cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Potential pricing discrimination due to inaccessible web sites

Although tools and design guidelines exist to make web sites accessible, a majority of web sites continue to be inaccessible. When a web site offers special prices that are available only on the web site (not the physical store), and the web site itself is inaccessible, this can lead to discriminatory pricing, where people with disabilities could end up paying higher prices than people without disabilities who can access the web site and take advantage of the online-only prices. This research examined whether 10 of the top ecommerce web sites which offer online-only price specials are accessible. The results revealed that there were multiple categories of accessibility violations found on all of the evaluated web sites.
Oxidized Phospholipids Induce Phenotypic Switching of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells In Vivo and In Vitro

Atherosclerosis is a vascular disease characterized by lipid deposition and inflammation within the arterial wall. Oxidized phospholipids (oxPLs), such as 1-palmitoyl-2-arachidonoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphorylcholine (oxPAPC) and its constituents 1-palmytoyl-2-(5-oxovaleroyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POVPC) and 1-palmitoyl-2-glutaroyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (PGPC) are concentrated within atherosclerotic lesions and are known to be potent proinflammatory mediators. Phenotypic switching of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) plays a critical role in the development, progression, and end-stage clinical consequences of atherosclerosis, yet little is known regarding the effects of specific oxPLs on SMC phenotype. The present studies were focused on determining whether oxPLs regulate expression of SMC differentiation marker genes and the molecular mechanisms involved. Results showed that POVPC and PGPC induced profound suppression of smooth muscle (SM) alpha-actin and SM myosin heavy chain expression while simultaneously increasing expression of MCP-1, MCP-3, and cytolysin. OxPLs also induced nuclear translocation of Kruppel-like transcription factor 4 (KLF4), a known repressor of SMC marker genes. siRNA targeting of KLF4 nearly blocked POVPC-induced suppression of SMC marker genes, and myocardin. POVPC-induced repression of SMC marker genes was also significantly attenuated in KLF4 knockout SMCs. Taken together, these results suggest a novel role for oxPLs in phenotypic modulation of SMCs and indicate that these effects are dependent on the transcription factor, KLF4. These results may have important novel implications for the mechanisms by which oxPLs contribute to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.
Narcissism in collecting art and antiques.

This article was originally conceived as an examination of the psychological forces, both constructive and pathological, that take place in the world of collecting, evaluating, marketing, and restoring rare objects. Although this is made timely by the news being full of scandals surrounding auction houses, museum acquisitions, forgeries, and stolen property, I wondered about the value of a study of these issues for mental health professionals. To my delight (for the article anyway), these egomaniacal power struggles are easily transferable to everyday interactions with patients, colleagues, supervisors, and competitors. Our need to maintain a sense of uniqueness, and our vindictive struggle when it gets threatened invade every area of our lives. Having something desirable creates security and strength, while lacking or envying create gaping lacunae. This universal human attribute spans all societies and belief systems. Therefore, we all collect. We collect knowledge, we collect techniques, we collect honors and degrees, we collect clothes and shoes, we collect experiences, we even collect friends. There is nothing cheap or tawdry about feeling safe with what we can rely on as being ours, so while being more specifically directed toward art collecting, this paper can apply to multiple areas of human communication and how it can break down in the face of a threat to ego integrity. Collecting, as a sociopsychological phenomenon, is as old as the process of creativity. As soon as humans could conceptualize the idea of beauty, the acquisition of a beautiful object would guarantee present and future enjoyment, in the knowledge that it is always reachable, and that the experience of it is infinitely repeatable. On a primitive level, the fact that certain marsupials store food for the winter would perhaps demonstrate the instinctual need to provide for the future so as to afford the opportunity of eating even when food is not externally available. The main difference between this instinctual collecting and carnivorous attacks by predators lies in the concept of investment, future use. The lion
The bitter price of sweetness

A festering global health problem, the obesity epidemic can be explained by the simple concept of energy balance—that is, the equilibrium between caloric intake and energy expenditure. More complicated, however, are the precise factors that contribute to the sustained positive energy balance enjoyed by most Americans and spreading to other countries around the world. In addition to the obvious lifestyle choices, which include sedentary behavior and consumption of calorically dense foods, more subtle behavioral, biological, genetic, and nutritional factors are important determinants of obesity. For example, there is mounting evidence for the obesogenic effects of fructose, a nutritional sweetener identical to glucose in calories but sweeter and distinct in its metabolism. A recent paper by Luo and colleagues provides new insights into how dietary fructose influences appetite behaviors and the brain’s response to food cues. The study enrolled 24 healthy men and women who consumed 75 g of either fructose or glucose in a randomized, double-blind crossover study. After drink ingestion, the investigators presented pictures of tasty foods (pizza, cookies, candy) or non-food control images (baskets, buildings) to participants and used functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine activity in eight brain regions known to be responsive to food cues. The activity of several brain regions was higher after the fructose drink compared with glucose, as were appetite ratings. A fascinating element of the study was the food decision-making exercise in which participants were given a choice between immediate food rewards or delayed monetary compensation. Fructose intake appeared to shift the participants’ willingness to choose immediate food rewards over delayed monetary compensation. These new findings provide a compelling link between fructose consumption and obesity through effects on appetite and food-related behaviors. Plasma insulin levels differed greatly between the glucose-fed and fructose-fed subjects and likely account for at least part of the observed effects of glucose and fructose on the central nervous system. The presence of insulin receptors in key brain regions involved in appetite responses and reward supports this concept and provides a link between appetite regulation and hormonal responses to distinct monosaccharides. S. Luo et al ., Differential effects of fructose versus glucose on brain and appetitive responses to food cues and decisions for food rewards. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 10.1073/pnas.1503358112 (2015). [[Full Text]][1] [1]: http://www.pnas.org/lookup/pmid?view=long&pmid=25941364
Interior Point Implementations of Alternating Minimization Training

This paper presents an alternating minimization (AM) algorithm used in the training of radial basis function and linear regressor networks. The algorithm is a modification of a small-step interior point method used in solving primal linear programs. The algorithm has a convergence rate of O(√n L) iterations where n is a measure of the network size and L is a measure of the resulting solution's accuracy. Two results are presented that specify how aggressively the two steps of the AM may be pursued to ensure convergence of each step of the alternating minimization.
Contact wetting angle as a characterization technique for processing CdTe/CdS solar cells

The feasibility of measuring contact wetting angles to characterize processing induced changes to thin film semiconductors in CdTe/CdS solar cells is evaluated. The contact angles of water and formamide are used to determine the polar and dispersive surface energies of the thin films using two analysis methods. Changes in surface energies resulting from processing are correlated to changes in surface chemistry and structure detected by glancing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Surface energies are evaluated for sputtered In2O3:SnO2, chemical surface-deposited CdS, and physical vapor-deposited (PVD) CdTe thin films under as-deposited and treated conditions. Treatments include thermal anneal in air, argon, and CdCl2 ambient as well as surface etching. Indium tin oxide (ITO) and CdS films exhibit increased polar surface energy corresponding to enhanced crystallization of surfaces resulting from processing and increasing CdS growth temperature. Native oxidation of PVD CdTe (111)-oriented film surfaces occurs rapidly and is readily detected by changes in contact angle. Surface energies of PVD (111)-oriented CdTe stored under various humidities prior to processing are energetically similar due to native oxidation. The polar energy of CdTe surfaces is affected by the addition or removal of crystalline surface oxides during film processing. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Glomerular Effects of Age and APOL1

Two articles in this issue of JASN seek to identify structural weaknesses that render glomeruli liable to failure. Hodgin et al. [1][1] examine glomerular loss with aging and propose that a gradual reduction in the number of podocytes per unit glomerular volume reaches a point where it triggers
Longitudinal Analysis of Fibroblast Growth Factor Expression After Transplantation and Association With Severity of Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy

Background—Vascular smooth muscle cell growth factors are postulated to contribute to cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV). Few data quantitatively address the timing, location, or stimuli for growth factor expression and relationship to CAV. Methods and Results—Acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF) mRNA expression was determined in serial endomyocardial biopsies during the first year after transplantation. Patients with high levels of aFGF mRNA and elevations after the early posttransplant period had significantly more severe CAV than patients with low aFGF and no late elevations. Conclusions—Parenchymal aFGF expression varies between patients and in the same patient over time and correlates with development of CAV.
Innovative Methodologies for 21st Century Learning, Teaching and Assessment: A Convenience Sampling Investigation into the Use of Social Media Technologies in Higher Education.

The advent of the Web as a social technology has created opportunities for the creation of informal learning environments, which have potential for innovative methodologies in learning, teaching and assessment. However, as Wolfe (2001) admonishes, “contrary to the rhetoric of cheerleaders, the Web places greater demands on students than traditional modes of instruction” (pp. 2 – 3). The pedagogical potential of these high tech, e-skilling, multimedia digital technologies to revolutionize teaching, learning and assessment will only be realized if the underlying theoretical foundations are well articulated and supporting evidence is provided through well-designed empirical research studies. This paper contributes to these two prospects in two ways. First, it articulates the theoretical framework drawn from the work of luminaries in pedagogy that posits cooperative, social learning strategies, as potential methodologies for effective pedagogy. Second, it describes the results of a convenience sampling case study, which investigated the use of cutting-edge social media technologies, namely Google + Discussion Circles, (GDCs), to shed some light on how the use of these social media technologies supported teaching, learning and assessment activities for 2 nd year Bachelor of Education students at a university in Australia. The research found, inter alia, that when students were given the opportunity to learn using GDCs, the majority took advantage of the academic, social and structural dynamics created by these technologies in many ways that supported their learning, assessment activities and overall academic outcomes. The research-based evidence shows that the benefits included high participation rates, great levels of interpersonal interactions among participants, pedagogically rich posts in the GDC streams, metacognitive processing, peer mentoring, ambiguity tolerance, anxiety and motivation. There was also considerable student engagement, exploration of issues, elaboration of what was being discussed in the GDCs, evaluation and explanation, consistent with Bybee et al. (2006) 5E Instructional model for supporting and maximizing students’ learning. The evidence leads to the recommendation that pedagogues at universities and other institutions of higher education should explore opportunities for utilizing selected social media technologies in their pedagogical practices, because, if properly planned and implemented, these technologies appear to have potential so support effective learning, teaching and assessment in the 21 st century. Further research on this topic could also be very beneficial.
Genetic analysis of the soluble epoxide hydrolase gene, EPHX2, in subclinical cardiovascular disease in the Diabetes Heart Study

Epoxide hydrolase is involved in metabolism of vasoactive and anti-inflammatory epoxyeicosatrienoic acids to their corresponding diols. Consequently, epoxide hydrolase 2 (EPHX2) is a candidate cardiovascular disease (CVD) gene. We investigated EPHX2 for association with subclinical CVD in European American (EA) and African American (AA) families from the Diabetes Heart Study. The R287Q polymorphism was associated with carotid artery calcified plaque (CarCP) in EAs. Other EPHX2 polymorphisms were associated with coronary artery calcified plaque (CorCP), CarCP or carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT). Polymorphism rs7837347 was associated with all traits in the AAs (p=0.003, 0.001 and 0.017, respectively). Polymorphism rs7003694 displayed association with IMT (p=0.017) and, along with rs747276, a trend towards association with CorCP in diabetic EAs (p=0.057 and 0.080, respectively). These results provide additional evidence that EPHX2 contributes to the risk of subclinical CVD, although the true trait defining polymorphisms may not be identified and the effect size could be small.
GIS-based wind farm site selection using spatial multi-criteria analysis (SMCA): Evaluating the case for New York State

Abstract Twenty states plus the District of Columbia now have renewable portfolio standards (RPS) in place that requires a certain percentage of energy to come from renewable sources by a specific year. With renewable energy on the verge of massive growth, much research emphasis is put on enabling the implementation of these technologies. This paper presents a novel method of site selection for wind turbine farms in New York State, based on a spatial cost–revenue optimization. The algorithm used for this is built in ESRI ArcGIS Desktop 9.3.1 software and consists of three stages. The first stage excludes sites that are infeasible for wind turbine farms, based on land use and geological constraints. The second stage identifies the best feasible sites based on the expected net present value from four major cost and revenue categories that are spatially dependent: revenue from generated electricity, costs from access roads, power lines and land clearing. The third stage assesses the ecological impacts on bird and their habitats. The proposed spatial multi-criteria methodology is then implemented in New York State and the results were compared with the locations of existing wind turbine farms. The wind farm site selection tool presented in this paper provides insights into the most feasible sites for a large geographic area based on user inputs, and can assist the planning of wind developers, utilities, ISO's and State governments in attaining renewable portfolio standards.
Properties of VIP+ synapses in the suprachiasmatic nucleus highlight their role in circadian rhythm

Circadian rhythms coordinate cyclical behavioral and physiological changes in most organisms. In humans, this biological clock is located within the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamu...
Managing the Harm Reduction Plan

At this point in the harm reduction (HR) process, the clinician has completed a harm potential assessment, engaged the client in the HR approach, created a HR team, and the team and client have created and agreed upon an agreement to guide the HR process. The next step is to manage the plan over time and in the face of the inevitable difficulties that arise when managing a problem as complicated and as difficult as severe hoarding. This chapter describes the process of managing the HR plan, which depends largely on the ability of the clinician to engage and re-engage the client and other team members in managing the harm potential of the client. The chapter begins by describing guidelines for effective in-home visits. The primary objectives of in-home visits are to monitor harm potential, to monitor progress toward implementing the HR plan, particularly keeping HR environmental targets clear, and to work with the client to clear these targets when he has cluttered them. Effective in-home visits make this possible.
Characterization of Teleost Insulin Receptor Family Members: II. Developmental Expression of Insulin-like Growth Factor Type I Receptor Messenger RNAs in Rainbow Trout

Abstract The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system in teleosts consists of two ligands, IGF-I and IGF-II, multiple binding proteins, and high-affinity transmembrane receptors. There exists a large gap in our knowledge of the structure and expression of receptors mediating the biological effects of the IGFs in teleosts. For example, nucleotide sequence data other than those from the kinase domain, evidence of multiple genes, mRNA expression pattern and polyadenylation status in multiple tissues at different developmental stages, and quantitation of mRNA levels in multiple tissues are not known for any teleost. In the study described here, two rainbow trout IGF type I receptor cDNAs (rtIGFR Ia and rtIGFR Ib) were isolated by a 5′ rapid amplification of cDNA ends method and confirmed as separate genes by genomic Southern blot hybridization. The predicted amino acid sequences are 85% identical to each other in the tyrosine kinase domain. Both cDNAs are more homologous to mammalian IGF type I receptors than to insulin receptors. Reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction from total RNA using either oligo(dT) or random hexamers as primers resulted in a diminished ability to detect IGF receptor mRNAs when oligo(dT) was used, suggesting developmental and tissue-specific polyadenylation. The highest steady-state mRNA levels of rtIGFR Ia were found in juvenile gill and adult heart, while the highest levels of rtIGFR Ib were found in adult pyloric caeca, which also contained diffuse pancreatic and adipose tissue. The lowest steady-state mRNA levels of both rtIGFR Ia and rtIGFR Ib were found in juvenile heart, liver, muscle, and spleen, and adult liver. Significant differences in steady-state mRNA levels were also found between juveniles and adults. These results suggest a complex expression pattern of IGF type I receptor mRNAs in partial tetraploid fish.
Varicella-Zoster Virus Fails to Induce Immunoglobulin G Fc Receptors in Infected Human Cells

AbstractVaricella-zoster virus infection of human fibroblasts and human brain cells produces characteristic cytopathogenic effects and virus-specific antigens. Receptors for the Fc portion of immunoglobulin G, which have been noted on cells infected with other human herpesviruses, could not be detected either by hemadsorption of sensitized sheep erythrocytes or by binding of radiolabeled IgG. Herpes simplex virus-infected cells were positive under the same conditions.
Covariance adjustment of relative-risk estimates in matched studies

The matched-sample case-control study is widely used by epidemiologists to estimate the relative incidence of disease among persons exposed to different levels of one or more risk factors. An apparent limitation of such designs has been the necessity to control the effects of all potential confounding variables in the matching process. Conditional likelihood analyses based on the linear logistic equation enable one to model the effects of covariates while preserving the original matching. This paper reviews the logical basis for this methodology and illustrates its value by application to a case-control study of esophageal cancer.
Ultrafast spectroscopic signature of charge transfer between single-walled carbon nanotubes and C60.

The time scales for interfacial charge separation and recombination play crucial roles in determining efficiencies of excitonic photovoltaics. Near-infrared photons are harvested efficiently by semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) paired with appropriate electron acceptors, such as fullerenes (e.g., C60). However, little is known about crucial photochemical events that occur on femtosecond to nanosecond time scales at such heterojunctions. Here, we present transient absorbance measurements that utilize a distinct spectroscopic signature of charges within SWCNTs, the absorbance of a trion quasiparticle, to measure both the ultrafast photoinduced electron transfer time (τpet) and yield (ϕpet) in photoexcited SWCNT–C60 bilayer films. The rise time of the trion-induced absorbance enables the determination of the photoinduced electron transfer (PET) time of τpet ≤ 120 fs, while an experimentally determined trion absorbance cross section reveals the yield of charge transfer (ϕpet ≈ 38 ± 3%). T...
Why Some Get Sick

Abstract This paper reports factors that determine the susceptibility of individuals to bacterial, viral, and parasitic diseases and toxins, as well as their humoral and cell-mediated immune responses, Interactions of genotypes and environments are major factors in the allocation of resources to disease defense. These allocations are dynamic and vary throughout the life of an individual. Allocation of resources to defend against disease may occur at the expense of growth, feed conversion, or other factors. Furthermore, an individual cannot simultaneously have a strong defense against all disease agents. Virulence of infectious agents and host-pathogen relationships are also important factors in an individual's susceptibility. Since any individual's level of defense against a given agent is not constant, chance is also a factor, for exposure to a disease agent can occur when the individual's defense level is low or high.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis Induces Expansion of Foxp3 Positive CD4 T-cells with a Regulatory Profile in Tuberculin Non-sensitized Healthy Subjects: Implications for Effective Immunization against TB.

Objective: Infection by MTB or exposure to MTB constituents is associated with intense microbial stimulation of the immune system, through both antigenic and TLR components, and induction of a milieu that is rich in proinflammatory/ anti-inflammatory cytokines. Here, we addressed the basis of induced regulatory T-cell (iT-reg) expansion in response to MTB stimulation, in the absence of prior T cell antigen responsiveness. Methods: PBMC from HIV-1 un-infected TST negative and TST positive control subjects were stimulated by virulent MTB H37Rv lysate (L), a French press preparation of MTB that includes all bacterial components. Phenotype of MTB H37RvL induced iT-reg was assessed using immunostaining and flow cytometry. Functional capacity of iT-reg was assessed using 3H-Thymidine incorporation and IFNγ production of non-adherent T cells (NAC) in the presence or absence of iT-reg in corresponding culture supernatants in response to TCR stimulation. Realtime PCR was used to assess IDO and FoxP3 mRNA expression. Results: The capacity of MTB H37RvL to induce CD4+CD25hi+ Foxp3+ T-cells in PBMC from TST negative subjects was robust (p<0.001), and in fact comparable to induction of iT-reg in PBMC from TST positive subjects. MTB-induced CD4+CD25hi+ T-reg were TGFβ positive (p<0.05). Further, MTB H37RvL induced CD4+CD25hi+ Foxp3+ iT-reg suppressed 3H-Thymidine incorporation and IFNγ production of non-adherent T cells (NAC) in response to TCR stimulation. MTB H37RvL induction of iT-reg was significantly stronger (p<0.01) than that by TLR-2, TLR-4, TLR-9 ligands, or combination of all TLR ligands. MTB H37RvL inducted indoleamine 2,3- dideoxygenase (IDO) mRNA expression in monocytes (p<0.001), and co-culture with the IDO inhibitor, D-1MT, decreased frequencies of T-reg (p<0.05). Inhibition of TGFβ by siRNA reduced Foxp3 mRNA expression in CD4 T cells (p<0.05). Conclusion: Therefore, MTB and its components expand functional iT-reg in human mononuclear cells from MTB non-sensitized subjects. Also, MTB-induced iT-reg expansion depends on mononuclear phagocyte expression of both TGFβ and IDO.
Advanced CANDU reactors axial xenon oscillation controllability validation

Abstract Advanced CANDU reactor fuel channel assembly MCNP model with top, bottom, and four lattice sides reflecting boundaries is used to generate a conservative flat axial neutron flux distribution for the 135 Xe oscillation controllability analyses. Burnup-dependent neutron Fission Tally and 135 Xe axial profiles are calculated using the Monte Carlo burnup script MCOS. The controllability of the 135 Xe oscillations is validated by the MCOS-calculated xenon reactivity worth swings with respect to the mean. The validated upper bound of the xenon reactivity swing band of ±3 mk is well within the zone controller reactivity bank of ±7 mk.
Cascaded Injection-Locked 1.55-µm VCSELs for HighSpeed Transmission

We demonstrate high-speed laser transmitters with low-frequency components using a novel cascaded injection-locking scheme. Tailorable RF response with bandwidth about 52 GHz can be obtained by adjusting locking parameters of the two slave lasers independently.
Dynamics of Confined Glass-Forming Liquids Near Equilibrium Conditions

The influence of nanopore confinement on the glass transition and dynamics of glass-forming liquids is reviewed. Recent calorimetric measurements are discussed for small molecules, oligomers, and polymers confined to pores, including those having specific interactions with the pores walls, and results are placed in the context of previous work. The ability to extract information on the dynamics of nanopore-confined chains from changes in the polymerization kinetics and thermodynamics is also discussed. Of particular interest are changes in the dynamics for glass-forming liquids in nanconfined but near-equilibrium conformations.
New and Best Selling HR Video Programs

Legal Survival Skills for Managers (DVD) Performance Appraisal: Getting Results (DVD) The Power of Positive Discipline (DVD) Safe Hiring (DVD)
Some extensions to the Purdue Enterprise Reference Architecture (PERA): I. Explaining the Purdue architecture and the Purdue methodology using the axioms of engineering design

Abstract The initial development of the Purdue Enterprise Reference Architecture (PERA) and the Purdue Methodology (PM) was necessitated by the desires of the industry for guidance in the field of enterprise integration and the necessary application of modern information technology in that field. As such, the original version was written based on intuitive and engineering logic. This article verifies whether PERA and PM are good engineering design solutions on the basis of Suh's design axioms and a related set of Functional Requirements (FRs) and Design Parameters (DPs). This paper thus shows in this way that the structure of PERA, though developed intuitively, is inherently consistent and logical. In Suh's term, it is a good engineering design. The executability and simplicity of PERA are, therefore, further strengthened.
Marijuana Use, Recent Marijuana Initiation, and Progression to Marijuana Use Disorder Among Young Male and Female Adolescents Aged 12-14 Living in US Households

Marijuana initiation during adolescence, and early adolescence in particular, is associated with adverse health consequences. Our study used 2005-2014 data from the annual, cross-sectional National Survey on Drug Use and Health to study the prevalence and correlates of marijuana initiation, use, and marijuana use disorder (MUD; abuse or dependence) among 12- to 14-year olds living in civilian US households (n = 84 954). Examined correlates included age, sex, race/ethnicity, poverty status, metropolitan status, year of survey, depression, tobacco use, alcohol use, and fighting at school. Sex differences in the correlates of lifetime use and past year marijuana initiation were tested via interaction. Lifetime prevalence of marijuana use was 5.5%; 3.2% reported past year initiation. About 1 in 6 (16.8%) past year initiates progressed to MUD within 12 months of first use. Although men had higher prevalence of lifetime use than women, past year initiation did not differ by sex. On examining the sex*race/ethnic...
Detection of clouds in sky/cloud and aerial images using moment based texture segmentation

Unmanned aircraft flying beyond line of sight in uncontrolled airspace need to maintain adequate separation from local inclement weather patterns for regulatory compliance and operational safety. Although commercial solutions for ‘weather avoidance’ exist, they are tailored to manned aviation and as such either lack the accuracy or the size, weight, and power (SWaP) requirements of small Unmanned Aerial System (UAS). Detection and ranging to the cloud ceiling is a key component of weather avoidance. Proposed herein is a computer vision approach to cloud detection consisting of feature extraction and machine learning. Six image moments on local texture regions were extracted and fused within a classification algorithm for discrimination of cloud pixels. Three different popular classifiers were evaluated for efficacy. Two publicly available datasets of all-sky images were utilized for training and test datasets. The proposed approach was compared to five well-known thresholding techniques via quantitative analysis. Results indicate that our method consistently outperformed the popular thresholding methods across all tested images. Comparison between the classification techniques indicated random forests to possess the highest training accuracy, while multilayer perceptrons showed better prediction accuracy on the test dataset. Upon extending the method to realistic images including background clutter, the random forest classifier demonstrated the best training accuracy of 100% and the best prediction accuracy of 96%. Although computationally more expensive, the random forest classifier also produced the fewest number of false positives. A sensitivity analysis for window sizes is presented for robust validation of the chosen approach, which showed that detection accuracy improved in proportion to window size at the expense of computation time.
Beyond NTEE Codes: Opportunities to Understand Nonprofit Activity Through Mission Statement Content Coding:

There are profound differences within the nonprofit sector, and research benefits from the ability to group nonprofits by substantive focus. Researchers typically rely on the National Taxonomy of E...
Chronic myelogenous leukemia presenting with osteonecrosis of the jaw as a rare but debilitating toxicity of dasatinib: a case report and literature review

This report describes a case of osteonecrosis of the jaw developing after a routine dental extraction in a patient being treated with dasatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, for chronic myelogenous leukemia. As the role of tyrosine kinase inhibitors in cancer treatment expands, patterns of debilitating complications involving the osseous structures of the oral cavity have begun to emerge, and many long-term side effects of this promising therapy remain unknown. To limit the occurrence of known complications, health care providers and patients must be aware of the potential for serious complications of dasatinib, and appropriate protocols should be in place before administration of this medication.
Phase Behavior of Drug-Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose Amorphous Solid Dispersions Produced from Various Solvent Systems: Mechanistic Understanding of the Role of Polymer using Experimental and Theoretical Methods.

The vast majority of studies evaluating amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs) utilize solvent evaporation techniques as the preparation method. However, the impact of the solvent/cosolvent system properties on the polymer conformation and the phase behavior of the resultant drug/polymer blends is poorly understood. Herein, we investigate the influence of solvent properties on the phase behavior of ASDs containing itraconazole (ITZ) and hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC) prepared using spin coating from binary/ternary cosolvent systems containing alkyl alcohols, dichloromethane (DCM), and water. The compatibility of the polymer with the cosolvent system was probed using high-resolution imaging techniques supported by molecular dynamics simulations. Solvent evaporation and evaporation rate profiles were tracked gravimetrically to understand the impact of the solvent composition on the evaporation process. Short-chain alcohols, including methanol (MeOH) and ethanol (EtOH), were found to induce drug-polymer de...
Long-term Outcomes of Lifestyle Intervention to Prevent Diabetes in American Indian and Alaska Native Communities: The Special Diabetes Program for Indians Diabetes Prevention Program.

OBJECTIVE Evidence for long-term translational effectiveness of lifestyle interventions in minority populations is scarce. This article reports long-term outcomes, for up to 10 years, of such an intervention to prevent diabetes in American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS From January 2006 to July 2016, the Special Diabetes Program for Indians Diabetes Prevention Program implemented the Diabetes Prevention Program lifestyle intervention among 46 AI/AN health care programs. Enrolled participants underwent a thorough clinical assessment at baseline, after completing the Lifestyle Balance Curriculum (postcurriculum assessment), and annually thereafter. Proportional hazards regression was used to estimate the association between diabetes incidence and postcurriculum weight loss status. RESULTS Of 8,652 enrolled participants, 65% finished the postcurriculum assessment. The assessment completion rate diminished over time to 13% in year 10. Among those with postcurriculum weight measurements, 2,028 (36%) lost >5% of their initial weight, 978 (17%) lost 3–5%, whereas 2,604 (47%) had 5% weight loss had a 64% (95% CI 54–72) lower risk of developing diabetes during the first 6 years of follow-up, whereas those with 3–5% weight loss had 40% (95% CI 24–53) lower risk. CONCLUSIONS Moderate to small weight loss was associated with substantially reduced long-term risk of diabetes in diverse AI/AN communities. High participant attrition rates and nonoptimal postcurriculum weight loss are important challenges found in this translational effort implemented in an underserved population.
Inhibiting Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Dimerization and Signaling Through Targeted Delivery of a Juxtamembrane Domain Peptide Mimic.

Overexpression and deregulation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) are implicated in multiple human cancers and therefore are a focus for the development of therapeutics. Current strate...
Bupropion, Alone and in Combination with Naltrexone, Blunts Binge-Like Ethanol Drinking and Intake Following Chronic Intermittent Access to Ethanol in Male C57BL/6J Mice.

Background Regular binge drinking is associated with numerous adverse consequences, yet the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved only 4 medications for the treatment of alcohol use disorders, and none have been specifically targeted for treating binge drinking. Here, we assessed the effectiveness of the dopamine/norepinephrine re-uptake inhibitor, bupropion (BUP), alone and in combination with naltrexone (NAL), to reduce binge-like and chronic ethanol (EtOH) intake in mice. While BUP is an FDA-approved drug that is currently used to treat depression and nicotine dependence, there has been only limited investigation to assess the ability of BUP to reduce EtOH intake. Methods Male C57BL/6J mice were tested with 20% (v/v) EtOH using "drinking in the dark" (DID) procedures to model binge-like EtOH intake and following intermittent access to EtOH (IAE). In Experiment 1, mice were given intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of 0, 20, or 40 mg/kg BUP 30 minutes before DID testing; in Experiment 2, mice were given i.p. injection of vehicle, BUP (20 mg/kg), NAL (3 mg/kg), or BUP + NAL (20 and 3 mg/kg, respectively) 30 minutes before DID testing; and in Experiment 3, mice were given i.p. injection of 0, 20, 40, or 60 mg/kg BUP 30 minutes before EtOH access after mice had 16 weeks of IAE. Results BUP dose dependently blunted EtOH intake with DID procedures and after 16 weeks of IAE. Administration of subthreshold doses of BUP + NAL also reduced binge-like EtOH intake. Finally, BUP failed to reduce consumption of a 3% (w/v) sucrose solution. Conclusions BUP, alone and in combination with NAL, may represent a novel approach to treating binge EtOH intake. We are currently assessing the efficacy of BUP to curb binge drinking in a phase II clinical trial experiment.
Defining the word bullying: Inconsistencies and lack of clarity among current definitions

AbstractBullying is a label or word often considered a subset of aggressive behavior distinguished from other forms of aggression because it occurs repeatedly and involves individuals of unequal po...
Impact of Amyloid Polymorphism on Prion-Chaperone Interactions in Yeast.

Yeast prions are protein-based genetic elements found in the baker’s yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, most of which are amyloid aggregates that propagate by fragmentation and spreading of small, self-templating pieces called propagons. Fragmentation is carried out by molecular chaperones, specifically Hsp104, Hsp70, and Hsp40. Like other amyloid-forming proteins, amyloid-based yeast prions exhibit structural polymorphisms, termed “strains” in mammalian systems and “variants” in yeast, which demonstrate diverse phenotypes and chaperone requirements for propagation. Here, the known differential interactions between chaperone proteins and yeast prion variants are reviewed, specifically those of the yeast prions [PSI+], [RNQ+]/[PIN+], and [URE3]. For these prions, differences in variant-chaperone interactions (where known) with Hsp104, Hsp70s, Hsp40s, Sse1, and Hsp90 are summarized, as well as some interactions with chaperones of other species expressed in yeast. As amyloid structural differences greatly impact chaperone interactions, understanding and accounting for these variations may be crucial to the study of chaperones and both prion and non-prion amyloids.
Community Participation and Transition Outcomes in Youth with Spina Bifida and Other Chronic Health Conditions in an Urban Children’s Hospital Outpatient Clinic

Community participation and emerging adult transition outcomes are important to consider as they appear to have implications upon health outcomes and an individual’s ability to take on adult roles within society. To our knowledge, the relationship between community participation of CYSHCN (Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs) in relation to transition outcomes, particularly in the spina bifida population, is not well described. Participation in community activities is lower in transitioning youth with spina bifida compared to transitioning youth with other chronic health conditions; however, both groups show limited community participation. Community participation is associated with desired transition outcomes including an individual’s engagement in friendships, peer activities, and family activities, and an individual’s sense of independence. The present results suggest that community participation among youth with special health care needs is associated with desired transition outcomes and can contribute to improved quality of life.
Mass-transport properties of electrosprayed Pt/C catalyst layers for polymer-electrolyte fuel cells

Abstract Mass-transport properties of electrosprayed catalyst-layers based on Pt/C and ionomer (Nafion) are studied with hydrogen limiting-current technique, water-vapor-uptake, scanning transmission microscopy (STEM), single-cell testing, and impedance spectroscopy. The hydrogen limiting-current technique provides the transport resistance of the layers (RCLmt), which shows to be lower in electrosprayed layers compared with conventional layers, especially at very low platinum loadings (0.025 mgPt·cm−2) and low cell temperature, denoting superior mass-transport properties. Images of the distribution of Pt, F, and C elements reveal the ionomer preferentially interacting with the Pt nanoparticles. Water-vapor-uptake experiments show larger vapor absorption for electrosprayed than conventional catalyst layers. Such large water-vapor uptake capability is combined with superhydrophobicity, ie. very low interaction with water in liquid phase (wettability). Both apparently contradictory properties result from a particular configuration of the amphiphilic ionomer in the electrosprayed layers, and provide ideal conditions for high mass transport and ionic conductivity in a catalyst layer. Electrosprayed layers as cathode catalyst layers show peak response at a loading of 0.17 mgPt·cm−2 (18 μm layer thickness when using Pt/C 20 wt% catalyst) where they provide minimal mass-transport and polarization resistances.
Analysis of continence reflexes by dynamic urethral pressure recordings in a rat stress urinary incontinence model induced by multiple simulated birth traumas.

The present study evaluated real-time changes in urethral pressure during the storage phase using a rat model with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) induced by simulated multiple birth traumas and ...
Intervention Enhancing Effects of Acceptance and Commitment Training on Performance Feedback for Direct Support Professional Work Performance, Stress, and Job Satisfaction

Direct service professionals (DSPs) provide the majority of treatment to individuals with developmental disabilities in community and residential settings; however, their ability to implement high-quality care is often limited by workplace factors and stress. The present study examined the effect of a verbal and written performance feedback intervention and the addition of an acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)-based training program on the frequency and technical competence of active treatment provided by DSPs using a multiple-baseline design across 5 participants. Each participant demonstrated an increase in active treatment and technical performance following the implementation of both feedback-only and feedback plus ACT training interventions. Self-reported levels of psychological flexibility, workplace stress, and job satisfaction remained relatively stable for all participants from baseline to intervention despite the increased performance of the DSPs. Implications of the inclusion of an ACT-based training program with traditional behavior-analytic workplace interventions are discussed.
Roads Not Taken: Counterplans and Opportunity Costs.

Every decision involves forsaken alternatives. The true cost of any action consists of the sacrificed benefits of the best available alternative. This “opportunity cost” is of fundamental importanc...
Early postnatal ethanol exposure in mice induces sex-dependent memory impairment and reduction of hippocampal NMDA-R2B expression in adulthood

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy is particularly detrimental for the developing brain and may cause a broad spectrum of cognitive and behavioral impairments, collectively known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). While behavioral abnormalities and brain damage have been widely investigated in animal models of FASD, the sex differences in the vulnerability to perinatal ethanol exposure have received less consideration. Here we investigated the long-term behavioral and molecular effects of acute ethanol-binge like exposure during the early postnatal period (equivalent to the third trimester of human pregnancy) in adult male and female mice. CD1 mice received a single ethanol exposure on P7 and were analyzed starting from P60. We found that ethanol-exposed mice showed increased activity in the open field test and in the plus-maze test, regardless of the sex. Interestingly, only ethanol-exposed adult male mice exhibited memory impairment in the water maze and fear-conditioning tests. Remarkably, hippocampal levels of NMDA-R2B were reduced only in ethanol-exposed male, while total BDNF levels were increased in both male and female ethanol-exposed mice. Our data suggest a different susceptibility of early postnatal ethanol exposure in male and female CD1 mice.
Pilot study to test safety and efficacy of avelumab in small bowel adenocarcinoma (SBA).

797Background: SBA is rare and often grouped with, and treated like, large intestinal adenocarcinomas. However, SBA has a very different microenvironment and could respond differently to the same t...
Characterization of essential eggshell proteins from Aedes aegypti mosquitoes

Up to 40% of the world population now live in areas where dengue mosquito vectors coexist with humans. Aedes aegypti are vectors for zoonotic diseases that affect hundreds of millions of individuals per year globally. We recently identified the eggshell organizing factor 1 (EOF1) protein using systematic RNA interference (RNAi) screening of mosquito lineage-specific genes. It was shown that eggs deposited by RNAi-EOF1 A. aegypti and A. albopictus mosquitoes were non-melanized, fragile, and contained nonviable embryos. Motivated by this discovery, we performed RNAi screening of eggshell proteins to determine putative downstream target proteins of intracellular EOF1. We identified several eggshell proteins as essential for eggshell formation in A. aegypti and characterized their phenotypes in detail by molecular and biochemical approaches. We found that Nasrat, Closca, and Polehole structural proteins, together with the Nudel serine protease, are indispensable for eggshell melanization and egg viability. While all four proteins are predominantly expressed in ovaries of adult females, Nudel mRNA expression is highly upregulated in response to blood feeding. Furthermore, we identified four secreted eggshell enzymes as important factors for controlling the processes of mosquito eggshell formation and melanization. These enzymes included three dopachrome converting enzymes and one cysteine protease. All eight characterized eggshell proteins were required for intact eggshell formation. However, their surface topologies in response to RNAi did not phenocopy the effect of RNAi-EOF1. Still, it remains unclear how EOF1 influences eggshell formation and melanization. The use of proteomic analysis of eggshell proteins from RNAi-EOF1 assisted in the identification of additional proteins that could be regulated in EOF1 deficient eggshells.
Embracing Robustness and Reliability in the Science of Organizations

The science of organizations increases its credibility when it embraces research with an explicit focus on robustness and reliability. This special issue of curated commentaries recommends and illu...