cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Serial Analysis of the Gut and Respiratory Microbiome in Cystic Fibrosis in Infancy: Interaction between Intestinal and Respiratory Tracts and Impact of Nutritional Exposures

ABSTRACT Pulmonary damage caused by chronic colonization of the cystic fibrosis (CF) lung by microbial communities is the proximal cause of respiratory failure. While there has been an effort to document the microbiome of the CF lung in pediatric and adult patients, little is known regarding the developing microflora in infants. We examined the respiratory and intestinal microbiota development in infants with CF from birth to 21 months. Distinct genera dominated in the gut compared to those in the respiratory tract, yet some bacteria overlapped, demonstrating a core microbiota dominated by Veillonella and Streptococcus. Bacterial diversity increased significantly over time, with evidence of more rapidly acquired diversity in the respiratory tract. There was a high degree of concordance between the bacteria that were increasing or decreasing over time in both compartments; in particular, a significant proportion (14/16 genera) increasing in the gut were also increasing in the respiratory tract. For 7 genera, gut colonization presages their appearance in the respiratory tract. Clustering analysis of respiratory samples indicated profiles of bacteria associated with breast-feeding, and for gut samples, introduction of solid foods even after adjustment for the time at which the sample was collected. Furthermore, changes in diet also result in altered respiratory microflora, suggesting a link between nutrition and development of microbial communities in the respiratory tract. Our findings suggest that nutritional factors and gut colonization patterns are determinants of the microbial development of respiratory tract microbiota in infants with CF and present opportunities for early intervention in CF with altered dietary or probiotic strategies. IMPORTANCE While efforts have been focused on assessing the microbiome of pediatric and adult cystic fibrosis (CF) patients to understand how chronic colonization by these microbes contributes to pulmonary damage, little is known regarding the earliest development of respiratory and gut microflora in infants with CF. Our findings suggest that colonization of the respiratory tract by microbes is presaged by colonization of the gut and demonstrated a role of nutrition in development of the respiratory microflora. Thus, targeted dietary or probiotic strategies may be an effective means to change the course of the colonization of the CF lung and thereby improve patient outcomes.
A WRF Ensemble for Improved Wind Speed Forecasts at Turbine Height

The Weather Research and Forecasting Model (WRF) with 10-km horizontal grid spacing was used to explore improvements in wind speed forecasts at a typical wind turbine hub height (80 m). An ensemble consisting of WRF model simulations with different planetary boundary layer (PBL) schemes showed little spread among the individual ensemble members for forecasting wind speed. A second configuration using three random perturbations of the Global Forecast System model produced more spread in the wind speed forecasts, but the ensemble mean possessed a higher mean absolute error (MAE). A third ensemble of different initialization times showed larger model spread, but model MAE was not compromised. In addition, postprocessing techniques such as training of the model for the day 2 forecast based on day 1 results and bias correction based on observed wind direction are examined. Ramp event forecasting was also explored. An event was considered to be a ramp event if the change in wind power was 50% or more of total capacity in either 4 or 2 h or less. This was approximated using a typical wind turbine power curve such that any wind speed increase or decrease of more than 3 m s 21 within the 6‐12 m s 21 window (where power production variesgreatly)in4 horlesswouldbeconsideredaramp.ModelMAE,climatologyoframpevents,andcauses were examined. All PBL schemes examined predicted fewer ramp events compared to the observations, and model forecasts for ramps in general were poor.
Development of sterile ovules on bisexual cones of Gnetum gnemon (Gnetaceae).

Angiosperms and Gnetales (Ephedra, Gnetum, Welwitschia ) represent the only seed plants that regularly produce bisexual cones. Unfortunately, the fertility and function of ovules formed on bisexual cones of Gnetales have remained unclear. Some reports indicate that the ovules are sterile while others indicate that they may develop into seeds. This study demonstrates three different developmental patterns of ovules formed on bisexual cones of Gnetum gnemon.Type I ovules did not develop at all after pollination and represented the majority of ovules on each cone. Type II ovules enlarged slightly after pollination due to the enlargement of nucellar tissue. Type III ovules were typically found on the terminal whorl and developed into seed-like structures. The enlargement was due to proliferation of megagametophyte tissue. Sectioned material revealed that megagametophytes show altered development compared to those found in functional female ovules. None of the ovules studied contained embryos, and thus all were sterile. Densitometry of 49,6-diamidino2-phenylindole (DAPI)- stained sections revealed that megagametophyte nuclei formed in the sterile ovules are unreduced (diploid) and thus do not form viable female gametes.
Microscopic anatomy and enzyme histochemistry of the canine anal canal.

The microscopic anatomy of the anal canal was studied using routine histological methods and the light microscope in male and female dogs ranging from six months to 10 years of age. Precise anatomical boundaries were established for the zona columnaris, the zona intermedia, and the beginning of the zona cutanea. In an effort to clarify conflicting terminology concerning the anal canal, the term “anal sinus” (sinus anales) is applied to the shallow troughs located between the longitudinal mucosal ridges or columns (columnae anales) characteristic of the canine and human zona columnaris; and the term “anal crypt” is used to represent and distinguish the terminal blind pockets of anal sinuses which extend into the lamina propria of the zona intermedia. Anal glands were identified routinely in the z. columnaris and z. intermedia of the anal canal; dilated excretory ducts of the anal glands were frequently encountered, often filled with inflammatory cells. PAS-positive but Sudan Black-negative secretion was demonstrated in these ducts as well as within the secretory acini. Sebaceous, circumanal and apocrine sweat glands were restricted to the z. cutanea. Moderate to high alkaline phosphatase activity in the basement membrane of circumanal glands may suggest the presence of myoepithelial cells.
An inverse problem for nonlinear source terms

In this article we consider the problem of identifying the unknown source term F = F(u) in the operators ui — uxx = F(u) and - Au — F(u) from overspecified initial/boundary data. We show for functions u admitting formal power series expansions u = Y^ £IM? and ^(w) = ^ slFi(u\e problem reduces to a i=0 i=0 sequence of simpler inverse problems whose solutions may be constructed by straightforward methods. The convergence and stability of the perturbation series is not considered.
Beginning’s End: How Founders Psychologically Disengage From Their Organizations

Exit is a critical part of the entrepreneurial process. At the same time, research indicates that founders are likely to form strong identity connections to the organizations they start. In turn, w...
Dietary Stone Prevention

Diet influences the formation and growth of most types of urolithiasis. Medical nutrition therapy is a recognized and safe intervention that may be used alone or in concert with pharmacologic therapy. Patients frequently ask about dietary changes they can make to prevent stone recurrence. Urologists are increasingly managing patients with urinary tract stones between events and offering preventive strategies. Urologists must be familiar with basic preventive nutrition concepts for urolithiasis and with how dietary changes affect recurrence risk, even when a registered dietitian is available for patient counseling. In this chapter, the various risk factors for recurrence of the most common types of urolithiasis are reviewed with respect to the specific, evidence-based nutrition therapy that addresses each one. Frequently asked patient questions about understanding and complying with nutrition therapy, derived from the author’s clinical experience, are addressed.
The ILC’s Draft Articles Before the 69th Session of the UNGA: A Reawakening?

The treatment by states, at the 69th session of the UNGA, of the ILC’s work on the responsibility of international organizations, the effects of armed conflicts on treaties, and the expulsion of aliens, offer some interesting points for reflection, particularly about the role of states in international law-making. This paper situates the UNGA’s consideration of the draft articles before it within the context of the recent trends of the UNGA’s commending of the ILC’s draft articles to the attention of governments, and of its use of technical roll-overs. In this regard, the paper questions whether the UNGA’s approach to the draft articles on the expulsion of aliens signals a reawakening of the UNGA. Against this backdrop, the paper also discusses the past practice of the UNGA when considering the draft articles of the ILC.
Abstract PR02: Transcriptional regulation mediated by biochemically distinct forms of SWI/SNF

Background: We often consider the SWI/SNF complex as a single entity with a single function in a particular cell type. This model ignores that multiple positions within the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex can be filled by mutually exclusive subunits. Inclusion or exclusion of such subunits gives rise to an array of biochemically distinct chromatin remodeling complexes, some of which have profound functional consequences on gene regulation and differentiation. Here, we examine the functional relationships among three complex-specific ARID (AT-Rich Interacting Domain) subunits of the SWI/SNF complex in a human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line using ChIP-seq, RNA-seq, and public data on transcription factor binding. Results: Using RNAi directed at each of the three subunits, we identify widespread overlap in transcriptional regulation mediated by SWI/SNF. The ARID subunits are commonly bound together at the promoters of active genes, with more variable binding associated with distal regulatory elements. ARID1B and ARID2 cooperate to repress the expression of hundreds of genes. Additionally, we identify many examples of competitive interactions between ARID1A and ARID1B or ARID2, and show that gene expression changes following loss of one ARID are dependent on the function of an alternative ARID. These distinct regulatory modalities are correlated with differential occupancy by transcription factors. Together these data suggest distinct SWI/SNF complexes dictate gene-specific transcription through interactions between different forms of SWI/SNF and specific co-factors. The ARID subunits are among the most frequently mutated chromatin regulators in cancer. Understanding the functional relationship between distinct forms of the complex is a necessary first step for identifying their potentially unique roles in oncogenesis. Citation Format: Jesse R. Raab, Samuel Resnick, Terry Magnuson. Transcriptional regulation mediated by biochemically distinct forms of SWI/SNF. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Chromatin and Epigenetics in Cancer; Sep 24-27, 2015; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(2 Suppl):Abstract nr PR02.
Suitability and Variability of Non-Destructive Testing Methods for Concrete Railroad Tie Inspection

Concrete railroad ties have been used in increasing numbers in the U.S., particularly in high-speed rail, heavy-haul freight lines, and new track construction because of their reduced deflections, durability, and competitive cost. In-track assessment of concrete railroad ties can be a challenge, however because many exterior tie surfaces are covered by tie pads and rail or ballast. This damage may include concrete section wear from abrasion, cracking, or crumbling, or other types of defects. Damage internal to the concrete can also not be seen visually. The time and cost needed to inspect these tie surfaces means that it is not routinely performed. Non-destructive testing offers promise as a way to assess concrete tie integrity without having to remove ballast, however more information is needed to know how well non-destructive techniques work in detecting damage. Two of the most promising techniques for investigating the integrity of concrete non-destructively are ultrasonic pulse velocity and impact-echo. Ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) and Impact-echo (IE) were applied to investigate the uniformity of concrete railroad tie and its cavities, cracks and defects for concrete ties taken from track after service. This paper evaluated the variability of the test results in UPV and IE testing condition in which two concrete railroad ties with same manufacture and load history condition were tested in both methods. Two additional concrete ties with the same manufacture and load history as each other with visible longitudinal cracks were also examined to see how the damage affected the variability measured. For this purpose, wave pulse for every full length tie from full top, half top, longitude and two sides were measured using ultrasonic pulse (ASTM C597). Also, thickness of concrete ties on both sides, including rail seat location and the middle were assessed by standard tests method for measuring the p-wave speed and the thickness of concrete using the impact-echo method (ASTM C1383). Advice is given on how to interpret ultrasonic pulse velocity and impact-echo measurements and given the variability of the test method how to flag ties for potential deterioration given that most ties in service will not have initial measurements taken before damage for comparison.Copyright © 2016 by ASME
Atomic layer deposition coating of carbon nanotubes with zinc oxide causes acute phase immune responses in human monocytes in vitro and in mice after pulmonary exposure.

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a method for applying conformal nanoscale coatings on three-dimensional structures. We hypothesized that surface functionalization of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with polycrystalline ZnO by ALD would alter pro-inflammatory cytokine expression by human monocytes in vitro and modulate the lung and systemic immune response following oropharyngeal aspiration in mice. Pristine (U-MWCNTs) were coated with alternating doses of diethyl zinc and water over increasing ALD cycles (10 to 100 ALD cycles) to yield conformal ZnO-coated MWCNTs (Z-MWCNTs). Human THP-1 monocytic cells were exposed to U-MWCNTs or Z-MWCNTs in vitro and cytokine mRNAs measured by Taqman real-time RT-PCR. Male C57BL6 mice were exposed to U- or Z-MWCNTs by oropharyngeal aspiration (OPA) and lung inflammation evaluated at one day post-exposure by histopathology, cytokine expression and differential counting of cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cells. Lung fibrosis was evaluated at 28 days. Cytokine mRNAs (IL-6, IL-1β, CXCL10, TNF-α) in lung, heart, spleen, and liver were quantified at one and 28 days. DNA synthesis in lung tissue was measured by bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) uptake. ALD resulted in a conformal coating of MWCNTs with ZnO that increased proportionally to the number of coating cycles. Z-MWCNTs released Zn+2 ions in media and increased IL-6, IL-1β, CXCL10, and TNF-α mRNAs in THP-1 cells in vitro. Mice exposed to Z-MWCNTs by OPA had exaggerated lung inflammation and a 3-fold increase in monocytes and neutrophils in BALF compared to U-MWCNTs. Z-MWCNTs, but not U-MWCNTs, induced IL-6 and CXCL10 mRNA and protein in the lungs of mice and increased IL-6 mRNA in heart and liver. U-MWCNTs but not Z-MWCNTs stimulated airway epithelial DNA synthesis in vivo. Lung fibrosis at 28 days was not significantly different between mice treated with U-MWCNT or Z-MWCNT. Pulmonary exposure to ZnO-coated MWCNTs produces a systemic acute phase response that involves the release of Zn+2, lung epithelial growth arrest, and increased IL-6. ALD functionalization with ZnO generates MWCNTs that possess increased risk for human exposure.
SU-G-BRB-10: New Generation of High Frame-Rate and High Spatial-Resolution EPID QA System for Full-Body MLC-Based Robotic Radiosurgery

Purpose: To systematically investigate an ultra-high spatial-resolution amorphous silicon flat-panel electronic portal imaging device (EPID) for MLC-based full-body robotic radiosurgery geometric and dosimetric quality assurance (QA). Methods: The high frame-rate and ultra-high spatial resolution EPID is an outstanding detector for measuring profiles, MLC-shaped radiosurgery field aperture verification, and small field dosimetry. A Monte Carlo based technique with a robotic linac specific response and calibration is developed to convert a raw EPID-measured image of a radiosurgery field into water-based dose distribution. The technique is applied to measure output factors and profiles for 6MV MLC-defined radiosurgery fields with various sizes ranging from 7.6mm×7.7mm to 100mm×100.1mm and the results are compared with the radiosurgery diode scan measurements in water tank. The EPID measured field sizes and the penumbra regions are analyzed to evaluate the MLC positioning accuracy. Results: For all MLC fields, the EPID measured output factors of MLC-shaped fields are in good agreement with the diode measurements. The mean output difference between the EPID and diode measurement is 0.05±0.87%. The max difference is −1.33% for 7.6mm×7.7mm field. The MLC field size derived from the EPID measurements are in good agreement comparing to the diode scan result. For crossline field sizes, the mean difference is −0.17mm±0.14mm with a maximum of −0.35mm for the 30.8mm×30.8mm field. For inline field sizes, the mean difference is +0.08mm±0.18mm with a maximum of +0.45mm for the 100mm×100.1mm field. The high resolution EPID is able to measure the whole radiation field, without the need to align the detector center perfectly at field center as diode or ion chamber measurement. The setup time is greatly reduced so that the whole process is possible for machine and patient-specific QA. Conclusion: The high spatial-resolution EPID is proved to be an accurate and efficient tool for QA of MLC-equipped robotic radiosurgery system.
Discrete Geometry, Algebra, and Combinatorics (Invited Talk).

Many problems in discrete and computational geometry can be viewed as finding patterns in graphs or hypergraphs which arise from geometry or algebra. Famous Ramsey, Turan, and Szemeredi-type results prove the existence of certain patterns in graphs and hypergraphs under mild assumptions. We survey recent results which show much stronger/larger patterns for graphs and hypergraphs that arise from geometry or algebra. We further discuss whether the stronger results in these settings are due to geometric, algebraic, combinatorial, or topological properties of the graphs.
Breaking the Hymen and Reclaiming the “Cherry”: Adolescent Language Use in Negotiations of Autonomy in a Sexuality Education Program

In early adolescence, from ages eleven to fourteen, health education often targets the development of health-promoting behaviors based on research that suggests that during this timeframe health risk behaviors are often initiated (Bruess and Greenberg, 2004). Developmental characteristics of early adolescents center upon biological changes (rapid growth and the onset of puberty), psychological changes (increasing independence and the balance of responsibility and privilege), and social changes (negotiating peer and parental influences). Muscari et al. (1997) suggested that it is the magnitude and complexity of these changes that place the adolescent at risk for engaging in health risk behaviors.
Exchange Control in Transition

The period from mid-1933 to September 1934 was one of metamorphosis for German exchange control. During this period the outward manifestations of control together with such regulations as were published indicated a re-orientation of monetary and commercial policy. The extent of this change, however, was apparent only at the end of the transition period, September 1934, with the announcement of Schacht’s “New Plan”. Superficially, at least, the transition period can be looked upon merely as a time of increased regulation of foreign trade which was the logical extension of the growth of economic controls under the Nazi regime. The degree of regimentation of German economic life seems to have stemmed from (a) the political and economic commitments of National Socialists to attain full employment, (b) fear of inflation by the government and the population, and (c) the necessity for some diversion of resources and output to achieve political and military ambitions.
Evaluation of single and multi-feedstock biodiesel – diesel blends using GCMS and chemometric methods

Abstract Single and multi-feedstock biodiesel-diesel blends were evaluated using gas chromatography mass spectrometry along with several unsupervised and supervised chemometric methods. Peak areas of diesel alkane components and/or biodiesel fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) components were evaluated using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), k nearest neighbors (kNN), soft independent modeling of class analogy (SIMCA), and partial least squares (PLS) analysis. Using PCA (an unsupervised method), samples clustered based on feedstock type (soybean, waste grease, canola, tallow) and concentration (diesel, B2-B100). Using the supervised chemometric methods, feedstock type and concentration were validated for the training set and predicted for several unknown test samples. Concentration and feedstock were predicted using kNN, while concentration alone was predicted using SIMCA. PLS also allowed prediction of concentration but the success of the prediction heavily depended on the training model used. In addition, multi-feedstock fuel blends created from 2 and 3 feedstock components (soybean, canola, tallow) were evaluated with PCA, kNN, and SIMCA. Samples clustered based on concentration and feedstock makeup/ratio in PCA. Using kNN and SIMCA, multifeedstock blends were predicted based on concentration, while kNN could be used to predict relative ratio of multiple feedstocks. The results demonstrate the utility of chemometric analysis on a complex fuel-based data set, using methods that could be performed in a variety of laboratories and fields without the need for complex data preprocessing.
Predicting multifarious behavioural divergence in the wild

Many animals show complex behaviours that can have important ecological and evolutionary consequences. Environmental variation can lead to divergent selection that consistently favours particular behaviours in different environments; but how predictably multiple aspects of animal behaviour diverge in response to different environmental conditions remains unclear. We tested whether populations evolving under different levels of predation risk show predictable and repeatable population-level behavioural differences in all five primary components of animal personality: aggression, sociability, boldness, activity and exploration. We formulated and tested a priori predictions of divergence for each behaviour using the adaptive radiation of Bahamas mosquitofish, Gambusia hubbsi (family Poeciliidae), inhabiting vertical water-filled caves (blue holes) where they have evolved for thousands of years in either the presence or absence of predatory fish. Mosquitofish behaviours differed consistently, and largely predictably, between predation regimes: low-predation mosquitofish showed reduced sociability and greater exploration of a novel environment compared to high-predation counterparts. However, some differences were sex dependent: only females showed greater boldness and only males displayed reduced aggressiveness in low-predation populations. Activity levels did not differ between predation regimes. All populations showed a behavioural syndrome characteristic of either proactive or reactive stress-coping styles with regard to exploration. Exploration behavioural syndromes were more similar among populations that evolved in similar predation regimes, regardless of genetic relatedness. Using laboratory-born, high-predation mosquitofish, we confirmed that exploratory behaviours have a genetic basis and show significant within-individual repeatability. Our results suggest that environmental variation, such as chronic predation risk, can lead to repeatable, and often predictable, changes in multifarious animal behaviours, and that various aspects of behaviour can diversify more or less independently of one another. Considering the ecological importance of these behaviours, the ability to forecast behavioural shifts in a rapidly changing world could serve as a valuable conservation tool.
Chromosome 17 Abnormalities Are Associated with Worse Overall and Relapse Free Survival in Patients with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia and Poor-Risk Cytogenetics.

Purpose: Chromosome 17 abnormalities define a group of patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) (Nahi, H. et al. Leukemia and Lymphoma 2008;49:508) with poor outcomes. We analyzed the additional impact of chromosome 17 abnormalities (−17, −17p, −17q, der17) among patients with AML and cytogenetic abnormalities traditionally considered to be of adverse prognosis. Patients and Methods: 1086 patients with AML [excluding inv 16, t (8;21), t (15;17), Diploid/-y abnormality] were included in this analysis. Based on cytogenetic abnormalities patients were grouped into: −5,−7,−5and −7, complex. The following parameters were included in uni and multi-variate analysis: age, performance status, WBC, hemoglobin, platelets, marrow blast percentage, bilirubin, creatinine, albumin, LDH, chromosome 17 abnormality (yes/no). Results: Four hundred and fourteen (45%) patients achieved complete remission (CR) or CR with incomplete platelet recovery (CRp) and 267 (64.5%) patients relapsed. Two hundred seventy (24.9%) patients had abnormalities of chromosome 17. Abnormalities of chromosome 17 were associated with lower CR or CRp rate (p=0.02) and higher possibility of having cytogenetic abnormality of −5 or −7 (p<0.0001). Multivariate analysis showed that patients with abnormalities of chromosome 17 had worse overall survival (OS) compared to patients without (p= 0.003)(Fig.1). Multi-variate analysis within cytogenetic subgroups showed that chromosome 17 abnormalities were associated with worse OS in patients with chromosome 5 abnormality(p=.02) (data not shown) and in those with complex cytogenetics (p=.04)(Fig.2) and not in patients with chromosome 7 (p=.17)or combined 5 and 7 abnormalities (p=.33). Similar analysis restricted to patients achieving CR/CRp after induction therapy showed that impact of chromosome 17 abnormalities on relapse free survival (RFS) mirrored their impact on OS. Conclusion: chromosome 17 abnormalities are associated with worse OS and RFS in patients with AML and adverse cytogenetics and have additional negative impact on the outcomes in certain well-known adverse cytogenetic subgroups. ![Figure 1: ][1] Figure 1: Kaplan-Meier estimates of overall survival by status of chromosome 17 ![Figure 2: ][1] Figure 2: Kaplan-Meier estimates of overall survival by status of chromosome 17 in subgroup of patient, complex [1]: pending:yes
Esophageal cancer incidence gender disparity.

1573 Background: Over the past 30 years, esophageal cancer incidence has been increasing more rapidly than any other solid neoplasm in the Western world. Globally, there is a large male predominanc...
Measuring maternal Tdap and influenza vaccination rates: Comparison of two population-based methods

Pregnant women are routinely recommended to receive Tdap and influenza vaccines to prevent disease and complications among mothers and newborns. Monitoring population trends in maternal vaccination is important in order to evaluate the implementation of these recommendations and to identify pockets of need. We present two methods for measuring maternal vaccination among a state population and discuss the strengths and drawbacks of each method. First, we matched maternal information from records of Wisconsin births during 2013-2015 with maternal vaccination records in the Wisconsin Immunization Registry. Second, we used an all-payer health insurance claims database to identify Wisconsin women with deliveries during 2013-2015 and vaccinations received during pregnancy. Both methods produced similar trends and indicated a substantial increase in the percentage of women receiving Tdap during pregnancy, and lower vaccination rates among women who were Medicaid-insured. When available and timely, both methods are useful for monitoring maternal vaccination.
Abstract #3217: 3D in vitro model of breast cancer colonization of bone

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 18-22, 2009; Denver, CO Breast cancer frequently metastasizes to bone where it causes osteolytic lesions. Although, the bone osteoclasts, not the cancer cells themselves, appear to be responsible for the bone resorbtion, we have evidence from 3D in vitro cell culture studies (bioreactor) that in the presence of breast cancer cells or their medium, the osteoblasts no longer make the proteins required for bone repair. Furthermore, they produce inflammatory cytokines, which in turn can stimulate osteoclasts. We hypothesize that a 3D mineralizing tissue incorporating both osteoblasts and osteoclasts (\#8216;biosynthetic bone\#8217;) would be a relevant in vitro bone surrogate for studying stages of breast-cancer metastasis. Toward realization of such a model, we have developed a bioreactor system that permits continuous growth of bone-accreting osteoblasts (MC3T3-E1) for > 10 months without subculture or perfusion. A mineralizing, multiple-cell-layer tissue results, that exhibits a normal phenotype with histology that strongly resembles normal bone tissue. We have also shown that, by challenging this osteoblast tissue with human metastatic breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231GFP), important hallmarks of cancer metastasis including cancer-cell penetration of tissue and tumor formation can be observed. An up-regulation of the inflammatory cytokine, IL-6 and a reduction in osteocalcin levels, in the cultures challenged with breast cancer cells were observed. Also, soluble collagen (indicative of collagen formation) was decreased. Similar results were observed with primary murine calvarial osteoblasts after challenge with breast cancer cells. In standard tissue culture, we have also been able to differentiate osteoclasts from hematopoietic progenitor cells isolated from murine bone marrow. The osteoclasts formed by exposure to RANKL and M-CSF were multi-nucleated, TRAP positive cells. These cells will be introduced into the osteoblast 3D culture. Once the bone remodeling aspect of the system is established, breast cancer cells will be added. This 3D in-vitro cell culture system containing both osteoblast and osteoclast will help to further understand the cellular and molecular events that lead to successful breast cancer colonization of bone. Positive outcomes of the work will not only help clarify the etiology of metastasis but also create a much-needed in vitro tool for discovery of cancer therapeutics. Grants from the US Army Medical and Material Command Breast Cancer Program (W81XWH-06-1-0432), Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation (BCTR 0601044), and National Foundation for Cancer Research. Citation Information: In: Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res; 2009 Apr 18-22; Denver, CO. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; 2009. Abstract nr 3217.
Controlled formation of ZnO hexagonal prisms using ethanolamines and water

Formation of crystalline hexagonal ZnO prisms from a sol–gel method is presented. The method requires zinc acetate, water, and diethanolamine to create a zinc hydroxide/zinc hydroxide acetate gel, which in the presence of water and upon heating forms hexagonal prisms. Ethanolamines were found to be critical for gel and prism formation, while other bases such NaOH and triethylamine produce nanoparticles. Scanning electron microscope images showed hexagonal prisms with uniform size (approx. 0.5 × 2 µm) and very distinct edges. Transmission electron microscope and electron diffraction images showed that the prisms were highly crystalline with rough surfaces. Transmission electron microscope also showed a change from randomly oriented particles in the gel to ordered crystals after heating. Using an X-ray diffraction high-temperature chamber to characterize the gel, it was determined that it formed ZnO at 100 °C. Along with heating, acetate and water were found to be necessary for prism formation. In a potential application, the prisms efficiently acted as a photocatalyst in the degradation of organic dye.
Do electric vehicle incentives matter? Evidence from the 50 U.S. states

Abstract We estimate the effectiveness of policy incentives for adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in the 50 U.S. states. We employ a rich dataset of semi-annual state-level new EV vehicle registrations by make and model from 2010 to 2015 and state-level policy instruments that could affect new EV model registrations. We construct two measures of policy, one which aggregates policy instruments that can be assigned a value and a second that aggregates those without explicit values. Using a within model difference-in-difference estimator with high-dimensional fixed effects, we find that a $1000 increase in the value of a state’s model-specific EV policies increases registrations of that model within the state by 5–11%.
Theory of Differential Approximations of Radiative Transfer Equation

The radiative transfer equation (RTE) arises in a variety of applications. The equation is challenging to solve numerically for a couple of reasons: high dimensionality, integro-differential form, highly forward-peaked scattering in application. In the literature, various approximations of RTE have been proposed in the literature. In an earlier publication, we explored a family of differential approximations to RTE, to be called RT/DA equations. In this paper, we study the RT/DA equations and investigate numerically the closeness of solutions of the RT/DA equations to that of the RTE.
Buoyancy and Hydrodynamics in Ammonoids

Information pertaining to the function of ammonoid shells is generated by analogy to living cephalopods, by measurement or experiment designed to elucidate the properties of the ammonoid shell in life situations, and by examination of the distribution and sedimentary environments in which ammonoid fossils are preserved. Virtually all discussions of ammonoid shell function implicitly or explicitly incorporate more than one of these approaches. The combination of analogy with empirical work in the field and laboratory makes the reconstruction of the function of ammonoid shells and interpretation of ammonoid life habits and mode of life particularly intriguing. These interpretations have led to many lively debates among paleobiologists. In this chapter, we examine ammonoid buoyancy and locomotion. We evaluate arguments that have been used to reconstruct the buoyancy and locomotor properties of these extinct cephalopods, discuss recent advances in the understanding of ammonoid locomotion, and suggest directions in which the study of these aspects of ammonoid paleobiology may proceed in the future. Other chapters of this book explore aspects of the structural issues pertaining to the implosion strength of ammonoid shells (Hewitt, Chapter 10, this volume) as well as the environmental information that can be brought to bear on the subject (Westermann, Chapter 16, this volume).
Glycine and GABA: Transmitter Candidates of Projections Descending to the Cochlear Nucleus

Acoustic information, encoded in the cochlea and conveyed to the cochlear nucleus (CN) by cochlear nerve fibers, is processed by cell groups in the CN. Inhibitory neurotransmission appears to play a prominent role at this level of auditory processing (Brugge and Geisler,’ 78; Voight and Young,’ 80; Caspary et al., this volume). Information has been emerging recently with regard to the location and transmitters of the inhibitory neurons which synapse in the CN. These neurons may originate in other brain stem nuclei that project to the CN, or could lie within the CN itself (Saint Marie et al.,’ 91, this volume; Oertel and Wickesberg, this volume). These inhibitory projections probably use the amino acid transmitters, glycine and GABA at their synapses in the CN (Whitfield and Comis,’ 66; Tachibana and Kuriyama,’ 74; Fex and Wenthold,’ 76; Fisher and Davies,’ 76; Godfrey et al,’ 77,’ 78; Caspary et al,’ 79; Wenthold,’ 79; Martin et al,’ 82).
Some Behavioral Effects of the Physical Environment

It was hypothesized that the physical environment elicits an emotional response, which then influences subsequent behaviors. Settings presented by photographic slides were first rated on their pleasantness, arousing quality, and dominance-eliciting quality. A separate sample of subjects was then asked to rate their desire to drink, smoke, affiliate, explore, and stay in those settings. As hypothesized, pleasure due to the setting increased affiliation, exploration, and staying. The familiar inverted-U hypothesis, that these three behaviors are all maximized at moderate levels of arousal, must be modified to include an interaction effect with pleasure: The optimum level of arousal is positively correlated with pleasure. It was found that dominance mediated the effect of the setting on affiliation and that smoking and drinking occurred while in a mood created by having been in undesirable settings. The results confirmed predictions based on a review of studies that used diverse methodologies, and thus indicated that slides provide a valid method of studying the effects of environments on behavior.
Dietary vitamin D, vitamin D receptor, and microbiome.

Purpose of reviewThe current review is to summarize the recent progress of vitamin D/vitamin D receptor (VDR) and microbiome in intestinal homeostasis, airway function, and other organs.Recent findingsMicrobiome is considered as a newly discovered human organ. It is critical in the synthesis of vita
Dynamics and variability of the spring dry season in the United States Southwest as observed in AmeriFlux and NLDAS-2 data

AbstractThe spring dry season occurring in an arid region of the southwestern United States, which receives both winter storm track and summer monsoon precipitation, is investigated. Bimodal precip...
INVITED: Software Approaches for In-time Resilience

Advances in semiconductor technology have enabled unprecedented growth in safety-critical applications. However, due to unabated scaling, the unreliability of the underlying hardware is only getting worse. For a lot of applications, just recovering from errors is not enough -- the latency between the occurrence of the fault to it's detection and recovery from the fault, i.e., in-time error resilience is of vital importance. This is especially true for real-time applications, where the timing of application events is a crucial part of the correctness of application. While software techniques for resilience are highly desirable since they can be flexibly applied, but achieving reliable, in-time software resilience is still an elusive goal. A new class of recent techniques have started to tackle this problem. This paper presents a succinct overview of existing software resilience techniques from the point-of-view of in-time resilience, and points out future challenges.
Foreign Financing and the International Sources of Property Rights

How do firms protect themselves against infringements of their property rights by their own government? The authors develop a theory based on international law and joint asset ownership with foreign firms. Investment agreements protect the assets of foreign firms but are not available to domestic firms. This segmentation of the property rights environment creates a rationale for international financial relationships between firms. By forming financial relationships with foreign firms, domestic firms gain indirect coverage from the property rights available to foreign firms under investment agreements. If a government is less likely to violate the property rights of covered foreign firms, it is also less likely to violate property rights for assets held jointly by domestic and foreign firms. This article presents systematic evidence from data on the activities of firms in countries that have investment agreements with the United States. International financial relationships between firms, through mergers and acquisitions as well as through bond and equity issues, are more common where property rights are weak. The theory suggests a political logic to the fragmentation of firm-ownership stakes across jurisdictions, offers an institutional explanation of international financial flows, and identifies new distributional consequences of international law.
Physical and chemical template-blocking strategies in the exponential amplification reaction of circulating microRNAs

The detection of circulating miRNA through isothermal amplification wields many attractive advantages over traditional methods, such as reverse transcription RT-qPCR. However, it is challenging to control the background signal produced in the absence of target, which severely hampers applications of such methods for detecting low abundance targets in complex biological samples. In the present work, we employed both the cobalt oxyhydroxide (CoOOH) nanoflakes and the chemical modification of hexanediol to block non-specific template elongation in exponential amplification reaction (EXPAR). Adsorption by the CoOOH nanoflakes and the hexanediol modification at the 3′ end effectively prevented no-target polymerization on the template itself and thus greatly improved the performance of EXPAR, detecting as low as 10 aM of several miRNA targets, including miR-16, miR-21, and miR-122, with the fluorescent DNA staining dye of SYBR Gold™. Little to no cross-reactivity was observed from the interfering strands present in 10-fold excess. Besides contributing to background reduction, the CoOOH nanoflakes strongly adsorbed nucleic acids and isolated them from a complex sample matrix, thus permitting successful detection of the target miRNA in the serum. We expect that simple but sensitive template-blocking EXPAR could be a valuable tool to help with the discovery and validation of miRNA markers in biospecimens.
Legally Minded Technical Communicators: A Case Study of a Legal Writing Course:

Understanding the law and its impact on the practice of technical communication has been an important scholarly thread in technical and professional communication (TPC) for more than two decades. T...
Diamond Sampling for Approximate Maximum All-Pairs Dot-Product (MAD) Search

Given two sets of vectors, A = {a1&#x2192;, . . . , am&#x2192;} and B = {b1&#x2192;, . . . , bn&#x2192;}, our problem is to find the top-t dot products, i.e., the largest |ai&#x2192; · bj&#x2192;| among all possible pairs. This is a fundamental mathematical problem that appears in numerous data applications involving similarity search, link prediction, and collaborative filtering. We propose a sampling-based approach that avoids direct computation of all mn dot products. We select diamonds (i.e., four-cycles) from the weighted tripartite representation of A and B. The probability of selecting a diamond corresponding to pair (i, j) is proportional to (ai&#x2192; · bj&#x2192;)2, amplifying the focus on the largest-magnitude entries. Experimental results indicate that diamond sampling is orders of magnitude faster than direct computation and requires far fewer samples than any competing approach. We also apply diamond sampling to the special case of maximum inner product search, and get significantly better results than the state-of-theart hashing methods.
Rare earth metals from secondary sources: Review of potential supply from waste and byproducts

Abstract Current concerns about lack of diversity in supply of critical metals have spurred research into utilizing domestic sources, particularly from waste streams. Sustainability strategies like urban mining, industrial symbiosis, and the circular economy suggest avenues to realize new supplies of critical metals. In this work we explore the resource and economic potential for extracting rare earth elements (REEs) from industry byproducts (e.g. coal combustion products, red mud) and secondary sources (e.g. waste electronics and light bulbs). Combining materials flow analysis and characterization data, we find that while REE concentrations in waste and byproduct streams are mostly much lower than current REE ores, some secondary sources are richer than ores in high value REEs such as scandium. The quantities of REEs contained in secondary sources could meet current global demand even with low extraction yield rates. Phosphogypsum, coal ash and red mud from aluminum production stand out as promising candidates for recovery due to high concentrations of valuable REEs and sufficient quantities to potentially meet demand. Processes to extract REEs from secondary sources are under development, it is not yet clear which will be profitable at scale and which can be achieved at least environmental impact. This work provides high level guidance on the potential of secondary sources by characterizing quality (concentrations of different rare earths) and quantity (mass of rare earths in global scale wastes and byproducts). This significant first step helps clarify directions for policy and research and development investments.
Development and Validation of Machine Learning Models: Electronic Health Record Data To Predict Visual Acuity After Cataract Surgery.

Background To develop predictive models of final corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) following cataract surgery using machine learning algorithms and electronic health record data. Methods In this predictive modeling study we used decision tree, random forest, and gradient boosting. We included the first surgical eye of 64,768 members of Kaiser Permanente Northern California who underwent cataract surgery from June 1, 2010 through May 31, 2015. We measured discrimination and calibration of machine learning models for predicting postoperative CDVA 20/50 or worse vs 20/40 or better. Results The training set included 51,712 patients, and the validation set included 13,056 patients. We compared 3 machine learning models and found that the gradient boosting model provided the best discrimination ability for CDVA. The most important variables for predicting final CDVA 20/50 or worse were preoperative CDVA, age, and age-related macular degeneration, which together accounted for 41% of the gain in optimization of the gradient boosting model. Other important variables in the model included dispensed glaucoma medication, epiretinal membrane, cornea disorder, cataract surgery operating time, surgeon experience, and census block neighborhood characteristics (household income, family income, family poverty, college education, and home residence by owner). Conclusion For predicting CDVA after cataract surgery, gradient boosting had the best ability to discriminate patients with postoperative CDVA 20/50 or worse from patients with postoperative CDVA 20/40 or better. Machine learning has the potential to improve prognosis and can improve patient information when making decisions to undergo cataract surgery.