cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Asphaltene Adsorption onto Self-Assembled Monolayers of Mixed Aromatic and Aliphatic Trichlorosilanes

The adsorption of asphaltenes onto flat solid surfaces modified with mixed self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of aliphatic and aromatic trichlorosilanes with varying wettabilities, aromaticities, and thicknesses is tested. The mixed SAMs are characterized by means of contact angle to assess hydrophobicity and molecular and chemical uniformity, spectroscopic ellipsometry to measure the thickness of the films, and near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy to assess chemical and molecular composition. The molecular characteristics of the adsorbed asphaltene layer and the extent of asphaltene adsorption are determined using NEXAFS and spectroscopic ellipsometry, respectively. The SAMs are formed by depositing phenyl-, phenethyl-, butyl-, and octadecyl- trichlorosilanes from toluene solutions onto silica-coated substrates; the chemical composition and the wettability of the SAM surface is tuned systematically by varying the trichlorosilane composition in the deposition solutions. The adsorption of asphaltenes on the substrates does not correlate strongly with the SAM chemical composition. Instead, the extent of asphaltene adsorption decreases with increasing SAM thickness. This observation suggests that the leading interaction governing the adsorption of asphaltenes is their interaction with the polar silica substrate and that the chemical composition of the SAM is of secondary importance.
Abstract 1218: SMAC modulates gemcitabine-induced apoptosis in head and neck cancer cells

Apoptosis induction is an important anti-tumor mechanism of many conventional chemotherapeutic agents. Biochemical data indicate that SMAC promotes caspase activation by antagonizing IAPs. However, SMAC-knockout mice do not exhibit obvious apoptotic deficiencies in response to a wide range of stimuli. Work for us and others demonstrate that SMAC plays an essential role in apoptosis induced by Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug (NSAID), TRAIL or BH3 only proteins in colon cancer cells. In this study we documented a critical role of SMAC in mediating apoptosis induced by chemotherapeutic agent gemcitabine in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cells. Using RNA interference, we found that that SMAC mediates gemcitabine-induced apoptosis through the intrinsic/mitochondrial pathway. SMAC Knockdown led to impairment in caspase-3 activation, mitochondrial membrane depolarization and release of cytochrome c. Small-molecule SMAC mimetics at nanomolar concentrations significantly sensitized HNSCC cells to gemcitabine-induced apoptosis, and overcame gemcitabine resistance in SMAC-knockdown cells by restoring caspase-3 activation and cytochrome c release. Furthermore, in xenograft models, SMAC knockdown significantly blocked the therapeutic responses of HNSCC tumors to gemcitabine by inhibiting apoptosis, while SMAC overexpression dramatically enhanced that. Together, these results suggest that SMAC mediates apoptosis in cancer cells, and provide a strong rationale for combining SMAC mimetics with other anticancer agents to treat apoptosis-resistant tumors. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1218.
On "Point-Axis System" Theory and Layout of City Public Sport Facilities

The study uses the theory of "Point-Axis System" to analyze the construction layout of city public sport facilities.It thinks that the choice and determination of development axis is the key to establish the theory model of "Point-Axis System".The infrastructure bases on traffic line within a certain administrative region should be combined systematically with sports centers at all levels,so that the best spatial structure of public sport facilities is formulated and the optimal development of geographic space is obtained.At the same time,the paper uses the theory of " Point-Axis System" to explore the construction layout of public sport facilities in Dalian City.
High magnitude, in vitro, biaxial, cyclic tensile strain induces actin depolymerization in tendon cells.

Background the cytoskeleton is a dynamic arrangement of actin filaments that maintain cell shape and are vital in mediating the mechanobiological response of the cell. Methods to determine the cytoskeletal response to varying in vitro, biaxial stretch amplitudes, rat-tail tendon cells were paired into control and cyclically strained groups of 4.75, 9.5, or 12% strain at 1 Hz for 2 hours and the actin cytoskeleton stained. The cells were analyzed for actin staining intensity as a measure of relative depolymerization and for cell shape. Collagenase gene expression was measured in cells undergoing 12% cyclic strain at 1 Hz for 24 hours. Results there was no significant difference in the degree of actin staining intensity between the control group and cells strained at either 4.75 or 9.5%. However, cells strained at 12% demonstrated a significant decrease in actin staining intensity (depolymerization) compared to control cells, increased collagenase expression by 81%, and a clear shift towards a more rounded cell shape. Conclusion the results of this study demonstrate that the previously reported induction of collagenase activity associated with the application of high magnitude, in vitro, tensile strains may actually be a result of cytoskeletal depolymerization, which causes loss of tensional homeostasis and alteration of cell shape.
A prospective randomized study comparing surgical and percutaneous removal of intraaortic balloon pump.

This prospective randomized study of 50 patients compares the prevalence of complications between surgical and percutaneous methods of removal of intraaortic balloons. All patients who had percutaneous placement of a 9.5F intraaortic balloon during a 6-month period were eligible for the study. Patients were excluded if the intraaortic balloon was placed surgically, if a coagulopathy was present, or if acute leg ischemia developed at any time after insertion. After informed consent, 25 patients were randomized to each method of removal. Two complications occurred in the surgical group, including a wound infection and a lymph fistula. In one patient in the percutaneous group, a false aneurysm of the femoral artery developed. There was no significant difference between the mean of 59 minutes for percutaneous removal and 47 minutes for operative removal of the balloon (p = 0.74). The percutaneous method is therefore more cost-effective, because it does not require the use of operating room personnel or equipment necessary for surgical removal. The results of this study indicate that the majority of percutaneously placed intraaortic balloons may be safely removed percutaneously. Surgical removal of 9.5F intraaortic balloons is recommended for patients with bleeding diatheses, hemorrhagic or ischemic complications, or for those in whom the intraaortic balloon was inserted with a surgical procedure. (J T horac C ardiovasc S urg 1992;103:569-72)
Toxicity Associated with Intravesical Cisplatinum in Apatient with Superficial Bladder Cancer

Anaphylactic reactions to cisplatinum chemotherapy are infrequent. The second case of such a response in a man treated with intravesical cisplatinum for superficial transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder is presented.
Funding industrial development

This chapter discusses how state funds can be effectively used to promote industrial development in a region. Cash, tax, or bond inducements are offered to industries by states, counties, cities, and federal governments to encourage them to locate within a given locality. Most states in USA have passed enabling legislation to facilitate bond issues for the purpose of encouraging plant location. The funds from bond issues that cover the projected costs of building a plant may be underwritten by the state and provided to the solicited firm to be repaid at low interest rates. Among the more successful promoters of industrial development are the local industrial development corporations or foundations (IDC/Fs), which handle plant location as a business. They finance industry just as a banker finances a car. They protect their investments through the use of good business judgment and common sense. They are financed through campaigns that solicit funds from within a community. The local industrial development corporations or foundations (IDC/Fs) with a broad base of support draw the whole community together with a goal of community improvement.
Safety Concerns and Limitations

This chapter focuses on general safety concerns and limitations for neuromodulation devices. Patient movement can cause device-related complications any time after implantation. Patients are not immune to movement-related complications beyond the immediate postoperative period. Security systems are common in airports, department stores, libraries and other public places, and are therefore a frequently encountered source of electromagnetic interference (EMI). One of the most important safety considerations from a medical standpoint is imaging of the patient after the device is implanted. The need for imaging may arise from a desire to confirm the position of an electrode immediately after implantation, or to diagnose a migration or damage to the device after a patient has lost efficacy. Plain radiographs, standard fluoroscopy and computerized tomography (CT) are safe and do not interfere with the normal functioning of neuromodulation systems. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is more problematic for implanted electrical devices. MRI is generally considered the gold standard for intracranial imaging and most spinal imaging.
Statewide mapping and estimation of vegetation aboveground biomass using airborne lidar

Airborne lidar has emerged as the most powerful remote sensing technology for mapping vegetation structure, but its application has been limited to landscape level due to the sheer data volume and daunting demand for computation. This study is to break this stereotype and conduct a statewide mapping study of aboveground biomass (AGB) by integrating airborne lidar data and FIA (Forest Inventory and Analysis) plot data for the whole state of Minnesota. We will discuss the challenges and present our solutions for processing big airborne lidar data for point cloud classification, vegetation information extraction, statistical modeling, and uncertainty analysis of forest AGB.
Clinical Utility and Safety of Methacholine Challenge in Children with Sickle Cell Disease.

Abstract Introduction: Lung disease is major cause of morbidity in children with sickle cell disease (SCD), yet understanding of lung pathophysiology is lacking. The diagnosis of asthma in children with asthma has become an important consideration in clinical management because of its association with a twice greater the rate of painful and acute chest syndrome (ACS) episodes when compared to children without asthma. Provocation challenges with methacholine have been used in both clinical and research settings to evaluate the presence of degree of airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in studies of asthma; however, no such evaluation has been described in children with SCD. Methods: As part of routine clinical care, 21 children with SCD multiple or severe acute chest syndrome (ACS) episodes were challenged with methacholine to determine if AHR was a component of their recurrent respiratory tract symptoms. Results: A total of fourteen of the children had a positive challenge, none of whom had evidence of obstruction or bronchodilator reactivity on spirometry. Ten of fourteen patients were previously on inhaled corticosteroids and had their asthma diagnosis confirmed and four were given a new diagnosis of asthma. In each positive challenge, forced expiratory volume in one second reversed to at least 90% of baseline after bronchodilator treatment. No patient developed a painful or ACS episode temporally related to the challenge. Conclusion: Evaluation of AHR with methacholine challenge in patients with SCD appears to be well tolerated and may elucidate the basis of lung morbidity in a subgroup of children with repetitive or serious ACS episodes.
The measurement of seismographic records using a computer-controlled film scanner

A semi-automatic system to digitize seismographic records is described. Photographic images of the records are digitized using a cathode-ray-tube film scanner that is controlled by a computer. An operator, interacting with the computer through a display console, supervises the overall data collection and can intervene in the search for traces and in the digitization of the data whenever he feels that it is necessary.
Polyhedral Compiler Technology in Collaboration with Autotuning Important to Domain-Specific Frameworks for HPC

Domain-specific frameworks – including embedded domain-specific languages and libraries – increase programmer productivity by encapsulating proven manual optimization strategies into software modules or (semi-)automated tools. In such frameworks, optimizations and optimization strategies capitalize on knowledge of the requirements of a particular application domain to achieve high performance and architecture portability. While many strategies have been used to develop domain-specific frameworks, this position paper argues the importance of polyhedral compiler technology and autotuning for important classes of high-performance computing domains. Such an approach has the following advantages over other strategies: (1) composability; (2) software reuse; and, (3) facilitates performance portability.
Influence of Fractional Damping and Time Delay on Maxwell-Voigt Model for Vibration Isolation

Models of vibration isolators are very commonly used for the design and analysis of isolation systems. Accurate isolator modeling is critical for a successful prediction of the dynamic characteristics of isolated systems. Isolators exhibit a complex behavior that depends on multiple parameters such as frequency, displacement amplitude, temperature and loading conditions. Therefore, it is important to choose a model that is accurate while adequately representing the relationships with relevant parameters. Recent literature has indicated some inherent advantages of fractional derivatives that can be exploited in the modeling of elastomeric isolators. Furthermore, time delay of damping is also seen to provide a realistic representation of damping. This paper examines the Maxwell-Voigt model with fractional damping and a time delay. This model is compared with the conventional Maxwell-Voigt model (without time delay or fractional damping) and the Voigt model in order to comprehend the influence of fractional damping and time delay on dynamic characteristics. Multiple simulations are performed after identifying model parameters from the data collected for a passive elastomeric isolator. The analysis results are compared and it is observed that the Voigt model is highly sensitive to fractional damping as well as time delay.Copyright © 2016 by ASME
Immunochemical Analysis of Dopamine Transporters in Parkinson's Disease

The identification of specific and selective markers of the dopamine-producing neurons that are lost in Parkinson's disease has been a major research focus since Hornykiewicz first reported a dopamine deficiency in the disease (1). Antibodies to dopamine or tyrosine hydroxylase, the rate-limiting enzyme in dopamine synthesis, have been used to identify these neurons. Recently, considerable attention has been given to the plasma membrane dopamine tranporter (DAT) and the vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT2), which are responsible for the transport, packaging, and release of dopamine (2). DAT acts to terminate dopamine transmission by rapid reuptake of dopamine from the synapse, and VMAT2 packages cytoplasmic dopamine into vesicles for storage and subsequent release. We have developed specific antibodies to these transporters and used them to characterize the distribution and expression of DAT and VMAT2 in brain from human idiopathic Parkinson's disease and animal models of the disease. The purpose of this chapter is to describe the immunochemical techniques involved in assessing damage to dopamine neurons in Parkinson's disease and experimental models of the disease.
Intuitive proportion judgment in number-line estimation: Converging evidence from multiple tasks.

Abstract How children’s understanding of numerical magnitudes changes over the course of development remains a key question in the study of numerical cognition. In an ongoing debate about the source of developmental change, some argue that children maintain and access different mental representations of number, with evidence coming largely from common number-line estimation tasks. In contrast, others argue that a theoretical framework based on psychophysical models of proportion estimation accounts for typical performance on these tasks. The current study explored children’s ( n = 71) and adults’ ( n = 27) performance on two number-line tasks: the “number to position” (or NP) task and the inverse “position to number” (or PN) task. Estimates on both tasks are consistent with the predictions of the proportion estimation account and do not support the hypothesis that a fundamental shift in mental representations underlies developmental change in numerical estimation and, in turn, mathematical ability. Converging evidence across the tasks also calls into question the utility of bounded number-line tasks as an evaluation of mental representations of number.
Multi-user Itinerary Planning for Optimal Group Preference

The increasing popularity of location-based applications creates new opportunities for users to travel together. In this paper, we study a novel spatio-social optimization problem, i.e., Optimal Group Route, for multi-user itinerary planning. With our problem formulation, users can individually specify sources and destinations, preferences on the Point-of-interest (POI) categories, as well as the distance constraints. The goal is to find a itinerary that can be traversed by all the users while maximizing the group’s preference of POI categories in the itinerary. Our work advances existing group trip planning studies by maximizing the group’s social experience. To this end, individual preferences of POI categories are aggregated by considering the agreement and disagreement among group members. Furthermore, planning a multi-user itinerary on large real-world networks is computationally challenging. We propose one approximate solution with bounded approximation ratio and one exact solution which computes the optimal itinerary by exploring a limited number of paths in the road network. In addition, an effective compression algorithm is developed to reduce the size of the network, providing a significant acceleration in our exact solution. We conduct extensive empirical evaluations on the road network and POI datasets of Los Angeles and our results confirm the effectiveness and efficiency of our solutions.
Measurement of glutamate in dorsal root ganglion cell culture with integrated electrochemical biosensors

Here we describe the fabrication, testing, and improvement of glutamate sensors in direct contact with dorsal root ganglion cells for short-term tissue culture experiments. To establish the feasibility and utility of placing enzymatic glutamate sensors directly under cells in culture, we address the necessity of increasing sensor sensitivity, increasing sensor lifetime, minimizing disruption of cells in culture, and of the spatial resolution seen with sensors directly under cells based on these results.
Data-Driven Identification of Key Variables

In this chapter, we investigate the following problem: given a data set involving n variables, determine key variables that contribute most to a specific partition of this data set. This problem has a broad applicability, even though it emerged in the context of a particular engineering application—the process of manufacturing electric circuit boards.
Rights Across Species

Organized efforts to protect other animals are at an historic crossroads. Never before have so many joined in the struggle to bring significant improvements to their lives. The number of people involved and their growing sense of shared values are making a difference in the political process, in the marketplace, in the classroom, even — on some occasions — in places of worship. Truly, animal protection efforts are a force to be reckoned with.
Positive Emotion Infusions: Can Savoring Increase Help-Seeking Intentions among People with Depression?

Background The current research effort used two experimental studies to assess whether a savoring-based, positive emotion infusion (PEI) could increase help-seeking intentions among individuals with elevated depressive symptomatology and whether this relationship would be mediated by positive emotion, arousal, and perceptions of personal control. Methods In Study 1, participants with elevated depressive symptomatology, recruited from Amazon's Mechanical Turk (N = 135), were randomly assigned to complete a 6-minute savoring or control writing task followed by a help-seeking intentions scale. Study 2 participants (N = 136) were randomly assigned to the same tasks, but a scale assessing positive emotion, arousal, and personal control was added. Results Study 1 indicated a direct effect; those who savored reported greater help-seeking intentions compared to control participants. Study 2 revealed an indirect effect of savoring on help-seeking intentions through greater positive emotion but not through greater arousal or perceptions of personal control. Conclusion Together, these results offer additional support for continued research on PEIs, and specifically, savoring-based PEIs. Although the experimental manipulations may be limited in regard to their ecological validity, for those seeking to create interventions, these studies offer a novel and efficacious approach for motivating individuals with elevated depressive symptomatology to seek help.
Demographic pressure, economic development, and social engineering: An assessment of fertility declines in the second half of the twentieth century

Concerns over the prospects of explosive demographic growth led to concerted efforts to engineer fertility reductions in the developing world, while skeptics argued that economic development was the best way to hasten fertility decline. Now that fertility declines have occurred in many countries can either side claim victory? Or was demographic pressure simply self-regulated by links between mortality and fertility changes? Using country-level data and a methodology inspired by a series of seminal articles by Preston, I assess the impact of economic change on both fertility and mortality and the independent effect of mortality on fertility between the 1960s and the 1990s. Aggregating country-level estimates into six regional population projections from 1950 to 2000, I translate these impacts on demographic variables into population size impacts. Although economic development accounted poorly for either mortality or fertility changes, the prevailing population growth was not that different from the growth predicted had economic development alone influenced demographic trends. The main reason appears to be an association between mortality and fertility levels that offset the initial effects of mortality declines outpacing economic growth. Together, the effect of economic change on both mortality and fertility declines and the effect of mortality on fertility predicted reasonably well actual population size in year 2000, suggesting only a modest influence of any additional factor.
Variability in synthetic $\mathbf{MoS}_{\mathbf{2}}$ devices: Effect of the growth substrate

Implementing a realistic electronic system from transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) relies on the ability to produce high-performance devices with homogenous properties. Continuing progress on large-area growth techniques, e.g. chemical vapor deposition (CVD) has improved the optical and electrical properties of monolayer TMDs, including $\mathrm{MoS}_{2}$ . However, reducing device-to-device variations remains a challenge [1]–[2], spurring new investigations to understand the physical origins of this problem in TMD devices. Here, we show that the strong coupling between the as-grown monolayer $\mathrm{MoS}_{2}$ and the $\mathrm{SiO}_{2}$ growth substrate causes (1) significant inhomogeneity in the electrical properties of the transistors and (2) significant degradation of the device metrics including carrier mobility and contact resistance. By reducing the binding energy, and thus increasing the van der Waals gap, between the $\mathrm{MoS}_{2}$ and the original growth substrate using our new gold-assisted layer transfer, we observe remarkable improvements in key device metrics ( $\sim 7\times$ in mobility and $\sim 100\times$ in contact resistance) and device variability $(\sim 10\times)$ .
A structure-based constitutive model of arterial tissue considering individual natural configurations of elastin and collagen.

Abstract The study proposes a novel theoretical-experimental approach for structure-based constitutive modeling of the passive mechanical properties of arterial tissue. The major novelty is accounting for the existence of individual natural configurations of elastin and collagen and their mechanical interaction in terms of the constituents' individual prestretches in the tissue natural state. The structure-based modeling of collagen allows accounting for effects of change in constituents' prestretch in terms of the change in feasible microstructural parameters, such as range of collagen recruitment stretch, mode of collagen mass fraction intensity function, and fiber directions. The results from an illustrative example for a porcine renal artery show that the model is robust and can adequately describe pressure-radius response and the stress-stretch relationship. The predictive capability of the model is tested in simulations of an isolated change in collagen prestretch and of elastin degradation in an artery kept at constant length. We expect this model to advance understanding about arterial rheology and serve as a useful tool for interpreting experimental data and solving boundary value problems relevant to vascular physiology at normal and pathological states.
62 Racial differences in self-efficacy and patient-provider interactions among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Background Significant racial disparities exist in the prevalence and outcomes of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Few studies have examined modifiable factors intrinsic to a patient encounter that may contribute to such disparities. We aimed to explore potential areas for intervention to reduce racial disparities with a focus on patient self-efficacy and the quality of patient-provider interactions. Methods Cross-sectional data were collected from consecutive SLE patients actively treated and followed at a tertiary lupus clinic. Patient-provider interaction was measured using the Interpersonal Processes of Care survey (IPC-29), which has 7 domains on a 5-point Likert scale including Hurried communication, Elicited concerns, Explained results, Patient-centered decision making, Compassionate respectful, Discrimination, and Disrespectful office staff. General self-efficacy, self-efficacy for managing medications and treatments, and patient-reported health status were measured using Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) short forms. Additional demographic and clinical information were gathered by survey and chart review. SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI), Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) Damage scores, and Medication Regimen Complexity Index were calculated. Bivariate analyses compared patient characteristics of Caucasians and non-Caucasians. Results 84 enrolled (37% Caucasians, 59% African American, 1% Native American, and 4% Hispanic). Non-Caucasians compared to Caucasians are younger, more likely to be single/unmarried, on disability, and less likely to have college education. Non-Caucasians tend to report less fatigue, better social health, carry a more recent SLE diagnosis but take a more complex rheumatic medication regimen, have higher SLEDAI, lower fibromyalgia symptom severity, and a trend for higher damage scores (table 1). In terms of modifiable factors intrinsic to the patient encounter, there were no significant differences in patient-provider interactions except that non-Caucasians rated providers to have more Hurried communication. Non-Caucasians also had a trend for lower general self-efficacy. Conclusions Non-Caucasians come from more disadvantaged sociodemographic backgrounds and have worse SLE disease outcomes. Overall, scores for patient-rated interactions with physicians in this selective sample were better than in other studies. However, non-Caucasians reported more Hurried communication with their providers and lower general self-efficacy. These may be modifiable factors within a patient encounter to reduce healthcare disparities in SLE. Whether quality of patient-provider communication and patient self-efficacy predict higher disease activity and damage scores longitudinally should be investigated. Funding Source(s): 5U54MD012530-02
Pricing Carbon and the Beneficiary Pays Principle: Framing Market-Based Incentives around Compensation Obligations

Alexandre Sayegh argues that his account of carbon pricing ‘need not be tied to … compensation’ because ‘a large array of tools are necessary’ for compensation (Sayegh, 117). He motives this view i...
Reframing urban governance for resilience implementation: The role of network closure and other insights from a network approach

Abstract The concept of urban resilience, particularly through a systems framework, has advanced tremendously over the past decade. Relatedly, collaborative and network governance is increasingly considered essential for the sustainability of urban social-ecological-technical systems. However, empirical evidence explicitly linking metropolitan networks to resilience planning and implementation is sparse. We address this gap by researching a network of organizations pursuing resilience strategies within and across two major metropolitan areas in Texas – Austin and San Antonio. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach that includes qualitative and social network analysis (descriptive and exponential random graph modeling), we examine the factors that drive network formation around blue-green infrastructure in the study area. The planning and implementation of general resilience strategies across metropolitan jurisdictional boundaries is dependent upon the social infrastructure available for governance (i.e., the relationships among organizations engaged in resilience building activities). Our findings demonstrate the tendency for network closure as a key governance feature for resilience implementation. Providing urban policy-makers and planners with information about why networks form can facilitate implementation of blue-green infrastructure in this rapidly growing, climate change impacted region and beyond. Applying a network paradigm provides insights to build general resilience for adaptation and transformation in metropolitan systems.
Tuning the Speed of Optical Coherence in Free Space

We introduce the concept of ‘coherence group velocity', which is the speed of the peak of the coherence function and demonstrate experimentally that incorporating spatio-temporal spectral structure into a field allows tuning its coherence group velocity in free space.
Efficacy of the exhalation delivery system with fluticasone in patients who remain symptomatic on standard nasal steroid sprays.

Background Standard nasal steroid sprays are often first-line treatment for chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), but many patients remain symptomatic despite their use. The exhalation delivery system with fluticasone (EDS-FLU) has been shown to be efficacious in mixed populations of symptomatic patients, but the question remains whether benefits would be similar in those already on traditional steroid sprays. The goal of this study was to compare EDS-FLU treatment outcomes in patients who have previously failed nasal steroids. Methods Using pooled data from the NAVIGATE I and II trials, EDS-FLU efficacy was compared in the subgroup treated with a conventional nasal steroid at trial entry (mean duration, ≈3 years) to efficacy in the overall study population. Sensitivity analyses were performed for more restrictive definitions of the subgroup changing from prior standard nasal steroids. Results Of 482 total subjects, 218 (45.2%) reported using standard nasal steroid sprays at entry (mean duration, 1051 days). Across multiple outcome measures, improvements for "switchers" receiving EDS-FLU (least squares mean change from baseline vs EDS plus placebo) were comparable with improvements in the overall population. For EDS-FLU 372 μg, comparable improvements were observed in congestion (-0.73 vs -0.62), rhinorrhea (-0.71 vs -0.57), facial pain/pressure (-0.48 vs -0.41), and sense of smell (-0.35 vs -0.30) at week 4 and 22-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (-21.01 vs -20.52), Patient Global Impression of Change, and other outcomes at week 16. Results for EDS-FLU 186 μg were similar. Conclusion EDS-FLU comparably improves symptoms, irrespective of whether patients are symptomatic while using conventional nasal steroids before treatment.
Making Sense of Naturalization: What Citizenship Means to Naturalizing Immigrants in Canada and the United States

Immigrant naturalization is both a barometer of inclusiveness and immigrant incorporation and a mechanism of social reproduction of the nation. This article reports on an interview-based study in suburban Toronto and New Jersey that investigated how immigrants explain their decisions to acquire citizenship. It analyses respondents’ understandings of naturalization in light of different theories of citizenship and different dimensions of the concept. The study contributes to the literature by showing how many American immigrants interviewed while going through the naturalization process resisted framing naturalization as identity-changing, situating it instead as a common-sense move following permanent settlement and belonging. In contrast, Canadian respondents were more likely to characterize naturalization as an active process that tied them to a positively-valued nation. While immigrant respondents in both countries were interested in voting and travel benefits of citizenship, only American respondents sought the protection that citizenship would afford in an anti-immigrant policy climate. I discuss how naturalization as a tool of civic integration and political empowerment resonates with immigrants’ own understandings of the process, and consider the role played by the institutional contexts around naturalization and immigration more generally.
Rising Mental Health Incidence Among Adolescents in Westchester, NY.

Many governments have publicly released healthcare data, which can be mined for insights about disease conditions, and their impact on society. We present a big-data analytics approach to investigate data in the New York Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System (SPARCS) consisting of 20 million patient records. Whereas the age group 30–48 years exhibited an 18% decline in mental health (MH) disorders from 2009 to 2016, the age group 0–17 years showed a 5.4% increase. MH issues amongst the age group 0–17 years comprise a significant expenditure in New York State. Within this age group, we find a higher prevalence of MH disorders in females and minority populations. Westchester County has seen a 32% increase in incidences and a 41% increase in costs. Our approach is scalable to data from multiple government agencies and provides an independent perspective on health care issues, which can prove valuable to policy and decision-makers.
Effects of Leachate Recirculation System Variables on Long-Term Bioreactor Landfill Performance Using Coupled Thermo-Hydro-Bio-mechanical Model

Abstract This study will apply a newly developed coupled thermo-hydro-bio-mechanical (CTHBM) numerical model to a typical full-scale landfill cell geometry with horizontal trenches (HTs) as the lea...
Los Amigos de Wallace: Henry Wallace’s 1948 presidential campaign and the bid to capture the Latino vote

This essay analyzes the Latino political organization Amigos de Wallace, created to support the 1948 presidential candidacy of Henry Wallace under the Progressive Party ticket, as the earliest known organized attempt to mobilize Latinos as a national voting bloc in a US presidential election. Amigos de Wallace, the essay argues, rallied Latinos as a distinct electoral constituency who deserved to have their voices heard and votes counted in the national political arena, and thus serves as an important antecedent to the better-documented political efforts of the 1960s and onward, such as the Viva Kennedy clubs. The essay enlarges our understanding of Latinos’ political mobilizations and their contributions to the US Left prior to the 1960s and supports an earlier chronology and context in which to understand the construction of modern Latino political identities.
Field Efficacy of Inoculation of Rhizobium etli CE3 that Produces the Antibiotic Trifolitoxin

Trifolitoxin (TFX) is a potent peptide antibiotic that inhibits (α-Proteobacteria, and confers competition for nodulation in Rhizobium (1, 2). We investigated field efficacy of TFX-producing inoculants at Arlington, Wisconsin. We inoculated seeds of Pinto beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) with mixtures of a TFX-sensitive strain with either a TFX non-producing or a TFX-producing strain at different ratios. Nodule occupancy of the TFX-producing strain was significantly higher than the non-producing strain. Inoculation with a mixture containing only 10 percent of the TFX-producing strain resulted in 45 percent of the nodules occupied by this strain. Nodule occupancy by the TFX non-producing strain was similar to its representation in the inoculum. Nodule occupancy by the TFX-producing strain did not adversely affect grain yield. Thus, TFX production increases nodule occupancy of the inoculant strains under field conditions. To determine whether the increase in nodulation competitiveness is dependent on the amount produced by a strain, we constructed a TFX overproducer plasmid and mated it into CE3. We cloned the tfx genes from pTFX24, a pBluescript derivative, into the HinDIII site of pUCD1002 (3), a cloning vector containing a rhizobium origin of replication that is maintained under no selection. The resulting construct, pTFXHCP, was mated into Rhizobium etli CE3 and conferred TFX production. Trifolitoxin overproduction and its effects on the range of inhibition and nodulation competitiveness are yet to be determined.
Chapter 5 First Stage of Amplification in the Cyclic-Nucleotide Cascade of Vision

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the first stage of amplification in the cyclic-nucleotide cascade of vision. The photoenzymology of vision has been further stimulated by electrophysiological studies showing that cyclic guanosine 3´,5´-monophosphate (cGMP) depolarized the rod outer segment (ROS) plasma membrane within milliseconds after being injected intracellularly. Another striking effect of the injected cGMP is that it increases the latency of the light-induced hyperpolarization. From the known turnover number of phosphodiesterases, the absorption of a single photon can activate hundreds of enzyme molecules. A high gain in the light-triggered hydrolysis of cGMP has been found in freshly detached ROS. The chapter reviews experiments showing that the photoactivation of phosphodiesterase is mediated by transducin, a protein consisting of three kinds of subunits. Photolyzed rhodopsin catalyzes the exchange of guanosine-5'-triphosphate (GTP) for guanosine 5´-diphosphate (GDP) bound to transducin, which converts it into an activator of phosphodiesterase. The GTP-transducin complex is likely to be the first amplified intermediate in the cyclic-nucleotide cascade of vision.
Understanding antioxidant mechanisms in preventing oxidation in foods.

Abstract: Many foods are becoming more susceptible to oxidative rancidity due to attempts to make foods healthier by increasing polyunsaturated fatty acids, and more sustainable by introducing light weight oxygen-permeable and light-penetrating packaging. Unfortunately, very few new food antioxidants have been made available over the past several decades and the use of synthetic antioxidants is disfavored by many consumers. Thus, in order to make natural, more sustainable and healthier foods, the food technologist must find ways to use existing antioxidants more effectively. This requires a strong understanding of antioxidant chemistry. This chapter reviews the chemistry of free radical scavengers, metal chelators, singlet oxygen quenchers and antioxidant enzymes. Interactions between antioxidants to enhance activity are also discussed.
Colicin Typing as an Epidemiological Tool in the Investigation of Outbreaks of Shigella sonnei

Shigella sonnei has become the most frequently reported cause of shigellosis in the United States. Since Shigella subgroup D has no other serotypes, colicin production has been used as a basis for differentiating and identifying epidemiologically related strains. The results of colicin typing 115 cultures of S. sonnei from eight outbreaks of shigellosis occurring in widely separated regions of the United States support the usefulness of this technique. In each outbreak, the cultures were either of the same colicin type or were uniformly untypable. Unrelated cases yielded a variety of types. Definitions of the relative frequencies and geographic distributions of the various strains of S. sonnei in the United States await an accumulation of experience with the method.
The Prevention of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection in Children: Focus on Palivizumab

Recurrent upper respiratory infections caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and other respiratory viruses occur throughout life. During the first 2 years of life, RSV infected children have up to a 40% risk of a lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI). In turn LRTI, including bronchiolitis, due to RSV is the most common cause of hospitalization among infants less than one year of age. While mortality from RSV infection has fallen over the last 2 decades, approximately 400-500 deaths occur annually in the United States again primarily in infants less than 1 year of age. Palivizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody, has been shown to reduce the risk of hospitalization in high risk infants if given monthly during RSV season. Post marketing safety surveillance originating from a variety of sources, mostly active surveillance, has confirmed the prelicensure safety profile of palivizumab. Other than very rare anaphylactic reactions (<1/100000), no significant adverse reactions have been noted.
Life on the road.

To form the connections of the nervous system, axons must connect up with the areas that will be their final target. Intermediate targets are thought to act as signposts along the way, sending out guidance molecules that tell the axons which way to go. But a new study shows that these intermediate targets do much more than this, and that they are required to keep the migrating neurons alive. As nerve axons migrate during wiring of the nervous system, molecular signposts at intermediate targets show them the way. Such a target has now bee n found to keep axons alive — provided they're on the right track.
Zugriffskontrolle in Konferenzsystemen

Interaktive Anwendungen, wie Textverarbeitungssysteme oder Graphikanwendungen, konnen im Rahmen computer-unterstutzter kooperativer Arbeit (CSCW) mehreren Benutzern gleichzeitig zuganglich gemacht werden. Bei jeder Kooperation gibt ein Partner eigenes Wissen an andere Partner ab, um einem gemeinsamen Kooperationsziel ein Stuck naherzukommen. Werden traditionelle Anwendungen, die fur einzelne Benutzer ausgelegt sind, in eine Arbeitsplatz-Konferenz eingebracht, so enstehen Sicherheitsrisiken. Personen, die nicht notwendigerweise auf dem lokalen Rechner Zugriffsrechte besitzen, konnen unter der Identitat des Anwendungsinitiators Zugriff auf lokale Daten erhalten. Das lokale Sicherheitsmodell wird auser Kraft gesetzt, da es nicht zwischen den Aktionen des Initiators und denen anderer Konferenzteilnehmer unterscheiden kann.
Production, Purification, and Characterization of β-(1-4)-Endoxylanase of Streptomyces roseiscleroticus

Twelve species of Streptomyces that formerly belonged to the genus Chainia were screened for the production of xylanase and cellulase. One species, Streptomyces roseiscleroticus (Chainia rosea) NRRL B-11019, produced up to 16.2 IU of xylanase per ml in 48 h. A xylanase from S. roseiscleroticus was purified and characterized. The enzyme was a debranching beta-(1-4)-endoxylanase showing high activity on xylan but essentially no activity against acid-swollen (Walseth) cellulose. It had a very low apparent molecular weight of 5,500 by native gel filtration, but its denatured molecular weight was 22,600 by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. It had an isoelectric point of 9.5. The pH and temperature optima for hydrolysis of arabinoxylan were 6.5 to 7.0 and 60 degrees C, respectively, and more than 75% of the optimum enzyme activity was retained at pH 8.0. The xylanase had a K(m) of 7.9 mg/ml and an apparent V(max) of 305 mumol . min . mg of protein. The hydrolysis rate was linear for xylan concentrations of less than 4 mg/ml, but significant inhibition was observed at xylan concentrations of more than 10 mg/ml. The predominant products of arabinoxylan hydrolysis included arabinose, xylobiose, and xylotriose.
Learning with Weighted Transducers

Weighted finite-state transducers have been used successfully in a variety of natural language processing applications, including speech recognition, speech synthesis, and machine translation. This paper shows how weighted transducers can be combined with existing learning algorithms to form powerful techniques for sequence learning problems.
Semantics of data streams and operators

What does a data stream mean? Much of the extensive work on query operators and query processing for data streams has proceeded without the benefit of an answer to this question. While such imprecision may be tolerable when dealing with simple cases, such as flat data, guaranteed physical order and element-wise operations, it can lead to ambiguities when dealing with nested data, disordered streams and windowed operators. We propose reconstitution functions to make the denotation and representation of data streams more precise, and use these functions to investigate the connection between monotonicity and non-blocking behavior of stream operators. We also touch on a reconstitution function for XML data. Other aspects of data stream semantics we consider are the use of punctuation to delineate finite subsets of a stream, adequacy of descriptions of stream disorder, and the formal specification of windowed operators.