cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Measurement Systems: Application and Design

Part 1 General Concepts 1 Types of Applications of Measurement Instrumentation 2 Generalized Configurations and Functional Descriptions of Measuring Instruments 3 Generalized Performance Characteristics of Instruments Part 2 Measuring Devices 4 Motion and Dimensional Measurement 5 Force, Torque, and Shaft Power Measurement 6 Pressure and Sound Measurement 7 Flow Measurement 8 Temperature and Heat-Flux Measurement 9 Miscellaneous Measurements Part 3 Manipulation, Transmission, and Recording of Data 10 Manipulating, Computing, and Compensating Devices 11 Data Transmission and Instrument Connectivity 12 Voltage-Indicating and -Recording Devices 13 Data-Acquisition Systems for Personal Computers 14 Measurement Systems Applied to Micro- and Nanotechnology
State realization of nonlinear systems described by input-output difference equations

We consider a general class of nonlinear discrete-time systems described by their input-output relationship. We first present the necessary and sufficient conditions for existence of a local observable state-space realization of the system and an explicit algorithm for computing it. We also formulate an algorithm for extracting its minimal realization whenever possible.
Comparison of two spelling instruction techniques for adults who use augmentative and alternative communication

The study employed an alternating treatment design to investigate the effects of two instructional techniques on the acquisition and retention of spelling vocabulary by two adults with cerebral palsy who used augmentative and alternative communication (AAC): (a) the Copy-Write-Compare method (CWC) and (b) the Student-Directed Cueing method (SDC). SDC differs from CWC in that it directs the subject to attend to the differences between the subject's incorrectly spelled version of the word and the correct spelling. The results indicated that the subjects improved their spelling performance using both of the instructional techniques. Only minor differences were observed with respect to rates of acquisition of spelling vocabulary items for the two techniques. Post-test scores revealed a retention advantage for the SDC method of instruction for both subjects, although variation in the strength of the effect was observed. The study provides preliminary, empirically based guidelines for AAC specialists to conside...
Estrogen Protects Against Increased Blood Pressure in Postpubertal Female Growth Restricted Offspring

Placental insufficiency in the rat results in intrauterine growth restriction and development of hypertension in prepubertal male and female growth-restricted offspring. However, after puberty, only male growth-restricted offspring remain hypertensive, whereas female growth-restricted offspring stabilize their blood pressure to levels comparable to adult female controls. Because female rats reach their maximum levels of estrogen at puberty, we hypothesize that estrogen may be a factor involved in the stabilization of blood pressure in adult female growth-restricted offspring. At 10 weeks of age, female control and growth-restricted offspring underwent ovariectomy or sham surgery and insertion of a telemetry probe. Mean arterial pressure was similar at 16 weeks of age between control (123+/-4 mm Hg) and growth-restricted offspring (122+/-2 mm Hg); however, ovariectomy led to a significant increase in blood pressure in growth-restricted offspring (140+/-2 mm Hg; P<0.05 versus intact counterpart) with no significant effect in controls (124+/-1 mm Hg). Estrogen replacement by subcutaneous minipellet initiated at 14 weeks of age in a subset of ovariectomized control and growth-restricted offspring reversed the effect of ovariectomy on blood pressure in growth-restricted offspring at 16 weeks of age (111+/-3 mm Hg; P<0.05 versus ovariectomized counterpart); renin angiotensin system blockade also abolished ovariectomy-induced hypertension in female growth-restricted offspring (106+/-2 mm Hg; P<0.05 versus ovariectomized counterpart). Therefore, sex differences are observed in this model of fetal programmed hypertension, and results from this study suggest that estrogen contributes to normalization of blood pressure in adult female growth-restricted offspring.
Shape, material, and syntax: Interacting forces in children's learning in novel words for objects and substances

In three studies, we examined the roles of ontological and syntactic information in children's learning of words for physical entities, such as objects and substances. In Experiment 1, 3-year-olds and 4- to 5-year-olds, and adults first saw either an Object or Substance Standard labelled with either a mass or a count noun. Transfer items varied in shape and/or material as compared to the Standards. The 3-year-olds attended to ontologically relevant information about the Standard (i.e. its object/substance status), whereas 4- to 5-year-olds and adults used the syntactic context that marked the label as a mass or count noun. However, the tendency for 4- to 5-year olds to use the syntactic context when they heard a label (mass or count) was less pronounced when the Standards were more ambiguous (Experiment 2). In Experiment 3, 3-year-olds who were shown the Object or Substance Standard in a No-Name similarity judgement task, attended to shape for both Standard types. This contrasts with the findings from Exp...
Sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma: an update.

Purpose of review Sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma is a rare and extremely malignant tumor of the paranasal sinuses. Historically, treatment outcomes have been poor. This review presents recent data on the management of sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma and examines treatment trends that may result in improved locoregional control and survival. Recent findings Patients who receive aggressive multimodality treatments have improved outcomes. In particular, a chemoradiotherapy regimen including concurrent platinum-based chemotherapy given preoperatively or postoperatively to patients with resectable disease seems to result in better disease-free survival. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy, although strongly advocated by some, is currently not offered by many. Although surgery seems to be an important part of the treatment for sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma, its ideal timing, either upfront or after radiotherapy, remains uncertain. Summary Overall, outcomes for sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma are poor. An aggressive approach using surgery, platinum-based chemotherapy, and radiation seems to offer the greatest chance for significant locoregional control and survival.
Superoxide scavenging attenuates renal responses to ANG II during nitric oxide synthase inhibition in anesthetized dogs

To assess the role of superoxide (O2−) and nitric oxide (NO) interaction in mediating the renal actions of ANG II, we examined the renal responses to intra-arterial infusion of ANG II (0.5 ng·kg−1·...
Confirmation of the sex difference in continuing subperiosteal apposition.

A major sex difference in the rate of continuing bone expansion was confirmed for 5660 adult subjects of European ancestry. The five-decade gain in metacarpal midshaft area amounted to 8.4% in 3455 females and 2.8% in 2205 males. There was no systematic age effect on the length of the second metacarpal. Accordingly, both bone expansion and the marked sex difference in its magnitude may be attributed to sex-specific aspects of ageing much like the sex difference in endosteal surface loss.
Modern sequels to the Kaiserin-Augusta-Fluss itinerary of Carl Ledermann: Rhysotoechia welzeniana sp. nov. (Sapindaceae), a remarkable species from the upper Sepik of Papua New Guinea

Rhysotoechia welzeniana (Sapindaceae) is described from the April River in Papua New Guinea, one of the classical localities on the Kaiserin-Augusta-Fluss itinerary of 1912–13. The new species is the first dioecious member of its genus and the only one with foliage consisting entirely of simple leaves.
Foucault’s Fossils: Life Itself and the Return to Nature in Feminist Philosophy

This essay asks about the return to nature and “life itself” in contemporary feminist philosophy and theory, from the new materialisms to feminist science studies to environmental ethics and critical animal studies. Unlike traditional naturalisms, the contemporary turn to nature is explicitly posthumanist. Shifting their focus away from anti-essentialist critiques of woman-as-nature, these new feminist philosophies of nature have turned toward nonhuman animals, the cosmos, the climate, and life itself as objects of ethical concern. Drawing on Foucault, the essay probes the ethical meanings of the term “life itself” invoked in many of these renaturalizing projects. Focusing especially on the archival matter that guides Foucault’s thinking, I suggest that we rethink “life itself” not as a transhistorical substance but as the unstable materiality of history. I then reframe Foucault’s archival, genealogical perspective through the lens of the Anthropocene and geological time. Reconceiving our archive as a fossil record, I suggest that Foucault has much to contribute to environmental challenges to human exceptionalism and the anthropogenic destruction of other species and ourselves.
Role of machine learning in clinical decision support (Presentation Recording)

With the advent of new machine learning techniques, the field of automated clinical decision support is poised for a new growth. Previously, the decision support systems have been predominantly rule-based and built on fixed pre-determined associations from clinical knowledge. The IBM AALIM system pioneered a new direction in evidence-based medicine using the concept of patient similarity and exploiting consensus opinions of other physicians who have looked at similar patients. It proposed the fundamental idea that similar clinical data points to similar patients and therefore to similar recommendations for diagnosis, treatment and outcome. This led to a scalable learning-driven way of doing clinical decision support where associations between diseases and their manifestations in modality data were learned automatically through patient similarity methods. With the advent of deep learning methods, learning-based decision support can now be combined with clinical knowledge-driven techniques to define the next generation of clinical decision support systems.
Current Concepts in the Evaluation and Treatment of Patients With Diffuse Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (DMPM) is a rare and ultimately fatal cancer that was first recognized and described a century ago. It is a diffuse primary malignant condition arising from the mesothelial lining of the peritoneum, and its natural history is hallmarked by a propensity to progress almost exclusively within the abdominal cavity throughout the entire course of disease. Patients afflicted with DMPM most commonly present with nonspecific abdominal symptoms that lead to diagnosis when the condition is relatively advanced. Historically, median overall survival for patients with DMPM without treatment is very short, averaging 6 months. Systemic chemotherapy using pemetrexed and cisplatin has an overall response rate of approximately 25% and a median overall survival of approximately 1 year. Many institutional reports have shown that in selected patients, operative cytoreduction and hyperthermic intraoperative peritoneal chemotherapy using cisplatin or mitomycin C is associated with long-term survival. Recent studies on the molecular biology of DMPM have yielded new insights relating to the potentially important role of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/mammalian target of rapamycin and epidermal growth factor receptor pathways in this disease, which may translate into new therapeutic options for patients with DMPM. (JNCCN 2012;10:49–57) Diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (DMPM) is a rare cancer that is ultimately fatal in all afflicted individuals. DMPM represents only 15% to 20% of all mesothelioma diagnoses, with most being the pleural variant. Approximately 400 new cases of DMPM are diagnosed annually in the United States, with men and women having an equal incidence of the disease. 1,2 Sev
Chemical transfer of learned fear: Failure to replicate Ungar

Thirty naive male Sprague-Dawley rats were used as donors and were randomly divided into three groups of 10. One group was shocked only in the black box, according to Ungar’s paradigm. The second group received shock equally in the white and black boxes, to control for the possible activating effects of shock, regardless of where administered. The third group was a control group that received handling only, with no shock. The prepared brain extracts were injected into recipient mice, prescreened to eliminate those showing no dark preference. There was no evidence of a reliable differential avoidance of the dark box by any treatment group. Activity measures also failed to differentiate the three groups. Further, the difficulty of obtaining mice with a dark preference was discussed.
17β-Estradiol Benzoate Decreases the AHP Amplitude in CA1 Pyramidal Neurons

Disruption of Ca2+ homeostasis is hypothesized to mediate several electrophysiological markers of brain aging. Recent evidence indicates that estradiol can rapidly alter Ca2+-dependent processes in...
Pharmacologic Therapies in Pulmonology and Allergy.

Abstract Conditions such as chronic rhinitis, urticaria, angioedema, and asthma are frequently seen in clinics and hospitals, and there are a core group of medications that are often used to treat these conditions. Knowing the indications, optimal dosing, and side-effect profile of these medications can improve outcomes. Chronic rhinitis due to various causes is one of the most common reasons for primary care physician visits. Knowing the indications for use, forms of administration, and side-effect profiles of these medications can help improve patient outcomes in these common conditions. This review focuses on the medications used to treat these conditions.
Studying of LVRT Scheme for DFIG Wind Farm

Wind farm guidelines proposed a specific demand for the LVRT.When serious drop of the grid voltage,input Crowbar can make DFIG to run not off-grid in a short time.However,input Crowbar makes wind farm to absorb a large amount of reactive power,and increases the gird burden of reactive power.Then STATCOM could be used to compensate reactive power for wind farms,and it can make wind farm meet the requirement of LVRT dynamic reactive support.Therefore,the scheme of "single machine equipped with the rotor Crowbar and wind farm equipped with STATCOM" can well meet the LVRT requirement for DFIG wind farm.
Nano-electro-mechanical pump: Giant pumping of water in carbon nanotubes

A fully controllable nano-electro-mechanical device that can pump fluids at nanoscale is proposed. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we show that an applied electric field to an ion@C60 inside a water-filled carbon nanotube can pump water with excellent efficiency. The key physical mechanism governing the fluid pumping is the conversion of electrical energy into hydrodynamic flow with efficiencies as high as 64%. Our results show that water can be compressed up to 7% higher than its bulk value by applying electric fields. High flux of water (up to 13,000 molecules/ns) is obtained by the electro-mechanical, piston-cylinder-like moving mechanism of the ion@C60 in the CNT. This large flux results from the piston-like mechanism, compressibility of water (increase in density of water due to molecular ordering), orienting dipole along the electric field and efficient electrical to mechanical energy conversion. Our findings can pave the way towards efficient energy conversion, pumping of fluids at nanoscale, and drug delivery.
TA Energy (Turkey): A Bundle of International Partnerships

Stimulates discussion of entrepreneurship in emerging economies, especially for entrepreneurs returning to their home countries to start businesses with global technologies and partners. Focuses on the partnership tensions between global firms and local family-dominated conglomerates. Addresses new venture financing in an asset-intensive business through the assembly of strategic contrasts. More broadly, highlights the opportunities and challenges for returnee entrepreneurs.
Pain Medicine in Older Adults: How Should It Differ?

Older adults (commonly defined as those ≥ age 65) are not simply a chronologically older version of younger patients. Homeostenosis, that is, progressive restriction of an aging organism’s capacity to respond to stress because of diminution of its biological, psychological, and social reserves, underlies the distinction of old from young. As pain is a stressor that commonly accompanies aging, the provision of safe, clinically effective, and cost-effective pain care to older adults requires awareness of these specific aging-related changes. The main goals of this chapter are to (1) educate the pain practitioner in basic principles of aging needed to guide the evaluation and treatment of older adults, (2) provide clinical case examples to illustrate the advantages of treatment that is guided by these principles as compared with traditional pain care and why traditional pain care may actually harm these patients, and (3) offer specific therapeutic guidelines for the treatment of nociceptive, neuropathic, and widespread pain in older patients.
Abstract 1490: Potentiating immunotherapy by targeting complement deposited on cancer cell surfaces

Treatment of lymphoid malignancies with anti-CD20 antibodies (mAbs) can be frustrated by the loss of cell surface CD20 through trogocytosis, creating “escape variants” that are no longer sensitive to the anti-CD20 mAb. In patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) treated with the anti-CD20 mAb ofatumumab, we observed that these CD20 escape variants carried covalently bound C3d complement fragments and that these C3d opsonized CLL cells persisted for weeks in circulation. Therefore, we hypothesized that C3d is a neoantigen that could be exploited to re-target cells that have escaped from anti-CD20 mAb therapy. To target complement opsonized cells we generated a human IgG1 mouse chimera mAb specific to C3d that is not competed by full length C3 in serum. To test whether targeting C3d can eliminate escape variants after anti-CD20 therapy, we collected blood samples from CLL patients before (day 1) and 24 hours after administration of ofatumumab (day 2). As expected, CLL cells on day 2 had lost CD20 expression and could neither bind, nor be killed by ofatumumab. In contrast, the anti-C3d mAb did not bind CLL cells obtained pre-treatment but bound cells obtained on day 2 with high affinity (kD = 6.7nM) and were effectively killed through CDC, NK cell mediated ADCC, and phagocytosis. Importantly, non B lymphocytes were neither bound nor killed by the anti-C3d mAb, consistent with the highly targeted and selective deposition of C3d on CD20+ cells by ofatumumab. Interestingly, when C3d opsonized CLL was exposed repetitively to anti-C3d mAb ex vivo, the amount of cell bound C3d and the fraction of cells killed increased with successive rounds of treatment consistent with an auto-amplification of C3d targeting. We tested the efficacy of a chimerized anti-C3d mAb in two mouse models. First, we transferred PBMCs obtained from CLL patients on day 2 of ofatumumab treatment (containing the C3d opsonized CD20 escape variants) into NSG mice and three days later injected either isotype control mAb (trastuzumab) or anti-C3d mAb. One injection of anti-C3d mAb effectively reduced tumor burden in both peripheral blood (from 42.5 to 0.59 CLL cells/ul of blood; p We conclude that targeting C3d deposited on cancer cells can eliminate antigen escape variants and potentiate complement fixing antibodies. Citation Format: Elizabeth J. Carstens, Martin Skarzynski, Vicent Butera, Margaret Lindorfer, Berengere Vire, Mohammed Farooqui, Christoph Rader, Ronald Taylor, Adrian Wiestner. Potentiating immunotherapy by targeting complement deposited on cancer cell surfaces. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 1490.
Analytical Methods for Spectroscopic Data

A variety of evidence indicates that the continuum radiation from the corona and the upper chromosphere arises from electron scattering of photospheric radiation. This evidence includes the following points: (1) the coronal continuum has approximately the same color (spectral distribution) as the photospheric spectrum including line blocking. (2) The coronal continuum is partially plane polarized with the electric vector parallel to the limb. (3) The continuum intensity in the corona decreases with height at the same rate as would be expected if the emissivity were proportional to the density. (4) The Fraunhofer absorption lines are missing in the coronal continuum.
Using Boolean networks for consensus in multi-robot environmental monitoring tasks

Robotic systems have been shown to be effective for environmental monitoring tasks, in which one or more robots survey an environment for a particular event. Multi-robot systems, consisting of several interacting robots, have been successful in a variety of applications where their ability to accomplish tasks as a team surpasses the abilities and capacities of a single robot. However, multi-robot systems can generate a large degree of complexity due to the required coordination of movement, communication, and the tolerance for incorrect sensor readings. In this paper, we present a novel approach to multi-robot environmental monitoring based on dynamical systems, in which a robot team overcomes data misinterpretation and aggregation difficulties through an effort of collaboration between all members of the team. Our approach makes use of Boolean networks, which allow for a non-complex method of corroboration, while still retaining meaningful information regarding the dynamics of the robotic system. Using our Boolean network model we apply mathematical tools from dynamical systems and chaos theory to analyze the overall behavior of the robotic dynamic over time. Here we observe how different parameters affect the behaviors of the system. We also empirically and experimentally show that, despite the simplification of the robots' states into Boolean states, our Boolean network model produces accurate results when compared to real events of the environment.
Antimicrobial resistance of food-related Salmonella isolates, 1999-2000.

Salmonellosis is a major foodborne infection in the United States, and strains of Salmonella that are resistant to a variety of antimicrobial agents have become a major public health concern. To estimate the incidence of antimicrobial-resistant Salmonella in our food supply, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has initiated screening of foodborne isolates for sensitivity to antimicrobial agents, including several antibiotics. Salmonella cultures (n = 502) isolated by FDA laboratories during fiscal year 2000 (1 October 1999 through 30 September 2000) from domestic and imported food products and related samples were tested for susceptibility to each of 12 antimicrobial agents using a disc diffusion assay. Because all isolates were resistant to rifampin (5 or 25 μg), only results with the remaining 11 antimicrobial agents are discussed in this paper. Of the 502 isolates, 247 (49.2%) were resistant to one or more antimicrobial agents, and of these 247 isolates, 170 (68.8%) were resistant to one antimi...
Understanding Social Media Peer Communication and Organization–Public Relationships Evidence From China and the United States

This study proposed and tested a social media peer communication model that links tie strength, social media dependency, and public–organization social media engagement to the peer communication pr...
Principles of Antibiotic Resistance

Because of their short dividing time (E. coli replicate approximately every 30 min) and their ability to accept DNA from other bacteria or phages, most bacteria are capable of becoming resistant to antibiotics very quickly. The history of antibacterial therapy is characterized by the fact that every time a new antibacterial agent is introduced, the organisms become resistant. The exception to this rule includes syphilis which has remained sensitive to penicillin for over 50 years since the introduction of this agent. N. gonorrhea and S. aureus, which became resistant within a few years after the introduction of penicillin, represent the more common response of bacteria to the introduction of an agent.
Regulating oil and gas facility stormwater discharge: An assessment of surface impoundments, spills, and permit compliance

Abstract Contaminated stormwater runoff from oil and gas (O&G) operations can pose a significant threat to surface waters. The purpose of this study is to examine the extent of this threat and identify more specific permitting requirements to protect surface waters. To better understand the extent of the threat, this paper identified and characterized the use of waste surface impoundments at O&G facilities as well as the threat level from O&G spills in California. To assess the efficacy of the current federal and California state-permitting regime, the paper evaluated stormwater permit compliance in two California counties. It also reviewed selected spill cases and associated Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure Plans and Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans to identify the adequacy of current industry practices. The analysis showed that contaminated stormwater from O&G facilities can be better regulated. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency does not require O&G facilities to file for an Industrial Stormwater General Permit even though many O&G industry practices have the potential to contaminate stormwater runoff from the site. When O&G facilities discharge a Reportable Quantity of a hazardous chemical or violate a water quality standard, they are required to enroll in the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit program. Spills, although not a direct indication of stormwater runoff, can highlight polluted runoff discharges that should have been regulated. Medium and large spills that reached waterways were such a risk for which operators did not file for a permit. In California new filing requirements for the oil and gas industry require all facilities that discharge stormwater that has come into contact with any overburden, raw material, or intermediate products located on the site, to file for an Industrial Stormwater General Permit. As this study showed, there has been an increase in enrollment since the enactment of the new requirements. Having all facilities enroll in the general permit program, as done in California, would require minimum monitoring and maintenance that could help prevent spills. A further step to ensure better protocol is to require specific pollution control practices in addition to the current general permit requirements. Such permitting regimes not only can be implemented on the US federal level but also internationally.
Table 7: [Conversation] Class discussions: Managing the dominant and invisible students

*No special preparation required* Welcome to ITL and this table! Join your fellow Mason instructors to informally discuss this table's topic. At the table, you will find desk copies of related resources (digital versions are available below), and an experienced Mason colleague who has experience and strategies related to this topic. Not sure what to talk about? Here are some conversation starters: Share a little about yourselves: Department Years at Mason Courses you are teaching What excites you about teaching? What brought you to this table? What are some of the reasons you can imagine to explain why a student might talk a lot more or a lot less than you hope? What goals do you have for your class discussions? How do they support student learning, when they go well? What other kinds of student activities could also help students achieve similar learning? How can you explain to and/or model for students what kinds of discussion responses would most support their learning in your class? What kinds of “pause” strategies have you used to help everyone begin a discussion on an equal footing (providing discussion questions in advance, think-pair-share, write for 30-60 seconds about an issue or question, e.g.)? Have an example or resource to share? Submit through this link and we'll upload it after the conference: http://library.gmu.edu/publishing/submit Still have questions? Leave a post it note on the table sign at the end of the Share-a-thon or email your questions to stearns@gmu.edu ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Magnetocaloric, thermal, and magnetotransport properties of Ni50Mn35In13.9B1.1 Heusler alloy

Abstract The structural, thermal, magnetic, magnetocaloric, and magnetotransport properties of the Heusler alloy Ni 50 Mn 35 In 13.9 B 1.1 were studied using room temperature X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), field dependent magnetization, and electrical resistivity measurements. Ni 50 Mn 35 In 13.9 B 1.1 exhibits inverse and direct magnetocaloric effects in the vicinity of its magnetostructural transition (MST) and at its Curie temperature (T C ), respectively. A maximum magnetic entropy change of 16 J/kg K was observed at 295 K for a magnetic field change of 5 T. The values of the refrigeration capacity (RC) at the MST and at T C were found to be 140 J/kg and 230 J/kg, respectively, at μ 0 ΔH = 5 T. The values of the latent heat (L = 10.8 J/g) and total entropy change (ΔS T = 31 J/kg K) have been determined through DSC measurements. The magnetoresistance associated with the martensitic transformation was found to be 56% for a magnetic field change of 5 T at room temperature. The maximum value of the adiabatic temperature change (ΔT ad ) was found to be 2.2 K/T as estimated from experimental data. The relevant parameters affecting the value of magnetocaloric effects are discussed.
Notes: Effectiveness of Using Coif-Lite in Learning the Coif Swing

(1962). Notes: Effectiveness of Using Coif-Lite in Learning the Coif Swing. Research Quarterly. American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 33, No. 3, pp. 488-491.
Arachidonic acid metabolism in the Min mouse intestine: colon tumor lipoxygenase activity and effects of green tea polyphenols

752 12-Lipoxygenase (12-LOX) catalyzes the transformation of arachidonic acid into 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12-HETE). 12-LOX and its product 12-HETE have been implicated in cancer development and are a potential target for cancer chemoprevention. In our effort to study the effects of green tea polyphenols (GTPP) on arachidonic acid metabolism in the Min mouse, we investigated cyclooxygenase (COX) and lipoxygenase (LOX) activity in the microsomal and cytosolic fractions of the Min colon (stripped of all visible polyps) and Min colon polyps (MCT). COX was the major pathway for arachidonic acid metabolism in the colon with PGE 2 being the major metabolite. Inhibition studies with NS398, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, suggested that COX-2 was responsible for 30% of the activity. On the other hand, PGE 2 formation was not detectable in MCT. A metabolite that was only detectable in the MCT fractions coeluted with 12-HETE/8-HETE standards suggesting 12-LOX and/or 8-LOX activity. The majority of this activity was located in the microsomal fraction. The general LOX inhibitor nordihydroguaiaretic acid (25 μM) completely inhibited activity in the microsomal and cytosolic MCT fractions. Baicalein (5 μM), a selective 12-LOX inhibitor completely inhibited the cytosolic 12-LOX (c12-LOX) activity and reduced the microsomal 12-LOX (m12-LOX) activity by 75%, thereby suggesting 12-LOX activity. However, the microsomal and cytosolic fractions reacted differently to the presence of glutathione. Glutathione (1mM) increased m12-LOX activity by 2-fold while c12-LOX activity was completely inhibited. The 2 fractions also differed in their response to the presence of GTPPs. Epicatechin-3-gallate (ECG) and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) were the most effective GTPPs at inhibiting both enzymes. IC 50 values for m12-LOX were 5 μM and 8 μM while IC 50 values for c12-LOX were 10 μM and 40 μM for ECG and EGCG, respectively. Moreover, EGCG had a complex effect on the c12-LOX. Low concentrations of EGCG increased c12-LOX activity reaching a maximum when EGCG was present at a concentration of 5 μM after which a dose dependent inhibition was observed. The above differences between the c12-LOX and m12-LOX suggest that 2 functionally distinct forms of 12-LOX may be present in the colon tumor tissue. The results of this study demonstrate the presence of 12-LOX activity in colon polyps resulting in a shift in arachidonic acid metabolism from the COX pathway in the ‘tumor free’ colon to the 12-LOX pathway in the colon tumors and inhibition of this activity by GTPP suggests that green tea may exert it chemopreventive effects through inhibition of 12-LOX. This study was supported by NIH grant CA096694.
Considering factors affecting the connectome-based identification process: Comment on Waller et al.

A recent study by Waller and colleagues evaluated the reliability, specificity, and generalizability of using functional connectivity data to identify individuals from a group. The authors note they were able to replicate identification rates in a larger version of the original Human Connectome Project (HCP) dataset. However, they also report lower identification accuracies when using historical neuroimaging acquisitions with low spatial and temporal resolution. The authors suggest that their results indicate connectomes derived from historical imaging data may be similar across individuals, to the extent that this connectome-based approach may be inappropriate for precision psychiatry and the goal of drawing inferences based on subject-level data. Here we note that the authors did not take into account factors affecting data quality and hence identification rates, independent of whether a low spatiotemporal resolution acquisition or a high spatiotemporal resolution acquisition is used. Specifically, we show here that the amount of data collected per subject and in-scanner motion are the predominant factors influencing identification rates, not the spatiotemporal resolution of the acquisition. To do this, we investigated identification rates in the HCP dataset as a function of the amount of data and motion. Using a dataset from the Consortium for Reliability and Reproducibility (CoRR), we investigated the impact of multiband versus non-multiband imaging parameters; that is, high spatiotemporal resolution versus low spatiotemporal resolution acquisitions. We show scan length and motion affect identification, whereas the imaging protocol does not affect these rates. Our results suggest that motion and amount of data per subject are the primary factors impacting individual connectivity profiles, but that within these constraints, individual differences in the connectome are readily observable.
Amphibians Are Not Ready for Roundup

The herbicide glyphosate, sold under a variety of commercial names including Roundup ® and Vision ® , has long been viewed as an environmentally friendly herbicide. In the 1990s, however, after nearly 20 years of use, the first tests were conducted on the herbicide’s effects on amphibians in Australia. The researchers found that the herbicide was moderately toxic to Australian amphibians. The leading manufacturer of glyphosate-based herbicides, Monsanto, declared that the researchers were wrong. Nearly 10 years later, my research group began examining the effects of the herbicides on North American amphibians. Based on an extensive series of experiments, we demonstrated that glyphosate-based herbicides can be highly toxic to larval amphibians. Monsanto declared that we were also wrong. These experiments have formed the basis of a spirited debate between independent, academic researchers, and scientists that either work as consultants for Monsanto or have a vested interest in promoting the application of the herbicide to control undesirable plants in forests and agriculture. The debate also moved into unexpected arenas, including the use of glyphosate-based herbicides in the Colombian drug war in South America where a version of Roundup is being used to kill illegal coca plantations. In 2008, the US EPA completed a risk assessment for the effects of glyphosate-based herbicides on the endangered California red-legged frog (Rana aurora draytonii) and concluded that it could adversely affect the long-term persistence of the species. More recent data from Colombia have confirmed that the herbicides not only pose a risk to tadpoles in shallow wetlands, but that typical applications rates also can kill up to 30% of adult frogs. As one reflects over the past decade, it becomes clear that our understanding of the possible effects of glyphosate-based herbicides on amphibians has moved from a position of knowing very little and assuming no harm to a position of more precise understanding of which concentrations and conditions pose a serious risk.
Superprism-Sized Breed-and-Burn Sodium-Cooled Core Performance

A preliminary feasibility study is performed for a sodium-cooled breed-and-burn (B&B) fast reactor core for achieving high uranium utilization without solid fission product separation that could fi...
Parvoviral Vectors for Human Hematopoietic Gene Therapy

The concept of treating human diseases by introducing normal alleles of genes into appropriate target cells is a clinical milestone (Anderson, 1995). Although a number of physical and chemical methods for gene transfer have been developed, viruses have generally proven much more efficient in transferring genetic material into cells. Indeed, viral vectors based on retroviruses and adenoviruses have already been employed in a number of clinical trials (Crystal, et al., 1994; Rosenberg et al., 1990; Zabner et al., 1993). Although initial results with retroviral vectors have been encouraging (Blaese et al., 1995; Bordignon et al., 1995; Grossman et al., 1994) their use in nonhuman primate studies have been reported to lead to malignancy (Donahue et al., 1992), and the efficacy of adenoviral vectors has been questioned (Knowles et al., 1995), Because retroviruses and most of the DNA-containing viruses are the etiologic agents of, or are intimately associated with, malignant disorders (Tooze, 1981; Weiss et al., 1984), the search for an alternative viral vector continues (Hodgson, 1995; Miller and Vile, 1995). Parvoviruses, which are among the smallest of the DNA-containing viruses that infect a wide variety of vertebrates (Siegl et al., 1985), remain the only group of viruses that have thus far not been associated with malignant disease (Cotmore and Tattersall, 1987; Pattison, 1988). In fact, parvoviruses possess antitumor properties (Cukor et al., 1975; Mayor et al., 1973; Ostrove et al., 1981). One of the members of the Parvoviridae family, the adeno-associated virus 2 (AAV), has gained significant attention primarily because AAV is a nonpathogenic human parvovirus (Blacklow, 1988), and the wild-type (wt) AAV genome establishes a latent infection in human cells where the viral genome integrates into the chromosomal DNA in a site-specific manner (Kotin et al., 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992; Samulski et al., 1991). Although several reviews on AAV vectors have been published (Berns and Linden, 1995; Carter, 1993; Flotte and Carter, 1995; Kotin, 1994; Muzyczka, 1992; Samulski, 1993; Srivastava, 1994; Srivastava et al., 1996; Xiao et al., 1993), this article highlights salient features of parvoviruses in general and outlines a number of advantages that support the potential use of parvovirus vectors in human gene therapy.
“What's Age Got to do With It, Got to do With It?” Midcareer College Teachers’ Experiences in the Classroom

AbstractBased on a qualitative analysis of 38 interviews with midcareer professors at liberal arts colleges in the Midwest, this paper describes the teaching experiences of professors after 20-some years in the classroom. As a result of getting older and becoming more seasoned instructors, individuals cited an increase in their skill and efficiency in the classroom, better in-class performance, and more authority and respect among students. At the same time, respondents identified challenges that they viewed as unique to midcareer professors, including adjusting to a “new breed of students,” trying to hold on to the sacred classroom when institutional pressures pull them toward service and leadership, and balancing teaching with taking care of aging parents.
Target discrimination using agile multispectral lidar

LiDAR systems typically use a single fixed-frequency pulsed laser to obtain ranging and reflectance information from a complex scene. In recent years, there has been an increased interest in multispectral (MS) LiDAR. Here, progress in the development of a MS LiDAR with agile wavelengths selection is reported. Broadcast wavelengths are selected from a spectrally-broad source, in a pre-programmed or at-will fashion, to support target discrimination using 2D information. In this study, where measured reflectance spectra of the target of interest and background are provided, an L1-band selection algorithm is used to identify the most valuable wavebands to distinguish between scene elements. Anomaly detection methods have also been successfully demonstrated and will be discussed. Furthermore, an investigation into the use of a Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM) device for collecting pulse returns from targets such as vegetation, minerals, and human-made objects with varying spatial and spectral properties is completed. In particular, an assessment of the impact of the device response to (1) different focal plane spot illumination conditions and (2) bias level settings is carried out, and the implications to radiometric accuracy and target discrimination capability are discussed.
TITUS: A GENERAL FINITE ELEMENT SYSTEM

TITUS is a general finite element structural analysis system which performs linear/nonlinear, static/dynamic analyses of heat-transfer/thermo-mechanical problems.
Potential Adverse Drug Events and Drug–Drug Interactions with Medical and Consumer Cannabidiol (CBD) Use

Cannabidiol (CBD) is ubiquitous in state-based medical cannabis programs and consumer products for complementary health or recreational use. CBD has intrinsic pharmacologic effects and associated adverse drug events (ADEs) along with the potential for pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic drug–drug interactions (DDIs). Given CBD use among patients with complex conditions and treatment regimens, as well as its expanded consumer use, awareness of potential safety issues with CBD is needed. Prescribing information for federally approved products containing CBD were reviewed. Data on ADEs and DDIs were extracted and summarized. Nearly one-half of CBD users experienced ADEs, which displayed a general dose-response relationship. Common ADEs include transaminase elevations, sedation, sleep disturbances, infection, and anemia. Given CBD effects on common biological targets implicated in drug metabolism (e.g., CYP3A4/2C19) and excretion (e.g., P-glycoprotein), the potential for DDIs with commonly used medication is high. General clinical recommendations of reducing substrate doses, monitoring for ADEs, and finding alternative therapy should be considered, especially in medically complex patients. CBD is implicated as both a victim and perpetrator of DDIs and has its own ADE profile. These effects should be considered in the risk-benefit assessment of CBD therapy and patients and consumers made aware of potential safety issues with CBD use.
Multiplexed Competitive Screening of One-Bead-One-Component Combinatorial Libraries Using a ClonePix 2 Colony Sorter.

Screening solid-phase combinatorial libraries of bioactive compounds against fluorescently labeled target biomolecules is an established technology in ligand and drug discovery. Rarely, however, do screening methods include comprehensive strategies—beyond mere library blocking and competitive screening—to ensure binding selectivity of selected leads. This work presents a method for multiplexed solid-phase peptide library screening using a ClonePix 2 Colony Picker that integrates (i) orthogonal fluorescent labeling for positive selection against a target protein and negative selection against competitor species with (ii) semi-quantitative tracking of target vs. competitor binding for every library bead. The ClonePix 2 technology enables global at-a-glance evaluation and customization of the parameters for bead selection to ensure high affinity and selectivity of the isolated leads. A case study is presented by screening a peptide library against green-labeled human immunoglobulin G (IgG) and red-labeled host cell proteins (HCPs) using ClonePix 2 to select HCP-binding ligands for flow-through chromatography applications. Using this approach, 79 peptide ligand candidates (6.6% of the total number of ligands screened) were identified as potential HCP-selective ligands, enabling a potential rate of >3,000 library beads screened per hour.
Preoperative considerations for the pediatric patient undergoing metabolic and bariatric surgery

To ensure successful outcomes in pediatric patients with severe obesity who undergo metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS), a number of pre-operative patient management options should be considered. This manuscript will review the indications and contraindications of MBS and special considerations for youth who might benefit from MBS. The treatment team conducts a thorough pre-operative evaluation, assessing risks and benefits of surgical intervention, and prepares patients and families to be successful with MBS by providing education about the surgical intervention and lifestyle changes that will be necessary. This article reviews the pre-operative considerations for adolescents with severe obesity who are being considered for MBS, based upon recent clinical practice guidelines.
Abstract WP335: An Intervention to Facilitate the Informed Consent Process for tPA

Introduction: The informed consent process delays or results in a refusal of therapy in up to 10% of eligible patients. Our prior work identified preferences, content, framing, sequencing of the in...
Chondrogenic Predifferentiation Inhibits Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Angiogenic Effect in Pericranium-Derived Spheroids.

Craniofacial reconstruction of critical bone defects typically requires a bone graft. As graft availability may be restricted by disease or comorbidities, tissue engineering approaches are actively...
Acute Post-Concussive Assessments of Brain Tissue Magnetism Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Recent studies have demonstrated the promising capabilities of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based quantitative susceptibility maps (QSM) in producing biomarkers of brain injury. The present stu...