cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Possible Role of Cytochromes P450 in Lupus Erythematosus and Related Disorders

Cytochromes P450 comprise a superfamily of enzymes pivotal in the metabolism of innumerable substrates of both endogenous and exogenous origin. The total number of distinct P450 genes, each encoding a different enzyme in humans, is estimated to be at least 60 and possibly several hundred. The cytochrome P450 (CYP) superfamily nomenclature system is based on divergent evolution of the genes. Most of the enzymes within gene families CYP1, CYP2, CYP3 and CYP4 appear to have evolved as the body's primary defense against the onslaught of chemicals confronted on a daily basis. Whereas P450 enzymes more than 3.5 billion years ago were undoubtedly designed as necessary components of signal transduction pathways, in the past billion years most P450 enzymes have become generally responsible for the detoxification of numerous foreign chemicals. During such oxidative metabolism, it has become increasingly apparent that these enzymes are also capable of functioning in an ambivalent manner, generating toxic intermediates. More than a dozen human P450 polymorphisms have been characterized. Genetic variability in P450 expression is therefore likely to have significant bearing on individual susceptibility to chemical toxicity. In this review, genetic differences in human P450 expression are outlined, and their possible relationship to autoimmune disease is examined. In addition, the speculative role of P450 polymorphisms in several 'lupus-like' disorders is discussed.
Reasons for enrollment at a Spanish–English two-way immersion charter school among highly motivated parents from a diverse community

This study builds on previous work to examine parent reasons for enrolling their children in a two-way immersion (TWI) charter school. This work goes beyond ethno linguistic background variables (language, ethnicity), to include other key variables such as education level, income, religion, household distance from school, and family structure. This study takes place in one school-wide TWI program in a charter school where parents must choose and actively pursue enrollment. These highly motivated parents articulate, in their own voice, their reasons for choosing to enroll their children in this school. Using open-coding strategies, six overarching categories emerged from parent responses about their reasons for enrollment: Bilingualisms/Biliteracy, Educational Experiences, Future and Career Opportunities, Cultural Immersion/Diversity, Preserving Heritage, and Proximity to Home. Chi-square statistics are used to compare demographic characteristics across these six reasons. Our findings show that parents fro...
Alarms in the intensive care unit: too much of a good thing is dangerous: is it time to add some intelligence to alarms?

On the morning of December 7, 1941, a radar station situated on Opana Point detected what appeared to be yet another routine flight on B17s or a naval patrol (1). The people in charge of monitoring this signal thought this was another false alarm generated by early radar. In fact, this signal was re
Embrace the Chaos, It's Not Noise: Lessons Learned from Non-Traditional Environments

The lessons learned from seven years of the testing of a behavioral monitoring systemâ€” the Everyday Living Monitoring System (ELMS) â€” outside the laboratory in the real world are discussed. Initially, the real world was perceived as messy and filled with noise that just delayed and complicated the testing and development of the system. However, over time, it became clear that without embracing the chaos of the world and listening very carefully to its noise, the monitoring system could not be successfully moved from the laboratory to the real world. Specific lessons learned at each stage of development and testing are discussed, as well as the challenges that are associated with the actual commercialization of the system.
Using Syndemic Theory to Understand Vulnerability to HIV Infection among Black and Latino Men in New York City

HIV is a public health crisis that disproportionately affects Black and Latino men. To understand this crisis, syndemic theory, which takes into account multiple interrelated epidemics, should be used. A syndemic is “two or more afflictions, interacting synergistically, contributing to excess burden of disease in a population.” Vulnerability to HIV among Black and Latino men is increased as structural, social, and biological factors interact in the context of social marginalization. In New York City, Black and Latino men experience a syndemic of HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, trauma, incarceration, and poverty; however, current research has yet to fully identify the mechanisms of resilience that may reduce the negative impact of a syndemic or explore the potential adaptive functions of individual-level risk behaviors. To understand HIV risk as part of a syndemic and address HIV prevention in Black and Latino men, we propose the following: (1) the use of complex systems analysis, ethnography, and other mixed-methods approaches to observe changes in relations among social conditions and disease; (2) multidisciplinary and inter-institution collaboration; and (3) involvement of public health practitioners and researchers from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds.
Thiopental and desflurane treatment for brain protection.

OBJECTIVE: Thiopental produces cerebral metabolic depression and cerebral vasoconstriction. However, the effect of thiopental on brain tissue oxygen pressure (PO 2 ), carbon dioxide pressure, and pH is not known. In a prospective study, we measured brain tissue gases and pH during thiopental or desflurane treatment that was administered for brain protection during brain artery occlusion. METHODS: After institutional review board approval, 20 patients undergoing craniotomies for cerebrovascular surgery were tested; 10 were randomized to receive thiopental and 10 to receive desflurane. After each craniotomy, a Neurotrend probe (Diametrics Medical, Minneapolis, MN) was inserted to measure tissue PO 2 , carbon dioxide pressure, and pH in a tissue region at risk to develop ischemia during temporary brain artery occlusion. Thiopental or desflurane was administered to produce burst suppression of electroencephalography, and then temporary artery occlusion was performed during aneurysm or extracerebral-to-intracerebral bypass surgery. RESULTS: Thiopental produced no change in tissue gases or pH, but temporary artery clipping in thiopental-treated patients decreased PO 2 30% (P < 0.05). Desflurane increased PO 2 70% (P < 0.05), and tissue oxygenation remained elevated during temporary artery occlusion. Tissue pH did not decrease in either group during temporary brain artery occlusion. CONCLUSION: Thiopental has a metabolically neutral effect on brain tissue gases and pH, even though it is known to decrease cerebral oxygen consumption. The metabolic depressant and vasodilator effects of desflurane enhance tissue oxygenation and attenuate tissue PO 2 reductions produced by artery occlusion. Both thiopental and desflurane inhibit ischemic lactic acidosis and decreases in pH.
The abnormal finkelstein reaction. A sequential ionic-free radical reaction mechanism

Abstract The reaction of alkyl halides with sodium iodide in acetone (Finkelstein Reaction) may yield coupled or rearranged products via cationic intermediates.
Transient temperature measurements in a convectively cooled droplet

The transient cooling of an evaporating water droplet, suspended in a jet of dry air, was experimentally investigated in this study using thermochromic liquid crystal thermography. Microencapsulated beads of thermochromic liquid crystals, suspended in the water droplets, enabled the visualization of the transient temperature fields within the droplets. Digital movies of the convectively cooled droplets reveal spatial and temporal temperature gradients resolved down to length scales of ∼100 μm and time scales of ∼0.03 s. The transient temperature measurements were analyzed to yield total droplet convective heat transfer rates. Droplet heat transfer rates determined from a heat balance on the droplets compare favorably to previously published measurements.
Synthesis, Characterization, Luminescence, and Electrochemistry of the Tetranuclear Gold(I) Amidinate Clusters, Precursors to CO Oxidation Catalysts: Au4[(ArNC(H)NAr)]4, Au4[(PhNC(Ph)NPh)]4 and Au4[PhNC(CH3)NPh)4]

A summary of the chemistry of the tetranuclear Au(I) amidinate complexes is presented. Tetranuclear Au(I) amidinate clusters are produced by the reaction of the sodium salt of a amidine ligand with the gold precursor Au(THT)Cl in a (1:1) stoichiometry. The structures of the tetranuclear Au 4 [ArNC(H)NAr] 4 , Ar = C 6 H 4 -4-OMe, C 6 H 3 -3,5-Cl, C 6 H 4 -4-Me, C 6 H 4 -3-CF 3 , C 6 F 5 , C 10 H 7 and the tetranuclear Au 4 [(PhNC(Ph)NPh] 4 and Au 4 [PhNC(CH 3 )NPh] 4 have been characterized by X-ray crystallography. The average Au···Au distance between adjacent Au(I) atoms is ∼3.0 A, typical of compounds having an aurophilic interaction. The four gold atoms are located at the comer of a rhomboid with the amidinate ligands bridged above and below the near plane of the four Au(I) atoms. The angles at Au···Au···Au in the cyclic units are between 70° and 116°. The tetranuclear gold(I) amidinate clusters each show different luminescence behavior. The tetranuclear clusters Au 4 [(ArNC(H)NAr] 4 , Ar = C 6 H 4 -4-OMe, Ar = C 6 H 4 -3-CF 3 , Ar = C 6 H 4 -4-Me and Ar = C 6 H 4 -3,5-Cl are the first tetranuclear gold(I) cluster species from group 11 elements that show fluorescence at room temperature. The tetranuclear naphthyl derivative Ar = C 10 H 7 is luminescent only at 77 K. The pentafluorophenyl derivative Ar = C 6 F 5 does not show any photoluminescence in the solid state nor in the solution. The lifetimes of the naphthyl and trifluoromethylphenyl complexes are in the millisecond range indicating phosphorescent processes. Electrochemical and chemical oxidation studies of the tetranuclear Au(I) amidinate clusters are presented. The tetranuclear complexes Au 4 [ArNC(H)NAr] 4 , Ar = C 6 H 4 -4-OMe, Ar = C 6 H 4 -4-Me, and Ar = C 6 H 3 -3,5-Cl, show three reversible waves at 0.75, 0.95, 1.09 V vs. Ag/AgCl at a scan rate of 500 mV/s in 0.1 M Bu 4 NPF 6 /CH 2 Cl 2 at a Pt working electrode in CH 2 Cl 2 . Three reversible waves at 0.87, 1.19, 1.42 V vs. Ag/AgCl at a scan rate of 100 mV/s are also observed for the tetranuclear complex Au 4 [PhNC(Ph)NPh] 4 in CH 2 Cl 2 . The pentafluorophenyl amidinate derivative, Au 4 [ArNC(H)NAr] 4 , Ar = C 6 F 5 shows no oxidation wave below 1.8 V. Recently it has been shown that Au 4 [ArNC(H)NAr] 4 is a very effective catalyst precursor for room temperature CO oxidation.
Left Ventricular Myocardial Contractility Is Depressed in the Borderzone After Posterolateral Myocardial Infarction

Background—Contractility in the borderzone (BZ) after antero-apical myocardial infarction (MI) is depressed. We tested the hypothesis that BZ contractility is also decreased after posterolateral MI. Methods—Five sheep underwent postero-lateral MI. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed 2 weeks before and 16 weeks after MI, and left ventricular (LV) volume and regional strain were measured. Finite element (FE) models were constructed and the systolic material parameter, Tmax, was calculated in the BZ and remote myocardium by minimizing the difference between experimentally measured and calculated LV strain and volume. Sheep were sacrificed 17 weeks after MI and myocardial muscle fibers were taken from the BZ and remote myocardium. Fibers were chemically demembranated, and isometric developed force, Fmax, was measured at supra-maximal [Ca 2+ ]. Routine light microscopy was also performed. Results—There was no difference in Tmax between pre-MI and remote myocardium 16 weeks after MI. However, there was a large decrease (63.3%, p=0.005) in Tmax in the BZ when compared with the remote myocardium 16 weeks after MI. In addition, there was a significant reduction of BZ Fmax for all samples (18.9%, p=0.023). Myocyte cross-sectional area increased by 61% (p=0.021) in the BZ, but there was no increase in fibrosis. Conclusion—Contractility in the borderzone is significantly depressed relative to the remote myocardium after postero-lateral MI. The reduction in contractility is due at least in part to a decrease in contractile protein function.
ELECTRON MICROSCOPE STUDIES OF SPERMATOZOA OF RHYNCHOSCIARA SP : I. Disruption of Microtubules by Various Treatments

The flagellar complex of the unusual motile spermatozoon of the fungus gnat, Rhynchosciara sp, does not conform to the usual "9 + 2" filament pattern but rather consists of over 350 pairs of filaments (doublet microtubules) distributed in a spiral array. Experiments were designed to disrupt and extract flagellar microtubular components from spermatozoa of the fungus gnat. Pepsin, chymotrypsin, potassium iodide, urea, and heat were used to extract specific portions of microtubule walls Such experiments provide information on the composition of the wall and the existence of wall sites selectively sensitive to various treatments Results obtained include: (a) doublet microtubules are comprised at least in part of protein, and all subunits are probably not identical; (b) a portion of the B subfiber is apparently more sensitive to disruption than other portions of the doublet microtubule; and (c) the ac cessory singlet microtubules may be chemically different from the doublet microtubules
MOUNTAIN REDUCTION, BLOCK MATCHING, AND APPLICATIONS IN INTENSITY-MODULATED RADIATION THERAPY

In this paper, we present a new geometric algorithm for the 3-D static leaf sequencing (SLS) problem arising in intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), a modern cancer treatment technique. The treatment time and machine delivery error are two crucial factors for measuring the quality of a solution (i.e., a treatment plan) for the SLS problem. In the current clinical practice, physicians prefer to use treatment plans with the lowest possible amount of delivery error, and are also very concerned about the treatment time. Previous SLS methods in both the literature and commercial treatment planning systems either cannot minimize the error or achieve that only by using treatment plans which require a prolonged treatment time. In comparison, our new geometric algorithm is computationally efficient; more importantly, it guarantees that the output treatment plans have the lowest possible amount of delivery error, and the treatment time for the plans is significantly shorter. Our solution is based on a number of novel schemes and ideas (e.g., mountain reduction, block matching, profile-preserving cutting, etc) which may be of interest in their own right. Experimental results based on real medical data showed that our new algorithm runs fast and produces much better quality treatment plans than current commercial planning systems and well-known algorithms in medical literature.
High-risk behaviors in women who use crack: knowledge of HIV serostatus and risk behavior.

Purpose To determine whether crack cocaine-using women who are aware of their HIV serostatus have made modifications in risk behaviors, we compared known HIV-positive (HIV+) and HIV-negative (HIV−) users with respect to sexual risk behaviors, prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and vaginitis, and correlates of unprotected sex. Methods We used a cross-sectional design with street outreach, recruitment, and interviews of sexually active crack cocaine using women. Women received testing for HIV, STIs, and vaginitis. Results Sixty-one HIV+ and 117 HIV− women were enrolled. HIV+ women were significantly more likely to be African-American. There were no significant differences in drug use, types of sexual partners, number of paying partners, attitudes regarding condoms, or STI diagnoses. HIV+ women were less likely to engage in unprotected sex compared with HIV− women (56% vs. 75%, adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.36; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.13–0.99). Among HIV+ women, unprotected sex was negatively associated with stronger beliefs regarding the protective value of condoms (AOR, 0.07; 95% CI, 0.01–0.67) and concurrent injection-drug use (AOR, 0.19; 95% CI, 0.04–0.99). Conclusions Although the majority of crack using HIV+ crack using women in this sample continued to engage in high-risk sexual activities, they were less likely to do so than HIV− women. Interventions targeting this population are needed.
Hybridization of Rous sarcoma virus deoxyribonucleic acid polymerase product and ribonucleic acids from chicken and rat cells infected with Rous sarcoma virus.

Rous sarcoma virus (RSV)-specific ribonucleic acid (RNA) in virus-producing chicken cells and non-virus-producing rat cells infected with RSV was studied by hybridization with the endogenous deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) product of the RSV virion DNA polymerase system. By hybridizing the total DNA product with excess virion RNA, the product DNA was separated into hybridized (“minus”) and nonhybridized (“plus”) DNA. The “minus” DNA was complementary to at least 20% of the RNA from RSV which remained of high molecular weight after denaturation. A maximum of approximately 65% hybridization was observed between “minus” DNA and RSV RNA or RSV-infected chicken cell RNA. A maximum of about 60% hybridization was observed between “minus” DNA and RSV-infected rat cell RNA. RSV-infected chicken cells contained RSV-specific RNA equivalent to about 6,000 virions per cell. RSV-infected rat cells contained RSV-specific RNA equivalent to approximately 400 virions per cell. Neither cell type contained detectable RNA complementary to virion RNA. The RSV-specific RNA in RSV-infected rat cells did not appear to be qualitatively different from that in RSV-infected chicken cells.
GROWTH AND REMODELING OF THE HUMAN MAXILLA.

THE purpose of the present study is to describe and interpret the sequence of remodeling changes which take place during the postnatal growth of the young human maxilla. This report is a sequel to previous studies dealing with principles of bone remodeling and with the postnatal growth of the human mandible.l-” As the growing maxilla increases in size, there is a companion process of remodeling which functions to maintain the constant proportions of the bone’s shape and the relative positions of its component parts. This process of remodeling involves sequential, localized adjustments in bone structure during the constant changes produced by the growth of the entire maxilla. An understanding of these remodeling changes is basic to a meaningful interpretation of the over-all process of growth.
A 100-element MESFET grid oscillator

A planar grid oscillator which combines the outputs of 100 devices quasi-optically is presented. The planar configuration is attractive because it is compatible with present-day IC fabrication techniques. In addition, the grid's structure leads to a transmission-line model that can readily be applied to the design of larger grids in the future. This approach is particularly attractive for wafer-scale integration at millimeter wavelengths. The grid oscillates near 5 GHz and can be frequency tuned with mirror spacing from 4.8 GHz to 5.2 GHz. The far-field radiation patterns for the grid are shown. From the pattern, the directivity is calculated to be 16 dB. The ERP is measured to be 25 W. The DC input power is 3 W, and the power radiated from the grid is calculated to be 0.625 W. This gives a DC-to-RF efficiency of 20%. >
Multiscale data integration using coarse-scale models☆

In this paper we combine a multiscale data integration technique introduced in [Lee SH, Malallah A, Datta-Gupta A, Hidgon D. Multiscale data integration using Markov Random Fields. SPE Reservoir Evaluat Eng 2002;5(1):68–78] with upscaling techniques for spatial modeling of permeability. The main goal of this paper is to find fine-scale permeability fields based on coarse-scale permeability measurements. The approach introduced in the paper is hierarchical and the conditional information from different length scales is incorporated into the posterior distribution using a Bayesian framework. Because of a complicated structure of the posterior distribution Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) based approaches are used to draw samples of the fine-scale permeability field.
La canzone delle maree

La marea oceanica, l’innalzamento e l’abbassamento delle acque che si ripete due volte al giorno lungo le nostre coste, e sempre stato parte della nostra vita sin da quando le popolazioni hanno cominciato a vivere sul mare. La marea appare in letteratura (per esempio nel famoso verso “Le flux les apporta, le reflux les remporte” — Corneille, Le Cid, 1636) e nei film: la scena piu nota di Sfida senza paura, tratto dal romanzo di Ken Kesey del 1964, vede Hank Stamper (interpretato da Paul Newman) cercare invano di salvare il fratello Joe Ben (Richard Jaeckel), intrappolato sotto un tronco d’albero nell’acqua che si sta alzando. In termini storici, la sua apparizione piu celebre si trova forse nel De bello Gallico, dove Cesare racconta cio che accadde durante il suo primo tentativo di invasione della Britannia, nell’agosto del 55 a.C. Secondo le sue parole “Capito che quella notte stessa ci fosse luna piena, momento in cui la marea nell’Oceano e piu alta, e i nostri non lo sapevano...” Difatti, un rapido paragone tra la marea presso Dover e la marea presso Civitavecchia, il porto piu vicino a Roma per il quale ho dati disponibili (Fig. 1), ci da l’idea di quale fosse stato il problema: i Romani non avevano mai visto niente di simile alla marea nella Manica.
Stress avoidance in a common annual: reproductive timing is important for local adaptation and geographic distribution.

Adaptation to local environments may be an important determinant of species’ geographic range. However, little is known about which traits contribute to adaptation or whether their further evolution would facilitate range expansion. In this study, we assessed the adaptive value of stress avoidance traits in the common annual Cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium) by performing a reciprocal transplant across a broad latitudinal gradient extending to the species’ northern border. Populations were locally adapted and stress avoidance traits accounted for most fitness differences between populations. At the northern border where growing seasons are cooler and shorter, native populations had evolved to reproduce earlier than native populations in the lower latitude gardens. This clinal pattern in reproductive timing corresponded to a shift in selection from favouring later to earlier reproduction. Thus, earlier reproduction is an important adaptation to northern latitudes and constraint on the further evolution of this trait in marginal populations could potentially limit distribution.
Application of the Analytical Strip Method to Antisymmetric Laminates

The analytical strip method is presented in this paper for the analysis of the bending-extension coupling problem of antisymmetric thin laminates. A system of three equations of equilibrium, governing the general response of antisymmetric laminates, is reduced to a single eighth-order partial differential equation (PDE) in terms of a displacement function. The PDE is then solved in a single series form to determine the displacement response of antisymmetric cross-ply and angle-ply laminates. The solution is applicable to rectangular laminates with two opposite edges simply supported and the other edges being simply supported, clamped, or free. The laminate can be subjected to any combination of concentrated, uniform, line, and patch loads. This method overcomes the limitations of other analytical methods (e.g., Navier’s and Levy’s) and provides an alternative to numerical, seminumerical, and approximate methods for rectangular plates with two parallel edges simply supported. The results obtained from this...
Neutron scattering studies of the H2a-H2b and (H3-H4)2 histone complexes.

The genetic information of higher organisms is contained, encoded along the nuclear DNA, in the chroma tin, a fibrous complex of that DNA with protein and some RNA. Its basic structural unit, the nucleosome (34), is formed by the interaction of the DNA with a class of basic proteins, the histones. This subunit is repeated along the chromatin fibers like beads on a string. It represents the first in a series of levels of folding of chromosomal DNA within the nucleus.
Use of productivity and financial indicators for monitoring performance in academic radiology departments: U.S. nationwide survey.

PURPOSE: To determine how productivity- and finance-related indicators are used by radiology departments to evaluate departmental performance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study met the criteria to be exempt from institutional review board approval. All subjects were informed of the purpose of the study and that their questionnaire responses would be kept confidential. For the study, a survey was sent to 132 members of the Society of Chairmen of Academic Radiology Departments (SCARD) nationwide. The survey was designed to (a) assess organizational information about hospital and radiology departments, (b) determine the types and mean numbers of productivity and financial indicators used by radiology departments, (c) determine how these indicators are used to influence departmental productivity, and (d) assess the reference-standard goals with which each indicator value was compared. A total of 77 variables were studied. Summary statistics, Spearman rank correlation coefficient, and χ2 analyses were performed...
Survival analysis of pure seminoma at post-chemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection.

Purpose: Viable seminoma encountered at post-chemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for pure testicular seminoma is rare due to the chemosensitivity of this germ cell tumor. In this study we define the natural history of viable seminoma at post-chemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection.Materials and Methods: The Indiana University testis cancer database was queried from 1988 to 2011 to identify all patients with primary testicular or retroperitoneal pure seminoma and who were found to have pure seminoma at post-chemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection. Clinical characteristics were reviewed and survival analysis was performed.Results: A total of 36 patients met the study inclusion criteria. All patients received standard first line cisplatin based chemotherapy and 17 received salvage chemotherapy. The decision to proceed to retroperitoneal lymph node dissection was based on enlarging retroperitoneal mass and/or positron emission positivity in the majority of cases. Seven pat...
Distributed Channel Assignment in Multi-Radio 802.11 Mesh Networks

To increase the utilization of the available frequency channel space in 802.11-based wireless mesh networks, recent work has explored solutions based on multi-radio stations. This paper reports on our design and experimental study of a distributed, self-stabilizing mechanism that assigns channels to multi-radio nodes in wireless mesh networks. We take a modular approach by decoupling the channel selection decision from the data forwarding mechanism, which makes our solution readily applicable to real-world operation when used with emerging multi-radio routing solutions. We demonstrate the efficacy of our protocol on a real-world, 14-node testbed comprised of nodes, each equipped with an 802.11a card and an 802.11g card. We show via extensive measurements on our testbed that our channel assignment algorithm improves the network capacity by 50% in comparison to a homogeneous channel assignment and by 20% in comparison to a random assignment.
Quenching Star Formation in the Green Valley: The Mass Flux at Intermediate Redshifts

We have obtained several hundred very deep spectra with DEIMOS/Keck in order to estimate the galactic mass flux density at intermediate redshifts (0.6 < z < 0.9) from the ”blue cloud” to the red sequence across the so-called ”green valley”, the intermediate region in the color-magnitude plot between those two populations. We use spectral indices (specifically D_n (4000) and H_(δ,A)) to determine star formation histories. Together with an independent measurement of number density of galaxies in each bin of the color-magnitude plot, one can infer the rate at which galaxies from a given sample are transiting through that bin. Measuring this value for all magnitude values, studies at lower redshift determined that the mass flux density in the green valley is comparable to both the mass build-up rate of the red sequence and the mass loss rate from the blue cloud. We show preliminary results for our intermediate redshift sample.
Solar irradiance at the earth's surface: long-term behavior observed at the South Pole

Abstract. This research examines a 17-year database of UV-A (320–400 nm) and visible (400–600 nm) solar irradiance obtained by a scanning spectroradiometer located at the South Pole. The goal is to define the variability in solar irradiance reaching the polar surface, with emphasis on the influence of cloudiness and on identifying systematic trends and possible links to the solar cycle. To eliminate changes associated with the varying solar elevation, the analysis focuses on data averaged over 30–35 day periods centered on each year's austral summer solstice. The long-term average effect of South Polar clouds is a small attenuation, with the mean measured irradiances being about 5–6% less than the clear-sky values, although at any specific time clouds may reduce or enhance the signal that reaches the sensor. The instantaneous fractional attenuation or enhancement is wavelength dependent, where the percent deviation from the clear-sky irradiance at 400–600 nm is typically 2.5 times that at 320–340 nm. When averaged over the period near each year's summer solstice, significant correlations appear between irradiances at all wavelengths and the solar cycle as measured by the 10.7 cm solar radio flux. An approximate 1.8 ± 1.0% decrease in ground-level irradiance occurs from solar maximum to solar minimum for the wavelength band 320–400 nm. The corresponding decrease for 400–600 nm is 2.4 ± 1.9%. The best-estimate declines appear too large to originate in the sun. If the correlations have a geophysical origin, they suggest a small variation in atmospheric attenuation with the solar cycle over the period of observation, with the greatest attenuation occurring at solar minimum.
Making Resource Reallocation a SNAPP

Project managers cannot afford to waste time and money, thus resources must be allocated as efficiently as possible. Even more critical, sometimes it becomes necessary to reallocate existing resources, or spend additional resources, to insure project completion occurs in less time than originally planned. This paper explains how the Systematic Network Analysis of Production Paths (SNAPP) offers an alternative to PERT/CPM and Gantt charts, making resource reallocation more efficient than when using these existing, mature techniques independently or in combination.
Classification of intrauterine growth retardation

0 NLY WITHIN the last 25 years has the historical observation (survival is less likely in babies born too small) evolved into the concept of a poorer prognosis for babies with impaired growth. In the late 17th and 18th centuries, the most renowned obstetricians such as Mauriceau in France and Snellie in England estimated birth weights as high as 15 to 16 lb. A review of this historical literature by Cone’ notes that weights and measures were established for purposes of trade. One could wonder if these early physicians borrowed the weights from local merchants whose pounds might have been underweight. During the early 20th century, physicians gradually became more aware of the difference between diminished growth and prematurity, important because these two problems lead to somewhat different ranges of complications and long-term sequelae. In 1961 the Expert Committee on Maternal and Child Health* recommended that the low birthweight (BW) be applied to infants weighing less than 2,500 g, regardless of gestational age. This has been used to gather worldwide statistics in which gestational age, other detailed information about pregnancies, and specifics as to newborn evaluations has been less than adequate. The gathering of more detailed information about various populations has enabled more specific evaluation of fetal growth and birthweight with regards to gestational age. Low birthweight infants may be further divided into three classes3,4: (1) neonates who are appropriate for gestational age, delivered before 37 weeks gestation (preterm neonate). (2) Neonate, who is small for gestational age, delivered before 37 weeks gestation (preterm and growth retarded neonate). (3) Neonate, who is small for gestational age, delivered after 37 weeks gestation (term growth retarded neonate), which constitutes 33% of all low birthweight infants.5
Catholic Education for Mexican Americans in Los Angeles: A Brief Historical Overview.

This article explores the historical development of Catholic schools for Mexican Americans in Los Angeles, California. It provides a brief overview of events spanning the 1700s to the 1970s, with particular attention placed on examining the administration of Cardinal James Francis Aloysius McIntyre from 1948-1969. While his predecessor, Archbishop John Joseph Cantwell, was responsible for laying the foundation of Catholic education in Los Angeles and introducing several innovations, it was under the direction of Cardinal McIntyre that Catholic schooling experienced its most significant growth and evolution. A critical examination of this history reveals a complex and contradictory relationship of the Catholic Church with Mexican American communities. At times the Church built welcoming and affirming educational institutions; at other moments, however, it built schools that served to deculturalize and assimilate the Mexican American community in ways that worked to reproduce the political and economic interests of the dominant society.
Green anchors: Chelating properties of ATRP-click curcumin-polymer conjugates

Abstract The development of environmentally friendly and biologically benign effective systems to chelate and remove toxic heavy metal ions is of utmost importance. Curcumin, the active ingredient in the spice Turmeric is a known chelator of transition metals. The metal chelation ability of curcumin is severely limited by its hydrophobicity. The efficient synthesis of water soluble curcumin and sugar brush polymer conjugate via atom-transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and click chemistry is reported here. The polymer conjugate selectively binds and precipitates a range of highly toxic metals that include cadmium, lead, and copper, under physiologically relevant conditions.
Preliminary observations on the antiarthritic effect of 21-acetoxypregnenolone.

Summary and Conclusions1. 21-Acetoxy-pregnenolone was selected for a limited study in 7 ambulatory patients with rheumatoid arthritis because in the rabbit synovial membrane screen it was at least as good as cortisone in decreasing permeability and it showed powerful anti-DOCA action on synovial membrane.2. The effect on the end organ seen in the screen in rabbits manifested itself in each of the seven patients by reduction in swelling, lessening of the pain, and increased motion in the joints.
Investigation on Male Behavior of Qingyang City Crowd HIV /Syphilis Infection Status and Influencing Factors

Objective Understand male behavior of qingyang city population( among MSM) demographic characteristics and HIV / AIDS knowledge level,behavior characteristics and the AIDS virus( HIV) and syphilis infection, to provide evidence for prevention and control strategies. Methods use and network recruited among MSM peer education among MSM volunteers on a questionnaire survey was conducted among MSM population and collect blood for HIV,syphilis detection. Methods Use and network recruited among MSM peer education among MSM volunteers on a questionnaire survey was conducted among MSM population and collect blood for HIV,syphilis detection. Results Survey examined a total of 244 among MSM,average age( 26. 80 + 9. 10), high school and above culture,socioeconomic status in the majority,91. 80% for the province. Average awareness of HIV / AIDS knowledge was 96. 72%. In the last 6 months and had anal sex behavior,and gay men happened commercial behavior,behavior has occurred with the opposite sex accounted for 87. 71%, 17. 29% and 17. 29% respectively; sex with the above three kinds of people insist on using a condom every time the proportion of 29. 44%,27. 03% and 12. 75% respectively. HIV infection rate was 5. 33%,syphilis infection rate was 11. 89%. Conclusion Aware of knowledge about HIV / AIDS among MSM crowd of qingyang city is higher,but low condom usage,appear the phenomenon of separation behavior and knowledge. HIV and syphilis infection rate is higher,AIDS,syphilis is in danger of spread to the general population through among MSM. Should intensify their efforts to intervene and change the risk behavior,to reduce or eliminate the hidden danger of the spread of AIDS.
Patterns of karst geomorphologic combinations in areas with rich groundwater

Only in rock masses with strong karstification and active karst development,it is possible to form areas with rich karst groundwater or zones with concentrated flows.Karst landform with particular surficial appearance is the result of geological activities controlled by many geological factors such as geological conditions,endogenic and exogenic geological dynamic processes,and neotectonic movements as well.The karst geomorphologic patterns,with the combination of various geomorphologic units,are usually the ground manifestations of underground features and processes such as the formation and evolution of underground karsts and associated groundwater flow and storage.These geomorphologic patterns can accordingly be used as important indicators for identifying the areas that enrich in groundwater resources.In this article,eight karst geomorphologic patterns are presented through the analysis of the information of regional hydrogeological survey and relevant database.For groundwater prospecting and borehole siting purpose,these geomorphologic combination forms that reflect areas of good aquifers are of great value and can provide a great amount of effective information in the hydrogeological survey and drilling.These eight karst geomorphologic combination forms include the sedimentary plain in the karst fault basin or valley,the paleo-channel in karst valley and lower land,the isolated karst hill at the valley mouth,the junction of karst valleys,the long belt under the karst fault escarpment,the area of the opposite concave bank in karst valley,the zone with gentle slope and shallow depression,and the karst shallow hill and roomy ridge.In the article,the morphological characters of each karst geomorphologic patterns are also described in detail.Via typical case study,the formation mechanisms of groundwater dynamics in these areas are further analyzed.
Utilization of adjuvant therapies and their impact on survival for women with stage IIIC endometrial adenocarcinoma.

Abstract Purpose/objectives Adjuvant treatment options following surgical staging for women with stage IIIC endometrial carcinoma include chemotherapy (CT) with or without radiation therapy (RT). We utilized the National Cancer Database (NCDB) to investigate utilization of adjuvant CT and RT for this group of patients and assess their impact on overall survival (OS). Materials/methods The NCDB was queried for patients diagnosed with non-metastatic surgically staged uterine adenocarcinoma between 2004 and 2011 with at least one pathologically positive lymph node. Overall survival (OS) was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Comparison was made between patients receiving no additional therapy, RT alone, CT alone, or a combination of CT and RT (CMT). Multivariable cox regression analysis (MVA) was performed to evaluate the effect of covariates on OS. Results A total of 6720 patients were included in this study. Of whom, 1409 received no adjuvant treatment, 1533 received CT only, 1265 received RT only, and 2522 received CMT. The 5-year OS for patients receiving no adjuvant therapy, RT alone, CT alone, and CMT were 54.9%, 63.9%, 64.4%, and 72.6%, respectively. On pairwise analysis, CMT was associated with improved survival compared to all other subgroups ( p p p p Conclusions Both adjuvant CT and adjuvant RT were associated with improved OS for women with stage IIIC endometrial adenocarcinoma, but CMT was associated with the largest improvement in OS.
Healing Bonds: Animal Assisted Interventions with Adjudicated Male Youth

“Rook taught me how to stay calm and relaxed. He also taught me how to have time to wait for things and don’t rush. Most important, he showed me how to love.” This powerful statement came from Devon, an adjudicated male youth while reflecting on his time with Rook, a German Shepherd/Border Collie mix. Devon participated in Teacher’s Pet, an Animal Assisted Intervention (AAI) nonprofit program. The program simultaneously helps youth and hard-to-adopt shelter dogs by providing a safe, therapeutic environment for learning together.
A Real-Time Non-invasive Auto-bioluminescent Urinary Bladder Cancer Xenograft Model

Purpose The study was to develop an auto-bioluminescent urinary bladder cancer (UBC) xenograft animal model for pre-clinical research.
Revisiting the False Acceptance Rate Attack on Biometric Visual Cryptographic Schemes

Visual cryptography is an increasingly popular cryptographic technique which allows for secret sharing and encryption of sensitive data. This method has been extended and applied to secure biometric data in various protocols. In this paper, we propose a general framework to help assess the security of these extended biometric visual cryptographic schemes (e-BVC). First, we formalize the notion of “perfect resistance against false authentication” under our framework and show that our formalization captures the traditional false acceptance attack under plausible assumptions. Second, we modify the traditional false acceptance attack and propose a new and generic strategy for attacking e-BVC schemes. As an application, we present a case analysis for a recent implementation of a face recognition protocol and verify the practical impact of our proposed framework and attack in detail.
Toward a robust and universal crowd-labeling framework

One of the main challenges in crowd-labeling is to control for or determine in advance the proportion of low-quality/malicious labelers. We propose methods that estimate the labeler and data instance related parameters using frequentist and Bayesian approaches. All these approaches are based on expert-labeled instance (ground truth) for a small percentage of data to learn the parameters. We also derive a lower bound on the number of expert-labeled instances needed to get better quality labels.
Lessons Learned from Pioneering Neural Stem Cell Studies

As stem cell products are increasingly entering early stage clinical trials, we are learning from experience about how cell products may be best assessed for safety and efficacy. In two papers published in this issue of Stem Cell Reports, a human neural stem cell product, HuCNS-SC, failed to demonstrate efficacy in central nervous system repair in two different animal models (Anderson et al., 2017; Marsh et al., 2017), although closely related research-grade cell products showed evidence of efficacy. This indicates the need for increased cell characterization to determine comparability of lots proposed for pre-clinical and clinical use. Without such improvements, pre-clinical data supporting a clinical study might not adequately reflect the performance of subsequent batches of cells intended for use in patients.
Developing a Real-Time Data Analytics Framework for Twitter Streaming Data

Twitter is an online social networking service with more than 300 million users, generating a huge amount of information every day. Twitter's most important characteristic is its ability for users to tweet about events, situations, feelings, opinions, or even something totally new, in real time. Currently there are different workflows offering real-time data analysis for Twitter, presenting general processing over streaming data. This study will attempt to develop an analytical framework with the ability of in-memory processing to extract and analyze structured and unstructured Twitter data. The proposed framework includes data ingestion, stream processing, and data visualization components with the Apache Kafka messaging system that is used to perform data ingestion task. Furthermore, Spark makes it possible to perform sophisticated data processing and machine learning algorithms in real time. We have conducted a case study on tweets about the earthquake in Japan and the reactions of people around the world with analysis on the time and origin of the tweets.
The Different Drummer: Non-traditional Therapeutic Approaches

Clinicians are frequently asked about the use of complementary and alternative medications (CAM) in the setting of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), given the significant numbers of patients who do not respond optimally to conventional therapy. Largely, the interest for CAM therapies from patients has outpaced the scientific evidence for such therapies. While there is some existing evidence and few controlled trials, most CAM studies are small, use heterogeneous populations, and have inconsistent results. Larger controlled studies are needed to make meaningful statements on their efficacy. Despite this, CAM therapies are likely here to stay, and patients will continue to inquire about them, so the onus in on practicing clinicians to appreciate the existing data, the relevant patients groups studied, and present all treatment options to patients in a clear and evidence-based fashion, which will further allow practitioners to build trust with patients with IBD and optimize their care. The aim of this review is to present the existing data on probiotics, fecal microbiota transplantation, helminths, herbs and botanicals including cannabis, and mind-body practices as CAM therapy for IBD.
Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus following Gestational Diabetes Pregnancy in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

Background. This study examines gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) following GDM pregnancy. Methods. A cohort of 988 pregnant women with PCOS who delivered during 2002–2005 was examined to determine the prevalence and predictors of GDM, with follow-up through 2010 among those with GDM to estimate the risk of DM. Results. Of the 988 pregnant women with PCOS, 192 (19%) developed GDM. Multivariable predictors of GDM included older age, Asian race, prepregnancy obesity, family history of DM, preconception metformin use, and multiple gestation. Among women with PCOS and GDM pregnancy, the incidence of DM was 2.8 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.9–4.2) per 100 person-years and substantially higher for those who received pharmacologic treatment for GDM (6.6 versus 1.5 per 100 person-years, ). The multivariable adjusted risk of DM was fourfold higher in women who received pharmacologic treatment for GDM (adjusted hazard ratio 4.1, 95% CI 1.8–9.6). The five-year incidence of DM was 13.1% overall and also higher in the pharmacologic treatment subgroup (27.0% versus 7.1%, ). Conclusions. The strongest predictors of GDM among women with PCOS included Asian race and prepregnancy obesity. Pharmacologic treatment of GDM is associated with fourfold higher risk of subsequent DM.