cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Androgen Increases AT1a Receptor Expression in Abdominal Aortas to Promote Angiotensin II–Induced AAAs in Apolipoprotein E–Deficient Mice

Objective— Castration of male apolipoprotein E–deficient (apoE −/− ) mice reduces angiotensin II (Ang II)–induced abdominal aorta aneurysms (AAAs) to that of female mice. The purpose of this study was to determine whether this reduction is attributable to androgen-mediated regulation of aortic Ang II type 1A receptors (AT1aR). Methods and Results— AT1aR mRNA abundance in the AAA-prone region of abdominal aortas was 8-fold greater compared to thoracic aortas of male but not female mice. AT1aR mRNA abundance decreased after castration in abdominal but not thoracic aortas of male mice. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT, 0.16 mg/d) administration to castrated male mice restored AT1aR mRNA abundance in abdominal aortas but had no effect in thoracic aortas. DHT also increased AT1aR mRNA abundance in abdominal aortas from female mice. Castrated male or female apoE −/− mice were administered DHT during infusion of saline or Ang II (1000 ng/kg/min for 28 days). DHT administration did not alter serum cholesterol concentrations, lipoprotein distributions, or atherosclerotic lesion areas in either male or female mice. However, administration of DHT increased AAA incidence in male (27% placebo versus 75% DHT) and female mice (28% placebo versus 64% DHT). Conclusions— Androgen promotes AT1aR mRNA abundance in abdominal aortas associated with increased Ang II–induced AAAs.
When is Medical Prophylaxis Cost-effective for Recurrent Calcium Stones?

ABSTRACTPurpose: Medical management is generally recommended for recurrent calcium stones to prevent future episodes. However, in this era of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy and outpatient ureteroscopy it is not known whether medical prophylaxis is more cost-effective than treatment of recurrent stone episodes. The cost of medical prophylaxis was compared with the cost of clinically managing recurrent stone episodes, and the stone recurrence rate without prophylaxis (stone frequency) at which these 2 treatment approaches became cost equivalent was determined.Materials and Methods: An international cost survey was conducted in 10 countries to compare costs of medical prophylaxis and managing recurrent acute stone episodes. Costs of an acute stone episode included an emergency room visit, associated radiographic imaging to confirm diagnosis of a symptomatic stone and outpatient treatment of upper urinary tract stones that did not pass spontaneously. Costs of medical management included an initial limi...
Primary Ewing sarcoma of the kidney: a symptomatic presentation and review of the literature:

The objective of this review is to discuss the unique nature of primary renal Ewing sarcoma, including incidence, presentation and management. We also report on a common pattern of presentation, consisting of acute flank pain mimicking a renal stone colic, with or without hydronephrosis, and a renal mass discovered during imaging studies of renal Ewing sarcoma. We present our case of renal Ewing sarcoma along with imaging and pathological analysis. We also performed a retrospective review of all cases of renal Ewing sarcoma using PubMed. A total of 48 cases of renal EWS sarcoma have been reported and analyzed in this review. A mean age of 30.4 years was found along with a 61% male predominance. The mean survival was 26.14 months with a lower median survival in patients with advanced metastatic disease. Primary Ewing sarcoma of the kidney is rare. The diagnosis of primary renal EWS can be difficult and is based on a combination of electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry, chromosomal analysis, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and light microscopy.
Real-time detection of mesothelin in pancreatic cancer cell line supernatant using an acoustic wave immunosensor

Abstract Background : An acoustic wave immunosensor was developed to illustrate the viability of such devices in early detection of molecular cancer biomarkers. The methods described here involve a real-time, less invasive technique for detecting mesothelin, a protein that has been linked to pancreatic and ovarian cancer. Methods : Antibodies were immobilized on the gold surface of the device via a self-assembled alkanethiol monolayer. Supernatant from two different pancreatic cancer cell-lines (PL1 and CAPAN2) containing an unknown concentration of mesothelin was tested for the protein by a flow-through analytical technique in three types of experiments. Binding of the mesothelin to the immobilized antibody layer caused a shift in the device's resonant frequency, which was correlated to the concentration of supernatant. A reference sensor was used to correct for frequency shifts caused by pressure or viscosity effects from the injection of the supernatant solution. Results : Repeated experiments indicate that the sensors are capable of nanogram detection thresholds of mesothelin proteins at room temperature and in complex mixture. Conclusions : Acoustic wave device biosensors have the potential to become a valuable tool in screening for pancreatic as well as other types of cancers. The main features include real-time detection, high sensitivity, and ease of use.
Signal transduction pathways involved in lipopolysaccharide-induced production of PGE2 by human microvascular endothelial cells

Lipopolysaccharide induces the expression of prostaglandin H synthase-2 with subsequent production of PGE2 in human microvascular endothelial cells. In order to investigate the signaling pathways that are involved in the LPS-induced production of PGE2, the roles of several second messenger systems in this process were evaluated. Treatment of human microvascular endothelial cells with the tyrosine kinase inhibitors herbimycin A and genistein significantly inhibited LPS-mediated PGE2 production. Western blotting demonstrated that LPS induced the phosphorylation of p42, p44 and p38 MAP kinases. Both PD98059, an inhibitor of p42 and p44 MAP kinase activation, and SB203580, an inhibitor of p38 MAP kinase, blocked LPS-induced PGE2 production. Inhibition of PKC activity by staurosporine and GF109203X resulted in a potentiation of the LPS response. Treatment of the cells with SN50, an NF-κB inhibitor, resulted in inhibition of the LPS-mediated PGE2 production. These results suggest that LPS induces PGE2 productio...
Architectural implications for spatial object association algorithms

Spatial object association, also referred to as crossmatch of spatial datasets, is the problem of identifying and comparing objects in two or more datasets based on their positions in a common spatial coordinate system. In this work, we evaluate two crossmatch algorithms that are used for astronomical sky surveys, on the following database system architecture configurations: (1) Netezza Performance Server®, a parallel database system with active disk style processing capabilities, (2) MySQL Cluster, a high-throughput network database system, and (3) a hybrid configuration consisting of a collection of independent database system instances with data replication support. Our evaluation provides insights about how architectural characteristics of these systems affect the performance of the spatial crossmatch algorithms. We conducted our study using real use-case scenarios borrowed from a large-scale astronomy application known as the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST).
BEYOND HOME-HOST DICHOTOMIES: A COMPARATIVE EXAMINATION OF GENDER RELATIONS IN A TRANSNATIONAL MEXICAN COMMUNITY

Based on a qualitative study with women from a transnational Mexican community, the authors examine how women's perceptions of gender empowerment, adherence and practice of gender ideals, and the h...
Segmentation-Based Video Compression Using Texture and Motion Models

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in developing novel techniques for increasing the coding efficiency of video compression methods. One approach is to use texture and motion models of the content in a scene. Based on these models parts of the video frame are not coded or “skipped” by a classical motion compensated coder. The models are then used at the decoder to reconstruct the missing or skipped regions. In this paper, we describe several spatial-texture models for video coding. We investigate several texture features in combination with two segmentation strategies in order to detect texture regions in a video sequence. These detected areas are not encoded using motion compensated coding. The model parameters are sent to the decoder as side information. After the decoding process, frame reconstruction is done by inserting the skipped texture areas into the decoded frames. Using similar approach, we consider motion models based on human visual motion perception. We describe a motion classification model to separate foreground objects containing noticeable motion from the background. This motion model is then used in the encoder to again allow regions to be skipped and not coded using a motion compensated encoder. Our results indicate significant increase in terms of coding efficiency in comparison to the spatial texture-based methods. Finally, we discuss the effects and tradeoffs of these techniques based on perceptual experiments and show that in many cases the coding efficiency can be increased by up to 25% given a fixed perceptual quality.
Rapid Mission Architecture trade study of Enceladus mission concepts

At the request of the Satellites Panel of the National Research Council (NRC) Planetary Science Decadal Survey, a Rapid Mission Architecture (RMA) study of possible missions to Saturn's moon Enceladus was conducted at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in January and February of 2010. This was one of many studies commissioned by this NRC Decadal Survey. In this study, 15 Enceladus mission architectures were examined that spanned a broad range of potential science return and total estimated mission cost.
AN ASSESSMENT OF INTEGRATED CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS ON THE AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY OF EGYPT

This study used a quadratic programming sector model to assess the integrated impacts of climate change on the agricultural economy of Egypt. Results from a dynamic global food trade model were used to update the Egyptian sector model and included socio-economic trends and world market prices of agricultural goods. In addition, the impacts of climate change from three bio-physical sectors - water resources, crop yields, and land resources - were used as inputs to the economic model. The climate change scenarios generally had minor impacts on aggregated economic welfare (sum of Consumer and Producer Surplus or CPS), with the largest reduction of approximately 6 percent. In some climate change scenarios, CPS slightly improved or remained unchanged. These scenarios generally benefited consumers more than producers, as world market conditions reduced the revenue generating capacity of Egyptian agricultural exporters but decreased the costs of imports. Despite increased water availability and only moderate yield declines, several climate change scenarios showed producers being negatively affected by climate change. The analysis supported the hypothesis that smaller food importing countries are at a greater risk to climate change, and impacts could have as much to do with changes in world markets as with changes in local and regional biophysical systems and shifts in the national agricultural economy.
The Contract with America and Conditional Party Government in State Legislatures

This study tests two theories of legislative leadership by comparing the power of majority-party leaders in states where the Republican Party adopted a state-level version of “The Contract with America” in 1994, with that of leaders in states where no contract was adopted. Using a nationwide survey of legislators to rank power, the study finds that the lower house leaders in contract states were stronger in 1995, as were those from states in which the public was ideologically polarized along partisan lines. The results provide support for conditional party government theory while expanding our knowledge of state legislative politics.
The Pharmacologic Treatment of Intensive Care Unit Delirium A Systematic Review

Objective: To systematically evaluate the treatment of ICU delirium. Data Sources: Literature searches were conducted using PubMed and Ovid MEDLINE (January 1980 to March 2013). Clinical trials/reports evaluating the use of pharmacologic treatment for ICU delirium were selected. References from major guidelines and publications were reviewed. Study Selection and Data Extraction: English-language articles related to the treatment of ICU delirium were included. The following were excluded: (1) used pharmacologic treatment for the prevention of delirium; (2) inclusion of non–critically ill, palliative care, or hospice care patients; (3) letters to the editor; (4) case studies; (5) case series; (6) studies without delirium-related end points; and (7) studies with a predominantly postoperative population. Data extracted included: study design, population, treatment, number of participants, end points, outcomes/authors’ conclusions, and adverse effects. Data Synthesis: Four studies were included in this review....
A Conceptual Framework for a Core Program in Psychology.

This proposal is an extension and elaboration of a curriculum plan previously reported in this journal.
Gender and the Work-Family Interface: Exploring Differences Across the Family Life Course

This study examines gender differences in the work—family interface across six family life stages using a global sample of IBM employees in 79 countries (N = 41,813). Family life stage was constructed using the age of respondent and age of youngest child. Results revealed that having young children at home was the critical catalyst for gender differences in the work—family interface. The greatest gender differences were found in the central stages of life when children require more temporal and economic resources from their parents. When life stage was not considered, the first and last stages tended to offset each other, concealing major gender differences during the central stages of family life. These findings signify that life stage is an important concept to consider in research related to gender and the work— family interface. Implications to the development of work policies attentive to shifts in work—family linkages during the life course are discussed.
Current Developments in Patterns of Graduate Study

During recent years considerable attention has been given to an analysis of the changing patterns of graduate study in engineering. Reviews by the American Society for Engineering Education, the University of Chicago under a Carnegie Grant, and the Ford Foundation have been directed to the problem. A primary observation has indicated a trend towards greater diversity in patterns and a closer correlation with current requirements of research and development in industry and government. These patterns, including evening and various forms of off-campus training, are described and their effect on the nature of the graduate program is examined. The effect of direct and indirect industry support is analyzed, and the changing role of the faculty in cases where close coordination with industry exists is examined. Current trends are evidently enriching and strengthening the value of the graduate program, particularly through immediate contact by both student and faculty with research and development applications. There exist, however, a consequent overemphasis on immediate needs, and an ambiguity of long-range academic objectives. The critical financial needs of students, faculty, and engineering educational institutions are emphasized by the demands of new patterns and current high standards of academic endeavor.
“Mobocratic Feeling”: Religious Outsiders, the Popular Press, and the American West

Abstract This article examines how the press reflected and reinforced mainstream values in its reporting on conflicts involving three religious groups, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Lakota Ghost Dancers, and the Branch Davidians. Despite the United States', especially the American West's, reputation for liberty and individualism, the press focused on characteristics of each group deemed un-American, thus contributing to hostility against them.
Ba/Ca as a Diagenetic Indicator for Evaluating Buried Bone Tissues: Advances in Tissue Selection, Reducing Contamination, and Data Evaluation

In recent decades there has been considerable debate on the meaningfulness of elemental composition and heavy metal data obtained from recovered buried bone (Jarcho 1964; Becker 1968; Jaworowski 1968; Schroeder et al. 1972; Grandjean and Holma 1973; Mackie et al. 1975; Shapiro et al. 1975; Grandjean et al. 1979; Waldron and Wells 1979; Ahlgren et al. 1981; Drasch 1982; Jaworowski et al. 1985; Ericson 1985; Ericson et al. 1991). The debate revolves around the nature of the recovered data and whether the metabolic record is truly documented and accurately reflects dietary intake. Throughout the history of research on bone chemistry, attention has been paid to improved recovery such as chemical decontamination (Krueger and Sullivan 1984; Lambert et al. 1989) and serial dilution (Sillen 1989) methods, and establishing criteria for identifying diagenetic alteration.
Measuring Middle School Students’ Algebra Readiness Examining Validity Evidence for Three Experimental Measures

Students’ understanding and proficiency with rational number concepts and operations is considered a key foundational skill for future success in algebra. As middle school students work with these ...
Effects of Cardiovascular Disease on Compliance with Cervical and Breast Cancer Screening Recommendations Among Adult Women

Abstract Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is common among women and is a leading cause of death in the United States. This study assessed the impact of CVD on compliance with the US Preventive Services Task Force guidelines for cervical and breast cancer screening among U.S. adult women. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 17,408 women using data from the National Health Interview Survey 2013. A total of 11,788 respondents (21–65 years old) with complete information on Pap smear and 11,409 women (40+ years old) with complete information on mammography compliance were included. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to assess the impact of CVD on cervical and breast cancer screening practices. Results: Women with CVD were marginally more likely to have had a mammogram in accordance with guidelines (odds ratio 1.17; 95% confidence interval 1.04–1.31) than those without CVD. However, compliance with Pap tests was similar (80.6% vs 82.3%, p>0.05) between the two groups. Myocar...
Spectroscopy of Tc 9 3 , 9 5 , 9 7 Through the ( d , n ) Reaction

The ($d,n$) reaction on $^{92}\mathrm{Mo}$, $^{94}\mathrm{Mo}$, and $^{96}\mathrm{Mo}$ has been studied at 12-MeV deuteron bombarding energy using the neutron time-of-flight technique with an over-all neutron time resolution of 1.9 nsec. Angular distributions of neutron groups leading to states in $^{93}\mathrm{Tc}$, $^{95}\mathrm{Tc}$, and $^{97}\mathrm{Tc}$ were measured in the angular range between 15 and 70\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}. The measured cross sections are analyzed in the framework of the distorted-wave theory of stripping reactions to deduce the $l$ values and proton spectroscopic factors of the states in the residual nuclei. The results are compared with the corresponding data available from ($^{3}\mathrm{He},d$) studies. Arguments based on the shell-model theory have been used to make tentative spin assignments. The fractionation of the single-particle states and their centroid energies are determined. Tentative $^{92}\mathrm{Mo}$, $^{94}\mathrm{Mo}$, and $^{96}\mathrm{Mo}$ ground-state configurations are deduced from the analysis.
Procedure for the Removal of Insect Specimens from Sticky-trap Material

Correct identification of specimens is crucial to the cost-effective operation of insect population studies and biological control programs. Traps containing sticky materials are often used to detect and allow the quantification of populations of certain kinds of insects. Removal of insect specimens from such materials is frequently necessary for accurate identification. Provided here are instructions for removing insects from the most widely used sticky material, polyisobutylene, by use of specific solvents, as well as for washing and preparing cleaned specimens for microscopic examination.
A brief history of water filtration/sedimentation

For millennia the search for ‘pure’ water has been pursued by humans. Criteria for purity have become more complex, more rigid, and more quantitative over time; however, the principles, methods, and material for purifying water have remained remarkably similar from the earliest recorded information of 2000 BC. The scope of this paper is to present a brief history of water filtration and sedimentation practices for potable water management extending from the ancient times to the 19th century. It is not an exhaustive presentation, but instead presents some of the most important advances in water supply since the beginning of human9s quest for pure water. M. N. Baker and M. J. Taras in 1981 presented an excellent overview of this quest, especially during the 17th to the 20th century.
Demonstration of Real-Time All-Optical Image Processing Using Optical Parametric Amplification of Complex Objects

We have demonstrated image processing beyond simple edge enhancement using Optical Parametric Amplification imaging. Specifically, we demonstrate selection of particular spatial frequencies and spatial regions in a wavelength converted image.
Historic mill ponds and piedmont stream water quality: Making the connection near Raleigh, North Carolina

This one-day fi eld trip highlights recent research into the late Holocene geomorphic evolution and land use history of Piedmont stream valleys near Raleigh, North Carolina. European settlers began building water-powered milldams in the eastern United States in the 1600s, and dam construction continued until the early twentieth century. At the same time, regional-scale land clearing associated with agriculture and development increased upland erosion rates 50‐400 times above long-term geologic rates. Much of the eroded sediment was subsequently aggraded on fl and impounded behind milldams. This trapped “legacy” sediment, commonly mistaken for natural fl oodplain deposition, has gone largely unrecognized until recently. This study focuses upon 1st to 4th order streams in W.B. Umstead State Park that drain into the Neuse River basin. There are seven water-powered milldam locations within the park and adjacent areas. Geomorphic mapping demonstrates that upland soil erosion and valley bottom sediment aggradation was substantial following European-American land acquisition and their conversion of large amounts of forest land for agricultural purposes. We observe three distinct sedimentary units in stream bank exposures that are corroborated by 14 C dating. Pre-European sediments range from ca. 4400‐250 yr B.P. and consist of quartz-rich axial stream gravels and off-channel organic rich clays. Two legacy sediment units are differentiable; pre and post-dam, and range in age from ca. 300‐100 yr B.P. The pre-dam sediments consist primarily of flsands, and are interpreted as channel aggradation in response to soil erosion from upland land clearing prior to dam construction. Post-dam sediments are distinguished by fi ner grain size and sedimentology consistent with slackwater deposition, including sandy “event” layers, interpreted to be the result of large fl oods into the former mill ponds. Stream bank magnetic susceptibility (MS) measurements exhibit large and
The Small-Carrion prosthesis for male impotency.

AbstractSmall-Carrion penile prostheses were implanted in 61 patients who have been followed for 3 to 21 months. Of these 61 patients 55 have achieved satisfactory results, with a return of normal sexual function. The importance of preoperative evaluation and preparation is stressed.
Cardiovascular Risk Screening before Starting Stimulants for ADHD in Canadian Practice

Health Canada released a statement advising against stimulants in ADHD patients with cardiac disease in May 2006, after isolated reports of sudden death The impact of this advisory on 1) physicians’ cardiovascular assessment of all children with ADHD before starting stimulant medications, and 2) on the treatment of children with potential or real cardiac disease was assessed by questionnaires mailed to noncardiologists and pediatric cardiologists in Canada from the Department of Pediatrics, IWK Health Centre, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Electronic transport properties of quantum dots

Publisher Summary This chapter provides a discussion on vertical quantum dots. Both the basic theory and the experimental data for the electron spectroscopy as a function of magnetic field and temperature for two vertical quantum dot systems, the fabricated quantum dot and the impurity quantum dot have been presented. Current steps in the I(V) characteristics are observed in both systems. In the fabricated quantum dot, these steps are due to the discrete nature of the 0D dot density of states. In the impurity system, these steps are attributed to the discrete 0D states resulting from the Coulomb potential of a single or a pair of impurities in the quantum well region. In both systems, in magnetic fields parallel to the current, the step edges exhibit a diamagnetic shift as expected, while a suppression of the current plateaus is observed in magnetic fields perpendicular to the current, which is attributed to the decreasing overlap between emitter and dot wave functions. Using the highly localized dot states as spectroscopic probes, the electronic structure of the emitter electrode is measured through the oscillatory fine structure observed on top of the normal current plateaus of both systems. The fine structure is observed to be reproducible, both upon repeated traces and upon thermal cycling. Variable-temperature results indicate that this fine structure originates from below the Fermi level in the emitter.
Cruciform and Related Artifacts of Mexico and the Southwestern United States

ABSTRACTReported occurrences of cruciform artifacts and some inferences regarding them are summarized. Four types of cruciforms distinguished by metric and formal attributes are defined. These data are compared with problematical objects which may be related in form or function. Evidence is presented for the geographic and temporal distribution of ground-stone cruciform types and for a possible early tradition of chipped stone, four-pointed artifacts in North America. A hypothetical function for cruciforms is discussed.
An Expectation Maximization Method for Joint Estimation of Emission Activity Distribution and Photon Attenuation Map in PET

A maximum likelihood expectation maximization (MLEM) method is proposed for joint estimation of emission activity distribution and photon attenuation map from positron emission tomography (PET) emission data alone. The method is appealing since: (i) it guarantees monotonic likelihood increase to a local extremum, (ii) does not require arbitrary parameters, and (iii) guarantees the positivity of the estimated distributions. Moreover, we propose a discrete Poisson data acquisition model and numerical algorithm for: (i) efficient graphics processing unit (GPU) based formulation, and (ii) a closed form exact solution for the MLEM update equations, which is essential for accurate and robust estimation. Numerical experiments indicate that in the presence of noise, joint EMAA estimation converges to the true emission activity distribution with root mean square errors of 4% and 0.5% respectively in estimation of lung- and myocardial emission activity distributions for a computational XCAT thorax phantom.
What’s Wrong with Human/Nonhuman Chimera Research?

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is poised to lift its funding moratorium on research involving chimeric human/nonhuman embryos, pending further consideration by an NIH steering committee. The kinds of ethical concerns that seem to underlie this research and chimera research more generally can be adequately addressed.
Racial and Ethnic Differences in Substance Use Diagnoses, Comorbid Psychiatric Disorders, and Treatment Initiation among HIV-Positive and HIV-Negative Women in an Integrated Health Plan.

ABSTRACTAccess to substance use disorder (SUD) treatment is a critical issue for women with HIV. This study examined differences in SUD diagnoses, comorbid psychiatric diagnoses, and predictors of SUD treatment initiation among a diverse sample of HIV-positive women (n = 228) and a demographically similar cohort of HIV-negative women (n = 693). Diagnoses and service utilization data were obtained from electronic health records of members of a large integrated healthcare system in Northern California. HIV-positive women were less likely to initiate SUD treatment. Significant racial/ethnic differences were found among both HIV-positive and HIV-negative women with respect to SUD diagnosis type and diagnosis of comorbid psychiatric disorders. Among the HIV-negative women, rates of SUD treatment initiation were lower for black women than for white or Latina women. Multivariable logistic regression models showed that alcohol, cannabis, and opiate diagnoses were predictive of SUD treatment initiation for both co...
Differences in the mutational landscape of triple-negative breast cancer in African Americans and Caucasians.

Background Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) occurs at higher frequency in African Americans compared with Caucasians. It is unclear if the biology of TNBC is different in African American versus Caucasians. In this study, we sought to evaluate racial differences in the molecular pathology of TNBC.
Map-Making for Palestinian State-Making

Maps have long been used as tools to dispossess the colonized, establish sovereign control over territories, and engineer states. Cartographic representations not only serve as national logos that encourage commitment to a nation-state but also inform scientific knowledge and practices that are crucial for state building. This article draws on the sociology of knowledge, Science Studies, critical cartography, and critical geopolitics to provide a contextual understanding of the various social, institutional, and political factors that inform Palestinian map-making practices. In-depth interviewing, ethnography, and collaborative action research provide the methodological tools to do so. This conceptual and empirical framework helps to critique the traditional invisibility of the Palestinian perspective, and its rendering through the eyes of Western colonizers, administrators, and experts, by addressing issues that are relevant to Palestinian stakeholders in the midst of their state- and nation-building pro...
News - Good or Bad - and its Impact Over Multiple Horizons

It is difficult to define news, and many definitions are model-based since part of what is announced is anticipated. Therefore, news is typically defined as a residual within the context of some type of prediction model, and the prediction model locks in the sampling frequency that is the reference time scale for analyzing propagation mechanisms. We try to accomplish two goals: (1) characterize news as much as possible as a model-free observation, and (2) measure the impact of news over any arbitrary horizon of interest. We revisit the concept of news impact curves introduced by Engle and Ng (1993), in the current high frequency data environment of financial market time series. Instead of taking a single horizon fixed parametric specification, we recast many of the original ideas in a very flexible multi-horizon semi-parametric setting. Technically speaking we introduce semi-parametric MIDAS regressions and study their asymptotic properties. The analysis relates to and extends recent work by Linton and Mammen (2005). In addition we also introduce various new parametric models. We find that moderately good (intra-daily) news reduces volatility (the next day), while both very good news (unusual high positive returns) and bad news (negative returns) increase volatility, with the latter having a more severe impact. The asymmetries we find have profound implications for current volatility prediction models that are based on in-sample asymptotic analysis developed over recent years. In this context we discuss the link between diffusions and news impact curves.
Dual-Hazard Blast and Seismic Behavior of Concrete-Filled Double-Skin Steel Tubes Bridge Pier

AbstractThe dual-hazard inelastic behavior of concrete-filled double-skin steel tubes (CFDSTs) is experimentally investigated as a substitute to reinforced concrete columns for bridge piers in mult...
The other 90%: How to Unlock Your Vast Untapped Potential for Leadership and Life

(2002). The other 90%: How to Unlock Your Vast Untapped Potential for Leadership and Life. Quality Management Journal: Vol. 9, No. 1, pp. 92-92.
Representations and a Theorem of Krasner and Kaloujnine

We present the permutation representations of both Cayley and Frobenius. With these we develop a remarkable theorem by Krasner and Kaloujnine on the universality of unrestricted wreath products for group extensions.
A two-alternative, forced choice method for assessing mouse vision.

The retina is an important model for studies of neurodegeneration. More than 100 gene mutations are known to cause retinal degeneration (Chader, 2002; Pacione et al., 2003; Rattner et al., 1999). Studies of retinal degeneration in mammals have focused on mouse because of the knowledge of its genome together with the ease of its breeding and husbandry (Naash et al., 2004; Olsson et al., 1992; Pinto et al., 2004). Assessment of the progression of retinal degeneration generally involves measurements of retinal sensitivity using the electroretinogram (ERG) and analysis of retinal anatomy using histological and histochemical techniques. In addition to knowledge of the anatomical and physiological consequences of retinal degeneration, it is important to assess its affect on visual function, that is, to answer the critical question: “How well can a mouse see?”
Effect of Cracks on Mechanisms and Kinetics of Creep Deformation of Brittle Ceramics

Cracks can affect the creep deformation of brittle ceramics through two principle mechanisms. Time-dependent decreases in elastic moduli due to the growth of cracks leads to “elastic” creep. The transfer of stress from the crack-tip regions to the adjacent material leads to “crack-enhanced” creep, which results in an increase in the rate of creep of the underlying creep process.
Special Topic: Confucian and Christian Conceptions of Creativity

In this article the concept of God as creativity (rather than as “the Creator”) is explored. Though creativity is a profound mystery to us humans, it is a plausible concept today because of its interconnectedness with the belief that our cosmos is evolutionary: new orders of reality come into being in the course of time. Three modalities of creativity are explored here: the initial coming into being of the universe (the Big Bang); the creativity manifest in evolutionary processes; the human creation of culture. It is suggested that this creativity itself should be thought of as God: God is creativity. Thus God-talk is given a referent that is specifiable in terms of today’s understandings of the world and the human. God remains a profound mystery here, but one with a significant place in our modern understanding of the world and human life.
Investigation of Communicative Flight Paths for Small Unmanned Aerial Systems * This work was supported by NSF NRI 1638099

This project seeks to generate small Unmanned Aerial System (sUAS) flight paths that are broadly understood by the general population and can communicate states about both the sUAS and its understanding of the world. Previous work in sUAS flight paths has sought to communicate intent, destination, or emotion of the system without focusing on concrete states (e.g., low battery, landing, etc.). This work leverages biologically-based flight paths and experimental methodologies from human-human and human-humanoid robot interactions to assess the understanding of avian flight paths to communicate sUAS states to novice users. If successful, this work should inform: the human-robot interaction community about the perception of flight paths, sUAS manufacturers on how their systems could communicate with both operators and bystanders, and end users on ways to communicate with others when flying systems in public spaces. General design implications and future directions of work are suggested to build on the results here, which suggest that novice users gravitate towards labels they understand (draw attention and landing) while avoiding more technical labels (lost sensor).
Using segmentation to compete in the age of the sharing economy: Testing a core-periphery framework

Abstract Airbnb has emerged as a credible competitive threat to the hotel industry. Consequently, hotel brands are having to rethink the experiences they provide to customer in an increasingly competitive environment. Despite these trends in the industry, experience-related research that examines and informs these developments remains under-represented in the hospitality and tourism literature. The present study offers a systematic approach to examine the potential differences in experiential consumption in the accommodations industry. Using a multiple-group analysis approach, it examines the moderating effects of individual characteristics and situational factors on the nature and dynamics of experiential consumption in the accommodations industry. The findings of the study culminate in the core-periphery framework of the hospitality consumption experience that can provide a relevant theoretical lens for future research into the different sectors and types of experiences within the hospitality and tourism industry. The study also outlines important implications for the hotel industry’s strategic experience design initiatives, from the standpoint of product development, the segmentation, targeting and positioning (STP) process, and marketing communications.
Investigating responses of soil bacterial community composition to hardwood biochar amendment using high-throughput PCR sequencing

Abstract The objectives of this field study were to evaluate the influence of sugar maple hardwood biochar on soil bacterial communities using next-generation sequencing via the Illumina MiSeq platform. Bacterial communities were sampled in soils with application rates of biochar including a control of 0%, 2% and a high rate of 4% by weight three years after incorporation of biochar. Bacterial 16S rRNA (V4 region) was sequenced using the Illumina MiSeq platform and identified using the SILVA database. Overall, the changes in the microbial communities with the addition of biochar were modest, potentially indicating an overall temporal-stability of diverse microbial communities in soil after biochar amendment. While individual taxa were significantly affected, including N-Cycling bacteria, there was no overall significant difference in total abundance, observed OTUs or alpha diversity indices.
The Effect of Goal-Directed Therapy on Patient Morbidity and Mortality After Traumatic Brain Injury: Results From the Progesterone for the Treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury III Clinical Trial.

Objectives:To estimate the impact of goal-directed therapy on outcome after traumatic brain injury, our team applied goal-directed therapy to standardize care in patients with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury, who were enrolled in a large multicenter clinical trial.Design:Planned secondary
The cholinergic basal forebrain links sensory stimuli with delayed reinforcement to support learning

Animals learn to fear conditioned sound stimuli (CS) that accompany aversive unconditioned stimuli (US). Auditory cortex (ACx) circuits reorganize to support auditory fear learning when CS-evoked activity temporally overlaps with US-evoked acetylcholine (ACh) release from the basal forebrain. Here, we describe robust fear learning and ACh-dependent ACx plasticity even when the US is delayed by several seconds following CS offset. A 5s CS-US gap was not bridged by persistent CS-evoked spiking throughout the trace period. Instead, within minutes following the start of conditioning, optogenetically identified basal forebrain neurons that encode the aversive US scaled up responses to the CS and increased functional coupling with ACx. Over several days of conditioning, bulk imaging of cholinergic basal forebrain neurons revealed sustained sound-evoked activity that filled in the 5s silent gap preceding the US. These findings identify a plasticity in the basal forebrain that supports learned associations between sensory stimuli and delayed reinforcement.
Delineation of hypoxia-induced proteome shifts in osteosarcoma cells with different metastatic propensities.

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common bone cancer in children and young adults. Solid tumors are characterized by intratumoral hypoxia, and hypoxic cells are associated with the transformation to aggressive phenotype and metastasis. The proteome needed to support an aggressive osteosarcoma cell phenotype remains largely undefined. To link metastatic propensity to a hypoxia-induced proteotype, we compared the protein profiles of two isogenic canine OS cell lines, POS (low metastatic) and HMPOS (highly metastatic), under normoxia and hypoxia. Label-free shotgun proteomics was applied to comprehensively characterize the hypoxia-responsive proteome profiles in the OS cell phenotypes. Hypothesis-driven parallel reaction monitoring was used to validate the differential proteins observed in the shotgun data and to monitor proteins of which we expected to exhibit hypoxia responsiveness, but which were absent in the label-free shotgun data. We established a “distance” score (|zHMPOS − zPOS|), and “sensitivity” score (|zHypoxia − zNormoxia) to quantitatively evaluate the proteome shifts exhibited by OS cells in response to hypoxia. Evaluation of the sensitivity scores for the proteome shifts observed and principal component analysis of the hypoxia-responsive proteins indicated that both cell types acquire a proteome that supports a Warburg phenotype with enhanced cell migration and proliferation characteristics. Cell migration and glucose uptake assays combined with protein function inhibitor studies provided further support that hypoxia-driven adaption of pathways associated with glycolytic metabolism, collagen biosynthesis and remodeling, redox regulation and immunomodulatory proteins typify a proteotype associated with an aggressive cancer cell phenotype. Our findings further suggest that proteins involved in collagen remodeling and immune editing may warrant further evaluation as potential targets for anti-metastatic treatment strategies in osteosarcoma.
Some Cacti Produce “Reactioncortex” Rather than Reaction Wood in Curved Sections of Weight-Stressed Shoots

Several cacti with curved shoots had a tissue referred to here as reaction cortex. The curved shoots were at the bases of lateral branches that were initially not vertical but which became vertical as they grew, or in areas where a shoot had tilted and then its tip became reoriented upward. In these curved regions, cortex was much thicker on the convex (outer) side of the curve as compared to the concave (inner) side. Reaction cortex was located within the thick convex area; it was recognizable as having a much firmer texture than surrounding cortex, and as being more translucent or pale/whitish. Cells of reaction cortex were distinguishable as being larger, more rounded and with smoother walls than other cortex cells. Curved regions contained only a small amount of wood, but that wood was distinctly thicker on the convex side rather than on the upper concave side as would be expected of tension wood typical of eudicots. Reaction cortex was found in various species of Cleistocactus, Echinopsis, and Haageocereus among others, all members of Core Cactoideae II.
Mixed-Conducting Membranes for Hydrogen Production and Separation

Mixed-conducting oxides, possessing both ionic and electronic charge carriers, have found wide application in recent years in solid-state electrochemical devices that operate at high temperatures, e.g., solid-oxide fuel cells, batteries, and sensors. These materials also hold promise as dense ceramic membranes that separate gases such as oxygen and hydrogen from mixed-gas streams. We are developing Sr-Fe-Co oxide (SFC) as a membrane that selectively transports oxygen during partial oxidation of methane to syngas (mixture of CO and H2) because of SFC's high combined electronic and ionic conductivities. We have evaluated extruded tubes of SFC for conversion of methane to syngas in a reactor that was operated at {approx}900 C. Methane conversion efficiencies were >90%, and some of the reactor tubes were operated for >1000 h. We are also developing dense proton-conducting oxides to separate pure hydrogen from product streams that are generated during methane reforming and coal gasification. Hydrogen selectivity in these membranes is nearly 100%, because they are free of interconnected porosity. Although most studies of hydrogen separation membranes have focused on proton-conducting oxides by themselves, we have developed cermet (i.e., ceramic-metal composite) membranes in which metal powder is mixed with these oxides in order to increase their hydrogen permeability.more » Using several feed gas mixtures, we measured the nongalvanic hydrogen permeation rate, or flux, for the cermet membranes in the temperature range of 500-900 C. This rate varied linearly with the inverse of membrane thickness. The highest rate, {approx}32 cm3(STP)/min-cm2, was measured at 900 C for an {approx}15-{micro}m-thick membrane on a porous support structure when 100% H2 at ambient pressure was used as the feed gas.« less
Tender Offer Regulation: The Need for Reform

Too frequently, courts and the Securities and Exchange Commission have presumed, in the tender offer context, that management acts principally for the benefit of the corporation's shareholders. This presumption has left such shareholders basically at the mercy of an unfettered management whose interests may conflict with the interests of the shareholders it allegedly serves. As a result of the increased popularity of hostile bids for corporate control, both offeror and target managements have relied on the ingenuity of securities attorneys and investment bankers to create new maneuvers for use in the takeover setting. The terms for some of these maneuvers, including "golden parachutes," "shark repellent" provisions, "lock-ups," "poison pills," "scorched earth" tactics, "white knights," and the "Pac-Man" defense, suggest that there is something fundamentally wrong with this process. The recurrence of this kind of irresponsible behavior, Congress' and the judiciary's reluctance to meaningfully address this subject, and provocative comments made by others on particular abuses associated with hostile tender offers prompt me to offer a few of my own thoughts on the subject. These thoughts are loosely grouped under four headings: application of the business judgment rule to target companies' managements, application of existing federal law to target management, abuses that ought to be the subject of additional federal legislation, and a tentative proposal for vesting primary jurisdiction over pending tender offers in the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).