchers can draw on their own expertise and work as authentic partners. In this study, we address the need for such collaboration and focus on how a teacher and a researcher performed their roles when collaboratively implementing mathematical modeling tasks within a context of in situ professional development. Using multi-tier design-based research, as a framework, a researcher worked in a teacher’s classroom to implement a series of research-based mathematical modeling activities. A broad corpus of data from this interaction was analyzed, including audio recordings of interviews with the teacher, video recordings of three mathematical modeling lessons, researcher field notes and journal reflections, instructional materials, and students’ written work using the principles for designing activities for teachers. The emerging roles and relationships between the teacher and the researcher were documented, as (1) the researcher implemented the professional development, (2) the teacher shared her concerns, (3) the researcher responded to the teacher’s challenges, and (3) the teacher reflected on student development. As a case study of collaboration, the participants’ roles and strategies to overcome challenges and achieve shared objectives can benefit teachers and researchers who plan to collaboratively implement modeling in the classroom. The study supports the value and viability of this form of in situ professional development, indicating that significant changes in teachers’ thinking about their students’ mathematical model development can occur in relatively short periods of time.
Abstract 319: Design of Novel Chimeras to Provide Insight Into Structure/Function Activity of Apolipoprotein E3 and Apolipoprotein AI

Apolipoprotein (apo) E3 and apoAI are exchangeable apolipoproteins that play a dominant role in regulating plasma cholesterol levels and are considered anti-atherogenic. ApoE3 (299 residues, ~34 kDa) serves as a ligand for the low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLr) family of proteins that mediate cellular uptake and clearance of plasma lipoproteins. The ability of apoE3 to function as a ligand for LDLr resides in the N-terminal domain (NT) of apoE3. ApoAI (243 residues, ~28 kDa) lowers cholesterol levels through its ability to promote cholesterol efflux from peripheral tissues such as macrophages, forming HDL, which transports cholesterol back to the liver. Residues located in the C-terminal domain (CT) of apoAI mediate this function of promoting cholesterol efflux. The objective of this study is to generate chimeric apolipoproteins composed of apoE3 and apoAI to better understand the role of the C-terminal tail of the parent proteins. Two chimeras were generated by “domain swapping”: apoE3-NT/apoAI-CT and apoAI-NT/apoE-CT. They were overexpressed in E. coli, isolated and purified. Western blot analysis revealed the presence of epitopes from both parent proteins. Circular dichroism spectroscopy revealed that the α-helical content of apoE3-NT/apoAI-CT and apoAI-NT/E-CT was 43 and 54 %, respectively, which is comparable to that of the parent proteins. Chemical denaturation was used to probe for changes in protein stability. Addition of CT of apoE3 to NT of apoAI conferred more stability to apoAI, while addition of CT of apoAI to NT of apoE3 had no significant effect on apoE3. The rate of apolipoprotein-induced conversion of DMPC vesicles to discoidal structures was followed to assess their lipid binding capability. ApoE3-NT/AI-CT displayed a rate constant that was ~10x higher compared to apoE3, while apoAI-NT/apoE-CT showed a rate constant similar to that of apoAI. Whereas apoE3-NT/apoAI-CT elicits the ability to bind to the LDLr, apoAI-NT/apoE-CT did not. Lastly, both chimeras promote ABCA1-mediated cholesterol efflux from J774 macrophages, with the efflux capability being 2-fold greater for apoAI-NT/apoE-CT. These results show that CT of apoAI can promote lipid binding of apoE3, while CT of apoE3 can improve cholesterol efflux ability of apoAI.
Spectral- and cepstral-based acoustic features of dysphonic, strained voice quality.

ObjectivesWe sought to determine whether spectral- and cepstral-based acoustic measures were effective in distinguishing dysphonic-strained voice quality from normal voice quality and whether these...
Precision Synthesis of ω-Branch, End-Functionalized Comb Polystyrenes Using Living Anionic Polymerization and Thiol–Ene “Click” Chemistry

A combination of living anionic polymerization and thiol–ene “click” chemistry provides an efficient and convenient method for synthesis of well-defined comb polystyrenes with precisely controlled architecture details and a wide selection of functionalities. ω-(p-Vinylbenzyl)polystyrene macromonomer was synthesized by sec-butyllithium-initiated polymerization of styrene followed by termination with 4-vinylbenzyl chloride (VBC). For the synthesis of α-4-pentenyl-ω-(p-vinylbenzyl)polystyrene macromonomer, an unsaturated initiator, 4-pentenyllithium, was used followed by termination with VBC. To ensure successful living anionic polymerization of macromonomers, impurities present in the macromonomers and glass reactors were readily removed by titration with excess sec-butyllithium initiator right before initiation, resulting in polymacromonomers with controlled Mn (74 000, 130 000 g/mol) and narrow Mw/Mn. Living anionic copolymerization of mixtures of both types of macromonomers yielded a well-defined comb-sh...
The National Recovery Administration Reconsidered, or Why the Corrugated and Solid Fiber Shipping Container Code Succeeded

The Corrugated and Solid Fiber Shipping Container Industry Code was one of the only successful codes in the National Recovery Administration (NRA). Compliance was high. It increased production, wages, employment, and product diversity. NRA administrators marveled at its success. Why? And why have historical and rational-choice institutionalists, studying the NRA, overlooked the container code? This paper provides two answers: one microbehavioral, the other macrohistorical. At a micro level, it is impossible to understand the container code with rational-choice theory. It was successful not because it coordinated and enforced collective action, but because it organized “collaborative learning.” The code showed manufacturers how to compete over productivity and product diversity instead of volume. At a macro level, historical institutionalists miss the movement that spawned the container code, because they search in vain for liberal corporatism and state autonomy. Instead, this paper shows how the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) led a movement of cost accountants, trade associations, and peak business associations in an effort to channel competition from predation into improvement in products and production processes through “developmental trade associations.” The container code drew its personnel and practices from this project. In order to make sense of the container code, I introduce a novel theory of institutions, called “creative syncretism.”
Design of Heat-Transfer Media Components for Retail Food Refrigeration

High levels of emissions of ozone-depleting substances and greenhouse gases from supermarkets around the world can be attributed to the leakage of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and the generation of el...
Scaling law for bubbles rising near vertical walls

This paper examines the rising motion of a layer of gas bubbles next to a vertical wall in a liquid in the presence of an upward flow parallel to the wall to help with the understanding of the fluid dynamics in a bubbly upflow in vertical channels. Only the region near the wall is simulated with an average pressure gradient applied to the domain that balances the weight of the liquid phase. The upward flow is created by the rising motion of the bubbles. The bubbles are kept near the wall by the lateral lift force acting on them as a result of rising in the shear layer near the wall. The rise velocity of the bubbles sliding on the wall and the average rise velocity of the liquid depend on three dimensionless parameters, Archimedes number, Ar, Eotvos number, Eo, and the average volume fraction of bubbles on the wall. In the limit of small Eo, bubbles are nearly spherical and the dependency on Eo becomes negligible. In this limit, the scaling of the liquid Reynolds number with Archimedes number and the void fraction is presented. A scaling argument is presented based on viscous dissipation analysis that matches the numerical findings. Viscous dissipation rates are found to be high in a thin film region between the bubble and the wall. A scaling of the viscous dissipation and steady state film thickness between the bubble and the wall with Archimedes number is presented.
Regionalization for respiratory care.

Organization of communities and regions in order to provide more efficient maternity and newborn care has become a national issue. State health departments have stimulated and supported the development of such services in a variety of ways.
Comparing average levels and peak occurrence of overnight sound in the medical intensive care unit on A-weighted and C-weighted decibel scales.

Abstract Purpose Sound levels in the intensive care unit (ICU) are universally elevated and are believed to contribute to sleep and circadian disruption. The purpose of this study is to compare overnight ICU sound levels and peak occurrence on A- vs C-weighted scales. Materials and Methods This was a prospective observational study of overnight sound levels in 59 medical ICU patient rooms. Sound level was recorded every 10 seconds on A- and C-weighted decibel scales. Equivalent sound level (Leq) and sound peaks were reported for full and partial night periods. Results The overnight A-weighted Leq of 53.6 dBA was well above World Health Organization recommendations; overnight C-weighted Leq was 63.1 dBC (no World Health Organization recommendations). Peak sound occurrence ranged from 1.8 to 23.3 times per hour. Illness severity, mechanical ventilation, and delirium were not associated with Leq or peak occurrence. Equivalent sound level and peak measures for A- and C-weighted decibel scales were significantly different from each other. Conclusions Sound levels in the medical ICU are high throughout the night. Patient factors were not associated with Leq or peak occurrence. Significant discordance between A- and C-weighted values suggests that low-frequency sound is a meaningful factor in the medical ICU environment.
Joint Distribution of Maxima and Minima of Multivariate Random Variates

In this paper, a characterization of the joint distribution function for the maximum and minimum of a vector is presented in terms of the joint distribution function for the vector. If the joint distribution function is given explicitly, for instance by a copula and marginals, this leads to an explicit computation of the joint distribution function for the maximum and minimum, through a simple algorithm showing exponential computation times, which is nevertheless competitive against simulation approaches for high accuracy and low error for up to seven marginals (and potentially more, depending on the accuracy requirements). Archimedean copulas, among others, provide such an explicit joint distribution function for the vector. For identical marginals, they allow a much faster computation of the joint distribution function for the maximum and minimum, leading to a second algorithm. The algorithms are then used to compare the joint distribution functions for different copulas and different parameters corresponding to different values of Kendall's bi-variate tau and to study the convergence of the empirical joint distribution for the maximum and minimum to the exact joint distribution function.
An Automatic Phase Picker for Local Earthquakes with Predetermined Locations: Combining a Signal-to-Noise Ratio Detector with 1D Velocity Model Inversion

We present a simple method to pick additional P and S phases for local earthquakes with predetermined locations. Different from conventional characteristic function techniques, our method incorporates 1D velocity inversion into phase picking. It first predicts phase arrivals using initial velocity models and available event locations and then applies a detector function to search genuine phase arrivals around the initial predictions. Using the newest searched phase arrivals (picks), the velocity models are updated accordingly and then used to predict more accurate arrival times. Such a procedure can be iterated multiple times, during which both phase picking and velocity model are improved. We perform a synthetic test with a 1D velocity model. The resulting phase picks are consistent with true arrivals, and true velocity models can be well recovered. Another test with real data recorded by the Anza Seismic Network in southern California shows that the resulting velocity models agree with the average Southern California Earthquake Center community models in this region. Out of 23,932 event–station pairs, 23,770 P picks and 21,935 S picks are obtained from this method. After four iterations, 90% of our P picks and 80% of our S picks have differences within 0.15 s from the phase picks of the Southern California Earthquake catalog. Given its simplicity and efficiency and ability to produce robust P and S picks and 1D velocity models, the technique is particularly suitable for a wide range of seismological research in which phase picks at additional stations and/or refined 1D velocity models are needed.
Abstract IA10: The senescence response - yin and yang

Cellular senescence is a stress response that irreversibly arrests cell proliferation and engages a complex senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). The senescence growth arrest prevents the development of cancer by halting cells at risk for malignant transformation. The SASP, which comprises numerous cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, proteases and small metabolites, serves to optimize tissue repair and regeneration in the face of damage. Despite these beneficial effects, the SASP can be deleterious, especially when senescent cells are chronically present such as when they accumulate during aging and at sites of age-related pathology. In addition, persistent senescent cells can stimulate hyperplastic pathologies, including, ironically, cancer metastases. Recent findings using complex cell culture models and genetically modified mice have provided new insights into the dual nature of the senescence response. Together, these new results hold both enormous promise as well as formidable challenges to developing approaches for maintaining the beneficial effects, while minimizing the deleterious effects, of this complex stress response – with the ultimate goal of delaying or preventing a host of age-related diseases. Citation Format: Judith Campisi. The senescence response - yin and yang. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Precision Medicine Series: Cancer Cell Cycle - Tumor Progression and Therapeutic Response; Feb 28-Mar 2, 2016; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2016;14(11_Suppl):Abstract nr IA10.
Countercurrent saccharification of lime-pretreated corn stover – Part 1

Abstract Using the sugar platform, enzymes are a major cost contributor in biofuel production. Conventionally, enzymatic saccharification is performed in batch. To more efficiently use enzymes, a new continuous countercurrent method is explored. Pseudo-continuous countercurrent saccharification was performed on lime-pretreated corn stover at enzyme loadings of 1 mg CTec3/g dry biomass and (1 mg CTec3 + 1 mg HTec3)/g dry biomass and the results were compared with batch. To achieve the same glucan conversion as compared to batch, countercurrent saccharification reduced enzyme loading by 1.6 and 1.4 times at 1 mg protein/g biomass and 2 mg protein/g biomass, respectively. In batch saccharification, the effect of hemicellulase addition was investigated. In countercurrent saccharification, as compared to only 1 mg CTec3/g biomass loading, adding 1 mg HTec3/g biomass increased glucose and xylose yields by 6% and 12%, respectively. The effect of product sugars on enzyme inhibition was studied in batch saccharification.
Carbon nanotube thin film transistors by droplet electrophoresis

Abstract Spontaneously charged aerosol droplets, each containing a few single-walled carbon nanotubes wrapped in conjugated polymers were precipitated on a target substrate using electrostatic forces. Nanotube networks were assembled on a variety of dielectric surfaces including polymers with low surface energy: Good transistor performance was achieved in all cases. Under proper regime of electrostatic and flow fields, patterns were produced in a maskless fashion and feature sizes below 150 μm were demonstrated.
An emotion divided: Studying envy is better than studying “benign” and “malicious” envy.

The recent surge in envy research has brought with it a line of inquiry differentiating between “benign” and “malicious” envy. “Benign” envy involves the motivation to improve the self, leading to ...
Superficial plantar cutaneous sensation does not trigger barefoot running adaptations.

Abstract It has long been proposed that the gait alterations associated with barefoot running are mediated by alterations in sensory feedback, yet there has been no data to support this claim. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the role of superficial plantar cutaneous feedback in barefoot and shod running. Methods 10 healthy active subjects (6 male, 4 female); mass: 65.2 + 9.7 kg; age: 27 + 7.1 years participated in this study. 10 over-ground running trials were completed in each of the following conditions: barefoot (BF), shod (SHOD), anesthetized barefoot (ANEST BF) and anesthetized shod (ANEST SHOD). For the anesthetized conditions 0.1–0.3 mL of 1% lidocaine was injected into the dermal layer of the plantar foot below the metatarsal heads, lateral column and heel. 3-dimensional motion analysis and ground reaction force (GRF) data were captured as subjects ran over a 20 m runway with a force plate at 12 m. Kinematic and kinetic differences were analyzed via two-way repeated measure ANOVAs. Results The differences in gait between the BF and SHOD conditions were consistent with previous research, with subjects exhibiting a significant decrease in stride length and changing from rearfoot strike when SHOD to fore/midfoot strike when BF. Additionally, BF running was associated with decreased impact peak magnitudes and peak vertical GRFs. Despite anesthetizing the plantar surface, there was no difference between the BF and ANEST BF conditions in terms of stride length, foot strike or GRFs. Conclusion Superficial cutaneous sensory receptors are not primarily responsible for the gait changes associated with barefoot running.
Protein Sparing Therapies in Acute Illness and Obesity: A Review of George Blackburn’s Contributions to Nutrition Science

Protein sparing therapies were developed to mitigate the harms associated with protein-calorie malnutrition and nitrogen losses induced by either acute illness or hypocaloric diets in patients with obesity. We review the development of protein sparing therapies in illness and obesity with a focus on the pioneering contributions of George Blackburn, MD, PhD. He recognized that protein-calorie malnutrition is a common and serious clinical condition and developed new approaches to its treatment in hospitalized patients. His work with stable isotopes and with animal models provided answers about the physiological nutritional requirements and metabolic changes across a spectrum of conditions with varying degrees of stress and catabolism. This led to improvements in enteral and parenteral nutrition for patients with acute illness. Blackburn also demonstrated that lean body mass can be preserved during weight loss with carefully designed very low calorie treatments which became known as the protein sparing modified fast (PSMF). We review the role of the PSMF as part of the comprehensive management of obesity.
Leaf-FISH: Microscale Imaging of Bacterial Taxa on Phyllosphere.

Molecular methods for microbial community characterization have uncovered environmental and plant-associated factors shaping phyllosphere communities. Variables undetectable using bulk methods can play an important role in shaping plant-microbe interactions. Microscale analysis of bacterial dynamics in the phyllosphere requires imaging techniques specially adapted to the high autoflouresence and 3-D structure of the leaf surface. We present an easily-transferable method (Leaf-FISH) to generate high-resolution tridimensional images of leaf surfaces that allows simultaneous visualization of multiple bacterial taxa in a structurally informed context, using taxon-specific fluorescently labelled oligonucleotide probes. Using a combination of leaf pretreatments coupled with spectral imaging confocal microscopy, we demonstrate the successful imaging bacterial taxa at the genus level on cuticular and subcuticular leaf areas. Our results confirm that different bacterial species, including closely related isolates, colonize distinct microhabitats in the leaf. We demonstrate that highly related Methylobacterium species have distinct colonization patterns that could not be predicted by shared physiological traits, such as carbon source requirements or phytohormone production. High-resolution characterization of microbial colonization patterns is critical for an accurate understanding of microbe-microbe and microbe-plant interactions, and for the development of foliar bacteria as plant-protective agents.
Association between encounter frequency and time to blood pressure control among patients with newly diagnosed hypertension: a retrospective cohort study.

This retrospective cohort study of 95 957 patients from a large integrated healthcare organization was conducted to examine whether the frequency and intervals between outpatient encounters were associated with achieving blood pressure (BP) control. Patients were followed up until they were censored or achieved BP control up to 1 year. Additionally, this study examined the time to BP control. On average, follow-up was significantly longer in patients with uncontrolled BP at 292.9 days compared with 232.2 days in those with BP control. The controlled BP group had significantly more encounters on average compared with the uncontrolled BP group (4.1 vs 3.1, standardized difference 0.33). As the number of days increased between encounters from the 1 to < 14 days, there was a consistently lower likelihood of achieving BP control. Encounter intervals of ≥180 days were associated with the lowest likelihood of achieving BP control. These findings suggest that there may be an optimal number of encounters to benefit patients with hypertension.
Introductory Graph Theory. By Gary Chartrand

(1987). Introductory Graph Theory. By Gary Chartrand. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 94, No. 5, pp. 483-485.
Depression symptoms and quality of life among individuals with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease.

Objective: Patients with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) have high disease burden due to the severity of asthma and sinonasal symptoms. There is limited research on the psychological...
The Sex Education of Young Children

In the United States sex education begins at the moment of birth, is informally prescribed for all children, is continuous, and is constantly reinforced by society throughout the life of the individual. Only death releases the individual from the persistent reinforcement of socially approved sexual values and norms. Generally speaking, Americans are of one mind on this issue. It is believed that children have a biologically determined sexual capacity from birth and that that capacity must be encouraged and directed into proper behavioral patterns if the individual is to have a good life and the society is to persist. Uniformity of belief on sex education for the young and reinforcement of those beliefs is so monolithic that society can place total reliance on the informal transmission of sexual knowledge from the adult generation to the young. No formal course work in school is needed to accomplish this task. This uniform perspective on the sex education of the young is one of the remarkable and unique characteristics of our otherwise pluralistic society.
Examining the Design of Media-Rich Cognitive Tools as Scaffolds in a Multimedia Problem-Based Learning Environment.

This chapter examines the various cognitive tools embedded in a multimedia-enriched PBL environment for middle school science known as Alien Rescue and shares the research findings of the use of these cognitive tools in assisting young learners’ problem solving. The goal of this chapter is to illustrate strategies for designing media-rich cognitive tools to support learning.
General Approaches on Formulating Weakly-Singular BIES for PDES

Straight-forward systematic development of the weakly-singular boundary integral equations (BIEs) for general Partial Differential Equations (PDEs) are extended in the present study by utilizing the gradients of the fundamental solutions as the test function, following the original work reported by Okada, Rajiyah, and Atluri (J. Appl. Mech. April, 1988) and its extension by Han and Atluri (2002 CMES 3(6): 699–716) and Qian, Han, Ufimtsev, Atluri (2004 CMES 5(6): 541–562). The weak-forms and their algebraic combinations of the fundamental solutions are directly applied for the derivation of their “intrinsic proprieties”, which are used to avoid the hyper-singularities and decomposing the singularities of the kernel functions of BIEs. The derivation of the weakly-singular BIEs based on the present method has been demonstrated by formulating BIEs for elasticity and acoustics with details, respectively. The corresponding formulation have been numerically implemented and verified by solving the numerical examples.
Ecologically salient stressors and supports and the coordination of cortisol and salivary alpha-amylase in mothers and infants.

Abstract This study examines the integration of the two main branches of the stress response system: the autonomic nervous system (via salivary alpha-amylase, sAA) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (via cortisol). Mothers (n = 117) were randomized to have either a positive (n = 57) or conflictual (n = 60) discussion with their marital partner, after which mothers and infants (Mage = 5.9 months) engaged in free-play, followed by an infant-focused challenge task. Saliva samples were collected from the mother to assess physiological reactivity and recovery to the marital discussion, and from the infant to assess physiological reactivity and recovery to the challenge task. For both mothers and infants, sAA – cortisol coordination varied across the respective tasks. Further, findings suggest the sAA – cortisol connection is under social control, with stress response system coordination occurring only in supportive social relationships (i.e., mothers experiencing cohesive marital discussions, and in infants with sensitive and responsive mothers). Interestingly, however, it appears social support might function differently in mothers vs infants. Findings advance our understanding of the complex integration of stress physiology in the context of social relationships.
A Fully Automated High-Throughput Bioreactor System for Lung Regeneration.

The careful study of cell-based lung repair and regeneration ex vivo may one day provide us with the necessary tools to create a patient-derived alternative to cadaveric donor lungs for transplanta...
Autoencoder-Based Optical Wireless Communications Systems

In this study, we propose deep neural network autoencoders for capturing the end-to-end performance of the single- and multi-user optical wireless communications (OWC) systems. We compare the end-to-end performance of the proposed autoencoders (learning-based OWC systems) with the state-of-the art model-based OWC systems in terms of the block error rate (BLER) metric. Our numerical results indicate that the proposed learning-based OWC system outperforms the model-based counterparts in both single- and multi-user settings.
The Effects of Uncertainty Frames in Three Science Communication Topics

While uncertainty is central to science, many fear negative effects of communicating scientific uncertainties to the public, though research results about such effects are inconsistent. Therefore, ...
Present tense verb morphology of Spanish HL and L2 children in dual immersion: Feature Reassembly revisited

Abstract We provide a snapshot of childhood morphology development in our investigation of two profiles of bilinguals (age 9–10) in an English-Spanish dual immersion academic setting: Spanish heritage language (SHL, n = 21) and second language (SL2, n = 41) children. Three tasks were given to the 62 bilinguals and 15 age-matched controls (Spanish first language, SL1): oral comprehension of 20 singular-plural present verbs, written sentence production of 10 similar verbs, and a meaning-focused writing task. SHL children were comparable to controls in production of number agreement, and showed no asymmetry between comprehension and production. SL2 learners showed lower accuracy than both SHL and SL1 children. A similar pattern was observed when person agreement and tense, aspect, mood and vowel errors were considered. The most common error among SHL and SL2 children was overregularization of stem vowels, a typical developmental error. The Feature Reassembly model of grammar can accommodate the range of possibilities represented by the data we present.
How Identity Enriches and Complicates the Research Process: Reflections from Political Ecology Fieldwork

Among political ecologists, long-term ethnographic immersion is one of the key approaches to conducting fieldwork. This article reflects on how a researcher’s identity enriches or complicates the i...
Efficacy of the VEGFR-2 tyrosine kinase inhibitor AZD2171 in human renal carcinoma (Caki-1) cells in vitro and in vivo

2119 Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) acts as a survival factor for newly-formed vasculature, enhances the permeability of blood vessels and has been implicated as the key factor in the angiogenic process of solid tumors. Thus, interfering with VEGF signaling has become a major strategy to inhibit tumor growth and spread. One approach is to inhibit VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR-2)-associated tyrosine kinase signaling. The present studies report on the efficacy of AZD2171, an oral, highly potent and selective VEGF signaling inhibitor of VEGFR-1, -2, and -3 tyrosine kinases, in human renal cell carcinoma (Caki-1) cells. In vitro treatment with AZD2171 was found to have a significant impact on endothelial cell (EC) but not renal cell carcinoma proliferation. AZD2171 50-100 nM inhibited the growth of human microvascular endothelial cells (lung) but doses ≤5 μM, had little impact on Caki-1 cell growth. AZD2171 10 nM significantly impaired (by a factor of 2) the number of ECs that migrated into a denuded area over a 48-hour period. An intradermal assay was used to study the effect of AZD2171 treatment on Caki-1 tumor cell-induced angiogenesis in vivo. Nude mice received AZD2171 (3, 6, or 9 mg/kg/day) or vehicle by oral gavage commencing on the day prior to tumor cell inoculation. Caki-1 cells (1 x 105) were injected intradermally at four sites on the ventral surface of each of four mice. Three days post-inoculation, the mice were humanely culled and the skin flap containing the inoculation site was excised and the number of blood vessels induced was counted. Compared with controls, skin flaps from AZD2171-treated mice showed a significant and dose-dependent reduction in the number of blood vessels induced by the tumor cells. The antitumor efficacy of AZD2171 was assessed in mice bearing Caki-1 xenografts. When tumor volume reached ~200 mm3, mice were randomly assigned to receive either no treatment or AZD2171 6 mg/kg/day po for 2 weeks (Mon-Fri). In animals receiving AZD2171, tumors took twice as long to reach five times the starting size compared with untreated controls. These results suggest that inhibition of VEGF signaling with AZD2171 may impair the growth of renal cell carcinoma.
Establishing Background Pathologic Changes of Valve Replacement Surgery in Sheep.

Sheep are the standard preclinical model for assessing safety of novel replacement heart valves, yet the anatomic and pathologic effects of invasive surgery, including those involving cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), are unknown. Thus, we aimed to determine the gross, hematologic and biochemical effects of sham mitral and aortic replacement valve procedures in sheep to establish a useful control for evaluation of novel replacement valves. Six control sheep were examined without any surgical intervention. Six sham mitral valve replacements (MVR) and six sham aortic valve replacements (AVR) were performed on 12 sheep. Complete blood counts and serum biochemistry were performed throughout the study. Sheep were sacrificed with a necropsy performed at 90 days. Renal infarcts (RIs) were the most frequently observed lesion, averaging 4.7 in control sheep, 2.5 with MVR and 5.8 with AVR. The number of infarcts strongly correlated with total estimated area of infarcted kidney (r = .84, p < .01). Additional cardiac interventions were significantly correlated with increased numbers of RIs (r = .85, p < .01). There was no correlation between number of RIs and time on CPB, or between AVR and MVR procedures. The sheep model for AVR and MVR requires invasive surgery and CPB, which are associated with background anatomic and pathologic changes, especially in cases with additional surgical cardiac interventions. These findings serve as a critical control for future evaluation and development of novel replacement valves in order to distinguish device-related safety issues from expected outcomes of the surgical procedure and normal background changes in sheep.
Local infiltration of analgesia and tranexamic acid is safe and efficacious in reducing blood loss and comparable to intra-articular tranexamic acid in total knee replacements.

Introduction The use of peri-articular (PA) tranexamic acid (TXA) and its efficacy in comparison with intra-articular (IA) tranexamic acid has not been well explored in literature. This retrospective cohort study aims to compare the effects of IA and PA TXA with analgesic components in reducing blood loss and improving immediate post-operative pain relief and functional outcomes in unilateral primary total knee replacement (TKA) patients. Methods 63 patients who underwent a unilateral primary total knee replacement procedure were divided into 2 groups: 42 patients in the IA TXA delivery group, 21 patients in the PA TXA group. 1g of TXA was utilized for all patients. All patients had pericapsular infiltration consisting of 0.5ml of Adrenaline, 0.4ml of Morphine, 1g of Vancomycin, 1ml of Ketorolac and 15ml of Ropivacaine. Outcomes for blood loss, and surrogate markers for immediate functional recovery were measured. Results 54.0% of the patients were female, 46.0% male. The mean drop in post-operative Hb levels in the PA and IA group was 2.0g/dL and 1.6 g/dL respectively, and statistically insignificant (p=0.10). The mean HCT drop in the PA and IA group was 6.1% and 5.3% respectively and statistically insignificant (p=0.58). The POD 1 and discharge day flexion angles, POD 1 and POD 2 VAS scores, gait distance on discharge, and length of hospitalization stay were largely similar in both groups. Conclusion Our study shows that both IA and PA TXA with analgesic components are equally efficient in reducing blood loss and improving immediate postoperative pain relief and functional outcomes.
INTOLERANCE OF UNCERTAINTY AS A MEDIATOR OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PERFECTIONISM AND OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE SYMPTOM SEVERITY

Background Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and perfectionism have both been shown to predict severity of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms in populations diagnosed with OCD, as well as analogue samples. According to cognitive models of OCD, symptoms are maintained by dysfunctional beliefs including IU and perfectionism. The purpose of the current study is to extend research on the cognitive theory of OCD by describing how dysfunctional thoughts interact with each other. Methods In an analogue sample for OCD (N = 475), undergraduate students completed measures online pertaining to IU (IU scale), perfectionism (Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale), and OCD symptoms and severity (Florida Obsessive–Compulsive Inventory). Results The proposed model of IU fully mediating the relationship between perfectionism and OCD severity was supported using structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis. Bootstrapping testing within AMOS 20 and Sobel tests further corroborated full mediation. Conclusions Results from the current study suggest that IU fully mediates the relationship between perfectionism and severity of OCD symptoms. This finding has an impact for understanding the nature and treatment of OCD with perfectionism as a primary symptom. Findings suggest that in order to address perfectionism, it is necessary to first treat cognitions and obsessions associated with IU and that this practice would lessen distress and interference associated with perfectionistic obsessions.
Yin Yang 1

The transcription factor Yin Yang 1 (YY1) (also known as NF-E1, δ, CP-1 and UCRBP) is a GLI-Kruppel zinc finger protein. 1–4YY1 is highly conserved from Xenopus to mammalian YY1 and has been demonstrated to play an essential role in mouse embryonic development and other physiological and pathological conditions.5, 6 As one of the first mammalian transcription factors that have been identified to possess both repression and activation activities, YY1 has served as a model for understanding how a single molecule can conduct opposite transcriptional functions, that is, repression and activation. Recent studies suggest that YY1 is a mammalian counterpart of the Drosophila Polycomb Group (PcG) protein Pleiohomeotic (Pho),7, 8 providing a new framework in which to further explore YY1’s biological functions and mechanism of action in vivo. In this chapter, we discuss progress on YY1 since its discovery.
Fragments of human growth hormone produced by digestion with bromelain. Chemistry and biological properties.

Abstract In an effort to produce small discrete fragments of human growth hormone (GH), we examine the action of the proteolytic enzyme, bromelain, on this molecule. Purified human GH incubated for 40 min at 22°C with crude bromelain and gel-filtered on Sephadex G-100 resulted in a major digestion product, peak 2. SDS-urea gel electrophoresis in the presence of β-mercaptoethanol suggested that peak 2 was composed of two polypeptide chains. Two polypeptide fractions were isolated by the reduction and S -alkylation of peak 2 in 6 M guanidine-HCl and subsequent chromatography on Sephacryl S-200 in 6 M guanidine-HCl. These two fractions, A and B, had the same mobilities as the two components of peak 2 on SDS-urea gels. Amino-terminal analysis, tryptic peptide mapping, carboxypeptidase digestion, cyanogen bromide cleavage, and amino acid analysis of fraction A indicated that it was peptide 1–135. Amino-terminal analysis and tryptic peptide mapping of fraction B suggested the presence of a mixture of peptides 143–191, 145–191 and 146–191. Thus, peak 2 is heterogeneous and appears to be a mixture consisting of peptide 1–135 + peptide 143–191, peptide 1–135 + peptide 145–191 and peptide 1–135 + peptide 146–191, in each case the N-terminal peptide being joined to the C-terminal peptide by the disulfide bridge between residues 53 and 165. In the weight-gain test in hypophysectomized rats, two preparations of peak 2 appeared to be somewhat less active than the native human GH preparations from which they were derived. Several preparations of peak 2 showed equivalent potency in stimulating [ 14 C]glucose oxidation to 14 CO 2 by isolated epididymal adipose tissue of hypophysectomized rats. Also, most of the peak 2 preparations were somewhat less active than native human GH in displacing 125 I-labeled human GH bound to antibodies to human GH.
Electronic and rovibrational quantum chemical analysis of C3P−: the next interstellar anion?

C$_3$P$^-$ is analogous to the known interstellar anion C$_3$N$^-$ with phosphorus replacing the nitrogen in a simple step down the periodic table. In this work, it is shown that C$_3$P$^-$ is likely to possess a dipole-bound excited state. It has been hypothesized and observationally supported that dipole-bound excited states are an avenue through which anions could be formed in the interstellar medium. Additionally, C$_3$P$^-$ has a valence excited state that may lead to further stabilization of this molecule, and C$_3$P$^-$ has a larger dipole moment than neutral C$_3$P ($\sim 6$ D vs. $\sim 4$ D). As such, C$_3$P$^-$ is probably a more detectable astromolecule than even its corresponding neutral radical. Highly-accurate quantum chemical quartic force fields are also applied to C$_3$P$^-$ and its singly $^{13}$C substituted isotopologues in order to provide structures, vibrational frequencies, and spectroscopic constants that may aid in its detection.
Feelings of wantedness and consent during nonconsensual sex: implications for posttraumatic cognitions

Social-cognitive models of traumatic stress have urged researchers to investigate the complex changes in victims' systems of belief following trauma. Among victims of rape, posttraumatic cognitions related to self-blame, safety, trust, intimacy, control, power, and esteem are common negative outcomes; yet there is great variability in the degree to which rape victims exhibit these reactions, and this remains unexplained. Two possible factors that may be relevant to the development of these posttraumatic cognitions are the extent to which the nonconsensual sexual act was internally perceived as nonconsensual by the victim and the extent to which it was internally perceived as unwanted by the victim. Although felt consent and perceived wanting are often conflated and rated dichotomously, there is evidence that they are distinct and may be experienced on a continuum. This study sought to examine the relationships among felt consent, wantedness, and posttraumatic cognitions in a sample of 189 undergraduate female victims of rape. RESULTS demonstrated that perceived consent and perceived wantedness had unique and opposite relationships with posttraumatic cognitions: Greater felt consent was a risk factor for characterological and behavioral self-blame and maladaptive self-beliefs, but greater feelings of wanting to have sex constituted a protective factor for characterological self-blame, maladaptive self-beliefs, and maladaptive world-beliefs. A suppression effect was also identified, which provided evidence that perceived consent and wantedness work in tandem in the cognitive processing of rape. Clinical and research implications are discussed, with an emphasis on the importance of understanding and honoring victims' perceptions. (PsycINFO Database Record Language: en
Synthesis and analytical capabilities of fluorogenic ring-substituted crown ethers.

Abstract Fluorogenic crown ethers do not generally produce enough signal to be analytically useful. The incorporation of fluorogens in the crown ether ring can considerably increase the fluorescence intensity obtained on complexation, to 2–6 times that of the blank. The disadvantage is a loss of selectivity all the alkali metals being complexed by the fluorogenic compound obtained.
Wetting and energetics of solid Au andAu–Ge/SiC interfaces

Abstract A solid state wetting technique has been used to investigate the effects of alloying Au with Ge on the wetting and energetics of Au/SiC interfaces at 1123 K. Germanium was found to segregate to the Au/SiC interface, thereby lowering the contact angle of Au on SiC from 133 to 110°, and doubling the work of adhesion of Au on SiC. Calculations based on a monolayer model predict a segregation of 0.89 monolayers of Ge at the Au/SiC interface for Au containing 2.3 at.% Ge. This agrees reasonably well with a coverage of 0.6 monolayers Ge at the Au/SiC interface obtained by direct measurements based on the crater edge profiling technique. The work also demonstrates that simple models of interfacial composition can be combined with the Gibbs adsorption isotherm to provide reliable estimates of interfacial composition at complex four-component interfaces.