cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Implementation of a two‐moment bulk microphysics scheme to the WRF model to investigate aerosol‐cloud interaction

[1] A two-moment bulk microphysical scheme has been implemented into the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model to investigate the aerosol-cloud interaction. The microphysical scheme calculates the mass mixing ratios and number concentrations of aerosols and five types of hydrometeors and accounts for various cloud processes including warm and mixed phase microphysics. The representation of the aerosol size distribution is evaluated, showing that the three-moment modal method produces results better in agreement with the sectional approach than the two-moment modal method for variable supersaturation conditions in clouds. The effects of aerosols on cloud processes are investigated using the two-moment bulk microphysical scheme in a convective cumulus cloud event occurring on 24 August 2000 in Houston, Texas. The modeled evolution of the distribution of radar reflectivity in the y-z section, the cell lifetime, and averaged accumulated precipitation with the aerosol concentration under the polluted urban condition are qualitatively consistent with the measurements. Sensitivity simulations are initialized using a set of aerosol profiles with the number concentrations ranging from 200 to 50,000 cm−3 and mass ranging from 1 to 10 μg m−3 at the surface level. The response of precipitation to the increase of aerosol concentrations is nonmonotonic, because of the complicated interaction between cloud microphysics and dynamics. The precipitation increases with aerosol concentrations from clean maritime to continental background conditions, but is considerably reduced and completely suppressed under highly polluted conditions, indicating that the aerosol concentration exhibits distinct effects on the precipitation efficiency under different aerosol conditions. The maximal cloud cover, core updraft, and maximal vertical velocity exhibit similar responses as precipitation. Comparison is made to evaluate the effects of different autoconversion parameterizations and bulk microphysical schemes on cloud properties. Because of its broad application in numerical weather prediction, implementation of the two-moment microphysical scheme to the WRF model will greatly facilitate assessment of aerosol-cloud interaction from individual cumulus to mesoscale convective systems.
Stress Corrosion Cracking of Al-Mg and Mg-Al Alloys

Abstract Al- and Mg-based alloys are being used for reducing the weight of automobiles. For structural applications, they must have adequate stress corrosion resistance, and yet, under some circumstances, stress corrosion cracking can occur in both alloy systems. Precipitation of the Mg-rich β-phase (Al3Mg2) at grain boundaries of Al-Mg alloys and the γ-phase (Mg17Al12) at grain boundaries of the Mg-Al alloys is a critical factor in their stress corrosion performance. In Mg-Al, the γ-phase is cathodic (noble) to the matrix, while in the Al-Mg case, the β-phase is anodic (active) to the matrix. These phases produce localized galvanic-induced corrosion that leads to intergranular stress corrosion cracking and crack growth rates of 350 and 1,800 times faster than the solution-treated condition, for Al-Mg and Mg-Al, respectively.
Ligand-tuning of the Excitation Wavelength of a Solid State E/Z Isomerization: (Zn(TA)2(2,2-bipyridyl)) in a Supramolecular Framework

The single-crystal-to-single-crystal (SCSC) EZ photoisomerization of TA in the supramolecular solid CECR-[Zn(TA)2(bpy)]·H2O (CECR = C-ethylcalixresorcinarene, HTA = tiglic acid, and bpy = 2,2bipyridine, is induced by 458 nm light, indicating a red-shift of the photo-active wavelength on introduction of the aromatic bpy ligand compared with the previously studied reaction of CECR-[Zn(TA)2(H2O)2]· 4H2O. Theoretical calculations show that the initial excitation involves the bipyridyl ligand, which acts as an intramolecular photosensitizer for the isomerization process. The reaction is topotactic and illustrated by photodifference maps.
Thickness Dependence of the Optical Properties of Ordered Silica-Air and Air-Polymer Photonic Crystals

We report observations of the optical stop band of periodic planar arrays of submicron silica spheres, and of macroporous polymers grown from these silica templates. The stop-band width and peak attenuation depend on the number of layers and on the dielectric contrast between the spheres and the interstitial regions, both of which are experimentally controlled. The results are compared to the predictions of the scalar wave approximation. This is the first systematic study of the thickness dependence of the stop band in colloidal photonic band gap structures.
Plasma cholesterol levels in rats fed "infarct-producing diets.

SummaryLevels of total cholesterol in plasma of rats fed several variations of a basal infarct-producing diet containing 40% butter, butter-oil or lard were higher than in rats of other groups fed vegetable fat (corn oil or Crisco). Levels of rats in group offered a diet not containing exogenous cholesterol were far lower than those of the control group. A significantly high level was observed when the amount of salt mix in the diet was increased 3-fold to 12%. In a group of 30 rats fed the basal diet, cholesterol in plasma of those that developed infarcts rose neither more rapidly nor to significantly higher levels than did cholesterol in plasma of rats in the same group that did not develop infarcts within experimental period of 4 months.
A Framework for Teaching Family Development for the Changing Family.

Abstract Family development is a critical concept in educating social worker practitioners. However, most existing models of family development are primarily based on a traditional and linear course of development that often is not applicable to the experiences of contemporary family systems. This paper describes an alternative framework for understanding family development and processes that recognizes that stages of development may be renegotiated as families grow, change, and redefine themselves. Also presented is a consideration of the implications of using such a framework for both the teaching and practice of social work.
The Logic of the Anatomy of Revolution , with reference to the Netherlands Revolt

In what follows, I begin by asking a paradigmatic question to clarify some problems of definition (I). Next, Crane Brinton's Anatomy of Revolution is examined as a scientific definition of revolution (II). Its application to the Netherlands revolt concludes the essay (III). Many logical problems are oversimplified and some are ignored altogether. This is done to keep the lid down on several Pandora's boxes, notably those labelled methodology in the social sciences, language philosophy, and historical laws, about which a great deal, some of it relevant here, has been written already. At the same time, I am concerned with the complexity of the problems raised and with suggesting that the ways in which definitions of historical events can be used deserve as much attention as the definitions themselves.
Computer-guided design of a Cu(II) receptor and sensor

The computer program CAVEAT was used to design a linker structure to connect four imidazole 4-carboxamide groups in a distorted square planar arrangement optimal for binding Cu(II) ions. The resulting macrocyclic structure was prepared by the synthesis of a protected monomer followed by amide coupling reactions to form the cyclic tetramer. Binding to Cu(II) ion was evaluated using the inherent fluorescence of the receptor and its quenching upon binding to Cu(II) ion. Much higher concentrations of Zn(II), Co(II), and Ni(II) ions had little or no effect on the fluorescence and did not significantly compete with the fluorescence response to Cu(II) ions.
Introduction: Understanding and Dealing With Organizational Survey Nonresponse

A survey is a potentially powerful assessment, monitoring, and evaluation tool available to organizational scientists. To be effective, however, individuals must complete the survey and in the inev...
New submicron non-volatile memory modules for 16/32-bit devices

Development of new submicron non-volatile memory modules, including an EEPROM with unique programmable redundancy and a block erasable flash EEPROM, for 16-bit and 32-bit devices is reported. Optional process modules required for the non-volatile memories are developed for integration into the baseline logic process based on 0.65 mu double metal CMOS technology. >
Trajectory analysis of the campus serial rapist assumption

Importance Rape on college campuses has been addressed recently by a presidential proclamation, federal legislation, advocacy groups, and popular media. Many initiatives assume that most college men who perpetrate rape are serial rapists. The scientific foundation for this perspective is surprisingly limited. Objective To determine whether a group of serial rapists exists by identifying cohesive groups of young men, indicated by their trajectories of rape likelihood across high school and college. Design, Setting, and Participants Latent class growth analysis of the 2 largest longitudinal data sets of adolescent sexual violence on college campuses using 2 distinct groups of male college students. The first group was used for derivation modeling (n = 847; data collected from August 1990 through April 1995) and the second for validation modeling (n = 795; data collected from March 2008 through May 2011). Final data analyses were conducted from February 16, 2015, through February 20, 2015. Main Outcomes and Measures Rape perpetration assessed using the Sexual Experiences Survey. Results Across samples, 178 of 1642 participants (10.8%) reported having perpetrated at least 1 rape from 14 years of age through the end of college. A 3-trajectory model best fit both the derivation and validation data sets. Trajectories reflected low or time-limited (92.6% of participants), decreasing (5.3%), and increasing (2.1%) rape patterns. No consistently high trajectory was found. Most men who perpetrated a rape before college were classified in the decreasing trajectory. During college, the increasing trajectory included 14 men (15.2%) who reported having perpetrated a rape, the decreasing trajectory included 30 men (32.6%), and the low or time-limited included 48 men (52.2%). No participant in the low or time-limited trajectory reported perpetrating a rape during more than 1 period. Most men (67 [72.8%]) who committed college rape only perpetrated rape during 1 academic year. Conclusions and Relevance Although a small group of men perpetrated rape across multiple college years, they constituted a significant minority of those who committed college rape and did not compose the group at highest risk of perpetrating rape when entering college. Exclusive emphasis on serial predation to guide risk identification, judicial response, and rape-prevention programs is misguided. To deter college rape, prevention should be initiated before, and continue during, college. Child and adolescent health care professionals are well positioned to intervene during the early teenage years by informing parents about the early onset of nonconsensual sexual behavior.
Process-window sensitive full-chip inspection for design- to-silicon optimization in the sub-wavelength era

As lithographers continue to implement more exotic and complex Resolution Enhancement Techniques (RET) to push patterning further beyond the physical limits of optical lithography, full-chip brightfield inspections are be-coming increasingly valuable to help identify random and systematic defects that occur due to mask tolerance ex-cursions, OPC inaccuracies, RET design errors, or unmanufacturable layout configurations. PWQ, or Process Window Qualification, is a KLA-Tencor product* using brightfield imaging inspection technology that has been developed to address the need for rapid full-chip process window verification. PWQ is currently implemented at IBM"s 300mm facility and is being used to isolate features that repeatedly fail as a function of exposure dose and focus errors. We will demonstrate how PWQ results have assisted in: 1) qualification of reticles and new OPC models; 2) identification of non-obvious lithographic features that limit common process windows; 3) providing input for long-term design for manufacturability (DfM), OPC, and/or RET modeling. PWQ allows full or partial chips to be scanned in far less time than a multi-point common process window collected on a SEM. PWQ findings supplement these traditional analysis methods by encompassing all features on a chip, providing more detail on where the process window truly lies. Examples of marginal features that were detected by PWQ methods and their subsequent actions will be discussed in this paper for an advanced 65nm and a 90nm CMOS process.© (2005) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Pitt at TREC 2005: HARD and Enterprise

The University of Pittsburgh team participated in two tracks for TREC 2005: the High Accuracy Retrieval from Documents (HARD) track and the Enterprise Retrieval track. The goal of Pitt’s HARD study in TREC 2005 was to examine the effectiveness of applying Self Organizing Maps (SOM) as a visual presentation tool and as a clustering tool in the context of HARD tasks, especially its role in clarification form generation. Our experiment results demonstrate that SOM can be used as a clustering tool to generate terms for query expansion based on interactive relevance feedback. It produced significant improvement over the baseline when measured by R-Prec. However, its effectiveness of being a visualization tool for users to make relevance feedback still needs careful examination and further studies. Our goal in this year’s enterprise search track was to study the effect of query expansion based on an expansion corpus in retrieving emails from an email corpus. The expansion corpus consisted of the WWW, People and ESW sub-collections of the W3C test collection. The results indicate that query expansion based on the expansion corpus can achieve significant improvement over the no expansion baselines. However, there is no significant difference to the simpler query expansion approach using blind relevance feedback. Interestingly the terms used in these two query expansion approaches are different, with averagely only 6 term overlap among 20 possible terms. Further study is needed for examining the effect of combining these two approaches.
A Postulated Role of the Near Amino-terminal Domain of the Ryanodine Receptor in the Regulation of the Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Ca2+ Channel *

To test the hypothesis that interactions among several putative domains of the ryanodine receptor (RyR) are involved in the regulation of its Ca2+ release channel, we synthesized several peptides corresponding to selected NH2-terminal regions of the RyR. We then examined their effects on ryanodine binding and Ca2+ release activities of the sarcoplasmic reticulum isolated from skeletal and cardiac muscle. Peptides 1–2s, 1–2c, and 1 enhanced ryanodine binding to cardiac RyR and induced a rapid Ca2+ release from cardiac SR in a dose-dependent manner. The order of the potency for the activation of the Ca2+ release channel was 1–2c > 1 > 1–2s. Interestingly, these peptides produced significant activation of the cardiac RyR at near zero or subactivating [Ca2+], indicating that the peptides enhanced the Ca2+ sensitivity of the channel. Peptides 1–2c, 1–2s, and 1 had virtually no effect on skeletal RyR, although occasional and variable extents of activation were observed in ryanodine binding assays performed at 36 °C. Peptide 3 affected neither cardiac nor skeletal RyR. We propose that domains 1 and 1–2 of the RyR, to which these activating peptides correspond, would interact with one or more other domains within the RyR (including presumably the Ca2+-binding domain) to regulate the Ca2+channel.
Bulimic Vomiting Alters Pain Tolerance and Mood

Bulimia, a disorder of episodic bulging and purging, remains without a known etiology. A case report is presented of a patient who attributed bulimic episodes to efforts at inducing euphoria. Experimental pain tolerance was increased by bulimic vomiting, blocked by naloxone, but not by saline. Vomiting was also associated with falls in depression and anxiety. Plasma ACTH and Cortisol, putative markers for β-endorphin, also rose following vomiting. It is hypothesized that in some bulimics, the disorder arises by virtue of an addiction to one's own internally released endogenous opioid peptides.
ADENYLATE KINASE AS A VIRULENCE FACTOR OF PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA

Adenylate kinase (AK; ATP:AMP phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.4.3) is a ubiquitous enzyme that contributes to the homeostasis of adenine nucleotides in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. AK catalyzes the reversible reaction Mg · ATP + AMP ↔ Mg · ADP + ADP. In this study we show that AK secreted by the pathogenic strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa appears to play an important role in macrophage cell death. We purified and characterized AK from the growth medium of a cystic fibrosis isolate strain of P. aeruginosa 8821 and hyperproduced it as a fusion protein with glutathione S-transferase. We demonstrated enhanced macrophage cell death in the presence of both the secreted and recombinant purified AK and its substrates AMP plus ATP or ADP. These data suggested that AK converts its substrates to a mixture of AMP, ADP, and ATP, which are potentially more cytotoxic than ATP alone. In addition, we observed increased macrophage killing in the presence of AK and ATP alone. Since the presence of ATPase activity on the macrophages was confirmed in the present work, external macrophage-effluxed ATP is converted to ADP, which in turn can be transformed by AK into a cytotoxic mixture of three adenine nucleotides. Evidence is presented in this study that secreted AK was detected in macrophages during infection with P. aeruginosa. Thus, the possible role of secreted AK as a virulence factor is in producing and keeping an intact pool of toxic mixtures of AMP, ADP, and ATP, which allows P. aeruginosa to exert its full virulence.
Bartonella henselae, B. quintana, and B. bacilliformis: historical pathogens of emerging significance

Bartonella species were virtually unrecognized as modern pathogens of humans until the last decade. However, identification of Bartonella species as the agents of cat-scratch disease, bacillary angiomatosis, urban trench fever, and possible novel presentations of Carrion's disease has left little doubt of the emerging medical importance of this genus of organisms. The three primary human pathogenic bartonellae, Bartonella bacilliformis (Carrion's disease), B. henselae (cat-scratch disease), and B. quintana (trench fever), present noteworthy comparisons in the epidemiology, natural history, pathology, and host-microbe interaction that this review will briefly explore.
CAD-based security, cryptography, and digital rights management

Manufacturing variability is inherent to many silicon and nano-scale technologies and can be manifested in many different ways and modalities (e.g. power and delay). We propose a flow that starts with gate-level integrated circuit (IC) characterization which results in unique identification (ID). The ID's are an integrated part of the design functionality and software and provide a basis for conceptually new CAD-based security protocols. As an examples, we present a new IC metering schemes that ensure very low overhead and digital right management in horizontally integrated IC market. Therefore, after many years of CAD importing and benefiting from many other areas such as numerical analysis, theoretical CS, VLSI design, computer architectures, and compilers, CAD has its historical chance to impact many fields of computer science and engineering through manufacturing variability-based security and right management.
Capacity-achieving feedback scheme for Markov channels with channel state information

This paper proposes a capacity-achieving feedback communication scheme for finite-state Markov channels (FSMC) with channel state information (CSI). This scheme considerably reduces coding complexity, shortens coding delay, and has a doubly exponential reliability function.
Sleep The final frontier

All of us appreciate a good night’s sleep. In fact, we often take for granted that each night we will experience natural, restorative sleep. Unfortunately, restorative sleep is like the Holy Grail for many adults. Their lives are punctuated with insomnia and its attendant sequelae such as daytime fatigue, poor performance in the workplace, and a constellation of physical ailments. Drug therapy provides the only hope for attaining any semblance of a healthy, normal life for many of these individuals. In stark contrast, sleep problems in children are frequently overlooked. Although parents are often anxious about their children’s sleeping habits, they seldom bring these concerns to the attention of their child’s pediatrician. When they do, it is generally in the midst of a crisis such as poor school performance, the expression of antisocial behavior, or, more commonly, because of the impact of the child’s sleep problem on parental job performance or parental marital relations. Under these circumstances a quick remedy is often indicated but, at present, none is available. To these families, we in the medical profession offer the wisdom of experience, such as “it’s normal” or “it’s just a stage he/she is going through.” These homilies are meant to reassure, but they rarely provide relief. Sleep presents a special challenge for children with neurologic injuries, pervasive developmental disorders, chronic pain, or blindness. Medication is often prescribed for these patients to offer both the children and their caregivers some relief. Because no drugs are currently labeled for the treatment of sleep problems in children, those afflicted are given drugs prescribed for other pediatric problems that include drowsiness among their adverse effects. These drugs are usually prescribed with reluctance and, in some cases, trepidation. These children are exposed to drugs that they do not need in the hope that they will experience a side effect that will provide relief. In the end, the sleep problem goes unabated. The depth and extent of this problem is beginning to be appreciated. Emerging data suggest that sleep problems affect 10% to 45% of preschooland schoolaged children. Moreover, several hundred thousand prescriptions are written each year for drugs targeting sleep problems in this patient population. Nevertheless, when a US Food and Drug Administration advisory committee met in 1999 to consider drug therapy for the treatment of sleep problems in children,
Bioinformatic profiling of the transcriptional response of adult rat cardiomyocytes to distinct fatty acids

Diabetes mellitus, obesity, and dyslipidemia increase risk for cardiovascular disease, and expose the heart to high plasma fatty acid (FA) levels. Recent studies suggestthat distinct FA species are cardiotoxic (e.g., palmitate), while others are cardioprotective (e.g., oleate), although the molecular mechanisms mediating these observations are unclear. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the differential effects of distinct FA species (varying carbon length and degree of saturation) on adult rat cardiomyocyte (ARC) gene expression.ARCs were initialy challenged with 0.4 mM octanoate (8:0), palmitate (16:0), stearate (18:0), oleate (18:1), or linoleate (18:2) for 24 h. Microarray analysis revealed differential regulation of gene expression by the distinct FAs; the order regarding the number of genes whose expression was influenced by a specific FA was octanoate (1,188) > stearate (740) > palmitate (590) > oleate (83) > linoleate (65). In general, cardioprotective FAs (e.g., oleate) increased expression of genes promoting FA oxidation to a greater extent than cardiotoxic FAs (e.g., palmitate), whereas the latter induced markers of endoplasmic reticulum and oxidative stress. Subsequent RT-PCR analysis revealed distinct time- and concentration-dependent effects of these FA species, in a gene-specific manner. For example, stearate- and palmitate-mediated ucp3 induction tended to be transient (i.e., initial high induction, followed by subsequent repression), whereas oleate-mediated induction was sustained. These findings may provide insight into why diets high in unsaturated FAs (e.g., oleate) are cardioprotective, whereas diets rich in saturated FAs (e.g., palmitate) are not.
The timing of elective shoulder surgery after shoulder injection affects postoperative infection risk in Medicare patients

Background The goal of this study was to employ a national database to evaluate the association of preoperative injection before shoulder arthroscopy and arthroplasty with the incidence of postoperative infection. Methods A national database of Medicare patients was queried for patients who underwent shoulder arthroscopy or arthroplasty after ipsilateral shoulder injection. Three arthroscopy cohorts were created: arthroscopy within 3 months of injection (n = 3625), arthroscopy between 3 and 12 months after injection (n = 7069), and matched control arthroscopy without prior injection (n = 186,678). Three arthroplasty cohorts were created: arthroplasty within 3 months of injection (n = 636), arthroplasty between 3 and 12 months after injection (n = 1573), and matched control arthroplasty (n = 6211). Infection rates within 3 and 6 months postoperatively were assessed. Results The incidence of infection after arthroscopy at 3 months (0.7%; odds ratio [OR], 2.2; P < .0001) and 6 months (1.1%; OR, 1.6; P = .003) was significantly higher in patients who underwent injection within 3 months before arthroscopy compared with controls. The incidence of infection after arthroplasty at 3 months (3.0%; OR, 2.0; P = .007) and 6 months (4.6%; OR, 2.0; P = .001) was significantly higher in patients who underwent injection within 3 months before arthroplasty compared with controls. Conclusions There was a significant increase in postoperative infection in Medicare patients who underwent injection within 3 months before shoulder arthroscopy and arthroplasty. This association was not noted when shoulder arthroscopy or arthroplasty occurred >3 months after injection.
Adolescents and animal research: stable attitudes or ephemeral opinions?:

This study examines the relative stability of adolescent attitudes towards animal research, using data from the Longitudinal Study of American Youth (LSAY). The majority of adolescents were found to have either uncertain or unstable attitudes towards animal research. Five groups of students were studied: consistent supporters of animal research, consistent opponents of animal research, those who were uncertain about their position, those who moved from support to opposition, and those who moved from opposition to support. The greatest distinguishing feature between opponents and supporters of animal research was gender. Opponents of animal research were predominantly female, while supporters were predominantly male. The study also examined the relationship between attitudes towards animal research and science achievement, science course enrolment, parent education, environmental interest, and feminism.
A Filtering Mechanism to Reduce Network Bandwidth Utilization of Transaction Execution

Hardware Transactional Memory (HTM) relies heavily on the on-chip network for intertransaction communication. However, the network bandwidth utilization of transactions has been largely neglected in HTM designs. In this work, we propose a cost model to analyze network bandwidth in transaction execution. The cost model identifies a set of key factors that can be optimized through system design to reduce the communication cost of HTM. Based on the model and network traffic characterization of a representative HTM design, we identify a huge source of superfluous traffic due to failed requests in transaction conflicts. As observed in a spectrum of workloads, 39p of the transactional requests fail due to conflicts, which renders 58p of the transactional network traffic futile. To combat this pathology, a novel in-network filtering mechanism is proposed. The on-chip router is augmented to predict conflicts among transactions and proactively filter out those requests that have a high probability to fail. Experimental results show the proposed mechanism reduces total network traffic by 24p on average for a set of high-contention TM applications, thereby reducing energy consumption by an average of 24p. Meanwhile, the contention in the coherence directory is reduced by 68p, on average. These improvements are achieved with only 5p area added to a conventional on-chip router design.
Effect of Equivalence Ratio on Partitioning of Nitrogen during Biomass Gasification

Gasification of biomass can produce process heat, electricity, liquid fuels, and chemicals without use of fossil fuels. Utilization of biomass and waste products for energy and fuels enables use of...
Increase in Prostaglandins during Converting Enzyme Inhibition

Summary 1. Because changes in the plasma concentration of angiotensin I1 and bradykinin appear inadequate to account completely for the hypotensive response to captopril, we measured changes in plasma prostaglandins in response to increasing doses of captopril in nine supine normal male subjects studied on both a high (200 mol/l) and low (10 mol/l) sodium intake. 2. On both the high and low sodium diets, captopril induced significant (P < 0-01) increments in the 13,14-dihydro- 15-keto metabolite of the vasodilatory prostaglandin E,, which correlated significantly with the fall in blood pressure (P < 0.0001). 3. No significant changes were noted in the plasma levels of 6-keto-prostaglandins F,, or thromboxane B,, the stable products of prostacyclin and thromboxane A, respectively.
OBSERVATIONS ON THE USE OF AVIDIN IN BACTERIOLOGICAL MEDIA.

SummaryData were presented on the quantitative release of biotin from avidinbiotin complexes formed under several conditions. The presence of various ions was found to interfere with the binding and release of biotin.
Frequency-Mapped Focus-Free F-BASIS 3D Microscopy

F-BASIS 3D microscopy employs acousto-optically synthesized Doppler-encoded non-redundant interfering beam arrays, RF detection, and self-calibration to measure dense Fourier sample clouds simultaneously, enabling high-speed diffraction-limited volume imaging.
Adaptation, rationality, and advancement: ethnic Albanian organized crime in New York City

The objective of this research is to understand the expansion and advancement of ethnic Albanian organized crime groups in New York City. Many European law enforcement agencies have depicted Albanian organized crime groups as dangerous due to their ability to overcome obstacles, their propensity to use violence, and also because they have progressed from simple service providers to working within the highest echelons of international organized crime. This research examines whether Albanian organized crime groups in New York City have developed more stable structures through the strategic acquisition of information. The article tries to answer: Do Albanian organized crime groups in New York have a long-term strategy for advancement? Are they more risk-seeking and irrational than other organized crime offenders, or are they more risk-averse and rational? Are they malleable learning organizations? This study takes both a thematic and chronological approach, and examines the process of change across four key areas (structure of the criminal organizations; criminal activities; violence; and infiltration and corruption) and over three time periods (1975–1991; 1992–2002; 2003–2014). The conclusions are based on content analysis of court files and official government documents as well as interviews with law enforcement officials and Albanian organized crime offenders, inside and outside of U.S. Federal Prisons.
Holistic Products: Designing With Time, Gifts, and Ritual

By Jeremy Zietz As submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University Major Director: Heath Matysek­Snyder The notion of “you are what you buy” is an updated adage from “you are what you eat”. It makes a connection between our everyday objects and their effect on our lived experience. Looking at our relationships with our things as a type of contract, we must be intentional to shape these object contracts for our own good and health. Instead of our society’s design talents being put toward a consumerist agenda, designers must direct research and development which addresses the effects of our products holistically. Various concepts have emerged in my creative practice which demand a deeper research and development. These are concepts of little interest to the corporate product developer, as they appeal to agendas beyond profit. Just as the slow food movement responds to fast food and “Big Ag”, the concepts of time, gifts, ritual emerge as virtues which demand
Viral infection in community-acquired pneumonia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

The advent of PCR has improved the identification of viruses in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Several studies have used PCR to establish the importance of viruses in the aetiology of CAP.We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the studies that reported the proportion of viral infection detected via PCR in patients with CAP. We excluded studies with paediatric populations. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with viral infection. The secondary outcome was short-term mortality.Our review included 31 studies. Most obtained PCR via nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal swab. The pooled proportion of patients with viral infection was 24.5% (95% CI 21.5-27.5%). In studies that obtained lower respiratory samples in >50% of patients, the proportion was 44.2% (95% CI 35.1-53.3%). The odds of death were higher in patients with dual bacterial and viral infection (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.32-3.31).Viral infection is present in a high proportion of patients with CAP. The true proportion of viral infection is probably underestimated because of negative test results from nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal swab PCR. There is increased mortality in patients with dual bacterial and viral infection.
An analysis of the readability and cultural sensitivity of information on the National Cancer Institute's Web site: CancerNet.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To ascertain the level of reading skills required by lay people who access patient-related cancer information through CancerNet, the Web site of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and to assess the cultural sensitivity of the information targeted to certain ethnic groups. DESIGN: Descriptive study, repeated measures. SETTING: NCI's CancerNet Web site (http://cancernet.nci.nih.gov). SAMPLE: A convenience sample of 49 documents from the CancerNet Web site was analyzed. METHODS: The readability of each document was analyzed using the Flesch-Kincaid readability formula. Using Bloch's Ethnic/Cultural Assessment Tool as a guide, a content analysis of the ethnic-related documents was performed to determine the cultural sensitivity of the information. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: Readability and cultural sensitivity of the written cancer information. FINDINGS: The overall mean reading level was 12th grade. Little variation existed in the cultural content of the information even though several ethnic groups were targeted. CONCLUSION: Information on CancerNet needs to be modified to meet the information needs of people with low reading skills and to make the information more culturally sensitive for various ethnic groups. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: Finding successful methods for educating patients and families is a primary responsibility of oncology nurses. Information can play a vital role in helping patients to engage in self-care behavior. Therefore, nurses must be knowledgeable about the readability, usefulness, and cultural-sensitivity of information on cancer Web sites so that they can guide patients to appropriate Internet resources.
Chromosome-End Knockoff Strategy to Reshape Alkaloid Profiles of a Fungal Endophyte

Molecular genetic techniques to precisely eliminate genes in asexual filamentous fungi require the introduction of a marker gene into the target genome. We developed a novel strategy to eliminate genes or gene clusters located in subterminal regions of chromosomes, and then eliminate the marker gene and vector backbone used in the transformation procedure. Because many toxin gene clusters are subterminal, this method is particularly suited to generating nontoxic fungal strains. We tested this technique on Epichloe coenophiala, a seed-transmissible symbiotic fungus (endophyte) of the important forage grass, tall fescue (Lolium arundinaceum). The endophyte is necessary for maximal productivity and sustainability of this grass but can produce ergot alkaloids such as ergovaline, which are toxic to livestock. The genome sequence of E. coenophiala strain e19 revealed two paralogous ergot alkaloid biosynthesis gene clusters, designated EAS1 and EAS2. EAS1 was apparently subterminal, and the lpsB copy in EAS2 had a frame-shift mutation. We designed a vector with a fungal-active hygromycin phosphotransferase gene (hph), an lpsA1 gene fragment for homologous recombination at the telomere-distal end of EAS1, and a telomere repeat array positioned to drive spontaneous loss of hph and other vector sequences, and to stabilize the new chromosome end. We transformed E. coenophiala with this vector, then selected “knockoff” endophyte strains, confirmed by genome sequencing to lack 162 kb of a chromosome end including most of EAS1, and also to lack vector sequences. These ∆EAS1 knockoff strains produced no detectable ergovaline, whereas complementation with functional lpsB restored ergovaline production.
The Intergenerational Transmission of Union Instability in Early Adulthood

Research on the intergenerational transmission of divorce should be expanded to incorporate disrupted nonmarital cohabitations. This study (a) examined the transmission of union instability from parents to offspring using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, (b) replaced binary variables (divorced vs. nondivorced) typically used in this literature with count variables (number of disrupted unions), (c) relied on independent sources for data on parents' and offspring's union disruptions to minimize same-source bias, (d) assessed the mediating role of theoretically derived variables (many not previously considered in this literature), and (e) incorporated information on discord in intact parental unions. Parent and offspring union disruptions were positively linked, with each parental disruption associated with a 16% increase in the number of offspring disruptions, net of controls. The mediators collectively accounted for 44% of the estimated intergenerational effect. Parent discord in intact unions was associated with more offspring disruptions.
Relationship between Subjective Tinnitus Perception and Psychiatric Discomfort.

Introduction: tinnitus patients have higher risk of developing anxiety-depressive disorders and decreased quality of life. The reasons why selected patients are able to cope with chronic tinnitus, whereas it represents a disabling symptom for others remain under discussion. Objectives: the objective of the study was to determine the tinnitus-related degree of distress along with the prevalence of anxiety-depression disorders in a sample of eighty patients referring for chronic tinnitus at the Department of Otolaryngology of Catholic University of Rome from March to September 2015. Materials and Methods: we administered to all patients the Italian versions of Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Furthermore we investigated the correlation between patient’s discomfort, severity of hearing loss and age. Results: average THI score was 40.85, meaning “moderate” degree of discomfort; 57.5% of the patients showed HADS scores consistent with high risk of psychiatric comorbidities. A significant linear correlation between THI and HADS scores was demonstrated. Conclusion: we suggest that patients with severe tinnitus-related distress are routinely invited to accomplish psychometric questionnaires, to assess the possibility of a neuropsychiatric evaluation and/or specific pharmacological planning. At this purpose we recommend the administration of HADS, as a reliable and quick instrument.
East West Partners: Sustainability Strategy in Real Estate Development and Ski Resorts

This is a minicase, one of 10 in a set of short cases written to illustrate the business benefits companies realize through adopting sustainable business strategies. This minicase describes the creative and innovative ways sustainability goals were integrated into a development project called Northstar Tahoe, creating a model for real estate and ski resort design to protect community and environmental interests while contributing to the company's business success and brand recognition.
Meet the primordial asteroid family

One of the major goals of planetary science is to understand the formation of all the bodies within our solar system, including the nearly one million known asteroids. There are two main competing theories (see the figure). The first and classical theory suggests that these bodies formed incrementally, starting as dust grains and accumulating bit by bit until they reached their final size. The second and more recent theory ( 1 , 2 ) suggests that these bodies formed almost instantly through the gravitational collapse of clusters of pebble-sized material in the protoplanetary disk into single bodies hundreds or thousands of kilometers in diameter. This method skips the meter-to-kilometer intermediate size range that has been problematic to quantify with the classical method. On page 1026 of this issue, Delbo' et al. ( 3 ) find compelling observational evidence that when the asteroids formed, they were initially of large size, thus favoring the second model.
A SDS/Page/Western Blot/EIA Protocol for the Specific Detection of Shrimp Viral Pathogens

Shrimp viral diseases have seriously impacted the sustainability and economic success of the shrimp aquaculture industry worldwide. Among several of the recent viral pathogens which caused massive mortalities in cultured shrimp were the yellow-head virus (YHV) and the white spot baculovirus (WSBV) (also called the Chinese baculovirus [CBV] or the systemic ectodermal and mesodermal baculovirus [SEMBV]). Both YHV and CBV have been reported by our laboratory to be highly pathogenic for Penaeus stylirostris (blue shrimp) and P. vannamei (white shrimp), the two principal penaeid species commercially cultured in Hawaii and the Western Hemisphere (Lu et al. 1997). They are thus potentially a serious problem particularly to the brood stock industry.
ERCC1 as a prognostic factor for survival in patients with advanced urothelial cancer treated with platinum based chemotherapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Background The predictive role of excision repair cross-complementing group 1 (ERCC1) as a predictive factor in patients with advanced urothelial cancer (AUC) treated with platinum-based treatment is not well defined. Here, we evaluate the role of ERCC1 in patients with AUC treated with platinum-based treatment. Methods We performed comprehensive, systematic computerized search to identify relevant studies through Medline, Embase, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (CCTR) databases and abstracts from American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and ASCO Genitourinary Cancers Symposium, European Society For Medical Oncology (ESMO) and European Association of Urology (EAU) meeting up to July 2015. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed. Results We included a total of 1475 patients from 13 studies. We found that ERCC1 positivity was significantly associated with worse progression-free survival (pooled HR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.13–2.11, p = 0.006). There was no significant association with overall survival (pooled HR1.63, 95% CI: 0.93–2.88, p = 0.09) and disease-free survival (pooled HR: 1.092, 95% CI: 0.63–1.90, p = 0.75). Conclusion ERCC1 positivity might be a prognostic indicator for poorer survival outcomes among patients with AUC. ERCC1 positivity was trending to poorer OS but was statistically worse for PFS. Further large prospective studies are warranted as ERCC1 could be used as a predictive marker to direct treatment of patients with AUC.
Small molecule inhibition of stat3 enhances survival in mice with intracerebral melanoma

4873 Melanoma is a common and deadly tumor that upon metastasis to the brain, survival is less than one year. Development of new, effective therapies for metastatic melanoma that target novel pathways associated with the genesis of metastatic disease is a major unmet clinical need. Constitutive activation of STAT3 has been demonstrated in a variety of human malignancies, including melanoma. We have designed and synthesized a series of potential inhibitors of the JAK2/STAT3 pathway and identified a lead compound displaying high activity within in vivo models. In the study described here, we tested that in mouse models WP1066, a novel STAT3 pathway blockade agent, has marked in vitro and in vivo activity, even with metastasis to the brain, a site typically refractory to therapies. WP1066 achieved an IC50 of 1.6 μM, 2.3 μM, and 1.5 μM against the human melanoma cell line A375, murine melanoma cell line B16, and B16EGFRvIII, respectively. WP1066 suppressed the phosphorylation of JAK2 and phosphorylation (Tyr705) of STAT3 in all three melanoma cell lines. In addition, WP1066 decreased the level of c-Myc and survivin in melanoma cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Subcutaneous tumor growth of B16EGFRvIII and B16 in a syngeneic murine model in the C57BL/6J background was markedly inhibited by WP1066 compared to those in the vehicle control group (P
Development of a sensitive real-time PCR detection method for citrus tatter leaf virus

Citrus tatter leaf virus (CTLV) is a graft-transmissible capillovirus that causes the tatter leaf disease of citrus and bud union incompatibility between scion and trifoliate hybrid rootstocks which can result in serious economic losses. Although several CTLV detection protocols have been described, there is a need for a highly sensitive protocol that can be used in routine diagnostic tests for virus-free budwood certification programs. To address this need, a TaqMan® chemistry based real time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assay was developed to detect CTLV from citrus plants. The nucleotide sequence analysis based on full genomic sequences of eight CTLV isolates available from GenBank showed that 3′ region of the viral genome is more conserved among different CTLV isolates than the rest of the viral genome. A new set of primers and a TaqMan® probe were designed from a conserved 500 nt-long fragment at the 3′ end of the CTLV genome for the detection of CTLV by RT-qPCR. The newly designed primers for CTLV RT-qPCR assay had ca. 98.6% amplification efficiency and showed 100% CTLV detection rate when they were tested for previously known CTLV-positive trees infected with different CTLV isolates. The sequencing of 132 bp-long RT-qPCR amplicon followed by BLASTn search showed that it had 94% to 98% sequence identity to those of various CTLV isolates available in GenBank, confirming the specificity of the assay to reliably detect CTLV.